2nd Annual "Sisters" Trip

Tomorrow I leave for Chicago ~ last year, after a trip to Memphis with my twin sister, we decided that every year, around that time, we'd take a girls trip and it HAD to be somewhere we've never been before ... SO, we decided to go to Chicago! Chicago in the spring is beautiful and we are so excited to go for the weekend!

We are getting in early and hope to have lunch at Portillo's!

We're also going to do a bit of sight seeing. We are DEFINITELY going to do the an architectural boat tour of the city. This has been recommended by SEVERAL people and I'm really excited about it!


While we are out for the boat tour, we're going to walk down the Navy Pier! Just for fun and to say I've done it, honestly! Maybe ride the ferris wheel even!



Then Saturday, we're heading over to The Sears Tower and we're going to venture out onto "The Ledge" .... I'm not sure how long I'll stay there, enough to take our picture, but the thought of being that high up, basically standing over the city, makes me a little sick! HA!


The rest of the time will be spent shopping, EATING, walking down the Miracle Mile, checking out "the bean" and whatever else we can SQUEEZE into the time we're there! We'll also get to meet up with our blog friend, Legally Fab! SO EXCITED!!

We're so excited about this trip! I will do a full post with pictures when I return!

Today .... was the day!

A few posts ago, I talked about our new home in Georgia ... and how it came about.


Well now it's officially OURS!



I can't even begin to tell you how excited we are to start this new chapter in our life! It won't OFFICIALLY start until after Princess and Wild Child get out of school, BUT it will be here before we know it. All in all, it was a relatively SMOOTH process! There were a couple nutty things that happened, that I, of course, blew completely out of proportion, while Big Daddy rolled his eyes at me and told me not to worry about it. Of course, he was right.

I snapped this picture with my phone the last time we were in GA visiting. How wonderful it was to just walk around the corner from my sister's house and be at our home. I see 2 big planters flanking either side of the door but I also see trick-or-treaters, sitting on the top step watching the kids play, and most DEFINITELY a family picture as soon as we settle permanently.

But do you see the light at the top? Funny, isn't it? I think it's beautiful and it makes me smile just looking at it - knowing all we went through just to get here.

My new favorite designer!

The other night on Twitter, my sweet friend GRITS was looking for a dress. My other sweet friend, Erin from Blue Eyed Bride (haven't met her personally yet, but SOON!) remembered a designer she met at a Junior League event. Enter Tracy Negoshian ~ ohhh I die. I purchased one of her dresses a few months ago at a boutique in St Petersburg, FL. I absolutely LOVE this dress and let me tell you, the fit is AMAZING!!

Can't you see this with white skinny jeans on a cool spring night?

While perusing the site, after which I was afraid we were going to crash her site, I found these beauties that I'm going to be getting SOON!

I am seriously DROOLING over this one!

PERFECT summer dress!

Check out her site here! Her dresses are priced so reasonably and the quality is that of a much more expensive dress!!

All photos from www.tracynegoshian.com

FAITH

SO lately I have been a terrible blogger. There's no excuse, really. I initally started this blog so my parents, Big Daddy's parents, family and friends that weren't local could keep up with our life and document the home remodeling we were doing in our current home. Slowly, my blog has evolved as a sounding board for myself and a way for me to talk about things, get opinions and meet some AMAZING people.

I've already been on 2 trips in the past 6 mths with bloggers that I've met - no joke. These girls have become some of my closest friends - crazy, I know, but it's true. Now that I'm fully into the twitter world, it's harder to blog, but I realize I need to keep it up, because my mom doesn't know how to 'do twitter' and neither do my in-laws. HOWEVER, this post is one that I been feeling like the Lord has put on my heart to write.

For the past 8 weeks, we have been on a journey that I really thought I'd never see again. A few months ago, during a worship team prayer, our worship pastor said he had a word for someone. He said "You're going to go back to a place that's familiar, but uncomfortable, but it will be for your own good". He encouraged 'whomever' this word was for to stay steadfast and that it would strengthen our faith, our relationship with God. I laughed it off and said 'That is NOT for me' ... hmph, little did I know.

Within just a few weeks, Big Daddy and I found ourselves 'back' in the place we were just 5 yrs before. Having to make decisions, budgeting, and mostly, relying on our faith and GOD - so that we did not make wrong decisions. Y'all already know about our decision to move, how we found our home, etc - that was totally GOD. There's just no way it would have happened any other way! Now, we are trying to tie down the final things in order to get our network launched ... but it requires WAITING and being PATIENT, which I am NOT good at doing. I was losing sleep, stressing out Big Daddy, and then finally came to the realization I wasn't relying fully on GOD to get me through this. I am a planner. I don't like when things don't go according to MY plan, which honestly, is now just a big joke! But I'm the only one not laughing! It took some stark realization, plus landing on bible verses and study lessons that would make me realize I need to LET IT GO, quit WORRYING and fully rely on God!

I have really had to let myself be emptied and then be filled with the Lord. Honestly, girls, it's not easy. Being as controlling and analytical as I am, I really just want to do it myself, but as I look around, I see there's absolutely NOTHING I have control over, and you would think I'd realize that and just roll with the flow! No, I'm stubborn. I've come a long way since this all started, and I keep asking Big Daddy, "What do you think God is trying to teach us here?" and as I continue to rest in the knowledge that God does not want to harm us, he wants what is good for us, I know it's all going to be ok. It really will be.

I've learned faith does not happen overnight - it's a process. You grow in your faith as you encounter things in your life and HOW YOU DEAL WITH THEM!! I remember falling out, acting like a fool when things started going 'wrong' 5 yrs ago. That's when I pretty much fell to my knees and promised to live my life as God intended. As I grew deeper in my relationship with God, the way I dealt with things started to change. There are people in my life that literally, complain about everything. Nothing's right, life sucks, it's all someone else's fault. I've either (a) shared my own experiences with them and shared the word or (b) cut them out of my life. Negativity is toxic. I always said when you are going through a rough time in your life, you can pretty much figure out who's going to be there for you and who isn't. I'd rather have 3-4 'all the time' friends than 25 'sometimes' friends. In Big Daddy's line of work, we have a revolving door of friends that come around when we have something to offer, and when we don't, they are gone. We've realized this and have dealt with it accordingly, but unfortunately, it does happen and has happened for the 10 yrs we've been together!

I am by no means perfect, and have never claimed to be. I have many flaws and work on them every day to better myself. Like I said, it's a process. I'm working a little each day to be a better person, a better friend, a better mommy and a better wife.

Jer 29:11 ~ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.