Blessings, Blessings, and more Blessings during the weekend and at Midwest Pilot Convention in IOWA

I had a wonderful weekend with my friends and sisters in Pilot this weekend in Coralville, IOWA at the Pilot  Midwest Convention.

It was a very special occasion for me because we had most of our Pilot Club of West central Illinois  Members attending, except for Diane Grimble one of our newest one who was going to join us but had a last minute emergency. Her sister had an stroke and  Diane's plan had to be changed. We missed Diane but she was present in our prayers and heart all the time. I haven't been able to get a hold of Diane yet, to check on her sister's health but, we all know that she has been taken care by the Best of the Best Doctors in the entire world, this Doctor is our Lord. He is our Shepherd Shaw we not want.

My heart is always filled with joy when I attend the Pilot Midwest or the Pilot International Convention because I enjoy hugging each one of the Pilot Members.  I enjoy seeing the smile on their face, and the desire to be a better human being.

As I had warned our First Timers Members before our trip that they were going to meet the best group of people this weekend. The group of people who has always a smile on their face, the group of people who will always be ready to give you a hug. This Convention has gotten the desire in my heart to increase our membership stronger and I am pretty sure that the more member the better we will be able to do more in our community. 

This morning, I feel a little bit tired but, my wonderful husband just called me inviting to go out for lunch since he can tell I look tired LOL

Chantel, Brian and Isabella

I want to say a special "Thank you" to my husband who has taken care of our daughter and dog so that I could make it to the Convention. Without his help, I couldn't do anything.  He is my wonderful husband, Best Friend, and my helper recruiting New Members to our Pilot Club.

Last Friday, while we drove to IOWA there was the Dance with Dads and daughter going on. My husband not only took our daughter to the dance but, also took one of our daughter's best friend who doesn't have a daddy. He acted as the Daddy for the two of them. My Hat is off to my wonderful husband for this beautiful act of love.

 What a lucky woman I am. No money in this world could buy all the things that I appreciate the most in this life, my wonderful little family and friends.

Sometimes I stop everything I am doing and ask myself: "How in the world did I get so luck?" I don't  have the answer for that question but if our Lord thinks that it is something that I deserve, I will always say "THANK YOU LORD" for all the blessings in my life. 

Thank you my friends and sisters in Pilot and hope to see each one of you soon.

If you are reading this post and have no idea who Pilot International is about. Please, ask me and I will be so glad to tell you a little bit of what Mission is about.

Blessings

Zee Giddings

Sometimes, the answer for something we are looking for is exactly where we don't expect it to be.

 This morning, while getting ready for my shower, I wanted to get all my hair in a pony tail so that I wouldn't get them wet but, I couldn't find an elastic band. I looked in my drawers, I looked everywhere. I was in a hurry, so, I took the first thing I thought it could work, the elastic band bracelet that Isabella made for me and somehow I got my hair tied up. 

On my way to the shower, I looked and saw the plant that I have in the bedroom, I remembered that I had not watered  it for a while, but I was late, I thought I could do it later, too many things to get done in  the morning, plus today I have to get a First Birthday Dress Shipped before my trip to the Pilot International Midwest Convention tomorrow. 

when I was in the shower box I thought, if I don't water it now, I will probably forget and it will die like many other plants that I have had. So, I got out and poured a cup of water on my pretty plant, suddenly I noticed that the elastic band that I was looking for to get my hair up, was right there on  top of the dirt  LOL. I smiled and said : Thank you dear plant! if I had not stopped to water you, I wouldn't have found what I was looking for :).

Just a simple gesture that taught me an important life lesson.

Sometimes when we are really busy and thinking we cant stop for a minute to do something we should, we miss the opportunity to find what we really need.

I am totally guilty here for not taking a time to message a friend to say "Hi", reply emails but, I have learned something today. Maybe if we  made a time for  talking to a friend, the answer to some of our problems, must come right out of their mouth. Sometimes, just a good laughing will release endorphin and will give you the feeling that, everything is going to be all right!! :)

Have you stopped to "water your plants" today? :)

Have a precious day :)

Blessings to all!

Zee Giddings
www.myfirstbirthdaydress.com

Talking about my friend Lisa Pierce

Lisa calculating the key finders price

I am supposed to write something about my friend Lisa Pierce who is the President of the Non Profit Organization we belong to, Pilot International. 

Oh my.. What can I say about my friend Lisa Pierce? Me and my "broke English" :)

Lisa introduced me to this amazing organization where the main goal is to promote awareness for brain-safe practices, injury prevention and mindful behavior through our various BrainMinders programs...

Garage sale 2013

I would like to start this saying that Lisa is the most unselfish person I have ever known. She is passionate about the organization, she is a fighter trying to keep our club going and she inspires me in so many different ways. Being a mother, wife and Business woman has always kept Lisa really busy but, no matter what, she will always find a time to grab her box full of Pilots booklets, printed emails,information, etc, and come to the meetings full of ideas, She always find a time to focus on growing our chapter. Lisa is the one who always knows what to do when we are facing some difficult times, she stands by us the members in whatever we do and she is always there whenever we need her. From the moment I met Lisa, I knew she was special.What I couldn't have known is that she would become one of my best and truest friend. Someone who is reliable, humble, honest and happy. Well, she can be pretty grumpy sometimes, specially in the mornings LOL.

Garage sale at Midwest Convention 2012

 We all love Lisa no matter what. She has been doing an awesome as the President of our chapter and keeping our members together. She is always cheerful when she comes to the meetings and if I could give Lisa Pierce an Award, it would be the best one that a friend in Pilot could ever get.

We all love you my friend and I am so lucky that you put up with all my craZEEnes and is always there whenever we need you!

God bless and always be with you

You friend and sister in Pilot

Zee Giddings

Happy Easter to each and everyone of you :) Blessings to all!

I have been not posting lately, so many things going on at the same time. I have been trying to juggle between my family, that is the most important thing in this world to me, my First Birthday embroidered dress, Embroidea Custom Embroidery and re doing  My First Birthday Dress Website. It's turning out good and I am very satisfied. Other than that, I had a short visit to the ER with abdomen cramps and it turned out I have diverticulitis. What the heck!?!??! LOL that is a name that I cant even pronounce ! Yeah, once somebody told me that after the 40s, we start going down the hill LOL. That is too funny but, boy isn't it true? LOL

I am not complaining, as long as I am alive and able to do my work of Art and take care of my family, I am thankful for each and every day I get to be in this beautiful world. :)

Today I wanted to share something I found to be very cute coming from our eight years old daughter Isabella.

I have this thing with me, I have always had it and I got it from my father. I have a "look" for everything that sometimes I don't even have to say a word, I look at my husband or one of my kids and they know exactly what I don't need to say LOL It's a very good thing though because sometimes we are in public places where I don't want to yell at my daughter, all I have to do is look at her and she will know what I mean.

Today, at lunch time, I cooked Isabella fries for lunch, what she calls "Brazilian fries" I cut the potatoes a little thicker and fry them, for some reason Isabella thinks that my fries are the best!

Today at lunch time, she told me : "Mom, you make the best fries EVER!" I said "Thank you Isabella, do you know the difference in between my fries and the McDonald one?



Working on my first birthday dresses

"What is it mom?" Mine has a special ingredient, I call it love. Everything we make with love, tastes much better, looks better and feels better!

She said: "You will have to teach me how to do this because someday I will make this fries to my kids"

Yeah, I said: "You can tell them that your mom "used" to cook you great fries" I used the verb in the past.

She gave  me "the look" The one that there is no need for words but, she completed: "NO mom, I will tell them that my mom COOKS the best fries" 

Ok, I said, that works... I knew eaxctly what she meant...

I am so proud of our eight years old daughter... Actually I am proud of all my kids. They all turned out to be wonderful human beings. Thank you Lord.

Tonight we are having a "family night", we are all going to the movies to watch "Rio2" We loved the first one :))) Yeah there is nothing to do with the fact that we are Brazilians!! LOL

OK,  this turned out to be a long posting LOL. I just wanted to say "Hi" and wish you all a VERY HAPPY EASTER!

Enjoy as much time as you can with your family, they are the ones who loves us no matter what!

God bless and be with you all!

Zee

My First Birthday Dress

Being important to her family, is the most important thing about Isabella :)

Good morning to you who stopped to read this post it’s a rainy day but to me it's a beautiful day no matter what. God has given me this day as a gift and I plan on not disappointing Him. 

My entire life I have been trying to teach my kids how important they are to our family, I have been trying to not only tell them but showing with actions how important they are to us. Having a family where both Mom and Dad are the best friend to each other, above being husband and wife. Having in our house a great environment with lots of respect, compassion, laughing and being thankful for everything we accomplish, don't letting any negativity be part of our daily life no matter what we are going through. I always questioned myself if we were being successful about trying to pass that message to our kids. I never wanted to ask them but I wanted them to show us if we were doing the right thing. The only clue I had was a day when Isabella told me that she wanted to marry a guy just like her daddy and I, as always trying to be funny, asked her "Oh you want to marry a guy like your daddy because he is so handsome? Her answer really surprised me, she said "No mom, I want to marry a guy just like my daddy because he loves you more than anything" WOW...

The other, Isabella showed up after school with this book that was donated by the school, I even didn't know that they had been working on that project. What made my heart sing with joy, when I read my daughter's page about what was the most important thing about her. I thought to myself, "Thank you Lord" I have been doing things right. Our 8 years old daughter has got it!
Have a precious day!
Zee
 www.myfirstbirthdaydress.com

I always do what I love the most first, yeah and you know, I love my Little Birthday Dresses

Today has been a long day, not long enough that I could go out and enjoy some sun and watch the birds playing in the backyard… It has been long enough to finish a deadline and feel proud of myself. A customer had brought some basketball jersey over to be embroidered and there was no rush until yesterday, (Sunday) I got a text message that said “Lions Jersey ETA?”  I tried not to freak out because there was a lot to be done. He asked me if I could have them done for today since the team would have a game on Tuesday and wanted them to wear the Jerseys, I didn’t think about it and said “Yes, I will get them done”

I woke up early, got my daughter ready to go to school, no matter how busy I am I will always do that because it feels my heart with joy the time I spend with her. After Isabella left to school, I had to get the First Birthday Dress that had been sold last Saturday ready to be shipped. Steamed it, bagged it, packed it nicely in one of my “keepsake box”, a box where I ship my little dresses and expect the moms to keep it after their birthday party is over together with the birthday cards. I gave my last look at the cute little dress, tried to picture the beautiful soon to be a year old baby girl that would be wearing it, said a prayer in my heart, closed the box, placed it in another envelope to avoid the box from getting dirt during transportation, printed the mail label, cleaned my table and then I was ready to face those Jerseys uniforms. I always do what I love the most first, yeah and you know, I love my Little Birthday Dresses… I wish I could work only with them, but, as a Customer once told me, “Your little dresses don’t pay the bills” such an insensitive human being…

At 1 o’clock, I got another text message, “by any chance, are the jerseys ready yet?” “Nope, not yet, I will let you know when I am done with them” No, not pressure at all LOL. I don’t get mad at my customers, I love them no matter what. I only wish I had six hands to get everything done whenever they want them done.  At 4 o’clock in the afternoon, I finally got them all done, what a relief. I can’t explain you, the feeling in my heart when I looked at them all steamed and ready to be delivered… I am so proud of my work. I know that I am good at what I do because I do everything with love. If one of my customers place an order to be a gift, when they come back, they will get it all nicely packed in a gift box :) Yeah, I like to see them smiling when they look at it… It’s my pleasure :)

Right now I feel tired, even tried to take a nap to relax a little bit but, I just couldn't, billions of thoughts comes to my mind when I lay in bed to get some rest… All the stuff I need to get done in order to have my website selling more dresses and then be able to work only with them… Oh what a day it will be when that time comes :) I know it will, I can feel it, I can almost touch my dream :)

One of my first birthday dress

Oh I know what you just thought ;) this lady is a dreamer. Yep, I am a dreamer and as John Lennon said” I am not the only one” 

Well, I better finish my post and join my family in the TV room. In the room, it’s what I have the most precious in this life, My Family…

You have a great night and always believe in the beauty of your dreams… Yes, you know ho said that…

God bless and be with each one of us… AMEN!

Zee

www.myfirstbirthdaydress.com 

The Lord is my sheperd; I shall not want.

Zee and her precious  First Birthday Dresses

Today is the first day of spring. What a blessing! It feels so good to have the ducks back in the swimming pool, listen to the birds singing, soon everything will come back to life and our eyes will see all the green and colorful flowers again :) Praise our Lord for the beautiful miracle of His creation!

We just came back home from Isabella's School, they were having the Book Fair and a springtime recital. Isabella did good as always, she has a good voice for speaking and singing in public. As we were watching the kids doing their best I was observing my daughter and thanking God for have given me the power to bring a wonderful life to this world. I never thought I could ever give birth to a child. I was already a mother of Charles (28) and Tamy (22) my kids that I have adopted. I was already all done with having kids, but then, I got re married to my wonderful husband was a bachelor, had no kids of his own and I got myself wondering how he would miss being a father. God with His mercy, gave us a beautiful daughter who is now 8 years old and on second grade, our beautiful Isabella..

Watching her singing made me so proud and my heart was crying with so much joy. I told my husband: Look at our daughter, isn't she beautiful? “Yes" he said She is beautiful.

I had an amazing day at work and with my family. I can feel like I am so close to have my dream come true, I feel like I can almost touch it! What a lucky person I am and very blessed as well. When I was very young, almost four years old, my parents took me to the church and I was able to say in front of the entire church, the Psalm 23. I will never forget the words that I have written in my heart, it was just like our Lord was telling me to always think about those words whenever I feel like I need Him. This is how it has been my entire life. The day of my open heart surgery, while they were getting me hooked up to the IV, I was saying in my heart “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. I knew everything would be ok because He has a plan for me in this earth.

Every day, when I first wake up I feel so thankful for never forgetting those precious words and for the miracle of spending another day in this earth with the ones that I love. Today also I have shipped two of My First Birthday Dresses http://www.myfirstbirthdaydress.com/ and have been working on some beautiful other ones. You all have a precious night and whenever you feel like you are alone, remember of Psalm of david.

Zee Giddings 

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the
paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death; I will fear no evil: for thou
art with me; thy rod and thy staff they
comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the
presence of mine enemies: thou anointest
my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all
the days of my life; and I will dwell in the
house of the Lord for ever.

                                 Psalm 23