last weekend

When I arrived in Baltimore, I picked up my rental car and headed to Harrisburg, PA.  Up until this moment, I was really excited about going to Relevant 11.  But, when I was driving, I realized what I had done - I had signed up to go to a blogger conference. 
The kicker?  I'm not much of a blogger. 
I love the idea of being able to make connections online and keep family updated, but the actual habit of blogging seems to stay on my to-do list most of the time.
But, I knew that Ann was speaking and I knew that the attendees last year had such a great time, so when the tickets went on sale - I bought one.
I’m glad I did.
I met many amazing women over the past few days.  I’ve never been with so many wonderful Christian women who seriously love Jesus and who want to share His love with others.
As I've grown up, I've been hurt by girlfriends. I learned quickly that girls can be a fickle bunch and that it is easier to just stay away.
I've never been around so many women who have felt the same way and who truly want to step out of their comfort zone and be a true friend to other women.
Women who smiled and reminded me that everything has a season.
Women who hugged me and told me to continue on my journey, reminding me that His plans don’t always make sense to our small human brain.
Women who shared their stories, even through tears, in hopes that their story will help someone else.
Women who repeatedly told all of us to stop comparing our lives and blogs to those around us, but to simply follow Him instead.
Women who were empathetic to the fact that following God is not always comfortable, but encouraging of the fact that God has great plans and that we need to continue following Him.
Ann spoke on Saturday night and it was brilliant.  Brilliant - brightly reflecting Him and His love for all of us.  If you aren't familiar with Ann and her blog, A Holy Experience, then you should stop reading this silly blog and go read hers - like, now.
It was definitely a surprise to hear such comforting words and to connect with so many wonderful women.
On a side note - I was also able to hear some fantastic artists - Aaron Shust, Christa Wells and Nicole Witt, Shaun Groves and the amazing David Nevue, (3 times - Friday night, Saturday afternoon and as Ann walked on stage Saturday night.  For that moment, I was living in my computer and her blog had come to life!)

And the frosting on the weekend?
God sent fluffy, white frosting.
Ridiculous amounts. Gracefully falling from the sky.
The little one would have loved it.



Thanking Him tonight for...
Meeting online friends IRL
3 days of conversations all anchored with Jesus
The light at the end of my “late assignment tunnel”
A sweet friend who made my heart smile by simply hugging me and using the word serendipitous.
Huge, fluffy, graceful snowflakes - like nothing I’ve ever seen before
This picture of my little one...captured by my sister...

wow.

I can't believe it has been a month since I was last here.
Time really flies when you are doing too many things.

Last week we got back from a week in the Caribbean - it was ridiculously great to be away from technology and spend time with family and friends. We even with on a zip-line tour in Jamaica and now we want to build a zip-line at my parents place.

This weekend I am blessed to be able to attend The Relevant Conference in Harrisburg, PA.  I got my ticket last winter and have been looking forward to attending ever since.  There are some amazing women who are speaking - I'm hoping to learn lots!

When I arrived, I was surprised with a wonderful "swag bag" full for goodies. Such fun!

Tonight we heard from Tsh, she blogs over at Simple Mom - it was wonderful! You should go check out her blog!

Now, I'm off to do a few hours of schoolwork and then to sleep...more Relevant conference in the morning!  Yea!

just a few things I love

clear, bright blue skies
fluffy, stark white clouds
storm clouds rolling in...and the breeze that tags along with them
ridiculously bright green grass
pictures of really cool starfish...purple ones...starfish that I hope to one day see IRL
velvety baby cows and their bossy mama's that keep me away
a silly, annoying donkey and his ignorance of our dislike of him
dogs who think they own the ranch
one specific dog who things he owns everything.  Well, everything except for that one specific little boy who thinks he owns the dog.
cackles and giggles from an unnamed little one while he harasses the aforementioned dog.
temperatures under 100
temperatures over 100 {as long as the humidity stays away}
air-conditioning. {on days when the humidity wants to stick around awhile. pun intended.}
laughter with my family

a rusty, but working tractor that we can all sit on and hang around while watching the storm clouds take over.

 the little one beating his own little drum

 the best youngest sister a gal could have

 the best youngest brother...who loves my little one no matter how many socks he wears

 my smiling Jahna Pali

glistening, beautiful storm clouds

 brothers and little ones playing and laughing until their guts hurt

a roof over our heads.

Many consider it important to have a roof over their heads.  I agree.  I prefer to sleep inside while the mosquitos sleep outside. It makes me sad that many people don't have the option of staying away from mosquitos. Mosquitos are mean.

That being said, I'm beginning to quickly come to the realization that having a specific roof over my head might not be as important as deemed by the society I live in.  

Our way of living is currently not listed in the normal category.  We live back and forth between 2 cities, 5 hours apart.  I travel about 90% of the time for work and when I am not traveling, my office is located at least 2 hours from one of the places where we sleep.

Many people don't understand.  They think something must be wrong. 

They wonder how we do it.

Well, if I thought about it for very long, I might wonder how we do it as well.  But, I try not to focus on things I don't understand. 

(As I've grown up, I've come to recognize this ability to not focus on the bad (or unknown) as a gift - a gift I'm continuing to hone on a daily basis)

There is a season for everything. Right now, we are in a season of my husband finishing school and God has blessed me with a job that can provide for us while he finishes his studies. It won't always be like this, but it is how things are for now.  I know- it's not normal.  But, then again, what is normal? 

My mom always said that normal was just a setting on a dryer.

Many times people ask how I cope with being away from home for so long.  I'm always frustrated by this question because I know that my answer won't sound right.  I want to say that although I miss my husband, kiddo and family, I don't really feel away from home. I enjoy the travels.  I enjoy seeing God's creation.  I enjoy imagining what it will be like to bring my family back to the places that I find and love.  I enjoy knowing that I am being used as a light in a pretty dark world. But, I know that to many people, who spend most nights in the same place, this answer will sound weird. 

Today, I was reading one of my favorite blogs and I came across a post that made me smile.  One of the sentences read "Communion with Christ, the continual conversation of the heart, wherever you are, this is what makes the heart love....love is the only real dwelling place"

I stopped and re-read it.  "wherever you are...love is the only real dwelling place" 

My heart smiled.

How do I do it?  How am I okay being away from home?

I'm not away from home...My Heavenly Father is with me - loving me, encouraging me, sharpening me...my only true home is with Him.

Is it difficult to not be with my husband and little one every week?  Yes. 

Do I miss my family, my siblings, my dogs? Of course!

But, the time away is giving me time to grow closer to my Heavenly Father.  This growing closer...this sharpening of my soul...it is refining me to be a better wife and mum.  It is preparing me for the day when our seasons change and I no longer travel like a gypsy. 

Tonight, I'm thankful for Ann and her blog post today. A post full of words that comfort and encourage me. A post that helps me remember that my feelings are okay, even if they don't fit with what society deems normal.  A post that reminds me that I'm not here to always be comfortable and normal, but I am here on this earth to be a light, to share His love with others...so that others will want to find Him.

And while I do that, He is always there, giving me grace.

Even though I don't sleep under the same physical roof each night, I do sleep under the best roof each night. 

Him.

July...in pictures...via Pikaw...

July disappeared.
It started with a nice week in H-town with the hubs and my little one. We had fun spending time with family and some out of town friends.  It's hard when friends live states away, but always nice when things immediately fall into place when you see them again.
Then, the hubs are I were off to Barbados.  I was going for work, the hubs went for vacay.  We had a great time.  We swam with turtles, drove around and got seriously lost, visited a cave on the edge of the ocean and took some serious pictures at the wildlife sanctuary.  We planned to make an animal photo book for the little one. We looked at the pictures that night and loved them.  Then, the EVIL digital camera fairy came and stole all of our pictures. The hubs took the card to a camera store in hopes that he could find them.  It didn't work. So, no pictures from Barbados.
evil, evil camera fairy.   
But, I'm very thankful for great memories.
I flew home, met my sister and little one at DFW, changed planes and headed to Cali.
I went to Cali for work, the sister and little one went for vacay.   
Are you seeing a trend yet?
I was working at a new account and it was a stressful week to say the least.
But, one of my dear friends lives in Cali and my sister and little one were with me, so it really was an amazingly great 10 days! We were able to spend time with our wonderful friend and the little one fell in love with his Aunt Kiki!  Not that she needed help, but the toys from Toygaroo definitely sealed the deal! We roamed around Santa Monica, Venice, the mall and Jubie's favorite - Knott's Berry Farms. It was her favorite part of the trip.  She's quite the thrill seeker.
My sister Jubie is unbelievably talented.  She is the most wonderful watcher of all things little one and the most talented photographer I know.  We have lots of pictures, but here are some of my favorites.
Enjoy!

Not so secret anymore, now is it?

Best $10 spent in California

He needed the iPad to rest his iPhone on...kids these days.