As the Year Comes to an End.

Enjoying renewed focus on nutrition:

Kale smoothie.

Homemade coconut and almond milk.

(...with this nut milk bag)

Juicing.

Salads.

Veggie smoothies with this *amazing* raw protein.

Too many cookies. Need help. Would take a picture but sadly they are all gone...

Enjoying precious time with my boys:

In love.

Double in love. Those eyes!

Made an advent calendar.

Put some effort into the tree this year :)

Love family time.

Just had to. This little man was the best part of this year!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Lindsay

The Never Ending Adventure

I can't tell you why, but for some reason lately I've been thinking a lot about myself as an older woman. I keep thinking about what my life will be like once the kids are out of the house, my youth has faded, and I qualify for social security and medicaid. The words that have been running through my head are "begin with the end in mind". 

When I am older, I don't want to look back at my life and think that my best years are behind me. Because right now, I feel like they are ahead of me. I have so much to learn and more growing and seasoning to do, I am still young and can easily work out and become fit, I can play around in the yard with my sons if I want and go exploring in the woods. I can go back to school if I want, I can stay in on a Saturday night or I could go out dancing! I have yet to see my children grow up, and to be honest I am looking forward to those fun years the most! 

The thing is, the things I look forward to the most in life seem to taper off by the time I reach retirement age. So I've been thinking of how to shift my way of thinking about that. Right now, if I begin with the end in mind, I have the power to create the kind of life I will have in the future. While I know the ultimately my life is in God's hands, there is still a great deal of my life that I have control of based on the decisions I make every day. And one thing is for sure- when I am older, I want to feel as if my best days are head of me.

How am I going to do that? Well right now I'm not exactly sure. I suppose if my tastes are similar then as they are now, my life will look something like this:

*Weekly date nights with Dave

*Many visits with children and grandchildren

*Have a garden

*Many trips a year to different places around the world- the Carolinas, California, Mexico, Europe... who knows!

*Constant learning- maybe I will take classes at a community college just to keep my brain challenged!

*Lots of reading

*Much service to others and the church

*Mentoring and inspiring younger women

*Exercise

I could go on, but I think this is a pretty good list to start. Now I have the opportunity to live my life in a way that will make this possible. No matter how old I get, my life will be a never ending adventure... Here's to the years to come!

Lindsay

Distinction

I will admit, there have been quite a few times when I have fallen victim to comparing myself to other women. Not in the typical sense of physical appearance or possessions, but in matters of the heart. More specifically, a broken heart.

I have many friends who married their first love, and I think that is so wonderful. I notice in them the spark of innocence, liveliness, and joy that comes with never having had your heart broken...the spark I used to have. Because if you have experienced a broken heart, you know that something changes inside you. You are not the same person as before, because a part of you is missing and now you're left to piece your heart back together, yet it never quite looks the same.

This is what I envy most in other women- a whole, unbroken heart. Yet today, in a quote from a movie I have seen countless times, a ray of sunshine shone in this dark place in my heart:

"A girl likes to be crossed in love now and then. It gives her something to think of, a... distinction amongst her companions." -Mr. Bennett, Pride and Prejudice

Ahhhh. Those words are like fresh water to a thirsty heart. I cannot change the past, so I am choosing to be grateful for the experiences that shaped who I am now and for the depth those experiences rendered my soul.

Lindsay

I'm Not Really A Writer

OPI had it right years ago when they released their classic nail color "I'm Not Really A Waitress". I remember thinking, what? What does that even mean? 

Man, to woman: "Mam, those are some lovely red nails you've got there."

Woman, to man: "Oh, thank you! Listen, I know what you're thinking, judging by my nail color but I have a little secret..." She leans in and whispers, "I'm not really a waitress!"

Until then I had no idea that a slightly cool-toned shimmery red nail color mean imminent career pigeonhole-ing from strangers, but I admire OPI for thinking outside the box. Every time I do a pedicure or manicure at work and my client picks out their color, the first thing we both want to know is, what's the name? 

Barefoot In Barcelona? Perfect, I'll take that one. 

An Affair in Times Square? Hmmm, what else have you got?

A Butterfly Moment? Oh, yes please!

And if it isn't fun enough picking out a color that matches your present state of mind, they always have their "collections". Skyfall, Mariah Carey, South Beach. Today, I'm feeling a little 'Neon Revolution". Anyway, you get it.

OPI is all about shock value. It is what makes them memorable and sets them apart. And let's be honest, most women love painting their nails. So when a woman absolutely falls in love with a color called "Pack Your Booty Shorts" is she likely to forget it? Not a chance. Will she compare it to knock-off colors and possibly ask a random Meijer employee if they have a nail color similar to OPI's Pack Your Booty Shorts? Absolutely, no shame. After all, she didn't name it. It's all OPI's fault!

So here you are reading my blog post about nail color, and yes I am in the girlie industry of Cosmetology, but I also have a confession to make. I know you must be thinking that since I have a blog I must be a writer, but the truth is, I'm not. At least, not yet. 

GASP!!

Are you shocked? Ha, probably not. But here is where I'm at. 

I love making memories, and memorable things. I love thinking outside the box. I love adventure and shock value. I love originality and creativity. I love playfulness in the little things, like nail polish color names. Even though I'm not really a writer, I endeavor to find a way to articulate my love of simple adventures in everyday life. 

I already feel refreshed.

Lindsay

What I Didn't Realize

I had sort of an epiphany today.

On the way home from picking Z up from preschool the song Mighty To Save came on the radio. Just listening to it I was fine, but when I started singing I started crying. So I stopped singing. Then I stopped crying. Odd. Starting singing again, started crying again. Lather, rinse, repeat.

Interesting.

I started pondering why certain Christian songs make me cry. I thought about how I have been crying way easier since I've been a mom. And I suppose since I've been a Christian, too. Then I thought, that's it! I cry easily when singing because in that moment my redemption is so tangible. Of all the hurt I've been through, mistakes I've made, doubts and insecurities I've had, God is the be-all end-all of my life. He has saved me from the hell of a life I didn't even realize I was living until I was on the other side. Thinking about that more deeply, it boggles my mind that in all reality, I truly didn't realize how hurt I was! If you would have asked me then, I would have said my life was just fine, thank you very much. It was one of those "ignorance is bliss" things. One of those "don't know what you're missing" things. Now that I live under the banner of God's love, I am overwhelmed with joy when His spirit is moving in me and I can see how wonderful he has made my life.

But it's not only the blessings. It's what God has done within my heart that is the most powerful. He has given me strength and security. Yes my life is wonderful because he has blessed it, but even without all his blessings, there is an immovable peace inside me that comes only from knowing and trusting in Him. He alone is enough. I am resting in that truth today.

Lindsay

Handsome Little Boy

Today a good friend of mine who does awesome photography snapped some pictures of Zachary for his 3 year old pictures. It was a perfect fall day out, sunny, windy, leaves everywhere... just beautiful. Here are a few of my favorites!

I just love the expression in his eyes in these pictures! I am so in love with this little man so full of life. Pure joy. Wow.

Lindsay

Finding a New Dream

Her: "I've been looking out of a window for eighteen years, dreaming about what I might feel like when those lights rise in the sky. What if it's not everything I dreamed it would be?" 

Him: "It will be."

Her: "And what if it is? What do I do then?"

Him: "Well, that's the good part I guess. You get to go find a new dream."

Have you ever experienced your life's dream? Maybe you dream of traveling Europe, swimming in the ocean, finding love in the oddest place, buying a dream house... On May 11th of this year, my dream came true. Once I passed the age of innocence I never dreamed of marriage as a possibility for me. God has obviously changed my heart, and here I am, a very happily, and in the words of Audrey Hepburn, "very married" woman. But there is something scary about your dream coming true, because well... then what? Those of us who believe in God's eternal blessing through Jesus know we have good things awaiting us after this life... but what do we do until then? Tonight I found the inspiration I didn't even know I was looking for. I don't have to stop dreaming just because my dream came true. I get to go find a new one.

Lindsay