One of Life's Best Lessons {for me}

I was pretty shy through-out all of elementary school, middle school, and most of high school. It wasn't until after I graduated and got out into the big 'adult' world that I sort of came out of my shell. I always envied girls who were full of confidence and demanded attention just by walking into a room. I'm not talking about the wrong kind of attention either, they were just so confident and sure in themselves and their skin that they shined from the inside out.
I wanted to be that girl.
As I got older, I began to realize that confidence was a trait learned and earned; it's not something that is just there for most of us. Confidence comes with stepping outside of your comfort zone, caring less about what others think, and really focusing on yourself and what matters most to you.
I wish someone had told me that sooner.
With years of practice I have bloomed from that shy girl into a strong, confident woman. I know this because I practice this...daily. When I look in the mirror, I assure myself that I am enough, that I am beautiful, that I am loved. When I walk into a room, I keep my head held high, I smile, I make eye-contact with others. These things are not always easy, but over the years, they have gotten easier and easier with each passing day.

Something else I've learned?
Confidence is so much sexier than short-shorts, or low-cut shirts, or any other means of drawing attention to yourself. Confidence gives you an inner-beauty that shines so bright, everyone sees it.
I wish someone had told me that sooner too.

And in case no one has never told you: Girl, stand tall, with a smile on your face, and know that you are enough, you are beautiful, and you are love. Be confident in who you are, no matter who that is or how different it is from anyone else. You'll find that with confidence comes happiness and the deepest sense of satisfaction with the reflection in the mirror.
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Now go link up with The Girl Between the Lines, the prompt this week is: 
Tell us a lesson you wish you had learned earlier in life.

Let's Get Together

Given the chance, there are a lot of different people that I would love to meet. Between historic figures, celebrities, that one family member that you never really had the chance, and friends from outlets that don't let you see them face-to-face, the possibilities for sitting down together and just chatting are endless. When asked to choose just one, I get a bit anxious trying to make up my mind!
I decided to make it a bit easier for myself and cut out the first few possibilities: historic figures, celebrities, and those long lost family members. Instead, I thought I would think of the people I have met and gotten to know through different outlets in which we have never had the chance to meet face to face and immediately one person came to mind: this girl.

Meet Gillian Claire of Comes in Colours. I initially met Gillian on Flickr and immediately fell in in love with her photography. It was light and airy and oh so beautiful - everything I loved. She still takes the most beautiful photographs, especially of her two little boys, and I love keeping in touch with her through her blog.

Not so long ago, she lived not so far away from me and I dreamed of us getting together and immediately having that bestie bond because guys, she's really that amazing. But...her and the hubs packed up and moved out west and now I get to be envious of all of her beautiful mountain photos instead. I love that Gillian shares a lot of the same values as I do - she co-sleeps and breastfeeds and believes that boys are meant to be outdoors exploring.  I just think we'd have so much to talk about, so many life experiences to share, and the best time watching our boys play.

If you guys haven't met Gillian or seen her blog, hop on over and check it out. I have a feeling you'll want to sit and chat with her just as much as I do!

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Now go link up with The Girl Between the Lines! The prompt this week was: 

If you could have lunch with any blogger, celebrity, or public figure, who would it be and why?

Pinterest Favorites

When I saw the prompt for this week was going to be about Pinterest, I was super-duper-uber excited because I am a self-proclaimed Pinterest queen. I am addicted (still, even after the newness has wore off) and I use Pinterest for every-day life at least daily if not a ton more. Pinterest is my recipe book, organizer, inspiration, and therapy. I can't imagine having to give it up at this point.
So what am I loving-on in Pinterest this week? Well...

This outfit. I considered coral skinnies last year and settled on a white pair instead because I just couldn't justify buying something that didn't go with more. But I love this outfit - everything about it, and especially the lace top. I think I'll put it on the 'must-have' list for this summer.

This nautical bedroom. As soon as our master bath is finished (which should be in the next month or so) I am going to start working on our bedroom. Up to this point it has been completely neglected so that the rest of our fixer-upper could be the focus. I already have quite a few things that would fit the theme and the navy is something I've been wanting to incorporate somewhere anyway. Besides, anything with the world 'rustic' in it is made for me!

These baked apple chips. My grandmother (gotta love her) sends an entire bag of apples home with Henry almost weekly. I don't really like apples. I mean...they're okay, but I'm not a huge fan, and the kid can only eat so many. Apple chips however? Yes please! I made these yesterday and they are DELICIOUS!

This quote. 'nough said.

This vanity. We are in the process of figuring out the vanity in our bathroom. I want something completely unique and this is my inspiration. We're meeting with a man tonight about having one built out of reclaimed barn wood and I cannot wait to see what he comes up with!
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What 5 pins are you loving-on in Pinterest this week? Go link up with The Girl Between the Lines and tell us!
 

It's Just Who I Am

Have you ever wondered why some people are the way that they are?

Like, for instance: I am very old-fashioned in pretty much ALL ways. I cook, I clean, I sew, I craft, I crochet, and I believe in staying home with your kids if at all possible.

I try not to judge if you're not like me, but I am pretty much an odd-man out anymore.

This photo pretty much digs head-first into why I am the way that I am. And while it doesn't tell one exact story (well, it does, but I'm not going to tell it right now) it does say a lot about me.

I spent the majority of my childhood with old ladies.

Seriously. I fit right in too. I went on ladies retreats, volunteered at the nursing homes, was taught all there is to know about menopause, how to cook, make candies, and pray.

I enjoyed it and I still would, if I still had that opportunity.

It wasn't until I was in high school that I was part of a youth group, with, ya know...youth.

Love these guys! 

But I still never quite fit in the way that I did with the older bunch. It's shaped who I am today, many of my beliefs and way of life.

I still go once a week and visit my grandmother, and I often connect with her and can talk with her in a way that I have trouble with with others my age.
It's just who I am; and this picture explains it all.
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Now go link up with The Girl Between the Lines link-up. The prompt this week is:  Share a photo & the story behind it!

Confession of a Fatty

The fact that I am overweight is not a new-found fact around these parts. The fact that I have been working my butt off (literally) to change it is nothing new either. But I have a confession to make, and it's not easy for me to say:
I don't care if people know that I'm fat, but I hate when people know that I'm trying to change it.
I don't know what it is, but others around me knowing that I'm at home, eating right and working out, makes me almost sick to my stomach.
Recently I took position as a team captain for a weigh-smart challenge at work. It goes from January 27th to April 27th and essentially the goal is to achieve your 'ideal' weight in that time. Obviously, someone like me will never be able to achieve a goal that big in only 3 months, but I am determined to be a face of change and do my absolute best in that time.
My hope is to inspire others.
But my biggest fear, the thing I despise, is that I don't want them to look at me and say 'she doesn't look any different' or 'she'll never do it'.
It scares me to put myself out there like that. It shakes my confidence. It makes me feel like all eyes are on me, all of the time, watching my every move, my every meal, my every 'bad' or even 'good' day.
Have you ever had to put yourself out there like this? Letting people into something that is already tough for you, and somewhat private? What helped you to boost your confidence and stand as a face of courage instead of fear?
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Now go link up with The Girl Between the Lines link-up. It's a free week, so write about anything you would like!

When I Grow Up

I don't really remember dreaming about growing up and becoming much of anything when I was a small child. I'm sure there were times when my grandparents, teachers, and other positive influences around me encouraged me, but mostly I just remember thinking that growing up meant being depressed and unhappy and poor and doing nothing but working and drinking. It's depressing to say and think about, but I guess I never really thought about it until now either. I never wanted to grow up.
As I grew a little older, however, say....12 or 13, I started to dream. I dreamed of marrying Justin Timberlake and having little blonde-headed babies (despite us both being brunettes?) and a world in which I never, ever had to worry about money again. I taped magazine pages on my walls and wrote love letters and was absolutely smitten with good old JT. Give it another year or two and I would snap out of my boy-band obsessed dreams and actually start reality-dreaming.
I specifically remember a conversation with my best friend about how we dreamed our lives would be:
I would marry at 21, have my first baby at 23, my second at 25, and I would be a stay-at-home Mama and wife to a brutally handsome tall, dark and funny man who did nothing but shower me with love gifts and worship the ground that I walked on. (I'll take this time to thank all those cheesy, romantic love stories and movies I read and watched as a child for encouraging me to think that true love meant that your husband was to be completely obsessed and do nothing but worship you.) I dreamed of a big house with big dogs and a happy family (with perfectly behaved children) who had parties all the time and friends over to entertain every single night. I would drive a fancy SUV with all the bells and whistles and would be drop-dead gorgeous in my designer clothing and I would never want for anything.
Fast forward to the present, reality sets in, and I have to praise my Lord Almighty that sometimes what we think we want is not at all what we really want, and He knows best for us, even when it comes to our deepest desires.
I did get married at 21 (to a shorter, not quite as dark, but still brutally handsome man) and I did have that first precious baby at 23. But the rest...well, it didn't quite play out in tune with my dreams. Instead, I have been blessed with less and am so very thankful for it.
My husband loves deeply and openly but I would not call him obsessed, nor does he worship the ground that I walk on. (Wouldn't that get annoying after awhile?) He is Christ-centered and a true family man. He works hard and provides our family with everything that we need. He is truly God-sent, even if he was just sent for me.
Although I still dream of being a stay-at-home Mama and wife full-time, I am living the next best-case scenario with a part-time job that allows me to stay home with my son so that he never needs to go to a babysitter or daycare. He has been raised 100% by his parents and that was a dream and desire that I could have never dreamed of having when I was younger. We own our home, which is not big by any standards, but is more than enough for our family, along with three vehicles - none of which have all the bells and whistles, or any, for that matter. We have two wonderful dogs who stand about a foot tall (we like to keep things small around here) and I don't think I own one piece of clothing that would be considered 'designer'.
Despite my dreams being a little...off, I will say this: I always have everything I need.
God truly provides and sometimes I have to look back and just shake my head in amazement in awe at the ability He has to make our dreams come true before we even know that they're our dreams.
My life is more than what I could have ever dreamed it could be and I am head-over-heels in love with the way that He's planning it out to be.
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Now go link up for this week's prompt:  We all imagined what our lives would like like when we were "all grown up"... how does that compare to what your life looks like now?

One Step Away from Family

I just recently acquired this old, worn, quilt and yet, it may be the most precious possession that I own.

First, some back story....

My dad was adopted after his grandmother (and caregiver) passed away by his great aunt and the woman that I call my grandmother today. I grew up calling her my Mammal, and it wasn't until I was old enough to understand why our extended family was so small that she sat me down and explained it all to me. With my mother and her family pretty well out of the picture, my grandmother, father, and brothers and sisters were pretty well the extent of my family.

This beautiful quilt that is frayed on the edges with holes wearing through, was made by my Mammal's mommy and it is something that she has cherished for years with all of her heart. It has been pulled out of a dresser drawer many times, holding it close to her chest, saying 'one day I will give this to you and then maybe you can fix it...' and then it would go back to it's place in the bottom of her dresser.

I always dreamed of the day I would own something so special and precious to someone. An heirloom to a family that I barely knew but cherished because it was mine.

She gave it to me last year. Her only words were 'please take care of it' and I vowed I would. I know she always said that she hoped I would 'fix' it, mending the holes and adding a new backing so that it doesn't eventually fall apart.
Maybe one day I will.
Right now, I am cherishing it the way that it is. It is my go-to snuggle blanket and hangs on the back of my chair all of the time. It smells of my grandmother's house and there's a comfort in knowing that you are wrapped in something that was made from the heart.
It may just be a 'thing', a possession, but to me, it's one step away from being family.
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Now go link up with Lauren and Hayley!
What is one tangible thing you have that holds intangible value?

Life is What You Make It

Everyone these days have a bit of advice. It seems like every time I have a conversation with someone, no matter the topic, they have something or another to add. There are times that I listen with both ears open and soak up every last detail, and there are times that I let the words flow through one ear and right back out the other without even a second thought.

If there is one thing that I've heard and held onto with all of my might, if I could claim one tid-bit of information as the 'best' advice I've ever received, it is this:

That Eleanor; she sure did know what she was talking about! Something tells me that her and Frank D. lived a pretty happy and fulfilling life.

I'm pretty well known by those who are around me as a happy, spunky, full-of-life, and carefree person. That may not reflect completely here on my little blog, but it's pretty well true in my 'real' life. I don't see any point in being dragged down by the world and I truly believe that my life is a reflection of this advice.

Our world is too full of people with excuses. Excuses as to why they are unhealthy, unhappy, unenthusiastic and unhappy. But the truth of the matter is that life is what you make it, and you must make the choice every day to be the person that you want to be. Courage, strength, satisfaction, happiness: all of these things are a product of a mindset. You could be in the most beautiful place and the perfect time and if you don't take the time to see it, enjoy it, soak it in...then you'll miss it.

So if no one has ever told you to wake up each morning and make the best of your day, your year, or you life: I'm telling you now. Take this advice and head it, keep it locked somewhere deep in your heart and soul and don't ever, ever, ever forget it.

It will make every single day shine in a light that you've failed to see before.

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Now go link up with this week's prompt: What is the most valuable advice you've ever received and why?

Courage

I have spent my entire life shaping the person that I'm becoming. Despite being put into circumstances that allowed me to not care, at all, there was a pull in my soul that told me to just keep going. (I'll chuck that up to the wonderful grace of God.) I was always inspired and motivated by women around me who seemingly had not a care in the world; I remember looking up to so many of them thinking 'I wish I could have courage like that.'

I've always been a bit of a wallflower; I would much rather sit alone in my own thoughts, people-watching, rather than being a part of the party. I'm okay with that. Still, there are times (more often than I'd care to admit) that I'd much rather be the one dancing like a fool on the dance floor too.

The courage that it takes to step out of your comfort zone, past your insecurities and fears, is what I admire most in so many people around me.

My grandmother, who has spent the majority of my life teaching me how to live as a respectable lady, possesses more courage than any one person I have ever met. She lives her days without a concern or care of what other people think, being her complete self, and inspiring others to do the same.

My best friend and soul-sister, Allison, can light up a room with her spunky personality and willingness to talk and befriend all without even a second thought. That sort of courage and confidence shakes my very core.

My mother-in-law who never even blinked at the word 'cancer', she possesses such true courage.

Every single blogger friend with whom I have had the pleasure of talking to, those who bare their heart and soul on a daily basis, and those who continue to encourage and support others despite their own personal battles: their courage inspires me.

Courage is something I have lacked my entire life. When put into a position that requires overcoming my own personal fears and insecurities, I'm more likely to shy away than to stand up to the plate and do my very best. However, with all of the support and love of these courageous ladies who have surrounded me in life, I have grown leaps and bounds from the scared little girl that I once was.

Although I may still have my fears and insecurities, surrounding myself with courageous people has helped to build a bit of courage on my own and for that I am thankful. I am truly blessed.

Now head on over and link up with Lauren and Hayley and tell us about a trait you look up to or admire in someone in your life and why!