Thankfall Thursday

Happy Thankfall Thursday to you!

yesterday as i was walking my dog around the neighborhood

there was a very brisk breeze

leaves were falling off of trees

and crunching under my feet

there was the smell of fireplaces being used

bright blue skies and big puffy clouds
{as if it had just rained}

i closed my eyes and took a giant breath of the crisp air

there was no denying that fall has arrived

a week ago i wasn't ready to let go of summer

its my favorite season

 shorts. sandals. tank tops. ice cold sweet tea. late sunsets. lush green gardens

but yesterday as i took in the sights and smells of fall

i felt refreshed

and i began to gladly accept the change of season

i've just ended a season of life

a season that was extremely difficult at times

but one that i absolutely loved

graduating college

moving

starting a full time job in ministry

building community from scratch

living with new roommates

god brought about so much change

he did things in me and around me i never thought possible

He brought people into my life i never dreamed i could love so deeply

god remained constant through that entire season

as i continued on my walk it hit me

just as i have let go of summer

its time to let go 

and gladly accept this next season of life

with a God who is constant 

persistent 

faithful

adoring

i can't even begin to comprehend the things he will do in this new season

the life change 

the excitement of newness

the people i'll grow to love deeply

and of course looking back on the past season

being able to see all God did then to prepare me for where i am now

i'm ready to free"fall" into this new season

all this from going on a walk with the dog

go figure

so today

today i am thankful for 

changing seasons

crisp autumn afternoons

pumpkins on the front porch

pumpkin spice lattes

needing to curl up with a blanket while i sit here typing

phone calls from friends

babysitting two adorable kids

getting settled into my "new" home

snuggling and reading books with my almost 3 year old niece

buying adorable baby boy presents for my nephew

{who will arrive in a matter of weeks}

a brother in law who gives of his time to help me work on my resume

a sister who lets me come crash at her place

adding more weddings to my flower calendar

skyping with college friends

being able to run

trips to santa barbara

seeing people from summer project

friends who listen and speak truth into my life

 realizing the need for a heart change

late night trips to inn n out

getting to spend hours arranging tropical wedding flowers

as we enter into this new season of fall

what are you thankful for?...

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven."

Ecclesiastes 3:1

confessions, loves & dreams of a passionate plant lover

I have been learning recently
that you shouldn't be ashamed of the things you are passionate about
it doesn't matter what people think
passions are passions
we've all got em
and everyone has those little things that make their passions unique to them
things they do, things they love, things the dream about....

well here are mine
the confessions, loves, and dreams
of a passionate plant lover

1. i don't actually have a favorite flower

2. my least favorite flowers are carnations. 

3. my absolute favorite plants are ferns

4. and maidenhair's are my favorite ferns

5. i have a slight obsession with moss

6. when i'm stressed out i make terrariums

7. i sometimes daydream about adventuring through forests
8. i like the hunger games because katniss has a big book of plants
{obviously a plant lover}

 9. i dream about one day going to seattle, grabbing a cup of coffee and strolling through pikes place market looking at all the pretty flowers

{and of course taking some home with me}

10. i've kept and tended to a number of gardens, but i've never had a real one of my own
11. i kill plants too.

12. i failed my first plant class at cal poly. memorizing latin isn't really my thing.

13. i very strongly disliked studying horticulture in college

14. i realized i loved horticulture a year after i graduated

15. i may or may not have kept a bag of soil under my bed at one point. it's not as dirty as it sounds. you just never know when you'll need it.

16. yes, i have talked to plants before. 

17.  i own a plant journal.

18. i dream of doing wedding flowers for the rest of my life.

19. every time i walk past a flower shop i smile and want to hug someone

20. i love having fresh flowers next to my bed

21. i've taken cuttings of plants from hillsides, roadsides and on occasion a yard or two...

22. valentines day is my favorite floral holiday because of the people i meet and the stories of love i get to hear.

23.  i've actually never received flowers from a guy
maybe one day

{a girl can dream}
24. there's nothing i love more than watching someone receive flowers.
25. 2 years ago i never dreamed i would pursue a career in horticulture.

what are the things that you dream about and love?
what are the things that make your passions your passions?

Flower Friday

Happy Friday!

so lets talk flowers shall we

i love them

{swoon}

i love everything about them

from their colors, fragrance, beauty

to their science, chemistry and genetic make up

{just a little nerdy i know}

how each one is unique and different

how they can brighten up a room

or a day

how they can add elements of personal touch to an event

reflect someones personality

make people smile

and bring joy

there's a flower for every occasion

but my absolute favorite occasion for flowers...

 weddings

flowers for weddings are romantic

joyful

whimsical

lovely

playful

i love getting to create arrangements that are personal

that reflect the relationship between the bride and groom

and capture their personalities

my favorite part about doing weddings flowers

is watching the brides face as she sees her bouquet for the first time

pure joy

i love the way i feel when i get to create and play with flowers

and as i am currently building my portfolio

i get to play with them

a lot

this week inspiration hit

and i ran with it

i decided to play with some different textures

and colors

it was a blast

here's what i got my hands on

{white hydrangea}

{white and purple matsumoto aster}

orange spray roses

{i like that they have multiple flowers per stem}

{pink snapdragons}

{i threw in a couple sprigs of lavender leaves

to give a little bit of fragrance}

and here's what happened

a colorful brides bouquet 

wrapped and tied with sheer cream fabric

and a boutonniere for him

made with lavender sprigs

spray rose and aster

all tied and knotted in twine

stay tuned 

cause there are more flower friday's to come

next week i head to beautiful Huntington Beach

to do a fun tropical beach wedding

this flower girl's pretty excited

happy weekend!

Thankful Thursday: idaho aspen, snail mail and deep, deep love

Happy Thankful Thursday to you!

well it happened

i made the move

and it was as hard as i thought it would be

i'm currently sitting in the room i grew up in

{and let me tell you my taste has significantly changed since i was in high school}

my bags are on the floor still very much packed

and as much as i want my things to be put away

i'm not ready to fully give in

i honestly feel that any day now i'll just hop in my car 

and head back down south

that i'll walk up the stairs to my apartment

open the door and my roommates will be waiting for me in the living room

much like they often were

i miss that

ugh it hurts 

it really hurts

i don't want to sound like a drama queen

but my heart literally aches

but that folks is how i know that these past two years

were blessings from the Lord

{albeit extremely difficult and challenging}

but my God sustained me

he gave me everything i needed on a daily basis

my home and my roommates were a huge part of that 

for the first time moving 

i cried

tears of sadness for sure

but more so tears 

of thankfulness 

of joy

of deep, deep love

i have moved a lot

and all those other times

there weren't really tears or heartache

{there was definitely sadness}

but there was mostly excitement to move out and on

this time though

there was absolutely no desire to go

my home was actually home

and my roommates....

my roommates were more like my sisters

and i learned to truly, deeply love them 

like they were my own flesh and blood

we've been through the ringer together

through loss

disappointments

 hard seasons with the Lord

breakups and dating let downs

singleness

through the ups and downs of working in full time ministry

working through conflict...

we deeply know each other

and because of that we deeply love each other

 they know me well

just ask them

every single little idiosyncrasy and habit

from my love of cleaning the kitchen

to my love for puns

to how and when my introvert comes out

they know it all

and they love me none the less

and i love them even more so because of that

and i love them because of who they are

it is by no mistake we lived together

what are the chances that 4 random women

{who didn't know each other before moving in}

would have the most phenomenal 2 years living together

definitely not chance

all God

he had has a mighty plan

so today i'm choosing to rejoice over these things

to be joyful and thankful

i will push aside my disappointments

the fact that i've already argued with my brother

been frustrated with my mom

and have been experiencing some pretty unfortunate mood swings

i may not want to be where i am now

and may be completely uncertain of my future

but i will praise god

because in every season

he is faithful and his provisions are unending

today I am thankful for 

my new roommates

their names being dad, mom and little brother

home cooked meals

{not made by me}

having access to a washer and dryer in the house

waking up to find our dog curled up next to my bed

spending sweet time with my beautiful, wonderful, encouraging cousin

that her and i are the same age 

that she can speak truth from experience into my life

malls and their air conditioning  

chik-fil-a sweet tea

baking

having a fully stocked kitchen pantry with all my baking needs

that this morning i had 3 chocolate chip cookies for breakfast

{i think that was more of a confession....}

early mornings in coffee shops

driving with the windows down

that my tiny corolla somehow miraculously held all my stuff

my cars fully funtioning air conditioning

snail mail from sweet friends awaiting my arrival home

that i didn't need to rent storage space for all of my stuff

that i can store my things in my rents garage for free

my parents front porch

falling asleep to the sounds of a trickling fountain outside my window

my moleskine plant journal

{one of the sweetest gifts i've received}

containing pressed plants from my favorite places

{most recently idaho:

a place i'm dying to go back to}

the adventures i've had

the adventures to come

the fact that i can go anywhere

and do anything

for my past roommates

and how much they have impacted my life

 all the things they've taught me....

things like how to walk deeply with Jesus 

and how to truly love those around me

{two things i've been praying for and desiring to learn over the past 2 years}

coincidence?

i think not

thanks roomies,

for everything

i'll bet you know what question is coming

what are you thankful for today?....

lets hear it.