{navigating through change}

i'm currently in what i've been calling my 'first retirement'.

although i consider myself 'graduated', i have a single, 3 hour, elective summer class.  this means that i can't technically work until june 22nd.  this also means that i have been applying for real jobs, and at the same time, trying to apply for temporary jobs for the summer.  currently, there's been nothing except 'we'll give you a call back in a few days!' (which have yet to be returned...)

therefore, i'm 'retired'.  while this sounded fabulous in the beginning, i'm getting stir-crazy.  thankfully, i've inherited a desire to not sit from both of my parents.  i've been running, i've started going through my accumulation at my house, i've been looking for a new place to live (anyone with a suggestion of a nice/cheaper 1-2 bedroom place would be great).

basically i'm trying to use this time as a replenishing time.  grad school was hard.  it was busy.  it was stressful.  i also know the real world, no matter how much i hope to love my job, will also be hard and stressful and busy.  i want to use this time to relax, to replenish what was used, and to grow.

{sister visits}

i love my sister!  she just left lexington after a quick visit...

we had a blast exploring lexington- even visiting a few places i haven't been before!  we started the day at J & H outdoor... she's leaving for wyoming in a few days for camp, so we attempted to find a new backpack.  no luck, but oh well.  we also explored some vintage stores and antique shops.  kacy found some super cute jewelry and i got a fun yellow stoneware bowl and a sweet uk mug.  we went to feather your nest (it's always looked fun, but i've never gone in).  it was really fun!

it looks like a salad bowl in this picture, but it's actually pretty big

mason jar meets mug meets uk... awesome!

this weekend is race for the cure with my whole family (aunts, uncles, cousins!) and friends, followed by fun at the lake.  can't wait to spend the weekend with some of the people i love the most :)

{MARRIAGE!}

this past weekend, one of my best friends and former roommate got married :)  erica is super crafty, and the wedding exemplified that!  it was so cute, and the joy was so apparent between her and her new hubby, john.

i'm so thankful for my 4 best friends i met at uk.  we met as freshman at csf, and from there, we just couldn't stay away from each other!  we eventually moved into a house on waller avenue, took a 2 year hiatus while katie and i lived with a fabulous family, then moved back in for another 2 years until erica left me for john ;)

freshman year after we all decided to live together

the wedding was perfect... erica (who is not a morning person) was for some reason super excited to get up and was wide awake at 6 am (no clue why she was excited...). it was off to the church to get ready!

now on to the super crafty things my roommate made for her own wedding.  it was adorable and awesome and i keep trying to convince her to make these to sell on etsy.  the girl would have a great business!

cake topper on a homemade cake.  is this not the cutest cake topper you've ever seen?

she made all the flowers. her's had a broach from a great grandmother and a hankie that all the women who have married have carried.

our flowers

ring bearer and flower girl items.  i'm in love with the pillow!

she sewed the wedding date into the dress. and she wore toms.  

all dressed up at the reception!

all smiles.... a beautiful wedding of 2 beautiful people :)

ewwwww!  well... ok... you ARE married

awwww surrounded by cupcakes!

it was a beautiful day and i'm so excited to have these 2 in my life forever :)  congratulations on your marriage!  love you both

{news}

have you ever watched the news?

sometimes i can't stand to watch it... i can't stand to hear about another teen shot, another celebrity divorce, another child abuse case turned tragedy...
i know that bad news 'sells'.  i know stories of love and joy and a hope of the future don't 'sell', but i love when i come across those.

i wish more stories like these would make the news.  those of a couple married for 60 years who instead of retiring and sitting around have become compassion advocates and sponsoring 12 kids!
other stories, while sad, remind me of the hope of Jesus and the strength of young parents as they fight to prevent other parents from going through a horrible diagnosis of their child, yet fighting with joy because they know they'll see their daughter again.

these are the stories i wish would be in the news.  stories of marriages succeeding, Jesus providing joy and hope, stories of healing.

just thinking... how would people respond if they read of joy and hope each day instead of misery and pain?

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.