Friday, June 28, 2013

5 on Friday


I'm trying something new this week and linking up with Darcie from The Good Life Blog for five on Friday!

[one]
This week has been full of memories, celebrations, and today, an end of a chapter.  Next week I will start a new job and while I'm excited for this change, I'm also nervous for the unknown of it all.  I'm praying for peace, a smooth transition, and patience for all!

[two]
I'm a fan of Pinterest!  Well, let me rephrase that, I am a fan of pinning on Pinterest :)  I love to pin great ideas, but as far as actually trying them out, I don't usually follow through.  So last weekend, Sam had the great idea to take one of my Pinterest pins and turn it in to a anniversary gift.  And a plus: it falls in line with the five year traditional anniversary gift of wood!  Win, win!  I'll definitely post about it when it's complete.

[three]
This week, I found myself, on a number of occassions, feeling extra thankful for the friendships in my life.  Whether it's conversations via text, Twitter, or in person, my "friend-tank" was filled this week.  Now, if only there was a way we could all hang out in real life whenever we want without the need to travel all day...

[four]
Even though life seems pretty good at the moment, I have to be honest and say I still have times where I wish my life was different and envy the lives of others.  Erin of Blue Eyed Bride wrote a beautiful post sharing her similar thoughts and I loved this line she shared from the book A Beautiful Purpose: "Can you honor the Me in her?”  I immediately took a step back and found myself thanking God for where I'm at and for those He's placed in my life at this time.  These feelings & questionings aren't easy, but I appreciate God putting reminders like Erin's post out there for me to find.

[five]
With my birthday coming up, I find myself wanting to keep it low-key & quiet, but I'd by lying if I didn't say I'm looking forward to seeing what this next year holds for me...

Thursday, June 27, 2013

#5



It's that time of the year again... time to be mushy about my marriage and thankful that Sam has stuck it out with me for yet another year :)

But in all seriousness, I'm feeling incredibly blessed that we made it to this anniversary.  For some reason, #5 has always felt like a big one and after the year we've had, the significance of this milestone seems just a little greater.

Last year, I said "...this year will be one to remember!" which seems ironic now after all we've been through.  My first instinct is to say this year will be different, but I am trying my best to be patient and remember to pray for whatever God has in store for us & our marriage this next year. (Romans 12:12 is a good reminder for me - "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.")

Happy Anniversary Sam! 

 (Related posts: #1, #2, #3, & #4)

Friday, June 21, 2013

Six Months


Back in December, I remember meeting with a doctor at my follow up appointment after my c-section and she was talking about what the future might look like after what we’ve been through.  She shared her thoughts on what six months, nine months, and even twelve-eighteen months from then might looks like for us.  And to have actually reached one of those “months” after saying goodbye to Charlotte feels like an incredible accomplishment in my book.  In fact, I distinctly recall leaving the exam room and saying, “we are never going to make it to six months!” because at the time, I wasn’t sure if we would…

Has it been easy? No way!  Some days are harder than others --- it will probably always catch me off guard when people who don't know about Charlotte's story ask how she is going, or someone new asks how many kids we have, and when I see a little girl who is around the same age Charlotte would be my heart will always skip a little beat.  But knowing that we have the love, grace, and understanding from our family & friends has really made a huge difference in my opinion.

Many people still ask me how I'm doing and although I don’t really know any differently, I would say I’m doing alright.  There are still tears and a bit of anger, but after all is said and done, works can't describe how thankful I am that we got to meet and hold our bright-eyed baby girl six months ago, even for a short amount of time.

December 21, 2012 feels like a lifetime ago and yet, it feels like just yesterday in a lot of ways too. And regardless of how much of a blessing and curse these memories can be, I pray we can continue to remember our sweet baby Charlotte as often & much as possible!


Friday, June 14, 2013

Friday Thoughts

Whew!  I made it to Friday!

(Yes, I really said that aloud this morning :))

It's been a crazy week at work, which means as soon as I get home, the only thing I want to do is veg out on the couch.

So with little to write about my own happenings, I thought I'd share what has made me think a little harder, reflect a little deeper, and smile a little bigger this week:

  • My Influence conference roomie, Ashton (who I cannot wait to meet!), wrote a beautiful post last week on finding the heartbeat of her blog and ever since I read this post, I've been thinking a lot about the reason(s) I continue to write in this little space of mine. Maybe Ashton's post will push me to share some of my reasons too...
  • Megan from In This Wonderful Life has been someone I have admired for a few years now because of her transparency, especially around the life of her first son, Cohen. This week she shared about how her, her husband, and their toddler twins celebrated Cohen's third birthday and as I read about their day at the zoo, I prayed we'd be doing something similar in the future to honor & celebrate Charlotte's birthdays. I wouldn't wish the loss of a child on anyone, but I'm thankful for other moms who feel called to share what they've been through and offer hope with someone like me.
  • Finally, I wanted to include this post from Alexa of He and I of her and her adorable baby girl dancing. It's fun & carefree and I hope it brings a smile to your face as it did mine.

So that’s what I’m thinking about this week.  What's grabbed your attention this week. 

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Home

Today I am linking up with the Influence Network to share a little about where I'm from & where I lay my head each night.


Home has taken on a lot of forms over the last twenty-some years...

For the first two years of my life, Santa Barbara, California was home.


Then due to a new job, my dad moved us up to central Oregon and over the next sixteen years, Bend was home.  There were ups & downs - the good: receiving an younger brother; and the bad: my parents divorce.  While I learned a lot while I lived in Bend and it will always hold a special place in my heart, after my mom moved back to California after I got married, it never held the same "home" feeling.


After Bend, I went on to attend college at in Newberg, Oregon.  For the next four years, I called Newberg home and my new friends family.  I've said it before, but I have no regrets about my time at George Fox University and the best part, hands down, was meeting my husband, Sam!


Between college and getting married, I moved back to Bend for a year to work & plan my wedding.

After our wedding day, I moved to Salem, Oregon to finally be in the same city as Sam! (Sidenote: for the whole time we were dating, we only lived in the same town for a couple months)


And that's where we've been for the last five years.

Looking back on all the homes I've had throughout my life, I've come to realize what so many already have - it's not the place that makes a home, but the people you share it with.

Friday, June 7, 2013

Friday Thoughts

Happy Friday!

Every year around this time, I remember how much I enjoy the warmer weather.  The cool morning breeze, the cloudless sky, and the evenings where it's just the right temperature to take a walk around the block.  Actually, my favorite time of year (in regards to weather) is around the late spring & early fall, so YAY!

Speaking of weather though, I'm off to spend the weekend with my mom and when I looked up the forecast for the weekend, I was a little stunned with Sacramento's predicted 106* day tomorrow... Good thing we're heading down to the bay area for part of the weekend, where it (hopefully...) will be a bit cooler for this Oregon girl.

Other than the weather, life has felt like it's going pretty fast.  Maybe that's partly due to my heavy traveling schedule, but even during the week I feel like things are go-go-go.  So it's really not a surprise that the three links I have for this week have to do with some internal feelings lately, because when life is speeding by, it usually means my mind is going a hundred miles a hour too...

  •  This week, Lindsay from Lindsay Ladon reintroduced her Little Life Lessons link up, where she invites others to share lessons that will "encourage and challenge ladies who may be in similar seasons of life".  Right off the bat, her post on being a young pastor's wife struck a cord inside.  Ever since I joined the workforce, I have been one of the youngest employees which has ultimately made me question my thoughts & judgements.  I loved how Lindsay shared that God wants her to "walk confidently on the path He has set before" her, which I just what I need to remember every day!
  • AP from ILYMTC posted late last week on asking for grace and it was so refreshing!  No, I don't enjoy reading about others pain & struggles, but I do appreciate honesty and those who feel like they can openly share with the whole world.  As I read her words, I wished I could swing by, give her a big hug, and hang out with her boys for a few hours so she could getaway & regroup (I hope that doesn't seem too creepy...).  Once thing is for sure, this mothering gig isn't for the faint of heart!
  • Lastly, Diana shared her thoughts on envy after reading past loss posts on The Spohr’s Are Multiplying.  Diana's post really hit close to home because envy has been a major feeling I've been wrestling with lately.  See, while I'm so happy for my friends who either have welcomed a little one in the last year or expecting one soon, I can't help but feel super jealous that I'm not going through the same thing.  I commend Diana for being so open every day with how she's feeling after the loss of her twin boys and once again, knowing that I am not alone in my thoughts of "why me?" really takes some of the weight I have been carrying off of me.

So that’s what I’m thinking about this week.  What's grabbed your attention this week. 

Monday, June 3, 2013

Stitch Fix #2

It's Stitch Fix time again! 

As a refresher, back in March when I received my first Stitch Fix, I instantly fell in love with the ease of having someone else shop just for me.  From the delivery of the box, to trying everything on, and even the return back to Stitch Fix (in a prepaid envelope!), everything was just so easy!


So when I received my latest Stitch Fix this weekend, I immediately opened it up to see what had been picked out for me this time around.

 Brooke Dot Print Tab Sleeve Blouse by Ellison & 
Freddy Sleeveless Chriffon Dress by RD Style

 Natalia Stripe Draped Front Cardigan by Staccato

 Jasmen Ikat Embroidered Sheer Tank by Daniel Rainn

Rizzo Skinny Ponte Pants by Sanctuary

Besides being incredibly easy, I really like the fact that Stitch Fix lets me try everything on in the comfort of my home and see how the pieces would work with my current closet.  A big plus this time?  My box actually contained four complete outfits (minus the shoes), which made things that much easier!

Ultimately, I was pretty fond of the items I received.  Sure, they weren't all pieces I would have picked out for myself, but they were just what I had asked for after my last Fix - tunic-style tops to go with leggings.  I even received a pair of black pants to wear instead of leggings!  

Since I couldn't justify purchasing my whole box (even though I would have received a 25% discount off the total of all the items), I stuck with my gut and went with the black & white striped drape cardigan by Staccato.  I loved the drape detail, the stripes, and how many things I could instantly think of to pair it with!


So, have you tried Stitch Fix yet?