**Update for Kelly's Korner Show Us Your Life Friday:

We have short sleeve left in sand and maroon.  We also have very few available in long sleeve.  Feel free to email me what you prefer and I'll let you know what's available before you order via Paypal. Thank you so much for taking time to support our journey.  You can read more about our journey by clicking on the "Adoption" link on my sidebar under "Categories."  Hope you'll continue checking in!

My email is mssmith_14@yahoo.com.
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I am happy to announce that our "Praying for More..." t-shirts have arrived as of Friday night! I was so anxious to see what they looked like in person, and I was NOT disappointed! They are OH-SO-CUTE! See for yourself!

For those of you who ordered via PayPal and are having yours shipped, I have already rolled them up and have them ready to ship on Monday! So keep a lookout! I cannot tell you how pleased I was with both colors! I love the brown, but I was surprised at how much I love the sand as well! Take a closer look...

Brown Front/Back

Sand Front/Back

Once I calmed my excitement, it was time to get to work unpacking, rolling, and tying up! How much do you love looking at these boxes full of prayers for Baby Johnson!? Each t-shirt is a reminder for someone to think about and pray for our little one, wherever they may be or whenever they may be born! How special!

I made sure to document each moment to show our child one day, so that he/she knows just how much we wanted and prayed for them! And how many others joined with us!


I gave Russ the job of cutting the raffia to my exact measurements. We are only using things we already have in the house, so it was important we conserved. His job was very important! Ha!


Once they were wrapped, tied, and labeled with the size and a thank-you straight from our hearts, they were ready to go! Take a look at what you will receive! Please let me tell you how much love was put into each cut, tie, label, and rolled up shirt...SO MUCH!


For those of you in the Corinth area next weekend, I will have the shirts that are left at the Corinth Green Market all day. Kristin and I will have a tent called "Sisters Smith." She will have awesome creations too! Come by and give us love!


If you are not in the Corinth area, feel free to order through my PayPal on my sidebar. I'll ship it straight to you ASAP! Don't forget to choose your size and color. Shipping charges will be added to your order.


It's Mother's Day weekend. Do you know any mothers who are "praying for more" and feel forgotten on this difficult day? Give them this gift that reminds them they are not alone with a note letting them know you remember them and are praying with them as they wait for their own little one. Perhaps this is a good gift for your own mother, sister, aunt, mother-in-law. Or maybe it's just for you! Whatever your reason, I can guarantee that our hearts are filled with such gratitude for your purchase! We are humbled by your support and love! Thank you in advance!

BTW...if you have a blog or Facebook, feel free to spread the news!

Annual Smith Easter Egg Hunt 2011

It's finally time! All of you who have bugged me to get the big Smith Family Easter Egg Hunt pictures up....here it is! For those of you who may be new to this blog, let me fill you in by pointing you first to this hunt and then to last year's hunt. That should fill you in a bit as to how serious this hunt is. Everyone knows that children hunt eggs. And we did. In an attempt to step it up a bit and make it a little more fun as we got older, the Easter bunny started leaving nickels, dimes, and if we were lucky a QUARTER! The older we've gotten, the more our hunt has evolved into obviously a little something more worth fighting over! Ha ha! Now, when I tell you that it's major, let me explain that people come over to watch after their own Easter lunches. Melinda and Rhonda are always among the spectators. It's fun and very entertaining! Those that can't make it, request and ask and demand pictures...hence this blog post!

Mrs. Easter Bunny

Last year, I decided, for such an event as this, that we needed uniforms. Russ couldn't make it last year, and I'm sure you know that Lee wasn't an "official" member of the family yet. So, while the "Official Easter Bunny" hid the eggs, I presented Lee and Russ with the coveted egg hunt shirts.

Lee and Russ

Once everyone had their official t-shirts, we all headed to our respective bedrooms to change into our egg hunt gear. The rest, as you will see is for you to judge! Ha!

"Easter bunnies"

Team Tull...Kristin and Lee

Dustin and Brodie

Me and Russ

The Official Smith Easter Egg Hunt Family Photo

Now that the formalities were out of the way, we were back to our game faces! We lined the back door waiting on our instructions, boundaries, and the big "GO!" With this growing family, the starting line is probably the most dangerous! Ha!

On your mark, get set...

...GO! And we were off! I quietly stayed on the deck getting eggs there while everyone else scoured the yard. Once the deck was cleared...or as far as I could tell, I ran down to the yard and was wheezing after running all around the first corner of the yard. I need to bring my inhaler next time! Ha! Or maybe just get back into shape!

Searching all over!

Reigning champ for the last...ummmm...21 years probably!

Usually, it's every man for himself! Don't be surprised to see me push Russ out of the way or to see him race me for an egg. Russ and I decided to work as a team this year..."team adoption!" Ha!

Intense!

Us girls always end up much slower as the hunt continues.

After we think all the eggs have been found, we hunt some more, look in cracks, check bushes, check between fence posts, and retrace our steps. When we are almost positive there is not a single egg left, we head back to the deck to count our eggs...and our money!

Pretty happy with the look of my full basket.

Rhonda and Kristin

Anyone have a calculator?

This is the first time I'm noticing this bag. Did Lee have a basket AND a bag?! I'm about to protest! Especially since he beat me by SIX eggs!

Once the eggs have been counted, we get to the most important part...what's inside the eggs!

This party of two is happy with our efforts!

Oh, I bet you're wanting the results...

Well, as usual Dustin came in first with a total of 71 eggs! Of course, he carried TWO baskets with the excuse that Brodie was on his team. Lee came in second with 58 eggs, while I came in third with 52. Russ came in fourth, but I can't remember his egg count. The most important thing to know is that Kristin came in fifth...in other words - last! He he! She was unhappy with her results. Her accessories may have slowed her down a bit! Ha ha!

Farley hung out and took it all in...notice Kristin in the background. I told you she wasn't happy! Ha!

It was a great hunt, as usual! And if there's anything this family loves...it's FUN! Thanks, Mr. and Mrs. Easter Bunny for all you do to make these memories!

You should know that we came in 2nd as a couple!

After the Smith Egg Hunt, Russ and I ran over to his parents' house to visit with his family. Of course, we pulled up and the kids came running saying, "Aunt Megan and...OH!" stopping dead in their tracks at our attire. It was funny!

Russ with his mom and sister

Jimmy and Roan

Seth, Clay, and Will

Granmomma with all her grandaughters

One of my favorite things about holidays is the time spent with family! Russ and I are very much family oriented, which is why we can't wait to add to our own! We are so blessed with loving families and thankful for the example they have set for us as we look to begin our own little family.

Easter Frocks

We know the meaning of Easter and the significance of this special holiday. And we also know that here...especially in the south...Easter is also a time that we all get dressed up, head to church, and take tons of pictures in our "Easter frocks." The older I get, the less important it is to wear a frilly white dress with white shoes and white frilly socks. But, it is instilled in our southern culture to wear your best on Easter Sunday and parade down the front drive/sidewalk as we take family pictures. Yes. That is our culture here in the south. And it continues in our family too.

Mama sets her fine China out for our Easter lunch. Once a year we eat on these fine dishes set so nicely. This year was no exception! A beautifully set table with incredibly delicious food! Food that could go on for days!


Cloth napkins instead of paper towels...polished silver instead of plastic.


Easter happies stuck in between...


Then, Russ comes along with all his equipment and prepares for the family pictures in our Easter frocks while we wait for the finishing touches on our lunch. As his assistant, I pose with a white piece of paper to check the white balance. We jokingly make fun of him for his professionalism...but we all want copies of the pictures because they are so good! Thanks, babe, for capturing these moments!

How's this white balance, Russ!? Ha!

And the photo shoot begins...

The children...and Farley!

The whole family with both grandpups

Kristin and Lee

Party of Two...plus Farley

Dustin and Brodie

Daddy and Maw Maw

Smithites...playing nice before our egg hunt

When photos are finally over, we all sit down to an incredible meal complete with ham, crock pot mac and cheese, crunchy Romaine salad, blueberry salad, fruit, rolls, creamed corn, green bean bundles, etc.

Official Easter Bunny

It's a good ole fashioned family Easter!

Adopted for Life

As Easter neared, I found it only so perfectly appropriate that Russ and I entered into the adoption process. We are currently in the process to adopt our child...a child God already has placed. Once we adopt our baby, he/she will be "adopted." If you notice, "adopted" is past tense. It simply tells the way in which a child entered our family. Just as you may say that your child entered your family through a natural birth or C-section. Our child will enter through adoption. Once adopted, this child will be a member of our family. With a new name. A new inheritance. Our child will be "adopted for life."

The more we get into this process, I can't help but turn my thoughts to my Heavenly Father. On Good Friday, Jesus died. What's good about that? Well, we know that Sunday comes! Three days after Jesus died an excruciating death on the cross for US...OUR SINS...He rose again! He is not dead! He's alive! Since He's alive, we have the opportunity to invite Him into our lives, to take control, and live in our hearts. We have the opportunity to allow God to adopt us into His family and become children of God. I am a child of God. He has adopted me into His family, and no one can pluck me from His hand. I am not halfway adopted. I am not more adopted now than when I became a Christian. I was adopted...past tense for how I entered His family. Now I am His child. I have a new name, a new heritage, and a new inheritance. I am an heir of God...joint heir with Christ. Did you hear that? I am a joint heir with God's one and only Son because I, too, am His child.

"Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ..."
Romans 8:17

Thank you, Lord, for adopting me! Thank you for sending your one and only Son to die that cruel death on that cross for ME and for all of us! And I thank you that Jesus is RISEN! He is alive, and He lives in me!

Does He live in you?

Please take a few minutes and watch this video...watch until the end as the beautiful picture of adoption is displayed. You won't be sorry! (Mute my playlist)

Are you a child of God? Have you been adopted?

"In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will." Ephesians 1:4-5

"for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith." Galatians 3:26

"Adopted"

Before you think about adoption as a different or alternate route to having children, remember that we are "adopted" after all. God has adopted us into His family. No less His children. How wonderful to have His example as we look to adopt a child into our family!