Saturday, November 12, 2011

MrS. B's BuCkEt LiSt


  • To love God with all my heart, all my mind, and all of my strength.
  • Be a honeymooner forever, and the best wife ever.
  • Have little Bailey babies.
  • Give myself away to others.
  • Learn to sew well enough that I can make baby clothes, costumes for my kiddies, gifts, curtains, pillows, etc.
  • Travel, travel, travel to:
  1. Europe: go back to Paris and Gimmewald, Switzerland
  2.  California 
  3. Australia
  4. Alaska
  5. Colorado
  6. Virgin Islands 
  7. Italy: Venice, Rome
  8. Africa (safari is a definite).
  • Have grace, live grace, except grace to the fullest extent and love beyond that.
  • Go on a mission trip as a couple.
  • Become a crossfit kids instructor.
  • Re-learn piano.
  • Learn to grown my own little garden.
  • Kipping pull ups (string 10), awesome double unders, 
  • rope climb like a boss, and get a muscle up.
  • Love God's will for me more than my will for me.
  • Live in peace and harmony as much as possible with those I love.
  • Own a white fluffy puppy.
  • Be healthy and active.  I want to be in better shape when I'm 35 than I am now.
  • Go camping AND survive.
  • Drive across the pacific coast highway.
  • Be my own personal hair stylist.
  • Be UNperfectionist.
  • BE joy.
  • Find pleasure in life in the little moments of happiness.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Puppy Love



Just want to make sure that everyone understands that I need a dog that looks just like this one in my lap by tomorrow morning! Ok thanks. I'm so in love with it! Honestly it's going to be awhile until I have one, but c'mon, does it get any cuter?

Sunday, May 29, 2011


Above is a picture of me with our new house keys (note the pink ribbon tied on, courtesy of my Mother-in-law)!
Friday marked my last day as a Lanier Elementary Wildcat (my last day as a first grade teacher)! Ahhh mixed emotions!
I cried so hard when those 1st graders left (more on thoughts about those kids during another post and time). I'm overjoyed to move to Smryna.
My husband and I had moved all of our belongings to our new home in Smyrna April 23 although my teaching contract did not end in Gainesville until May 27. Our apartment lease had run out April 1 and we didn't want to pay what was asked for more than necessary to stay (it was quite a bit more). So our compromise was to pay extra for April and then to gut it out apart for the month of May. We moved our belongings and Parker April 23 to the Smyrna house and moved me to my mom's house in Gainesville for 1 month.
Parker & I LOVE LOVE LOVE being with each other and we missed each other terribly when apart for even a day. We are that couple that would opt to do everything together excluding some awkward situations that could apply to :). We are best friends. A lot of people say, oh it's because you are still newlyweds... to which I usually think, yes, and always will be. I can't tell you how much my heart lights up just to do little life things with him. He is my favorite person on earth and every day with him is filled with love, joy, laughter, and blessings. I felt like a missing part of a puzzle piece had been put back into my heart when I came home Friday to my Smyrna home to stay not just for the weekend, but forever with him <3
So as much as I loved family time and my 3 mile commute to work each morning of late April- May, I missed my hubs so much more. So yes, Friday was wonderful for that reason alone.
But little did I know that God had a spectacular blessing in story that same day. As you could imagine I will no longer be teaching in Gainesville because of the distance (70 mile commute one way people or 1 1/2 hrs on a GOOD day). So I decided to venture out and attempt to find another job teaching or something other than teaching (I left that part in God's hands). I applied to many different jobs and basically prayed for God to show me what to do. Long story short, He gave me a job Friday!! I'll be working as an leasing agent at the Worthing Companies in Dunwoody.
Now let me brag on God for a second! I didn't apply for this job. I didn't submit a resume. My friend came to me and told me about it, stating that I would be PERFECT for it. So I told her I would submit my resume after school wrapped up. A series of events lead me to do it sooner than planned. Within a week of walking my resume in, I got a call back for a second interview, and the next day after that a job offer! I accepted the offer on my last day of work at Lanier! Never doubt the perfect timing of God who loves you so much!
So after several months of walking by faith into the unknown and trusting God to provide my future job (still with my knees shaking quite a bit), God of course showed up in a BIG way and never EVER fails me.
I did a pretty good job most days walking in faith and trusting. However I had this little twinge of doubt and fear remained in my chest that I was always ignoring too. Sometimes it won, but I tried not to let it win more than it lost.
I prayed about this situation and had faith more than not, but there again I feared sometimes and I wondered if we had made the right decision at all. But in the depths of my heart I knew God was leading us and that we had followed. I knew we heard His voice and that He loved us and would always provide. Truly the faith of the mustard seed is enough and He was listening to even the smallest prayers about the situation. He has blessed us beyond measure with our home, my job, Parker's internship, and so many other things this year. May we always grow in our faith so that God can be glorified and move mountains in our lives!

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Song for May

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhNrrrCCTdA

Monday, March 7, 2011

Grace Abudnant

There's an old Christian saying that I heard quoted over the lunch table the other day: "Those who require much grace should freely give much grace to those who need it."

An old friend called me this weekend and I finally returned their call today. It turned out that old friend had an apology to give me... of things from almost 2 years ago that happened between us. It feels like decades ago that the issue they apologized for happened...they changed, I changed, and life moved on. In the most deepest depth of my heart I had already forgiven this person and actually even understood why they did the things they did. Honestly they weren't that bad for someone who was carrying the kind of cross this particular person had. I had made my own mistakes in this particular relationship and although I had apologized in the past for these misdemeanors, I was pleased to have the opportunity to do so again.
How lovely is was to have them offer an apology for an unresolved issue. I'm blessed to get to receive that! I don't take for granted how many times people part ways with their issues unresolved and how wonderful it is for me to get to talk this out with this person. I'm so glad that I got to put that good old saying into practice!

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Eye Candy





A collection of some of my desired decorative ideas, along with furniture pieces, paint colors, etc to be updated as I find them! Yummy! Currently I'm obssessd with bedrooms and the blue shades you see here. LOVE.

Jesus in Matthew 5:3-11

Thoughts adopted from one of Jesus' sermon, most popularly titled "The Beatitudes."

YOU'RE BLESSED WHEN...
you are at the end of your rope. Less of you means more of God and his reign.

YOU'RE BLESSED WHEN...
you feel you've lost what's most dear to you. Only then can the One who is most dear to you can embrace you fully.

YOU'RE BLESSED WHEN...
you are content with just who you are- no more, no less. That's when you find yourself the proud owner of everything that can't be bought.

YOU'RE BLESSED WHEN...
you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink and the best meal you could ever eat.

YOU'RE BLESSED WHEN...
you get the inside of your world- your mind, your heart- put right. Then you can see God in the outside world.

YOU'RE BLESSED WHEN...
you care. At the moment of being care-ful (full of care) you find yourselves cared for.

YOU'RE BLESSED WHEN...
you can cooperate instead of compete or fight. That's when you discover who you really are, and you're place is in God's family.

YOU'RE BLESSED WHEN...
your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom.

Count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit Me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable.

{Oh how I to be blessed in this way in life. Jesus draw me closer to you}

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Beloved Words

Many of us Jesus followers know this scripture well. It has new meaning for me as a married woman. As I read God's inspired words I am refreshed. This is what I want my life to be about.

Proverbs 31:30-31
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Friday, February 11, 2011

"There is None like You in All your Might"



Jeremiah 10:6


Last Christmas my dearly beloved friend gave me a devotional that I adore and has greatly impacted my life. This is an excerpt from my devotional today that resounded so deeply with my spirit, put a skip in my step, and peace in my mind. May one of the many sweet promises of our Almighty Father bless you tonight also.

"O Lord Most High, You rule over the heavens and the earth, for You made all things by Your great power, and You keep them existing and working by Your mighty Word. You are exalted above every start and galaxy in the entire cosmos... yet You are also the God of all mankind, the great, and personally present, personally involved God who loves, rescues, and takes care of all who trust You.

I praise You for Your sovereignty over the broad events of my life and over the details. With You nothing is accidental, nothing is incidental, and no experience is wasted. You hold in Your own power my breath of life and all my destiny. And every trial that You allow to happen is a platform on which you reveal Yourself, showing Your love and power, both to me and to others looking on. Thank You that I can move into the future non-defensively, with hands outstretched to whatever lies ahead, for You hold the future and You will always be with me, even to my old age... and through all eternity."

~ 31 Days of Praise By Ruth Myers

Finding That Inner Spark

Quote love... fully devoted to finding who you were meant to be.


"We begin to find and become ourselves when we notice how we are already found, already truly, entirely, wildly, messily, marvelously who we were born to be."

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Inspritation from Maya Angelou



"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty."

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Let It Snow




Most memorable moments of snowpacolypse 2011! We loved being snowed in together and snuggling to keep warm... at least that's my personal favorite!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

You Have a Voice


"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." - Proverbs 31:8-9

To: those who struggle to speak and overcome. You are my inspiration and heroes.

New Every Morning



I am BLESSED because...
Of God's endless love, grace, and goodness.

I am THANKFUL that...
God captured my heart with His love.
I am married the man of my dreams, my best friend, Parker.
I have the greatest family and friends who make my world a better and brighter place.

My DREAM is to...
Live a life that is full of love for all people.
Always live in joy, peace, and victory {no matter the circumstances}.
Give to others in a way that is meaningful.
Love others more than myself.

Monday, January 3, 2011

A New Spin On New Years




I was telling Parker a few days ago that I really love New Years. To me New Years means new beginnings, fresh starts, time to rethink and recreate my plans and goals for my life now and in the future.

Most Americans love to make New Years resolutions. I use to be a die hard "resolutioner" and my promises of new behaviors almost always were associated with working out or not biting my nails. Parker and I actually just wrote in my journal a few days ago some “resolutions” for this year. Our focus is on a lifestyle change, a change of character, something we all should do aim to do everyday... to be more like Jesus. We are always on the Potter's wheel being broken and reshaped into a more beautiful image of Christ. It's a glorious process to be embraced with an joyful heart.

Resolutions to remember for 2011
~ Eat healthier.
~ Run my first half marathon! 3.20.11
~ Read my bible EVERYDAY.
~ Trust in God for everything daily!
~ Rest in God everyday in every circumstance.
~ Make no excuses for my actions that are immature or selfish.
~ Be at peace in God in the middle of the storms of life.
~ Spend more time with my family.
~ Love unconditionally, forgive like crazy, and have tons GRACE for myself and others around me.
~ Join a married couple community group with my hubby.

Prayer for 2011
God help me to honor you in all these goals this year. I open and welcome your plans for my life. In all things I surrender my life to you and offer it up as a living sacrifice of praise to you. Let it be pleasing!! No matter how I feel I will to pick up my cross and follow after you. Speak to me about your will and let me follow the lead of the Holy Spirit in my daily interactions, conversations, and being. Shine through me brightly! Thank you for giving me the best year of my life last year. I can't wait to see what you have in store this year. <3