thanksgiving.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone! Blessings to you!!

kate’s christmas update.

I told you a few weeks ago in this post about my sweet friend Holly and her idea for Christmas. Well, miss Holly received thousands of emails and more willingness to help than she could ever imagine!

It is now being called…

How fun is that?! I know Kate is so excited to have such a huge project named after her! The McRae family is collecting Christmas gifts for ALL of the children in the oncology unit at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Amazing.

A new, totally adorable website was just launched at HERE. Read her story (it’s still linked to her Caring Bridge site), look through all her pictures and get details on what toys they are hoping for and where to send them. Also, if you are on facebook, CLICK HERE to become a fan of Kate’s Crazy Cool Christmas! The more support for this family the better!

I can’t wait to help all of these families celebrate Christmas this year…despite the pain, the fear and despair. I hope you will join me!

Also, her daddy posted this video of her dancing during her last stay at home (they are hoping to head home again soon!)…

the macs.

My friend sent me this link to this sweet family’s blog… and oh is my heart breaking! They lost their eleven month old daughter, Cora, to cancer just a month before I found out I was pregnant with Micaela. I can’t even imagine what that would have been like to spend almost a year with your child and then have them taken away like that. You should take the time to read through their blog…it’s heartbreaking yet so inspiring.

Jess, the mama, wrote the following in one of her posts…

“We laughed with this group about how so often you feel like you are walking around wearing this big blinking sign that says, “MY CHILD DIED”. It is like a warning when you are approaching and it creates so much awkwardness. If you are happy you feel like people think you are fine and ready to move on. If you are sad you feel like you are a burden to everyone around you.”

Wow, do I know the feeling. It just got me thinking again over our pregnancy and even over the past 12 weeks since we delivered. We get mixed responses from people still…some people still look at us with that cocked head to the side and look in their eye, you know the, “ohhh, heeeyy, how aaare youuu?” Others are cautious with everything they say to us and avoid it all together, while others simply have no idea. Sometimes I find myself finding the urge to just tell people I meet what happened, as if bringing it up continues to validate that yes, we had a baby. However, that always brings the inevitable awkwardness or sympathy.

I do believe we have begun to move on. I hesitate to say that at times because it’s not something you fully “get over”–like the common cold, an old boyfriend or some drama from years past. I have received the surprised, “Oh, really?!” many times when I tell people we are actually doing well. It’s hard to fully explain it. To be honest it’s hard to even understand it. I feel as if the active grieving of this chapter in our lives is over. I know that we still have yet to pass her actual due date (Dec 3), the holidays, the day we found out we were pregnant, etc. Those will be hard days. But in all honesty we are doing well, we are happy and we are still trusting.

Today I am thankful for the Mac family–for their faith, their transparency and for reminding me that it will all be okay. They are expecting another child in January so please keep them in your prayers.

Pray for us…as we continue to learn how to turn the page and begin to write chapter two. Pray that God continues to heal my body and our hearts. Pray that God continues to strengthen and refine us individually and as a couple. Pray for a new wave of peace…that we will continue to trust God with the future and give us the strength and peace for future pregnancies.

Thank you, Mac family, for sparking my thoughts today…

downtown mesa.

Yesterday I went shopping with my friend Katelyn in downtown Mesa. She keeps telling me about this store that I would love, so we finally made it down there. OH. MY. GOSH. I could have died and gone to heaven. I’m not even exaggerating. The store is called Domestic Bliss and let’s be honest, it should just be called Danielle’s Bliss. It took every ounce of effort not to pull out that little credit card and tell the cashier, “I’ll take one of everything, please!” While I did not make any purchases today, it definitely got my brain going and my hands moving in my own house. I am so thrilled to find a store that it just me!

Another store we went in that I was also drooling over was Blossom. It’s this precious salon with retail in the front half of the store. It’s definitely a mix of Anthropologie and modern… fun yet classic. They had amazing clothes at amazing deals! I got a few lovelys there and I must say, it felt fabulous to finally have some clothes that fit!

Here are some pictures of these amazing stores…unfortunately I didn’t have my camera with me so I pulled these off the internet…

BLOSSOM (these pictures are from a few years ago…retail area is totally different now, but you get the point!)

Here’s to a day full of inspiration, precious lovelys and good friends…

finally, it’s fall.

This morning I woke up to crisp air blowing through my windows and signs of rain last night…divine. It sprinkled again this afternoon which brought the biggest smile to my heart. Even though the sun managed to win the battle with the clouds (which always seems to be the case here in AZ) the cool weather is still sticking around.

Ryan and I have been really into fall foods lately…baked chicken, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, soups with crusty bread, chai tea…I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.

Another favorite is this candle we got at the Yankee Candle Factory in Massachusetts with my family. If you ever go back east you have to check it out…definitely a tradition with my family to go and pick a candle every time we visit. This time we chose the Autumn Wreath scent and it’s incredible. Unfortunately Ryan is not a huge fan of cinnamon scented items, so it took us a while to find a fall/wintery candle that we both loved. Once we smelled this one we both got that “oh my, this is delicious” smile on our faces. Love it.

Praying the cooler weather is here to stay…it’s almost Thanksgiving for goodness sake!

Here are some fall pictures for your Saturday enjoyment…

please help!

A friend of mine from church contacted me this morning to say that a family of eight here in AZ lost their home last night due to fire. One of the child’s night lights caught on fire. Praise God everyone got out safe, but this family with SIX KIDS (holy cow!) has absolutely nothing. Here’s the note she sent me:

Hi everyone, This precious families house burnt to the ground last night in AZ city and all was lost. The young boys’ night light caught fire and the oldest was able to get them all out to safety. Could you search your closets and help them with some clothes or kitchen items?

Morgan , girl age 15, size 5 juniors med top
Logan, boy age 14, 27-28 waist, 27-28 length, men’s med shirt
Landon, boy age 10, 12-14 husky, mens small shirt
Levi, boy age 4, 4-5t
Lake, boy age 2, 2-3t
Allie, girl 9 mos, 12-18 month, also needs a crib & baby necessities

Mom’s size pants 14, large shirt
Dad’s size pants 36/30, XL shirt

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE help me help this family. I’m going to be going through my closets today and making a trip to Target! Every little bit helps! Contact me if you would like to drop off items…I’ll email you the address.

Pray for this family! I’ll keep you updated with more information as I get it.

your hands.

I had the privilege of meeting miss JJ Heller at a friends’ wedding last year. She has performed at our church quite a few times and every time she just blesses us beyond belief!

As I was sewing the other day for the boutique, I found her “Painted Red” album on Ryan’s iPod (how come I never know he has new music!) and have had it on repeat ever since. Her song, “Your Hands,” spoke to me in such a great way that I just had to share it with you! It is just such a beautiful reminder that even though we pray and pray for God to do what we want, to take our pain away, to bring us the happy ending…it doesn’t always end that way. BUT–We never leave His hands… Such a great reminder that despite everything we went through this year, Jesus was never closer.

YOUR HANDS (click here to watch and listen…)

I have unanswered prayers
I have trouble I wish wasn’t there
And I have asked a thousand ways
That you would take my pain away
You would take my pain away

I am trying to understand
How to walk this weary land
Make straight the paths that crooked lie
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine

When my world is shaking, heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave your hands

When you walked upon the earth
You healed the broken, lost and hurt
I know you hate to see me cry
One day you will set all things right
Yeah, one day you will set all things right

When my world is shaking, heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave your hands

Your hands that shaped the world
Are holding me
They hold me still

Please support JJ and her husband Dave by buying her CD! PURCHASE HERE!

what’s your style?

I love a good quiz and home interiors. And I love Home Goods! Way to go, HG, for making my day! A girl friend of mine sent me this quiz and it’s amazing how close these things get. CLICK HERE to take the quiz…then post your result in the comment section below!

Here’s my results:

Country Classic

You have a naturally refined sensibility with an appreciation for tradition and history. You value beauty, craftsmanship, and family heirlooms, but you like to open things up with pretty, easy-going pieces like painted wood or distressed furniture, lovely florals and other patterns, and bunches of fresh flowers that give your home a breezy, relaxed feeling. You love unique finds, have a thrifty, creative side, and can make these things work together.

You value serenity. While there are probably a lot of interesting things in your home, they are joined by your taste or a certain palette that keeps them in harmony. You appreciate the beauty in simple forms. Whether fancy or plain, you appreciate things that are well made and function as well as they look. You also have a strong respect for the environment and craftsmanship. You care about how things are made, and how they are used.

My Happy Home Colors:

project christmas.

My amazing friend, Holly McRae, never ceases to amaze me. I have shared with you about her family and her sweet princess Kate on this post and the awful battle with cancer that they are fighting through. On her blog, Holly & her husband, Aaron, shared their heart and vision for Christmas this year. They are unsure if Kate will be hospitalized on Christmas (and Kate’s birthday, which is the 26th) and are working through the details of the day. However, they have really felt it on their hearts to bless the kids at the hospital that they have gotten to know. Despite such dark times, the McRae family still seek Christ and desire to bless everyone around them. So amazing!

In her recent journal post, Holly shares the following:

“…the reality is, there will be families up here, on the oncology floor, away from the traditions, their immediate families and extended families, fighting for the lives of their children. Some their resources spent to get their children treatment. Others deciding which children to spend Christmas with. Others wondering if this will be their last Christmas together. The thought never ceases to bring me to tears. And so we thought we could ask Kate’s amazing followers to help us try and make it a special day for these kids. We are going to ask for people to send donations for kids of all ages and around Christmas we will distribute the gifts to the families from all of you! We want these kids to know they are loved, thought of and treasured. I wish fun gifts could take away a diagnosis, bring families back together, bring total healing. We obviously know it can’t. However, we can bring smiles where they may be lacking. And bring a glimmer of hope on very dark days.”

Sooo…LET’S DO IT! I’m not sure who all of you readers are, but I know that there are at least 100 of you! If we all sent one gift or volunteered our time, imagine the impact we could have on these sweet children’s lives!

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP…

Email me at danielleaxtell[at]gmail[dot]com or post a comment to this post by November 28th. I will forward the list of names to Holly since I’m inticipating her inbox being full from her post.

You can either send gifts, money or volunteer your time. I know many of you are states away, but you can still help! I will get more details from Holly within the next few weeks.

Thank you for helping with PROJECT CHRISTMAS and for blessing the lives of some very sick little ones! Can’t wait to hear how you can help!

Christmas Boutique

Come check out my booth… one of a kind onesies, bibs, dresses & tutus! I have some product to sell but am doing mostly custom orders.

Click here for a full list of this year’s vendors!