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

Life is this beautiful undefined miracle...

Hi there :)

It's Monday morning, the sun is shinning and I feel thankful because I was able to wake up for one more day.

Some people who has been battling cancer or any terminal disease might think that their lives is almost over and forget to live it  as they were supposed to, focusing instead on finding the cure for their illness. Don't let the fact that you have been dealing with a terrible disease stop you from living your life. It doesn't really matter if I have heart conditions, if you have cancer, the other person has AIDS, the other carries the genes that will make him sick one day or another.

Don't let the fact that you live with a disease fool you. I am pretty sure that not even for a minute, it crossed the mind of all those passengers who disappeared on the flight 370, I imagine that none of them thought that they might had seen their loved ones for the last time once they left their homes. Sad huh? Life is this beautiful undefined  miracle...

I believe that we all came to this world with an expiration date. We don't know when our is going to be, we wont leave here until we have accomplished the plan that God has for each one of us. For this reason, don't forget to Live your life like your were supposed to. Love, laugh, be thankful and forgive always.

Yesterday, when I talked to my family from Brazil, I got the news that one of our relative who was only 20 years old passed away last week. He was coming back from college when he was hit by a truck and died instantly. A totally healthy 20 years old young man who was the father of a small child ...

Let's think about this, let's stop worrying and live life like there would not be tomorrow.

What is your plan for the this day? I have planning on spending sometime working on my beautiful little birthday dresses among all the other embroidery work that I have to get done. Embroidery is my passion, any kind of embroidery but working with my first birthday dresses is what I love the most :) like a customer who was mad at me because she got me working on the dresses instead doing her embroidery, once she told me,  "the birthday dresses don't pay your bill" no they don't, if they did, I would be only embroidering the first birthday dresses full time. They are my hobby and it makes me forget about everything while I am working on them :)

Let's try to do something that makes us happy today ;) Let's smile no matter what, let's live today because it is a precious gift that we got when we first woke up, the gift of life.

Have a precious day my friends. God bless and be with you today and always...
Zee Giddings
http://www.myfirstbirthdaydress.com/First-Birthday-Dress-s/1814.htm?searching=Y&sort=3&cat=1814&show=120&page=1

Embroidering birthday dresses, Doing Custom Embroidery, selling Girl Scout cookies and being a mommy, life is good!

One of the birthday dresses I did today

Here it's me again to let you know I am still hanging around :)

Oh boy it has been crazy on Zee's little corner of the world. among Family, Embroidea Custom Embroidery , My First Birthday Dress, Pilot International, the Non Profit Organization I belong to and friends I  have been juggling  back and fourth. Sometimes I have no clue if I am going or coming LOL. No I am not complaining just thinking out loud :)

Zee has been embroidering a lot of  Birthday dresses lately and lots and  lots of Custom embroidery work. I think my Customers have decided to test me the  two last weeks. First the National Guard soldiers with some custom order for gift and yes it was to reproduce a flag so that they could  give as a gift to their fellows who are retiring. That was a challenge, I worked on the for a while but when I was finally done, I was so proud of myself...  at the end it is all worth of the hard work. Seeing the satisfaction on my Customer's face. Now, tonight I am working on a Golf bag. http://www.myfirstbirthdaydress.com/Silver-and-Pink-Polyester-Princess-Birthday-dress-p/d202.htm and this is how my life has been going LOL.

Trying to hoop the golf bag

When the Customer called me I told him it was impossible to embroider on a golf bag, I suggested patches but, he said no, he wanted me to go ahead and try it. Oh dear Lord, my hands and finger are so sore but it has coming along so well. What a challenge. I work for a while on the bag and then take a break to embroider a birthday dress

I guess that all this work is what keeps me going. Juliana took a picture of me on top of the table trying to hoop one of the flaps of the bag.. We struggle and laugh at the same time because  you cant imagine what Zee goes through to have all the beautiful embroidery work done :)

Also, other then all those work, I have been trying to get the word about My First Birthday Dress website out there. Oh boy... That is another challenge. I think I need a vacation LOL

My work  and the competirors

Did I tell you guys also that I have been helping my daughter Isabella who is a brownie to sell Girls Scout Cookies. We had a goal to sell 100 boxes and so far we have sold almost 300! Yep, I want to teach my kids that we have to always shoot to the moon, the worst that could happen is to lend among the stars as the old saying :)

Well, I better hurry and finish working on my golf bag and will  be back soon. BTW Would you like to buy some delicious Girl Scout cookies ? ;-) LOL

Enjoy life and smile no matter what.

Life is a beautiful thing.

 

God Bless

Zee

Oh Zee, you are such a darn lucky person! ;)

Isabella had to wear yellow "summerish" to school today

Hi there kids :)

I am on my 4th day on antibiotic to get rid of this Pneumonia. Although I am still coughing like there won't be tomorrow, I am so happy and thankful that I am ALIVE! :) I feel like singing with Sheryl Crow:

 

I'm gonna soak up the sun
I'm gonna tell everyone
To lighten up
I'm gonna tell 'em that
I've got no one to blame
For every time I feel lame
I'm looking up

I'm gonna soak up the sun
While it's still free
I'm gonna soak up the sun
Before it goes out on me

Some days ago I told I'd choose Snow over storms because they scare the "angel" out of me but  do you know what?  Let the storms come cause I am so loving this sun!!!

 

I will tell you kids, and this time you cant say I am rubbing in, I don't look and feel really great but  LIFE IS SO AMAZING!!! No matter what we are going through, if we were lucky enough to wake up to this day, we MUST be thankful :))

I am not going to be stubborn and start working like I always do, but this day, I am going to do stuff that I enjoy doing like going for lunch with my husband  to Gateway to India, my favorite Indian Restaurant and have some of my "delicioussssssssssssssssssssssss sweet balls" yeah most of you call them Gulab Jamun  but I have my own name for them LOL

Ohhhhhhhhh another good reason to be happy! Last night I was told by a friend I haven't seen in over a decade that in August of 2015 I will have two of my friends from Brazil visiting with me!!! How cool is that???? Oh Zee, you are such a darn lucky person! ;)

 

Today I will also take some picture of the birthday dresses for My First Birthday Dress website. I really want my website looking cute :)) I want to have a lot of  summer dress uploaded soon, dresses like this http://www.myfirstbirthdaydress.com/Yellow-floral-1st-Birthday-Embroidered-Dress-p/d03.htm and many more :)

I want my little princesses first birthday babies to have the best outfit for their birthday party EVER!!! Yeah... I love my little dresses :)

I hope you all kids enjoy this BEAUTIFUL amazing day and SMILE no matter what because life is good!!!!

Blessings

Zee :)

Thank you Lord for bringing me to a country where everything is possible... Even a meal that taste like the one our own mom makes....

Today, I woke up missing my family in Brazil so bad..

You know when we are sick, yeah, pneumonia here. Our body aches, our nose is raw inside from so much blowing, our head feels like is going to explode, what comes to our mind? Yeah family... Our mom's soup, all that good stuff that a human being needs...

Unfortunately, I am far away from those good remedies, I have to be happy with what I have. You know what? We have to make the best of every situation... Nobody can have everything, right?

I was craving that warm soup, some health stuff to make me feel better. Everyone who knows me, knows that I am all against the big buck store. I am always trying to help the local business and keeping on my side of the fence. Protecting the small business in town.

I don't have pretty and fancy words to describe what I am feeling right now. Sure, I am a crazy Brazilian who speaks some broke English. It's a good thing that maybe a half dozen of people are reading this post right now. Otherwise I would be making a GREAT free commercial for Olive Garden LOL.

My husband has always been there for everything I need, last night the poor thing even tried to make me noodles soup. The noodles were hard and it didn't taste that great but I had it all because he did his best with what we had... I could feel that he put some loving into it. Even threw a lot of Parmesan cheese to give some taste.. (shhhhhh dont tell him that) :)

It feels weird because the last time I felt like having a bowl of soup this bad, it was when I got out of the hospital after having my open heart surgery. On our way back home from the hospital, for some reason, I was dreaming that I would get home and be surprised. I was hoping that my Mother-In-Law would have  her wonderful chicken noodles soup waiting for me... Too bad, I wasn't very lucky, maybe she wasn't feeling like it... oh well, the dreaming part was good though LOL. Although I had a big cut in my chest,  I had the energy to go straight to the kitchen and cook a big pot of chicken soup for all of us but, this time, only having pneumonia, it took all my energy away, I feel so weak and couldn't imagine myself cooking... 

SO...I had the best idea ever. I asked my husband if he could go to Olive Garden, and get us some soup and salad to go.

OMG... I cant even try to tell you how wonderful it was. Boy, with $21.14 (as you see on the picture) we had the best meal I could have ever asked for on a cold and gloomy day.

I wish I had had this same idea three years ago when I had my open heart surgery...

They put together a meal I will never forget. Their delicious zuppa toscana (my favorite from their menu) some marvelous bread sticks, enough Parmesan cheese, salad looking impeccable delicious, some chicken meatballs and of course I cant forget to mention my chocolate mints. :)

That was all that I needed today...

Today, my hat is off to you Olive Garden, I know, you guys don't need my commercial but I had to be thankful for the most delicious soup I could had have had.

If you were just visiting my website www.myfirstbirthdaydress.com and somehow landed to this page, you must be asking yourself, what the heck has Olive Garden Soup have to do with first birthday dresses????

Sorry if I have disappointed you, this is not all about business. This is about opening my heart and let my fingers type what comes to my mind. It;s all about being thankful. Maybe some day you might be feeling like a healthy and homemade taste meal and you might recall that it came in handy for me today.

Looking at this picture I would say; Mr. Olive Garden people :) thank you so much for making me feel like I was at home today! You guys ROCK!!!

Thank you Lord for bringing me to a country where everything is possible... Even a meal that taste like the one our own mom makes....

Blessings

Zee

www.myfirstbirthdaydress.com