Since I am not a mother yet I thought I would step away from the three topic design I’ve been using for this Total Truth challenge. Today I’m going to open my heart and freely share it on this topic. This has been something that I’ve wanted to write about for a while now but I didn’t know if the time was right. I wrote most of this below almost four months ago and then saved it as a draft for a later time. When I saw that Kids/Parenting was one of the topics I knew that God was pushing me to finally dig this up and share it. 

{my favorite book from when I was a kid}

If I were completely honest I would tell you that I have been fighting some serious "baby fever" ever since Peter put that wedding band on my finger. One thing I’ve always wanted to be is a Mommy. Even when I was a little girl I would beg my cousins to play doctor with me so I could put a baby doll under my shirt, and when they would pull out the little girl or boy, I would instantly become a mom. I would hold the baby and rock it, feed it with a pretend bottle and wrap it up in a blanket. I absolutely loved it.

Now that we are in this new season of life and enjoying marriage, people often ask when we will be starting a family. That is such a tough question.

When is the right time?

Time is a funny thing. If someone would have told me two years ago that I would be married to Peter and writing about starting a family I probably would have passed out. Two years ago the Lord was preparing my heart and stirring Peter’s heart. We were at a crossroads in our relationship and we were bravely crossing it together, with the Lord’s guidance. He was connecting the pieces for both of us, so we could become one as husband and wife.

Now that we are in this oneness, I sometimes wonder what to do with it. He calls us to multiply and further His kingdom with our family. That is something that I feel in my heart is so right and I want to be worthy of that. At times I want to start down that path, sprinting full force and then like a light switch being turned off, I realize that I am so content and happy enjoying married life, with just the two of us. I also know that once baby comes along one day it will never be "just the two of us" again and that is something that I don't want to give up yet.

That confusion always points me toward prayer. I pray that we use this time wisely so we are prepared when that new season arrives. Not just flowing through this season but soaking it in. Learning from each other and listening for His commands. There are times when I sit in the silence and pray for our future babies. Pray for their health and for their hearts. I pray that we will have the strength and knowledge to lead them with a Godly love, full of grace. I pray that we point them toward Christ every day with our words and our actions.

Out of the many things I have learned about the way God works, His control is my most favorite thing. It makes me feel safe and loved. We can try and master our plans and design our future, but in the end it is all His. So for now I will be thankful. I will pray that I yearn for a closer relationship to my Maker every day. I will love my husband and pray that I will be a great helper for him, so that he can lead our family well. I will prepare my heart for the next season of life, whatever that may be, because I know that He is at the center of it no matter what.

you can check out my other Total Truth Thursday posts below!

Marriage // Fashion

Social Media // Friendship

Modesty

Hello Again Littles.

It seems that every time I take a little blogging break for any reason, I always want to jump back into things with a “Littles” post. I know the fact that my love for all those little moments in life has a lot to do with it. When I haven’t been able to update this space much I think it makes sense to take a little step back into it. So, without any more blabbing, here are some little things that have made me smile recently!

let me just state the obvious and say that the new design is so gorgeous and I am so, so happy with it // the way my heart flutters when I see Peter and that sweet smile of his after a few days apart, it kills me in the best way possible // all of the deals I found while doing some outlet shopping with Mom. It was gooood, ladies, and definitley needed // the many laughs that were enjoyed during the girls weekend in Charleston. Not just chuckles but those deep, belly hurting, kind of laughs that make you realize how precious the people in your life are

Mimosas to celebrate finishing the Cooper River Bridge Run,

thanks to the fabulous, Auntie Lynne. More on the fun weekend, soon!

*also, if you are interested in revamping your blog then I highly suggest you contact the talented, Kelly Hipsher. She is so talented and can do anything from blog designs to invitation designs.
Thank You, Kelly, for the amazing design. I love it!!
{kellyhipsher@gmail.com}

Total Truth // Modesty

I’m not going to lie, when I saw that we had to share our heart about Modesty I didn't really know where to start, so I went to the definition. There were three different ways that the work modesty can be used and I have been sharing three topics on all of my Total Truth Thursday posts so that really helped a lot! I thought about each definition and tried to relate it to my life. What they all mean to me and how I think about modesty on a daily basis. 

 

1// assessment

Being a modest person with your life and your achievements is such a wonderful quality to have. One of my biggest pet peeves in people is when someone is boastful. I prefer to look at everything in my life as a blessing and when you think about it in that way, you can't help but have a sense of modesty. Acting like you are entitled to something is such a nasty habit. When you are truly thankful for something you can share it more openly and freely which is a beautiful thing.

2// amount

I'm a sucker for a sale and it causes me sincere pain to buy anything at the full price because I feel that one of the best ways to show your modesty is in your purchases and lifestyle. Yes, I may have a beautiful Coach purse but you may not know that it was the first (and probably last) Coach purse that I ever purchased. I bought it with a gift card and at a special 70% off price + free shipping. I don't think badly on anyone that pays full price for a purse, shoes, clothing, etc., but I just know that is something that I can't do personally. It may seem cheap but I prefer to call it frugal or thrifty! 

3//appearance

This is something that unfortunately, I have not always practiced, but the way that you carry yourself and dress is a huge way to express modesty. In my younger years I would enjoy tinier pieces of clothing, but lately in my "older" years and these recent months as a wife I seriously consider what I choose to wear. This does not mean that I won't wear a pair of shorts in the summer or wear a bikini by the pool. I believe that 90% of modesty is how you carry yourself. If you carry yourself with grace then that is the most important factor.

All of those points aren’t life changing. I don’t constantly think about being modest, but I can honestly say that it has thankfully been branded into who I am by my family. I was raised in a modest family and with modest friends so I count that as a huge blessing. The little things in life are what make me happy and I personally love it that way.

you can check out my other Total Truth Thursday posts below!

Marriage // Fashion

Social Media // Friendship

Six Months.

We celebrated our six month anniversary on Saturday night by opening the bottle of wine that we purchased on our honeymoon in Sonoma and I made dinner for Peter. When I was working on my 101 in 1001 list and added #48, I didn't realize at the time how much Peter would really help me cook on a normal basis. He enjoys it and I enjoy his help so much. Plus, having him around in the kitchen a lot is fun.

After our busy Saturday of running errands we had a little break of rain which was unexpected. Peter worked in the yard and I painted the chicken coop so by the time dinner came around he was relaxing in the living room while I started to prepare dinner. He asked if I needed help but I gladly said no. I wanted him to rest and I also wanted to make dinner for him. He is always so helpful around the house and I really appreciate that, so it was really nice to do something for him and just let him sit back and enjoy it. By the time dinner was ready it was time for him to open the bottle of wine. Then we sat down and enjoyed our dinner and wine together. The dinner wasn't anything fancy, just some ravioli that I picked up from Costco and a can of sauce from Publix; simple but definitely tasty. And the wine (B.R. Cohn, 2010 Sonoma Valley Zinfandel) tasted even better than we remembered!! 

& here is the fun story behind those gorgeous flowers since I’m sure you are wondering! ;)

Tulips are my favorite. They are such a happy flower and they have always made me smile. I came home from work on Friday to find a vase of tulips and a card waiting in the kitchen. I gasped, looking at Peter thinking he has done the unimaginable, (he isn't the buying flowers type) and he flashed that sneaky grin and said they aren't from me! I grabbed the card with confusion and read it while tears filled my eyes. My sweet friend all the way in Missouri sent me my favorite flowers for our “Half-A-Versary” and I could have burst. It completely made my day. Not only am I blessed with this amazing man as my husband but I also have some equally amazing friends. Thanks Cassie & Matt for the beautiful flowers - we loved them!!! 

During the last six months of marriage I have learned a lot. Some big things and some little things, but through all these things I know with my whole heart that this marriage is good. It is such a wonderful blessing in our life and I’m so thankful for it. We work hard to love each other but that can be easy after only six months of doing it as husband and wife. My prayer for our marriage is to never stop learning together and loving each other on purpose. During the many years in our future together I know there will be ups and downs but I want to try my hardest to love and appreciate the man that the Lord has given me. Six months is nothing in the grand scheme of things but it has been absolutely everything to me. 
I'm so thankful!

Taking Stock 002

Making // more roasted chickpeas soon. I'm slightly obsessed.

Cooking // potatoes for dinner with my community group tonight. Cheeeeeesy potatoes!
Drinking // ice water
Reading // recently purchased Sense and Sensibility so I can work on #93 on my 101 in 1001 list. Haven't started it yet. 
Wanting // more of the white chocolate mousse yogurt with peanut butter sauce that I just devoured with Jocie. Dessert before dinner tonight was nice!
Looking // out at the backyard and the garden that we started to plant. I really love it. 
(Photos above from working in the yard on Sunday) 
Wasting // time online shopping since I never really buy anything. 

Sewing Crocheting // changed this one so I could actually answer it. Nothing yet. But soon!

Wishing // shoes didn't cost so much. I really hate spending money on shoes.
Enjoying // this fabulous spring weather we are having!
Liking // the book a Genesis.
Wondering // still confused about the series finale of How I Met Your Mother. I honestly can't believe what happened and I did not like it. Personally I think it was a huge let down after nine seasons!
Loving // the fact that Peter came home early from his work trip this week. I think all his trips should only be one night! 
Hoping // for a few new freckles on my nose & cheeks after the next several months!
Marveling // over Psalm 9:1-2. love it.
Needing // a haircut.
Smelling // the Body Shop mango body butter. Mmmm!
Wearing // polkadots!
Following // the weather updates for this weekend. Come on sunshine!!!
Noticing // how much I really love my new glasses. I hardly ever take them off. 
Knowing // that I really need to drink more water during the day.
Thinking // about how much I crave coffee instead of water while at work. It might be a problem.
Bookmarking // the Home & Garden magazine that I have a subscription for thanks to my Grandma. Another sentence I thought I'd never type.
Opening // my bible a lot less than I should. Working on that problem.
Giggling // at how crazy our little chicks are! They are so funny. 
Feeling // happy.