Blog-tember Challenge: A Letter to My 16 Year-Old Self

Today's "Blog-tember Challenge" prompt is to write a letter to myself at 16.  In order to do that, I need to think about what was happening at that point in my life...

Blog-tember Challenge: My Passions

Happy Friday!

Today's Blog-tember Challenge prompt is "What are you passionate about?"  So, here are some things that make me tick - I'd love to hear from you in the comments section about some things you are passionate about. Do we have any in common?

Sponsor Q&A with Danielle-Marie

As (I hope) you've seen, this month's Sunshine Sponsor is Danielle from Danielle-Marie! Danielle is a Christian wife and mother, living abroad in...get this...Thailand! She's adopted two gorgeous children, and supports her missionary husband amazingly. Be sure to click on over to her blog to get to know her even better (and to see some fun facts about Danielle - including the fact that she lived in Columbia for 12 years - !!!! - visit her About page). 

The 4th Year Begins

Yesterday Spencer and I celebrated our 3rd wedding anniversary, which is insane to me. It seems literally like only months ago I was anxiously putting on my dress, opening my beautiful Tiffany bracelet, and crying over the longest, most heartfelt letter from my groom. I will never forget the church doors opening, and seeing him waiting for me at the end of the aisle - laughing because my mom, my dad, and I were all crying as we walked down the aisle together. :)

Guest Post: Sage the Blog (5 Podcasts for Believers)

It seems like podcasts have just taken off with the last few years and I have really grown to love them. Instead of turning to music for my workouts, I have been listening to my favorite podcasts more often.

Guest Post: Adventures with Luka

Good morning!

As I mentioned, while on vacation, I have some great posts lined up for you to read. Today is no different! Meet Ashleigh, who blogs over at Adventures with Luka. Enjoy this post, and be sure to go say hello!

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Hey everyone! This is my first time writing a guest blog post, so please bear with me :)

My name is Ashleigh and I run Adventures with Luka when I’m not teaching or volunteering at my church. My days are filled with work, volunteerism, reading, or taking care of my dog, Luka. He’s quite the pup and never allows for a dull moment.

It is my pleasure to share some of what God has been placing on my heart lately, and something I deal with often. You are not who the world thinks you should be. You are who God made you to be and you are on a trajectory of becoming who He wants you to be.

Working at a Christian middle school, I get a lot of my students commenting on my singleness. In this day and age, having “someone” is everything. Assuming (correctly, I might add) that I am living by God’s standards when it comes to relationships, my students are often baffled at how I embrace my single life. Not a month ever goes by without at least one student asking a question along the lines of, “Why don’t you have a boyfriend?” “Do you want to get married?” “Why aren't you married?” “Aren't you oh, so lonely?” When I first began teaching three years ago, I would cringe at these questions. How insensitive can these kids be? Of course I want a boyfriend and to be married. No, I don’t know why I’m single. If I did, I would fix it! Now, I never answered that way, but the three years of practice have helped me refine my attitude toward the questions themselves. I no longer cringe. I actually smile. Though my students (and many other people) think that there must be something wrong with me because I’m single at (almost) 26, there isn't. I’m right where God has placed me. I smile because when they ask I get to share with them an often unspoken and unheard truth about God. That truth is that there is no peace, no completion, no joy when you step outside of God’s will. 

After a long internal struggle, I decided in March to give an entire year to God and God alone. No more going on dates, no more saying yes when people ask if they can set me up, no more looking at that cute new guy in church or the store or the gym and wondering if he is single and loves Jesus. No more wondering where my future husband could be, if he even exists. None of that. An entire year focused on growing in God. An entire year focused on getting to know my Creator more intimately. An entire year learning what vulnerability and falling in love are really like with the most perfect Being there ever was, is, and will be. An entire year of seeking Christ before anything else. An entire year of spending time in the Word daily. An entire year of only looking to Him for my peace, joy, happiness, fulfillment, contentedness, and comfort. It’s only been almost two months, but they have been the best two months I've had in a very, very long time. I’m falling SO in love with Christ! I thought I already was in love with Him. Oh, how wrong I was!

We all live in a society which expects—sometimes it demands—of us what we cannot give and do not have. It expects us to have our lives completely together. Especially the Christians. We need to be tolerant, but not without backbone. We need to stand firm, but not too firm. We need to hold convictions, but we better not be offensive. We should stand out, but not too much. No matter where you are in life-- single, married, widowed, with children, without children (and trying), grieving the loss of a child, not even wanting children, in the process of adopting, divorced, broken, addicted, struggling, barely hanging on, graduating high school and afraid, graduating college and lost, changing careers and confused-- God loves you. God wants you to look to Him for your fulfillment. You worth comes from Him alone. Don’t look to the world for your worth. Look to God. How? The Word of God. A trusted pastor or mentor to give you guidance about a confusing concept in the Word of God. You don’t need to be perfect. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You don’t need to have your future decided when you’re 18. You don’t need to have $50,000 saved up by the time you’re 30. You don’t even need to have $1,000 saved up by that time. 

All you need, all you need, is to know where to fix your eyes. Fix your eyes upon the unchanging, everlasting, unconditionally loving God. The One who was before time. The one who created all things. The one who knit you together in your mother’s womb. The one who holds the whole world in His hands. The one who loves you so much that He decided to come to Earth in the form of a man, retaining His full deity, and bearing ALL of your sins upon the cross. Though He was sinless, He chose to carry your sins. Nothing, I repeat, nothing, can define you apart from Him. He is all that matters. In that, seek to please Him alone. You will not regret it!

Connect with Ashleigh!

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10 Things I Fear

Fear. Defined as "a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid." We all have things that bring us fear, and for some, these fears can even be debilitating. 

I wish I could say I had no worries. That I always felt confident about life and that I put all of my trust in God 100% of the time. I do believe that everything happens for a reason, but that doesn't always put my fears to rest.

Today, I wanted to open up and share 10 of my biggest fears (in no particular order). I'd love to hear from you, too, on some of your fears. Maybe we have some in common! 

1. Death of a loved one.
I did experience this recently, and it sucks. Period. I trust that she is healed and celebrating in heaven, but it still stinks for those of us left behind. For some unknown reason, I have always feared losing a loved one in a car accident. I don't know why, or where that fear originated, but it's there. So when I tell someone "be careful" before they drive somewhere, I mean it!

2. Cockroaches.
I know. They can't hurt you (but they do carry gross germs and diseases), but that does not ease my fear. I have been known to run and start crying when I see one. It's totally irrational and childish, but I just can't help it! I shudder just thinking about it...

3. Financial hardship.
I've always been blessed with a roof over my head, clothes to wear, and a bed to sleep in. We had times of trouble, and I wasn't always able to have things my friends had or to go places my friends went, but I still consider myself blessed compared to many. I am so grateful for our current blessings and incomes, but sometimes I fear something will happen and we'll have to make some tough choices. 

4. Infertility.
Spencer and I are not currently trying to conceive, but I fear that when we do, I will have a hard time. I've had some issues (that I won't go into detail about) that might be cause for concern, but there's truly no way of knowing until the time comes. No sense in worrying about it now, but it does pop into my head on occasion.

5. Disappointing people.
If you've read this blog for any length of time, or if you know me personally, you're aware that I'm a people pleaser. Always have been. As a kid, it only took "the look" to make me cower and cry (Momma, don't try it because it still works!). I like people to like me, to meet peoples' expectations, and to make them happy. I know it's not possible to do all the time, but I dread the times that I let people down.

6. Aging.
I don't particularly fear aging for myself, but more for my family members. I have two living grandparents that I feel so lucky to be able to spend time with. I also am blessed with not two, but four wonderful parents. I try to ignore the fact that they're getting older, because I like to imagine they'll always be around. It's just easier to think that way.

7. Forgetting a work event.
A large part of my job as a marketing coordinator includes events (educational, social, internal, etc.). I sometimes have a last minute fear that I've forgotten an event, or an important detail like ordering food or reminding the building to leave the lights on. Things do (and have) gone wrong, but I still never get over having those fears.

8. Anxiety.
I haven't shared this on the blog, but I currently take medication for anxiety. It started for me this past summer, and I'm so grateful to have a husband that I could be open with. He called to make a doctors appointment for me (because I couldn't do it myself) and I've been on medication since. After a few experiments with dosage, we've settled on a good one for me. I do fear that it will stop working and that my anxiety will come back. On occasion since I started, I'll feel my heart beat increase or another symptom that occurred before my medicine, and I'll start to panic. I'd like to eventually decrease my dosage if possible, not have to increase it!

9. Working alone. 
I've talked (written?) before about being an introvert, but I have found that I do better work, both at home and at work, when I have a partner or a group to work with. I like the opportunity to bounce ideas off of others, and to divide and conquer. It makes me feel more confident in what I'm doing. I do work alone sometimes, but I just feel that I do better with one or two others.

10. Wasting my life.
Sometimes I sit back and wonder what I'm doing with my life. I've never had big dreams to be famous or to go down in history. I just want to live my life in a way that I'll have some sort of a positive impact on other people. I want to bring others to the Lord and to live my life in a way that shows my love for Him. To make people smile, to make them feel important and to let them know they matter. I worry as the days go by that I'm not doing that enough.


Well, those are my fears (as I said, in no particular order). 

What do you fear? Does it hold you back? Have you been able to overcome anything you used to fear?


Until next time - - 

Our Weekend: For Better or For Worse

Spencer and I spent our Valentine's weekend at the gorgeous, world class Ballantyne Hotel in Charlotte, NC. We enjoyed many of their amenities, including the golf course, amazing restaurant, and their spa by getting a very enjoyable (and much needed) couple's massage. 

I had planned to go into detail about all of the wonderful things we ate and experienced there, but it just does not seem quite appropriate now. When we returned to our room after dinner on Saturday night, I picked up my phone (which I had left in the room) and discovered that my beautiful, amazing Aunt Linda had lost her long battle with breast cancer. 

This is how I know I have found the man for me. While we had a bottle of champagne on ice, chocolate covered strawberries, a cheese plate and a bottle of red wine, all set up in a beautiful hotel suite - pretty much the most romantic scene you could imagine on Valentine's Day - all was forgotten in that moment. We sat and cried (well, I cried, he hugged) for what seemed like an eternity. I got mascara and lip gloss all over his clean white dress shirt. He brought me mounds of tissues and rubbed my back while I ugly-cried. He told me to forget where we were and what we had set up, and to just be sad if I wanted to be. He showed me that caring for me and being by my side in hard times, was much more important than our plans and images of romance we had. 

That, my friends, is romance. Romance is not candles, bubble baths, champagne and lingerie. Romance is kindness, hugs, and commitment. It's being there for someone when things are great and fun, and also when things are hard. It's letting you cry while reassuring you everything will be ok. Because it will be. 

I'll end this post with some pictures. The first pictures are of dinner on Saturday, and the rest I am sharing are of my lovely aunt, who will always be remembered by her friends, family, coworkers, and the entire town where she lived as the fun, cheerful woman who could take on the world with Christ on her side, spreading His love, and now is rejoicing with a healed body in Heaven. One day we all will be reunited again, and what a family reunion that will be!

Delicious surprise in our room!

My Valentine <3

Hubba hubba!

Spencer's Dinner: Elk

My dinner: Cap Steak

Heart-shaped caramel candies from the chef

Ice cream trio: Brown Sugar, Pistachio, Rocky Road

"The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away, and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil. Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death."
- Isaiah 57:1-2

She indeed loved the Lord, and He has taken her from the earth to spare her from evil, and has found rest. These verses are a comfort to me.

Making something delicious, no doubt

Dressed for Walk through Bethlehem, which she founded and ran in her town

With her two beautiful daughters. She loved them more than life.

All of the siblings together.

The Foust girls with their parents, my Mamaw and Papaw

At my sister's wedding, radiating joy

She was, and always has been, truly beautiful, inside and out.

Thanks for your kind words and prayers!


Until next time - - 

In Honor of MLK

Martin Luther King, Jr. was an incredibly inspiring man. He was brave and bold enough to stand up for what he believed in, but did so peacefully. With so many present day groups like ISIS and the Taliban fighting violently for their beliefs, it's important to remember and honor a man who made such a big impact in history without violence. 

So, in honor of a great man on a day set aside to honor him, take a minute to read his famous "I Have a Dream" speech and just imagine the same speech made today in honor of people worldwide who are not allowed the same freedoms and rights as those of us blessed enough to live in the US. 

I am happy to join with you today in what will go down in history as the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of our nation.

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we've come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check, a check which has come back marked "insufficient funds."

But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. And so, we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of Now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to make real the promises of democracy. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood. Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God's children.

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning. And those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. And there will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

But there is something that I must say to my people, who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice: In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

We cannot walk alone.

And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead.

We cannot turn back.

There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their self-hood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating: "For Whites Only." We cannot be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream."

I am not unmindful that some of you have come here out of great trials and tribulations. Some of you have come fresh from narrow jail cells. And some of you have come from areas where your quest -- quest for freedom left you battered by the storms of persecution and staggered by the winds of police brutality. You have been the veterans of creative suffering. Continue to work with the faith that unearned suffering is redemptive. Go back to Mississippi, go back to Alabama, go back to South Carolina, go back to Georgia, go back to Louisiana, go back to the slums and ghettos of our northern cities, knowing that somehow this situation can and will be changed.

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: 

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

This is our hope, and this is the faith that I go back to the South with.

With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith, we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith, we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.

And this will be the day -- this will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with new meaning:

My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing.

Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim's pride,

From every mountainside, let freedom ring!

And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true.

And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire.

Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York.

Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania.

Let freedom ring from the snow-capped Rockies of Colorado.

Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California.

But not only that:

Let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia.

Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee.

Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi.

From every mountainside, let freedom ring.

And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:

                Free at last! Free at last!

                Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

2015 Word of the Year

Since New Years, I have enjoyed reading other bloggers' "Word of the Year" post. It's in place of resolutions or goals (you can see mine here). Choosing a "Word of the Year" is a year-long quest to apply or meditate on the chosen word. I really contemplated what my word would be if I chose one. When it occurred to me, I thought I should probably share it, as someone else may also need it and we can hold one another accountable.

My word for 2015 is "Perspective." Many times, I can over-react, over-analyze, and be overly-sensitive. I've told myself that it's just how women are wired. But truthfully, most times I allow myself to do this simply by not resisting it. I give into the temptations to over-(insert verb) and let it control me rather than me controlling my own emotions.

perspective

/pəˈspɛktɪv/

noun 

1.

a way of regarding situations, facts, etc, and judging their relativeimportance

2.

the proper or accurate point of view or the ability to see it; objectivity:try to get some perspective on your troubles

If someone at work gets upset with me (which if you know me, you know is completely devastating to the natural people-pleaser in me), I often let it throw off my whole day. I did something wrong, they're mad at me, I stink at my job, they're going to tell everyone, they're going to remember it forever...whatever thought goes through my mind, at times I can let it consume me. 

PERSPECTIVE. Did I really mess up? Go apologize. Fix it. I didn't really do anything wrong? Well, then I can't do anything to fix it. Keep working hard, and they'll realize they were wrong. And if not, it's not that big of a deal!

If I don't feel well (which I'm sorry to say has been quite a bit this past year, due to being prone to migraines, and also due to some other personal reasons), man oh man, can I wallow! I don't want someone to tell me to suck it up, that I'll be fine. I want to be coddled, to be catered to, and I want empathy (note: not from everyone, I'm not THAT bad. Mainly from my husband, and growing up from my mom. Basically anyone who gets the honor of living with me!). When I think about it, I have to roll my eyes at myself. I mean, honestly.

PERSPECTIVE. I have friends and family members battling illnesses that they would give anything to trade for whatever measly thing is bringing me down. Breast Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, Cystic Fibrosis, accidents causing years and years of painful recovery surgeries, you name it. The funny thing is, these are the people that I never hear complain. If that doesn't keep things in perspective, what will?

If I get pouty because I can't buy something I want, or think that I "need," I wish that we had more money. "So-and-so has this, and they're younger than I am!" "I saw on Instagram that so-and-so got that watch I want so badly. I'd be sooo happy if I can have that, too!"

PERSPECTIVE. If my happiness rests in what I have or don't have, what trips I can or can't take, or lusting after others' things, I have my priorities all out of whack. That's when I know I need to step back, dive into my Bible and into prayer, and really remind myself that the only thing that can make me happy is finding my identity in Christ and resting in that. All of my other blessings are sprinkles on top. And everything else I don't have but think I want, well, the Lord has reasons for keeping things from us for our own good.

So for 2015, my word of focus is "Perspective." I hope this will train my mind and my heart to focus less on myself, and more on helping and being there for other people. 

If you'd like to join me in this, let me know! We can encourage each other. 

What word would you pick for 2015? Let me know in the comments!

Until next time - - 

Merry Christmas!

Source

Wishing you and yours the Merriest of Christmases! Take the time to connect with loved ones; to hug them, share memories, make new memories, and cherish each second you get to spend with them. I know I will be.

Here's a reminder about why we celebrate this special day:

"In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to their own town to register.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,

 “Glory to God in the highest heaven,  and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told."

Luke 2:1-20

Sunday Shenanigans

Hope you had a great weekend! 

My Saturday was mostly spent being lazy, but I did squeeze in some laundry and present wrapping in there. It was so nice to be able to enjoy being at home, taking in the Christmas tree and as many cheesy Hallmark movies as I could squeeze in!

Sunday was a bit busier, but really fun!

First, I went with Casey, Samantha, and Baby Colin to the Columbia Junior League's Holiday Market - thanks for the tickets, Elizabeth! The Market did not disappoint. There was booth after booth of awesome clothes, decorations, jewelry, food and much more!

Here are the goodies I purchased:

Leather Bracelets from Miss Cocky - half off!

Gorgeous lace skirt for a STEAL - La Dee Da Gifts

A Christmas flag for our mailbox - I'm not sure what this shop was!

After we left the Holiday Market, Casey and Samantha dropped me back off at my house so I could get my car and head over to Amanda and Eric's house for their baby, Makenna's, dedication! (check out Amanda's blog, The Life of a Gluten Free Mama here!). 

I felt so honored to be included in such a special occasion for them. It was such a sweet afternoon. We got to see Makenna, and pray over her, Amanda, and Eric, that they may be able to raise her remembering that she is God's, and it is their job as her parents to help train her in the way that is right. I can't wait to watch Makenna grow and hopefully be able to help be a part of guiding her in her journey!

Borrowed from Amanda's Facebook page :)

Straight from Makenna's dedication, I went to my in-laws for our annual Christmas cookie bake! Don't be fooled - cookies were actually the least of what we made. We made sausage balls (my personal favorite), cheese straws, chocolate goo, and of course, sugar cookies! They sent me on my way with bags of each one, and you better believe I enjoyed a few of those sausage balls with my coffee for breakfast this morning :).

Trying so hard to be patient!

Finally, the sausage balls are ready! Nom nom nom.

Cheese straws galore

Chocolate Goo - yum!

I missed having Spencer with me this weekend, but he's back home now - and I would say he is the one who missed out on the fun :)

ALSO - - 
Don't forget that Amazon is having it's amazing Green Monday Deals and other sales! If you're anything like me, you prefer to order gifts online and not get stuck in the crowds (and usually I can't see anything over them. #shortpeopleproblems). Amazon is my JAM.