Day Twenty-Nine: How You Feel Loved

Boy, oh boy! I'm getting so close to finishing this 30 day blogging challenge. You know, I won't ever do another one of them. I don't like being told what to blog about. I know, I know. I'm the one who decided to do it- and I know I could have chosen to abort this task at any time. I didn't want to be a quitter.

ANYWAY...

I feel loved when...

... my husband calls just to say hi.

... I open the mailbox to a friendly letter.

... my husband wraps me in one of his amazing hugs.

... my family and friends send me a text or email.

... my cat jumps in my lap to snuggle.

... my husband helps me around the house.

... when I receive flowers.

... when someone does something kind.

... when I look around at all of the blessings God has given me.

... and countless other ways.

Mother/Daughter Weekend

My mom and sister came down for the weekend! We had a really nice time together, and it was so good to have them here to keep me busy! We kept everything pretty low-key, but it was still a lot of fun.

Cuddle Time:

When they got here, Theodore finally snapped out of it and enjoyed some snuggle time with me. It was much needed for both of us!

The Haircut:

Before

After : ) She looks SO pretty... and so much older!

I think a lot of people are getting short hair fever... I know I love mine!

The Craft:

Miranda wanted to do a craft project while she was here. She had no clue what she wanted to do, but as we were walking the aisles of Hobby Lobby, it dawned on me... a keepsake box! I made something like this for Andrew years ago, and it turned out really well. She got really excited about the idea and took FOREVER picking stickers out.

Of course the goofball had to explore. We didn't get the picture in time, but he was actually in the box at one point.

I painted the box.

Miranda cut and glued stickers. Theodore provided the instruction he thought she needed. I then covered it with puzzle glue to protect it.

The end product turned out very well! It's super cute, functional, and a neat keepsake idea!

The Mini-Disaster:

I decided to pop a bigger batch of popcorn than normal. You see, normally Andrew is in charge of this. Anyway, popcorn was flying EVERYWHERE. It was a mess. Oh well, it provided some very good laughs!

The Model:

Before church, I made Miranda model the hair accessory she requested. This girl loves her yellow and grey! Anyway- she is TOO cute for words, and her hair is simply adorable.

It was such a blessing to have them here! I am very thankful that they came!



Forlorn, Pitiful, Dejected

Or so he thinks he is.

This is how Theodore spent much of his day after Andrew moved.

Last night brought a very different reaction- he acted out like crazy. Whenever he's mad about something, he tears leaves off of my plants. I woke up this morning to a couple of leaves outside my door.

Anyway, he's doing better today. He's been more lively, and he's acted much more like his onery self. That's good, because it helps me go about my business.

Also... an update to my earlier blog... Andrew called late this afternoon, and we both shared about our church experiences from this morning. It was so fun to learn about each other's messages, and we were able to discuss the key points from each. And guess what... they even built on each other. Coincidence? I think not.

God is good... so good.

Day Twenty-Eight: What You Live For

1. Christ. I try to live my life in a way that is honoring and pleasing to Him. I do my best to show Christ's love to those I come into contact with; however, I know that I fail greatly on a daily basis. He is my rock- and I take comfort knowing that I am His child.

2. My husband. Next to my relationship with Christ, my relationship with Andrew is the most important thing to me. He keeps me sane- and keeps my temper in check. He makes me laugh when I want to cry. He challenges me to be a better person and to achieve my dreams. He's fantastic, but I bet you already knew that was coming!

3. Family. Despite being dysfunctional, I have a really good family. On day two, I blogged about my siblings. It's true- they have been such a big part of my life, and I know they will continue to be. We both have very good families, and our support base is outstanding. My family has been there for me through so much, and I know that I couldn't have done it without them!



4. Friends. I have some of the most amazing friends. I have "collected" wonderful friendships throughout the years- some of them go way back! I hope that I am as good of a friend to them as they are to me! The friend pictured above challenges me to be a better Christian, friend, and person.

5. Making a difference. As a soon-to-be SLP, I desire to make a difference in the lives that I come into contact with. Mother Theresa said it well when she said, "Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier... and better."

I think that about sums it up!

My Thoughts

As a reader, you have probably caught on that my faith and marriage are two things I treasure above all else in life. I am so blessed to know an almighty God, and He has blessed me with an outstanding husband. That being said, I did not prepare myself for today.

I have been missing Andrew like crazy since he left- that's to be expected. My mom and sister came for the weekend to hang out with me and help keep my mind off of his big move. It was so nice to have them here, and I enjoyed every minute of it (a blog will follow shortly!). Among all of the fun things we did, attending church was on our list of things to do.

When I walked into the building today, it hit me just how MUCH I miss my husband. As I sat through the songs and fantastic message, my eyes were filled with tears. It's not that I just miss being with him each day, but I miss being able to share in worship with him.

Andrew and I love attending church and reading the Bible together. We make every effort we can to keep Christ as the head of our relationship. When we don't, we begin to realize it. We bicker a little more, we're not as content, things go wrong, etc. When we rely on God; however, things are just better in general.

I really wish that I could have shared today's worship with Andrew- we always come out stronger as a result of Sunday morning church. All through the service, I kept praying that God was blessing Andrew's heart as much as He was blessing mine. You see, I don't NEED Andrew to be with me to get something out of church, but it sure is nice to have him there to share it with.

Our director of education spoke about finding joy in life- even during tough times. It spoke straight to my heart, and I am determined to find joy every day while Andrew and I are apart (and afterwards!).

Today I found joy in my husband. It is incredible to see the impact he has on me- and I feel so blessed to know that I miss him most when I am spending time with our Lord. I know that God has incredible plans for us, and I know He holds us in His hands. I am blessed to have a husband who pushes me to a stronger relationship with my Lord and Savior- and I am so thankful that I have a husband who is the spiritual leader for our household.

Day Twenty-Seven: A Moment You Were Completely Happy

The happiest I've ever been is on my wedding day.

On this day, all of my childhood dreams came true. I'm totally serious.

The moment I married my best friend- the one who loves me, protects me, cares for me, and honors me- was the happiest moment of my life.



Day Twenty-Six: Your Definition of the Meaning of Life

Like my definition of love, I find my definition of life from words in the Bible.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you."
- Philippians 4:4-9

Day Twenty-Five: Your Definition of Love

There are so many different kinds of love, and it would be hard to fully touch on each one. So, I am going to take the easy route and tell you exactly what love is.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 

Day Twenty-Four: Something You Would do if No One Stopped You or You Knew You Wouldn't Fail

I know, three blogs in one day- woah! But, I forgot that I still needed to post this blog. If you can't tell, I'm not a big fan of these "set" topics, but I'm so close to being done that I need to finish.

Anyway- I would open my own boutique. I have discovered a love for crafting this year, and I wish that I had the time- and resources- to craft all the time. Yes, I still LOVE my major, but I wish I could do both.

Anyway- here are some items I'd like to have in my shop:

Bridal Accessories:

Flower Clips:

Twister Bows:

Peanut Bows:

Wreaths:

Decorative Pieces:

Flower Magnets:

Custom Orders:

I made this last bow for my niece, Kate. She was born on Monday, and I couldn't resist crafting a matching bow!

Anyway- I think it would be an absolute blast. I would love to have this chance- but, for now, I'm happy selling via my Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/people/TailorMadeByAbby and my facebook page!



Soaking It In

If you are a consistent follower, you know that Theodore adores Andrew. Theodore has had a very rough time this week as he's watched Andrew pack and load the U-Haul. Every chance he got, Theodore would soak up some snuggle time. I, of course, had to capture it on film.

Theodore decided Andrew had  had enough researching time... and needed to have some snuggle time.

Aren't the cute?

If he wasn't in his lap, he was glued to Andrew's side.

This was the night before we packed everything. He sure did need some Andrew time.

Precious, right?

How did Theodore react yesterday? Not so well. He was snotty with Andrew all day- and freaked out the entire time we were moving things out.

Today? He's absolutely exhausted and has slept all day. 5 AM is too early for the Gato.