and February.

Such a crazy month. more snow. friend time. Clubs time. Fischer turned SEVEN! brother-fam time. and a TA transition as one moved to a new job teaching Kindergarten and a new one moved in.

Friendship

These last several years we've walked together through the excellent and the tragic. Thankful for this friend. ♥

MB Summer nutshell. (so far).

since we've been home at the beach...

...sweet sweet times. beyond thankful.

soaking it in & resting up for another year! ♥

wedding roadtrip...

Such a treasure getting to spend a roadtrip-day with Steph and attend Rachel & Shaun's sweet wedding! Lovely. Lovely. Lovely.

more favorites♥

NC State Fair Fun...

Oct. 2011

Last year it was a date-night thing...
some fried dough and a ferris wheel ride and we were set. :)

This year it was a group thing...

fearless leaders. party walk.
(state-fairing traditioners!)

Fried Snickers, Fried oreos,
FRIED EVERYTHING!

Either way you slice it, the fair is FUN.
I can definitely see why Raleighians make it a tradition. ♥

Running home: Jensen wedding edition

So nice to get to be involved in my friend Stacy's wedding!

...and get a little morning with the fam too! ♥

Saturday night: rehearsal dinner

Sunday morning: a little family time

Sunday: prep & wedding evening!

Running home: Labor Day weekend....

Sooo great to get to run home on a whim this weekend!!!

We had so much fun catching up with family, little ones, extended family... Every time we get to make the trip we appreciate the closeness to all our favorite faces and places!!

Monday while we were home, just before heading back to raleigh, my dad had a crazy dizzy/heart-attack spell. Crazy. Scary. Not good.

What was good was being there. Helping mom. Transporting Kayla. Hugging and kissing them. Praying and trusting in a God who's so much bigger than our failing bodies and ability to do little more than pray and ask for more and more life. 

Ann Voskamp taught me the art of thanking God for the ugly-beautiful. The hard stuff. The stuff I don't want to thank him for or trust him with. That's where we are.

Our bodies are failing. Our spiritual selves often a wreck too.
Both are dead without the His life-giving Spirit.
And so we rest in Him...

www.naptimediariesshop.com

Jeremy & Jeremy...

Former roomies. Good to see these guys in the same space. Even better to hear their crazy stories from bible college days! :)

(It's been a while... the last time this happened was November of 2008.)

Baylee- the 6th month old princess

And the coolest Warhol skate art collection ever!:)

adopting Nicky

The Rogersons' adoption story...

Steadily, God has been shaping Carson and Jill’s hearts for this moment. Jill’s parents adopted her baby brother when she was ten. It was an example of our God’s redemptive nature. When she was in college, she worked at an HIV orphanage in Africa for three months. Since marrying five years ago, they have together brewed and groaned over adoption blogs and RR’s site. God warmed Carson’s heart as he began to visualize adopting a special needs orphan. The Holy Spirit ministered to them both through other adoptive families and through learning what the Bible says about God’s heart for orphans. The conversations were intermittently paused while they had three biological girls in 2008, 2009, and 2010! 

And now — a couple of college degrees and relocations later, Carson and Jill are jumping off the cliff to make “Nicky Z” their son. It is finally time. They believe that “Nicky Z” is wonderfully made just the way he is. Carson and Jill imagine their three little girls ages four and under drawing him out of the effects of institutionalization and into robust toddlerhood in due time. They have faith that God will pave the way to bring “Nicky” home. We covet your prayers and support. {source}

Follow & Support Jill & Carson

the gift of words... [for Mary]

This 'gift of words [for Mary]' is actually for her best friend Claire... on Mary's birthday... which would have been today.

Mary would have been 29 today.

But early in the morning on May 1st she was hit and killed by a drunk driver.

(The trial is actually taking place today.)

I have two brief, but very vivid, memories of this sweet girl.

She used to come visit Claire regularly, and when they hadn't stayed up too late the night before,  they'd come to church together, all smiles of course.

The first time I'd met her was one of these visits. She and Claire sat behind us in church. She was so lovely. I had already heard so much about her, my heart already loved her.

The second time she and Claire were having one of their famous ice-cream-for-lunch dates. It was next to the restaurant where we were eating that Sunday, and I popped in on them. They looked at me like guilty little children with their hands caught in the cookie jar. It was such a sight!!

Mary and Claire were beautiful friends.

Claire's life has drastically changed since that morning when she received the news that Mary was in intensive care... and then worse.

Mary also left behind a husband, parents and siblings.

She was treasured by many.

Life can be so sweet and then hurt so bad at times. Our hearts get all jaded and broken and fearful. The temptation [for me at least] is to hold back, build a wall, guard the door. But then -as we try to lock out all that can hurt us, we end up locking out goodness too. Our walls are all too effective.

I have watched my friend Claire hurt from the loss of this sweet friend & friendship. I have seen her temptation to give up, throw in the towel, build a great wall. But she has resisted. Instead she has prayed and pressed in for blessing and comfort. She has allowed God to strengthen and walk with her through mourning. And she has reached out in new ways to friends like me. And for that I am grateful.

I wanted to bless Claire today. My prayer is that she will be wrapped in the beauty and comfort that she has continually offered others. And that she will embrace joy and celebration for a life well-lived and a friendship savored.

You are a jewel, Claire. I'm so thankful for you. Pray you have deep deep peace today. -Love you!

Sayonaras...

These last few weeks have been filled with lots of 'see-ya-laters'.. It's been awesome and oh so sad.

I know this new chapter will bring new friendships and adventures, but I can't help but think of how dearly I'll miss these treasures!!!

cousin-week 2011

nephew Cade... (8 weeks)

oh, Sister... I'm not saying bye to you!

Here we go!!