I have been a little MIA this semester and I semi-apologize. 

Life is crazy and completely up in the air. Yet Jesus has been reminding me daily how he is THE provider and just plain has everything under control. And that, my friends, has been completely freeing. Yes, I’m still job hunting and praying that I’ll find a job sooner rather than later, but I’m content.

For the first time in my life I literally have no idea what my life is going to look like after I walk at graduation on May 18th. But isn’t that supposed to be a thing? You graduate from college and then what? The possibilities are literally endless and the only way I could truly mess it up is if I just never leave my house and forget to live life. 

All I do know is that this summer is going to be great. I have two weddings of close friends, our annual road trip with my family to Iowa, a visit to Kansas City to meet baby Lincoln [and HUG my Melton family], a week in Jacksonville crashing the Brantley home, plenty of visits to Austin to see my best friends, and hopefully moving into my new apartment. Oh and READING, lots of reading. 

And really because this post is more of a catch-all at this point, here is a list: 

• My 22nd birthday is on Thursday
• I will finally have an excuse to sing TSwift’s 22 every day 
• Graduation regalia is expensive
• I am not ever going to be ready to leave my first class of 3rd graders
• I am not looking forward to saying goodbye to my teaching cohort
• I am looking forward to saying goodbye to college assignments
• I wish all of my close friends lived in the same place
• I really am a big fan of my little sister 
• I still have my flannel sheets on my bed because I can’t figure out what big kid sheets I want. [I’m thinking these right now]
• I miss blogging frequently

Hope this caught you up a smidge on my life. I really do love you all for sticking with me in the craziness of life. [Or really, I should probably thank RSS readers ha. It’s the only way I stay up to date with my favorite blogs]

How are YOU? I miss you. I hope April is treating you well. 

image by me. 

I know you’ve probably seen this, but I just couldn’t NOT share. 

Amazing. Absolutely amazing. 

Totally worth the 6 minutes. 

[Insert what’s going on in my life here]

Well, welcome back to my life. I’ve been a little MIA lately due to finishing up school/student teaching, applying for jobs, and most recently spring break.

This last week (my spring break) I served as a leader for our middle school mission trip. Let’s just sum it up to say that I will never doubt what the Lord can do through 6th, 7th and 8th graders again. 

This was the first mission trip that I’ve been a part of or lead that 99% of the “leading” came from the students we brought with us. We [aka our students] lead VBS style gatherings at apartment complexes in the morning and afternoons. 

Throughout the course of the week I watched my students who were shy, didn’t really have friends, and were very unsure of what we were asking them to do at these apartment complexes become completely equipped to share the love of Christ with those around them. I cannot brag enough on who our God is and what he can do. He seriously has rocked my world through these 42 middle school students and the 11 other amazing and God-honoring leaders. 

Now I’m shifting my focus on continuing to prepare. I was telling my sister the other day that I feel like my life stage right now should be titled “Preparation.”

I’m preparing lesson plans, preparing for mission trips, preparing to get a job, preparing to graduate, preparing for disciple nows, preparing for friends to move, preparing to be in a relationship, preparing for my whole life to change. 

This preparation is simultaneously exhausting, emotional, joyful, and bittersweet. But, hey, it’s where I am right now and the Lord is still faithful. He has never or will ever abandon me and he has provided me with abundantly more than I can comprehend. 

“Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20

One of the most endearing parts about living in Texas is the weather. Yesterday it was a warm and sunny 70 degrees; people were wearing shorts and spring felt like it was almost here. And today, schools across the area were canceled due to a blizzard that had swept through our town overnight.

However, I’m definitely not complaining. I love me some snow, especially when I don’t have to drive in it. And it didn’t hurt that we didn’t have to go to school today. 

One of my favorite parts of our snow day was spending some quality time with my sister watching 1.5 of Lord of the Rings movies, playing in the snow and making soup for the rest of the family. 

How was your Monday? 

image source. 

If there’s one thing I know for sure about myself, it’s that I’m a book hoarder. 

Oh and also that once I find an author I love, I try to read everything they write. [i.e. Francine Rivers]

This is where Follow Me comes from. I had head of a pastor in Birmingham, Alabama a few years ago named David Platt when I became immersed in his Secret Church gatherings. This also lead me to his book, Radical [a must read]. And now I most recently picked up his newest book, Follow Me while I was out shopping with my sister this weekend. 

Friends, I’m only 10 pages in and the Lord is convicting my complacent heart like no other. Pick it up! 

Guys, I’m obsessed with video. I seriously cannot get enough. It’s so immersive, moving, fun, and the possibilities are endless. Whew. 

My dear friend, Betsy, is an international wedding photographer. She’s amazingly talented and has never ceased to knock my socks off. Well, I begged her to take some video during one of her engagement shoots so I could pull together a mini video for her couples. She said yes [!!!]

She handed me the footage Sunday night and a few hours later, with some quick edits and a gracious musical offering from her boy David, we had a video! 

So, what do you think? Love it? 

P.S. Isn’t her branding from Breanna Rose killer? Major design jealously pulsing through my veins. 

A specially made valentine for [YOU]

enjoy!

It’sssssssss Valentine’s Week!

Oh I love this week. 

I’m giving valentines to my students, mailing valentines to dear friends, hand-delivering valentines to some of my favorite people, telling my people how much I love them and, of course, enjoying lots of candy. 

And don’t worry, blog friends, I’ve got a special valentine made especially for YOU comin’ at ya on monday [!!!].  

Do tell, what are your Valentine’s Day plans? 

Happy Friday, unlock the 007 in you!

home vision // 06

window. board. rug. journal. 

05. 04. 03. 02. 01. 

A pep talk for your Friday. 

via sweet thing. 

I like adoption. 

Tea bag cookies? Definitely yes. 

Anyone up for a virtual tea party? 

next »