A letter to God

If I could write a letter to God this might be what I would write:
Dear God,
I respectfully have a few questions that are on my heart lately that I need your help with. Nothing silly like why in the world did you give us mosquito's although that would be nice to have an answer to. But more serious questions like for instance, why is it that we tithe and give to missions like you ask us to, but there is still more month at the end of the of our budget? Why do you allow young school aged girls that come from awful backgrounds and have no means to support a child get pregnant while I have friends that are good Godly Christians are unable to get pregnant? Why do you allow abortion to be legal and take so many innocent lives every day? Why the horrible "natural" disasters? Why is it that we are willing to serve You in full time ministry but we can't seem to get a job doing so? Why are you allowing my Dad to endure this horrific disease we call cancer? Why will you take his life so early, before he is able to see my brother get married or my son go to kindergarten? Why does he have to feel such pain in the body you have given him here on earth? How can I have such a peace and not be upset with you the giver and taker of life? What will this "daddy's girl" do on Father's Day next year?
Love, Melissa

If God were to take time to write back it might look like this:
Dear Child,
I love you so much! Please be patient and realize you can't see the whole picture that I have drawn for you. I wish you could see your life through my eyes and know that I have a reason for everything that is aloud to happen there on earth. Take joy in knowing that your earthly Dad will be with me soon and I will show him the wonders of Heaven that only you can dream about! He will get to meet Peter, Moses, Abraham, and Joseph, he will sit and listen as they tell their memories first hand. I have prepared a place for him and it is something out of this world! It has a KC Chiefs room that is one of a kind! Know that he will be ok and feel no more pain once He is with me. I know you will miss him but you will make it just fine on the memories you have made with him in 27 years.
I love you my child!
Your Heavenly Father

Shatto house update

Update on the Shatto house!

* This past Thursday night was my last cake decorating class, I had an absolute blast learning all that I did! My final cake didn't turn out as good as I would have liked! It was meant to be a 2 layer chocolate on chocolate cake, however the icing turned out too thin and the top layer literally slid off the bottom layer...long story but we ate the bottom layer at home and I took and decorated a small 1 layer chocolate cake! I have been asked to do my first birthday cake for someone else! I talked them into allowing me to do cupcakes instead since I feel more confident! I'm excited!

* We introduced Jaxen to the potty chair! He's not a fan! We'll see!!!

* The last picture is a photo of a custom ordered recipe box I made for a friend! My etsy store is doing good so far. I've sold more off line then through my etsy store, which is fine with me! I will be hosting a vendor booth at an upcoming sale in August and I am super stoked about that!

* Dad is doing pretty good! The Dr.s office drained 5 1/2 liters of fluid off his stomach area today! He's lost weight and seems to be more sluggish but overall is still doing well! We are going on our "daddy daughter date" tomorrow night! That's his fathers day gift! We will be going to see Thor!

* I am letting my current craft projects dry while I blog this!

* I am so blessed to be so content in my life! I see so many people that are so unhappy and want to change so many things! I am so thankful for a loving and supportive husband and family!

One Girls Curls

I am very excited to inform you all that my Etsy store is up and running! I know in the realm of life this isn't that big of a deal but today in my life it is a big deal! I feel accomplished and anxious! I've already made sales from friends at work! I felt like it was a big under taking to start it all up and get an original of each craft ready to go. I must say the hardest part was finding a name for the shop! I had settled on 4 different names at different times and each one I wanted was already taken! So then I was back at square one! Brandon actually came up with One Girls Curls for me! He is so supportive and helpful during this Etsy craze! Check out my shop at www.onegirlscurls.etsy.com Enjoy!!

cute as a button

This is a picture of my latest craft project! I hope to have my etsy store up and running by the end of the week! I will be sure to blog as soon as I do and post pictures! This upcoming Thursday night will be cupcake night in our cake class! I am loving the cake class that Brandon

got for me! I am learning so much and I feel it's realy practical stuff I will use!

Thankfull!!

There are so many days I just sit and am overwhelmed with thankfulness! I am so thankful that my baby sister got to come for a visit! A wonderful family in our church has a beautiful huge house and were going on vacation and offered there house to us to use so we could all stay together while Amber and Trevor were here! They fully stocked the fridge and let us simply be at home in their house! What a blessing! All 13 of us were able to stay under one roof and enjoy each other! That is truly loving like Christ! Who just gives up their house!!

I am thankful for the time we are given with my dad! He is beginning to decline quickly. He is now having to take his pain medication more often, his body is retaining fluid, he can't eat as much as he once did, every time he sits he sleeps, he needs at least 6 naps a day to continue, but I am so thankful he has a great testimony during this all! Sunday night at church he sang Mercy Me's 'Jesus Bring the Rain' if you haven't heard the song it simply states that why would the bad things in our lives make us love God less...what's a little rain...whatever brings Him glory just bring the rain! The congregation gave a standing ovation and I don't believe there was a dry eye in the house. Jared got up to preach directly after dad sang and was so choked up he broke down before he could continue.

On a lighter note...the above picture is my very first cake from my cake decorating class! Brandon got me these classes as my Mother's Day gift and it is so much fun! I feel so accomplished and like I actually did a good job! The instructor is so kind and makes you really believe you can do it so easily! I don't desire to be a professional baker or cake designer by any means but I will be able to make Jaxen's birthday cakes!

Family pics

This extened weekend has been absotly wonderful! My baby sister and her husband came in town and we haven't seen them in almost a year. We all got our family pictures done, attended a baseball game, took mom to the Princess Diana exhibit in Kansas City, and we're staying in a big house all together! We are so very blessed to get this time together!

creativity

My creative juices are a flowin'!! I've always thought of myself as creative and desiring to be artistic in some fashion, but never really lived up to either of those descriptions like I wanted to. I wouldn't say that I can whip something out of the air and sell it for $100 with out trying by any means, but I am simply coming around to the experimental side of creative projects! Don't ask me to paint or draw anything, but give me some ribbons and buttons and I'll surprise you! My near future goal is to start an etsy store and make some extra money. Nothing amazing or making enough to pay the car payment by any stretch of the imagination, but maybe enough to pay our Internet bill or... living on the edge the utility bill! We'll see! My latest project in the picture is button earrings. They are so very easy and they really catch the eye! I posted a picture of them on facebook and not even trying to I sold 7 pairs to 1 person!! I am selling them 2 pairs for $5. So yes, after using a calculator I discovered I made $17.50 on my first ever selling order!!! And that my friends will pay the Internet bill this month! (not that we cannot pay it...just allocating it in my head makes me feel good!) My next project to accomplish is a recipe box! I can picture it in my head and I have purchased all the materials needed so I just need to find time to accomplish it! Pictures to come soon...hopefully!