"The night before the shower I remember thinking "I feel so much excitement!" I was like a kid on Christmas eve."

"Showers, of any kind, have (to me) become so intimate, so special. So naturally I felt overwhelmed with happiness because we were about to shower our best friend with so much love. The shower itself, was very laid back (just as Savannah is). The affair was intimate and casual and we played games that made us laugh so hard that we collapsed to the floor."

"There wasn't so much a theme as there was a "mood", which was joyous and fun. We ate h'orderves, drank punch, and watched Savannah open presents all the while also taking selfies for Instagram (duh) We sent her home (all the way back to memphis) with gifts exploding out of her trunk and with a smile on her face."

She has since had her little fella, who goes by the name of Ezra (i know, cool right?!) and is happy and settled at home. Her and Jared are loving life and soaking up every single minute of Ezras presence, all while changing diapers every 5 minutes :)

{Guest Post} Savannah Koon

z gallerie | luna bazaar | zulily | etsy | hobby lobby

At age eleven, Weston Reed was a faithful, sweet boy who loved living life everyday.  He had an amazing, busy summer playing outdoors with his friends and family, and was looking forward to entering the 6th grade at Tupelo Christian Preparatory School.  His enthusiasm was contagious, and his zest for life was obvious.  As he once said, "Mom, life is for the living!"

On August 16, 2007, Weston told his dad he had a wonderful first day back to school.  He went to soccer practice in the afternoon, and afterwards his team decided to play a game of scrimmage.  During the first play, Weston collapsed.  Physicians on the field rushed to his side and administered CPR, but no AED (automated external defibrillator) was available.  Unfortunately, Weston could not be revived.  

Weston's friends and family found peace in their faith and in the last verse Weston learned with his father.  "Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. " Joshua 1:9

The Weston Reed Foundation was formed, and it seeks to save young lives from life threatening cardiac events by screening and early detection of heart condition.  It also trains individuals to take appropriate actions in heart hearth emergencies and placement of AED's in communities.  

Tomorrow, Saturday, August 9th, The West Reed Foundation will be giving FREE physicals for children ages sixth grade and up at the Police Athletic League in Tupelo. Here is all the information you need for your child's free physical:

Weston Reed was a passionate and inspirational boy, who would be so proud to know he is helping save other children's lives.  For more information on the Weston Reed Foundation, click here or call Beverly Crossen at 662.372.2208

It was July 19th, 2013. My husband and I went in for our 12 week prenatal checkup (a week late because of a trip we’d been on) to see how our sweet little baby was growing! This was our first pregnancy and, as you could imagine, after trying for about 18 months, we were on cloud nine that we’d finally gotten pregnant!

When we were called into the sonogram room shortly after we’d arrived, the sonogram tech found what we had just hoped and prayed would not be the case! Our baby wasn’t moving. Had stopped growing. Was laying there perfectly and peacefully still. Lifeless.

It was devastating. Without question, this was the hardest trial we’d faced as a married couple of just over four years. The weeks and months of getting “back to normal” after the loss of our sweet baby were trying, to say the least. But because of that trying experience, I was able to lean on my husband, my family, and most importantly, our Lord and Savior.

I would have to say that, as much as I love my husband and am 110% certain that he is the man that God picked out for me, he did not really act how I expected him to after the loss of our little girl. (Quick crazy story— As I was coming out of anesthesia after my d&c procedure just hours after we found out I’d miscarried, I heard God tell me our baby had been a girl, although it was way too early for the doctor to tell. It’s completely unexplainable— God works in mysterious ways! It’s the only situation in my life that something like that has happened! So we named her Anna and she is very much a part of our family.)

So back to what I started to say a minute ago— What do I mean “act how I expected him to?” Great question. How should I expect him to act? This is not a scenario that they cover during premarital counseling, or in marriage books, or in Husbandry 101, and actually as I found out, it’s a scenario that very few people even talk about! After my miscarriage, it turned out that probably every third woman with whom I walk life had had one before. WHAT? Why had nobody ever said anything?

Anyway, I guess I expected my husband to mourn with me. And he did, to an extent. But he hardly ever cried. (He actually cried once, and it was the moment we found out Anna wasn’t growing anymore.) I was crying left and right! He didn’t really want to talk about what had happened, and it’s all I wanted to talk about! He wanted to resume life as normally and as quickly as possible. I wanted to enjoy my pillow nest in my bed with my limited supply of pain pills and stay away from reality as long as I could because I thought I’d be a wreck in front of anyone who gave me a hug or asked me any questions about what had happened.
I could tell that, for about three or so months after our miscarriage, whenever I said anything about Anna or our loss, my husband would talk with me, but would keep it as surface-level as possible. I was doing my best to respect his manner of dealing with it all, but finally I broke down to him one night and sobbingly asked if I was going through this hurt alone! “Do you feel any pain at all from all of this?” I asked him. “Do you even care?” I questioned dramatically, in true womanly form…

And that’s when he told me something I least expected to hear.

That was all he had to say. I got it. I realized that I’d been cramming all of my newfound goodness down his throat at every opportunity and did not give him room to even breathe or flourish as the spiritual leader of our home! I was trying to do all the leading. I was trying to force him into a role that he fills quite well when allowed to do so naturally!

So after my husband made clear to me where he was coming from emotionally and spiritually, I had a major behavior shift (which wasn’t necessarily easy.) I did my very best to respect him and his methods as my rock and my leader. And I have to say, it’s been very rewarding. I admit, I’m not the most respectful of wives, but The Lord taught me that is one of my roles as a godly mate! God has really strengthened us individually and as a couple. And after our little tearful (on my end) chat that one night, he better understood my need to talk about Anna and our situation. That was my healing mechanism.

Our marriage is ten times stronger than it was this time last year without question. I’m not saying we’re perfect by ANY means. Oh no, no, no! We have a looong way to go. But God is showing us things about each other, about Himself, and about the fragility and preciousness of life. And— bonus— He has given me strength to talk to others and share my story with people I don’t even know! The Lord has used my miscarriage to bring amazing people into my life, and I pray that He uses me to speak into the lives of others who are going through a similar hurt. I also pray that my husband will be able to minister to the husbands of women who have experienced miscarriage.

I encourage those of you who are experiencing hurt after miscarriage to open up to someone. And to figure out where your husband is coming from, because he’s going to act weird! I can almost guarantee! I completely understand that it’s natural to want to keep your hurt inside, but I can speak from first hand experience that opening up was a huge part of healing for me. I found a quote by the amazing C. S. Lewis that really spoke to me as far as opening up: “I have learned now that while those who speak about one's miseries usually hurt, those who keep silence hurt more.”

Please, take heart in knowing that God has a plan for you. And a GREAT one at that! A plan that we absolutely cannot see from our limited points of view. After the loss of Anna, I wondered if and when I’d ever get pregnant again. We became very diligent in praying for a healthy pregnancy when God’s time was right. And guess what? Anna has a little sibling due in December. :)

Praise The Lord!

Many brilliant artists are proud to call Mississippi home.  A crop of exceptionally talented painters is garnering attention locally, nationally and worldwide.  Today, we are thrilled to share works by some of these young creators around the state:

Chad Mars is a contemporary painter living in Jackson.  His paintings are bold, colorful and unique.  Learn more about Chad and his artwork here.

Photos Courtesy of Chad Mars Art

Bradley Gordon, a Clarksdale native, now resides in Oxford.  His wildlife paintings are striking and truly beautiful.  See more of this talented artist’s work on his website, www.bradleysgordon.com.

Photos Courtesy of Bradley Gordon

William Goodman creates mixed media, abstract paintings, collages and murals out of his studio in Jackson.  His eclectic pieces are eye-catching and infuse elements of photography, abstract imagery, graphic design and collage.  Learn more about William and his company, Enhanced Mixture, here.

Photos courtesy of Enhanced Mixture 

Susannah Morse creates gorgeous, colorful works of art in Jackson.  You can view her artwork here on her Facebook page.

Photos courtesy of Susannah Morse

Sarah Thorne Davis has standout acrylic paintings, as well as Mississippi-themed mixed media artwork. View her Etsy page here to catch a glimpse of some of her quirky, cool pieces.

Photos courtesy of SarahThorneCreates

Feeling creative and inspired?  We certainly are.  We hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

{Videographer} Revival House {Location} The South {Catering} Fresh Cut Catering and Floral