Dressing Up

I have girly girls. However, they are also country girls. My definition: they are girls who love to be outdoors doing things, and when they play, they play hard which means they are hard on their clothes. They also all love to wear dresses (or skirts) even while playing hard outdoors. This can be a bit of a problem. (See illustration below.)

And yes, even my teenagers will still do this. I say it's because they have so much joie de vivre. I know they know better, but when you live in the country, don't have nearby neighbours, and dogs who will warn of impending visitors, you just don't care!

Great for everyday! Image: She In

This spring, over half of my girls will need new dresses. Dress shopping is a bit of a nightmare. Oh, not because dresses (or skirts) are hard to find, but appropriate dresses (and skirts) are hard to find. Peach is 5'10". Short dresses and skirts are exactly that on her. Very short! The other girls have similar issues. They are all at an age where they want to look feminine, but still be able to do things in their feminine attire. Their mother (aka. me!) draws the line at strappy dresses. Yes they all have strappy dresses and wear them -- with a shrug or sweater! No naked shoulders -- especially in church! (Some Momma legalism here.)

Also great for everyday and to go into the city too! Image: ModCloth

We have a Maurices not too far away and they have great sales! Fortunately they also have very cute dresses and usually appropriate dresses too! I think for the two oldest girls, almost all their dresses are now from Maurices. If not, then they are from one of our local thrift stores. (We often find great things!)

All my girls love lace! This one is for dressy occasions and well, church too! They still like to dress up for church even though our church is pretty casual. Image: ModCloth

For the four youngest girls, we still have great success finding their dresses at the thrift stores or handing them down. It's starting to get more difficult for Squirt and Bella though as they're in that tween stage. I'll have to pull out the boxes soon and see what fits them yet. I have suspicion though that there isn't going to be much. Never mind that some of these dresses I have now been seeing for ten years and I am getting tired of seeing them!!

Super cute and functional!! Image: Shabby Apple

I am beginning to think that shopping online might be a good option. I found a few sights that have a huge choice of seriously cute and decently modest dresses! Modcloth is one that the girls and I all love! Now I just have to get brave enough to make an order.

Have any of you ever ordered online? What has your experience been?

A New Path

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

Proverbs 16:9

When I think about it, I realize that adoption was always on my heart -- for other people at least. It wasn't until a rather traumatic third pregnancy and post delivery, and two miscarriages later that adoption was beginning to look very special to me personally.

In the end, I did get pregnant again and we had another beautiful, healthy baby girl. Yet, even in those early days the thought of adopting someday was in the back of my mind and tucked away into a neat corner of my heart. The fear of never having another child although a distant memory, never fully went away. We were blessed, we were busy, and yet something was missing.

I knew another pregnancy was out of the question, but my heart ached for another child. Despite the busyness of our lives, I found myself studying adoption blogs on the internet. Reading about children in need of a forever family. Falling in love with photos of sweet children who would love to have a family to call their own.

For awhile, I knew that the Engineer felt it was not an option, but shortly before Christmas he said to me one evening after I had finished pouring over an adoption blog, that it was time to consider adoption. I was shocked, surprised, excited, overwhelmed. God had a plan for us! A new course for us to be taking.

When it came down to the wire though, I balked. Here I had spent many hours thinking about what it would be like to welcome a Little One who was not our flesh and blood into our home, and knew that it could/would be a good thing, but when it came down to actually taking the first step, I was having cold feet. I prayed and waited and prayed and waited. After a few weeks, I began to research, and asking the Lord that if this direction was not from him, but simply from our hearts to close the doors quickly and hard.

For the first little bit, it was going to be my job to find out about countries, agencies, fees, etc. It was also going to be my job to make the phone calls to start us on this new path in our lives.

Today was the first big step. I called a specific agency because after much prayer and talking, we see God leading us to the Philippines. We already sponsor two Compassion children in the Philippines and our church sponsors missionaries who work there so it seems only natural to go with a country where we feel a connection.

The agency will be happy to have us, but first we need a social worker. I will sit on our decision for another week, and then find ourselves a social worker.

~Adoption Creed~

Not flesh of my flesh

nor bone of my bone,

but still miraculously my own.

Never forget for a single minute,

that you grew not under my heart,

but in it.

Author Unknown