1st Snow Cone Date of Summer

As you can see from the sky, our weather wasn't the best, but the snow cones were just as summery + sweet despite the chilly wind + stormy clouds.

Last year {during my 1st full summer here}, we found this tiny little local pink gem that's only a quick drive from where we live.  It's called The Icey Girl & Company & they have the best shaved iced snow cones around.

This photo is kinda becoming a beloved wacky tradition, I guess. {Click here to view last year's!}  I'm so glad it's snow cone season {+ that I married my best friend}!

P.S.: You can now follow the blog via Bloglovin! ❤

"Daring to Hope" Book Review

Daring to Hope by Katie Davis Majors

★★★★★

Hope is a daring thing when you don't know how things will turn out.  Or, perhaps more specifically, if they will turn out as you plan + pray + yearn for them to - then hope is a very daring thing made only for those willing to put it all in their Maker's hands & utter, "Thy will be done" at the end of their desperate pleas.  In Katie Davis Majors' second book {& sequel to her best seller Kisses from Katie}, comes a message to hope when all seems hopeless & when things come undone & the ending doesn't seem at all like happily ever after.

Katie has lived this out & writes it raw, as she has loved & cared for those deemed hopeless by the world's standards.  In the poverty stricken country of Uganda, which Katie has called home for many years now, she has opened her house + heart to others in the name of Jesus, & Jesus has brought them to her.  From her dozen or so adopted daughters to the sick & hurting & lost, she has cared for each one.

In the book she shares intimate stories of some of those she welcomed in, many who were very ill & facing tremendous health issues.  Some ended in miraculous recovery & some ended in the ultimate healing in heaven.  Facing discouragement after discouragement, prayers that seemed to go unanswered, sleepless nights spent caring for others, witnessing such intense pain to such loving, God-fearing people, & death of sweet friends brought Katie into a valley season where hope seemed too daring a task.  Ultimately God uses this season to renew Katie's heart & hope & bring her to a deeper understanding of who He is & how He loves.  Eventually, Katie makes it through the valley & into the light with special blessings she'd barely dared hope for.  Throughout this book is the thread of God's all-knowing love for us & how He delights in His beloved ones who belong to Him.  Even though our hopes do not always become our realities in this sin-broken place this side of heaven, His goodness & good plan are unstoppable & unshakable, giving us the courage to dare to hope come what may.

When Mother's Day Isn't Easy...

I had a mission at church this morning {& I confess it wasn't the right one}.  My mission was to keep it together & not let a single, solitary tear fall... &, oh, how they wanted to pour out like a gushing waterfall.  There are a myriad of unique & deeply personal reasons why today might hurt.  Whatever reason that is yours that made you stop & read this far, please know that you are not unseen, but seen by your Savior.  He counts every tear drop - perhaps even the ones you hold tightly in - & He loves deep & wide & vast... even on the days when it seems to your humanity - & mine - that He doesn't.  He is forever good & forever faithful & He will wrap you up in His love if you just ask Him to.  No, it won't stop all the pain & tears, but it will give you a place to cry in safety & understanding love.  I pray His peace will carry you today & always, through joys & sorrows, until you are safely home with Him.  You are seen & loved, dear sister.  Hold on, because He is holding you.

An Unexpected Diagnosis: PCOS

I've hesitated long & hard over whether to hit the "publish" button on this one, but if it could encourage just one sister out there it would be worth it to me.  So, here goes...

It's not one of those things I've had on my radar for a long time.  Even though I have immediate family members diagnosed with it my 1st doctor had shrugged it off as a near impossibility.  I don't look like the stereotypical woman with polycystic ovarian syndrome, & yet here I am.  Remember this post?  It was in the process of number three that all this came to light, because I did have a concern & I decided to say a prayer {or lots} + be brave & take it to my {new} doctor.  My last cycle had been very irregular & I was coming up to the 60 day mark with no period in sight, only some light spotting {which spotting was never part of my "normal" until after I came off birth control}.  My doctor ordered blood work, but when I mentioned my family history she decided to go ahead & do the tests for PCOS & check for any other possible abnormalities, as well.  Of course, there were more symptoms than just one irregular cycle that made the doctor decide to go ahead with the tests {in hindsight, number 2 on my list was also a clue, because irregular & 35ish day long cycles were my norm}.  I had the ultrasound & the blood work & was scheduled to come back in a week to discuss the findings.  That week of waiting was a hard one of swinging back & forth, like a helpless pendulum, between faith & fear.  The unknown was wide & vast & full of possibilities both wonderful & devastating.  Honestly, the scene of Ellie sobbing with her head in her hands at the doctor's office in Disney's Up kept replaying in my head.  I could be told anything at that Monday appointment, but I knew no matter what - & despite what lies the enemy was at times screaming at me - that God was & is still good & for me & He has a good plan. {That word good makes me smile.}

Long story short, at that Monday morning appointment I was handed the diagnosis of PCOS, & I'm choosing to trust my Jesus.  God knows my heart's desire is to be a mom, & Dan so wants to be a dad.  We trust God also knows what's best for our hearts.  While the very misunderstood & stigma-steeped condition of PCOS is known to cause lots of fertility issues in many, so many women with this diagnosis have had sweet + healthy babies born to them {my family members included with two kiddos each}.  This I still know with all my heart, He is good & He is for me & He has good plans.

Gifts // Vol. 25

1,656. Your sacrifice, Jesus - perfect & complete & all 

because of wondrous Love

1,663. Dan's love

1,665. Your great patience with me

1,683. walking with You - & that pink-turning sky

1,687. Dee & how You work awesomely

1,702. spying the bird on its nest

1,706. paying off more debt

1,713. Dan's Dr. Seuss inspired inventive dialogue to cheer us up when we were in a bad mood

1,721. talking to Miles {the 2-year-old nephew} on the phone

1,733. my mom - my most favorite lady ever

Currently {May 2018}

💮 Working... just when I thought subbing from here on out until school let out would be few & far between, I get asked to cover for a kindergarten class for the rest of the year.  It's just 11 days, but I know it's likely gonna wear me out!  But, I'm grateful for the work.  Thank You, Lord!

💮 Dreaming... of summer vacation!  I'd like to find some part time work, though, 'cause #debtsnowballplan.

💮 Trusting... God with all the things that are scaring me right now + trusting He has an ocean's worth of grace when I mess up on the latter.

💮 Eating... too many donuts!  Why did they have to be such a good price?!

💮 Reading... nothing.  I have been in a total reading rut since sometime in February.  I just don't feel like reading right now.

💮 Liking... all the Opalhouse for Target treasures!  Especially this one, this one, & this one.

💮 Praying... for a healthy body, spirit, & mind through Christ my strength!

Date Night Ideas // May 2018

💑 Attend an outdoor concert together. {Don't forget the sunscreen if it's during the day!}

💑 Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a lunch or dinner date to your favorite Mexican restaurant {or try Googling "authentic Mexican restaurants near me"}.

💑 Find a nearby trampoline jump park & go bounce around together.  Check before you go, because many places have special adult hours, so you won't be in danger of knocking down someone's little kiddo mid-bounce!

💑 Have a late night snack star gazing picnic out somewhere away from any city lights.  Make it a date to shop together for some snack foods to take along before you go.

💑 Go on a mini road trip to a nearby city you haven't visited before & take the day to explore the place together.

💑 Shop for the ingredients for the perfect pizza & then go home & make it together.  Can't agree on the toppings?  Make it half & half!

Try This: Frame a Tea Towel

Have you noticed there are some adorable kitchen towels out there lately?  This one + this one are 2 of my current faves you can pick up at Target for less than $4!  Since my recent search for thrifty wall art {see here}, I've been continuing the hunt for lovely & unexpected {cheap} things worthy of a frame near you.  Today, it's the underrated tea towel's turn...

All you really need for this one is the tea towel of your choice {make sure it's thin cotton or linen, but not terry cloth - too bulky} + a frame.  If you want to iron your tea towel first, I say go for it, but I totally skipped this step, as I found stretching the towel over the frame's cardboard insert & placing in the frame was enough to get out any major wrinkles/creases + I sorta like the imperfect look.  I did have to trim mine down to cut down on the bulk in the back, but after I did that it fit perfectly into my frame.  Extra Tip: Use a little tape to secure your tea towel to the back of your frame's cardboard insert.  Extra Extra Tip: Does your frame only have a flimsy paper insert?  Cut a piece of cardboard {think cereal boxes or other cardboard you may have lying around} to size so you'll have something sturdier to stretch your tea towel over.  I think these make for the perfect kitchen art, but with the variety of tea towel designs you could easily find one suitable for every room in your home!

Monthly Recap // April 2018

➴   ➶   ➴   ➶   ➴   ➶   ➴   ➶   ➴

➵ Had our 1st spring hike {Pine Mtn. - 3.4 miles}!

➵ Together paid off more of our very last debt!  I also got up my courage {only through Christ} & shared a devotional about debt, love, & Jesus for our church's monthly ladies' meeting.

➵ Finally got my car back {goodbye rental} after a week in the body shop.

➵ Finished up my long term sub job!  I will miss my sweet 2nd graders!  One little girl was actually crying at both the start + end of my last day. 😢

➵ Dan's work provided us with free Six Flags tickets & we had a fun day at the park.  Dan rode the coasters & I ate the ice cream. 😉 I actually rode several rides, one of which was a roller coaster, but I'm still definitely not a crazy roller coaster fan {like he is}.  My favorite ride was probably the watery fun of the Log Jamboree.  Dan's favorite is Superman: Ultimate Flight.

Top 3 Favorite Posts of the Month:

Our Debt Story // Update Vol. 1

Easy "XO" Rustic Wall Art

Things to Do Before You & Your Husband Get Pregnant