Sunday, June 2

Day 2

Day #2: A photo of something you ate today...

Maybe not the most thought provoking or even interesting thing I could share - unsure as to how many of you are seriously interested in what I do or don't eat on a given day - BUT - for it only being the second post of this continuous blogging adventure, I'll take simple + easy!

I saw this morning that today's topic would be to share a photo of something I ate today and even thought I might share something from each meal/snack..etc. That is until the following events took place >>> Breakfast = me exploding coffee all over my microwave in an effort to heat it up. [Not cool] Don't over-think the fact that I am apparently incapable of operating a microwave appropriately. :)




Lunch = Went out to eat with 2 youth from church after worship today, decided to splurge and order a Belgian waffle [I LOVE belgian waffles]. Our order came out and they had gotten a little mixed up in the kitchen and made me an order of kid waffles instead. So my options were (1) send back the kid waffles and wait for a new singular Belgian waffle OR (2) enjoy the mini version. I was all about the mini version. Too cute to pass up tiny person sized waffles. [Plus I was hungry, don't judge!]

Breakfast being a literal mess + lunch involving super adorable tiny waffles = whatever I do for dinner just won't beat tiny waffles. Seriously people, tiny waffles - so great!


Saturday, June 1

Day 1

Woah, hello month of June! June is currently the first month of this 2013 year that has really caught me by surprise. Every other month I have been just waiting for to get here, but June has just seemingly sprung up out of the blue. Don't know if any of you are feeling that way - but I definitely am.

My surprise of June's arrival may be in part a result of my own personal lack of reflection time lately. I feel that I have been letting little and big daily moments alike, just pass by without much of a second thought. I don't really have a reason or excuse for why, but that is what has been going on.

So here is my latest idea...As I approach over 2 years now of being a small part of the world of blogging, I also realize that my time and energy spent sharing and processing life via my blog has changed, grown, surged, and now even dwindled...

Recently, I was reading another blog I follow and the author had dutifully spent all of May committed to blogging once a day. Part of her rationale for this happening was that she was feeling trapped in a slump. The less she blogged the more pressure she felt for each post to be brilliant, perfect, and all together intriguing. To un-slump and refocus she challenged herself and her readers to blog every day in May. Blogging every day means that perfect can't be an option. It means taking an idea and just writing to write.

These thoughts from a blogger made a lot of sense. I enjoy writing, and feel that I have lost some of the joy of writing to write, and writing to share about the little joys of daily life. So in an altogether [possibly] ridiculous attempt at reclaiming that joy, I have decided to take on my own blogging adventure - 30 in 30 - 30 posts this month is my goal. Clearly since it is almost the end of the 1st day and I am just now posting - I am off to a great start...ha!

 After hunting around on google for other bloggers who have done similar things here is the list of the 30 posts I'm planning to tackle.



It might not be pretty, it may [hopefully] even be humorous, but mostly - I hope to be encouraged and to encourage all of you out there to embrace all the ups and downs of whatever these next 30 days hold...

So here we go!

Day #1 - A photo of yourself & a description of your day


So today can basically be summed up by 3 events :

#1. Me reading
#2. Me braving Target on a weekend
#3. Celebrating the upcoming wedding of 2 friends at an engagement party

On Monday of this upcoming week will begin Vacation Bible School (VBS) at work - so today my main plan was to have a pretty low key day in preparation for the business of my upcoming week. I am thankful to say that was pretty much what I accomplished. I started reading a new book yesterday - Inferno: A Novel by Dan Brown and since starting it have been totally engulfed in the story. 

As today progressed I had to peel myself away from reading for the sake of accomplishing laundry, dishes, taking a shower, and going to Target. (blah, blah, blah.) I had grand plans of selecting an assortment of presents/cards for upcoming family birthdays & today's engagement party - however after spending 30 minutes in the card aisles alone, I was lucky that I made it out with an engagement present! (Side bar: SO many people at Target & Why are cards so expensive these days?!)

Following Target, was my attempt to get my engagement present purchases into a gift bag - I thought I had a gift bag that was the right size at home (I was wrong) - so I improvised with an American Eagle bag I had on hand that was the perfect size, it's the inside that counts right?!

All of this bring us to #3. on my list of today's events - the engagement party - as a fellow engaged person, I  totally appreciate opportunities to celebrate :) Yesterday was stormy/tornado weather here, which was supposed to continue today - however, it did not - which meant that a really enjoyable time was had by all indoors AND outdoors at the party. Played a lawn game called washers  - with friends from church, and I will add my team won both games - so all in all a pretty successful afternoon :)

Since getting home I have gotten sucked back into reading my book - realized a little bit ago that I had planned to start my blog challenge today...really didn't want to stop reading...but thought that starting a 30 day challenge a day late wouldn't be the best way to start...Now that this post is finished, back to reading :)



Thursday, May 2

Gratitude.

Hello long lost blog world. :)



Usually when I have not blogged for a while several things happen [1] I keep telling myself I should blog [2] I write a long post, filled with pictures in an effort to catch up and [3] I go through a period of life where I notice I am less grateful for what is happening in it every day and how God is working. End result [4] sometimes, I get cranky because I have procrastinated, I don't know where to blog to even start to 'catch up' and have forgotten things I wanted to remember and reflect on. AGH.

So today, no 'catch up' post. Know that since I last blogged I have been blessed to be alive each and every day in between then and now, and sit here humbled and thankful for that realization. 

What I want to share though, is a deep deep amount of gratitude. In this past week I have ben blessed to share life with so many dear friends, family and even my fiancĂ©. They have all blessed me beyond what they know. This past weekend involved: 
  • The company of 7 out of town guests in my 1 room apartment [ultimate girls sleepover]
  • Shopping with my Mom
  • The Color Run in downtown St. Louis [in the rain]
  • Trying on my wedding dress for the first time [talk about overwhelming!]
  • Seeing my girl's bridesmaid dresses, which just came in [awesome]
  • A wonderful and thoughtfully planned Bridal Shower
  • A surprise visit from Adam [WOW]
  • Worshipping with everyone in from out of town
  • Brewery visits
  • Lots of trips back forth to the airport
  • Getting ear piercings with some of my bridesmaids [spontaneous]
  • Amazing weather
  • A trip to the zoo [I got to pet 3 sharks, so that was sweet]
  • Running and biking in the park with Adam [The best!]
  • Surprise dinner night with Adam [homemade by him too]
  • Wedding planning time [DJ & limo booked, invitations designed]
  • So so many meals shared with dear friends
  • Many many tears shed [Both tears of joy and sad tears as the goodbyes began]

Most of the first half of that list, happened on Saturday alone, whew! But each and every second of the memories on that list, are filled with moments of life shared that are irreplaceable and to an extent can not be fully described here. As I reflect on them now, I am filled with deep gratitude for friends and family who are examples to me of God's great love.

I challenge anyone reading this to cherish each part of their days - good, bad, awesome, terrible or otherwise, and rest in a place of gratitude for all that you do have.