A Day {Home} with Baby

Yesterday Cole and I spent the day at the home I grew up in, surrounded by my parents (Grammy & Papa to him), my delightful sisters and brother, and some very adoring cousins. It was such a wonderful day.

I love everything about the home I grew up in...the smells...the rich, country colors...my mom's homemade quilts....the redbud trees lining the driveway....the fruit orchard......Dad's immaculate garage....and the big kitchen where everything happens.

It's such a peaceful place to go back to. I always love visiting because immediately I feel at home. Annie, our Golden Retriever, is always the first one to greet me. I love that....and someday Matthew and I would like to have a dog for our kids. They're just something about growing up in a house with a dog...

My sister Greta now occupies the room that used to be mine. As soon as I walk through the door I am at once flooded with all the wonderful memories of that room. I grew up playing with my American girl doll Samantha in there (or any dollies for that matter....little dollhouse people and paper dolls, too! I was such a girlie girl...still am ;p). It was my first "big girl" room, and it was all mine. :) I had sleepovers in that room, hid under the covers during thunderstorms in that room, and had my first looooong conversation with my future husband in that room.

In a way, that house will always feel like home. Maybe it's because Matthew and I have only rented thus far that our houses have never truly felt like our home. We're big dreamers though...and someday we hope to be able to stay in one place, fix up a house, and make it a home for our children. Oh how I long for that day....

In the meantime though...it's good for me to be thankful for where the Lord has us right now....and I do love where we are. We've been very blessed...oh so blessed. And if I should ever complain, I ought to be slapped in the face for my ungrateful heart.

I once heard someone say, "home is where you feel loved".

I couldn't say it better myself. I'm very blessed to have a husband that loves and cherishes me....a son that makes each day special....and a loving family that I will always love going back to. So, while I may still dream about a day when Matthew and I will be in our own home...right now....I've got everything I could ever want.

Love & warmth,

Gail

Gypsophilia: a second look

I guess you could say I'm a bit of a flower snob. As a floral designer who gets to work with so many different varieties of flowers, I tend to turn my nose up to your average "grocery store" bouquet. We're talkin' carnations, daisies, and Baby's Breath, to name a few. It's not that I don't think they're pretty...cause they are...they just wouldn't be what I would choose first. I guess you could say they're inferior in the flower world. Poor little fellows. Now....if I were to receive such inferior flowers from my husband....haha....that'd be a different story. Any flowers from my husband are gems in my opinion....although he is getting a pretty good idea of what I absolutely love.

What I have been struck with lately though, is that when said grocery store flowers are arranged alone in mass, they really do make quite the bold statement. Take gypsophilia (Baby's Breath) for instance:

Source

Absolutely stunning. Tucked here and there in a bouquet and they're only so so, but massed together...WOW. I get to design a table for a baby shower in a month for a friend of mine....and I'm thinkin', gypsophilia may just make a name for itself once again. ;)

Have a beautiful day,

Gail

Cole Jumping

I finally got around to getting a door jumper for Cole. He's been a little jumper from the beginning....so this is perfect for him, and it gives my arms a rest, too!

As you can see, he's still getting the hang of the "jumping" part...but he sure is cute to watch in it. Now all I need to do is wash the little toys that connect to the outside of the jumper and I'll never have to entertain him again!.... (Major JK) ;)

Love & hugs,

Gail

I {Heart} My Husband

Sunday night we had an unexpected thing happen. When an asthma inhaler gone wrong incident occurred that sent my husband's heart into irregular palpitations and a rapid heartbeat of 198 bpm, we decided that going to the ER was a good choice. Here we were at 3 in the morning, sleepy baby in tow....heading to the ER. I'm sure we were a sight walking in there...hair going this way and that, morning breath, and confused looks on our faces.

After about 6 hours in the ER with meds given to reduce his heart rate, he was sent to the cardiology floor where they could monitor him. He was diagnosed with having Atrial Fibrillation, which basically means that the top part the heart is fluttering while the bottom part of the heart is beating as normal. This can put someone at risk of forming blood clots in the heart if it persists. Scary!

After awhile, his heart rhythm did return to normal, so he was no longer at risk. Thank you Lord! He did stay overnight so they could run some additional tests and monitor him, but he really was so much better after his heart rate returned to normal. It was such a weird thing though....sort of an out of body experience to see him go through all that. Especially in the ER when he looked so pale and worried. And me, well, I was letting my mind get the better of me and thinking of the worst possible scenario that he was going to die and leave me alone with the baby to raise him on my own. That evening (before it all happened) we had even had a really good talk about parenting, had both said our "I love yous" before going to bed and were totally on the same page. My thought while I was driving us on our way to the ER was, "well if that had to be our last evening together, at least it was a good one." Isn't that awful? Isn't it strange how our brains take over, or really our fears take over to lead us to think such thoughts?

I can't imagine my life without Matthew. I love him so much! We fit together so well, are on the same track about so many things, and are so much apart of eachother. I could never ever ever find anyone else as good for me as he is and I never want to. He's my companion, knows me in and out, and has experienced my life with me. He's in my past, my present, and my future. We've gone through some really tough stuff tough together including losing a baby...and now we're raising our son Cole, together. Nobody knows you like your spouse does except God. And IF, God forbid, something should happen to Matthew before me, then I know God will be there for me in that time. But for now, I don't want to imagine what that would be like.

Now that we're back home now, this little incident has definitely made me appreciate him all the more and not want to take things for granted, not him...or anyone. Each day is a blessing and a gift. Each night that I get to lay next to my husband in bed is a gift. Each day that I get to spend time with our sweet son is a treasure, not to be taken lightly.

I waste a lot of time worrying about things that don't matter, being upset at people that I just need to forgive and love or fussing at Matthew for things that don't matter in the scope of all eternity. Life is precious, time is short, and I want to take advantage of every moment I have.

Please Lord, remind me of this lesson I've learned....every. single. day.

Love,

Gail

{ER}

{This pic is for Glo}

{Sweet, tired baby that never fussed

at all in the ER}

{Finally in a room}

{Feeling better!}

{Our 4 Mo. old Punkin ;0) }

{Vis-a-vis}

If Houses Could Talk...

Recently I've been on a journey to spruce things up in my home a bit and make it more "me". Truth be told, my home is far from expressing who I am. It's looking a bit drab and worn out. Okay, so maybe I am a little worn out these days...but that's far from what I want to be! Ha!

Also, it's just the same ol' same ol'. Not that I'm complaining (well...maybe a little, sorry)...but some things I've had since forever. Old books, frames and decorating items that I've had since my room growing up. That's a long time, people. The reason for keeping them isn't because I love them so much and they're treasured items (some I do)...but because I, either 1) haven't really noticed that I've had them for forever and that they've been in the same spot for....forever or 2) haven't had the money to replace them. If it was up to me I'd let go of probably 75% of what's in my home and replace it. I know, that's a lot. But it just isn't ME! Maybe it was at one time, but not anymore. I'm sorry if it sounds like I'm complaining....I promise there is a point to all this. ;0)

I don't know why it is so important as a homemaker to create a home that is a reflection of myself....but it is. Is that a desire God gave to women, or is that a man-made thing? Anyone? My thinking is is that what we surround ourselves with says a lot about who we are and what is in our hearts. If your home is a place of beauty, organization and calm (on more days than not...cause there's always exceptions *wink*)...then most likely that's the type of person you are as well. On the other hand, if your home is a constant place of chaos, mess and disorder....that could say a lot about you too. Not necessarily that you're a chaotic person, but that something deeper is going on in your heart. I might be getting a little off-track here, but it all ties together somehow.

So, in an effort to create a home that is a better representation of who I am and what I want the Matthew Gaffin family to portray, I'm making small changes here and there to improve our space. I'm trying to spend very little money and just re-vamp what I do have or put it in a new spot, because getting rid of everything and buying new stuff just isn't an option. I could have chosen new living room furniture, but instead I chose this.....

I wouldn't take back that decision for even a second!! ;0) He brings us more joy in each day than all the beautiful furnishings in the whole world could. True story! Man I love that little guy....

Anywho, back to topic. Last week I took a trip to good ol' Goodwill to try and find some treasures among the trash. There was a lot of sorting through the junk, but I did come home with a few goodies and spent less than $20.00. Yay!

This lamp was one of my finds...

All it needed was a little polishing up and a

shade. Best part is....I already had the shade

on hand from when I decorated the nursery

but I decided to go with another lamp.

I loved the silk shade so much (Walmart..around $10.00)

that I kept it knowing I would find a use for it. ;)

I really love the shape. I can totally see maybe

spray-painting it black or white in the future

if I decide to redo our Master. For now, the

gold really suits the reds, blacks and

teals we have going on now.

Fresh flowers always add something special. ;)

Lamp: $5.99

This Eiffel Tower lamp was what used to be on

our bedside table. I really like the new location

it's in (I'll save that for another post...it's sort

of a funny story).

So there you have it! Sometime soon I'll show you what I've been up to in my dining room. It involves sheet music and it looks awesome! I'm starting to see that it doesn't really take a lot of money to make changes that improve the look of your home. Even the smallest changes can have big impact. Yay! And when it comes down to it, it not about having the most beautiful home on the planet, but that the people who reside here and those who come into our home, the Gaffin home, feel welcomed, encouraged and uplifted. That's really the goal! The "stuff" is just a tool to get there.

Questions for thought: does the "stuff" in your home contribute to or distract from making your home a place that is welcoming, calming and a place of encouragement? How does your home make you feel? What message does your home send to others?

Have a peaceful and beautiful day,

Gail

P.S. I realize I've barely touched the tip of the iceburg on this subject of creating a home, the motives, the implications, how far is too far, how to accomplish this...etc. Please feel free to chime in with your thoughts. I'd love to hear! Thanks! ;0)

{Gail Gaffin Designs} and a Party

Now that Cole is nearly 4 months old and I'm starting to feel like I've got a handle on things routine-wise, I'm starting to think of getting back in the swing of things for Gail Gaffin Designs. I love flowers and design, and with the weather getting warmer lately, I've got Spring and Summer events on the brain.

This past weekend I went to a fun dinner/cocktail party for a friend of mine. I decided to make something special for the party and this is what I came up with....

{White calla lilies, mauve snapdragons, cherry-colored

roses, pale pink asiatic lilies and ivory gerbera daisies

accented with seeded eucalyptus and curly willow}

It was fun to put together and made me really miss designing! There's just something about being around beauty that totally lifts my mood and gives me perspective. I see God in flowers and nature, so naturally being around them brings me closer to Him. It's awesome. ;)

Here's a few pics from the party as well. Any excuse to get dressed up for an evening is good enough for me!

{Good Friends}

{Delicious raspberry-spinach-almond salad}

{Fun tissue and newspaper pom poms}

Me & the Birthday Girl, Kristen

Have a beautiful Monday,

Gail

Lately {In Pictures}

A little bit of what we've been up to lately...

Enjoying lunch and red velvet cupcakes (yum!) in honor

of my sweet sister Gwen's birthday ;)

{L-R: sister Gloria, Grandma Linda, sister Gwen,

my mother Cindy & Cole}

Honorary Auntie Katie Joy getting some

lovin' in with Cole

My dear nephew Levi (1 1/2) "holding" Cole.

He was so sweet with him!

Kisses for cousin. :)

Tummy time!

He had had enough tummy time at this

point....aww...much better!

I love how innocent he looks when he's

asleep in his car seat. Melts my heart!

Smiling while asleep. Precious!

Profile. I love his slopy nose...because

he got it from me!

This was so cute. One night when I was folding

clothes in the nursery and he was in his crib,

he started to fall asleep....and while doing so...

started stroking the ears of this Peter Rabbit stuffed

animal. It was precious!

And for those of you wondering about the hazard of

sleeping in that mass of stuffed animals...no

worries. I was there the whole time keeping an eye on him.

Normally they're not all over the place like that!

Yummy veggie and chicken spring rolls for dinner

with peanut sauce and orange slices. The bad

photography doesn't do it justice...they were sooo

good! {and healthy too!)

~Reading with Daddy~

Tuned in to "Tootle" the train.

Looking at the pictures....

"Hey Mom, we're reading!" :0)

{YAWN}. Someones getting sleepy.

Matthew is such a good Dad. ;)

I love this chunky, cute face.

Playing with Daddy. ;)

Smiles and Giggles

He gets such a kick out of standing

in front of the mirror and seeing

his reflection. It always makes him smile!

Happy little fella ;)

Daddy & Cole

We finally got a stroller! Yay! I'm excited

because now it's going to be easier to take him

out or on walks... or rather...."strolls". ;)

Me and my little guy. (me with no makeup- I

wasn't going to put some on just for a stroll

down the street...sorry!)

The sweetest little face ever!

His "puppy" face ;0)

Yummy "flowering" jasmine tea

A little ball of tea leaves open up when

you pour the hot water over it.

Isn't that cool? ;)

Have a fabulous weekend!

Gail