Big, Big Changes Baby!

 Sometimes we get so caught up in our lives and how we are reacting to it that we forget to remember to DREAM. 

I've been living a different kind of life this year. The kind of life that you write stories about. I hope that when I am old & gray I can look back at my life like a great novel that you read over and over but the kind of novel that is filled with adventure, romance, humor and 

lot's and lot's of LOVE! 

I want my story to be filled with sadness. The messy, dirty, mascara smeared tears, kind of sadness because that is the kind that changes you and shows you just how 

strong you really are. 

I want my story to read of the greatest adventures. The kind of adventures that you get lost in and forget where you even are and don't remember how you got there but 

"man this is good"

kind of adventures.

I want there to be oodles of  chapters about friendship. That I was and had the kind of friends that you can call at all hours of the morning when you need them most. The kind of friends that will tell you when you are being a little dramatic and to

"Just Breathe". 

The kind of friends that are there for only a little while because they are exactly what you needed right then. 

The kind of friends that leave a hand-print on your heart 

&

you are changed for good friendships.

I want there to be pages and pages about family. For the reader to understand what is means to be cut from the same beautiful cloth and the character built and the immense support that you felt your whole life. The kind of family that supports you and encourages you even if they can see you are going to fall flat on your face 

but if you don't try you will always wonder

"What if?". 

The kind of family that has cousins and Aunts and Uncles that feel more like Siblings and Parents than distant relatives. The kind of family that honors each generation and recognizes that the wisdom that is passed down has more value than something read on the internet.

I want my story to tell of my belief in God. The kind of belief that is bigger than any church. The kind of trust and faith that surpasses walls that other people box us into not God. The kind of faith that just "knows" that it will all be okay because there is a bigger hand helping us than we can even comprehend. 

The kind of faith and understanding to know that  when things get too hard you will be "carried" for a little while and that's okay. 

The kind of testament that it's all about the journey not the destination and what you do and who you honor with it is what really matters. 

I want my story to tell the reader about the time when I first experienced true, true "Overwhelming Gratitude". The kind of thankfulness that makes you cry because it's almost too much to handle. The kind of Gratitude that you understand that you have absolutely everything you ever wanted but that it just may not look the way you thought it would. 

That "it's" all right there to see

if you open up your heart to accept it

in whatever way it comes to you.

I want my story to be chalk full of so much LOVE. 

The kind of love that makes you weak in the knees 

&

so full that you think your heart will burst. 

And I want the cover to read:

"She knew what it meant to LOVE!"

I've done some amazing things this year and shocked myself so many times with just how Brave I was.

I want to tell you sweet friends that my DREAMS are coming true! 

I have opened myself wide open and amazing things are happening because I haven't forgotten to Dream. I have had a secret dream for a very long time. A dream to open a little business but I've been too afraid or didn't love the idea enough or not enough people were interested in whatever I was into at that moment. But all of that was necessary to get to here. 

I was offered the opportunity to participate in an Art Show this summer.

I said "Yes!" and made art...

what has come out of it is "JillyG's" and a new Etsy shop. 

After what I consider to be an overwhelmingly successful show, I felt confident enough to share my Art with the world.

(It's brand new and I only have 3 things listed currently but more to come!) 

I know it will be slow and so much harder than I thought but I LOVE it. 

I Love that I found something that I love to do. 

It matters. Loving what you do matters. 

It changes things so much. 

I never knew this until I did it and now I know.

It all matters.

Here are some pictures of my show but stay tuned until the end of the blog because I have an even bigger announcement dear readers! 

 

I Did it! 

(With lot's of help from those that love me..) 

Here is the link to my new Etsy shop: 

JillyG's

BUT WAIT! 

 

Don't go yet...I have so much more to tell you!

Just like in all good stories I've saved the BEST for last. 

As you know, My husband and I want to start a family more than anything in the world. 

After suffering a miscarriage in the Spring we thought we could try again...However, God has closed the door for natural conception, for now...

but he has opened wide the door leading us to Adoption.

 

Yes, y'all!

 

We've decided to begin the beautiful journey of adoption. It's going to be loooong and hard and crazy and there will be tears of sadness and of great, great joy. 

I guarantee it! But of this I am certain. It will be worth every single second.

The timing of discovering Art and realizing a dream come true in JillyG's could not have come at a better time than this. 

100% of all profits will go towards our adoption fund. Every single piece of art purchased will be helping us get one step closer to bringing a precious baby into our family.

I hope you will consider a piece of art to add to your home or to give to a special friend and know that it will be filled to the brim with LOVE when you get it in your hands. 

Thank you for sticking with me until the end of this BIG, BIG blog post but I hope it was worth the read. Please help me by passing on my Etsy shop to your friends and feel free to tell them of my story.

I hope by sharing so much of me with all of you that you will know that you are all a HUGE part of my story that I will cherish forever. 

This post was written from a heart overflowing with butterflies of nervousness and excitement, so much LOVE & Gratitude it's overwhelming and as always with my own two hands. 

Love you soooo much,

JillyG