California Trip | Day 3

 Well, I'm still sick... Today was Grandma's Memorial service. It was a really rough day for our family, we miss her so much. But it was so nice to see old family friends and family. It was the first time I've seen most of them in years. After the service, we went to my cousin Eric's house. Dad helped direct parking. It was slightly funny to watch, Picture my dad with a broken foot, lots of traffic.  The funniest part was when My Uncle Paul and Uncle Doug pulled up... it took them at least ten minutes to figure out how to park straight into a dead end part of the street. LOL!  It rained most of the day, but that didn't stop my younger cousins from playing with Eric's two black labs in the back yard during the reception.  After the reception Brianna and I went out to eat with my cousin Brandy and her family. We had such a fun time!

Today I wore a tan, gray and white floral skirt, gray shirt, brown high heels, pearl earrings and a book locket necklace.

Shirt: Vintage Store

Skirt:Vintage Store

Shoes: Vintage Store

Jewelry: Necklace: I Made Earrings, Burkes

My hair is done in a chain at the top and the ends are done in a fishbone braid. 

California Day 4 Here

California Trip | Day 2

 Jet Lag and a cold! How fun!... ok so not really.

The family came over today... I couldn't stay awake. Why on earth do I have to be sick on vacation? I have been taking sambucol, vitamin c and using Thieves Oil like crazy the weeks before our trip.

Oh well, what can I do but sleep? I woke up a couple times and was able to hang out with everyone a little bit. It was so nice to meet the cousins I have never met and to be able to see the ones I know. My Aunt Teri and her two sons got in today. After everyone left Mom, Brianna and I slipped out to the Jacuzzi. The heat and steam made me feel a lot better. We went out to eat at "In and Out" tonight, it was ok. But I like El Pollo Loco better :)
.

Today I am wearing a red floral patterned knee length skirt and a white tank top. (I forgot my shoes inside when mom took the photos but I was wearing tan sandals.)

Skirt: Vintage Store

Shirt: Walmart

See Day 3 Here

California Trip | Day 1

 Today we flew out to California for my grandma's memorial service. Who knew 6 hours in a plane could be so exhausting. This is our first time traveling this far with all of us, But it went fairly smoothly. For some reason, my suitcase was the heaviest... Oh well, I loved flying!

So here is what I wore on the plane. It was super cold in Tennessee and not so in California so I wore a short skirt and added leggings. The dark brown long sleeve shirt was not overly warm so I layered it  and just removed the layers I didn't need as the climate warmed as I traveled west. I wore it with a snowflake necklace and stud earrings. My mom French braided my hair (I ended up taking the braid out in Texas and leaving the top part and just pulling it back into a ponytail).

Shirt:  Vintage Store

Skirt: Vintage Store 

Jewelry: Necklace: Target Earrings: Walmart

See California Day 2 Here! 

Romantic Skirt and Sweater Outfit

 Good morning! Well it's a new year... what will we do different this year? We've been getting ready to say goodbye to Grandma one last time and celebrate her life. We are cleaning the house so it will be nice when we get back, cleaning the chicken runs and putting fresh shavings down, Packing (who knew it could be so hard to find flip flops and sandals in the dead of a southern winter), and school.

 My adopted family is taking care of our animals while we are gone (Thanks Trish! You're awesome!). Right now dad is working on renting a car... Brianna is slightly disappointed we won't be renting a convertible. LOL. Ok, so driving down Pacific Coast Highway in a convertible would be nice. But I am not sure it is warm enough for it even in California.

I finished packing yesterday... Hey nothing like being prepared right? Besides I'll probably have repacked it no less then six times before we actually are on our way to the airport.

Today I am wearing a gray shirt, a cream, gray & tan printed skirt, brown high-heels, brown purse, pearl earrings and a book locket necklace. 

 Shirt: Vintage Store

Skirt: Vintage Store

 High-heels: Vintage Store

Purse: A Gift 

 Necklace: I made Earrings: Burke's

5 Christmas Outfit Ideas

Well, its in the 50's here in middle Tennessee... not very Christmas-y but hey we are making the best of it. The lights are still beautiful, the cookies just as tasty. The tree smells heavenly... so now we just have to come up with something lovely to wear for Christmas day! Here are a few ideas, 

Outfit 1:

 Icy blue top with a crisp white skirt and a scarf in several shades of blue. Paired with black slip on shoes and snowflake earrings. I actually wore this to our youth groups Christmas party (everyone calls me Elsa there so I decided to go with it)

Scarf: it's actually handmade

Sweater: Vintage Store

Skirt: Vintage Store

Shoes: Walmart

Earrings: Burke's

Outfit 2:

Sparkly red shirt with a red cardigan with red sequins sewn on. White skirt, black high-heels, pearl earrings, and white jeweled necklace. Oh and red nail polish!

Shirt: Ross Store

Cardigan: Ross Store

Skirt: Vintage Store

Jewelry: Necklace: Burke's Bracelet: A gift Earrings: Burke's

Shoes: My Mom's

Outfit: 3

Red top with sequins, black skirt and black high-heeled boots, with pearl earrings and a simple charm necklace.

Skirt: Ross 

Shirt: Vintage Store

Boots: Vintage Store

Jewelry: Necklace: A Gift Earrings: Burke's

Outfit: 4

Red short sleeve top, red gingham skirt and black high-heels with a pearl necklace and earrings. 

Skirt: I made

Shirt: Vintage Store

Shoes: DSW

Jewelry: Necklace: My grandma's Earrings: Burke's

Outfit: 5

Red dress with black shoes, Shiny earrings and pearl necklace.

Dress: Ross

Shoes: My Mom's

Jewelry: Necklace: Sears Earrings: Claire's Boutique

Merry Christmas!

I Know Just What You'd Say...

The house is so quiet, so still. How can life change so fast? Your clothes are still hanging in your closet. Your bed is still made where I made it the day after you went to the hospital. I walk through your room so still. Everything just the same... or almost just the same.  The night light in the bathroom is off. Your cane rests in the corner of the room instead of in your hand. 

Despite the heater humming your room seems so cold. Like stepping outside on a snowy morning and knowing no one else is out. Your footsteps seem to echo over the frozen ground. 

I can't stand to stay in this room long but sometimes I just can't stay away. I half smile at the boxes of Christmas village stacked in one of your closets that you loved so much. How many years did we put it out together? How much fun we had as I handed you things to put out and smiled up at you telling you if it was "the perfect spot" which of course it was... perching on a ladder with steaming hot cups of cocoa on a freezing morning putting Christmas lights up. 

And then one year we switched, I was the one on the top of the ladder you at the bottom smiling up.  Oh, how you loved Christmas! And then as the years went on, I did more by myself but the light was still there in your eyes. Making you almost look like a small child filled with the magic of Christmas... But as the years went on that to began to dim... until only at certain moments could you see it in your blue eyes. But it was still there. I can almost hear your voice in my mind as I run my hand over the rough cardboard boxes. 

I know just what you’d say…

You’d say “oh my goodness” and “I love you, honey”.  “Do you want to spend the night?”, “Can I pray for you?”. And with that guilty look of yours and a hand over your heart “Who me?” followed by a twinkle in your eye and “How could you think so?” 

“Drive carefully," - even if you’re just walking “I pray a hedge of protection around you and your car” or “Lord surround their car with angels” and “Can I sing you a song?” 

You see Grandma I know just what you'd say... "It so nice to see you,"Do we have anything sweet?"  "Ice Cream sounds good" and "Bless your heart". And "I need to blow my nose."
You would pray every day for your children and grandchildren, on your knees even when it hurt to do so.  When you would hear of a need you were quick to offer help, love, a place for those that needed a home.  You stood in the cold serving food you helped cook for the homeless and you were not afraid to love on the ones that stood before you. Strangers became family in the blink of an eye.  Sailors hundreds of miles away from their family found family in your arms.  Those hurting and needing a home found a place of love and care seldom seen in this world.  Orphans became grandchildren in the blink of an eye.  You held nothing back from anyone.

I can still hear your voice as we sit around the table... and I know just what you'd say... Faith plops down beside me with a sigh and I know just what you'd say, " What's wrong pooch?" 

The Most Important thing to me is ending up in heaven and having all of my children and grandchildren make it there, so be there everyone. - Martha Gibson 1996

For Everything There Is A Season

We stand around your bed as the sunshine streams in the window with tears running down our faces. The door squeals as it opens and your sweet nurse enters with tears in her eyes, and she joins our huddled group.

Christmas carols play softly. You love Christmas so much... Sirens in the distance mark another ambulance's path and another life forever changed. You have touched so many lives. You are loved so much. A friend slips in and comes to your side, it is agony to watch the monitor as seconds pass without a breath but it's even worse not to watch. How did we get to this point?  I'm so tired.

I'll be home for Christmas... If only in my dreams...

Notifications pop up on my Facebook from friends and family sharing old pictures of you and words that though they are hundreds of miles away to be whispered in your ear.

There is a time for everything,

 and a season for every activity under the heavens:

    a time to be born and a time to die,

 a time to plant and a time to uproot,

    a time to kill and a time to heal,



    a time to tear down and a time to build, 

    a time to weep and a time to laugh,

    a time to mourn and a time to dance,

    a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,

    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

    a time to search and a time to give up

,

    a time to keep and a time to throw away,

    a time to tear down and a time to mend,

    a time to be silent and a time to speak,

    a time to love and a time to hate,

    a time for war and a time for peace. 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 

Goodbye, grandma...