Snapshots from Summer

Breakfast for Dinner

And sometimes your dad makes French Toast, turkey sausage, eggs, and grits...

While your mom fills the house with piano music...

And you eat an amazing breakfast...for dinner.

Mornings at Home

Eating breakfast and drinking hot tea at home will be something I think I will always treasure. There's something about fresh cut fruit, eggs made with coconut oil in an iron skillet, and mom's famous tea made with real tea leaves and lavender.

It's hard to compare to anywhere especially when you add the amazing front porch and summertime air.

The feat that is running...

First run in ages...although it felt horrible at the beginning, middle, and end, finishing the 3.1 made it worth it.

Took it slow and took some pictures along the way. I always run through a cemetery near our house and sometimes it's neat just to sit on a bench in the shade...watching loved ones and family members, thinking about all the lives lived and how it puts our days in perspective.

Honk If You Love Seniors

Sending this one off to her senior year of high school...it's truly hard to believe. 

We made a little trip to Kroger the night before to get things for breakfasts and lunches -- we had the windows down and were listening to our favorite summer playlist.

It's moments like this that I wish I could frame and remember forever.


I asked her if she had her backpack packed and she laughed and said, "With WHAT?!"
Always keeping us laughing.

Her and her best friend Hannah dressed up in their neon and welcomed in the elementary and middle school students. A tradition at CAL...seems like a lifetime ago that I was in their shoes. Love both of them and am excited for the year ahead.

Summer Days

Sunkissed cheeks

Light blue skies

Bright pink watermelon

And sunshine galore

Summer, please never end.

Late Nights

Moments to Frame

Memories to make

Movies to watch

And little sisters to love

These are what summer nights are made of...

Journaling

I have always loved writing down my thoughts...from documenting family vacations to writing short stories, I have small journals full of everything in-between. However, it wasn't until a small group Christmas party that I really started journaling.

My sweet friend Shelbi, who is one of the most grounded role models I know, gave me the best Christmas gift I could have asked for. She had this journal that I commented on more times than I can count. She took it everywhere with her and I watched the pages fill up throughout the year. I admired from afar, but had never even thought about getting my own. When I unwrapped my secret Santa gift, my heart filled with joy as I saw the familiar green cover under the wrapping.

She had written a genuine and heartfelt note about why she journals and I still go back and read that to this day. She encouraged me to pick up a pen and give my burdens to God, and wow has that drastically changed my life.

"You will be amazed at the blessings that will come out of this small tool."

Seven years later...I have a stack full of journals and pages filled with sweet truth, unashamed tears, countless prayers, heartfelt worries, heavy burdens, monumental milestones, and incredible praises glorifying our ever-sovereign and faithful God. Years of life, dozens of pages, and one God who never ceases to stop listening. Journaling has become one of the sweetest parts of my walk with the Lord and I am forever grateful for the days I can go back and read the journey He has taken me on and continue walking, and writing, page-by-page, my day-to-day struggles, joy-filled moments, and the continued unknowns of this grace-filled life we live.

Every leap of faith has moments of uncertainty...

The beginning of the school year for a teacher...who is not teaching...

This summer and beginning of August has been full of so many emotions as this is the first year that I am certified as a teacher and could be setting up my own classroom and welcoming in little ones. Feelings of making the wrong decision, of feeling behind, of second guessing my path that I am on... However, even though I am not "teaching in a classroom," I know my year will be full of teachable moments, both as the teacher and the student.

"Don't dig up in doubt what you planted in faith." -Elisabeth Elliot 

My journey through the Forge isn't the same path that most of my friends/fellow teachers are on, but as one of my mentors and Education professor's said, "Stay focused on your purpose - you KNOW you are walking in His will and being completely obedient. Don't think of it as a delay to teaching - you were called to do this work and you answered in complete faith."

This isn't how I imagined spending my first August out of college, but it is neat to know that this is where I am right now, and I will continue walking in it and trusting that it is where I am supposed to be.

"The fear of making a wrong decision shouldn't strip the faith right out of our faith." 

"As long as you desire to please God with your decisions, no decision you make will be completely awful. Nor will any decision you make be completely awesome. Every decision is a package deal of both. Every thrill has an element of risk. Every leap of faith has moments of uncertainty. And every great success story has elements of failure."

-Lysa TerKeurst, "The Best Yes"

In these moments of uncertainty, I am holding fast to the faith that I have, and trying my best to walk daily in obedience and trust. I am thankful for everyone who is walking alongside of me in this journey. I can't say thank you enough for every prayer, donation, word of encouragement, and support.

With so much love and thankfulness, and a heart learning to trust...

http://www.journeythroughtheforge.blogspot.com/