A much needed vacation.

I had a wonderful time this past weekend with two of my sweet friends in San Francisco. My friend Brooke -- she and I were in the 2nd grade together in Memphis -- and then I moved and who would have thought we'd end up as XO's together in college. We lived together our sophomore year and she quickly grew to be a lifelong friend.

Ann and I were also XOs but didn't really become friends until Brooke's wedding two years ago. We love to go see her, and had such a wonderful, laid-back time together. It was very much needed and I am so thankful for little getaways like this one.

(These pictures are out of order....but who cares!)

We drove down the windy road (way easier than I would have imagined it would be):



Went to see the Golden Gate up close:


Had lunch on the Pacific Ocean -- so beautiful:


Had a wonderful "Farm-to-Table" lunch at Robert Sinsky's Vineyard:


Absolutely beautiful country:

Had a muffin from Bouchon Bakery (a Thomas Keller bakery):



Went to see the Seals at Pier 39:


Spotted Acatraz (I watched the movie last week so I'm intrigued by this jail):


Had a blue bottle coffee (cause everyone told us to):


Me and Ann:


Had some of the best scones ever:


More of the pacific ocean:


A beautiful vineyard:



Grapes everywhere -- they were so yummy!:



Ann and B in the vineyard:


The Bay Bridge:



All three of us:


Eating fabulous grapes:

Mabel.

She's coming next week....can not wait to have her. Breeder told me she is the liveliest of her brothers and sisters, and has a tendency to get in her food bowl so her brothers and sisters can't. Looks like I'm going to have my hands full and I cannot wait!

One of the most fun nights of my life.

This past weekend two friends and I went to Nashville to see Taylor Swift and Needtobreathe. It started with me wanting to see Needtobreathe, but I quickly became excited to see Taylor, too, as I love her new album. It was an amazing time in Nashville and a very fun outing with two sweet friends!

We started out with dinner at Cabana in the downtown/Belmont area (this was such a fun/yummy place -- the booths had iPod hookups so you could listen to your own music while you dined) and I was enamored with the windows (I LOVE NATURAL LIGHT):


Laura, me and Kim.


Then we moved on to hangout time with my boys:



We were told they had early releases of their new album that we could buy and we could meet the band -- I was totally on board. They are one of my favorite bands ever! (this picture cracks me up with the different skin tones.)


This is us waiting for 45 minutes for Taylor to come on.....



And then she came....and sang for THREE hours. It was an extended concert for the Nashville area because it is her "home" (and they were filming -- probably for a movie). It was amazing!

She sang "Mean":



And "Our Song":



And then friends starting showing up....like Kenny Chesney:


And Andy Grammar (whom I LOVE):



AND.....TIM MCGRAW...shut it. I screamed like a little girl...I'm not even going to lie.



And then she flew over us and made eye contact. It was cray cray.



It was a fun, fun, fun night. I thoroughly enjoyed myself!

Family Fun.

My sweet mom bought the materials for us to make these fun pumpkins for our front doors. We started on them and because of our schedules haven't been able to finish. I'm hopeful I can complete the project this weekend....although I know how my schedule likes to be.

At any rate, they are so cute! it's burlap that you cut and then paint. We'll stuff it with tissue or some sort of padding and put a cute bow on the top to use to hang it. I'll post pictures when the project is complete.

Private Jets and Dead Oak Trees.

One of the original reasons I decided not to go to Ole Miss (aside from being ultra rebelious), was because I almost died, twice, on my school visit. Seriously.

My dad and I flew on a jet to Ole Miss early one Friday morning with a bunch of Jackson businessmen. My dad was on the business advisory council with these men and they flew up for meetings, and they just happened to let me fly along. It was horrifying. Scary. Roller coaster ridiculous. I thanked Jesus for letting us land, thankful I didn't hurl everywhere.

So then I decided to go on a stroll through campus as my dad met and my brother was in class. I considered what it would be like if I went to school there. I dreamed, imagined, was hopeful that I could potentially be a rebel. And then it happened...crreeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkkkk. I looked up and noticed one of the oldest oaks in the circle was coming down. Crashing down. It shook the earth and I was about 30 feet away. I didn't die - PRAISE THE LORD, but I couldn't believe my eyes.

We got back on the plane and headed home (I kept my face between my knees the whole way), and when we went to land the wind blew us away from the runway and we were in the trees. Score. I was about to die for real. We had to thrust back up and circle back around to land.

We landed, I kissed the ground and told the Lord I wouldn't go to Ole Miss due to all the mishaps. So I went to Miss. State. And I pledge Chi Omega (the whole reason I went to college, I mean, let's be serious).


Chi O's are known nationally for being a well-rounded sorority. We were the smartest on campus (I believe they still are), the "good girls", just all around fun group of people. Yet, I let it define me. I became extremely snobby about who I was -- defined by the letters on my chest. I was miserable.

I came to a place with Christ that I realized he was asking me to walk away from this "position" and move on. To humble myself before him, leave what I knew, and step out in faith.

So I transferred.....to Ole Miss. And to this day, I love that place. Love it. Just today I sat in the circle on a conference call, working, enjoying the cool breeze and thinking about the oak tree that fell exactly where I was many years ago. I didn't know the Lord was going to do great things within me in the first two years (via pain and misery), and then bring me into a place of great beauty and calmness.

No wonder I love Ole Miss so much. It's a place of great freedom for me -- in many ways.

FIGHTING.

I swore when I created this blog that it would be light and airy. It would be my "projects" blog, rather than where I went to share my deepest thoughts. But sometimes stuff just bubbles inside of me and I am hopeful one person may be encouraged, or at least challenged by what it is racing to the surface of my mind. So bear with me...

Over the past three weeks, I have heard of at least eight couples who are divorcing. Eight. I hear it's caused by inability to make it work, lack of love, infertility, etc. Excuses. While I am in no place to point a finger since I've never been there, I've never been there because I long for a God-ordained marriage, one that I marry a man who longs to have a heart like Christ and will work and fight with me for our marriage.

FIGHT.

I looked up the definition of divorce and it terms it "canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage." That really hurts my heart. Legal duties? Whatever happened to the covenant (promise) made with a Holy God? His heart is a heart of resolution and restoration. A heart that loves us when we are so often unlovable. Isn't that how we should view marriages? You love even when it hurts to love. After all, He loves you even though it breaks His heart at times to do so. We are such a culture of getting out because that's the easy thing to do....and I think it's really screwing us up.

Fight people. FIGHT. Marriage is worth it. Honoring the covenant is vital.

A wooden cross

My friend Ann and I went and painted wooden crosses at Easely Amused. It truly is one of my favorite things to do when I have free time!

So glad she has moved back from NC!