Gratefulness this week of Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving from the Welborns!

 

I absolutely love this time of year! With the holidays rolling in that bring so much joy and reverie in a world of chaos, it brings balm to an otherwise charred and tired soul. We spent some time with our 7th grade Sunday school class yesterday talking about all the things we're grateful for. For a group of 12 year old girls, they're pretty wise beyond their years.

 

We talked of family and friends, homes and school, sports competitions and arts, God and His good love for us. I shared that I was personally grateful for modern medicine, friendships that are deeply centered around God, and a church family that fully believes in going against the grain of life. We all really have so much to be grateful for.

 

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on what this past year held for us all. Whether it was good, bad, or a mixture, you're here now and God saw you through it. I truly cannot believe we're at the end of 2016 and looking at 2017 head on. I'm so thankful for a year that brought many new adventures in all the areas of our lives and yes, there were some growing pains involved, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

 

So find something to be grateful for today and meditate on it. Give thanks to the Big Guy for his faithfulness and just love for you. I encourage you to do that every day of your life because viewing the glass half-full really can make a difference in your daily attitude. On this cold, chilly Monday, I'm eternally grateful for this wonderful life I get to live.

Monday Blues

Well not really the blues. It just sounded good for the title... HA! Have you ever had to come back to work to take a break from your weekend? No, just me? Well then.....

This weekend was packed full of time well spent with friends, family, shopping, celebrations, and maybe one slight near meltdown. Can I just say this really quick from the starting gate? I'm seriously beyond #blessed to have the girlfriends that I have. For example, I was able to spend time Saturday (hey Kate!) with one of my sweetest friends. When we get together, we're like Maryanne and Wanda (Dixie Chicks anybody?); peanut butter and jelly; Bert and Ernie.... You get the gist. She and I can be real and honest with each other - it's entirely refreshing.

 

Anywho's, we went shopping, enjoyed lunch, laughed hysterically over the littlest things, tried to wrap our heads around people's ways (still can't wrap our minds around some things), and just enjoyed each other's company. Saturday evening was spent with new friends (for me) in celebrating a sweet guy leaving to go overseas for work. He's going into a country where there's not a lot of peace at all right now so we're all praying for his safety. Some amazing conversations were had over wings, stories were swapped, and God connected us with new people in such a unique way.

 

 

Sunday was spent celebrating a sweet momma's baby boy soon to be here. Ya'll, tears were shed for this miracle baby. I absolutely love celebrating new life, old life, any kind of life. Ironically so, we spent Sunday night searching for our hound dog, Jep. It was one of those moments where he was just being his breed and decided to chase after something (probably deer). After about 3 hours of searching, he came right back home to the dog whisperer (my father-in-law) like he had only been gone for just a few minutes. Bless my soul, I think I aged some.

 

Hope each of ya'll had a glorious weekend!



Gratefulness + Birthdays

I realized as I was brushing my teeth last night before bed that tomorrow (today) is in fact Monday. Didn't I just leave work a few hours ago on Friday?? I digress. Of course the saying is true - "Time flies when you're having fun."  We must've had lots of fun this weekend!

 

I love how God always brings beauty from pain. He is faithful and good and loving - thank goodness for Him. He always brings people into our lives at the right time and for great purposes. We were introduced to a sweet couple through one of Hunter's best friend (hey Cody!) and it's one of those things where you feel like you've known each other all your lives but you've only just met in the last couple months. Their heart for God, ya'll, it's contagious. I'm so grateful for their friendship and connection!

 

Today is my baby sister's 18th birthday. Let's just let that sink in for a minute..... HOW can she be 18?! She's the baby, the munchkin, the little turd. She cannot be 18. But she is and I'm so so SO grateful for her and her life. I'm so thankful that her birth mother chose life for her and gave my sister the chance to be a beautiful young woman, and a sister to me. Erin, we love you more than words can say.

 

 

I truly hope each of you have a wonderful Monday. I leave you with these lyrics from a song we sang yesterday in church: "I lift my eyes up. My help comes from the LORD." Wherever you may be in your life, whatever you are going through, always seek Him. Lean into Him. Hunger for Him. And KNOW that you are loved tremendously.



Gratefulness + Country Living

Happiest of Monday's to ya'll! It's been a hot minute since this blog has received any attention but for good reasons. If you haven't heard...

 

 

 

We've moved! A couple of weekends ago, we packed up our little 3/2 townhome in the city and moved to a quaint 2/1 in the country. And it is quaint! But we're so in love with where we are and all that we get to experience with this new place. I thought I was raised in the country but ya'll, this is country country. As is, Comcast doesn't even service us because we're so far out.

 

It has literally been about 2 weeks of moving, unpacking, relocating, shifting, sweating, maybe some swearing.... But we really couldn't have done it all without the help of family and friends. We've had to be very creative in our storage and style of this home because it's much smaller than where we were. I love that we've had to donate a lot of our things because it reminded me how materialistic we can become.

 

As I mentioned, we really couldn't have done it without people. From the heavy lifters to the unpackers, to folks that have literally just given us items to help us with designing our home in a more efficient way, to the people that have prayed for us and asked about us... Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU. Those simple words will never truly convey how much love is in my heart for each of those folks.

 

Fun fact: Hunter and I will be married for 2 years this month. Where has the time gone?!



Welcome to Atlanta where the players play...

Please tell me I'm not the only person who has that song pop into their head when they go to Atlanta? No one? Just me? Bueller?

 

 

This past weekend, Hunter and I escaped our little city for the big city for a night. We just wanted a weekend away from everything; an escape to recharge our batteries. It was every bit of wonderful and more.
 

 

We didn't have any set plans or timetable - just go where the wind blew us. We enjoyed dinner Saturday night at this adorable southern restaurant straight out of Gone With the Wind called Pittypat's Porch Restaurant. Ya'll, good southern cooking doesn't even come close to describe what we tasted. Between my shrimp and grits, and Hunter's fried chicken plate, we were fat and happy little campers.

 

Blurry pic for the win

 

After dinner, we moseyed around downtown just checking out all that Atlanta had to offer. We shopped a bit at the World of Coke and had every intentions of doing the Georgia Aquarium but alas, it was crazy crowded there. Lucky for us, we've got family that lives in Atlanta so we know we'll be back and can check it out then.
 

 

Speaking of family! We were lucky to have brunch with some of my extended family Sunday morning before we jumped back on the road. I swear, we're so close to some of my extended family that we really consider them to be immediate family - ha! We totally ate our weight at OK Café. Holy moly, it was good!
 

 

I'm so grateful for this past weekend. It was just what the doctor ordered to help us relax, unwind, and really just spend time with each other sans dogs and real-life adulating stuff. We've decided we need to make this a pretty regular thing. Like an every weekend regular thing. Ha! I wish... Our bank account would hate us.
 

 

Gratefulness + Recoup

Hellur Monday, you're a mighty cold one today! Well, cold for Florida's standards.

 

I so love that I can finally wear my stockings, boots, scarves, super-huge pea coats. My little eskimo-wannabe heart is content. With all the cold weather this past weekend, north Florida got to experience a little bit of "snow". I'll be very honest - I laughed hysterically over everybody freaking out at the sight of flakes that never touched the ground.

 

 

I will say though, I am so grateful for those eager-beaver folks because #letsbehonest, the world needs more folks like them.

 

This past weekend was really a "taking stock" kind of weekend. A weekend where I was able to just do what I wanted. Part of Saturday was spent shopping for myself, and then I was able to join in on a cookie ministry my sweet friend had put together with some ladies in her church.

 

Dinner plans with friends were so thoroughly enjoyed Saturday evening. Sunday was spent resting and cleaning. Resting because our oh-so-sweet pup decided to wake me up at 3:30AM with no intentions of slowing down. I really think I can handle anything a human kid throws our way when that time comes.

 

Rambling aside, I'm grateful for weekends and moments like these. Moments where I can recoup my sanity and really enjoy my me time. It's in those moments that remind me the beauty in life, and to make sure I'm enjoying each day. Hope each of ya'll had a glorious weekend! For all those who live north of Florida (which is everybody) and got to experience lots of snow - we loved seeing all the snowmen and snow angels!

 

 

Gratefulness + Beautiful Chaos

Hellllluuurrr Monday! How ya doin, darling? Good? Great? Me too....

 

It's hard to believe that the first day of Regular Sessions will be starting in the Florida Legislature tomorrow. Prepare to see and hear very little from me. Ha! I will say though, there is a bit of excitement and anticipation in the air around the office today. Maybe the fact that Franklin Graham will be here tomorrow praying on the steps of the Florida Capitol are also getting those nerves excited.

 

Anywho, so much to be grateful for on this cool, brisk Monday morning!

 

+ "Winter" is finally here in Florida. When I say winter, I mean we just bump the freezing temps at night. Pull out your parkas people!

 

+ This past weekend, we invited our sweet families and dear friends over to cook out and celebrate Hunter's birthday. Whoever said birthdays can only be celebrated one day obviously didn't know the meaning of a good time.

 

+ A fabulous group of gals at work. Seriously, we're like family and I'm so fortunate and blessed to be able to say that. It makes the long, tough days that much easier!

 

+ Star Wars because #letsbehonest, I geeked out when we finally went to see it on Friday. Hashtag, all the Star Wars feels...

 

+ We have a Disciple Now weekend coming up this weekend with our youth and I'm so excited about it! It'll be a great time of worship, small group discussions, and getting to love on each other.

 

+ I read this really good post the other day and had to share it here. This gal is hilariously crass but loves the Lord with all her heart.

 

Enjoy your Monday folks! Be sure to stop and smell the coffee today - life's way too short to miss the little things in life.

 

PS - for being a lover of all things football, I just realized yesterday that the National Championship game is tonight. That's how distracted I am with life. Somebody pray for me ha!

 

PPS - I just now realized I didn't take a single picture to document anything that happened this weekend... #livinglife.



 

Gratefulness + Some love

Happppppyyyy New Year, ya'll! What an exciting, fast, whirlwind of the last several weeks. Last night, as we took down our Christmas tree, I couldn't help but to be so dang glad to get things back to normal. Well, as normal as normal can get, which isn't very normal at all. Ha!

 

As much as I love the holidays and all that it means for me, I also love the days that pass by without the constant commotion of all things red and green, Christmas lights galore, and new year outlook. I'm somewhat a creature of habit.

 

 

Tomorrow is my hot husband's birthday - such a babe. As we're getting ready to celebrate his 24th year of life on this earth, I can't help but to thank God for him. For his life, his love, his leadership, his quirky sense of humor, his work ethic, his love for God's people. I mean, ya'll, I've got a freakin catch!

 

 

But in all seriousness, I really could not imagine doing life without anyone else by my side but Hunter. His strong resolve and desire to so desperately serve the Lord in every aspect is literally what keeps me sane on my worst days. It's in our moments of frustration and weakness that we are able to lean on each other, put our heads together, and endure the storm.

 

 

Huntman, I hope you have the most wonderful birthday and year ever! You deserve every bit of happiness in your life. I know that God has infinitely huge plans for you, and I'm honored to be able to witness Him work in your life. Love ya boo!

 



 

 

 

 

Gratefulness + Memories made

Goodness gracious, happy week of New Years! Christmas flew by in a whirlwind with so much love, laughter, time spent with loved ones, embracing life... It was just what we needed to recharge our batteries.

 

I'm so grateful for all the wonderful memories made over the past several days. Of course, I only took just a few snapshots of our adventures because I was honestly too busy experiencing them. But alas, some photos to share with you fine folks...

 

the gals doing cookie missions + Abel

my MIL + Abel

my SIL + Abel - he gave her the sweetest kisses!

One of many tacky Christmas sweater parties

my FIL going over shooting instructions - safety first people!

 

This Christmas was definitely one for the books. It's not in the presents, or the lights, or even the food shared, but the beauty in Christmas comes in the form of hours spent with your loved ones. It comes in the form of a good doctors visit with your MIL to find out that her cancer numbers are stabilized. It comes in the form of melted snowmen cookies and rice krispie treats. Heck, it even can come in the form of relieving stress on a paper target. Whatever form it comes in, I just pray that your Christmases were wonderful!

 

 



 

Gratefulness + Tis the Season

So it's the week of Christmas, just in case you've been under a rock. I'm still a little shell shocked that Christmas is just a mere few days away. We've had a busy several days and true to fashion, we're not slowing down...

 

+ We celebrated Jesus' birth and Christmas with our youth this past Wednesday. It consisted of pizza, cookies, white elephant gift exchange, and lots of laughs.

 

+ In Tallahassee, we have a local park that puts up an enormous amount of lights for folks to come and enjoy {for free}. Of course we had to take our youth students to that! The neighboring church to the park had free cider, cookies, music, and a bonfire.

 

Some of our students checking out the lights

 

+ Saturday was spent Christmas shopping, lunching, and doing life with friends. Every year, friends of ours have a bonfire complete with delicious chili. We love being able to relax with them!

 

+ Sunday kicked off the start of our Christmas party celebrations - which I love! I love the fellowship, food, gag gift exchanges... just everything! Last night was spent with our young adults bible study group, which is mostly made up of our youth's parents. Being able to spend time with them is always priceless.

 

Thank you, Jess, for capturing this lol!

 

+ This week will be full of more Christmas parties, dinner with friends, time off to relax... I cannot wait!

 

I'm so grateful for these wonderful moments that we can experience with each other, friends, and family. In a world that can be so bitter, having those sweet memories to cherish can truly bring light into the darkness. From our family to yours - we hope that you have the Merriest of Merry Christmases!