Weekend

It's been entirely too long! It seems every time I sat down to write, another "chore" would come to mind. Work has been busy, and after work even busier. No complaints though...it's been a fast and pleasant January. I cannot believe we are one day away from February.

This past Saturday was tons of fun. An early morning start...coffee with mom and on to estate and yard sales around town. We found an estate sale in Midtown in a quaint little neighborhood. The house and it's interior were very dated, simple, and filled with adventure. Estate sales are so sad and exciting all at the same time. The house was someone's home, full of their coveted and most precious possesions. You cannot help but wonder the story behind the pictures, the furniture...who were they..what did they do..."Life is but a vapor". The home was full of scrapbooks...so.many.scrapbooks. Each labeled with the year and country visited. They seemed like simple people who spent their money seeing the world. Enchanting and intriguing. I want to travel that much....

I bought a little clock to set on a side table. It's been on my "to buy" list for awhile, and the fact it came from an estate sale makes it that much better. Looking at it now, I realize it still works - the hands have changed. A few other purchases I hoped to buy, but missed my opportunity. At least I have a mission for the next Saturday estate sale search.

After a Scentsy party (really looking forward to the frangrances I purchased), TC and I got ready for our second annual Senior Bowl date. Remember last year? This year had a lot to live up too... Once again, we had a blast. Our only regret is that we went poster-less this year. We've already planned our poster for next year. We visited the same sushi restaurant after the game and a local ice cream parlor. We embraced our city culture Saturday. So traditional and cultural of us.

Sunday we spent at church and with friends. Services were awesome, several saved and several filled with the Spirit. I was convicted and challenged. Grateful for the truth preached in my church.

I'm looking forward to February...the month of love.

Perfect. perfect.day



The South lost...



Girls Just Want to Have Fun

     A girl's weekend surpassing all expectations.  It's hard to summarize all of the funny, enlightening and overwhelming details of a girl's weekend at its finest. The beginning, a simple trip to America's Mart in Atlanta, which if you've ever been is really not simple at all. If you have never been, it's stories and stories, and building after building of vendors, wholesale companies, marketing firms, business consultants and more. Ultimately the combination amounts to aisle after aisle of motivation and inspiration. 



        It started with a dinner at the Georgia Aquarium after check-in. VC (my cousin) confirmed our attendance with RSVP's to the emailed invitation. Good girls-weekend decision #1 . Everything was so elaborate...catering by Wolfgang Puck, entertainment by Dancing With the Stars and a fun environment with a whale shark in the backdrop. Dinner was quite possibly the best meal I've had since Le Cellier in Epcot several years ago. Now on my MUST do list is a visit to a Wolfgang Puck restaurant in some yet un-visited city on my list - two birds with one stone.  Southern comfort food at its fanciest. A great hotel at a super rate, and you have an efficient Friday night in Atlanta. I feel it deserves kudos!



Girl trips with my mom, aunt, cousin (and usually my sister and grandmother, but both had previous committments) are always filled with cram-packed days. We see and do as much as possible. So without exception we woke up early and hit the mart. Floor after floor. No stopping. Until.....

The Deen Brothers! They were doing a cooking show and, of course, as fans of both the Cooking Channel and Paula Deen the family had to stick around and wait 45 minutes for the grand appearance! They may be the most funny and clever hosts I've ever seen...okay so the only ones I've seen. Either way, they have immensely magnetic personalities. Another dose of motivation and inspiration as they shared their humble beginnings.

Back to the researching, shopping, and discovering. We sampled the Gourmet Food temporary vendors and snacked...every shop had a snack. Good for needed energy. We ended the shopping day with a wonderful dinner at the Mart with wonderful people, George and Laura. They were incredibly encouraging and helpful. Glad we crossed paths....Funny how a series of events end.

My mind is still whirling as I process everything to help aid in potential business ventures. Ideas roamed the Mart and now they dot page after page. I'm excited about the future. For me. For Trent. For my parents. For our families. All it takes is a few ideas, turned into a plan, turned into an open door, turned into an exciting success. I've felt motivated from the start of 2012. I know there is so much God has for each of us, but I am convinced we are to take each opportunity and make the most of it. There were so many people, young and old, who have seized the opportunity and ideas before them. And that was just in one place...think about the thousands of other people outside of a small corner in Atlanta. It was exciting and convicting. No more sitting idly by. No more wasting time. We've been called to more...so why let it slip by? I have one life and a God greater than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). No excuses. If God is for me, who can be against me? (Romans 8:31). He has not given me the spirit of fear, but of power, of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:17). I'm praying for every endeavor and every effort of my family. May God light the path. May He make His face to shine upon us (Numbers 6:24).

Can't wait for the next girl's weekend.

Why Blog?

Blogging? Before I fully committed to the art of blogging, I wanted to make sure I had good reason. Perhaps the "rationalizer" in me needed a reason, or the realization it could become a quickly forgotten "chore" if not truly a wanted embarkation. However, I found the reasons to be inspiring. Reasons I've always preached and believed. Reasons I needed to start living out. So I started writing, and once I started sharing with people the "why" of my blogging, I found the reasons to be affirmed. Life is too short not to be enjoyed fully; and as my dear friend kindly reminded me, life is often experienced  in the mundane, seemingly "un-reportable" moments. And so I'll write on.

I sometimes feel my generation can be guilty of striving to get to the "next level", the next major life stage, the next major accomplishment and we tend to forget, devalue, or ignore the process of getting there. We don't care how we get to the next pivotal life point, just that we do - and once we get there, we can start....living....loving life...appreciating things around us. Such a sad thought. Think about how much gets missed? Maybe you haven't felt this way, but it was (and still can be) a struggle I found myself in. I came to a point that I did not want any more time to pass by un-grateful, un-energetic, or un-lived to the absolute fullest potential. Time is my witness to how fast life can pass by. My first year of marriage already seems so far away, recollected in just a moment. But I don't want to remember it for only a few seconds. I want to remember for hours... the details- because I've found the little details are so often where God is working the most in my life. I want to remember the answered prayers, the perfect connections, the lighted path, the crazy adventures, the silly moments, and the heart-tugging experiences. I want to be intentional about reflection, intentional about purpose and direction, and intentional about my future, our future. I want to be intentional about living and loving.

So why did I start to blog?

First, I enjoy writing; however, I'm terrible about committing to penning anything. In school it seemed easier, but now that I have graduated, I find it far more difficult. I did not want to go for years without the first journaling or expressing of thoughts. Blogging is a way I can commit to a hobby I really do enjoy.

Secondly, for over a year now, I have been delighted and encouraged through the reading of a college friend's blog. We rarely talk, but I feel joyful about her life. I love witnessing her experiences. And through reading her frequent blogs, I felt convicted by not embracing the place of life I found myself in - there's so much to be experienced, so many people to love, so much to be appreciated. The hope: maybe I could inspire someone, as I was inspired by my friend, to embrace life more abundantly.

Lastly, blogging? How would it help? What would I have to share? So much. So much seemingly insignificant, but beautiful, adventurous details. About daily blessings. Daily reminders. Daily lessons. Daily life. "Stuff" important to me and "stuff" I wanted to (hopefully and eventually) use to encourage others. I just simply wanted to be intentional about embracing and encouraging. I have now found that even if I did not "blog it", I'm far more aware of the little moments in life. A lesson I'm thankful for even if blogging ceases to be a part of my life.

I like the Max Lucado quote on a birthday card recently given to me:

There is more to your life than you ever thought.

There is more to your story than what you have read.

- Max Lucado



We all have a story. I know God is in my story, writing, marking, editing, working on the characters, illustrating, plotting, designing, and creating. I truly want Him to be the author, and I, a captivated reader in every chapter. I want to read every word, not merely the last paragraph. I want to share in and share with others the goodness of His mercy every single day.

God is so good. All the time.

P.S. Check out Times Gone By for newly added pictures...finally!

Birthday Wishes

TC's gift of Fiestaware purchased from an antique store in Tennessee to add too and brighten my collection. A new strap for my camera from my parents who appreciate my new love of documenting. Dinner at my favorite restaurant with the people I love so much. Roses delivered to me at work from my sweetest and dearest TC. The song which for years has been my birthday alarm, playing through my phone. Daisies given to me by my kind, sincere and incredibly fun co-worker. A new, desperately needed pillow from my healthy sister and brother-in-law. Coffee and pancakes made for me in the am. A decorated office to greet me. Lunch dates. My favorite kind of cake. A picture frame from my boss who recognizes things of great importance in my life. A call from my best friend who remembered it was my birthday even though she's thousands of miles away. All of the texts, voicemails and facebook messages from the greatest of friends wishing me the happiest.

This and so much more made my birthday exceptionally special.