Time {CHANGE}

With the time change this past weekend, I was convinced I was running late to work this morning because the sun was shining bright and early. Alas, I wasn't and it's already been a wonderful Monday morning! I'm pretty sure the weekend we had plays a major factor into how the start of our weeks will go.

 

We spent some time Saturday in a sweet little coastal town not too far from us at their Seafood Festival. If you're ever in the area of Apalachicola, be sure to stop and shop there. If you're a microbrewery kind of person, they've got a great brewery there. Of course, be sure to eat some oysters while you're in town since that's what they're known for.

 

 

 

I'm usually always on the go whether it's running around town or busying myself with things to do around the house. Hunter always says, "Do you ever slow down?" Well friends, I did this past weekend. I literally lounged on the couch for about 2-3 hours early Saturday morning while waiting on Hunter to get back from hunting. And wouldn't you know, we spent yesterday afternoon lounging in our new-to-us hammock while sipping on sweet tea. The mere fact that I was still this past weekend was so nice and refreshing!
 

 

My prayers today are that each of you are having a wonderful Monday thus far and your week will be even better. Go ahead and get that Starbucks drink you've been eyeing. You deserve it.

 

The {ICKY} stuff

 

I recently acquired a book from a friend of mine called "The Resolution for Women" by Priscilla Shirer (she's in the movie War Room) and within the first few pages, I knew it was going to be a tough book to get through. I'm not a feel good book/sermon type of gal. I like the nitty gritty, the honest and in-your-face kind of deals. The kind of conversations that leave you thirsting for more knowledge... The uncomfortable stuff I guess.

 

There was a point in the book I came to last night that just really resonated with me and I wanted to share it with ya'll:

 

"And with one final bite of the most eye-opening dessert date I may have ever had, I realized this feeling had a name: discontentment. He shows up at your doorstep just like mine, eager to step inside and make himself at home. But instead of only coming for short visits on rare occasions, he refuses to leave, spreading his baggage everywhere, filling up corners of your space that you thought you'd locked up to this odious intruder. He comes. He lingers. He robs you of your years. Then before you know it, you've missed out on the joys in the journey, the growth that comes from battling through the difficulties, the sweet and savory experience of creating the memories."

 

Uhm, can I get an amen and another slice of humble pie, puh-leeze?? More often than not, I'm always looking ahead. I'm naturally a planner - I want to know the when's, the where's, the who's. And so many times I've wasted away those moments of the here and now because I was so concerned with the next step or phase.

 

Let's take back our time and tell Mr. Discontentment "screw you" because in reality, we're only given this one life to live. As I've been nearing my 30th birthday, I've honestly been dreading it because again, Mr. Discontentment reminded me that I wasn't exactly where I envisioned I would be. But like I reminded myself (and told him to go pound sand), where I am is SOOOOO much better than I could've ever imagined. Yes, I'm still in debt to my student loans; yes, I don't have a kid yet (totally thought I'd be married with 1.5 kids by 25.... get a grip). But gosh darn it, I've got a man that loves the hell out of me, a beautiful little country home with 2 pups to drive me wild, family and friends that would die for me.

 

Take back your moments and embrace them for all that they are because it's your life to live, and no one else's.

Life lived with {OTHERS}

source

 

 

This past weekend, we hosted a BBQ/housewarming party at our house. The whole get-up was complete with cornhole games, bonfire and s'mores, and the best dadgum BBQ you have ever tasted. Of course we had football games on in the background - what kind of southern people would we be if we didn't have football on?? Bad southern people, that's what.

 

We spent yesterday in one of our most favorite little towns - Thomasville, GA. Friends of ours welcomed us with open arms and yummy pizza. If you're from the area or traveling through, be sure to swing by Buzzery's in Boston, Georgia. You've never had pizza like this one. I'm sure folks from up north would laugh at it, but then I'll laugh at your adorable attempts of trying to cook southern food. HA! #butterislife #wefryeverything

 

As we were traveling back home yesterday, we couldn't help but just sit in awe and wonder at the blessings we have in our lives. The love that we receive from family and friends; our home and the safe haven it provides; the church family that surrounds us with support and love. It's all rather overwhelming when you take into account every.little.thing that God has done for us. Even on the stinkiest days, we still can say that God has been and is too good to us.

 

So remember this friends as you make your way to work, school, or toting kids around today - life really is beautiful. Sometimes, the moments aren't so great or the situations aren't so great. But life is way too short to be lived unhappy, negative, etc. Learn to embrace each moment as they come, whether it be blessings or learning curves for the next chapter in your life.

 

Happiest of Monday's and happy Halloween!

Letters to Hunter + half a {decade} of LOVE

My sweet Hunter,

 

Tomorrow we will celebrate 2 years of wedded bliss that have been thoroughly enjoyed. We'll celebrate our laughs shared over the past 5.5 years, our memories that we've created and treasured for our sustenance, and we'll embrace the beauty that is another day in our lives. We always comment how our time together has felt so quick and gone-in-a-minute. Yet, we feel like we've been side by side for eons.

 

Over the last half decade we've shared grief in loss of family members and friends. We've learned how the other grieves, mourns, recovers. In the last few years I watched you handle your mom going through chemo, the prayers we prayed together {and that we're still praying}, the hope we've held out on. We know that God is always good. I'll forever remember the first time you saw your mom without hair - the way you embraced her and loved on her. That's just one of the many ways I saw your soul shine through.

 

We've learned how to agree to disagree on various things; how to fight {if you even want to call it that} fairly; the patience that goes into loving each other's flaws every day. You've learned that I'm not the happiest of humans when I'm hangry {it's a real epidemic, ya'll} and I've discovered how stress can affect your mood. But we wrestle through those areas and come out on the other side, hands held tight to each other.

 

Hunter, I wouldn't want anybody else by my side to do this thing called life. Life is hard, ugly, mean, cold; but you make it soft, beautiful, kind, and warm. My days are filled with laughter and joy because of the care that you show me. You remind me that it's OKAY to sit and not fret over the piles of laundry growing, or the dust bunnies in the corner of the room. Other times you buy into my madness and utterly surprise me with your small gestures of helping me with things around the house. You know my love language like the back of your hand.

 

And I know your love language - Words of Affirmation. Boy, your heart soars and thrives on kind words, uplifting phrases, sentences that make your heart go pitter patter. I'm here to tell you now and every day - I love you Hunter. Thank you for leading me in all the many ways. Thank you for always striving to be better, do better, love deeper, grow in life. You are one hell of a man, husband, son, brother, brother-in-law, son-in-law, and one day, father. You are such a blessing in my life and many others. I truly cannot and will not imagine doing life without you.

 

I've loved you from the beginning, always have and always will. My heart is yours forever, gentle giant.

 



A shot of espresso

source

 

 

DRINKING// Grande iced caramel macchiato from Starbucks. It's literally my crack, ya'll.

 

READING// A perk to having a mom that works in a high school library is the fact that I have soooo many books at my disposal. I'm a book nerd and love a good novel over a movie any day. Right now, I'm reading Iron Cast and so far it's pretty good!

 

PLANNING// A pumpkin patch day this Saturday afternoon. I love everything about Fall - the colors, smells, weather, foods. You name it, and I love it. For me, Fall is so refreshing and a time of renewal for my soul.

 

DREAMING// Of many different things. But the most practical at this point is dreaming of some good BBQ. We're having a house warming cookout next weekend and I cannot wait to chow down.

 

HOPING// Honestly? Hoping for patience with a few things in my life. I struggle daily with the art of patience - I'm a go-getter and I like to get things done and move on to the next task. I'm learning to be patient, to rest in the moments, and to not fret over things well beyond my control.

 

SMILING// Over the sweetest husband of mine. I know I brag about him a lot but he's worth it. His kindness, quirkiness, and the ability to get me to loosen up and laugh at the little things really make each day wonderful. I pray that every person has a Hunter in their life. After {almost} 2 years of marriage and 5.5 years together total, I couldn't imagine my life any other way.

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!



{Prayerful} Life

 

I fully believe that there is power in prayer. Just the other day, a sweet friend of mine and I were talking about prayer requests. We were checking in with each other and just seeing how the other person is doing, if there is anything in their life or marriage that needs prayer. And I got to thinking about how easy it is to forget that praying really can do some wonderful things.

 

If we were to pray boldly, can you imagine the amazing works that could happen not only in our lives but others as well? I feel like we, as Christians, have stuck praying on the back burner and it's one of those things that we'll pull out when we really need something to work out for us. It's that calling card that's only used once a month (if that) just to see if that "genie" God can work His magic. Harsh? Maybe. True? Absolutely.

 

I want to encourage you to pray today and to pray with boldness, love, and a sense of friendship. How does any relationship/friendship work in this world? We talk to each other, call each other, text each other, send each other memes (this is life). So why is it so hard to talk to God the same way? Maybe because you can't see Him necessarily, or maybe because you feel like you can't hear Him.

 

Talk anyways. Pray anyways. Do it anyways. You'd be amazed at the change that would come about. Would it happen overnight? Probably not, but everything is in God's timing (it sucks, I know, but He is smarter than us). You say prayer doesn't work.... I say show me.