20 Things

It's been a ridiculously long time since I posted anything on here. And while I can't promise that I am starting back up with any kind of consistency, I can say that I think of things to blog about every.single.day. For some reason or another (mostly because of time & the fact that I haven't made this a priority) I don't end up posting anything. I think part of it is because I tend to over analyze just about everything, which makes it hard to communicate sometimes. And for some reason, I feel like I have to get things perfectly worded before I can post them out in cyberspace. But I'm going to try to get past that last part. So if this doesn't make sense or doesn't sound like it's been filtered... too bad :)

Here are some of the things I've been thinking about/wanting to post about lately:

1. I passed my last exam (praise Jesus!) and I am about to begin studying for the next one! woo hoo!
2. Brad got into physical therapy school! This will be a major life change for us - including more student loan debt! woo hoo again!
3. I have been running more, which I like. I don't think of myself as a runner at all, but I'm hoping to get over that and really exceed my own expectations. A 10k seems a little out of reach for me, but more doable than a half marathon. I'd like to run a half marathon someday.

4. I really like to bake. And I'm starting to make a little more time for it. It's a Saturday morning kind of activity for me. Might be good when I study, too. But I'm trying to eat healthier, so I've found a couple of new fun recipes that have some health-guru ingredients. I'm trying a new one tomorrow :)
5. I've started the process of changing the way I think about food. It's hard. I'm seriously addicted to food and I use it as an emotional idol. It's a serious problem. But I've gotten some good tips, advice, and encouragement from various sources and I'm slowly working on my food-mentality. I'll keep ya posted.
6. I've been reading through the Old Testament. It's cool to read things you never remember reading before, even though I've read the OT several times (and grew up hearing many of the stories). I also just ordered 2 series by Francine Rivers: (1) Sons of Encouragement, which is a fictional story based on the Biblical lives of 5 men of the Bible and (2) Lineage of Grace, the female version of the prior. They arrive on Monday (thanks to Amazon 2-day shipping) I'm excited to read these along with my study of the OT. 
7. I love Amazon 2-day shipping. And we are on the "Prime Student" edition, so haven't paid a penny yet!
8. I just downloaded an app for my phone (aTimeLogger) to track how much time I spend on certain things (i.e., sleep, driving, work, eating, studying...). I'm intending to use it to track my study hours, but for now it's been fun to see how my time is used. It also makes me more conscious of what activities I use in my "free" time.
9. I have several friends who are either having babies or buying houses. Several of each, actually. And it's really stirred that urge in me for "the next phase" of life. We've been in pretty much the same place since we got married and I think we are both ready for something new. God is so good and provided school for Brad as a big change. I just need to learn to be patient about the rest :) His timing is better than mine.
10. I miss photography. I capture little moments on my phone (loving Instagram, btw), but it's just not the same as taking pretty pictures with my fancy camera. Artists require time, which I don't have a lot of. I'd like to get some good pics of the bluebonnets this year (since they are actually pretty, unlike last year!). That will be my goal.
11. I miss using my artistic side in general. I weave it into my every day life, but I miss just sitting down and working on a project. My mom and I made 110 shower invitations a couple of weeks ago. We spent ALL day on them, but it was so much fun. I wish I could have a whole day every week for crafts.

12. Gizmo makes me so happy. Dogs don't judge. They don't care. They greet you at the door every single day and it never fails to make me happy. He is the cutest ever. I don't remember what life was like without him!
13. I've started listening to audio books in the car while I drive to work. It's been a great way to pass the time! Right now I'm listening to The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan. It's a good one :)
14. I do too many things. I'd really like to simplify my life a little bit. Commit to less. Enjoy more.
15. I seem to have lost the ability to correctly handle stress. Or my life is more stressful than I ever remember it being. Either way, I'm not doing a good job of it. I need to work on that. Trust God more, trust me less. 
16. Brad is an amazing chef. He cooks dinner for me several times a week and I have no idea what I'm going to do when he's off at school most of the week! So thankful for a wonderful husband!
17. Brad and I started our own small group at church and it's going really well. It's always a little bit scary putting yourself out there and building those relationships from scratch, but it is so worth it. We are really working on shaping our group into Biblical Christian community.
18. I require more sleep than I get. I think this one will always be true.
19. I am going to see the Hunger Games at midnight next Thursday night... I haven't done a midnight showing in about 6 years. And I didn't handle it too well then. Hopefully the excitement will overpower the urge to sleep!
20. I love mountain laurels. I think I've devoted more than one blog post to this beloved plant. Is it a tree? Is it a bush? Who cares! It smells amazing! However... sidenote... it is just WAY TOO HOT for March. Even for Texas. I'm not a fan of these 80*, muggy days. The rain has been nice, though.

I could write tons more, but I'm sleepy at the moment (see #19). It's been a long week. Hopefully it won't be too long before my next post... we'll see :)

August in Texas

Oh blog, how I've neglected you! Guess studying has really taken over! I don't really even have time for a post now, but {confession} I didn't want August to be a completely blog-free month. So, I thought I'd comment on this Texas heat... (sidenote: does talking about the weather on a blog have the same sort of awkward-nothingtotalkabout-boring connotation as having a conversation with someone about the weather?!)

Anyway, it has been HOT and DRY. This week we broke the record (set in 1925) for highest number of 100+ degree days in a year... and it's still only August! The record was 69, by the way. And so far, this has been the worst one-year drought in Texas history (there have been worse ones based solely on longevity). In general, this doesn't really affect me on a day to day basis since I'm inside working during the week and inside studying on the weekends - plus I have no yard to water. But it is definitely affecting many many people every day, and has severe long-term implications.

And in the mean time, I have been ready for fall to arrive for about a month now. The weather, the clothes, the decor... I'm just ready for change. I crave the change of seasons! Especially from summer into fall and winter into spring, which, in Texas, happen in the blink of an eye. Actually, we usually skip straight from summer in to winter and vice versa. So I have told myself that if I can just make it through August, then I will let myself pretend that it's fall come September - at least the decor and yummy fall scents. The heat may be around well into November.

Let's leave it at that. Enough talk of weather - and enough to suffice as an August post. Keep cool, pray for thunderstorms, and see you in September!

Over the Wall

I love Holley's blog... she is amazing with words and she always seems to be speaking directly to me. Or rather, God speaks directly to me through her words. Today was no different. My wall = my exam. No, I didn't pass on the first try... or the second. But I will not give up until I do. And with God, it WILL happen :)

You're going to make it over that wall...

Hey you,

staring at that wall, wondering, "Is there a way over this thing?"

Oh, yes.

With God all things are possible. Matthew 9:26

He'll make a way.

And He'll help you climb, jump, knock-down, whatever it takes.

It may not happen in the timing you want. Or how you imagine.

But it will happen.

In the meantime, don't let that wall fool you.

It can't hold you back, keep you down, make you stuck.

Nope, walls don't have that much power.

And it's just a matter of time before your Jericho happens--

when the trumpet sounds and deliverance is yours.

There's no wall too tall.

No situation too difficult.

No challenge too great.

So press in, press on, and never give up

until that wall comes tumbling down.

REPOST about why I neglect to post...

Is it saying something that I'm resorting to REposting old blog posts about not posting? It just so happens that this is still how I feel:

So it's been awhile since my last post. And that's been bothering me. Not that I think I could be one of those people who posts daily (at least not right now in my life) but it is a goal of mine to make time to post what's on my mind.

Sometimes I neglect to post because of lack of words. literally. sometimes I just have nothing to say.

Sometimes I neglect to post because I'm just way too busy. which is often. but if I didn't post for the simple reason that I'm too busy, then I would never post...

Sometimes I neglect to post because I have way too many things to say and I can't narrow my train of thought {this is the most common reason}. I mean seriously. sometimes I just can't make sense of everything going on in this mind of mine. I get ideas for blog posts all. the. time. but it's hard for me to focus on one at a time. I get overwhelmed. kinda like lorelai.

Sometimes I neglect to post because my words/ideas seem insignificant. I'll come up with something I want to say, but by the time I sit down at the computer to type, it seems ridiculous. it seems silly, because this is my blog. my space. and it should reflect me - no matter how insignificant I may feel. yet the self critic inside of me finds a way to talk me out of posting things that in no way stand up to the kinds of posts I read from others.

So there it is. That's what's on my mind right now. :)

A post about why I neglect to post...

So it's been almost a month since my last post. And that's been bothering me. Not that I think I could be one of those people who posts daily (at least not right now in my life) but it is a goal of mine to make time to post what's on my mind.

Sometimes I neglect to post because of lack of words. literally. sometimes I just have nothing to say.

Sometimes I neglect to post because I'm just way too busy. which is often. but if I didn't post for the simple reason that I'm too busy, then I would never post...

Sometimes I neglect to post because I have way too many things to say and I can't narrow my train of thought {this is the most common reason}. I mean seriously. sometimes I just can't make sense of everything going on in this mind of mine. I get ideas for blog posts all. the. time. but it's hard for me to focus on one at a time. I get overwhelmed. kinda like lorelai in the clip below. [ignore poor quality]

Sometimes I neglect to post because my words/ideas seem insignificant. I'll come up with something I want to say, but by the time I sit down at the computer to type, it seems ridiculous. it seems silly, because this is my blog. my space. and it should reflect me - no matter how insignificant I may feel. yet the self critic inside of me finds a way to talk me out of posting things that in no way stand up to the kinds of posts I read from others.

So there it is. That's what's on my mind right now. :)

New Profile & Reader Appreciation

Since the "About Me" section of my profile (see sidebar) still included the words "newly-wed", "newly-graduated", and "newly-employed", I figured I should update it a little bit. Gosh, time sure does fly by! I've already been married, graduated, and employed for over 2 years! I'm officially grown up!

A big thanks to all of you who read my blog!!! I appreciate every reader, especially since I'm pretty sure I can count you on my fingers! I'd like to know who reads this, so whether you're a faithful reader or just someone who pops by every once in awhile, leave me a comment letting me know (1) who you are and (2) what types of posts you like hearing most from me!