Selling the Family Parrot

Ya know, I can't remember where I read this, but the other day I remember a quote that said, "Live your life so that you aren't ashamed to sell the talking family parrot to the town gossip." Or something to that effect. How wonderful is that?! I was thinking about that over and over today. Over and over. What do I say at home that I wouldn't say anywhere else? Why is should it be different? Exactly. This analogy just might make the books for years to come.

My Friend Ashley

I'm getting to know Ashley Biggers, and I like her.

This girl is crazy cool. We spend a lot of time, intentionally and unintentionally together. We go to morning bootcamp together at 5am, we office together 5 feet from each other for 8 hours a day, I see her at church on the weekends, she occasionally watches Truett for us, and she gives me a ride home occasionally, as in...today. Trust me, I see her!

The purpose of this post is to tell people near and far, that this girl is legit. What your see is what you get. She is that kind, that honest, that caring, that giving, that funny, and that sweet...ALL of the time. No joke. She's a team player. If you need a new friend, give her a call at 304-392-0998. Just kidding, I'd never sell her out that fast. :)

But When?

When did this little boy go from spitting up to feeding himself? I must have been at the store and missed it. When did he start babbling "dad" all over the house and running up and down the hallway? Was it when I was unloading the dishwasher or checking my email? And when, oh when, did he grow those 8  teeth? I was just buying pureed baby food, wasn't I? How come his whole body is too long to rock in the chair? Isn't he still considered a baby? I'm not sure if I can handle these feelings, but they are here. I didn't expect them to come on so strong, but I love this little boy...to the inner core of my core of my core of my on fire heart.

Linch Family // Sneak Peak!

Mariah + Evan Engagements // Sneak Peak!

It matters.

More and more, God is teaching me the importance of selfless love in the craziest, unexpected places. It's the person that goes the extra mile to make sure I am comfortable or the friend that asks about my day regardless of how bad hers was. I have seen God's love through people this week...ordinary people. Don't ever doubt for a moment that what you do each day doesn't matter. If you love how God instructs us to, it matters.

Writing a Book

Let's suppose you were going to pick out a really great new book to read. Would you read mine? I'm going to start one this weekend, and I'm going to finish it too. And if no one else in this world ever reads it, I'm still going to write it, because it fills my heart all the way up to the tippy tip top! Let's say it's actually about something interesting though, like boys, and fights, and hard times. Let's pretend it's full of stories, love, and hate. How about then?

And what if, just suppose, these were the chapter titles, which ones would you read, and which ones would you skip? Actually, I really really do want to know your opinion.

• Trying to fail
• Life mottos 101
• Getting good at the little stuff
• You are your words
• Hypocrite in training
• Word Vomit
• Memorizing scripture ain't just for your grandma
• God didn't make you lazy, stupid, or ugly
• The power of self-talk
• If words are gateways to the heart, then actions are lie dectors
• Just because you can, doesn't mean you should
• Waiting to grow up

I'd love to know what you think! And if no one responds, I'll just take it as a big green flag to write for myself! :)

DIY Makeup Brush Cleaner

Makeup brushes tend to hold much more bacteria than you might imagine. It's important to clean them at least once a month, but I recommend once a week if you have the discipline. It will reduce the likelihood of breakouts and keep your skin cleaner! I try to do mine every Saturday morning when I tend to have a bit more time, of course, that's a silly excuse because this only takes 5 minutes!

You'll need:

• a small bowl
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 Tbsp dish soap
• 1 Tbsp distilled vinegar

 Mix the warm water, liquid dish soap (I use Dawn), and vinegar in a small bowl.

 

Gently work your brushes into the water, gently cleaning them with your fingers, being careful not to submerge the brushes too low in the bowl past the metal part of the brush (it will rust). The picture below is what the water looked like after I cleaned three of my brushes. Gross! And that was on my face!

 

Rinse the brush tips under cool running water after rinsing them and lay on a washcloth to dry for 24 hours. Done!

Too much. Too much. Too much.

This child of ours is too much. He makes my heart overflow on a daily basis. 

He looks so sweet, doesn't he? Well...he is. 

Wedding Photo Preview // Marnie + Kyle

Baby Elias // Sneak Peak