Snowflake Swap 2013

My friend Jane co-hosted a swap with a couple other bloggers for Christmas. I thought it was a neat idea, so I thought I'd join. Boy am I glad I did!

My Partner was Angie, we had so much in common, it just seemed too perfect that we got paired! Her words in her e-mail to me about being paired "There is no doubt that GOD put us together as partners!"
You see, she adopted her son, and he's joining the Army and going to Basic at Fort Jackson, which is where we were living, until today! (We are currently moving to Dahlonega, Georgia since my husband is getting out of the Army in February and started his Terminal Leave, so while ya'll read this, I'll be driving!!)

I wish I had taken pictures before I sent her package off! I had so much fun putting thought into her gifts. I bought her these super cute labels for her mason jars, she cans the things she grows in her garden, and I knew my friend over at the Sassy Seamstress had the cutest labels! She decorates 2 trees, and puts Hope ornaments for her granddaughter on one, I got her a heart shaped frame, so she could put her sweet granddaughters picture on her tree!! I also got her a couple for her other tree! I also made homemade Hot Cocoa and put lots of chocolate in there!! I hope she loved her package as much as I loved mine!!

Now for my package!!!!

Candy, Starbucks Gift card and how cute is that hot cocoa and marshmallows in an ornament!

This looks like homemade Sugar Scrub, it smells AMAZING and I don't know why I haven't tried it yet, but I can't wait to try it!!!

She sent 2 scrap book kits, they're both so pretty, the bottom one will be perfect to put some of our Hawaii pictures on! And those little gift tags are so cute!!!!

I'm a sucker for anything that makes my house smell good! I can't wait to use this when we get settled once my husband finds a job!!!

Thank you so much Angie for the goodies!! I enjoyed getting to know a little about you, and I hope that we can keep in touch!! 

Head over to Moira's, Acacia's or Jane's Blogs to link up your post or to check out what other's got from their partner's and keep an eye out, there are rumors that there might be a Snowflake Swap next year too!!!

5 years, to the day

It didn't dawn on me until today, that it hasn't just been 5 years since I gave birth and placed my son, but 5 years to the day.

J was born on a Tuesday morning, I signed the papers on a Wednesday morning. Wednesday was also the day that I held him for the first time and last time. It's also the day he got to leave the hospital. Sleeping in the hospital Tuesday night wasn't as bad as Wednesday because I knew my son was under the same roof, but Wednesday night, knowing he was sleeping somewhere else, it was really hard. Leaving the hospital without him was probably even harder. It's not natural for a mother to walk into a hospital with her son safely inside her, and to leave without him.

The day after his birthday is almost always worse than his birthday. They're both pretty hard on me. But I have an amazing support system. My husband is great, he doesn't understand, but he's here for me and knows when I need him. And all my friends are great. I don't know where I'd be without them.

I started a couple years ago, having cake and celebrating his birthday. I think it was just too hard the first few years. But now that I've started, I don't think I ever want to not do it.