25% End of School Year Sale in our Family Shop!

 

🎉 End-of-School-Year SALE! 🎉
Everything is 25% OFF – Even Custom Orders!

School’s out, sunshine’s in—and it’s the perfect time to stock up on cozy, Carolina-crafted gifts! ☀️

Now through June 27, 2025!, everything in the shop is 25% off—including:

🎨 Custom artwork from Ava (request custom order)

🖨️ 3D-printed treasures by Richard (request custom order)

💛 Print-on-demand gifts by Chelsea (request custom order and look in shop)

Whether you're shopping for a friend, family member, or just a little something for yourself, our handmade and heartfelt pieces bring that Carolina charm right to your doorstep.

🛍️ Shop the sale: www.carolinacraftedvan.com

📦 Hurry—custom orders included while supplies last!

✨ Cozy. Creative. Crafted by family. ✨

Too Much, Not Enough

 

"Too Much, Not Enough"

They say,
"Don’t be a secret — shout it loud,
Let the world know you sell homes with pride."
But then whisper,
"That’s a bit much.
Tone it down. You’re coming on strong."

Smile more.
Speak less.
Be bold.
But not too bold.

You're a mom —
so be fully present,
but also build your brand,
grow your reach,
post more reels.

You’re a wife —
nurturing and warm,
but ambitious, too.
Independent, but available.
Strong, but soft.
Always smiling — but never too tired.

Your phone buzzes at midnight,
and you're too responsive.
It buzzes again at noon,
and you’re not responsive enough.

You are
too busy to slow down,
too quiet to be heard,
too loud to be liked,
too tired to be bold,
too driven to sit still.

And still —
you show up.
With grace, and grit, and the deep hope
that maybe… being too much
just means you care that much more.
And not enough?
Only by a world that forgot
you already give it everything.

Update on Ricky and Anna 💛 and Dinner Out and a Minecraft Movie

 

Ricky is doing better—just needs to keep icing consistently. Anna went back to school on Monday and has been doing really well! She's getting around great on her knee scooter. 🙌

All things considered, everyone is doing well after their surgeries, and we’re so thankful everything went smoothly. Thank you, God. And a huge thank you to everyone for your get well wishes, cards, meals, gift cards, and all the love and support. We appreciate you all so much! 💐💌🙏

We were able to all go out, the whole family this past week to dinner and a movie and was a real treat. We saw the Minecraft movie. So much fun! 

Love,

The Vanderpools

Anna’s Surgery Update – May 7, 2025

Thank you all so much for your prayers and support—today has been a big day for our girl.

Anna went in for surgery this morning and everything went smoothly. She went to sleep peacefully, and the team was able to place a nerve block beforehand that’s helping manage her pain—it will wear off tomorrow. During surgery, they placed four screws and made two incisions to repair her leg. We’re so grateful to say she is doing well and resting now.

We’ve felt surrounded by love through every prayer, message, call, text, and card. Thank you for caring for us and especially for lifting Anna up during this time. We are so blessed—and so incredibly thankful for God’s presence, peace, and provision through it all.

Please continue to pray for a smooth and speedy recovery. We’re trusting God every step of the way.

With love,

The Vanderpools

An Update on Anna – Surgery Ahead & Prayer Request

We wanted to share an update on our 12-year-old daughter, Anna, who took a tough fall while playing basketball on Tuesday, April 29th.

After several doctor appointments, x-rays, and a CT scan, we learned that she has what the doctors called a trifocal break on her tibia, and because the break affects her growth plate, she’ll need surgery to ensure proper healing. Her surgery is scheduled for Wednesday, May 7, 2025, and we’re asking for your prayers and thoughts for Anna and her surgical team.

As of now, they expect she’ll need three screws to stabilize the bone and protect the growth plate. We are praying everything goes smoothly and that her recovery is quick and complication-free. 🙏

The first couple of days after her injury were really rough—she was in a lot of pain—but we’re thankful to report she’s feeling a bit better now. True to her independent spirit, Anna is already figuring out how to navigate her world differently. She’ll be using a knee scooter to help her get around at school, and she’s taking it all in stride (even if that stride looks a little different for now).

Please continue to keep Anna in your prayers:

• That her surgery goes smoothly

• For a quick and complete recovery

• That her mental health stays strong during this challenging time

• And—because it’s important to her—for healing in time to go swimming this summer 🏖️

Thank you to everyone who has been checking in, praying, and encouraging her (and us). It means the world to our family.

With gratitude and hope,
The Vanderpool Family

Surgery Update on Ricky – A Praise Report

 We wanted to share an update on Ricky's surgery yesterday, May 2nd—and it’s a good one. ❤️‍🩹

Ricky underwent surgery to remove a tumor from his right arm, repair a pinched nerve, and remove a bone spur from his elbow. We were originally told he’d need a cast afterward, and we braced ourselves for a tough recovery. But God had other plans—and we are so grateful.

Thanks to an incredible surgical team that went above and beyond, the procedure went even better than we had prepared for. Ricky didn’t end up needing a cast, and today he’s already using both hands to type (yes, really!).

He’s in good spirits, resting well, and feeling much better than we expected this soon after surgery. One thing he’s especially happy about? He can still enjoy his 3D printing hobby—no cast means he's able to tinker and create, which makes recovery a little brighter. 💻🖐️

He’ll need to wait a little while before jumping back into disc golf, but that’s okay—he’s got plenty to keep him busy in the meantime.

We’re beyond thankful for the answered prayers, the skilled hands of the medical team, and all of you who have been checking in, praying, and encouraging us. Thank you, God, for walking with us through this.

God's Love Letter to You -- It's All About Unconditional Love!

If anyone lives near Mebane or Chapel Hill, NC and surrounding area, consider visiting Grace Church.

My spiritual family has helped me so much as I've been slowly letting God soften my heart again after I had put up walls because I thought I needed to keep people out for a long time after trust was broken.

Thank you Jesus for loving me and dying on the cross for my sins.

From Shame to Freedom: How God Met Me Through Freedom Group

For a long time, I carried around a heavy mix of pain, sin, and shame. Some of it came from things I’d done. Some came from things that had been done to me. Either way, it weighed me down in ways I didn’t even fully recognize until I stepped into the Freedom Group at Grace Church.

I didn’t walk into that group expecting a breakthrough—I just knew I needed something different. What I found was more than just a Bible study or a support group. I found a space where God met me in my mess with mercy and power. Through the teaching, the small group time, and the guided prayers, God began to gently but firmly pull up the roots of lies I had believed for years. He showed me how I was never meant to carry my shame—Jesus had already carried it to the cross.

One of the most personal and profound things God healed in me through Freedom Group was my trust in spiritual authority. After past wounds and religious hurt, I had built walls to protect myself—but those walls also kept me isolated. Week by week, God used the leaders in our group to demonstrate what healthy, loving, Spirit-led authority looks like. They didn’t control or pressure me—they simply created space for truth, grace, and healing. And through them, God helped restore my confidence that not all authority wounds, and that true spiritual leadership reflects His heart.

Today, I can honestly say I am not the same person who started that group. I walk lighter. I think clearer. I love more freely. And I worship with a new sense of joy because I know I’m no longer a prisoner to the past.

If you're holding onto anything—shame, fear, addiction, unforgiveness, or spiritual hurt—I encourage you to check out the Freedom Groups at Grace Church. God is still in the business of setting people free, and I’m living proof of that.

👉 Learn more about Freedom Groups