Busy, Busy , Busy!

Life has been so crazy busy blogging friends!

Between working 8:30 to 5:00, helping around the house, laundry, spending time with my little sister, walks with the puppy dogs, and long phone call's with Andrew, I fall into bed around 10:30 wooped!

Let me try and catch you up on my life here really fast!

Oklahoma has not decided yet if it wants to be cool or hot! It has been so back and forth! Last Saturday I was dressed in boots and all cause it was so cold!

 I got my skinny jeans this summer and wore them like caprise...now I can finally wear them as skinny jeans! :) YA!

And Sunday was cold too and I got a new sweater from Gap and just had to wear it!

Y'all I NEVER where that color purple but I am in love with it know!!

Let's see..other weekend fun and news....

Well, the weekend before this past weekend a Texas boy came to visit me and my family!!

Yep..Andrew came up!

We spent Saturday at the OKC Zoo with his dad and step mom...

Than we spent the rest of Saturday, Sunday , and Monday morning playing games and talking with my family! 

I did not like to see him go but I will see him soon!

Well..Thats about my update! Keep your eyes open as I have a blog post to come this week yet on an amazing blog swap I was apart of and some amazing ladies who packed me an awesome box!

XOXO

Inspire Others!

I know we should not live our lives just so that others will notice us...but what if, just a small what if, if every one of use would take the above picture and run with it? How crazy would that be?

I know here in the blog world, or in are reals lives, each of us come in contact with allot of people! According to my blog readings, my blog touches allot of lives, all around the world! Ok, maybe they all don't read that much, but who knows who read my (or your) blog! You may be touching THOUSANDS....You have no clue!

So, maybe your story is crazy hard, maybe you are battling health, a death, or something big like that! Or maybe your story is small, and you are just living your life, but lets think if this, maybe that big story, or just living that life, is enough to change just ONE persons life...is that good enough for you?

I know of many very inspiring blog ladies out there, many who have touched my heart so much in my last 5 years of blogging, and some of them may never know that, but they did! Are you willing to touch someone's life?

..............          .................       ..................      ..................       ..................

In other news, I think its time for a light hearted post here on this old blog! This week I promise!! :)

XOXO

Labor Day Weekend Happyness!

This Labor Day weekend myself and my family spent it in Lufkin Texas!!

Spent the weekend with this guy! (yes he did this picture below on his own!)

My family and I got to spend time with Andrew and his family! It was so nice to meet all of them!

We spent all day Saturday at his grandparents place ( he lives on the property) and ate lunch and played games! It was awsome to just get to know each other and just have fun! 

We went out a played Mini Golf on Saturday night with my parents, Andrew's Mom and Sister Anna, her boyfriend James and my sister Jerusha! We had allot of fun!

Sunday I went to his church! The people there are amazing! I got so many hugs and so many people excited to finally meet me! It was so neat to see just how much everyone there loves Andrew and really things he is a great guy! I allready knew this, but it was neat to see others confirm that! :)

After Church we had lunch with my family at Applebee's! We than went and spent time at his Grandparents again wile my parents took a nap! Around 6:30 we left and went out on a date! We ate at Olive Garden and than got dessert at Orangeleaf! I am addicted!! Andrew drove me around Lufkin and I got to see the more older side of town! The not so busting part! I loved it! Next time im down there thats the next date!

I hated leaving Monday morning...When Andrew shut the van door for me I started crying! I was happy to go home and work and stuff again..But when your leaving somoene special in Texas its hard! Anyone else relate?? 

Today, as I type this, I am living in the moment as I said in my last post! I am enjoying life, my boyfriend, my family, and the new people God has blessed me with in my life!

XOXO

Enjoy The Moment!

I was having a txting conversation with a cousin today, She is getting married in July 2014 and we where talking about her wedding and how she is doing and all.

She made a statment that touched my heart so much!

" It is a good thing to just sit and enjoy this time in your life!"

We where talking about our relatonships and the men God had in our lives, but that small statment hit home in so many ways for me.

I have said many times on this blog, years ago up to just weeks ago, that I have to sit in awe of God allot. And I do that, allot in the last few months. But still, there was something nagging at me about that statement.

And than I relized what it was, I was not enjoying the moment!

I have always been one to live from one big moment to the next. I dont take time to really really enjoy the small things. I need to have my next thing mapped out, planned, and ready.

But I am suddenly learning I need to ENJOY the small things. I need to cherish the times I have right now! I will never have them again. Yes, some of things things that will happen will be just as nice if not better, but I will never go back to those small moments I passed up on my 80 miles an hour speeding by focus!

When I have things planned I have also noticed that it can hurt me at times. Dont get me wrong,I like things planned out, and I think that is a good thing. But I have found sometimes, in my planning, I stop seing the small things again. I miss the things that should just come natural, from the heart.

So this is me, saying I am done missing the small things. I am done not living in the moment. I am done planning every step out. Yes, I will think about the next thing, and I will plan and talk about them, but I will not let them run my life.

This is me saying that I am going to look for the litle things. Cherish the small notes and smiles. Remember every small part of that place, person, or thing. Remeber that all off it will be gone in a "blink of an eye" And that I have no redo button!

XOXO

Stop Trying So Hard!!

You know the feeling...Door is locked, so we wiggle the knob, than we see if we can push it open, than we start to bang on it TILL SOMEONE COMES AND OPENS IT!!!!

We know there is someone or something back there, and we want to get in! They have to come open it if we try long enough right?

And than you read the quote above. And suddenly your arm drops to your side and you just stand there, staring at that door. For me I stood there staring at my blank door for some time. I figured if I would stare at it long enough it may open than!

Some day's I sat by it, tears falling down my cheeks. Some days I went back to banging on it, even yelling at God and telling Him how unfair He was and just how much He was hurting me.

That girl, became focused on that door, and not the life, blessings, and people around her. That door was everything to me, or at least what was behind it at the time. My dreams  where so big, and those dreams where right behind that door and I could not get to them!

Dreams of not being alone all my life, dreams of a boyfriend and husband some day. Dreams of a family, dreams I did not want to let go off, and dreams that I wanted NOW!!

It was not until I finally got sick of living that life, and walked away from that door, that God put another one in front of me, and let me open it!

As I look back on that door I spent so much time and tears over, I realize just how ugly that door really is.

Its chipped, an ugly color, and a plain door handle. Its cracked a bit now and I can see a few things, you know what..what was inside was nice, but I can see now how much better this door is! That door was not bad or horrible or anything...But I would have missed out on so many blessings!

That door was not my door! I was banging on a door that was not even there for me! But yet I was in a hurry to open a door I was going for the best looking one I could, at the time at least.

Yes, I have more door's ahead of me, some closer to me to open than others, but I don't  plan on doing any banging this time! I'll be glad to wait in that hallway and let the Lord open that door!

There all beautiful doors, such nice color and feel! I cannot wait to see the beauty behind them..all in good time heart, all in good time!

XOXO

Giving Up.

Its Wednesday already! CRAZY!!! This week has been flying by! I have no clue why this week and not last week! 

I have been doing allot of soul searching the last few weeks. I know I have not dug deep into my life for some time so I figured better late than never!

God has been opening so many doors and all, and I have been seing more and more everyday how much I need to be seeking His face more than I ever have! 

Maybe that has come with growing up. Im finally realizing just how much I have not incorporated the things into my life I need to! I am so glad that its never too late for me!

I love the quote above! It is so true!

I think so often we (and when I say we I am including myself in that) want to think if we admit that we feel that way, we are less of a person or something! I always want to be strong and make it seem like I have it all pulled together! I have to take a reality check and be honest with myself first, than I'll be honest with others.

I don't have it all together, and I must admit I wont ever have it all together. I will always have something that I cannot understand or control  But its ok! I do not have to control everything in my life!

For those of you who are RLF's (real life friends) or anyone who has been a bloggy friend for some time know, you know that I have this need to be in control of so much! I am a planner...I want it all set out and than when we get that plan we are going to stick with it! And so help me if those plan's get changed!

I am learning to LET GO! I will tell you, its not been easy! I think in the last week I have felt more like a 5 year old than I ever have! I have stomped my feet, yelled, and complained to God so much! " But I had this planned and I don't want to give that up!"   " Why should I have to give up MY time!"

Than as always I hear the "still small voice". "It was never yours to hang on to!" 

Sigh, Yes God I hear you.

So hard, yet I have to let go and just step back!

Andrew txted me on Sunday and after 30min I finally admitted I was having an attitude about letting go of some things I wanted for my weekend down in Texas. The txt I got back broke me. The Its going to be ok we will have fun and its ok to change some plans attitude he had slapped me in my face.  It was time to snap out of it!

Anyone else have trouble letting go of life??

XOXO

Roses, Weekends, Blessings, and My Life!

I am playing catch up!

Last Saturday Andrew drove up from Texas to spend Saturday with me!

This was a txt from Friday night!

When he pulled in he arrived with these!!

 Yes I almost cryed :)

First Picture of the Day!

We headed out to the Rushsprings Watermelon Fest with my family!!

We had allot of fun! There was a car show and we just walked around!

After that we split from the family and went out to eat! We also played 3 games of bowling! I won the first one but after that it was down hill for me! LOL! First date was a success! :)

We had supper with my family and than had a dessert time for some other family and friends to meet him! It was crazy loud and all over there but he was amazing about it all!

This picture was take just before he left :(

One day was NOT enough time! As we where saying goodbye he turned to me and said "well I guess this is gonna always be the hardest part!" I agree 100%! Long distance relationships officially are old!

I love my Saturday and time with my amazing boyfriend! I think I am in more awe after Saturday with how much God has blessed me with!

I miss him allot but phone call's sorta make up for it!

I will be there in Texas Labor Day weekend so we will have a few day's together!! I cant wait! Only 14 days left :)

These make me so happy! They lasted almost a week!

This is where they are at currently!!

On Sunday my sister and I where all fancy for Church!

Love this Chica so much!! 

Well, I will close for now!!!

XOXO

My Status has Changed!!!

Hey Friends!!

SOOOOOOOOOOO Much to tell you...where do I start??!!!!??!!

This last Saturday my relationship status changed!!! 

I am know dating this amazing guy from Texas, Y'all meet my boyfriend Andrew!

The Lord really has blessed me with an amazing Godly guy!

We have been talking for some time know and on Saturday he called my dad and asked if he could date me!

Yes, he is a keeper :)

I have always had a different outlook on dating! I never want to date just to date, I wanted to date to find the person I would spend the rest of my life with. I have never dated before now.

I have always set my standards high for a guy. I have always wanted someone like my dad, humble and in love with the Lord! I always wanted someone calmer than me to keep my feet on the ground, and I always wanted someone who had the same moral standards as me. 

I never backed down from those! I got weird looks,and laughs, but I knew deep down, he was out there.

I found this today on Pinterest:

For me this quote above speaks volumes! To me it say's that Ive relized why i have always waited and never lowered my standards to find someone.

As I sit here typing this post now, I get tears in my eyes! I still cant grasp fully how God has blessed me like this! I made a choose to be me, and live the way I felt I needed to, and that person would be out there and would come along some day. 

Last year I struggled so much with waiting on the Lord, and I finally said "Ok God, its all up to you, use me in whatever way you want to!" And here I am now, watching the Lord bless me!

I love the verse in Psalm 37:4

" Delight thyself also in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart!"

That verse has been such a comfort to me! I have it painted on a canvas hanging in my room! When I started to love the Lord more than anything else, thats when I watched the doors open!

I have to tell you, if you are someone out there who is waiting for that high standard guy, he is there, DONT ever back down. Cause when you find him, he WILL thank you for having those standards! I promise!

This morning I went on a walk as the sun was rising and I just stopped and watched it! I just stood there overwhelmed by what all God was handing to me! I really felt Him there with me, almost like He was just telling me thru that sunrise " See my daughter, I give good things!" I have always known He was a loving God, but its just so powerful to experience it first hand!

I cannot even start to tell you all how happy I am! It has been so cool to see the Lord work right in front of me! 

I pray, that as you seek His will for your life you will see and experience the same blessing as me!

And for girls out there who have stood up for something different like I have..HOLD ON!!! Its worth it!

XOXO

Writer's Workshop: Coffee

I have not joined Writer's Workshop is years! I figured it was time to get back into it! And I loved one of the topics this week!

So the topic this week that I have picked is:

5.) Write a post inspired by the word: Coffee

I love my Starbucks! I had a gold card at one point! (Than I moved to MS and was 2hrs from a Starbucks so I'm working my way back to the gold card again!)

I keep my Starbucks app handy and use that instead of dragging my cards around with me!

There are few mornings you will find me without a coffee mug in my hand. Actually normally what you see if me in my bathroom putting on makeup and doing my hair with a random coffee mug from the cupboard downstairs with coffee sitting on the counter next to me!

My dad is always up around 4:30 or so, I can always count on there being coffee in the coffee pot! And really the only time I don't get coffee is if we are out of creamer.

Yes I am that type of coffee drinker, the one who is "Would you like a little coffee with your creamer?" The kind who HAS to have flavored creamer! I get the big jug of french vanilla at Walmart! Between my dad and myself we can down one in a few weeks!

I don't really have a mug that I use on a daily basis. I used too, but I left them in MS, kinda on accident, but oh well. I have to find a few to get that will be my favorite cup!

Coffee is what keeps me going most the day! If you ever come stay the night at my house let me set you some ground rules...don't talk to me till I have had my cup of coffee, had a shower or have my makeup at least done. After that.. your good! :)

What I really want is a Kurig coffee maker! I can make my own coffee, one cup at a time! Anyone have one?? I used one when I worked at the girls home and LOVED it!

A few weeks ago I got a Snickers Frappe at Starbucks! That was SOOOO yummy! I need a Starbucks fixes really bad right now...oh well...If you ever want to send me coffee, a mug, or a Starbucks gift card, you can donate to the Joanna Coffee Fund! (TOTALLY kidding!) 

well, from one Coffee lover to another.....Lets get a coffee together someday!

If your new to the blog I hope you will stay around!!

XOXO

Peace for the Moment!

I want to start this post out this morning with a song lyrics!

Help Me Find It

By: Sidewalk Prophets

I don't know where to go from here 
It all used to seem so clear 
I'm finding I can't do this on my own 

I don't know where to go from here 
As long as I know that You are near 
I'm done fighting 
I'm finally letting go 

I will trust in You 
You've never failed before 
I will trust in You 

If there's a road I should walk 
Help me find it 
If I need to be still 
Give me peace for the moment 
Whatever Your will 
Whatever Your will 
Can You help me find it 

Can You help me find it 

I'm giving You fear and You give faith 
I giving You doubt
You give me grace 
For every step I've never been alone 

Even when it hurts, You'll have Your way 
Even in the valley I will say 
With every breath 
You've never let me go 

I will wait for You 
You've never failed before 
I will wait for You 

This song has been so powerful in my life the last few weeks! I have had allot going on! I hope some day, here even soon, I can share it all with you guys! But right now, its a work in progress, and I cant wait to see what God is going to do!

But, I do have allot I can share, and I want to! I have had a burden on my heart for some time know to change things here on this blog! Maybe that's why I have not been good at keeping up with blogging and all.

Well, that change is starting now! I am going to start sharing more of me, and what I have been doing and going thru in life. And thats going to mean that I will share about my faith and all that. I am sorry if anyone has trouble with that! I would hate to loose you as a follower, but I need to share the things that are on my heart!

That being said.....here we go! :)

The Lord has been doing allot of crazy things in my life! They actually started last year when I moved to MS. But I dont think I ever relized that till just this past week! Thats when the crazy things started to really appear for me.

I guess you would say God started to change my heart, and He started me down a path that I am so excited to see what He does with!

Last Sunday I went to a church that blessed my heart so much! I have actually been there one other time! I told my Aunt at the start of service that If I would not be coming alone (all my family goes to another church except when they visit this one) I would go to that church. By the end of the service I felt the Lord telling me that was an excuse! I decided to start going to that church even if I would be alone!

I am learning to let go and leave it there. So often I tell God that He can handle things and have control of them. But when I walk away, I take it with me!
I am learning I MUST leave things in His hands and NOT walk away with them! Its hard, oh so very hard, but a must in life!

Well, I'll close for now!
Y'all are awsome!

XOXO

Decisions

The last few day's I have been thinking on allot of things! Sometimes that gets me in trouble!

I have been thinking about what I am doing in life, where I want to be, and all that.

Thursday of last week I enrolled in Collage at a community collage in El Reno. I feel like this is one step for me to feel like I am doing something in my life! Im not just working 8 to 5, going home and just being me. I can impact more people.

A friend posted a link to a really cool artical on facebook today, I found this part out of it to be so true!

"All of our decisions matter, even the little ones. Every second matters. We’re always moving toward something and away from something. That doesn’t mean that we should stress out about everything, but it does mean that we should be thoughtful about how we spend our time—and after being thoughtful, we must make actual changes in our lives. Do you want to be healthier? OK, start exercising and eliminate unhealthy food. Do you want to read great literature? OK, actually read great literature instead of tabbing infinitely between Facebook and Instagram and Twitter. Do you want to be a good writer? OK, actually try writing something. Hey—that’s what I’m doing now!"

So my small things I do in life, matter for who, and what I will be later! I think we miss that allot these days! We dont relize what small foolish things can and will effect our lives!

On facebook yesterday there is a Buy Sell Trade page I follow for my area. I love the page and use it allot! Well yesterday was drama day on there! I did not see allot of it since I was at work, but some of what I did see, and the people who got banned from the page, it all made me sick! They where trying to be funny, and yet, those small actions can change there lives! And they think its just facebook!

As the quote say's dont stress about it. Thats my issue, I stress about what im doing next WAY to much! I have decided that I think my life needs some changes! Im still working on them, I'll get back to you when I get these changes figured out!

Im linking up with these two amazing ladies! If your over from:

Or

Virtual Coffee 


Welcome!

XOXO

4th Of July Fun!

It's Friday Y'all!

I am majorly happy!

I had 4th of July off and spent it with my friend Katie as my family has been on vacation in Branson!

Here are a few pictures! There from my phone so there small..sorry!

Katie and I ready for the day!

This movie was amazing! Great actors (of course cause Channing Tatum was in it!) and great story line! This one will go into my collection when it comes out!

Happy 4th Y'all!

Joining in on this swap:

So excited!

XOXO

Hi Monday!

Oh Hey Monday...Its you again!

Anyone else hate saying that? Ya, me too! :) 

But, Monday can be a good day!

And if your over from the party above Welcome!

And if you have never joined the party, YOU REALLY NEED TOO! :) I promise you will LOVE it!

My weekend was AWSOME!

I spent Saturday with some amazing people!

My little sister Jerusha and I went shopping in Norman! Went to Ulta, Gap, Old Navy, and than we picked up my friend Katie and went to IHop!
We of course stopped at Starbucks later!

This is my Light Mocha Frapp!

Here I am with the lil sis!

I took her sophmore pictures Saturday! I'll be editing them and than Yall will get to see them!

Well, here is a closing picture! Me this morning getting ready to take on Monday!