Everything Beautiful: February 2014

Thursday, February 27, 2014

What Noonday Means to Me + FREE Give Away!

So I never thought in a million years that I would have a job in sales. Especially not direct sales. I am a teacher. In some ways, I think I always have been a teacher. Yet here I am. A Noonday Ambassador. Selling jewelry, bags, scarves and belts. How did that happen?

Well, it's not just about the accessories, though I do love a good pair of earrings and a statement necklace. Noonday crossed my path through a fellow adoptive mom. As I read the artisan stories and became more familiar with the mission and heartbeat of Noonday Collection, I knew I had to be a part of it. But to be a part of it, I had to start a job in sales. The more Noonday rolled around in my brain, the clearer it became that providing for marginalized men and women around the world was far more important than me not wanting to be one of those pushy sales-people That helping adoptive families fundraise to bring their children home was more important than me being a little uncomfortable.

You see, my life has been rough here lately. And I mean really rough. We are almost two years into an adoption that had a TOTAL projected timeline of 12-15 months when we started. That means 12-15 months from application to precious child in your home. Well, almost two years later, we are not even close to being MATCHED. My world has been breaking, falling apart, unraveling. All of my plans have evaporated, all of them. And I am helpless to do anything about it. I am stuck.

And then Noonday.

I have been fighting so hard for my children. Doing everything I can do to bring them home and keep them safe and sound forever. But God has us in this place of waiting. This place where I cannot be doing more to bring my children home.

But I can help other families bring their children home.

I can help men and women around the world keep their children in school and healthy.

I can do something while I wait.

And so I became a Noonday Ambassador, and it has brought so much beauty into my (currently) very messy life. I have the opportunity to advocate for our artisans, work with adoptive families and give women here in the U.S. the chance to support hardworking men and women around the world simply by purchasing accessories.

I am so grateful for the opportunity.

And I want to share the Noonday love, so I am going to GIVE AWAY one of my favorite pieces from the new line. Allow me to introduce the Athena Cuff.

This beauty is made from mixed metals with a brushed finish by our talented artisans in India.

So how do you make this jewel your own?

Leave a comment below with your name. And I would LOVE for you to tell me about how God has moved in your life to make things more beautiful. A comment will get your name entered in the drawing.

Book a trunk show to get your name entered TWICE more!

I will draw the winning name on Monday night and post it here.

And check out Stephanie's blog for yesterday's give away and tomorrow, go to Tesney's blog for another giveaway! Noonday, Noonday everywhere!

Love,

Baylor

Monday, February 24, 2014

Hiatus

So, I kind of took an unintentional blogging hiatus. I had been thinking about maybe taking the month of February off from writing, and then it just kind of got away from me. And now here we are! Oops! Part of my blog neglect was for a verrrrry good reason.

I escaped the real world for nine whole days with the man I love best. We unplugged, disconnected and ran away together. And it was perfect.

So much of our lives lately has revolved around the standstill in the adoption world. If you have been reading our story for any length of time, you know that the last 6 months, really all of 2013 (except July) has brought either minimal movement or none at all. We have moved THREE spots since August 1. Unreal. And that fact has DOMINATED my heart, my mind, my whole life. It has taken a toll on me, on us, on our marriage. We have been exhausted.

Well, in His infinite wisdom, God prompted our hearts to book a vacation for February back in July. Our first vacation together alone since our honeymoon, almost seven years ago. We had been looking forward to it for so long. And it did not disappoint. We were able, finally, to focus on each other and just be away from everything that even kind of reminded us of the hardships that seem to rain down on us one after the other. We came back feeling refreshed and replenished. Some would say that our love tanks are full.

And then, as soon as we got back, we moved into our new house! We got home on Sunday night, spent the whole week packing and then moved it all out on Saturday. It has been quite the whirlwind this month.

I think the timing of that is probably a really good thing. We are still hearing nothing but echoing silence in the adoption world, so it is nice to have other things to focus on these days. Though I will be honest, there have been times over the last few days when I have just started crying. We have reached the point where it TRULY seems like this will NEVER happen. Like we will never bring these babies home. Like we will never be parents at all. I cannot tell you how hard it is.

But, for right now at least, I am trying to focus on all of the good things we have going on. I just took the most wonderful vacation with the love of my life. We have just moved into our new home, which I LOVE. The Noonday Collection spring line has launched, and I have several shows booked. And I am going to Created for Care with my mom in two weeks. So there is a lot of good in the middle of the bad, and I am thankful for it.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

Launch!

The Noonday Spring Line has launched!! Oh, I canNOT wait for you to see it. Such beautiful pieces with such incredible stories.

The Del Mar Necklace.

I am wearing this one today and LOVING it.

The Tushabe Necklace is back!

Talk about a statement necklace in pretty blue and turquoise.

Ornate Horn Earrings

These are my favorite earrings in the new line.

Intricately carved and light weight to wear.

The cuffs and the scarf with those dainty little earrings.

Adore.

Click HERE to see the rest of the new line.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Wait List Update: February 2014

Have you ever just felt like your heart has sunk all the way down to the bottom of your feet? That is where I find myself sitting today. So if you are there, too, you are not alone. I am sitting right next to you.

We got our monthly email update yesterday. It was not good.

I immediately texted my family with the news and told them that I really did not want to talk about it. And I don't. I don't want to walk through it all again. But I do. I do want to talk about it, because these are my kids. I can't talk about it, because I will lose it and break down into ugly, heaving sobs. But I have to talk about it because it is filling every available centimeter of space in my mind.

I can't bear to even think about another month of silence passing us by. And then I want to scream and thrash like a child because maybe that will take away some of the pain.

I want to get to my children.

And I can't.

I want to hug them and kiss them and tell them I am so sorry that it took me so long.

And I can't.

I want to know the joy of motherhood.

And I can't.

Often these days, I find myself looking at my own life and feeling completely mystified. This is my life? This waiting and hoping and wondering? This is not what I thought my life would be.

Still, somewhere really far and deep down inside my soul, I do know that God is in this. And that singular truth keeps me from completely and totally giving in to despair. It is really the only thing holding me here. Giving in is so tempting; it seems like it would be so much easier. But I have to hold on. I just have to. Maybe I'm crazy. Or maybe I just really and truly believe that every single word of the Bible is true and that God will not leave me or forsake me. Even when all of the evidence I can see is to the contrary. God does not operate within the realm of the human mind. He is beyond my capability to see, plan and understand. His ways are infinitely higher than mine. And so while I have no idea, not a single clue, what He is doing, I do know that He is in control of this.

And I am trying to cling to that truth.

Lord God, please let February bring a change. Let this be the month that we finally, after four months of being in the same place on this list, move closer to our children. Please, Jesus.

Those who sow with tears

will reap with songs of joy.

Those who go out weeping,

carrying seed to sow,

will return with songs of joy,

carrying sheaves with them.

Psalm 126:5-6

I have sown with tears, too many to count. And I am ready to reap with songs of joy.

Love,

Baylor

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Sample Sale!

Sample Sale!

Hello, friends! It is time for my fall/winter sample sale. This is your chance to bring home some beautiful Noonday Collection pieces at a discounted price! Here’s the skinny:

-Below each piece, you will see the regular price and then the sale price.

-All items are currently at least 25% off.

-If you purchase three items, you will get an additional 5% off, and if you purchase five items, you will get an additional 10% off!

-Shipping will be $3 if you are outside the Birmingham area, and personal delivery is free if you are in the Birmingham area!

-Orders will be filled on a first response basis, so please let me know right away if you would like a certain piece. You can leave a comment here or on Facebook, or you can email me: baylor.noonday@gmail.com.

Happy Shopping!