My Miracle

Nine years ago today God reached down into my life and the chain of events that happened changed the person I was and would forever be. Peyton came into my world. I could never find the words to express how I feel for her. She is by far my miracle. It still amazes me when I stop and think that I actually grew something that incredible inside of me! Today I celebrate nine wonderful amazing years having her by my side. I never knew love until I became a mother. She is my reason for being. My reason for living, for pursuing life head on with every bit of passion I have down inside of me. She is the reason I get up on the days I feel like staying down, the reason I push myself that extra mile when I am in the hospital and feel like there is no way out. She is my hope, my love, and my inspiration. She makes life fun, interesting and that much sweeter. God looked down upon my life nine years ago and saw that I needed a reason to live. She is it. She is the reason I fight. She is incredible in so many ways. She......is my purpose. =)

Happy Holidays!

Life has been coming at us fast. We spent Thanksgiving in Tennessee which is always amazing. I feel blessed that I have in laws that I am absolutely crazy about. Sam's family is an extension of him. I love each and every one of them. Now Christmas is right around the corner and we are coming into a new year. WOW! Where does the time go? My little one will be turning nine next week. It is not easy for me. We moved her room last week into her playroom and cleaned out all of her toys, and things she doesn't play with anymore. She now wants Bath and Body Works and cds and big girl things. Ahhhhh........It was a bit emotional for me going through some of her things as I packed them for storage. I ran across her bear that hung on the door at the hospital the day she was born and the past nine years just came flooding back to me. She is growing so fast and is every bit of amazing that I could have ever dreamed of. She is beautiful, smart and funny. When I count my blessings I count her a hundred times over, for I was surely blessed when God chose me to be her mother.

With the new year brings new things our way. We are planning on painting several rooms as soon as the first of the year passes. My health is proving to hold out very well this holiday season! THANK YOU GOD! It is always nice to breathe easy during the holidays. We were blessed by some of Sam's family over Thanksgiving with a treadmill!!!! It has been incredible! I have been walking every day and coughing tons afterwards. I have noticed my endurance has been building. Today when we left Peyton's Christmas party at her school I was able to walk down the street to where Sam had parked the car, instead of him having to go get it and picking me up. It was really nice. The cooler air really helps. It is amazing to feel amazing. THANK YOU GOD! I am sure I still have suffering in my future, struggles and hurdles, yet today was a good day and I take it a day at a time. So THANK YOU GOD!

I have been so inspired these past few weeks. Art has been pouring out of me left and right. I have been finishing projects that were once put off and starting new ones all the same. It has felt really good. I decided to get crafty the other night around 10 pm. HAHA I made our Christmas cards. I was very pleased with them. I have been looking in the stores and found nothing that matched our personalities. We waited too late to order the traditional picture cards that we usually get. So I had the notecards here from a previous project and decided to do them. It took about two hours to make 36 cards. I, of course, think they turned out fabulous. I hand painted abstract Christmas trees on the front of each one, red on half of them and green on the other half. Then just wrote a simple Merry Christmas on the inside. I am considering doing this every year from now on, coming up with a different design each year. I want them to be abstract, modern and simple. The possibilities are endless, I could do gifts, ornaments, Santa, or even elves. I do believe I will start this project earlier in the year however so when Christmas arrives it will be one less thing on my list to do.The front of my Christmas cards. I took the picture of them both together to show the green and red. =)
The inside.

Sam opened his Christmas gift from me. He couldn't wait. It was a Dremel tool. Yeah doesn't sound very exciting. But it is. He can now carve funky designs into wood. He is really excited as so am I. Sam is an artist is his own way. His dad paints but painting bores Sam. He loves power tools though. I can't wait to see what he makes. He is asking for a pottery wheel for his birthday so I am going to be doing research on that one between now and April.

This is all of the Welch household news for now. I hope everyone has a safe and fun holiday!! Love you all!!

Oh yeah World Peace and all of that Hippie Jive. =)

"Sam I Am Is I Was Me"

On this day one year ago, I was up running around, making sure every last detail was perfect. I was by far, a complete mess. My stomach had "butterflies", my heart sat in my throat like a huge lump and emotional wouldn't even begin to describe the state I was in. I was about to join with Sam as one person. Sam was and still is my best friend. So I thought what better way to celebrate today than to write about him.

I met Sam almost four years ago through a mutual friend. He was this incredible little ball of energy. He was facing many demons at the time, yet he had this enormous heart. He was so friendly and just a blessing to be around. People were naturally attracted to him. When he walked in the room, everyone was drawn to his electric personality. At that time I never imagined I was looking at the man God had created just for me.

Sam and I started Epic together literally when they first opened the doors. After being there for maybe a month, Sam was asked to join the Tech team. He absolutely loved it. Before Epic, Sam had never been exposed to church. Me, on the other hand, had been in and out of church my entire life. Everything was so new to him. It was amazing watching him grow spiritually. Sam is and has been completely sold out to the Epic vision since day one. Sam is a volunteer on the Dream Team at Epic. He has been showing up every Sunday for the past two years and every single time stays for all three services, sometimes working them by himself. Even when I go in the hospital, he will stay with me on Saturday night and then wake up around 5 am on Sunday and drive home just to make it to service. He has a drive that is unbelievable. Sometimes I have no clue how he does it. It by far is a passion for him. Sam was baptized for the first time in his life ever this year at Epic. It was such an emotional experience for me. I believe each of us has a story. Sams is truly one that will blow you away. To know where he came from, the path he was on, and where he stands today is a true testament to God's mercy and love.

He supports me and he loves me. He goes to work for us each week so he can provide everything we need. He goes above and beyond at work, doing extras for the doctors and his coworkers. Most of the time things that go unnoticed, but he continues doing them anyway. He gives God all the glory and takes none for himself, which to me blows my mind daily.

We have such a unique marriage because I am sick. Sam stepped into my life, knowing the hardships that were to come and loves me completely and fully each day anyway. On the days I can't get out of bed, he helps me. He never once complains. When I feel like crying and screaming because I can't quit coughing, he holds me as tight as he can. There are days it feels like he literally breathes for me. He gets out of bed on his only days off and takes Peyton to school so I don't have to. He hired a housekeeper so I wouldn't be stressed and feel inadequate from not being able to handle all of the housework. When I go to the hospital, he stays every single night possible with me, holding my hand and pushing me along the way to get better. He has been there with me when I am coughing up blood and not sure what the future is going to bring for me. He completely supports me with the book I am writing. He is so patient never hurrying me to finish it, knowing I will finish it in my own time. There have been several times when I have been sick and because of the physical limited activity I could do he carried me on his back when he noticed I was taking short breaths. He loves my daughter as if she were his own. He has told me time and time again, he truly believes God created her with him in mind, even though he wasn't in the picture at the time. He is a man of God. It isn't something he tells you, it is just something that radiates off of him.

It is an honor to get to walk beside him in this life. I truly believe that God created us for each other. That our story together was planned long before we ever imagine. He is me and I am him. His victories are my victories and his defeats are my defeats. He is everything I dreamed of as a little girl and more. I love his drive to be productive and adore his heart that wants to help those in need. He never meets a stranger. He always has a smile. He is truly my best friend. I am overwhelmed today as I look back at our journey thus far, for I have been blessed beyond my wildest dreams. =)

Pumpkins and Life

It is that time of year once again. The air is cooler and everything that was once green is now beginning to turn beautiful tones of reds, yellows and oranges. This is by far Sam's favorite time of the year. We have all of the Halloween decorations up and ready. I must say, we have more Halloween decorations than any other family I know. This year we pulled 3 giant plastic tubs and four big boxes out of storage, as well as Sam's favorite, his black Christmas tree with a skull base. Yes Halloween is near. We usually celebrate this time of year with several trips to haunted houses. The rain has held us up quite a bit however we plan on venturing out this weekend, rain or not. The rain has put a damper on our holiday cheer. I know I talk of Halloween like it is Christmas. You must understand to my husband, it is exactly like that, if not better. He absolutely adores Halloween. We definitely take it a step further than the typical family. I must say, it does feel somewhat like I am a member of the Addams family at times. It is all in good fun though.

I do wish the rain would stop. I have just about made the decision to build an ark. Our yard is a mess and I don't even know when we will be able to cut the grass again. At this rate, not anytime soon. Of course since the weather has been nasty, it is soccer season. Those usually fall together. Peyton is playing her second year. She loves it so much. I never realized she was going to be a little athlete. She is so good and is one of the fastest runners on her team. She scored the first goal of the first game of the season this year. She did the same thing last year. At her last game, I asked her to help carry our folding chairs. After she strapped one over her shoulder I realized how small she looked, so I offered to carry them both. She looked at me and said, "Mom, I can handle it, I am a soccer player, not a ballerina." Haha I love her so much.


The month of October leaves us many things to celebrate. Our one year anniversary is on October 25th. It is so exciting to know it is right around the corner!! I completely and totally adore Sam more now than I did on the day I married him. The two of us work so well together. We have built our marriage around the foundation of God's word and that helps so much. We both firmly believe that when we were married we were joined together as one flesh. We do have struggles from time to time however we work together daily as a team. It is more evident now than it has ever been that he is who I dreamed of as a little girl. Some days, I wake up and look at the life I am living and think to myself, how did I ever get so lucky? God truly saw fit to bless me immensely.

We are leaving November 1st for Severville, Tn. We are staying in the exact same cabin we stayed in last year for our honeymoon. We will be gone 7 days and six nights.Our cabin is located on the peak of a mountain with a breathtaking view. We are both like kids on Christmas morning...counting down the days. We CANNOT wait!!!! I will be sure to post up pictures.

We have been so blessed these past few months. God has by far been at work in our lives and we are so thankful. Life is good. =)

Kreativ Blog Award

Miss Katey gave me this blog award. Katey and I share a common bond, as we both have Cystic Fibrosis. Katey is a transplant patient. Her story is a true inspiration and full of hope for those yet to take that step. I encourage each of you to go to her blog and read her incredible story.

Katey, thank you for being a beacon for God's light and allowing us to be a part of your journey. =)


Here are the rules for the award:

Thank the person who nominated you.
Copy and paste the logo on your blog.
Link the nominator on your blog.
Name seven things about yourself.
Nominate seven "kreativ bloggers".
Post links to the nominated blogs.
Leave a comment on each of the blogs

Ok..so here are 7 things about me...
1. I have the most beautiful, incredible, amazing little girl. I am amazed that God found me worthy enough to be her mother. My pregnancy with her was hard. Doctors told me it could result badly. Yet she is here, perfect and healthy and will be celebrating nine wonderful years this year!

2. I attend Epic. It is more than just a building or a church to me. I truly believe Epic is making a movement in the city of Decatur. I have a huge passion to stay with Epic and see it through until the end. It was through their love and acceptance that I came to know the true spirit of Jesus.

3. I am married to the most amazing man ever. He loves life and loves God. It is a blessing to walk this life with him. I never knew what the true bond of marriage was until we were married. I truly feel as if we are bonded, flesh and spirit as one, just as God intended for man and woman to be.

4. My parents are my backbone. My Daddy has been everything a little girl dreams her Daddy to be. He set the standard high for any man that come into my life. He taught me to love wholeheartedly and to keep pushing forward. My Mother taught me to have my own opinions and to always stand for something. She instilled values of self worth , confidence, and self respect deep into the very spirit of who I am.

5. I have Cystic Fibrosis, however it does not define who I am.

6. I have a purpose, a will and a way. God has revealed to me that I am here to glorify His name. He is the Alpha and Omega. He shows me daily that there is no dark corner that he cannot see into. When life gets big, He proves to be bigger.

7. If I were to be completely honest, I would say for the very first time in my life I am living in a beautiful disaster and I am truly, deep down, from the bottom of my heart, inside my soul happy and it feels wonderful.



I nominate the following 7 "kreative" bloggers:
Candace @ The Fuller Family
Heather @ Shake It
Carole Foret @ Artful Living with Carole Foret
Frank @ Quid est Verita
Ronnie @ Run Sickboy Run
Jamie @ A Bumb's Life
Singleton Hippie Art @ Just Give Me Peace

Pictures of the Progression

I have decided to post all of the progression pictures from the painting here so you can view them side by side. I am also going to be posting pictures at the bottom of me working on the painting!! I have a great new art project coming up and it is TOP SECRET!!! I will give you a few hints as to what it might be! It is going to be a huge project and Sam is going to have to help. It will be in my home when it is completed!!! I am so very excited about this!! I can't wait to reveal it!! Once I get "elbow deep" into it I will post pictures!!! Until then, you can only guess!!! =) =)

Hope you guys are having a wonderful week!
I love you all!!

First Sunday


Second Sunday (This was the day the artists didn't touch the painting, the red paint was put there by IV during the message.)


Third Sunday after 1st service (This was when Melody had started her top half, I had yet to start on my bottom half)

Third Sunday (This was what Melody and I had both done after all three services on the third Sunday)

Fourth Sunday---The finished painting.

These are close ups of my half of the canvas.



Here are some pictures of me working on the canvas on the fourth Sunday.

Glory

The finished painting.



We finished up our "Canvas" series last week at Epic. I must start out by saying WOW! This series really moved something deep inside of me. Last week we talked about God's Glory. This meant so much to me. Most people live thinking about what if. What if I got sick? What if I lost my house? What if, what if, what if. However I...I live in the what if. I am sick. I have a genetic lung disease. To make it even crazier I just learned recently what my genotype was. A genotype is the type of gene I have that actually created Cystic Fibrosis in my body. My genotype is rare. To even get deeper into my genotype.....I learned that there is ONE mutation in my genotype that causes my Cystic Fibrosis. Most people have hundreds of mutations.....therefore causing it harder to find a cure for those types of genes. However mine only has one. This was exciting news, yet at the same time, it really made me reflect. There is one tiny little mutation that kept me from being normal....from being well.....from being like everyone else. Yet God saw fit for that one mutation to exist. This news was very bittersweet to me, as I am sure you can tell. So close to have having a life completely free of disease. That was not God's plan though. That was not what was painted into my canvas. Instead I have red paint in the middle of my canvas. Sometimes it makes me stand out among others, sometimes it makes life a little different from those around me, but all in all it is mine, my canvas, my life, and it is precious to me. Several years ago I learned to start giving God glory...and not just when things were going well. It makes me think of the song by Casting Crowns, "I Will Praise You in this Storm". That sums up my life. When I can no longer breathe on my own, when I no longer can depend on my body to carry me any further, that is when I will stretch my hands to the sky and praise God like I never have. My suffering brings me closer to God. It is through my disease that I have come to have a relationship with God like no other relationship I have with anyone else in my life. It is through this I have come to know a love so powerful that even time cannot touch it...for it is an eternity of love. My body is broken. It will let me down. That I am sure of. Each one of us will encounter death at some point. Our bodies are not meant to carry us all the way. However my body may be broken, my spirit is not. God gave me the spirit of a fighter. That is where His glory is.....in the fight. I have such a strong will to live, to move forward, it would take an army to stop me. God is always there, pushing me forward, moving my feet when I am tired, breathing air into my lungs when I can't, and holding my head up so I don't miss a single second of this incredible journey. It sounds so amusing to think of it. I stand 5'1 and on a good day weigh 120 pounds and I have the face of a child. Yet I truly consider myself a warrior. Life is not bad. I am actually very blessed, and seem to find myself sick less and less. Yet through health, sickness, and everything else I give God all the glory. If not for Him and His immense love for me and for all of us , I would not make it out of bed every morning, I would not be able to take care of Peyton, I would not even be able to set here three months out of the hospital typing this blog to you. He is the reason I breathe. I understand I don't always get to be well. I have to be sick sometimes. That is part of my canvas, my story, my life. Yet I trust His will and His way. Who knows me better than my Creator??? Who knows more about what I need and don't need?? I pray daily that He breaks me down and uses me so that I can serve Him. My life has to have holes in it for His light to shine through. Being sick is never easy for me. It is never something I will get use to. However knowing that even one person could see God and His true glory just by hearing my story or seeing my life makes every single second of it worth it. Every hospital stay, every blood draw at 2 am, every time I ever cough up blood...it is all worth it. He takes every negative in my life and turns it into something positive. How amazing is that?? I am not a preacher or a saint. I am just a woman with a divine love for my Creator. I am blessed that He opens my mind daily and feeds me more understanding each step of the way. It makes me have to stop and say through all the disease and suffering, life is truly beautiful.