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It's Monday Already!

I've been preparing for our spring photoshoot and styling some gorgeous accessories with the scarves.  I kept my camera out today after I took a few photos of Vera & I was reminded that I need to take more "real" photos!  These kiddos are changing so much... and sweet Vali sure is turning gray in the face.

How precious is this headband from Plum Polka Dot!? and those curls too :)

I hope all of you have a great start to your week! Here's to extra coffee & a productive Monday! xoxo

Valentine Scarves

A few limited styles are listed in the shop!  I won't have a ton- I'm working on a big Spring Collection and a few surprises :) 

January "Give": The Thomas Family

Sorry it's already a week into January, but here is our January Give Family!  I'm so thankful for Chris and Angie sharing their heart and family's adoption process with us.

Here is their story...
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No one ever told me adoption was a battle, a war, a direct attack on Satan and his plans to steal, kill and destroy.  I will admit when we started our adoption journey I was naïve and idealistic.  Submit paperwork, save and fund-raise (lots of) money and God brings a beautiful child in need into your family.  This is the point where I hang my head and let out a big sigh over my own ignorance.:)

 

Four and a half years later I can tell you God cares desperately for the fatherless and my naivety has been replaced by heart wounds and a deeper appreciation for the battle that ensues when we pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Adoption is a symbolic, earthly display of all that happens in the spiritual realm when we become followers of Christ.  We are rescued from our sins, purchased by His blood and brought into His family and given a new identity as His sons and daughters.  Adoption is the gospel displayed and it is beautiful…but Satan despises and opposes it in every way possible. 

 

My husband, Chris, and I first started the adoption process and submitted our application for international adoption in Ethiopia in the summer of 2010.  Our two spunky and crazy biological boys were three and almost two at the time.  We had spent time in Ethiopia and Kenya on short-term mission trips in 2003 and 2006 and sensed God’s clear leading to adopt from Ethiopia.  From the very beginning it seemed every step of the process was contested.  The first six months of our paperwork chase felt like we were walking in mud…lost documents and unexpected twists.  We finally finished our initial paperwork only to find out things in Ethiopia were changing and the wait times for being matched with a child quickly went from six months to twenty-four months. 

 

We continued to cry out to Him, asking for direction and considering if we should switch countries or agencies.  His answer, confirmed through much prayer and petition, was simply, "Stay and Wait." These words were almost crushing as we considered the wait ahead but we desperately wanted to be obedient and desired His highest and best. 

 

So…we waited (not always patiently, I might add) and in March 2013 we got the call from our agency which we had been waiting and praying for almost three years.  Our agency had a beautiful three-year-old little girl they wanted to place with our family.  One month later we discovered we were unexpectedly pregnant.  We were overjoyed at God's gift of another biological child but concerned about how this would affect our adoption.  We knew our agency had a very strict policy about pregnancy and not allowing families to proceed with adoption.  After months of tears and praying and pleading with God and our agency we found out we would not be able to continue with our adoption.   

On December 5th of 2013 we welcomed our third, precious, biological son into our family.  In July of 2014, we found out we were once again first on the list to be matched with a child.  Around the same time we learned that things in regard to international adoption had taken another downward turn in Ethiopia.  A "temporary" hold has been placed on adoption referrals at the orphanage our agency partners with by the regional Ethiopian government.  It has now been almost six months and nothing has changed.  Over Christmas we were really discouraged...again...but God gently and lovingly reminded us to keep praying. He has burdened our hearts to intercede and pray for the children who are currently living in orphanages without families.  He has led us to pray fervently that the power of the enemy who desires to keep these children as orphans would be "shattered" (Exodus 15:6, Isaiah 9:4, Job 34:24).

I can honestly say that the trials and heartaches of our adoption journey have changed us.  We understand so much more about our God…and about ourselves.  Our hearts have been purged and sifted of self-sufficiency, control, and pride (and let's just say it hasn't been pretty).  These sin struggles often die slow, painful deaths...but the life and joy found in Christ on the other side of the struggle really are more valuable than gold.  Faith and a deep, abiding trust in our Savior have been forged through the fires of disappointment and broken dreams.

And this is what we have discovered about our God…He is Faithful and Strong and True.  He is a Warrior who fought for and redeemed our lives and is still engaged in battle for those who remain spiritually without a Father and physically without a forever family.  We would covet your continued prayers for the Lord to bring home the child He has sovereignly chosen for our family. Would you pray that we would trust our God, no matter the outcome? Would you also continue to lift up the people and country of Ethiopia in your prayers as well?  The country has been ravaged by drought, economic hardships as well as HIV/AIDS for many decades.  However, God is moving and is calling and equipping the Ethiopian Church to address the needs of the millions of orphans who still exist in the country.  This is the only sustainable hope for the orphan crisis in Ethiopia and we pray God would continue to strengthen His Church in Ethiopia to lead the way in caring for orphans and other vulnerable children.  May love and justice be administered in the name of Christ and may He be glorified.

 

Love in Christ,

Chris, Angie, Burke, Henry and Ned Thomas

 

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All of the profit from the January Give Scarf will go straight to the Thomas family to help fund their adoption process.  Thank you so much for your generosity.  This month's give scarf is shown below- super soft Black & White Striped/Polka Dot Infinity Scarf (while supplies last).

 

Winter Favorites

1- Cozy Ear Flap Beanie handmade by Millesime Baby
2- Organic Healing Balm from The Honest Co.
3- Infinity Scarf (Toddler & Women) by Everyday Pitter Patter
4- Adorable Bow Accessories from LuLuLuvs- Made in Brooklyn
5- Thieves in the Diffuser from Young Living

What are your winter essentials or favorite accessories this season?

December "Give" Family- The Maurers

So excited for you all to hear from Jen Maurer and her precious family...

Shawn is from northeast Ohio and I [Jen] am from southeast Indiana, and the two of us met in college in Kentucky. We were married in 2005 and spent five years ministering in Winston-Salem, NC before moving to Texas in 2010 where Shawn currently serves as the Lead Student Pastor of Compass Christian Church. Adoption and fostering has been on both of our hearts since we were dating, and we both knew that it would one day be something we'd pursue. God spoke to each of us separately and distinctly about a year ago, and we realized that the time to begin this part of our journey was now. Shawn's degree and experiences in student ministry combined with my degree and experiences in Counseling/Psychology have culminated in us hearts that break for the most vulnerable in our society - children in the foster care system. We feel called to walk through the pain, hurt, neglect, abuse, and prayerfully - healing with the children God has prepared for us. 

Our family will be officially licensed on December 4th, which was an arduous process unto itself! However, I think the most challenging aspect of our preparation so far has been working with our boys to understand what is about to happen. Our six year old [Jude] understands why children would be put in foster care and understands that our family can help, love, and serve those children, but also seems to think that all a child would need is a week or so of kind words and they'll be "good as new." Helping him see that the healing process is long, slow, and often even unseen has been challenging. Our four year old son [Cohen] is excited about the prospect of having a foster brother or sister, although we're still working to help him understand that his new sibling will require significant patience, gentleness, kindness, and selflessness. That's a hard lesson for many adults to get...much less a 4 year old! 

One of our greatest concerns in entering this process was our need for a support system. Our families live across the country, and we knew we'd need help, support, and understanding to parent our foster children [as well as Jude and Cohen] well. As we took our first steps in paperwork and training, Shawn and I began praying earnestly for a support system. I can remember crying on my knees, pleading with God and telling Him we couldn't do it alone. Within the hour, my phone began blowing up with friends offering their help and support - friends who were willing to be certified to babysit our foster children, friends who were happy to watch Jude and Cohen so we could make all of our training sessions, and friends who were offering encouragement and prayers. I've seen God provide over and over in many ways at each junction of our journey. Just when I get overwhelmed and think I'm not going to be able to make it through the next step, He reminds me of His faithfulness and everlasting love. 

We're not exactly sure when we'll get the call for a placement, but it's looking like we'll have a placement by Christmas. I can't help but think about Joseph in the days after Mary's labor. He was looking at a sweet boy. A sweet boy who wasn't biologically connected to him. During Mary's pregnancy, I wonder if he questioned if he'd be able to love that baby. I wonder if he thought he'd have a hard time raising a child he didn't help make, or worried about feeling resentful. But I think as he looked at Jesus' tiny fingers, any worries he'd had surely vanished. God called Joseph to adopt and raise His son, and Joseph submitted to that call. And the world will never be the same. 

My favorite quote, my battle cry, my anthem is from Derek Loux. "My friends, adoption is redemption. It's costly, exhausting, expensive, and outrageous. Buying back lives costs so much. When God set out to redeem us, it killed Him." 

Our family blog: 

				jenny.erally : speak.ing {speaking before i think since 1981}
				View on jennyerallyspeaking.w...	Preview by Yahoo

jenny.erally : speak.ing

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All profit from the December Give Scarf will go directly to the Maurer family to help fund their foster care and adoption process.  Thank you so much for your generosity.  Stock up on Christmas gifts, tell your friends and help us share with the Maurers!  Here is this month's Give Scarf:

My New Creative Workspace

 I'm so excited to finally have an area for Everyday Pitter Patter! This is our guest room, so I still needed room to pull out the trundle & accommodate friends.  Thankfully the closet is huge! So I took down the old wooden sliding doors, painted all the walls white and the trim gray and accessorized with items I had around the house or already in here for the guest room.  The only things purchased new for this area: 2 white bookshelves from Target, fur throw & duvet from Ikea. 

 The paint was leftover from all our upstairs trim projects (getting rid of so much dark wood!!) and while I might have chosen a something a little different... I love how it opened up the room, allows for great light & background in product photos, and has a little sheen to it :)

I love having my packing supplies within reach & extra special having your kind thank-you notes on display! I'm so thankful for each of my buyers and I love having your encouragement as a reminder each day.  And those scarf shelves were just FULL- y'all keep impressing me with your early Christmas shopping.  Hoping to restock on the fabric that's still available soon!

I always knew I wanted to turn my guest room into a creative working space... even more so after opening my Etsy shop and taking over our dining room table.  It can be difficult to try to get work done with little hands everywhere.  I wanted an area of organization & beauty where I could close the door and keep inventory out of reach!  I can shut the armoire doors and close the curtains to hide all of the accessories.  After planning & dreaming I was motivated to finish my creative area after seeing beautiful inspiration from WeWork.  It's a co-working company that aims to inspire creative people to do what they love.  And my goodness, if you need some more inspiration check out their pinterest board- so many amazing work spaces! 

And for small business owners or entrepreneur friends-- this magazine is full of great articles.

If you would like to know more about WeWork, check out their locations page to see if they are in an area near you!

 

 Now let's see how long I can keep this room organized!!

 

Curtains, Lamp & Shelving {Target}

Pillows & Art over bed {WorldMarket}

Custom Pitter Patter Hangers {HandcraftedAffairs}

Fur, Duvet & little green plants {Ikea}

and all of the others are from TJMaxx, my mom, or yard sales!

 

Everyday Pitter Patter- Winter Collection LookBook

Friday Favorites

Camp Moxie

Softest Tee Ever!  Love my new shirt from Camp Moxie!

There are tons of adorable options in her shop- you have to check it out. 

And I love how she paired her daughter's shirt with our Leopard headwrap {here}

Here is a little excerpt from their site:

MOXIE : force of character, determination, or nerve.
Camp moxie is not just a brand it's a lifestyle. We are founded on the idea that your clothes should not only make you look good, they should make you feel good too. You can have moxie any time, any where. When you got moxie, you need the clothes to match.

Sloan & Co. 

"Pretty little things for you and your littles."

I wish I could catch Vera on video when she puts her adorable bracelets on.  She squeals with delight and then does the cutest fast wave showing off her bracelet!  Sloan & Co. has so many options for their bracelets- Halloween, Mommy & Me, Custom color styles... And how sweet would a BFF set be for your daughter and her friend's birthday!!

Want to share your favorites?

Comment below or email me...

everydaypitpat@gmail.com

 

Enjoy your weekend!

Get to know more Families on the Adoption Journey

The Maurer Family {www.jennysara.com}
The Hudson Family {http://www.karlanthony.com/uganda-child-adoption/}
The Davis Family {www.prayloveact.blogspot.com}
The Renner Family {www.bothhands.org/projects/renner-4443}
The Frazier Family {welcomelittlechild.blogspot.com}

Since I can't feature every family for the monthly give scarf, each month I want to share with you some links so you can get to know some more families on their adoption journey.  Maybe you want to connect with them, read their stories, or give directly to these families.  Click on the links by their names above to read more.  

Feel free to email me if you are interested in sharing your story and being featured on the blog.  I'm hoping to make this social world a little more personal by connecting you with others going through similar challenges as you and give you the opportunity to support them through encouragement or donations.  

UPDATE: the geometric print sold out within 24 hrs of this post!  

I will have the October Give Scarf restocked on Oct. 13th- so check back then!

And did you know that we have already sold out of the first {October Give Scarf Style} (Large B&W Polka Dot) and only have 1 left of the next! (Mini B&W Polka Dot) 
Once that one sells- we will switch to the geometric one shown above :)  Never imagined we would be sharing so many scarves with you.  Your generosity has blown me away and I know the Blandford family is extremely thankful.  Let's keep this going!!  

If you missed their story, you can read it {here}.

Friday Favorites- Etsy

The first shop I want to share is called...

Modernly Mae

I'm loving these simple felted garlands.  I think they would be a fun way to add color throughout different seasons, create a unique display for a party or add texture to a wall collage!  Which one is your favorite?  I'm all about the fall colors right now...

Happy Homestead Botanicals

I'm not quite sure how I stumbled upon Mandi's Shop last year, but I ended up ordering some of her Fancy Face Oil to use as my facial cleanser... yes that's right, oils as my cleanser.  I was a little skeptical at first because I tend to have oily/combination skin.  I'm sure she can explain it a lot better- but from what I understand if you replenish your skin with good oils, it's better than stripping your skin with drying cleanser to try & remove oil... which leads to your skin over-producing the oil you were trying to dry out!

I use it to remove my makeup and to cleanse my skin in the evening.  It is so refreshing & lasts a LONG time!  Although I miss a good lather from my old cleansers, I love the fancy face oil!  I look forward to trying more of Mandi's products & I love that she creates products for women fighting breast cancer.

Want to share your favorites?

Comment below or email me...

everydaypitpat@gmail.com

 

Enjoy your weekend!

October "Give" Family- The Blandfords

I'm so excited to share with you all the family behind this month's Give scarf. For the entire month of October, all of the profit from the black & white polka dot scarf will be sent straight to the Blandford family to help with their adoption funds.  I've asked Jennifer to share a little more of their adoption story with us...

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We've always known that we were going to adopt.  It was a call God gave me on a mission trip when I was 15 and at the time people thought I was crazy!  As most God-given dreams go, our journey hasn't gone the way we initially imagined.  We were blessed with 2 biological kids before we started our adoption journey.  Currently, we are in our home study and hope to have that completed by January.

The beauty in God writing our story is that he has totally changed our hearts in the process.  We were actually in the beginning stages of an international adoption, when we found out that I was pregnant with our daughter.  We wanted an international adoption because it would be a closed adoption.  Over the last 5 years God has radically changed our hearts and we are now working toward a domestic open adoption.  While we know that this isn't the choice for everyone, we are thankful for this call for us.  

The hardest part of our journey at this point is all the unknowns that await us.  When I was pregnant, we knew that in 9 months we would have a baby in our arms.  There is so much uncertainty about the road ahead.  It can feel overwhelming!

The greatest joy has been how loved and supported we have felt on our journey.  There has been such an outpouring of support by our friends and family.  We are overwhelmed by the way that God is using so many people to bless our family!

God is teaching us so much on this journey!  Patience has been and will continue to be huge for us.  God's timing doesn't always align with our timing and we aren't usually ok with waiting.  We've also learned that it's good to ask for help.  We have reached out to so many people for fundraising opportunities and we have been blown away by peoples' response!  We have continually been met with grace and provision.  We have been repeatedly reminded that God is a faithful provider. 

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If you would like to hear more from Jennifer and her family, you can read updates on their blog {BEBmakesThree}

100% of the profit from the give scarf will go directly to help fund the Blandford's adoption journey.  

Click {here} to purchase a give scarf from my Etsy shop and share with your friends!  

Etsy- Friday Favorites!

 Stella Bella Boutique

I have the minimalist silver bar necklace & the double loop tassel (below)

and I equally LOVE them both!

Each piece is so beautiful - especially her new fall line!

I'm thinking I need some earrings- those druzy posts- as my next purchase.

Follow @stellabellaboutique for styling tips & sales!

- dainty - bold - and everything in between -

 

This next Etsy shop is brand new & I just had to share with you...

KITCHfarmhouse

My handmade cloth napkins with lace trim arrived in the mail today
and I can't wait to use them over dinner with friends!

I love the vintage and simplistic style of this shop

and her aprons and spoon napkin holders = Gorgeous.

And follow along @kitchfarmhouse

-all organic - all natural - all farmhouse-

Want to share your favorites?

Comment below or email me...

everydaypitpat@gmail.com

 

Enjoy your weekend!