A little over a month ago I was presented with an opportunity and at the time I didn't really think much of it. Almost two months ago I started the Ezer study at my church and I remember praying and asking for God to open doors that will give me a chance to become an Ezer and learn from a new experience. It wasn't until last week that I realized just how He had answered my prayers.

The opportunity that sort of fell in my lap wasn't anything too serious. I didn't even think it was a chance for growth at first but soon after I realized this change could be a good one, so I decided to pursue it. I went full force with my heart and felt positive about this chance and honestly felt very optimistic about it also. Then there was the wait period that was not fun… it seemed to take forever for a decision to be made but I was right at the end of my Ezer study so I tried to focus on that. Putting my energy and my thoughts on Him and not myself but still going out of my way to be a helper to those around me and trying to be patient.

Last week a decision was made and it wasn't the one I was hoping for. It burned. It made me a little bit sad, a little big angry and a little bit relieved. It wasn't until I actually heard the news that I realized this was the door opened for me. This was my chance to grow and to learn how to be an Ezer even when it wasn't expected of me. To step up and help others during a very busy season of my life purely because that is what I am called to do. I was sharing the news with my Ezer Group and I typed this…

 “I do wish it would have worked out but I have a sneaky feeling that the Lord was trying to teach me something instead. The way He shows us love and allows us to grow within His love always amazes me.”

And it’s true. We are safe within His love and we will be taken care of. As long as I’m living my life to glorify Him and not myself I know that the outcome will be okay. I will grow and I will be able to step back and look at the big picture that he arranged before me and honestly, that is the most important part about this journey. Being able to step back and see what the Lord has done.

**I'm also linking up for the first time with The Wiegands blog. 

I thought this was a perfect post to share my heart. If you have never read Casey's blog I would hop on over, it is such a wonderful read and a beautiful family! 

delight.

Last night was the last meeting for my Ezer study group and I'm so happy that we decided to do another bible study together. This group of women is so wonderful and I'm so thankful that I had a chance to be a part of it. It's amazing how we are all so different but still so similar. I've always wished I could find a group of "church girls" to connect with but it hasn't ever happened. When I decided to sign up for this study I was hopeful for a connection and I had a good feeling about it. Normally I am the type of person to quit something half way through but each week I found myself looking forward to our weekly meeting and every week would last a little longer thanks to the talking and laughing after and before our Ezer discussions. 

This is normally where I would add some pictures from our weekly meetings. Sharing all the yummy snacks, the beautiful faces and the little details of our study but the pictures I have can't be used. I prefer to keep these new friendships so I won't share our big smiling faces all covered in a delightful, green face mask from our lovely spa night. That would just be rude.

I will however tell you that I've enjoyed every second with these wonderful women and I am so thankful for them already. I can't wait to see how God will move within our friendships during the next study and hopefully the many after that. I'm looking forward to all the honest and open talks about our struggles and our doubts. I can't wait for many more moments when we are all laughing (and snorting) so hard that we can't help but cry. I'm excited about the growth within our group and the growth within myself because of all the love and knowledge that these ladies will pour into my life. The following quote is from the Ezer study and I absolutely love it.... 

"True beauty, true delight is found in a woman who is fearfully and wonderfully made and who reflects the image of God within her. Being a source of delight to others is not marginalizing, nor is it weakness." 

These women are a source of delight for me and I pray that I can be the same to them. I am praying for the Lord to prepare my heart during the next two weeks off so I will be ready for this next step. I'm so looking forward to it, I know it will be amazing!  

Kitchen Re-do // part two

Now that I have shared my inspiration {or pinspiration, ha! I'm a dork} on the Part One post I thought I'd share some of the results after the week of work on our kitchen! First of all let me say how amazing my Uncle is and I'm so glad that he does this for a living. I can't imagine anyone else doing the work on our first home. 

There are still some changes to be made but I will leave those little details for later. For right now this is our lovely kitchen and it is complete torture to not stop by every day and just stand and look at it. I will be so happy when we are husband and wife and I can spend all the time I want in this space. Anyways... enough blabbing. Here are a some of the before pictures, during pictures and the latest {almost} finished pictures! 

^^^shout out to the future hubs for sanding the butcher block

island and applying the mineral oil! 

ahhhh.... I love it so much. The to do list is starting to have some exciting check offs and let me tell ya, it feels good! 

uno, dos, tres....

On Saturday I had my third shower. Yes, my third. This might seem like a lot but when your friend at work asks to give you a shower you say thank you. And when your aunt and cousins ask to give you a shower you say thank you. And then when your three best friends and bridesmaids ask to give you a shower you say, "Can it be a Couple's Shower?!?" All of the showers have been so wonderful but I knew I wanted my man to be with me for this one. I'm so thankful for all the work that the five lovely women below put in for our Fiesta! I was blown away by all the details from the sugar rimmed sangria glasses (thanks Joc) to the fun games in the back yard. All the little details came together perfectly and it couldn't have been better.  

^^^ the beautiful and so sweet hostesses!!! I'm so thankful for these women!

^^^ making a hostess gift is my most favorite thing about having a shower... absolutely love it.

I also think I've found a new love for stamping! 

^^^ that time Peter almost killed a few people when he hit the pinata across the yard! 

^^^ With our Mama's! 

^^^ I mean, look at that face.... goodness, I love him!!! 

^^^ I think he is winking about my excitement for the yard gloves....?

^^^ a little dance action happened late in the night. Katie going old school with Bye Bye Bye and Jocie contemplating the next song choice. 

^^^ River Deep, Mountain High... gotta break out the Celine Dion. 

We had such a wonderful time with our friends and with all the laughing and celebrating I couldn't help but think about how much fun our wedding night will be. We are truly so blessed to have so many friends that are so freaking awesome. That's all I can really say about them. 

& I love them. 

Sunshine

Sometimes you just need a little sunshine and a sweet bible verse to make your soul happy. After a lot of rain and a busy week it was such a treat to look up from my desk on a Friday afternoon and see the sun shining. It instantly made me think about His love and His grace. The way that the clouds just keep on going in the clear blue sky. How all the clouds are higher than the tree tops. Whenever I see days like this I can’t help but feel closer to my Maker. The morning can always start off dark and gloomy but with His hand everything can be wiped clean again. He is such an artist and I love those moments where I can just stand back and admire all He has made. Even though it's back to the rain now I am glad I got a little bit of blue skies and fluffy clouds for a short while. Crossing my fingers for a beautiful clear day tomorrow!!

I hope that you all have a happy weekend full of warm fuzzy moments because those kind of moments are the best!!

Kitchen Re-do // part one

Right now we are smack dab in the middle of our kitchen renovation. We aren’t going all out and changing everything but I feel like the things we are changing will make a BIG difference. I'm very thankful for my super talented uncle who is completing the handy work and I can’t wait to see the final product!! Here are a few of my inspiration photos that I shared with him…

VIA The Inspired Room

I can't find the website for this picture anywhere... but I love it.

VIA Modern Jane Design

VIA Apartment Therapy

Obviously I’m a fan of the Gray, White and Earthy style. I’m also a huge fan of subway tile with the white and gray granite but that will happen a little bit later. For right now I am super excited to have all the color updates completed.

The kitchen has always been my favorite part of a house. It’s where things are done. Where food is made and as cheesy as it sounds, memories are made there too. I’m so looking forward to all the hustle and bustle that our kitchen will see from parties, holidays and also the average daily interactions between a husband and a wife. I’m pretty excited about all of it.

I will be sharing the progress with our kitchen next week once I have some before and after pictures so stay tuned!!

Thanks-living // May

For the month of May I feel like I’ve become a little bit repetitive but I honestly can’t help it. My life right now is all about planning for the wedding & house. Even with all these plans I still feel thankful. At times it can be a little overwhelming and I may want to hide under the covers and not get out of bed in the morning but I also know that the Lord doesn’t give me anything I can’t handle. It will all work out and everything will be happy in the end.

1. I’m thankful for this guy and his thirtieth year on this earth. It was a wonderful month with lots of celebrations from weddings to birthday and I’m so thankful to have him around to celebrate with because I kind of love him a lot. And he just makes things better.

2. All these pretty, bright colors that will fill our future house makes me smile so big. I can’t wait to have dinner with family and friends in our bright blue dining room one day… it will be wonderful!

3. This lady is also making me so thankful this month. It was an interesting thing to find out that I had a second cousin that I have so much in common with. It’s kind of crazy. She was super sweet to help me paint the study over the weekend and using that time to get to know her more was so much fun. Becoming friends with Meghan has been one of the best parts of 2013 so far and I’m so looking forward to all the many memories in our future!!

4. This woman. I really can’t even start to explain how thankful I am for my Mom. She has been so wonderful during all these wedding/house plans and she even found me my favorite piece of furniture so far. More on him later… yes, I named him because he really is that awesome.

May came and went way too quickly. Everyone said that that September would be here before I knew it and I knew they were right but it really is shocking. I feel torn most days… parts of me want to slow the time down and enjoy all the planning and details but the other parts of me want to hit fast forward even faster and then hit pause on September 28^th so I can just sit and enjoy it all. If only I had those options but I don’t. It is June now and before I know it July will be here then August followed by September and then October will arrive and I will be the happiest girl on the planet. I have a feeling October is going to be pretty awesome!