Wore: Dreaming of FALL

I know, I know, it's a bit early.

It is far from feeling like Fall round these Texas parts.
But with all of the back to school prep happening, and pumpkins and scarecrows already in the stores, I can't help but start thinking about dressing for fall.

These are my most favorite pair of boots in the whole wide world.
I scored them at Old Navy a couple of years ago, and no other boots have ever compared.

Each year when summer ends and little glimpses of fall begin to show, I start itching to bring them out.
90 degree weather or not, if Hobby Lobby has there fall decor out, I can pull my favorite boots out, right?

I love this "Dreaming of Fall" High/Lo dress from Kintage. 

The color, the fabric, the whole "easy" yet trendy look of it...

Since it was a little on the "too short" side for me in the front,

I decided it was the perfect excuse to bust out my black tights and brown boots. I wasn't sure how it would all come together, but I ended up loving the whole look. The dress and tights could even be worn with either some cute flats, or strappy wedges too.

I love it when you find one piece that is so versatile. 

 

The criss cross straps in back add interest to the back for when I wear it alone like this,
 but I can also see the dress with a cute striped cardigan and/or a scarf when the weather gets colder.

Now if only it would.....

You hear that Texas? time to start cooling down!

Dress:  c/o Kintage

Black Tights: Express

Brown Boots: Old Navy
Jewelry: a mix from my shop & f21

Kintage has a ton of fun, well-priced pieces, from jewlery to purses to dresses.
Find something you love, and use code "laura" for %15 off your order!
{ps this dress comes in a pretty blue color that I was totally torn between!}

Versatile pieces like this dress, tights and boots will be my fall bff's.

What about you? What are some of your fall favorites?

Project Hope Raffle Winner & Morning Show Segment!

I first want to thank every one of you for donating to Project Hope and making the raffle a big success! We raised $515!! The funds raised will go straight to Project Hope and creating these 100 memory boxes for families across San Antonio. 

You played a part in spreading a bit of hope to these 100 families!
Thank you!!!

Also to the shops who donated items to the raffle. Thank you for your hearts for this cause and for your generosity! I am praying increase into your lives for your hearts to give! 

The winner of the raffle was drawn randomly through Random.org.

103 comments were left and number 40 was picked.

And that was...

Tracy

August 21, 2012 6:18 PM

Entry #1. Great cause! Love your heart and vision:-)
tgholson@suddenlink.net

Tracy I am so excited for you! Email me with your address and I will get you hooked up with your goodies!!

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Ok so, Friday I told you about the short segment I taped with one of our local morning shows. 

Well here it is!

There is so much I could have said and would have liked to say, but I'm believing the heart and cause of Project Hope was shown, and a seed was planted in getting Project Hope made known in our community.
I know this is just the beginning and I am already looking into ways to expand it beyond San Antonio!!
 

  God has been so amazing you guys. It is just a testimony even to me, for how He will bless your endeavors when you are obedient to the call He puts on your life.

He gets all the glory. 

Now, Please don't count the amount of times I said "um" without even realizing it. 

Please also know I had some awesome leopard heels on too, you just can't see them ;)

xo

our week

last sunday, my sisters, dad and i did our first run together for training for the rock n roll half marathon in november. we did a 3 mile run in my parents neighborhood. lots of hills. lots of sun. my 58 year old dad kept up with us 20-30 something year old girls.

my sister vanessa lives in houston, so although training doesn't officially start until this coming monday {the 27th} we wanted to do a run together to sort of kick it off, and then we probably wont run all together until race day when she can come back again. she made us laminated training schedules, color coded for each of us. she is a bit ocd. we used to call her danny tanner back in our full house days. tell me you know what im talking about.

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on wednesday i was blessed with the opportunity to tape a short segment about project hope, for one of our local morning shows here in san antonio. i don't remember much of what i said. this is usually good because it means i didnt try to think too much, which causes me to say "um" a lot.

i do remember repeatedly telling myself to sit up straight.

also, as a mom i am used to having something in my hands {usually a small child} to sort of use as a buffer, or just to keep my hands busy. Sitting there, empty handed felt awkward so i kept wanting to reach over to the ottoman in front of us and grab the lovey bear they had out for display.

oh and also i was wearing a huge chunky necklace and they told me to try not to move around too much because it was right by the mic they had clipped to my shirt.

try not to move. 

don't say um. 

sit up straight. 

be sure to include all of the important points about project hope. 

sit up straight.

and then it was over just like that, and it went well, i think.

except for my awkward longing to hold the lovey bear in front of me. but maybe no one will notice.

in all seriousness, i was really grateful they were willing to fit me in so i could talk about the Project Hope Crafting for a Cause event coming up on the 31st. it was a lot of fun, an amazing oppurtunity and i am so thankful to represent project hope. the title under my name that comes up on screen says "founder of project hope"....seeing that made this all a whole lot more real. 

God is just good ya'll.

i may or may not have a link to watch the segment on monday if you care to see it.

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we had "meet the teacher" last night at asher's new school. last year, for kindergarten he went to our churches school. it was a good way to ease him {and me} in to school. it felt good to know that he was surrounded by people i knew and people who cared for him.  but this year after a lot of prayer,  we decided to send him to the school 1.5 miles from our house. our church is on the other side of town from us and takes a good 35 minutes to get to without traffic. the days were much longer, because he couldn't just come home after school, he had to wait until Brandon was done with work.

with him going to the school by our house, he will be able to come right home after school. it also just feels good to know he is close by and that he'll have plenty of time to relax at home and do his homework before it's time to go to bed and start all over.

we walked through his classroom, found his name and put all of his supplies inside of his desk. his teacher seems really structured {which i love} but also really sweet.

 
i've woken up in the middle of the night every night the last couple of weeks, praying for him. believing he'll be a light. he'll be a leader. he'll show God's love.....and that his teacher would totally favor him. is that wrong to pray for?? :)

im excited for this new chapter in his life to begin and watch him grow and learn in a completely new setting, with new experiences and people.

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next week is a big one for us. training begins. asher starts school. project hope craft event is friday. our days of the kids and i sleeping till 9 and not even thinking about what to do with our day until noon, is coming to an end. this is the beginning of a new season in our little family...

pray for us ok?

and also, be sure to check out the project hope raffle happening. we've raised $385 so far!!!

there are some amazing prizes to be won by one lucky person. a $5 donation gets you an entry and you can enter as many times as you'd like! it ends tuesday and ill announce the winner then.

have a good weekend!

xo

on my heart....

I have struggled in the past, with caring too much about what people think of me. With wanting them to like me.  And at times it has been the deciding factor in decisions I've made. In steps I've taken and things I've tried.

Despite the fact that I have always had big dreams and I've always had a heart to do things bigger than myself, I haven't always had the confidence to do them.

I remember clearly a time I had to make a decision that changed me forever. When we found out we were expecting another baby a few months after we had lost Faith. I stayed quiet at first and didn't tell many people.Then we found out it was twins and I struggled even harder with telling people. Because deep down way inside my heart I was afraid, that I would get all excited about twins and announce it and then something would happen again.

But then I also knew that in keeping silent, I was robbing God of praise for our double blessing. And I was allowing what I had been through before, to keep me quiet. Afraid. Hidden.

So instead, I chose to announce it to everyone. Just after our 12 week appointment and seeing two babies jumping around on the ultrasound screen.....We were having twins and we were so excited and we gave God all the glory for our double portion and we chose to tell everyone.

But this wasn't the choice that changed me. 

Just 2 weeks later we lost one of them. Mia's twin didn't make it past 14 weeks. I was pretty devastated. I sat on my bed that afternoon completely defeated. Crying. And the one thing I kept thinking was "what are people going to say."

I wondered if people would want to know when I was going to give up. Why I hadn't. I wanted to shut down. I wanted to cower away from it all and go silent. Bury myself in the covers of my bed and not deal with it.

That is what I wanted to do.  But I didn't. Instead that very day, I opened up this lap top, and I began to share my story. I began to praise Him even in the uncertainty. I began to praise Him for the little girl still healthy and kicking inside. And I wrote it all out for everyone to see. That is where this blog began. To share my story and to give him the glory through it all.

I made a choice that I won't ever hide in the safe shadows. I won't cower from the limelight because I'm worried about what people will think. I won't apologize for the amazing things that happen in our life. I will always give Him all the glory for it all. And I will keep on praising Him even through the struggles.

I realize that what I write about doesn't cater to everyone. I realize that not everyone will like me or agree with me. I realize that not everyone carries a passion for the same things I do. I realize that certain posts won't get much feedback. I realize that I do things a little different than most.

But I'm ok with that.

I made these choices from the very beginning that I would always to stick to who I am, no matter what, and so that's what I do.

I've had a few emails asking questions about blogging and how to get started, how to get yourself out there etc. And I've seen lots of posts written about these topics too.

Truthfully? The best thing I can offer is to be true to who are. Keep being that person, because people will recognize the authenticity in you and be drawn to you no matter what. The less you care about what people think, or being liked, the more "you" shines through.

And that's all people really want.

Project Hope Raffle

All proceeds from this raffle will go directly to Project Hope. 

Project Hope has partnered with an organization called Threads of Love to provide memory boxes given to families who have lost a baby. If you would like to read more about the heart & cause of Project Hope, you may do so  here.

Thank you so much for your giving and for helping us carry hope far & wide. 

Your 5$ donation will enter you into a raffle to receive all of the following:

{you may enter as many time as you'd like. Please leave one comment per entry}

Barnowl Primatives

$75 shop credit

visit the shop

Just Lovely Things

$25 shop credit

visit the blog

visit the shop

Take The Cannoli

choose joy hoop

visit the blog

visit the shop

Recipe For Crazy

you are my sunshine print

visit the blog

visit the shop

Annie Farrar

one hand sewn dress

visit the blog

visit the facebook page

The Vanilla Tulip

yellow floral turban headband

visit the blog

visit the shop

The Pickled Poppy

vintage linens half apron

visit the blog

visit the shop

Lauren Darlings

fold over clutch

visit the blog

visit the shop

Katygirl Designs

$30 shop credit

visit the blog

visit the shop

Heather's Happys

hope necklace

visit the blog

visit the shop

Eclectic Joy Shop

floral infinity scarf

visit the blog

visit the shop

Happy Days by Wifey Singer

two pairs of earrings

visit the blog

visit the shop

Vintage Grey

pink rose tea towel

visit the blog

visit the shop

Bip and Bop

hand stamped heart necklace

visit the shop

visit the facebook page

Bits of Splendor

$25 shop credit

visit the shop

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Again, ONE Winner will get everything you see. 

5$ Per Entry and you can enter as many times as you'd like. 

Leave One Comment For Every Entry/5$ donation.

You do not need to have a blog to enter. 

Please be sure to either have your email attached to your profile, or include it in your comment. 

Winner will be drawn at random using random.org, and announced next Tuesday, August 28th. You will have 48 hours to contact me. If you do not reply within that time, another winner will be chosen.

Simply click  the "Donate to Project Hope" button to enter!

Bits of Splendor Monday {Project Hope Donation Drive}

We had our Project Hope Donation Drive on Saturday.

 I am SO blessed by everyone who came out. We received quite a bit of lovies, about 50 or so frames and cash donations that will go toward purchasing the rest of our craft boxes. 

I have to mention that one particular girl and her mom, drove an hour to bring us frames that she had collected just by posting about it on her facebook page! It was a huge blessing to me and I loved meeting Kristen and her mom! 

 Noisy River on etsy donated this cute banner to us and it worked perfect for our set up!

I had many good friends and family come to show their support to Project Hope and it meant a lot to me. I didn't get a picture of everyone who came out, but you know who are and I love you!

Swoop from the San Antonio Talons came to say hello too. He's a bit of a ladies man, that one. 

A special thanks to my friend Vanessa for keeping me company all day. 

And my friend Monica for keeping me hydrated and full all day ;)

Also especially to Green Baby Resale Boutique for allowing us to use their location! 

The first Project Hope Donation Drive was a success!!

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One item we are still in big need of is the booties. We like to put a crochet hat and set of booties in each box.. Sometimes these are used to dress the baby, or they can be used in a shadow box as a memento.

If you or anyone you know can sew or crochet some little shoes, we need your help! We have about 30 sets, and I am praying we can somehow get 70 more before the 29th! 

If you wouldn't mind spreading the word, that would be awesome! 

I have a link to a tutorial for some fabric crib shoes, if you would like to see it, just let me know.

Tomorrow the Project Hope Raffle begins! Lots of amazing shops have donated items for our raffle, including Barn Owl Primitives, Take the Cannoli, Just Lovely things and lots more! a 5$ donation to Project Hope will get you one entry into the raffle and you can enter as many times as you'd like!

Happy Monday!
Top priortity on my to-do list this week is to enjoy the last week of summer break.
This time next week, I will be the mom of a first grader, who has to be at school by 7:45am.
Heaven help me!

How did you find a bit of splendor in your week?
Grab a button, link it up and share it with us! 

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10 Things About Me

1.I will rarely watch a movie more than once.  It's enough for me to sit through a movie as it is, let alone one where I already know what is going to happen.

2. I like to watch The Real Housewives on hulu while I work on orders late at night. And when there are no new episodes to watch I listen to the Elevation Worship station on pandora. The irony of how drastically different these two things are is not lost on me.

3. My brother in law is also my husbands brother. And my sister in law is also my sister.....

I just made that much more complicated than it needed to be. Basically, my sister and I married brothers. My little sister Jacquelin, and Brandon's little brother Brian, met in high school and dated for a year before Brandon and I met. We met one night when Brandon {my husband} came to pick up Brian {his brother} from our house. Brandon likes to tell this part of the story, because I had another guy there with me at the time. We weren't dating, but Brandon likes to say that we were, as if he came in and swooped me away.

4.This is one of my most favorite pictures of Brandon and I. It was just days before we had Mia. I was so huge, but so happy. 

5.I am not that crazy about starbucks coffee.  I wish I was because sometimes the thought of a starbucks coffee seems so "fun" but then it's always disappointing for me. I prefer my own from home.

6. Right after we lost Faith, I was convinced I wanted to go back to school and become a postpartum nurse. I wanted to be able to be in the room with moms after they lost a baby. I wanted to be able to give them a hug or tell them there was hope. Just days after my c-section, I waddled across the college campus to see a guidance counselor about the steps to get into the nursing program. I was determined and just wanted so badly to do something. I decided to go for my degree in psychology and then hopefully my masters in counseling. My hope was to somehow get into the hospitals, with these families and moms. 

It was in the shower one day, after I'd been struggling back and forth on whether or not to continue with school. I'd been going for about a year, but was struggling with leaving Asher, Bella, and Brandon in the evenings to go to classes. It was hard for me, yet I wanted so badly to being doing something with my story. And then God reminded me of the memory box I was given, and the lovie bear inside and after that, it was all I could think about when I looked at Mia's bear. That's really how Project Hope was born.

7. I still use 'Baby Magic' Baby wash on my kids because I love the way it smells so much.  Even on Asher.

8. I went through a phase when I was around 12 or 13 where I only wore skirts or dresses. I didn't like my legs and felt self conscious in shorts. This memory makes me sad and reminds me now as a woman, how dumb my insecurities are. And even though I am still not crazy about my legs, I will wear shorts now just because I refuse to let dumb insecurities {of any kind} dictate my life. 

9. The term "arm candy" or "arm party"...

I don't get it.

10. I used to love to listen to Andrea Bocelli full volume driving around in my mustang before I met Brandon. I also liked to listen to Kenny G while I fell asleep. I have no idea who that person was.

10 1/2. I cut my own hair once in highschool, and had to curl it every day so you couldn't tell how uneven it was. 

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Ok, now tell me something about you.

have a question for me? Ask away. 

I might make it a blog post if I get a few good questions.

Don't leave me hanging. 

Letting them be

As I write this, I have our back door open, watching the kids from our kitchen table as they jump in out of their little pool.  They've been doing this all morning. And I'm sitting here with my coffee, uninterrupted, soaking it up.

I think there is this pressure. Sometimes it's a guilt. For me to be out there with them. Joining in. You know what pressure I am talking about. It's every where. Be present with your kids, enjoy them. And I do. I know I do. No worries there.

But I also think too, it's really good to let them just be. On their own. With each other. I think it's how they learn too. I think there is a time for it all. And most of it all I think more mamas need to just let their kids "be." To let go of guilt or the pressure to be there, with them, all of the time.

Can I tell you my opinion? Well I'm going to anyway.
I think it's actually not healthy to be there with them 24/7. I think we need to have bits of seperation from them to let them be. To learn on their own. To figure things out for themselves. To problem solve and pretend play. To learn how to relate with one another. It's what kids do best you know?

I guess I'm writing this from a place of being home with them all summer, every day, just about. And trying hard to divide our time between these two places of letting them be, and being present with them. Making memories with them, and letting them make memories for themselves. Growing up, I knew my parents were always there, that I was loved and cared for. And Growing up, I remember strong bonds that were formed with my siblings. Memories that we still talk about. Moments we remember clearly.

The good mom {in my opinion} is not the entertainer, or the cruise director. The good mom is one who just lets her kids be, and knows when it's time to just be with them. 

Am I saying I'm "the good mom"? No. Trust me. I need this reminder too sometimes.

I had an entire afternoon home with Mia the other day. Just she and I. And it was so fun to watch her play alone. It doesn't happen often with a big brother and sister. But I could tell she was relishing in it... In going at her own pace and doing what she wanted. Every now and then she would walk over to me and grab my hand and say "go, mama, go" and I would "go" with her. We would sit and watch Curious George in spurts, or we would read a book, but then she'd be up again to go play on her own. This is the medium I strive for with all of my kids. To always let them know I'm there, let them be secure in that, but to let them be on their own too. I think this is pressure-free parenting. And pressure-free parenting is where I want to be. Not stressed out, drained 24/7 entertainer of the year,parenting.

Let your kids just "be." And then go ahead and take a shower and do your hair while you're letting them. Promise your still a good mom.

Planting Seeds

I'm big on believing that if you have a need, you should look for ways to fill someone elses need. Like if you focus on helping or serving or loving others, then your needs suddenly become much less important. And in the midst of serving and loving and helping? your needs get met too. I think it's just how God works. I think He uses us to fill the need of others and He uses others to fill our needs at the same time. 

 I stood in my garage tonight counting up how many frames we have, and how many lovies we've collected for Project Hope. All of the bags and boxes and special notes from people all over. It was such a blessing to me to literally see the impact of what Project Hope has become. And it makes me excited for what it could still be. 

In a funny way I almost feel selfish for how much every single card or package that comes in, ministers to me. I got a package this week from a sweet girl named Chelsea. She and a couple of other moms got together to make "Seeds of Hope" for the memory boxes. Out of memory for their own babies. 

Forget me not seeds, with a little note attached. I loved it so much. And then I saw a note for me, with some of the seeds for me to plant too, for our girls. And I cried. Just because....Knowing my girls...all of our babies in heaven, they will never ever be forgotten. But beyond that, their names, their lives, will keep living here on earth, planting seeds of hope into the hearts of so many others. My prayer is not that Project Hope would only minister to the moms and families who receive the boxes, but to the many people who's heart and hands have come together to make them special. We all have something to hope for. We all need an anchor to hold on to. And so, hope? It's for everyone. 

With the deadline for donations coming close I wanted to give a quick update for what we have collected and what we still need.

Over the past 2 months, we have collected items for 100 boxes to be filled with:

 -"Hope" prints

-"Hope" hand stamped charms

-Preemie Crochet Hats and Booties

-Hand made hanging wooden hearts, with the word "Hope" in scripted on them

-Seeds of Hope {flower seeds to plant}

-4x6 Frames for the prints to be framed in and made easier for the family to display

-Lovie bears

-Hope Necklaces

-Hair lock bags attached to a card with the verse Matthew 10:30

We've also raised $525 in donations to go toward the purchase of the 100 kraft boxes, and the craft supplies to make each one decorated special at our Craft Event! 

We are still mostly in need of lovie bears and booties. We need 44 more lovie bears and 70 pairs of either crochet booties, or little crib shoes.
Also, we need 20 more "Hope" necklaces for the moms. Simply a hand stamped charm or a pendant with the word Hope.

If you would like to donate any of these items, there is still time and always a need! If we go beyond 100 of any item, it will be used for our next go around, because this is just the beginning of Project Hope! 
Just contact me if you would like to be involved still.

We have a donation drive on Saturday here in San Antonio. You can check out the events page for the details if you are local and would like to stop by! 

Also I wanted to let you know about a couple of shops who are donating a certain amount of the sales of certain items in there shop. If you'd like to do a little shopping and help Project Hope at the same time, here's how!

Pen and Paint

Take the Cannoli

Heathers Happys

And lastly, NEXT TUESDAY I will be hosting a BIG raffle to raise funds for Project Hope. 

So many amazing shops have donated to make this raffle a huge score for one lucky blessed person!

All you have to do is enter! 5$ will get you one entry into the raffle. You can enter as many times as you'd like and leave one comment per entry. One person will win ALL of the items you will see and trust me you will want to win it all! 

You do not have to have a blog to enter! 

I'm excited. You should really be too :)

If you have a shop and would like to donate to the raffle, there is still time, just contact me! 

Bits of Splendor Monday

These two could not be more opposite of each other. Asher begs her to play batman with him and Bella begs him to play "moms and dads" with her. Bella is my morning girl and Asher is our night owl. Bella will try anything, and Asher will only eat a certain group of foods.

They butt heads some times. They get on each others nerves.

My job as a mom and as a parent is to help them learn how to get a long. To help them learn that nobody else is just like them. That our opinions, and likes and dislikes and our interests and our personalities...no one is just like us. We are all so different from one another and unique. 

Thats how God made us. Special and different. 

Asher doesn't understand Bella and Bella doesn't understand Asher. 

As I write this I'm picturing her in my head trying to get Asher to just try one of her oranges. 

"Just try it" she says. 

Thats a simple thing to her. She is always willing to at least try something. 

Asher isn't. He is set in his ways and he likes his routines. 

There's been times where separating them would be so much easier. Where sending them to their rooms to play alone would probably solve the issue

But I don't do that. 

I make them work it out. Figure out how to work the situation so they are both happy. Compromise. 

Learn to adapt and relate. Sometimes it's tiring. Sometimes it leaves me a little drained.

But then there are times when they find that common ground. Figure out a way to blend batman and moms and dads. Build tents and houses and play for hours on end. Chase each other around the house, and always ask where the other is when one isn't around.
...And they'll share a chair, and laugh at the most silliest of jokes that make no sense at all, except to each other.

These times are the ones I'm searching for. The ones I'm working for.
And the ones I'm so thankful to be here for. The ones I hope they'll remember forever.

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Also?
I really want to try this fancy version of rice krispy treats linked up last week
I loved this post from Erin about God breaking our hearts for the things that break His.
and I really wish I had the patience to do this chevron project somewhere in my house.
Good thing I have a patient husband who would probably do it for me ;)

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How did you find a bit of splendor in your week? Grab a button, link it up and share it with us.

finding rest

this has been one of the weirdest weeks ever.
maybe one of the longest too.
i started it out with every intention of getting all kinds of things done. being purposeful with each day to accomplish all of these things ive got floating in my head to do.
but it also started out with brandon fighting off a bad stomach bug, and the kids at the end of the same one. seriously. sickness? you can just go on and leave our house already.

Saturday I realized we were out of diapers, so i left Brandon to rest at home, and took the 3 kids with me to HEB. mistake number one right there. mistake number two was going on a saturday. mistake number three was saying yes to the bus of a cart they begged for, and mistake number four was going to the store hungry and spending 75$ on what was just supposed to be a pack of diapers.

times likes this, i am even more aware of how much weight brandon carries in our home. with the kids, the little jobs like getting me the computer cord right before the computer dies. Not to mention he is the cook most of the time. so when he isn't feeling good, that means the kids get a selection of like 3 things, and mom gets watermelon. cause i have no patience for the kitchen y'all. unless it's to make smores, rice crispy treats or cupcakes.

so when the days are long, I turn to jesus. on my knees in prayer.
well not really. wouldn't it be great if that were true? ya'll would think im so holy right?
honestly when the days are long i usually turn to target. not even gonna lie.
wandering the aisles of le tarjet is what golf is to brandon. he used to question my love for it until i gave him that analogy and a light bulb went off in his head.
no surprise my love for target. i know.

in all seriousness. target can only do so much.
sister needed rest. 
i found myself in bed before 10, more than once this week. which is crazy and completely unheard of.
brandon being out of the game of life, isn't all to blame. i just have so much on me right now that by the end of the day i just want to hurry and close my eyes and start over the next day.

 {by the way if i had ran into you this night i would've pretended it wasn't me and you were delusional}

when i say that i have so much on me, i don't mean that in a negative way. i can honestly say, i love every bit of weight the lord is placing on my shoulders. it's all good. but every one needs rest and im trying really hard to be aware of when that is for me. because im programmed to ignore it and just keep going.

{She Reads Truth started a new study this week! It's a study on Proverbs..so good!}

and as a human, im programmed to think i can do it all.
but ive been leaning in to the Lord more than ever this week. i think sometimes God kinda puts you in a place of gentle reminding that you need Him. Not your husband, not those emails/connections/etc. Not your mama or your sister, or a live in maid. Although Lawd knows that would be bliss....

You need Him.

I used to think rest would come with a good nights sleep, or an afternoon of wandering mindlessly through target. but truly and honestly im finding it to be in Him and in simply asking Him for help. that one thing, can be the difference in a drained laura, or a renewed one.

even though I may still need the reminder now and then, it's becoming easier and easier to see coming on my own.  and im thankful for that....
in knowing when and how to find rest.


tomorrow is friday y'all and i am so glad.
brandon is feeling better, i actually got some dinner...
and im going to sound so un-american when i say this, but the olympics are almost over and id be lying if i said i wasn't kinda happy about that.
i know. go ahead. disown me.
im just a sucker for normalcy. 

 hope you have a happy, restful weekend.
xo