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A Spring Baby Shower for Tara

5/24/2019

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In case you hadn't heard, our Tara is expecting a baby!  A sweet baby girl that is due to arrive in July.  Y'all know we couldn't wait to host a baby shower and start spoiling that baby (and her Mama)!

I would like to point out that to we Southerners, a shower, whether it be for a baby, wedding, house warming, etc., is not just about the spoiling. Showers and parties are the perfect way to make someone feel loved and supported by the community they live in, or by the church family they have chose to be a part of. You've never felt so special until you sit and look around a room filled with the people you loved most, who have all gathered to take time out and celebrate you!  The gifts are just an expression of love and support, as we honor the special times and the new chapters in life. (And... the gifts at Southern showers can be abundant and overwhelming!)    
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At The Southern Merc, we love a theme! The chalkboard in our Cafe dining room was already decorated with our favorite Oscar Wilde quote and we thought this was the perfect starting point for the party.  Tara loves old books and the vintage feel so we kept things simple by using simple flower arrangements, stacked old books, and this fresh greenery garland.  
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All of the fresh greenery was cut from Mr. Crain's yard. The purple butterfly bush blooms were cut from Jorjanne's yard and the pink and white tulips were purchased from the grocery store.  Mixing store bought flowers with things you grew yourself is a great way to keep the cost down and still have beautiful arrangements.  For some tips on making your own arrangements with grocery store flowers, you can check out Roxie's tutorial! We tried hard to pick all of Tara's favorite foods and made sure that every detail would be a reflection of her sweet personality. 
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To add to the vintage feel, we used lace on most of the tables, which made the room feel very sweet and nostalgic.  The food table was covered with a vintage cloth from Roxie's collection. As guests arrived, their fist stop was to sign the guest book.  We put together a little book for baby Lila (with the help of Katelyn's beautiful lettering) for all of the guests to write little notes in.  We thought this would be such a sweet little keepsake for Tara to read later and for Lila to have as a grown up. How special it will be for her to be able to look back and know how loved she was, even before she was born!
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It is always a sweet and special idea to forgo the traditional "guest book" and choose something that will be special to the guest of honor.  Perhaps a keepsake picture or special book that can be saved and cherished.  For baby showers, you can make a sweet memory book like this one, or think about using a special children's book for guests to sign that can be added to the child's library.  You may remember from Perry's baby shower, we used a precious book called "The Wonderful Things You Will Be". 
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For weddings or wedding showers, think about using a vintage poetry book, or something that would be special to the couple.  For Roxie's wedding, she used a book of Van Gogh's artwork that had been a gift from one of Matt's trips to Italy.  Tara and Phillip used a book of paintings of old churches in Georgia, and the church they were married in just happened to be included!  The sky is the limit when being thoughtful and creative with the details.  ​​
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​We keep things pretty simple at our showers so after a time of eating and visiting, Tara started digging in to her presents!  She was so blessed to receive so many beautiful and useful things.
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Friends came from near and far, including two of Tara's college friends, which made the day extra special!
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The Southern Merc and Fourth and Cherry crew had a blast celebrating our special girl and we can't wait to add baby Lila to our family of littles!  Because of her mothers sweet spirit and ability to love others so deeply, Lila has already won our hearts!
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The Southern Merc is full of helpful tips for parties and showers!  Check out our archive to finds great ideas for your next wedding or baby shower!

Our shop is stocked with cute gift ideas for wedding and baby.  Look around while you are here, we'll be glad to send a little something your way!
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These cute burp cloths are made from re-purposed vintage hankies and hand made by the Southern Merc girls!
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Spark your little ones tea time dreaming with this precious enamel tea set!
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We Are The Village

4/26/2019

2 Comments

 
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"It takes a village to raise a child."  
This statement is an old African proverb thats relevancy rings even more true today.  In a world where marriages are broken, families are ravished by poverty and addiction, and the lives of children are not cherished; it truly takes a village.  

​With the recent uproar over the war on abortion, I find my heart broken.  Broken for the babies who will never take a breath, broken for the young mothers contemplating abortion. 

As these thoughts swirl through my mind, I can't help but wonder how some of these young moms must feel...scared, embarrassed, unfit, unqualified, inexperienced, ill-equipped, lonely, unprepared, uneducated...the list goes on.  
To those mothers--where is your village?  Do you even have one?  You most certainly need one to take on the responsibility of raising a child today.   I ran across a quote that perfectly expressed my heart on this matter, beautifully portraying how we, The Church, are called to be the village.

"As the church, we cannot say of abortion, "This is murder", without saying to the pregnant woman, "We will serve you."  If we are doing the former without the latter, we aren't truly understanding the Gospel.  We must listen, love, foster, adopt, give money, babysit, donate supplies, mentor young women, and support in whatever ways God has equipped us."
-Matt Chandler
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It seems so simple, yet why aren't we doing it?  Why isn't The Church being the village?  There are so many other practical ways to step in and be a champion for the cause, rather than participating in a march or holding up a sign.

"We must listen, love, foster, adopt, give money, babysit, donate supplies, mentor young women, and support in whatever ways God has equipped us."

I say, if we can't take care of the orphans that are living on this earth now, what shall we do? When there are over 30,000 abortions taking place in Georgia each year, what shall we do?  If we can't find foster homes to house the children who are a result of addiction and abuse, what shall we do?  Why are there over 170 children in foster care and only 10 foster families in my region?  Why do Christians outnumber orphans 15 to 1? 
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These are the honest and convicting thoughts I struggle with as I contemplate our purpose as a family, and as The Church.

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Phillip and I have officially been foster parents for three months now.  As I type these words, tears fall from my eyes.  No amount of preparation, training, volunteering, or even praying, opened my eyes to the reality of raising a child that is not your own.  Responsibility, consistency, patience, kindness, understanding, strength, faith, selflessness, devotion...these are all words describing what must pour out of us daily.  We knew it would be challenging, and it is.  But we also never could have imagined the joy a child brings when they simply bring themselves.  ​
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​During this season, we have had friends offer to bring us dinner on multiple occasions.  Our church family has made us feel more welcome than ever, supporting us in so many seen, and unseen ways.  My work family has rallied together to help us in any way they can--welcoming after school visits and making this child feel like she belongs.  Our own families have treated her as their own blood, including her in family plans and spending one on one time with her.  Sweet, dear friends, have gone above and beyond to help after school or when school is out so that we can maintain as normal of a work schedule as possible.  College friends have taken the time to talk through issues over the phone--listening and giving advice.  New friends have stayed up with us, hours into the night, encouraging and praying for us when times have been tough.  And not to mention the sweet friends who have called, texted, visited, and prayed for us during this journey.  
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These children come from a broken past, often times with no family to care for them and no community to support them.  But, when we welcome them into our home, they instantly have a village.  A village of friends who care about them, a village that prays for them daily, a village that genuinely wants to spend time with them, a village that makes them feel like family.  

Sometimes I wonder if this village is for them, or for me?  I realize, now, that it is for all of us.  It is for when I need a little encouragement on the hard days, it is for when Phillip needs an afternoon to himself, it is for when she needs a little girl time with someone who isn't acting as her "mom".  When this village of family and friends come along side us in this broken journey--we find the light.  We find a glimpse into what God created families and The Church to be.  We find the strength to make it through another day.  We find that extra little bit of love we need, just to pour it right back out again.

​We are the village.  YOU are the village.  The part you play in this village may look a little differently than your neighbors, but I would encourage you to seek out the ways in which God has equipped you.  

We have had people ask us on multiple occasions why we foster, do we not want children of our own?  If it were only that simple.  We foster because we don't want any child to feel unloved or go uncared for, we don't want any family to be broken.  We foster because it isn't about what we want.

Now, three months in, we find ourselves expecting a baby girl of our own in just three more short months.  
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Though this was somewhat of a surprise, we are anxiously awaiting her arrival.  What we wish for her is what we wish for every child that enters our home; that they will choose to work hard for what they want, love people whole-heartedly, live selflessly, stand up for what they believe in, and be brave.  We have been blessed with what I believe to be the best village around--and I am overjoyed that we get to raise this child surrounded by such wonderful people.  

So, thank you to my village.  You'll never know how much it means to us to know how much you care.  We couldn't do it without you!  
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If you find yourself looking for ways to serve, reach out to us!  We have been blessed to be involved with a wonderful organization in South Georgia that supports foster families and birth families alike.  We'd love to talk with you, and provide you with
​information and opportunities to serve.  
Learn More About Called to Care
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15 Years of Adventures in Retail!

8/3/2018

6 Comments

 
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Even as I am writing this, it is so hard to believe that I am reflecting on the past 15 years of my life.  In some ways it has flown by, and in other ways 15 years seems so long ago!  You have heard me say before that I was young and dumb when I started this adventure in retail so many years ago! I was fresh out of The University of Georgia with no clue what I wanted to do next.  I always swore I was never moving back to my home town of Ocilla, GA, but it was home that came calling after graduation.  So I made my way back, and here I sit, 15 years later, with a life I never could have dreamed up for myself!

​In 2003, my dad had been retired for a couple of years and was running a floral and event business with his business partner, Lisa.  They decided to take on a huge project in our downtown by renovating this century-old, Greek-revival style bank building.
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The renovations began in the spring, and I moved home in the summer of 2003.  The building was to house a market-style retail shop with a café in the downstairs and an event space upstairs.  Dad and Lisa were going to need someone to run the shop while they focused on the floral business, so I agreed to come home for one year and help get things going.

​That June-December of my life flew by!  I worked part-time at another gift shop downtown to make a little money until our shop opened.  On days I wasn’t working, I helped work on the building.  As you look at all of my pictures, you might be imagining a very large work crew that got this place whipped into shape in such a short period of time, but you would be wrong!  Dad and Lisa, with the help of a couple of paid workers, lots of family, and many sweet volunteers, moved mountains that summer.  I have never done so much painting in my life!  
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In the meantime, I had found a little house to rent just around the corner from the house I grew up in, but it too needed a lot of work. I spent my nights (with my sweet family helping) working on what was to be my home for the next 12 years. (Long before I began my Alder St. Renovation) I moved into my 5th St. house in October of 2003 and I still don't know how we managed to do so much in such a short amount of time, while working on the building! We ripped out carpet, refinished 100 year old floors, totally remodeled the tiny kitchen, and painted every square inch! Maybe this is why I don’t like watching renovation shows on T.V. - I have lived it too many times!
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​The Shoppes at Fourth and Cherry opened in August of 2003, and I was blown away by the excitement of the community.  The first couple of weeks were so fun.  People flocked in to see the building.  
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All of the older residents in town had so many great stories to share of what the building was when they were young - how they used to get their hair done upstairs at Lily Mae’s beauty shop, or how they dreaded having to climb those tall stairs to get their shots at the health department.  
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The shop was just beautiful and unlike any store we had ever had in our little town before.  Lisa was, and is, a very talented designer.  I soaked up so much from her in a short amount of time and definitely learned a lot about the design aspect of running a store from both her and my dad.  ​

The grueling work didn’t end when we opened, as we had to move upstairs to finish renovations in time for a wedding in October!  I was still painting trim the morning of the wedding while Dad and Lisa were doing all of the flowers! ​
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That was a crazy weekend, but I guess at that point, we had all gotten used to the hustle.  Fifteen years later, I can tell you that the hustle continues!  There is always something to fix, paint, clean, move, or cry over in this old building.  It has been a labor of love for sure!

I like to say I went to the school of hard knocks in the early days.  With Dad and Lisa, you have to catch on fast!  One wedding weekend they left me in the florist shop and said, “We need 15 table arrangements; we’ll be back after we decorate the church.”  I guess I should have been honored that they had so much confidence in my abilities, but I was stressing!  It seems I had soaked up a few tricks by watching my dad all those years because the arrangements turned out ok, but I was a nervous wreck!  Another weekend, we were catering a party in a neighboring town.  Dad and Lisa had done an out-of-town wedding and were traveling to be back just in time for the dinner that night.  She had me, by myself, take pot roast for about 100 people to the venue with all of our cookers to cook the roasts, with her giving me instructions over the phone.  I had never cooked a roast in my life!  

In 2004 Lisa’s husband, Harvey, was diagnosed with cancer that would later take his life.  This was a devastating diagnosis, and Lisa had to spend most of her time with him, traveling to treatments in Maryland and caring for him when he was sick.  Around the same time, my grandfather in Colorado became ill so my Dad was away for 8 weeks.  It was a stressful time for me to be pretty much alone at the shop so Dad and Lisa decided to sell the building and business.  The short version of this part of the story is: in walked Matt Seale.  He was a financial advisor from Atlanta and looking to invest in real estate.  Little did he know he was about to get a building, a retail shop, a floral and event business, a café, and a wife!
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Matt bought the building and the business in the fall of 2004, so he and I have been in it together almost the entire time.  It was a trying first few years together, as we both had limited experience with events and running a small business.  I think we did pretty well considering how young we were!  We married quickly in August of 2007 because Matt was being sent to Iraq to serve with the Navy Reserve. It’s not the month I would have picked (the day we got married was, literally, the hottest day of the year) but it is pretty neat that our wedding anniversary always coincides with the anniversary of The Shoppes, since it is what brought us together in the first place.  We spent our first year of marriage apart, and looking back, it was probably the hardest year of my life so far.  Because of our quick wedding, I had to deal with the daily onslaught of nosy, southern women asking me when my baby was due.  I was a newlywed with no husband, the owner of a struggling small business with no business partner, and the caretaker of an old building that seemed to just develop one new problem after the other.  I don’t know what I would have done that year without my parents and a few really good friends.   Needless to say, that is not a time in my life I like to look back and dwell on!  

​The years rocked on as we continued catering events, making prom and wedding flowers, and keeping the shop going.   I have been involved in over 37 weddings and rehearsal suppers, countless smaller parties, and more funerals than I could ever count.  ​
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Vendors in the shop came and went.  I have had over 40 vendors and 14 local consigners throughout the years.  It was so nice to get through those first few years of turnover and settle in with some serious shop owners that help make The Shoppes at Fourth and Cherry so great!  ​
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​It has been so interesting to learn to deal with the specialties of running a business in a small, southern town.  Over the years I have had more than one person call and ask me to look up someone else’s number for them in the phone book.  I’ve had a customer ask me to order her something off the internet because she doesn’t have a computer.  I have customers drop off gifts for people (that they didn’t buy here) because they know we’ll make sure they get passed on to the right person.  I’ve had a customer give her bag of purchases to the mail man, as he walked in to deliver the mail, and ask him to deliver it to her mother at the nursing home (which he did, sweetly and without question).  I could fill a book with stories about customer interaction - some funny and some not so funny! The Fourth and Cherry team has been blessed over the years to have mostly very sweet people enter our doors, and we thrive on providing as many services as possible. We still operate a traditional wedding registry where brides can register for fine china, flatware and other things needed to set up a home.  We deliver to local showers, sell flatware by the piece (so there is something for everyone’s budget) and offer free gift wrap. We try to include the address of the giver on the back of every wedding card to make it a little easier for the bride to send her thank-you notes.  We’ve made salads with croutons only, cut crusts off of bread, and kept lists on the café wall of how certain customers like certain meals. We are happy to help customers over the phone, happy to pick out Christmas gifts when you send over the list, happy to walk your packages to your car, let you borrow our phone, and even fill out your check for you. (Yes we still take local checks and no, we don’t have a stamp.  If you don’t know what that means, you are definitely not from a small town.) 
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Over the years our little business has grown, evolved and changed.  At some point we closed the florist, but I can’t remember what year.  The shop and the café were becoming busier, and my Dad was retired and traveling a lot, so it just made sense to let that go.  We have still continued to do weddings here and there because I just find it so hard to say no! The Café has slowly grown and now offers a much more extensive menu than we did in the beginning.  The Fourth and Cherry Company now has three full-time employees in addition to seven part-time.  I can’t pass up the chance to mention that Mrs. Carolyn has been with us the entire time we’ve been in business.  She has long been a friend of my family and came to work in The Café after she retired from the school system.  Her hours have shortened over the years and roles have changed, but she has been a steadfast and dependable friend to us over the last 15 years. She has tried to “retire” at least twice, but we are always thrilled when she decides she wants to come back!  She tells me she is going to retire for good when she is 80, so I’ll keep you posted on that! And one other fun fact, Mrs. Carolyn came to Lily Mae’s beauty shop, located in the upstairs of our building, on her wedding day to get a perm!  Just one example of how the history of our building is so intertwined with the history of our community and the lives of our customers.  
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In 2015 (deciding that we didn’t already have enough to do) we created The Southern Mercantile.  I had always loved the name and even threw it in the hat when Dad and Lisa were choosing a name for the shop.  I kept it in the back of my mind with the hopes of getting to use it one day.  We are now growing and building this new brand, while running The Shoppes and Café at Fourth and Cherry, in an attempt to expand our market a little bit and share our love of the South.  We are on a mission to preserve some of our more noble traditions by sharing our simple, southern lives with you.  It has been so exciting to meet many of you at shows when we are traveling, and to hear from you through email, social media and the website.  We have loved every minute of getting to connect with a whole new tribe!
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​We are excited to share with you that The Southern Mercantile is currently setting up a brick and mortar home inside The Shoppes at Fourth and Cherry!  The historic bank room of our building is in transition and will soon be our flagship Southern Mercantile location.  The bank vault has already been set up as the Southern Merc office and we are slowly transforming the retail space into a beautiful shopping area.  It’s just another way the Fourth and Cherry Company is growing and changing.
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Love for our community is at the heart of everything we do.  In 2011, Matt and I made a choice to stay here and to commit to working hard for Ocilla.  We work hard to keep this building standing, keep this shop running, and keep our online presence thriving because we want to see our little town prosper.  Our team has a deep desire to continue to love, encourage, support and work for the community we live in.  We thank all of you from the bottom of our hearts for your support of our mission.  Whether you have been a fan of The Shoppes for the last 15 years, or if you are a new fan of The Southern Mercantile, we want you to know that you are appreciated.  Every purchase you make, every Facebook post you share, every kind comment you give, strengthens our mission as we move to be a force for good in our community. 

​If it seems this post has been more like the story of the last 15 years of my life rather than just the history of my business, it is because they are so connected, I could never attempt to separate them.  This shop and what it means to our little town is all I know.  It has been my everything.  I am humbled when I think of all of the people that have loved and supported me personally over the last 15 years.  Without your support and prayers (and checking for my horns from time to time), I would have succumbed to stress and discouragement many times.  I can’t wrap this up without a very special Thank You to my parents!  You are such an example of selfless love, always there to help, no matter what the problem is.  Water, termites, absent employees, plumbing problems, leaky roofs, holiday baking; nothing keeps you from running to my aid!

​15 years of perspective has helped me to see that time and time again, the Lord has provided just what we need, when we need it.  I know He will do the same for the next 15!
 
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Called to Care

8/11/2017

2 Comments

 
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In the fall of 2015, a group of people from our community gathered to discuss the growing needs within and around foster care in our area.  Led by a local pastor with a heart for foster care, we agreed to form a local chapter of an organization already in place,
​Called to Care.  Towards the end of the meeting, he asked if anyone felt called to be a part of the leadership team, and I felt my hand rising.  Little did I know that my life would be forever changed by the information presented to me over the next few weeks. 
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​Why is there a need for an organization like Called to Care?
Within Ben Hill, Irwin and Berrien counties, we have 160 children in foster care and only 10 local foster families.  This great divide is bridged by foster families who live in other counties, as well as children's homes that are located hours away.  This means that not only are children being uprooted from the only home they've ever known, but they're also being moved miles from their schools, communities, extended family members, and friends.  The only remedy to this is to prevent children from coming into care (by supporting those families) and to recruit more local foster families!
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​Called to Care acts as a liaison between the Department of Family and Children Services and the community by communicating the needs at hand. We (with the help of our 884 Facebook friends) started a clothing and supply closet at Ocilla Baptist Church. Thanks to generous donations, we have clothing of all sizes, shoes of all sizes, undergarments, diapers, hygiene items, blankets, toys and books available to our foster children. Working closely with our local DFCS workers, we are able to meet most of the physical needs in our area.

Our brick-and-mortar retail store, The Shoppes at Fourth and Cherry, is a drop off location for donations. We have also hosted drives for specific items, which is conveinent considering that we are in the heart of downtown!
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Donnie Smith of South Central Primary Care aided in a shoe drive through South Central's many clinic locations with results that exceeded expectations!
We had a local mom, Kirsten, recently bring in an overwhelming amount of donations. Kirsten's sweet baby girl, Lindy, just turned 1 year old. To celebrate her birthday, Kirsten asked if guests would bring a donation to Called to Care in lieu of a gift for her daughter. The donations poured in as family and friends gathered to celebrate Lindy.  What a special way to celebrate her daughter's life! We have been so encouraged by this gift, and so many families are going to be blessed by her selflessness.
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Called to Care hosts quarterly events in which the kids are provided opportunities to leave their worries at the door and to simply play.  Snacks, bouncy houses, art projects, nail painting and one-on-one basketball games make for a fun afternoon.  We love every minute of getting to know these kids and are thankful for the opportunity to encourage and serve them.  ​
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​Here's a few examples of other projects we've completed in our area:
  • Blankets that were embroidered with each foster child's name on it for Christmas.
  • Birthday gifts and cupcakes for children in care.
  • Bibles for each child in foster care for Easter--each with a personal note inside. 
  • Countless clothing and shoe needs provided.
  • Sponsorships for foster children's participation in recreational sports programs.
  • Help in furnishing homes for reunited families.
  • Ocilla DFCS Visitation Room Re-do. *Roxie put her magic touch on it!
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DFCS Visitation Room Before:
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DFCS Visitation Room After:
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From the very beginning, I became heavily involved in the needs presented to Called to Care.  Not only was this an overwhelming undertaking--but also a heart-breaking one.  With each request, with each need, the tears would come.  I had this aching desire to do more than meet the physical needs of these families.  I suddenly felt the very real call from Jesus to care for the widows and orphans.  It didn't take long for my husband, Phillip, to feel the exact same way.  We were faced with desperate needs on a weekly basis that broke our heart and changed our thought process.  We knew fostering was where our family was being called,  so we started making preparations.

​In less than a year's time with Called to Care, Phillip and I felt the need to create a home for our future family--whatever that may look like.  Our budget was small, but we wanted to purchase a home of our own and begin to settle in.  ​We looked at homes that were "move-in ready" as well as fixer-uppers, but nothing felt just right.  I was set on having at least three bedrooms (this would be necessary in foster care if you have children of the opposite sex in your home) which narrowed our search tremendously due to our budget. We made a list of pros and cons for some of our favorite homes, trying to make sense of it all.  Finally, my mom asked if I'd be interested in looking at a home in town that wasn't listed, but she knew the owners tried to sell it a few years ago.  I said yes, and she made the call.  This couple was happy to show us the house that would soon become our home.  Learn more about our home and the renovation process by checking out Beech Street Bungalow: Before.
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After we began putting our home back together, I started dreaming up what the "girl room" and "boy room" should look like.  I loved the idea of creating a comfortable and safe space that any child might love.  Lots of thought and planning has gone into these two special rooms in our home, and my heart is anxiously awaiting the day when these rooms will be finished and full.
​I have always loved children. I have always wanted to be a mom, and to have a family of my own.  After coming to know the Lord, I realized I had a heart for adoption--but still wanted to birth children of my own.  After maturing in the Lord, and seeing the unrelenting needs around me, my thoughts began to change and turn into what I believe to be His.  This is what I know to be true:  He has given me a deep desire to be a mother.  He has given me a husband who shares my same desires.  He is good.  He is faithful.  He will bring children into my life who need me at that exact time, whether I birth them or only have them in my home for a few months.  

We are excited, and we are nervous.  This process is slow, especially when you're in the middle of remodeling a home!  We now have a group of 7 local families ready to complete training to have children in their homes. (Roxie, Jorjanne and I are three of those families!)  What a blessing this journey has been and will continue to be.  

​If you are interested in being involved in Called to Care, please let us know!  You can visit our Facebook page or email us at calledtocarebhib@gmail.com.  If you don't live in South Georgia, look for ways to positively impact the foster care system in your area!  We would love to hear from you and answer any questions you may have.  I believe that we are indeed called to love, called to serve, and called to care.  The beautiful thing is that everyone can do something.
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2 Comments

Irwinville Farms Project

2/1/2017

0 Comments

 
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I mentioned in my blog “Faithful in the Little Things” that my father grew up on the Irwinville Farms Project. Since many of you have probably never heard of it, I thought I’d take the time to explain it and the impact it made on a rural community.​
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In the early 1930s, when much of the country was in dire straits, families in Georgia were given an opportunity to improve their lives. The government took families who were struggling even with government assistance and settled them on small farms in Irwinville, Georgia. Small homes, animals, feed, seed, and tools were provided to these families. Over time, the families had the opportunity to purchase their homes and land from the government. 
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The infrastructure that was built to sustain and improve this community helped the families to thrive and accomplish that. Schools, co-operative stores, churches, a gin, warehouses, a doctor’s office, not to mention the homes, barns, smokehouses, and such that were built on the farms provided all that these families needed to do well. The families were encouraged to make farm plans and keep records; the manager of the program educated the men on farming techniques, while the home economist taught the women how to plan meals and put up fruits and vegetables to feed their families throughout the year. Social activities were planned and everyone was encouraged to participate. 
Because all these families worked together to lift each other up out of their collective suffering, the Irwinville Farms Project families grew into a tight-knit community. Years after the project ended, Irwinville still celebrates together every summer with a reunion, just like a family would. As a child, I never realized what the reunion was all about. I just thought it was normal for a community to gather together every year for meals, singing, and games! 
I am proud to have grown up in Irwinville, because I know how brave and resilient my grandparents, as well as the other men and women who resettled here were. I can only imagine how scared and nervous they must have been as parents of small children, knowing that they couldn’t provide for them on their own; so, they took a leap of faith and moved to a place they had never seen to work at something they really didn’t know how to do. All because they saw an opportunity for something better. They realized that they couldn’t continue to do things the way they had always done them if they wanted to improve their lives and the lives of their children. The courage to change is much more difficult than the desire to stay the same, but if you keep doing the same thing, you get the same results. Those daring individuals who built the Irwinville community knew this, and so they were willing to put aside their fears and do something different. I think we could all learn a valuable lesson from them. Change can be hard, but I am inspired by a quote from George Bernard Shaw: "Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything." 
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The Irwinville Farms Project was successful in that nearly all the families who participated were able to purchase their farms from the government and continued to do well for their families. It truly was a helping hand, not just a hand-out. If you’d like to read more about it, you can read the report from 1939 in the National Archives by clicking here, or you can purchase the book, Irwinville Farms Project, written by Joy Wilson McDaniel at www.amazon.com. Another fantastic resource, from where most of these pictures came, is Irwinville Farms, A Digital Archive Curated by Brian Brown.
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Christmas in the Pines

11/13/2015

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PictureRoxie
It’s that time of year again, time for the annual Christmas Open House at The Shoppes!  All of you Southern Merc fans that are from Ocilla have probably been to one of our open house events and know how marvelous it is.  For those of you that are fans from far away, let me just tell you, this is quite possibly my favorite weekend of the year. 

The Fourth and Cherry team spends Friday night through Sunday morning transforming The Shoppes into a magical winter wonderland.   Every year we have a different theme (you know I love a theme!) to set the tone for the décor, food, invitations and other details.  This year’s theme was “Christmas in the Pines”.  Appropriate for a southern Georgia Christmas, don’t you think?

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My awesome team spends weeks preparing for this event.  Handmade invitations are printed, glittered and mailed a few weeks before the event.  My Dad and Aunt Janet (the wizards) spend the week before making dozens of gorgeous wreaths and arrangements.  My Café girls start planning for food preparations.   Ornaments and decorations are unpacked and priced.  Tara, Jorjanne and I always have a craft project going on like stamped and glittered gift tags for all of the packages or making feet upon feet of paper chains to decorate with.
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I could write pages about how much fun it is to deck the halls at The Shoppes and how awesome all of my helpers are (because really, this would not happen without them).  I think for today, I would like focus on what a special day this is for our community.  I am not exaggerating when I tell you that people look forward to our Christmas Open House all year long.  It has really become more like a homecoming, a festive day to welcome in the Holiday season and to visit with old friends and neighbors.  Every year our crowd grows.  This year we had well over 200 people including neighbors from my childhood (members of the original Alder Street Social Club) who traveled an hour to be with us.  One of my Fairy God Mothers traveled almost two hours to be here.   A very sweet couple that taught here years ago came and visited with old friends and students.  Many of my Fairy God Children were able to be here, including one that I haven’t seen in months.  I even had a cousin travel from Texas, just to be here to help for the weekend!  My heart just explodes with joy when I can have so many, who are special to me, gathered in one place, even if just for a couple of hours.
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This year we collected blankets for local foster children and had almost 60 donated!  These blankets will be lovingly embroidered with the children’s names and given to them for Christmas presents.  We also had someone from our local “Called to Care” group on hand to talk with folks about “sponsoring” a foster child for Christmas.  Thanks to our wonderful guests, 12 children were sponsored during open house and we are steadily working on the rest!  If you live locally and are interested in helping to provide Christmas gifts for these children, please contact The Shoppes for more information! 
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The second Sunday in November has become one of my favorite days of the whole year.  Yes, it is means weeks of preparation and three very long days with little sleep, but the reward is worth far more than the stress and exhaustion of the work.  It is one day when, not only is my shop absolutely gorgeous and filled with happy people, but a day that our community comes together to laugh and love each other and feel good about life.
We want to know about your favorite Holiday traditions.  We hope you will share with us your favorite way to welcome in the Holidays in your home or hometown. 

We have officially kicked off the Holiday season at The Southern Mercantile and we are filled with Holiday cheer!  We are revamping store and can’t wait to share our favorite Holiday picks with you!  Check back soon to see all that’s new!

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Sweet Potato Soufflé

10/27/2015

2 Comments

 
PictureRoxie
Just in case you weren’t aware, every small, southern town has some sort of festival or celebration in which the community gathers together in honor of a (sometimes) quirky theme.  The Fire Ant Festival, Pig Jig, Wild Chicken Festival, and Shrimp Festival, just to name a few.  Here in Ocilla, we celebrate The Sweet Potato Festival. 

Sweet Potato Festival, Parade
Once a year our town is flooded with festival goers on the last Saturday of October.  This special day is marked with several big events including The Tater Trot 5k Run, Sweet Potato Cooking Contest, Parade, Craft Show and yes, a "Miss Sweet Potato Pageant. " 
Sweet Potato Queens, Shoppes at Fourth and Cherry
In honor of this upcoming Ocilla tradition I am sharing one of my favorite sweet potato recipes.  My mom, Brenda, makes the most delicious sweet potato soufflé every Thanksgiving.   I am sure it is similar to other recipes you have tried but there is just something about my mom’s special touch that makes this mouth watering side dish just perfect!    I hope you’ll try it out and let me know what you think!  Happy Fall and Happy Sweet Potato Day!
Sweet Potato Festival, cloggers, dancing
Sweet Potato Soufflé

Soufflé' Mixture:
2 c. cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
1 1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. melted butter
2 eggs

Add the sugar, melted butter and eggs to a bowl with the sweet potatoes.  Mix with a hand mixer until smooth.  Pour the mixture into a greased baking dish.

For Topping:
1 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. flour
1 c. chopped pecans
1/4 cup melted butter

Mix the topping ingredients together and sprinkle evenly over soufflé' mixture. 
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. 
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The Hands and Feet of Jesus Through Retail: Part Two

10/15/2015

3 Comments

 
PictureRoxie
In part one I told you how God has really softened my heart over the years through going to Catalyst Conferences and through my friend Donald.  In part two, I want to share with you some of the ways my team and I are getting involved in our local community to make a difference in the name of Jesus.
Regardless of your religious beliefs, I am sure we can agree that people in this world are thirsty for love.  My Shoppes and Southern Merc teams make it part of our mission every day to be kind to people and show them love.  I am not going to lie to you and tell you that this is always an easy task when you work in the customer service field.  It is not.  Just try to remember that everyone you meet has struggles, everyone you meet is going through something and everyone is worthy of love.  Everyone.  This is a lesson I am still learning daily.

Be kind for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle
We’ve been really excited at The Shoppes to be able to participate with some community organizations in an attempt to spread the love of Jesus throughout our community.  For the past several years we have participated with other businesses in town to partner with our local DFACS office.  We sell paper turkeys to raise money to provide Thanksgiving dinner for three local families in need.  At our Ladies’ Night Out event this past April we decided to host a supplies drive for Ruth’s Cottage, a battered women’s shelter in a neighboring town.  I would love to tell you that this was my brilliant idea but it was actually suggested by one of my vendors here in The Shoppes.  We were all overwhelmed by the generosity of our customers and could not believe the amount of supplies that were donated.
Shoppes at Fourth & Cherry, Ruth's Cottage, supplies drive, Ladies' Night Out
This upcoming Christmas and Thanksgiving we will be working with a local group, Called to Care BHIB, to provide Christmas gifts and supplies for our local foster Children.  It is absolutely amazing to see God working in our business and continue to provide opportunities for us to love and support those in our community that are in need. ​
Shoppes at Fourth & Cherry, Called to Care BHIB, donations, baby supplies
Andy Stanley says to “do for one what you wish you could do for many.”  That is so wise and so true.  Sometimes it is overwhelming to look at different charities or “one for one” business models and feel like they are changing the world, and that you are not doing enough!  How could you ever feed all of the hungry, clothe all of the needy, or adopt all of the orphans?  Do for one.  Find your Donald.  There is someone in your community that needs you.  I promise if you do for one, it will change your life.  You will suddenly have a fire burning within you that wants to do for many. 

If you want to help others, but you are just not sure how to take the first step, we’re making it easy for you!  We need you to help us do for many.  We love loving people, but we can’t do it without you, our faithful customers! 

If you are in our area, come in and see us!  Do a little shopping, have lunch, and know that you are helping to make a difference in this community.  You are empowering us with the ability to continue to working with DFACS, Ruth’s Cottage and Called to Care BHIB. Join our Shoppes email list or check the Shoppes Facebook page regularly so you can stay in the loop of what’s going on with these organizations and what we are doing to help!

If you are a part of our online community, know that every purchase you make, every blog post you comment on, and every Facebook post you share helps support spreading the Love of Jesus in our tiny southern town.  We also support makers who give to their own ministries, so you know you are purchasing with purpose when you shop with The Southern Mercantile!
 
Southern hospitality at its core is serving others.  So much of what we focus on at The Southern Mercantile is sharing southern hospitality.  We want to make sure that we are serving as many as we can and meeting as many needs as we can, as we spread the love of Jesus and raise awareness regarding the needs of others.  If you aren’t already, we hope you’ll join forces with us in reaching our community by being a part of The Shoppes / Southern Mercantile Family!
3 Comments

The Hands and Feet of Jesus Through Retail: Part One

10/13/2015

15 Comments

 
PictureRoxie
When I moved home twelve and a half years ago I had no idea what I was getting myself into! God is so funny that way, isn't he? I moved home to run my Dad's new retail shop not planning on staying long, and having zero business experience. Here I am, all these years later, now owning that business with my husband, who is now mayor of this little town we call home! I could write a novel on my experiences of learning the art of business in a small town, dealing with small town politics, and the struggles of drowning in bills--all while trying to maintain a 100 year old bank building that is always in need of tender loving care! Maybe one day I will write that novel but today I want to tell a different story. Rather than focusing on all the gory details of my trials by fire, I want to tell you my story of learning to use my retail business to be the hands and feet of Jesus in my community.

I would like to tell you that I learned the afore mentioned lesson quickly, but I am afraid it has taken me quite a long time. As a Christian, I have struggled with the worldly side of my business for years. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do. I was born with a creative spirit that desires to make the world a more beautiful place, one well planned party and beautiful home at a time! I know that these talents come from God, as he is the Great Creator.  What I have struggled with from time to time is that this job that I love so much is only providing people with worldly possessions that they do not need. Couldn't their money be better spent building wells or feeding hungry children in third world countries? This idea nagged at me for years before I really started to see the ways God was working to use us in a bigger way, for His glory.

I attended my first Catalyst conference in Atlanta in 2012. This was an experience that would get my wheels turning, and help set me on a path that I am still forging.  The theme that year was “Make”, and it seemed like the two day experience was tailor “made” for me!

Make, Catalyst, light bulb letters
I have never enjoyed such powerful worship and been immersed in thoughts of such knowledgeable speakers. As a part of the experience, there was a “Makers Market” set up outside the conference center.  It featured several businesses that employed and empowered people who needed help, all while providing the world with a beautiful and meaningful finished product. I was completely inspired by the ways these companies were using their retail business to help others, and still keep in touch with two of them today.
Catalyst conference, string letters
The Giving Keys, which we have worked with and sold here in the store, and Lamon Luther, a company right here in Georgia that I am determined to work with in the near future! Both of these companies are working to fight homelessness by providing jobs and hope for their future. I hope you'll click the links and read more about these two great companies that helped pave the way in encouraging consumers to purchase with purpose.  
The Giving Keys
Lamon Luther
You are about to see a pattern here, as the next pivotal moment in my retail missions journey happened at Catalyst 2014.  The theme for the event was “Change Makers”.  I listened to Andy Stanley ask the question: “Who are you, and what breaks your heart?”  I thought to myself, “I am Roxie Crain Seale, owner of The Shoppes at Fourth and Cherry, and Donald breaks my heart”. This is Donald.
Donald, Peace
Let me just tell you quickly how Donald has changed my heart and has helped me to start shaping a ministry out of my retail business.  Donald roams the streets of our little town, all day, every day.  He is physically handicapped as the result of a terrible car accident he was involved in when he was young and he struggles with addiction.  He is not homeless and he does have a little money.   His Father was a preacher so he is very familiar with what the Bible teaches and spouts off scripture and bible stories to those that he meets.  Most everyone in town knows him and knows that he is harmless.  Some folks ignore him, some offer him rides to where he is going, and some feed him.  Not many take the time to talk to him and show him love, including me. I am terribly guilty of hoping he would just walk on by and not come in my place of business and disrupt my guests.  Donald and I had a rocky start on our path to friendship.  He came in drunk, used very foul language towards my guests and team members, sent his food back to the kitchen, spilled his drink and proceeded to try to light a cigarette in our non-smoking facility.  Matt (my husband) had to help me get him to leave as he could not be reasoned with.  In those days, Donald was very dirty, smelled of urine and alcohol and was in terrible need of a haircut and shave.  In a nutshell, we hated to see him coming.  I am ashamed to even admit that to you, but I promise the story gets better! 

After I realized that Donald broke my heart, I returned home with a new outlook on our relationship.  As uncomfortable as it made me, I made a real effort to look Donald in the eyes and talk to him like he was a human being.  I did discuss with him that we would be glad to feed him, but behavior like he exhibited in our first encounter was not acceptable.  We had a good talk that day.  He was not drunk at the time and found it very hard to believe that he had acted that way.  He ate lunch that day and behaved like a perfect (but still very dirty) angel.  Donald began coming by almost every day, and can you believe I thought about telling him that he could only come in twice a week?  What a stupid thing to do, limit the amount of times per week that we could show Donald the Love of God!  At this point, I will skip some of the details of our story and get right to the important parts. 

Over the course of the next year, Donald began coming in clean shaven, with cut hair, and his clothes were clean.  He was so excited to be greeted by all of the smiling faces at The Shoppes and to have a good lunch.  This became possibly his most pleasant experience of each day.  I am proud to say that my team embraced Donald as I had decided to do, all of them being kind and helpful, taking the time to ask him how his day was going.  We all bragged on him as much as we could; how good he looked with his hair cut and how we had noticed such a great change in him.  I specifically told Donald that I was so proud that he seemed to be drinking less and that I thought he looked really good.  He told me that he had quit a lot of that bad “stuff” he was doing. 

Fast forward to the present, Donald is still cleaned up.  He uses his best manners when he comes to The Shoppes.  He doesn’t come for lunch as much but he comes every morning before we open to get a cup of coffee.  Everyone that works here knows how he takes his coffee and what he likes to eat.  I think he likes coming so much because he knows when he walks in the door he will get a big “Hey Donald” from everyone that works here.  He cannot remember our names so he refers to all of us as “Squirrel”. I am not going to tell you that he has quit drinking or is by any means on the path to complete rehabilitation, but he is happier and it shows all over his face.  I have recently gotten the chance to meet the barber that has been shaving him and cutting his hair.  I was able to tell him thank you and how much it means to all of us.  There is a lady cleaning his house, doing his laundry and buying his groceries.  I have never met her and Donald doesn’t know her last name.  Tara and I suspect she is an angel. 

After going through this amazing experience with Donald, I realized that God had been building a work in my business and I had not opened my eyes to realize it.  My heart had already been broken through the years for my customers.  My widows and widowers, my divorcees, my parents who had lost children… daily we were faced with people who needed to experience the love of Jesus.  I realized that we were not just selling these folks a sandwich, or a lamp, or a new piece of jewelry.  We were given the opportunity to LOVE them.  It finally dawned on me that my place of business was a place of hope and refuge to so many.  I knew that I must be more intentional in reaching out to those who were hurting, and celebrating with those experiencing victories while encouraging and befriending the lonely. 

I have so much to say on this topic that I’ve split it into two blog posts.  I hope you will check back and read Part Two of this story because I can’t wait to tell you how you can help with our mission and get involved!
15 Comments

Christmas Open House

11/17/2014

1 Comment

 
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This past weekend my shop rang in the holiday season with its 12th Christmas Open House. This event has grown to be quite a big day for our little town. In fact, it is one of my favorite days of the year!

Preparations pretty much start on January 1st as the next year’s theme is planned, and we are already working on ordering holiday décor. Over the summer we begin working on the details of the invitations (we send out 400), the favors, the gift tags and the food menu. In the weeks prior to the event, there are many late evenings of working on window displays and decorations. This behind-the-scenes work is leading up to one big weekend! We close the shop the day before the event and do all of the decorating that day. We love to unveil a big surprise on Sunday when all of our guests arrive! 
All of this hard work sets the stage for an afternoon of gathering with our community and providing a whimsical atmosphere for them to visit, relax, and enjoy life!

The trees are dripping with ornaments, garland and elaborate toppers - this year we decorated seven! The stockings are hung on the mantel. The scent of new holiday candles fills the air, and the shelves are stocked with beautiful holiday décor and gift ideas. We always offer an elaborate spread of snacks and treats that have been inspired by our theme.  

Everyone is cheerful, patient, and genuinely excited to be a part of our little community. The lines are long, but no one minds. The shop is so full you can hardly move, yet folks are happy to crowd in and catch up, laugh and tell stories. I have heard many of our guests call this event a homecoming of sorts. There are many people who see each other just once a year - at Christmas Open House. 
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The second Sunday in November has become an anticipated day of togetherness for our little town. Everyone who comes out to join us has a good time and enjoys each other’s company. Selfishly, this day also does my soul a great of amount of good. I love to see folks relaxing and enjoying each other in my shop, which feels more like my home!

It would be so nice if The Southern Mercantile’s online community could gather with us on this one magical day! Since most of you couldn't be there, we are bringing a little of our open house magic to you! This week, Southern Merc is hosting an online Open House. We hope you will join us as we share with you our fabulous holiday décor, recipes, and printables. We also have a special sale planned for you on all of our Christmas merchandise.
Click the link below to shop our Christmas selections:
http://www.southernmercantile.com/store/c7/Seasonal.html

Drop in to the Southern Mercantile this week and see what’s happening! We look forward to kicking off the holiday season with you!
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- Roxie
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