Sneak Peek - Trash the Dress pictures!

Tanya and Carrie have both posted some sneak peek pictures on their websites. Here are some of mine...






The pink balloons are for Georgia - all proceeds from this Trash the Dress event went towards research into a cure for SMA in her memory/honour. Thanks again to all the ladies that made this possible - the photographers (Tanya Lynn and Carrie), the makeup artist, the hair dressers (Tanya McKay and Tara Gair) and all the other brides! Together we donated over $1000! Having so much fun for such a great cause - priceless.

Trash the Dress!

Yesterday I had an absolute blast trashing my wedding dress.

Say what?!

Yep, I trashed my wedding dress. And it was fun.... F U N !!!

6 other lovely married ladies participated in yesterday's oh so girlie Trash the Dress event which consisted of...

getting our makeup and hair done professionally
putting on our wedding gowns
heading out to a grungy urban setting and later the beach for one very cool photography session!
receiving one 8x10 print of my choice
receiving a cd of all the usable photos edited by wonderful photographers Tanya Lynn and Carrie
all for only $150!

And the best part of all - every single penny of profit was donated to fund research into a cure for SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) in memory/honour of Georgia Lily Lucas.

And can I just say that we received many a curious stare from passers-by as our group of brides walked the downtown streets and the beach!

Of course, it was even more fun because I did it with my best friend Candace. We got some great shots of us together. They did one shot of the two of us underneath a sign that said "Vintage" something-or-other, since, you know, Candace and I each got married 12 and 13 years ago respectively and our dresses look it! :) For some reason all the elderly ladies that stopped to talk with our group liked our dresses best - not entirely sure how complimentary that is! LOL

I also admit to being a tad impressed that my dress still fits me 13 years and 4 children later! Course it's taken a lot of hard work to get there, and truthfully, I was only able to zip up my dress that last inch about 2 weeks ago. Whew, just in time! I actually weigh less than I did on my wedding day, but after having kids your body shape changes too - and those wedding dresses are fit exactly to your body shape (you know, back then!)so there's not a lot of room for give there.

If any of you every get the opportunity to do a Trash the Dress photo shoot, I highly recommend it - it was an absolute blast!!

For those who are a bit more on the sentimental side and would be concerned about ruining your wedding dress.... of course, I can't guarantee anything for your dress, but I rinsed my dress out a bit in the shower to get the loose sand off, and then I just dumped the whole thing into my washing machine

YOU DID WHAT?!

Yup, I washed it in the washing machine! (on delicate cycle - but not the handwash cycle cause I figured the dress was too dirty to get clean on a handwash cycle) I figured if I couldn't clean it, it was as good as wrecked anyway, so what was the harm in trying?! Good thing I did because my wedding dress came out looking good as new! And believe me - it was very dirty going in - dust turned to mud, wet sand & whatever else is all in the lake, leaves and bugs! You could never tell it had been trashed. I even washed my crinoline in the washing machine, and I hosed down my veil in the shower and hung it to dry. I had to shake out a few pieces of debris that clung to the crinoline type materials, but now everything looks picture perfect - easily in wearable condition, should the opportunity ever arise again.

And don't you worry, I'll be posting photos just as soon as I get them!

He gives and takes away

He gives and takes away.

This week has contained more than it's share of taking away.

There were, of course, the deaths of famous celebrities Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett.

There were also two deaths that hit much closer to home for me.

This past Father's Day Sunday, a 49 year old father of 4 collasped shortly before crossing the finishing line of the local marathon alongside one of his two daughters. After remaining in a coma for several days, he passed away on Friday. His family are members of my in-laws church where we attended for a short time.

And this past week, a couple from our church had their moment of greatest joy turn into a sudden tragedy. Wes and Ashley gave birth to their firstborn daughter on Monday, but something went wrong during the delivery and baby Ciara (pronounced Sierra) died on Friday. I cannot begin to imagine the pain these parents are going through and the long road they have ahead of them.

Just over 2 short months ago, Mike & Kristen lost their daughter Georgia to SMA.

Stellan continues to struggle in out out of the hospital with SVT.

Just over a year ago, Todd & Angie Smith (from the musical group, Selah) said goodbye to their fourth daughter Audrey just hours after her birth.

I have lost two babies to miscarriages early in pregnancy and I lost my first dad when I was just 2 years old.

As I mentioned in this previous post on the same subject, most of this life's tragedies are a result of the fall of man, the direct result of sin. Even creation was disfigured as a result of the fall - resulting in natural disasters and more minor annoyances like weeds and mosquitoes. Until Jesus comes to take us home, we have to live on this less-than-perfect earth - experiencing all the high and lows that go along with it.

But God is sovereign, He is still on His throne.

And He weeps with us during these times of intense sorrow and grief. One day...... "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." Revelation 21:4

2 Corinthians 4:8-10, 16-18 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.......That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Jesus is coming back. And when He does, He will wipe away every tear, He will right every wrong, and we who enjoy an imperfect relationship with Him here on earth, will finally celebrate a perfect relationship with Him for all eternity.

Thankfully, in the meantime, we are given opportunity to experiences glimpses of the joy awaiting us. Our family, our friends, music, art, a good book, a delicious meal. All just a taste of the perfection awaiting us in heaven.

But no matter if we are currently experiencing joy or sorrow - Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. He alone is worthy of our praise.

Job 1:21 The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.

I've always loved the song Praise You in This Storm by Casting Crowns (I pretty much like everything by Casting Crowns!).

I was sure by now
That You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
stepped in and saved the day
but once again, I say "Amen," and its still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear you whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God that gives
And takes away

I'll praise you in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You herd my cry
You raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't Find you

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear you whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God that gives
And takes away

I'll praise you in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I lift my eyes into the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The maker of Heaven and Earth

I lift my eyes into the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The maker of Heaven and Earth


I'll praise you in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
Every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

Like most songs, this was inspired by real life events and it is a truly remarkable story. You can read the story behind this song here.

And please, pray for the families I mentioned above. That God would give them the comfort and peace they so desperately need.

Drum roll please......

And the winner of my first ever blog giveaway in memory of Georgia is.....

Jessica!

Congratulations on winning the book and the secret prize which is.....

A pair of earrings from Two Belles and a Bead - one of the Belles is an online friend of mine.

I love her stuff! I bought this necklace and then had her custom design these earrings (which she then added to their online store) - both of which I LOVE and wear a lot. I also had her custom design a Mother's necklace for me. I should've taken a picture of that one too - maybe later.

There's a funny story to go with the earrings I'm giving to Jessica for winning the blog giveaway...

I was ordering myself some jewellery from this site and found a few good deals on some earrings and, in a totally blonde moment, thought they'd make a perfect stocking stuffer for my mom. How is this a blonde moment you ask? My mom doesn't have her ears pierced. Yep. Seriously. Thankfully I remembered this before I gave them to her - wouldn't that have been embarassing!

Thanks to all of you who supported Georgia's family by signing the Petition to Cure SMA!

First ever blog GIVEAWAY!

I've been thinking about doing a blog giveaway for a long time. I just think they're so much fun so why not?!

I've decided to do my first ever giveaway in memory of Georgia.

In order to be eligible for this blog giveaway you must complete the following...
1) Sign the Petition to Cure SMA. You will receive one bonus entry if you also have your spouse/children sign the petition. For more details on the petition see my previous blog post.
2) Go to Georgia's parents blog and post a comment on their blog letting them know that you and your family (if applicable) have signed the petition in memory of Georgia.
3) You can receive a third bonus entry if you post about this blog giveaway on your blog, or if you tell a friend (email or in person) about the petition.
4) You can receive a fourth bonus entry if you already signed the petition before you read about this giveaway, in response to my previous post (or however you previously heard about the petition).
5) Comment on this post letting me know that you and/or your family signed the petition, and if you spread the word via the blogosphere, email or word of mouth, and if you signed it before reading about the giveaway.

Obviously a few of these things require me to rely on the honour system. Of course, I have the utmost faith in my readership and do not doubt your integrity in any way, so I know this will not be an issue.

US & Canadian entries are all eligible. And, due to a few of my online friends residing in other corners of the world - I am also opening this up to Australia and England. If you're from somewhere else, and are interested, I'd likely be convinced to include you as well. Twist my rubber arm.

The winner will be picked at random.

So - what's the prize? There are actually two prizes!

First, those who know me will not be surprised when I say.... a book :)

One of my favourite Christian authors is Randy Alcorn. Recently as I was purchasing some items on Christian Book Online I came across this amazing sale of Randy's book Deception. I couldn't resist purchasing it, even though I've already read it. I was planning to donate it to our church library, but they already have a copy of it, so it's a perfect item to give away.

Deception is a spinoff of Deadline and Dominion but it is also a stand alone book - you don't have to read the others in order for it to make sense.

Here's the publisher's description of the book

Who Done It...and Why? Ollie Chandler is a brilliant and quick-witted homicide detective who lives by Ollie's First Law: "Things are not what they appear." So when a university professor is found murdered and the motive looks like revenge, a stunning discovery leads him to an unimaginable conclusion. Could the murderer be a fellow homicide detective? As Ollie probes deeper, another detective is murdered. What is the root of this jumbled, deceptive mess of lies and secrets? Jake Woods returns from Deadline , and Clarence Abernathy from Dominion in this heart-pounding murder mystery bristling with tension and suspicion. Deception will take you to heaven and hell and back again...breathless to discover the truth.

The second prize will remain a secret - don't you just love surprises?! :) I will reveal the secret prize when I name the winner of this giveaway.

You have less than a week to enter - the giveaway will close at 11:30am CST on Thursday, May 21st - the one month anniversary of Georgia's death.

Thank you for your support of the Petition to Cure SMA and good luck!

Something you can DO - in memory of Georgia

Often after hearing of a tragic death, we wonder how we can help. If we have not experienced a similar loss we often do not know what to say or do to be of some comfort or help to the grieving family.

Well, I know of something you can do for Georgia's family! It doesn't matter if you knew her or not (I only knew of her through a mutual friend), if her story has touched you in any way, here is where you can make a tangible difference.

Georgia died from Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) - it is the #1 genetic killer of children! Bill & Victoria Strong's daughter Gwendolyn was diagnosed with SMA in spring 2008. So far, she is still fighting it. Her parents started the Petition to Cure SMA as something they could do, a grassroots effort to drum up support for the SMA Treatment Acceleration Act. It is too late to help Georgia. It's very likely too late to help Gwendolyn. But it's not too late for future SMA generations.

About SMA
* SMA is the #1 genetic killer of young children.
* Fewer than 1 in 35 people unknowingly carrying the gene responsible for SMA.
* 1 in every 6,000 babies is born with SMA; SMA prevalence is comparable to ALS and Cystic Fibrosis.
* SMA impacts the ability to walk, sit, stand, eat, breathe, and swallow. SMA does not impact the mind, and children with SMA are bright and social.
* There is currently no treatment and no cure for SMA, but there is HOPE!
* The NIH has selected SMA as the disease closest to treatment of more than 600 disorders.
* Leading U.S. researchers, including Nobel laureate James Watson, have stated that a viable treatment for SMA is possible within 5 years IF they are provided the proper resources.

So, please - if you're wondering what you can do.... Please sign the petition (you, your spouse and all members of your household can sign).

For Georgia.

For Gwendolyn.

For all past, present and future SMA sufferers.

Loss, hope and new life

With the death of sweet Georgia last week, along with the new birth announcements I've heard in church and family, as well as Stellan's continuing struggle in the hospital, I've really been thinking about loss, hope and new life.

We all experience loss. It seems as though some experience it more frequently and to a greater degree than others, but we all experience it. Whether it's the loss of a relationship through divorce or the end of a friendship, the loss of innocence, or the loss of a loved one through death - we all experience it. And, unless Jesus returns before, we will all die ourselves.

We also all experience new life. Whether it's the birth of a new baby, a marriage or even spring - we all experience the blessings of new life.

It's so easy to have the head knowledge, so easy to spout glib or even trite expressions, especially before we experience a deep loss, but it's so much harder when that head knowledge is forced to become heart knowledge.

It's also so easy to blame God for the hard times, yet give Him little to no credit for the good. But God has not promised us an easy journey. How I wish that was true - simply become a Christian and POOF! God waves His magic wand and you go through the rest of your life dancing and singing through the meadows until finally at the age of 100, still physically and mentally healthy, you and your husband both die peacefully in your sleep the same night.

No, it doesn't work that way.

Consider the following lyrics

God hath not promised skies always blue
Flower strewn pathways, all our lives through;
God hath not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labour, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing kindness, undying love.

God hath not promised we shall not know
Toil and temptations, trouble and woe;
He hath not told us we shall not bear
Many a burden, many a care.

But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labour, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing kindness, undying love.

God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,
Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;
Never a mountain, rocky and steep,
Never a river turbid and deep.

But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labour, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above,
Unfailing kindness, undying love.

`Annie Johnson Flint

Sin and destruction and all the bad things that happen to us on this earth are a direct result of the fall of man. And when Christ returns we who believe in Him will eternally experience the perfect life that He wanted for us all along.

Remind anyone else of Easter weekend?

We're stuck in Saturday right now. Sometimes it's a great day, and sometimes it's really, really not. But God has promised to be with us, every step of the journey. He has promised us His love, peace, compassion and joy.

And don't forget - even though some days it may not feel like it, Sunday IS coming. And so we have hope.

“My splendor is gone and all that I had hoped from the Lord. I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:18-23

Come quickly Lord Jesus!

Georgia has gone to meet Jesus

6 month old Georgia took her last breath at around 11:30 this morning. Please pray for her parents, Kristen & Mike and her sisters, Calla & Maya.

Please pray for Georgia and her family

Please pray for a family who is going through a tremendous loss right now. They have 3 girls and their youngest daughter Georgia (6 months) was recently diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy and was given only weeks to live. She almost died on Easter weekend, but recovered and is still holding on. They are enjoying every day with her that they possibly can. Please pray for Mike & Kristen, and their daughters Calla, Maya and Georgia. You can find their blog here.