February is off to a busy start and we have another busy weekend with family in town for a wedding. I'm excited to have a fun time with a lot of cousins that we don't see that often, especially since one sweet cousin is staying with us! This week was a long one since Solomon was sick for the beginning of it but I think he is finally back to normal. I'm praying we are in the clear of any viral funk or bug now, I can't handle my sweet boy being sick anymore. Hope you all have a great weekend!!!

Using my new camera and pretending to be a photographer for a sweet friend on Sunday was a huge highlight for me! It was so much fun to capture their excitement about there little boy on the way. I left so excited and told Peter I wanted to become a photographer, for real!!! 

Co-sleeping at it's best, the mornings are my favorite!!!! I'm so torn about our sleeping arrangement and what to do to try and help Solomon sleep better at night. To night wean, or not to night wean, that is the question.... 

I was a happy lady last night thanks to an awesome pizza spot that gives a free pizza of your choice for your birthday! High five, Sidewall Pizza!!!! Sign up for the Birthday Pizza if you are local in Greenville, SC! 

my awesome party.

I was so excited about my party, mainly because I didn't know much about it! I knew the location and that we'd be eating BBQ, but other than that, everything was a surprise. My mom had been planning and working on this party for a while, so I knew it would be perfect! Every detail was so pretty and I absolutely loved spending the evening with so many people that I love. 

Gorgeous cake & cupcakes by my cousin, as always! 

She is so talented!!!

The best part was the gorgeous photo booth wall that my mom made! She used my cricut machine and made every one of the flowers, gluing them together piece by piece. I was in love with how it turned out. 

Cousins! 

The whole family! ^^Even Peter's sister in NJ made the picture thanks to FaceTime! ;) 

I wish we could have had one big picture with both sides, but that's impossible.... 

The wonderful party planner!

It was such a perfect night!! Full of laughs, good food and celebrating the past thirty years! I can't wait to see what is in store for the next thirty!!! 

weekly three.

It's my birthday!! I'm 30... it's pretty crazy but I'm excited!!! I have always loved birthdays and this one is a big one. My mom has worked her booty off for my party tonight and I am so excited to see what she has done (She is seriously THE BEST EVER!) & also see all of my sweet family and friends. It's going to be such a wonderful night!!! Hope you all have a weekend full of fun, as well!! 

Lunch dates and play dates and momma's catching up after way too long dates! 

Manicure because you only turn thirty once, I also died laughing when the guy doing my nails asked if I was in high school or college.... 

Hot yoga, twice in one week, after years of not making time for it. You should feel my arms and legs right now.... oh my, I definitely feel thirty ;)

a new decade.

"There is a continuity between who you are now and who you will be in eternity.... people think that this is what's going to happen, that when I die, I prayed this prayer and I became a Christian, and that when I die then I'm going to be different than I am now. And the truth is, you will be different then, but you will be a purer version of who you are then..... purer in the sense of, less mixed. So if the root of who you are in this life, is that I'm not generous, then when you get into eternity, you aren't going to be generous there either...... what happens is, God's either restraining grace is removed, and you become a purer version of who you are in your sin when you die, because we are all experiencing His common grace now. Or when you die, you become a purer version of who you are and your glorified. Either condemnation or glorification..... you become a purer version of who you are."

I honestly can't think of a better way to start a new decade than to have a light bulb go off in your head like I did over the weekend. The above quote is from the sermon at our church on Sunday and it stepped all over my toes. It made me ask some really hard questions and it couldn't have come at a better time. Starting a new decade in my life is something I've been looking forward to. The twenties were fun and exciting but now that I have settled into this life the Lord has given me, I want to dig in deep and live every day doing His work.
I want my thirties to be all His.

When I look back at my twenties I see a lot of selfishness, but thankfully I see so much of His grace, as well. He cleaned up parts of my life that were full of the enemy and sin. He gave me this wonderful family that I have the privilege to love on every day, and I sincerely hope that I always point them to Christ. My husband is the biggest blessing in my life. I'm not saying he is perfect, or that our marriage is perfect, but he continues to make it easy to love him and need him daily. Watching him become a dad and lead our family and our home has been one of the sweetest things I've ever experienced. I'm so thankful to have such a loving and kind man for Solomon to look up to. He is clearly obsessed with his daddy, and I don't blame him one bit.

Becoming a mother was probably the biggest life altering moment I've ever experienced. It let me hold and grasp something that was so much bigger than just myself. It brought me closer to God in a way I could have never imagined. Trusting in Him completely and resting in His goodness throughout pregnancy, labor and now parenthood has been such a wonderful adventure.

God has also surrounded me with so many women that love the Lord and call out the dirtiness in my life when they see it. They help me see what is right, and they keep me accountable in a way that only a lovingly sister in Christ can do. I can't wait to see how the relationships I have will evolve and become even sweeter as we stumble through our thirties together. I'm so thankful to have them with me to help me remember what is important and to keep me laughing along the way.

So here I am, the day before I'm thirty, and I'm excited to see what the future holds. I pray that my decisions will be made in love for others and rooted in the God who loves us. I want to glorify Him in every little and big thing I do. In the way I love my family, the way I help my husband, the way I talk to my son, the way I wake every morning and go to sleep at night. All of this life, dying to myself, and living in Him. The twenties were sweet, but oh how I believe my thirties will be even sweeter. 

Goals // 2.17

I really missed having these goals last year, and I didn't have a chance to do my January goals, since it was a crazy month. But, I'm excited to start February off with a list of goals I'd like to have completed the twenty-eighth! 

February Goals

1 // finish up the organization & set a cleaning schedule that works

2 // start planning our trip to Asheville in April

3 // have a set time everyday to have some "school time" with Solomon 

4 // try three new dinner recipes 

5 // keep up the hot yoga classes at least once a week