Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Peace



Last weekend, Sam & I got away.

We didn't go far (just an hour west of us), but we went with one thing in mind: we just wanted to get away, to take a break from our normal routine, even if only for a couple of days.

With no agenda, the whole weekend felt pretty low key.  We ate at some of favorite places and spent a little time talking about our goals & dreams, but ultimately we were just quiet with our thoughts as we walked along the beautiful coastline.

As much as I didn't want to return to reality, I knew we had no choice.  Thankfully, I not only came home feeling refreshed and relaxed, but I also returned with a sense of peace that I haven't felt in almost a year now.

And that makes the whole trip worth it in my opinion!



"Please I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you.  Let not your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."  John 14:27

Friday, July 26, 2013

5 on Friday



Honestly... this week has been kind of tough as I think about where we were last year at this time...

The two words that keep coming to mind are "life changing" because at the split of second, our lives went from happy & excited to devastated & confused with very little warning. 

For those who are new to this space, our baby girl was diagnosed with a fatal form of skeletal dysplasia last July and while I carried her until 39 weeks, she is sadly no longer with us.

So I decided that instead of writing about 5 random things from my week, I would share 5 blogs* that have helped me immensely after losing Charlotte:

[one]
Megan from In This Wonderful Life

[two]
Casey from The Wiegands

[three]
Raechel from Finding My Feet

[four]
Diana from Hormonal Imbalances

[five]
Heather from The Spohrs are Multiplying

While none of their situations are exactly the same as mine, the comfort that each of their blogs has given me leaves me speechless.  I really wish I could find the words to share how they have helped (and thank each & every one of them in person!), but all I can say it THANK YOU God that I found these women and have felt an reassurance that I'm not alone in this and while this is something you'd never wish on anyone, it's really nice to know that someone understands, even a little.


*None of these bloggers probably know who I am or have asked me to share about them, but all of their stories have touched my heart and comforted me & given me hope as I walk this new path ahead of me.

Friday, July 19, 2013

5 on Friday



Have you ever felt like something was written or said just for you?  Actually, I probably think that about once a week - sometimes it's a song on the radio or an idea for the next best invention or a blog post I just stumbled upon.  This week, however, was FULL of these moments and I just want share five that touched my heart this week:

[one]
Lindsay, of The Kubly Girl, wrote a beautiful reflection on finding community that was just what I needed to hear this week.  For years, I have been timid about buidling a community where we're at because it's hard to be the new person, but over the last couple weeks, Sam & I finally decided to get involved in a small group at a new church we've been attending and Lindsay's post felt like a message from God that this is what He wants for us right now. 

[two]
Have you heard Sara Bareilles' song December (from her new album The Blessed Unrest)? I think maybe it was written for me... 

(For those who don't know me that well, last December was both the best & worse time of my life, which you can read about here.) 

[three]
It's easy to get in the mindset that no one reads your blog or cares about what you write, but Kim from oh, sweet joy! wrote a simple, yet true post this week about how we (as bloggers) are not alone and should all write for where we're at right now, because no matter what the impact may be, someone is listening.  Her words weren't new to me, but sometimes you just need to hear something again to remind yourself of the truth.

[four]
I attended another amazing Influence Network class by Susie Davis this week called Hearing God Speak in your Everyday Life and just like the ones before, Susie knocked it out of the park!  She shared ideas that I hadn't thought a lot about - like God speaks to us every day, but we still need to be willing to listen and accept what he's saying before we'll here Him - and gave us a few ways to hear Him.  Such an eye opening class for someone who doesn't listen to God enough...

Have you taken an Influence Network class yet?

[five]
Last week, I shared how Natalie from The Busy Budgeting Mama has helped me in my search for why I blog and this week she shared a book she's been working on called "Mommy's Has an Angel", which is a story told from the point of view of her four-year-old daughter about her mom's best friend in Heaven.  While processing the grief and pain that goes along with losing a loved one, I have also thought a lot about the future and how I'm going to share with our future children (God willing) about our little angel, Charlotte, and why she's no longer with us here on Earth.  I'm incredibly inspired by people like Natalie who have decided to share their grief to help others and I only hope my words could help someone one day like her's have helped me.


Hope you have a good weekend!

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Printography Float Wrap {Review}

 

If you were to take a tour around my home, the common factor in each room would probably be the personal touch we've created using some of our favorite photos - both of family & friends and some of our favorite locations.  I'm always looking for a new way to share my favorite photos, so when Printography reached out to share their Float Wrap with me, I couldn't say yes fast enough!



As someone who's tried various company's canvas prints, Printography's Float Wrap instantly grabbed my attention because of it's light weight, padded feel, and the "floating" look that it creates as it hangs on the wall.  Not to mention it's something I've ever seen before!


Besides being a unique concept, the ordering process was as easy as they come.  After downloading the provided design tool, it was simple & straight forward to upload my chosen picture and edit until just right. Then with the click of a button, my completed wrap order was sent off to be created and about seven to ten business days later, a package was waiting on our doorstep.



With the completion of our new headboard {details to come}, I knew my new Float Wrap would complete the look I was going for. The ease of ordering, receiving, and hanging of my Float Wrap already has me dreaming of other areas I can update with new photo products.  If you're in the market for some a new way to display photos, be sure to check out what products Printography has to offer.



Disclousre: while I received a code for the Float Wrap in exchange for my review, all opinions expressed above are my own.

Friday, July 12, 2013

5 on Friday


Hello Friday, it's very nice to see you :)

Beware: this post is a very random assortment of 5 on Friday today...

[one]
My husband posted some awesome shots of the firework show we caught last Thursday on his blog this week and I can't help but share.  I love getting to see his creativity through his camera lense and the beautiful images he captures!

[two]
While my husband is posting several times a week on his photo blog, I've been feeling at a standstill with mine and spending some times searching for my 'why'.  Thankfully, there are other bloggers, like The Busy Budgeting Mama and House of Rose, who are providing wisdom to help new bloggers get started and while I may not be a new blogger any more, I'm finding their advice very beneficial in search for my 'why' right now.

[three]
I've raved about it before (check out my 1st & 2nd fix), but I'm a big fan of Stitch Fix!  And this week, I received my first referral credit because someone signed up after reading my reviews!  Honestly, my initial excitement wasn't about the credit, but the influence I had on someone else - that I was able to introduce an unique company to someone else that they may not have heard of otherwise.  Chock it up to another reason I love the Internet and social media, I guess :)

[four]
If you're a frequent reader of this space, you might know how much of a 'dates' person I am.  For the last seven months, the 12th and 21st are sacred days in our house because of their association with our daughter Charlotte.  And not only does today mark seven months since she was born, it's also my 28th birthday.  Talk about mixed emotions, right?  To be honest, I'm finding it really hard to be in the mood to celebrate, which is kind of sad...

[five]
And to end things on a positive note, I've decided to take the advice of one of my recent pins and go find myself a cupcake and smile today.



Hope you have a good weekend!


Friday, July 5, 2013

5 on Friday



The combination of a short work week + beautiful summer weather has automatically made this one a good one in my book.  An added bonus: these five things.

[one]
A common phrase you may hear from Oregonians is "summer doesn't actually begin until July 5th" and sadly that is usually correct.  However, this year the usual Oregon weather (i.e. rain) has taken an early hiatus, which I will not complain about one bit!  And since we missed last year's festivities due to being in Nova Scotia last, I'm so happy we were able to spend this year's holiday with the three F's: family, food, & fireworks!

[two]
Last week I mentioned I was starting a new job this week and although I'm only a few days in, my first impression is that I think I'm going to like what I'm doing and who I'm working with.  I'm sure I'll have more to say once I have a few more days/weeks/months under my belt, but so far so good :)

[three]
Remember me talking about the Influence Conference (about a hundred times already...)?  Well, this week everything felt just a little more real because I booked my flight AND my hotel this week!  Yay!  If you want more information, check out my sidebar or this post by Ruthie Hart.

[four]
Speaking of the Influence Conference, the whole idea has had me thinking about why I'm blogging and who I'm blogging for.  This week, I came across a post by a blogger I have been following for years now and really respect.  Kerri's post about her blogging notebook wasn't anything groundbreaking (I know a lot of other bloggers use a similar idea), but it really pushed me to pull out an old notebook and start writing down some potential blog content.  Now we'll see if it helps me post more and work on my direction...

[five]
Maybe my lack of posting has been partly due to the life changing event that took place in December.  With six months under our belts, we still have hard days intertwined with the good ones.  I came across an article with some helpful ideas for those who have suffered a pregnancy or infant loss and thought I'd share for anyone else out there who may know someone who has gone through a simliar situation as we have.  The suggestions aren't difficult, just simple and thoughtful, both things that people need during a difficult time.

How was your week?