• Coffee Dates,  Life

    Let’s Have Coffee | Vol. 8

    April 11, 2017

    Hey friends, it feels so good to be back blogging today. It hasn’t even been that long and I already have missed it. Although the break and being on vacation has been nice of course! I was debating on writing a blog post this week or not because I kind of wanted to take the week off and just relax but then I realized that I love writing and pretending I’m on a coffee date with all of my blogging friends. So here I am, in the middle of vacation having a coffee date with you. 🙂 I also have a guest post on Thursday so be on the lookout for that. I’m really excited about it!

    If we were having coffee, I would tell you that I am really enjoying the aspect of being on vacation and not having to worry about cooking and cleaning. This is the first time I have been on a long vacation since being married and moving out and let me tell you, not having to worry about those things is a luxury in itself. 🙂

    If we were having coffee, I would ask if you liked beach vacations or if you preferred to take a trip to a city or maybe the lake? My husband and I are definitely beach people, but I’m learning that it’s really fun to break from the mold as well. This week we went boating with manatees and it was so much fun. I can’t wait to share all about it.

    If we were having coffee, I would tell you that this month (when I come back from vacation) is going to be hard. We are most likely moving out of our apartment this month and I am not looking forward to it. I really love our little apartment and we have already made so many memories there and I don’t want to say goodbye.

    If were having coffee, I’d say how nice it is to have a break in everyday life to spend time with family. I’m really loving being in Florida with a lot of my family and am having such a great time. Being on vacation and being so far from home makes me also excited to go back to regular life too because I realize how much I really appreciate it.

    If we were having coffee, I would share that I am hosting Easter at my apartment this year! It’s only a few people coming but I’ve never hosted a holiday before and I’m really excited about it. Do you usually host holidays? Do you love it or would you prefer to go to someone else’s house to celebrate?

    If we were having coffee, I’d just thank you for spending time with me. There’s nothing sweeter than having a friend to sit down with and really talk about how you are doing with (even if that is over the computer).

    Today I am linking up with Erin Salmon, where we have coffee every second Monday (or Tuesday) of every month. Come join in with us, we’d love to have you!

     

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  • Faith,  Marriage

    I Prayed For These Moments

    February 6, 2017

    Happy Monday! I hope you guys had a nice and relaxing weekend. I wanted to write a post that was inspired by this quote:

    I wanted to write this post because some days I forget how amazing it is that God really did answer my prayers. Some days I forget how desperately I wanted this life. Some days I forget all the tears and pain that led me here. I wanted to be a bit vulnerable and try my best to let you in on how my life used to be, because I know that by posting only positive things, it can be easy to display the wrong message to my readers. I don’t write about how blessed and happy and grateful I am for my marriage and the way my life is because it’s perfect or because it’s the reason behind my joy. I write about these things because I am grateful to God for this life, and I never want to forget that, or to display anything otherwise on this blog.

    I prayed for these moments and it was a hard, tough road to get me to where I am today.

    Because on that day I sat in my car back in 2012, crying in my driveway because I couldn’t understand what God was doing, because all I wanted was someone to love and God wasn’t allowing that then. I couldn’t see it back then, but all those prayers would be answered and it would lead me to this:

    A life where all those tears are way outnumbered by all the laughs shared with my best friend, all the laughs because of silly things he does, like falling asleep in the most bizarre ways.

    Because on the day that I moved out of my mother’s home at 18, wondering why life had to be this way, it led me here to this:

    My heart leaping with joy at just the sight of a tiny, little, one bedroom apartment because it is a place to call my own.

    Because on those days that I spent growing up, wondering why my family was so different, wondering why my dad wasn’t around or why we didn’t have the money to do things like the other kids did, it led me here to this:

    To a man who works so hard to provide for his family, even if that means his only family right now is me. To a man who I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, will provide and be there for his kids when that day comes.

    Because on those many nights that I ate dinner by myself, feeling desperately alone, and wondering why God wouldn’t answer my prayer for a family to eat dinner with, it led me here to this:

    A man who I know will be my forever dinner date, who I know is in it for the long haul.

    Because through all the breakups and the tears and heartache that followed, through all of the confusion and the what ifs, they let me here to this:

    To a man who will do anything to put a smile on my face. To someone I know that God hand-picked for me because of his commitment to do what is right and to love me the way that God commanded. I couldn’t see it then but God was protecting me and saving me for a guy who was worth it.

    Because on the nights where I sat literally crying out to God, not understanding why he wouldn’t take the pain away, led me here to this:

    A life that I wouldn’t trade for the world and a faith so much stronger because of the hard times. I have the confidence of knowing that I did not rush ahead of God and that this is his best for me. I have confidence that all those tears cried were seen and all those prayers prayed were heard. Back then I couldn’t see it, because the pain and heartbreak and confusion were so blinding, but that pain had a purpose and taught me to appreciate just how much of a gift this life truly is.

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  • Life

    My Thankful List

    January 28, 2016

    I’m really trying to be more consistent here and it feels really great. Today I really didn’t think that I was going to get a post up. I have a bunch of ideas but I just have these days where I just don’t feel like doing anything productive (pls tell me I’m not alone). Anyways today was one of those days, probably because I didn’t go to bed until after midnight and that never does anything for my mood.

    So because I’m being such a crankpot today I wanted to make a list of everything I’m thankful for to try to remind myself how blessed I am and get my spirit up.

    1. The most loving caring fiance ever. I’m sure you guys are probably tired of hearing about him by now but I don’t think that’s going to stop anytime soon considering how excited I am about marrying him so soon. He’s just been so great lately. I love hearing his heart about how much he wants to be working with his dad to be able to provide for us and is so loving and pays so close attention to my needs. I couldn’t ask for anyone better.
    2. Having the funds to pay for a wedding and possibly even a house too?! Wait what.. yup I said it. We’ve been looking at really small but really cute houses to hopefully be able to buy to live in after the wedding. This is actually a cheaper option than renting, which is a bit crazy. I just so hope it works out!
    3. Yummy coffee to drink on tired mornings.
    4. A mom who does everything she can to keep her kids happy.
    5. A (future) mother-in-law who goes out of her way to help us plan for everything coming up so soon.
    6. The winter not being unbearably cold this year.
    7. Having two fun pups to live with when we move out.
    8. Having a job that I can get paid to basically plan my wedding.
    9. Lastly but certainly most important, a God who loves me so much that He pushes me outside my comfort zone. Though to be honest I’m not really thankful for this yet, I’m actually quite mad. I know that joining a small group is what’s best for my walk with Jesus and will help me get out there and share with other’s but I’m really struggling with this one. I’m super introverted and hate putting myself out there so I’m not too happy about this but know it will pay off in the end.
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  • Faith,  Life

    Thankful

    November 27, 2015

    With Thanksgiving over now, I thought it would be fitting to write a post about being thankful. Makes sense right? The things that God has done and is doing in my life over the couple of years is amazing. And not just me- my family as well. I’m so thankful that we have a God that is willing to come down and meet us where we are and not only meets us there but lifts us up out of the darkness that we so often create for ourselves.

    I have to admit though, as far along as God has brought us, sometimes I can’t help but worry about what will happen next. The path that God leads us down isn’t always easy. There have been some really hard times over the past couple of years to get us to where we are today. There were a few times where I didn’t know what was going to happen next- times where I was so scared. But what I’ve learned through those times is that God is still there and he brings us through them even when we feel like we can’t go any further.

    The other thing I’m learning about myself is that I tend to thrive in the unknown as weird as that sounds. When things are scary I tend to cling to Jesus and walk super close with him because I know that He knows what to do and I trust Him to lead me. The times I struggle is when life is going really well. I tend to forget how much I need Jesus and His direction.

    When things are going well, I tend to worry about what will happen next. What will be the next bad thing to go wrong and that’s not how Jesus wants me to live. I want to live thankful for the good days and trust in Him to hold all things together and know that He will carry me through whatever bad things to happen to come. I want to be more thankful for the easy times and less anxious.

    I’ve been thinking a lot about thankfulness lately and one thing I realized about thankfulness is just there isn’t a lack of things to be thankful for- it’s just that we forget to be thankful. Period. That’s all.

    I realized that when we go on vacations- that joy that we get usually comes from being thankful. We tend to think that it’s from just being away from our daily schedule and relaxing, and that is definitely part of it but what I realized is that when we go somewhere new or somewhere we don’t go to often we look at the area differently. We purposely look for the good. We notice the blue, sunny skies, the beautiful features in our hotel room, the delicious food that was made for us. I believe our joy on vacation is deeply rooted in that- us dwelling on the good.

    When we come back home we forget to dwell on the (mundane) good things in our lives. What about that beautiful new countertop that you put in just last year? Or your wives delicious dinners that she prepares for you? It’s so easy to focus on the bad in our daily lives because we’re so used to a certain level of goodness but I wonder what would happen if we stopped to really dwell on each good thing in our days. Because really- each good thing is a gift from God. We might just be a people known for our joy.

    Join me over the next few weeks as I try to focus only on the good in my life. Let’s give thanks to the God who blesses us so abundantly.

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  • Faith,  Life

    how to experience J O Y in every day life

    August 6, 2015

    Okay so my computer has a virus and that’s why I haven’t been blogging all that much. I’m currently on my work computer (shh don’t tell anyone). But my plan is to buy a Mac, hopefully tonight actually.

    I love sharing what God’s doing in my life in hopes to encourage others too. God’s really teaching me how to experience joy amidst my every day life.

    Joy.

    Real joy. Something that I’m not too familiar with if I’m being honest. God’s really teaching me how to really enjoy my life. Wanna know the secret? Focus on the good. Only the good. Acknowledge the bad, sure. But focus on the good. Dwell on it. Be thankful for it. All of the good, even the small stuff. Especially the small stuff.

    A fresh cup of coffee

    Sunshine at lunch

    Good smelling lotion

    A cute coffee mug

    A sweet kiss

    There’s so many good things to be thankful for on any given day, it just takes us to direct our attention towards them to realize they’re there. I also found this is the key to struggling with contentment as well. It’s hard to be wishing for more when we realize just how much good we already have. We are blessed, truly blessed and I don’t ever want to forget it. Join with me and let’s commit to never getting bored of the blessings in our lives.

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