Chance Encounter. Or Is It?

Today is a good day.

I love when something falls into place when you really didn't know it even existed as a possibility! Or when a random encounter leaves you with an odd, warm fuzzy feeling that you shrug off as you drive away, and then a few days later resurfaces again out of nowhere.

It's not Facebook official, nor is it Blogspot official just yet, BUT I'm thrilled to have a potential new project on the horizon. If it were a baby, which it isn't~so very sorry to disappoint, it'd still be within the first trimester, so I'm trying not to get too amped just yet.

But with that being said, it's always nice to have something that gets your creative juices flowing!

Stay tuned for future updates. Eeeeekkkkk:)



My Awaken Anthem

I'ved loved this song for awhile, but lately with fall slowly settling in around us, I tend to feel part of my soul awaken with the promise of a new season and the falling away of the things that consumed this past season.

What will this season hold?

Not Your Momma's House

As my new hubby and I plant our roots in our first home together, I can't help but feel a twinge of guilt when it comes to decorating. My poor man doesn't stand a chance. He is going to be enveloped in color, softness, frills, and a touch of whimsy every chance I get. In every room we have. I just can't stop myself.

Luckily for this bride, he's a good sport and doesn't ask for too much in terms of his decor say. God bless him.

As I plan our cottage beach house sweet home, here are some of my magical inspirations for this nesting process:

I'm a girl pleasantly stuck somewhere between classic...

and whimsical. I know my heart does not lie in the modern realm or with new construction. Unless of course, I can make our new construction embody the charm and character of a home or cottage built in the early 1900's.

My ideal outdoor spaces come alive with color, bold lighting, and spaces that literally beckon you to nestle up with a good book, glass of wine or hot cider. And of course, a fire pit for this gorgeous, Midwestern fall.

My motto- insert color!
Neutrals need not apply in my home. I don't know if I'm supposed to love color in my home as much as I do, but quite frankly, I'm okay with that. Apparently I never outgrew my crayola phase, because girl, I love coloring outside of the lines! I die for this mint green kitchen. D.I.E.

In our basement we have a very cool and underappreciated old farm door, much like the one you see below. I plan to relocate that bad boy STAT. He deserves way more than a dark and dreary basement appearance.

Cozy is also a must in my home. If a room and its furniture aren't comfy, I don't want them. There's nothing worse than not being able to cuddle up in your nest.

I don't know that my hubby would allow THIS much color in our home, but I love how fearless this living space looks. You want to see how much color we can pack into a room? BAM! No problemo.

Over the last year, I've begun collecting vintage suitcases and I absolutely love the night stand below. It makes the room feel well traveled and ready for adventure at a moment's notice. "Fly to Charleston this weekend" you ask. "Why certainly! Let me just remove my lamp and lavendar sprig and I'll be right over."
Can't wait to try this in our space!

And last but not least...

Ahh, a girl can dream, right??

"If I lay here, would you lie with me and just forget the world?"

What Friendship Looks Like

Getting goosebumps when reunited with your favorite people for the first time in awhile.

5 people walking around Lowe's on a Sunday afternoon because they want to maximize their time together but sometimes you still gotta get stuff done.

Riding together with the convertible top down, the radio up, while the clouds race overhead and your cares melt away.

Getting a text upon your arrival that simply reads "I cannot wait to see your face and hear your laugh." 

Riding the waves of life together and knowing that there is a group of girls who will always have your back and your heart no matter what is thrown your way.

Dancing together to every song a DJ plays regardless of sweaty hair and sliding make-up and STILL wanting to take pictures of the beautifully, hot mess.

Familiar, smiling faces in a crowd of hundreds at church.

Sharing your weekly highs and lows, regardless of distance, and both rejoicing and praying at the same time.

Cramming 12 people around an 8 top table without hesitation just so you don't have to be separated.

A friend giving you full reign of their home even when they're out of town themselves.

Witnessing two of your friends marry one another in a sweet, southern ceremony.

A husband who gives his wife the reigns on his vacation so that she can pack as many friends and favorites into the 4 short and precious days. Never once complaining. Even when asked to shop.

Feeling someone else's hurt when life isn't going as planned and wishing that you could find something to say that would comfort them.

Waking to an ache deep inside when you know you must return home without your confidants.

Prolonging goodbyes.

Being able to pick up right where you left off.

Looking forward to the next time you see their face.

Inner Battle

Since relocating to Rockford and moving 1,000 miles away from my treasured girlfriends, many of my daily battles of the menial nature, must be sorted out internally. Sad face. But really, who wants me to call them with my spotty reception just to contemplate what I should wear to a baby shower or whether or not I should go darker with my hair as fall rolls in? And let's face it, I love my hubby, but he most likely does not care about a minor skin breakout and my spaz session that will ensue. He's a smart man, and when we have these convos, he without fail responds with "you always look beautiful, babe". Awww.

So here it goes, my inner battle yesterday at a stoplight. Some people post their dialogue with a friend. Me, I talk to myself a lot these days. Don't judge.

Me- "You do realize that you're going to be the pastiest person at the wedding this weekend in Charleston, right? Just want to make sure you're aware of that detail."

Self- "Ugh. Yes. I am brutally aware."

Me- "It's okay though. I mean, at least we're going to Charleston in the first place. That's what's important here."

Self- "I know. Blah, blah, blah."

Me- "You just have to own it. Pale is the new tan, duh. Skin cancer is so 2007 and you now have creamy, untouched from the sun skin. And that, my friend, is always in style."

Self- "You're right. I can rock this. I just can't wait to be in Charleston! I won't even care about my lack of tan when I'm there."

Me- "You go girl, that's the spirit!"

Self- "Are you sure we don't have time for a spray tan?"

I Will Remember

Today, and every Sept. 11th, our day begins and ends with media coverage, social media blasts, and Facebook statuses containing "We will not forget", "Never forget", etc... 

As I really wrap my ahead around this devastating anniversary, I'm beginning to feel as though the word remember might be a bit more fitting. For me, I often use forget in terms of something on the grocery list that somehow slipped my mind, or the oh snap moment when it's freezing at the restaurant and my cardi is at home by the door.  I often find that remember, for me, is more often associated with more important dates like some one's birthday or a memory that I never want to misplace in the other junk that swirls in my brain.

So from here on out, on Sept. 11th, I want to remember and just not forget. I hope I always remember, although I wish none of us had to remember such things:

• Waking up to a world changed, darkened, and shaken
• In an instance, no longer taking my freedom for granted
• Living the horror of a homeland attack. Literally on our territory. By enemies that never really crossed my mind.
• Seeing lives changed forever in seconds
• Seeing heroes in action. God bless the NYPD firefighters, NY citizens, Pentagon staff, and Flight 93 members.
• Crying myself to sleep for 3 days while seeing thousands of missing person fliers through my TV screen. All of which were posted by helpless family members clinging to a hope that you knew was lofty.
• Seeing leadership in action
• Running out to fill my tank with gas that morning simply because I didn't know what else to do
• Walking outside and not seeing a plane insight for days
• Attending a candlelight vigil on a US aircraft carrier and feeling the rush of patriotism and a fear I had not known before. This was a fear that my parents or even the strongest of authority could not protect me from should it continue.
• My roommate's fiance being called up to deploy only days after the attack
• Sitting in my church with a hundred other people who didn't want to be alone and knew that in this moment, all we had was prayer.
• Knowing that our country would never be the same. We'd rally and we'd unite, hopefully as a stronger nation, but I also knew we could never undo what was done to us that morning.

I will always remember. Not just not forget. Remember.