well, hey there...

Hi. Member me?

It's been a while, bloggies...February to be exact.

I've missed y'all.

To be honest...I've been running low on inspiration, and my mind has just been blank, unlike the activities in my life. There's always something brewin' there. So, I've decided it's best to sum up the last 3 months in a quickie: Lesgo

February brought on the BEST bachelorette weekend in the history of the world! We celebrated the upcoming nuptials of our sweet friend, Katie in West Palm Beach. Dancing, beach yoga, more dancing, blackberry mojito's, Sir Mix-a-lot dancin', expensive taxi cabs, dancing the night away, and LOTS of laugh's. I love these girls so much!

March delivered the most beautiful, and FUN wedding of all time. True Story! Isn't she just lovely? I don't think I've cried this much since my own wedding! Redic, I know! I felt so incredibly honored to share such a special day with my precious sister friend, and even more grateful that God chose these two to spend forever together. Patrick, you did real good :) Here's to happily ever after!

April was full of birthday's and anniversaries! Such a happy month! I'm officially in the last year of my twenties...which is a very odd and surreal feeling that I can't really describe, and to be honest...it hasn't sank in yet. Hmph. Nick and I also rang in 7 years April 29. Yeah! We continue to stand in awe of God's faithful demonstration of unconditional love and forgiveness that's displayed in marriage. Thank you, Jesus that you've given me this man to love and cherish always. May I never take that precious gift for granted. Oh, and we gained a new addition to our family: Buddy our adopted German Shepherd. He's a sweetie, and although he ain't the sharpest crayon in the box, Nick loves him to pieces, and I'll take one for the team. Maybe our next addition will be a baby human :)

May! You be crazyyy!!! I ran/walked/trotted/something like that my first Color Me Rad 5k. SO MUCH FUN!!! It's official: I will be doing this every year. Amen.

And now we are well into the second week of June. Dang.

This summer will be full of visits with friends, and family, baby brother's high school graduation, TONS of sun on the boat, and maybe a home project or two.

Love y'all!

xo

my hang up

People...I feel like I need to get something off my chest.

I have a hang up, and I think hope that if I get it out...this will be a step towards moving past this insanely ridiculous deal I'm struggling with.

Ugh. Here goes.

I have an issue with having people in my house. Dinner's. Social gatherings. Holiday's. I just have problems.

Now, it's not that I don't like people. Quite the opposite! I LOVE entertaining, and genuinely enjoy my company once their here...it's just the whole process leading up to it that puts me in a tizzy. I'm even nervous (like literally breaking out in a sweat) writing y'all this because...well it makes me feel vulnerable as crap, and it's no longer a secret. But I'm puttin' on my big girl panties, and goin' for it.

I don't know why I feel this way. Nick and I were both raised in homes that had an open door policy with all our friends, family, and neighbors. My Mom always had an 8th place setting set at the kitchen table for one of our many friends who stayed over for dinner, and you could always find someone sleeping on the couch on a Friday or Saturday night. We didn't have organized bedrooms (heck there were 7 of us living in a 3 bedroom house) perfectly matched furniture/dishes, or stain free carpet...but our home was always a revolving door open to anyone, and everyone.

Somehow I have lost sight what I knew growing up.

Upon having company I now feel inadequate...like the fact that we have blue paint on our bedroom walls with a champagne/olive bedspread because we changed our mind 4 years ago on paint colors...and still haven't gotten around to fixing it. Or that our dining room table is the only piece of blonde wood currently in our house because I had a thing for blonde wood 7 years ago (and a new dark wood table just ain't in the budget). Or that we have mega crazy cracks all across our ceramic tiled floors. Hello area rugs! Or that our guest bedroom is filled with boxes becuase my dear husband likes to hold on to every blessed thing. I mean really who gives a flying crap?

So there we go. It's out. I have issues, y'all, and I'm really wanting to overcome this. I want my home to be a welcome haven no matter if there are dishes in the sink, or there's 5 pounds of dust on the blinds. That's life, right? I want people to know you will always have a place to crash, and food to fill your belly...because at the end of the day that's all that matters.

People matter. Not things.

So, come on over, and if I haven't invited you yet...just come. I can't promise that you won't have to drink out of a red solo cup, or that you might leave with some Blue Kitty hair on your tush, but I can promise that you are welcome.

Happy Tuesday, friends. I'm grateful for y'all :)

xo!

21 days

Well hey, y'all! Dang! It's been a bit since my last post...so Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year, and gosh while we're at it...Happy early Valentine's Day!

Sowey...

Time has gotten away from me this month with spending the Holiday's up North with my family, and getting the blessed flu/strep for 2 weeks over New Years. Amazing. Who DIDN'T get sick?? Crazzzy!

Anyways, I've been praying, and struggling with posting my thoughts here for a few reasons...but my hope is that in sharing my heart here today it may encourage someone to take the next step (if God so calls you to do so) in their walk with Christ, and truly lay down whatever He leads you to sacrifice in order to truly be in tune to hearing His voice.

Yesterday was the last day of my 21 day fast, and WOW what an experience!

Meat, dairy, sugars, breads, alcohol...

and...

c.a.f.f.e.i.n.e.

Yes, this was going to be a challenge for me physically, mentally, and spiritually. I've never really had to really "limit" myself on certain foods, so feeling called to follow something so strict was new, and kinda exciting for me.

 I'm a freak. I know.

So that limited me to fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, and water. Time to get mega creative with meal planning! Nick has been uber supportive which is a huge blessing, and even developed a taste for spinach and black bean burger salad's :) Thanks so much for your encouragement, babe! I think I'll keep ya around :)

 I soon found out how often I gravitated to a quad venti caramel macchiato, a pretty glass of Cabernet, or even a flippin' chocolate chip cookie when I needed a little something for the soul. So instead of making a trip to the kitchen, I detoured to my Bible, my journal, and a cup of hot (decaf) tea. I poured my heart out to God, sometimes in tears of human frustration because I just really wanted coffee...and other times in sheer realization of just how small I am, and how BIG, mighty, and powerful He really is. I scribbled down thoughts, feelings, prayer requests, anything and everything. Honestly, there were some days that I just wasn't "feeling it" and thought about throwing in the towel. This was just too hard. 21 days...

I quickly learned that this time of fasting had more to do with placing myself in a position to truly hear God’s voice than it ever had to do with any kind of food restrictions or limitations. God honors sacrifice.

People, this process has been so amazing for me, and I will tell any one of you who may be on the fence about doing something like this...DO IT! You will be amazed how God meets you where you are when you are 100% reliant upon Him.

Thank you, Lord for being my supply...always. You are so good to me.