It's a little funny (in a stalker kind of way) how I've become so involved in the Hurst Family's life.
When my husband came home from his 2nd deployment we were on recruiting orders and just KNEW we were going to be staying in Texas (our home state). However, between God's plan for my life and the reality that this was the Army...it wasn't exactly Texas.
So off to Michigan (?!?!?!) we went. The people we met in those three years have become some of my dearest, loved friends.  Fast forward to 2014 and for eight months my family has been praying over children we read about and see on Reece's Rainbow. An amazing organization that helps with special needs adoptions all over the world. I see that sweet Ellie has a family! Thank you prayers to God immediately! But wait, that family, The Hust Family. I know them, or at least know OF them. We share the sweetest friend in common. I did a little "stalking" and YES they are who I thought they were and there could not be a better match for a family.

The Hurst's have four children at home with them. Their daughter is thrilled to now have a sister on her side with three brothers! I've seen the photo shoot where they tell the children It's a Sister! and the faces, oh my goodness, the love is from ear to ear! Adoption is not new to this family, nor is China. They've done this before, and know how difficult the entire process is, however, they were called for adoption, and they answered YES. They had been praying for Ellie for a long time, thinking she had been adopted. When they found out she actually was still waiting, they knew they had to rescue her.

To see the beautiful Ellie take a look here webearthelight.com They update this blog regularly. You can read all about the adoption, financial needs and see pictures of Ellie herself.
I encourage you to read her posts. I especially was touched by One Small Act. She shared how just a small amount can do GREAT things! I am praying that you will be moved to donate and help us make a small difference in this huge event.  You help put a family together AND you can get awesome Markers & Mud product! Win/Win!

Shop the fundraiser right here on this website or you shop on our facebook page here.

We are offering special tshirts, fine art prints and note cards with our original adoption design but you can also get our home. collection shirts & note cards, color collection note cards or even custom shirts and note cards as part of this fundraiser. There has never been a better time to shop!

Please say a prayer for the Hurst Family and spread this fundraiser to all you know, let's get Ellie home to her family fast as we can!

Today could just be the day you go spend $5 at Starbucks or $60 at Target with no real value in your day, OR today could be the day you give a little to bring.a.child.home. Simple as that.

When we merged our business efforts we promised that giving was going to be a MAJOR part of Markers & Mud. So this new announcement should not be a surprise. We have been able to make donations to several causes that we are proud to support (friends adoption efforts & Red Cross to name a few). However, we've wanted to do more. 

This is our more.

Adoption Fundraisers.

I have been moved by the song from Hillsong United-Oceans (where feet may fail). Listening to it over and over and scrolling through the faces of children who need families. In January of this year my husband and I made an agreement to pray daily for our family, these children and where adoption fits in our lives. More on our story later in this fundraiser. Through this, is where I came up with the Adoption Design. 

{and YES we can customize it for you, names, hearts on locations etc.}

We are praying that we can share the story of a family. The story of a love that some of us run from.

To open eyes, and open hearts for the orphans in this world that we are commanded to take care of.  

My prayer is that you will help us and we can make a difference, one child, one family at a time. 

Our first family is someone I know from our time in Michigan. I will be introducing you to them over the next week, as well as Haley and I sharing personal thoughts on Adoption. We would encourage you to shop our Adoption Fundraiser. This campaign for this family will run for 10 days, ending August 13, 2014. We are trying to raise funds specifically for a grant matching opportunity they have been blessed with.  

The Adoption merchandise includes note cards, t shirts and fine art prints. All includes free shipping to you. All priced at $20 with all the proceeds (minus 5$ to help with the printing/shipping costs) will be given to the family's adoption fund.

ANY additional sales from our shop will also contribute to the donation that will be made by Markers & Mud.

You are also able to "donate" without purchase of product right here on our shop.

Keep up with us this week right here and on FB, it's going to be life changing!

Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner!

Well, maybe not the chicken dinner, but we have winners!!  We're a little late getting this out, but we recently took part in a contest and blog hop over at The Review Wire.  We provided items for the grand prize as well as running our own contest as part of the blog hop.  Casey and Sarah were our winners, but we truly feel WE were the real winners.  We now have tons of new friends and we're so excited that they've joined us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and here on the blog.  While this contest is over, we hope all our new friends will stick around to see what the future brings for Markers & Mud!

THE BIG TIME!!

WooHoo Friends!  We're growing by leaps and bounds here at Markers & Mud.  We take every opportunity to get new friends when they come along.  Recently we came to know a nice woman over on a neat blog called The Review Wire.  She does awesome reviews and amazing give-aways.  And now we have the opportunity to SPONSOR ONE OF HER GIVE AWAYS!!! Sorry, we just get so excited about stuff sometimes.  Anyway, there are lots of bloggers who will be giving away various goodies from various states, and of course, our products are in the GRAND PRIZE!  So, in honor of our big week in the spot light we're joining in the party and giving away some extra goodies here on our site!  Lots of goodies for all!

Make sure to stop by The Review Wire for The Grand Prize, enter for your chance to win a set of Home State Note Cards and a personalized set of color note cards! A special thanks to Markers & Mud for sponsoring the Grand Prize!

Disclaimer: This giveaway ends at 11:59 PM EST on July 11, 2014. The celebrateYOURstate Event Bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. Companies and bloggers, if you would like to participate in group giveaway events like this one, sign up to be emailed about future events hosted by Review Wire Media.

In addition to a chance to win the Grand Prize, you can hop to a few other blogs and have a chance to win some other cool stuff.  Here at Markers & Mud, we're giving away a set of home. notecards in the state of your choice and a home. t-shirt for your favorite small fry.

 Just enter here!

Entry-Form

We have been hard at work on The Shop and it is ready to go! Our hope is to be able to offer more personalized gifts & favors as well as a simplified way to order your old custom favorites.
Take advantage of our Grand Opening Sale! The ENTIRE shop is 20% off ...every package, every new product, t shirts, custom orders EVERYTHING!

We will add in a little something special to those of you with current orders this week :)                                                                        
  Enjoy and thank you for shopping with us!

Everything I needed to know about everything...I learned from Mom.

I have known for a long time that I was at an advantage.  That I had been prepared for life better than some. That I was born with privileges that others will never know.  Not because I have a super talent, or a great magnificent ability.  Not from any lesson I learned in graduate school.  Certainly not because of a  pampered, struggle free, wealthy life.

But because my Mom taught me:

To smile, even if hurts.
That sometimes you have to take a "snow day" even if there is no snow.
That you go to church every time the door is open, because there is an open door.
To be the first to offer help to anyone.
That punch & mints are all you need for a party, and how to make both.
Taught me to pray for, support, honor, and follow my husband ANYWHERE.
That there is no greater cheerleader for me, than her.
To always, always have on good underwear if you leave the house...if you don't, that will be the day you break your ankle and they cut your pants off.
Grow flowers & take care of your yard, and that one day I would find that therapeutic (I'm there now!)
That one day I will get the best sleep out at our Ranch. (Right again, Mom)
Never to yell.
It's OK to cry, but then get it together and go on.
To Always send a Thank You note.
To Give everything you have, and give until it hurts, and never tell anyone.
Always take more than one dish to the potluck.
People are worth the effort. Hands down, People are worth it.
Pray.Pray.Pray. and then listen and follow Him.
No distance will keep a Mama from her baby, no state, no country.
To protect, nurture, adore, shelter and love my children with every part of my being, just as she did for me.
Money means nothing. Don't want for too much, & Don't spend too much. (All children will be OK without Disneyland or a Barbie Car)
If I don't know, "look it up". The dictionary or the Bible, one of them will tell me.

See?
Could not have asked for anything more.
I'm thankful for my education and my experiences in life. I've honestly learned a lot.
But there is nothing that she didn't prepare me for.

Everything I needed to know about everything...I learned from YOU Mom!
I'm so thankful for you.
I love you forever!

A Legacy of Strength

We gain strength, and courage, and confidence by each experience in which we really stop to look fear in the face... we must do that which we think we cannot. -Eleanor Roosevelt



If there was one line that could sum up what I have been taught my whole life, this might be it.  And I don't mean taught in the sense of a formal lesson, but more in the sense of learning from example. 

I'm a good cook.  A really good cook.  And if you asked me, I would tell you I learned from my mom and my grandmother.  My grandmother was a fantastic cook.  No one turned down a meal prepared by Nettie Moore.  And even though I claimed to "learn" from my mom and my grandmother they never declared a time to "teach me to cook".  Instead, I learned my whole life from them, sitting on the kitchen counter in my grandmother's house, watching what  she was doing, or standing at the kitchen sink doing the dishes while mom worked on dinner.  They never woke up one morning with the mission of teaching me to cook.  Many of my strongest childhood memories are associated with time in my grandmother's kitchen.  Even though it's been years since I stepped foot in her kitchen (the house has long since been sold and is no longer in the family) I can distinctly remember each detail about it from the mushroom ceramic canisters (remnents of the 70s) to the formica counter tops and even the view out the kitchen window.  Maybe that's why my own kitchen is so important to me.

Just as my kitchen skills were developed from being immersed in a culture of food and love, my own personal strength has been developed from observation of character in action.  Being an Army wife has its challenges and I often hear the comment "I just don't know how you do it" referencing a deployment or seperation or yet another move.  My typical response is "I just do it.  There's not really another option."  But when I stop to think about it, I know exactly how I do it.  I do it because I was taught to do it.  Not in the sense of a formal lesson, but taught by example from observing my own mother "just do it". 

You see, my mom taught me to follow your husband wherever his job leads because she has followed my dad's many job transfers all over Texas.  Now I follow my husband wherever the Army sends us.  My mom taught me you do whatever you have to when your kids are involved.  Now I spend 6-7 evenings a week at baseball diamonds and soccer fields and in my car running from one practice or class to another.  My mom taught me to put one foot in front of the other when you really don't feel like it as she got up and went to work while taking chemo during her first battle with cancer.  Now, even when I feel like garbage, I get up and go.  My mom taught me that discipline and order still reigns, even when dad is working.  Now I run my house with order and discipline, even when my husband has to be away for long periods of time.  My mom taught me that giving back to your community is important when she spent hours working with the Optimist Club, Band Boosters or the church kitchen.  Now I spend my extra time serving other military families around me.  My mom is teaching me that even when cancer seems to be winning, that you continue to fight.  It might change the speed at which you live, but it doesn't change the what is important to you.  But most importantly, my mom taught me what it means to be strong, and that when you don't feel strong, you draw your strength from the love of your family.  Nothing is impossible with that. 



Happy Mother's Day, Mom.  I love you.

"My mother with my kids during her visit to Germany, where we were stationed."