thankful thursday: the one with a half marathon, national parks and tons and tons of tissue

happy thankful thursday friends

at least i think its thursday

to be honest i'm not sure what day it actually is

day 8

 that's what i know

i've been sick for 8 days now

and today might be the worst of them all

i can't remember the last time i was this sick

maybe college when that H1N1 flu was going around my 4th year

that was bad

at least i'm not having to wear a mask on my face

like i did then

that was embarrassing

although

 there was this really cute guy

he was sitting in the chair next to me

at the cal poly health center

he wasn't wearing a mask

if i remember correctly he was there because he hurt his foot 

or ankle or something like that

i was what you might call frumpy that day

i hadn't brushed my hair in days

i don't think i even had the energy to shower

i was achy and fighting a 103 degree fever

and my face was white

lets just say i was not at my best

the nurse brought me from the waiting room to a hallway that had a couple chairs

she told me to take a seat and wait for the doctor

the only other person waiting there was this cute guy

and my first thoughts after the nurse told me to wait...

 "seriously god"

"you're kidding me right"

"i have to sit with this guy looking like this"

"i'm wearing a freaking mask on my face"

"of all the days to sit next to a cute guy"

then i felt really sick

and defeated and i sat down

and put my head in my hands

all of the sudden

he started talking to me

which really threw me off 

considering the state i was in

i wouldn't even want to talk to me looking the way i did

he was a 5th year engineering student

and he asked me a lot of questions about me

and we both shared a little about what brought us to the health center

eventually i brought up the mask 

how i really didn't want to wear it

but that the nurse told me i had to since i had a fever

(which i had been denying i had for like 2 days)

he looked at me and very gently told me not to worry about it

he got this little smile on his face

and said i didn't need to worry about it

because it really brought out my big, beautiful blue eyes

and his smile grew a bit bigger as his head turned forward

 i definitely smiled a little under my mask

we talked a little more

i can't remember if he got up first or if i did

but i remember 

he smiled at me and told me to get better fast

he was sweet

and i never saw him again

theres like a gazillion other students at cal poly

he probably wouldn't recognize me without a mask on anyway

i was and still am thankful for that moment

that even though i felt like crap

there was this sweet guy who gave me a kind compliment

that i still remember

5 years later

a sweet little gift from the lord in a time of discomfort

honestly i have no idea how that ties into this post

but i thought of it and now i'm rolling with it

this past week

i was really sick

but it was one of the most amazing weeks i've ever had

filled with so many sweet gifts from the lord

to sum it up

last wednesday i got sick

friday i flew to salt lake city and got more sick

saturday drove to maob got even more sick

sunday ran a half marathon and cried because i was sick

sunday and monday explored canyonlands and arches national parks

and was completely blown away with what i saw

and almost forgot about how sick i was

monday drove back to salt lake city still very sick

tuesday evening flew home to la thought i was maybe getting better

wednesday went to work 

{bad decision}

today finally gave in and had to call in sick to work

and let me tell you it was totally worth it

yes

im pretty bummed i was sick for my race

that i had trained so hard for

in no way was i close to a pr

and yes i cried when i came to the end

{slightly embarrassing}

but i ran it and finished it

and saw some of the most amazing scenery i've ever seen

plus i got to watch my good friends absolutely kill their first half marathon

{proud friend right here}

i've been reminded that there are certain things

that our way out of our control

no matter how hard we try to control them

god has purpose in all things

even if i don't see it just yet

so today im not thankful im sick

{lets be real about this}

but i am thankful that despite being sick

god gave me

 precious time with friends

and that we did and saw things that i will never ever forget

i am thankful for the abundant gifts the lord gave me 

during a period of discomfort

today i am thankful for

sweet friends

life giving conversations

the ability to run

canyonlands 

arches national park

views that i will never in this lifetime forget

delicious pasta dinners

eating jam on bread 

car ride conversations

the ability to run

medicine

coffee

these two who cared for me and loved me

so well this past week

traveling and running a half marathon 

with these 4 awesome strain's

water

gatorade

my awesome running shoes

encouraging texts from friends and family

starting line smiles

{note the chapped, red nose on the left...}

the onlookers who cheered and gave high fives

somehow making it to the top of each hill

and passing people on my way up

{i know that's not nice, but i can't lie it was encouraging}

the unbelievable views on our race route

{somewhere around mile 6 before the hills began...}

completing another half marathon

running along the colorado river

chocolate milk and beer at the end of the race

burgers and fries

drives in the mountains

fall color like i've never seen before

golden aspen trees

hot tea

hot tubs

shooting stars

tissues so many tissues

cough drops

hand sanitizer

parks and rec

pizza and once upon a time

cool weather

beautiful mountains

each of the people i traveled with

and how well they handled being around a sick person

{you guys are champs}

that so far none of them have gotten sick

{hopefully that's still accurate...}

for six years of friendship with this gem

and for many many more

for adventures that i never thought i go on

for seeing things i never thought i'd see in person

for gods unbelievable and extravagant creation

answered prayers

gods grace and mercy 

and that my strength comes from him

what are you thankful for today?....

lets hear it

thankful thursday//seasons are a changin

happy thankful thursday friends

oh and happy fall

and happy october

and happy almost 1 year birthday to my baby nephew

man

where on earth is time going?...

it's hard to believe that it's fall again

{especially when its a billion degrees outside}

i really do love the changing of seasons though

it always brings hope and excitement for things to come

and there's most certainly been a lot of change

 in the past couple weeks

most notably

my brother moving out

thats right

now its officially just me and the rents

and it's a hard adjustment

i really miss him

 i miss the messages he would leave for me to find on my chalkboard

{don't be fooled it wasn't as sweet as it sounds...}

i miss our dinner dates

i miss hearing his heavy feet in the mornings

since my room is directly below his

i miss him barging into my room without knocking

just so he could sit and talk with me

i dont however miss sharing a bathroom with a boy

{we both have different interpretations of the word clean}

needless to say

i miss the guy

and all his shenanigans

 i am a proud big sister

and i can't wait to see all that god has in store for this guy 

down at UCSD

even with loads of change

there is truly so much to be thankful for

and i really believe that it's in these seasons of transition

we can see gods little touches of faithfulness and mercy the most

we see just how much we have to be thankful for

so today i am thankful 

for the changing of seasons

good health

having health insurance

the relationships i have with my siblings

the year i had at home with my brother

that my parents haven't kicked me out of the house yet

that tomorrow i get to see my niece and nephew

{there will be large quantities of snuggling}

that a year ago this month we welcomed davin into our family

visits from my sweet friend margo

thai food

text messages that couldn't have come at a more perfect time

learning about finances

having siblings who are financial advisors

making big girl decisions

dinner dates in the park

midnight flower arranging 

fresh cut flowers in my room

tri tip sandwiches from slo

wearing flowers in my hair

answered prayers

that i can have coffee every morning

that in a week i will be flying to salt lake city

the ability to run

laughing

sunset hikes to sandstone peak

with blue moons, apples and beef jerky at the top

sunsets

moonlight

friends getting married

friends who love me

ice cold chocolate milk after a long run

joy rides

encouragement

words of truth

prayer

and i am oh so thankful for god's provisions...

...for my new {to me} car

that i got at the perfect time

in the perfect place

for the perfect price

gods hands were all over this one

and i'm so thankful for my brother in law tim

who took a long lunch to come look at the car with me

then left work early for me to take the car to a mechanic that same day

i am certainly blessed with a wonderful big brother

honestly at this point my list could go on and on

so now it's your turn

what are you thankful for today?...

//Thankful Thursday//

happy thankful thursday friends

truthfully

this feels weird

sitting and writing this post

it's been an awfully long time since i've done one of these

it feels foreign

so if you're reading this

 forgive me for my jumbled and completely messy

thought process

this month is the one year anniversary

 of moving home

i know right?...

a whole year

wasn't i just moving out of my apartment?

and moving away from these precious girls?

it's odd because it really does feel like just yesterday

but at the same time 

 it feels like a distant dream

a year ago i thought that a year from then

{present day}

i would most certainly have my life figured out

well here is the honest and ugly truth

the past year has been a struggle

actually it's been a raging battle

it's been a lot harder than i ever anticipated it to be

i have never felt more alone

i have never been more uneasy about my future

i'm constantly fighting off thoughts

that i am a failure and a disappointment 

to my family 

to my self

to my god

but

in all those completely unnecessary

thoughts and emotions

holy crap batman

i'm learning so much about things i never thought i would

God is truly blowing my mind

if i were to sit here and list everything God is walking me through

we'd be here for days

heck

for weeks

for the past year all i've done is compare myself

 to those around me

my siblings

my friends

people from church

the people who come in to my work

pretty much anyone i guess

and it makes me miserable

as a girl i know comparison is something we struggle with

we do it so much

that most of the time we don't even know we are doing it

recently it has been becoming more apparent to me just how much time

and energy i waste comparing myself to others

it's ridiculous

here is what i'm currently walking through

god has created me {and you} to be unique

to be different from every other person on this planet

my story will be different than everyone around me

i will do different things

i will make different choices

and i thank god for that

how boring would it be if we all led the same lives

so this is my life

i'm unmarried

i have no children

i live with my parents

i'm starting my own business and i'm scared

i make tons and tons of mistakes every day

and i have no idea what today

tomorrow

or this next year will bring

i am a 26 year old independent woman

and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that

nothing

i'm learning to see that my life is an exciting adventure

with nothing holding me back

im learning that what's good for someone else might not be good for me

and vice versa

i wish i could say that because i've realized how much

i compare myself to others

that means i no longer do it

but it's a daily struggle and fight

{and i know i'm not alone in this}

so today i am thankful for

1 full year of living at home

that my life is unique

that YOUR life is unique

that we all have our own stories

for a job and a paycheck

getting to do flowers for weddings

spur of the moment trips

visiting slo

that this girl is getting hitched

weddings

dinner dates with my brother

lunch dates with my dad

visiting friends at work

visitors at my work

late night swims

trips to the getty

the LACMA lights

third wheeling it 

with these two crazy kids

donuts and champagne

monday night girls nights

midnight flower arranging

waking up to the sound and the smell of rain

movie nights

the people i work with

the little girl at my work who told me i was beautiful

the time spent with my small group

my new running shoes

that next month i'll be flying to utah to run a race

a dad who lets me use his car until i find a new one

gardening

coffee

post it note messages

hugs and kisses from my niece

holding my nephew

wearing flowers in my hair

 and that there is a God who is guiding and directing my life

so let's hear it

what are you thankful for today?....

Freshly Picked//Flower Crown Friday

happy friday friends

as most of you are beginning your weekend

i am heartbroken to say that mine is ending

and tomorrow begins my work week

so in order to forget about my weekend ending blues

i grabbed my clippers

wire and wire cutters

and some freshly cut blooms

my hands went to work

and this is what came about

a flower crown

naturally

fresh picks

dahlias

gomphrena

russian sage

jasmine

wax flower

dusty miller

seeded cone flower

if i could i would probably wear a flower crown every day

but that might be a bit excessive

so for now we will stick to friday's

happy flower crown friday

and have a great weekend!

DIY flower crown tutorial-straight from the garden

i don't know exactly what it is

but there is something so wonderful about wearing flowers in my hair

it brings me back to being a little girl

carefree

running around barefoot in the yard

picking flowers

making mud pies

it stirs up something in my soul

it makes me long for adventure and wonder

it's romantic

it's magical

it's beautiful

so naturally 

i love the idea of flower crowns for weddings

i can't think of a better occasion for a woman

to adorn her hair with bunches of gorgeous blooms

if i ever get married

you bet i'll be wearing flowers in my hair

forget jewelry

 i'll be accessorising with florals

but until then

i'll just be making flower crowns for others

but if you ever find yourself wanting to make a flower crown of your own

whether it's for a wedding or just for fun

i've got a little tutorial for you

it's literally easy as 1, 2, 3

and it's a bundle of fun

and you don't have to go very far to get your florals 

or even spend any money on them

just step outside into your yard

i guarantee you will have plenty to work with

be creative
and let your inner wild child run free

bringing you back to those daisy chain days

things you'll need

thin green floral wire

millinery wire 

wire cutters

flower snippers

a few of your favorite florals from the garden

florals i cut

lavender

oregano 

maidenhair fern

agapanthus

crape myrtle flowers

scabiosa

yarrow

privet leaves

step 1. 

use millinery wire. measure where you want your crown to rest on your head. connect the ends of the wire by wrapping them around each other tightly so it stays in place. you now have the base of your crown.

step 2.

 use some small greens to cover the millinery wire. i used herbs from the garden. place your greens around the crown and use your thin floral wire to attach them, wiring as you go.

step 3. 

now attach the rest of your favorite florals

by gathering them and wiring them to the crown just like you wired the greens. you can wire them individually as well as in little bunches, whichever way is easiest for you. 

i chose to do a cluster of flowers just on one side of my crown, but there are no rules. you can place flowers wherever you want on your crown.

once you're done attaching your flowers

you are finished and can enjoy

your very own floral crown.

don't be afraid to be creative

this is your flower crown

let your personality shine through your design

and have fun!

A Very Thankful Thursday

happy thankful thursday!

i just happened to glance at the calendar
 and i have no idea where time has gone
how on earth are we in the middle of march already?
wasn't it just christmas?
didn't we just ring in the new year?
anyone else having a minor panic attack right now?
ok moving on...

over the past couple months
i have sat at my computer
and have tried to write  thankful posts
but i just haven't been able to
not because there aren't things to be thankful for
but because i just don't know where to start
 on multiple occasions i have sat staring at an empty screen
with words swirling around in my head
unable to make themselves form coherent sentences

but i think that's exactly where i needed to be
over the last couple months
god has really given me time and space to think
to be quiet and still
to process through just where he has me
forcing me to face a few harsh realities about where my heart has truly been lately
and it's been good
hard
 but real good

god has really been tugging at my heart strings
i've begun to see i'm quick to jump to conclusions and assumptions
i'm so impatient
i can never sit, be still and just listen

i've been learning that recently
i haven't been giving God the space he needs deserves to work in my life
{yes he works despite this}
but i tend to make things extremely difficult
and sometimes more painful for myself

i'm beginning to see the difference it makes
when He is in control
i'm seeing just how different things are
when i don't
and when i do
 let him in to things
the big things and the little things
life looks so different when he is allowed into every part of my life
night and day different
there is power
beauty
majesty
and joy
so so so much joy
and i could not be more thankful for these sweet gifts

so today i am thankful for so so so much
that every day is new and beautiful

birds singing early in the morning
singing in the shower at the top of my lungs when no one is home

the warmth of the sun on my skin

 the smell of jasmine
the feeling of a breeze blowing through my hair
beautiful rays of sunshine

gardening

meeting with brides

booking summer weddings

filling special flower orders

getting to create pretty things with flowers

friday phone calls with my friend erin

my small group

my church

wearing dresses and skirts

building terrariums

dinner parties with friends

trips to orange county

evenings at karaoke bars

coldplay's new song that remains on repeat

lunch at the beach

spending time with my sweet friend margo

sleepovers

birthday dinners

a whole day spent with my three year old niece

which included a trip to barnes and noble to pick out new books

target to get a snack

old navy to say hello to the manikins 

chick fil a for a yummy meal

the park to play pretend

and more hugs and kisses than i could ever want

my sweet nephew and niece

and the way they melt my heart

beer and yahtzee filled evenings with friends

falling asleep to the sound of rain

movie nights

new running clothes

meeting new people

evening coffee dates

friends visiting from utah

trips to downtown la

walks to the park

seeing new sights

blueberry mint lemonade

spending afternoons in venice

walking down abbot kinney blvd

exploring the gorgeous la library with friends

passing exams

getting a full time job offer

{with benefits}

taking that full time job offer

working as a horticulturist

and getting to wear this sick get up everyday

lunch dates in santa monica

sweet memories of a wonderful summer spent in santa monica

trips to the patagonia store

sipping free coffee, using free wifi and perusing a pretty sweet catalog

 at the patagonia store

friends who buy me things from the patagonia store

{thanks michy}

my new patagonia messenger bag that im slightly obsessed with

my bed

the couch
my car

my journal
finishing great books
getting to know people 
taking things slow

i'm thankful for the past couple months
for learning how to let the lord lead
for learning patience
for the true joy that is found in Christ

what are you thankful for today?....

Weekend Thankfuls {wait it's not thursday}...

i know, i know, i know

it's not thursday

it's sunday

but today is still a great day to be thankful

i've got a hot cup of tea to my right

 a sweet pup curled up at my feet
and a little bit of down time

so let's do this

a lot has changed since my
last thankful thursday post

a lot

and for that i am so thankful

i am so thankful that i serve a god

who is always working

never stagnant

a god who protects me 

who goes before me in everything

a god who can take my

clouded judgments

and mistakes

and transform them into something beautiful

who can turn them into new adventures

and things i never would have expected

only He can do these things

and i'm so thankful He does

i'm so thankful He doesn't give up on us

i'm so thankful He pursues

i'm so thankful he loves us beyond all comprehension

and i am so thankful that

 i am His

today i am thankful for so much

for trips to orange county

housewarming parties

friends who hire me 

to make flower arrangements for their home

the church i am now going to
restoration and healing of broken hearts

friends coming to visit me
learning to bake homemade bread

dinner out with my cousin 

hikes with my sweet friend jenny

{babe alert}

conversations on the front porch

walks with my sweet puppy

my running shoes

cool evening runs

weekly phone dates with my friend erin

encouraging letters from north carolina

getting this unbelievably sweet and completely undeserved
gift in the mail from my best friend

happy hour on sunset blvd

evenings in downtown la

meeting new people

an ice cold rum and coke

making decisions

{for those that know me you know this is a big deal}

deciding to start my own business

{say what?!...}

new job opportunities

flowers cut straight from the garden
{and grown from seeds!}

learning to be brave

my morning coffee

friends who encourage me in everything i do

my passion for horticulture

{that it is still growing daily}

my music library

"talking" with my nephew
while my niece smothers me
{i melt}

super bowl sunday with my family

seeing old friends 

surprise frozen yogurt

parents who are still allowing me to live with them

{thanks mom and dad,

i promise i'll be out soon}

my little car that just keeps going and going

and lastly
i am thankful that i'm now off
to meet with a bride to talk about wedding flowers
{sigh}

God's blessings are abundant
whether it's thursday
monday
sunday
every stinking day He pours out blessing after blessing

so what are you thankful for?...