10 Things

One of my favorite bloggers – Amber Fillerup with barefootblonde.com – has a 10 things (or maybe hers is 12? I can’t remember) segment where she lists 10 things on her mind or that she’s loving right now.

Here goes:

1.) The sermon on Sunday at church. I can’t stop thinking about it. One of our pastors speaks with such knowledge and conviction it makes me cry; and each time he preaches I swear he blows my mind. This Sunday in particular he spoke about how God uses us and the relationships we make to spread the kingdom and share the good news of Jesus. How one story in our life can impact a non-believer and they can see how much peace and love a life in Christ is. I’ll share more on his message in a later blog but I couldn’t stop thinking about how the stories in my life might impact someone, even if they’re relatively small.

2.) The other day, I asked Brandon why he doesn’t comment on my IG posts since they are always about our family. I don’t discuss my posts with him beforehand so I assume he would have something to say about a new photo of Luke or something. His response is that he doesn’t comment on anything on IG. Touche! But today he sent me a text from work asking me to print out the most recent photo I had posted of Luke because he wanted to have it hanging in his office. It made me smile!

3.) Brookside dark chocolate covered acai berries. So. Good.

4.) Luke let me sleep in this morning and I woke up feeling really refreshed. He’s usually in our room by 6:45 telling me the sun is up and it’s time to wake! Now, he’s even added in that the car wash is open so we need to get up. LOL

5.) I started writing the novel that has been stuck in my head for years. Since I’ve mostly imagined the same scene – and already wrote that part down – I find myself stuck already. I’m only on Chapter 3. BUT I know if I let it sit and stew for a bit, I’ll start to get the itch to write again. It definitely feels good to have started it.

6.) Peace. One of my favorite words because it is this feeling in my heart that is free of worry, anxiety, and fear. I did something recently where I told someone who was lecturing me about a specific outcome, “I am not afraid.” It was empowering to stand my ground and say it aloud. Jesus is my peace (He really is the source of any shred of greatness or strength I possess). How amazing it is when faith replaces our fear.

7.) The sunlight in these photos is my favorite. Golden Hour. Around 7pm in AZ the desert is flooded with gilded streams of a setting sun. It feels a little bit magical.

8.) I had a friend tell me today that she quit her job to be a stay-home-mama and it warmed my heart. This role for me is the greatest job and the greatest adventure I’ve ever wanted. And although some days I have to hide in my room the second Brandon walks through the door (alone time is hard to come by!), I know that it is 1000x greater to be home with him than not.

9.) Blogging. I don’t know exactly what I am doing in this space. I feel like I kind of treat it as a family and fashion journal. Is it something the world wants? I have no idea. I’m just glad it’s a hobby instead of an income because when something you enjoy becomes a job you rely on, it’s redefined as a chore.

10.) When I’m sitting in a chair, Luke always crawls up with me and climbs behind my back to sit in any empty space. He loves to do it in desk chairs especially because he can put his arms around my neck. It’s one of the best feelings in the world. Similar to when we are in music class and one of the songs they play says to hug your mom or dad and he always finds me and squeezes tight!

Shop the look: PANTS, TOP, SHOES, EARRINGS

If you don’t have a pair of these gaucho-style pants with the high-waisted, flowing legs then you need to get yourself some. They are a fashion free-pass to wearing what feels as comfortable and forgiving as pajamas. The embroidered flowers are a gorgeous bonus along with the fact that I can do all of the necessary MOMMY tasks that are required of me.

Here’s a few: bend down to kiss a boo-boo, wipe up the spilled juice from the toddler who couldn’t hold the cup correctly and then the dog pee from the dog who just couldn’t hold it at all, play with the CatCar and GekkoMobile (I can’t be the only Mama with a PJ Masks obsessed toddler), water the plants and feed the dogs, bend down to load and unload the dishwasher, climb the playground to retrieve the toddler after a few attempts to get him down, and finally empty the little potty after he goes to the bathroom. So yeah, they’re comfy, stylish, and practical!

My boys throwing rocks while I took some detail shots of the cactus!

Luke wanted Brandon to snap his photo too!

How cute are my boys playing in the rocks!

–Amy