ReOpening Soon-ish

I love my jobs. The one as a mom and the one as handmade business owner. If I have to chose, it would always be the first. Getting down on the floor and spending time with my kids is the single most valuable moment in my day.

Up until this point I have made time for both. I have been able to balance pretty well. Adding a forth has obviously made life a little...busier. We also started Kindergarten homeschooling this week. My schedule still has room for sewing but just not the extent that Vessel had been demanding before maternity leave.

Out of nowhere my little handmade business had exploded into a 2 employee + myself, barely keep up with orders type of business. It was wonderful and exciting and fun. We stopped taking orders so that I could have a short maternity leave and it has been amazing. I am dying to get back to sewing though. Not like I was though. I am scared that I won't be able to keep up quite yet.

We have prayed a lot about the final months of this year. I am ready to re-open the doors but not ready for what the shop demands. What on earth am I supposed to do? We have finally come to a decision. The etsy shop will remain closed. At least for now. Until the end of the year.

I will be participating in two small boutiques. Like I said I want to be sewing. I love it. I am ready. I want my business to continue. Not at all ready to give it up. The boutiques will be local and I will be going simple. A few products I love.

Any products that do not sell will be listed in the shop until I am ready to reopen completely. No stress. Just fun.



So all that being said, if you were to walk into a boutique, what would you want to see? Be specific.

 

Is there a princess apron you would want? A quilt for your little boys crib? Our signature foldover clutches? Art accessories? We want your input.



As for the future of Vessel, we are not sure. The doors will surely be reopening. What it will look like is still undecided. We may reopen with just a hodge podge of products that I am currently having fun creating. Or maybe we will reopen as a ready to ship shop with a smaller amount of our typical products. Who knows, I may get a burst of energy or an additional employee and we will be back to our normal business. Only time will tell.

For now, you tell me, what would you like to see. For the boutique line and for the future of the shop. We always value the opinion of our customers :)

My second born

Wow, this week has really been one of reminiscing. A lot has happened in our family over the years on this amazing week.
 


The first was three years ago on this day. My first baby boy was born. A mama's boy from birth.



Over these past three years, Talon has grown and changed so much.



He is the silliest, funniest little munchkin around. The things he says and does crack me up by the second. There is never a dull moment when he is around.



He loves and snuggles like no other. He slays me with his hugs and kisses that often turn to wrestling. He is all boy. A wild child with a heart of gold.

My boy is three today. I might hide in a corner and cry. No more growing up!

The first year

Today marks one year since Little Man has entered our life. I remember the day like it was yesterday.

It all started with a phone call.

"Mrs. Murphy, are you ready?"
Uhhhh. yes!!!!!
"We have a 4month old baby boy, here is what we know...."
WE WANT HIM!
"Do you need to ask your husband?"
No. We want him. I don't need to ask. (Don't judge me people, it was my baby I felt it. Hubby understood haha)
"Ok, I will call the social worker and let them know there is a family if he still needs one."

Then we waited and waited. For two hours. Then the call. He would be here is a few hours. So we shopped.

He arrived. Not at all how you expect a child to come. A knock on the door. A child placed in my arms while a woman ran to her car, grabbed a small bag and a stroller. She had us look him over, sign a few papers and left. We didn't even know how to pronounce his name (we weren't even positive until our first visit 3 months later). This precious boy was basically dropped on our doorstep, it was so surreal.

You know that feeling when your baby is first placed on your chest? That overwhelming feeling of love? That is how we felt when handed Little Man. I loved him just like my others. Insane love and attachment instantly. It scared me. He is still someone else's child. He can still leave. But oh the love he will receive while he is here...and forever.

This year has been a beautiful mess.

We have had tears and laughter, sometimes both at the same time.
We've had weekly visits and then none at all. And then the same thing all over again.

There have been court dates and postponements. Oh the postponements.
There have been scary decisions made by a judge whose name we didn't even know. With a lawyer we didn't even know had changed. We have dealt with a broken system.

We have seen his first teeth come in. Watched him learn to roll, crawl, walk run and jump.
We have heard his first words. He calls me mama.

A few family vacations. Lots of fun days. Disneyland. Beaches. Zoos. Adventures.

His first birthday has come and gone. We have celebrated his milestones. His months, year and HIM.

We've watched him fail to attach. We have felt the heartbreak of loving a baby who was too scared of us leaving to really truly love us back. We celebrated a bit, the first time that he cried when we left. He loves us. We've watched him fall asleep numerous nights, knowing he was scared we would leave. We still have these nights. He is attached and sometimes scared.

We've been amazed at how early he learned so much. When he was placed in our home, he could roll to one side. Within weeks he was rolling and crawling. He started taking steps at 10.5 months. He started fully walking on his birthday. We are fairly certain he was walking behind our backs before then. He is a silly little joker.

He has always had the sweetest smile. It seems to get bigger and brighter by the day or maybe even minute. His full belly laugh will melt you but only if you can see his face, because he laughs so hard and intensely he often sounds like he is scream-crying, as we call it.

This boy radiates joy even through his struggles.

This year has been crazy. This year has been joyous. This year has been hard. This year has been fun. This year has been emotional. This year has been amazing.

Little man has grown. He has attached. He loves. He struggles. He clings. He fights. He brings laughter and smiles everywhere he goes. He is amazing.

We have grown. We have attached. We love. We struggle. We cling to. We fight. We laugh and smile. We are amazed at what God has done.

Recertification

During our social worker visit this week, I was reminded that our recertification is due. That basically means we have hours of training that are due as well as some updated info and forms to submit. It means we need a new home eval. ::enter panic attack here::

After the initial panic of having to reprep the house for someone to come look through, I realized that a recertification being due means that we have been certified for a year now. We have been licensed for a year! It seems so recent that our little man was placed with us.

It got me thinking back to the 6 days we waited for a phone call. It is so odd to wait for someone to call you and tell you that you have a child. So scary to know what may come your way. What trauma your future child may have endured.

I remember the thoughts that ran through my head when we were officially certified. Were we ready for this? Were we really prepared for what God called us to?

Looking back on my fears, my excitement and all other emotions that ran wild I thought about the question "Is this what we expected it to be?"

My answer is not a clear cut yes or no. In so many ways I look at what we were taught and think that we were prepared for the worse and came out with the best case scenario. In other areas, I see that I could never have prepared myself for where we are.

There are days I forget I am a foster mom. There are others when the blatant reminders crush me. There are times that I think we are ready to quit (without returning little man of course lol) and there are days that I just know we will do this forever.

But is it what I expected when we signed the first form? I don't know. I don't know what we really expected to begin with. We came into this with faith and a calling. That's basically where we still stand. Answering God's call and waiting for Him to point us where He wants us to go.

Will we continue fostering after Little Man? Only God knows. We were called to adopt a child through foster care. We are hoping that child is Little Man. If it is not, we will move forward. If it is, I don't know where we will go. We may foster more. We may just advocate for foster children. It is scary being so unsure. It's scary not knowing where our family will go from here. There is comfort in Christ though. Comfort in knowing that God has it all figured out.

For now, we pray. We take is one recertification at a time. We strive to be a voice for the child who does not have one. And we run to get our house together in time for our social worker. Ahhhhh!!!!!

Come back tomorrow for a recap of our first year.

When I Grow Up Event

Pretend City. I've mentioned here quite a bit how much we love it. It's definitely on our list of favorite places in Orange County. It's so high up there that this month when I asked Talon what he would like to do on his actual birthday, offering Disneyland, Knotts, Soak City, Parks, the beach, the works, he was set on Pretend City.

Done. Mama loves it too. You can imagine how excited I was when I got an e-mail of this months events and there was one on Talon's special day. It gets better. The event: "When I Grow Up". How perfect for our little guy who is growing before my eyes.

At When I Grow Up Day, Pretend City will have professionals from the community for the Pretenders to interact with. There will be people from all sorts of professions. The birthday boy is extra excited about the Firefighter and Lifeguard. His sister on the other hand cannot wait to see the manicurist and children's book illustrator. There are so many more too.

The event looks like a ton of extra fun. Pretend City is offering $1 off admission. And we will be there celebrating. We would love to see some of your faces and meet some of our followers in real life!

If you are able to make it, please say hello. I will be the crazy lady wearing a baby and chasing a 1, 3 and 4 year old while trying instagram it all. Ha. But seriously, we hope to see you there!

Event Info

August 23rd

10am-2pm

Pray for Luke

There are people we meet or come across that "just have something about them". Something that draws people in. They bring joy. They radiate love.

There's the little old lady that brings cookies to everyone she knows. The man in the store who looks just like Santa and will even make a grand story for your child. There is the kid with the contagious smile and laugh that melts you.

The kid in this instance is Luke. Without even meeting him you love him and want to squeeze him, right?

Luke is the perfect example of "there's just something about him".

He brings joy everywhere he goes. You just know that he is destined for great things. To move people with just his smile. 

In this moment though, Luke needs us. He needs our prayers. 

This past Sunday, my sweet friend Chelle took her precious 2 year old to Urgent Care for a fever that lasted 4 days. She needed him better for her sisters wedding this weekend. 

Luke and Mommy, Michelle

Instead of being prescribed antibiotics, within 24 hours, this sweet child was diagnosed with AML. A rare form of leukemia that will require 6 months of aggressive chemo.

A diagnosis and treatment that no child should have to face but sweet Lukey is still showing his smile on his Facebook page. 

We are asking now that you all join us in praying for Luke. Pray for a complete healing. For strength and for comfort. For his parents and big brother Jeremiah.. Pray, Pray and Pray some more.

If you would like to follow along with Luke's journey, his mama has set up a page where you can hear the latest news and specific prayer requests. To visit, Click HERE

A Baby Story: Corbin Grey

You write up a birth plan. You plan out the details. Discuss and confirm every thing with your doctor. It's going to be beautiful and perfect. Until it isn't.

That's how this labor went.

We decided to go all natural this time around. No epidural. No drugs at all. I was going to experience the real deal. I was actually pretty excited about it.

Then for numerous health reasons, after a lot of consideration and prayer we (doctor, hubby and I) decided that an induction was the best option for baby and I.

With the decision for an induction, came the decision to have an epidural. It was not an easy decision but the thought of no pain meds during the intense labor induction brings terrified me.

The decision to induce and have an epidural threw my loved birth plan out the window. Bye bye birthing ball, showers and ability to rock and walk the halls. Hello being locked down to a hospital bed. Sadness. But a good decision for my baby and I. 

Plus side, at least it'll be pain free, right? Right? Someone tell me epidurals always work! Or don't, you'd be lying. We'll get to that though. 

Induction day came. Family was on call. We knew it would be quick. My first labor was 9 hours, second was 6. This would be 3, right? Wrong!!

We arrived at the hospital. Got checked in. Waited about an hour and were in the room by 11am. They checked my cervix and I was at a three. Booyah!!! I'd never been dilated before labor in the past. This was gonna be over in an instant.

Pitocin was started and my first contraction came at around 1:30. I toughed through what the nurse called intense contractions for about 2 hours. It wasn't too bad. We walked the halls, I rocked in the rocking chair for a bit. It was the best part of any labor I've had because I was doing it! The nurse informed us that if I wanted an epidural in the next few hours I needed to do it now.

The epidural was placed and my water was broke. With the other two, after my water broke it was about an hour. It was go time. 

After about 5 minutes, I wasn't feeling well. Like really bad. Nauseous, light headed, room spinning. The epidural caused my blood pressure to drop. They gave me something in the IV and instantly I felt fine. It was really go time now.

About an hour later, I was still in labor. Instead of feeling the urge to push like I expected, I felt nauseous again. I felt like I was going to pass out. From what everyone in the room says, my eyes rolled back in my head, the bottom of my feet were blue and I was pale white. My blood pressure had dropped to 60/58!!! More ephedrine in the IV and I was fine. 

But why couldn't I feel my legs. Epidural was settling in them. My contractions were not being picked up by external or internal monitors. Had they stopped? Sure enough my labor would not stick. It went off and on for 13 hours where I stayed dilated at a 4 the WHOLE time. 

All of a sudden, horrible contractions. I let the nurse know I was in pain. Yes, in pain despite an epidural. For some reason the epidural was only working from my waist down. I felt everything from this point on...everything except my legs. My legs felt like logs, heavy logs that I could lift on my own. But things were progressing.

I was at 7. After 20 minutes I informed her I was feeling the pain and a little pressure. We were almost there.

Doctor was called and we kicked my family out of the room. As the doctor was prepping I had the urge to push, so we started. 1 push and there was his head. Within 4 pushes he was here. The labor from hell turned into the easiest delivery ever.

This precious baby was placed on my chest and I have been in love ever since. 

Corbin Grey was born on July 23rd at 3:23am. He was 9lb 11oz and 21.5in

He is growing quickly and is the sweetest little guy.

First picture as a family of 6. It's cuter without Little Man's disguise but it'll do :)

Introducing...

On July 23rd, after 14 long hours of labor, we welcomed our newest little guy into the world. My labor was a nightmare but the end result was a perfect gift from God. I will be posting the whole birth story this week or next. I just couldn't wait one more second to introduce you all to baby boy.

So here he is:

Corbin Grey. Born at 3:22am on July 23rd.

 Our big boy weighed in at 9lb 11oz and measured 21.5inches.

We are all loving having him here. He is the perfect addition to our family and everyone is so happy to have him here. Until I get the chance to post again, here are a few pictures to make your ovaries quiver.

 

Isn't he the sweetest? Yeah. I think so too ;)

On another exciting note, we are ready to announce the winner of the Target Giftcard Giveaway. Drum-roll please......

Jennifer Bryson!!!

E-mail me ASAP at Vesselhandmade{at}gmail{dot}com 

with your mailing address. 

Congrats!