Yesterday we celebrated some pretty special women in our lives. Women who have birthed, raised, shaped, loved and nurtured us. Women who have been a blessing in our lives, and who we are proud to call our Moms.
What's even more special about this day for moms, is that some of us are gaining this honored name for the first time!
My baby may not be in my arms yet, but he/she is definitely with me! As my belly grows, I know my baby is also. As my baby kicks and wiggles, I get to feel it. I'm still getting to nurture, feed, and love my baby, just in a physically different way...from the inside. This mother/child bond is already forming, and therefore I already consider myself a mommy...A mommy who is SO excited to see and hold my very first baby for the very first time. I already love this little life inside of me.
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| See baby grow! 11 weeks / 19 weeks!
A mommy who is so thankful for my own mom, who is the most amazing mom a girl could dream of. A mom who I can easily say is a best friend and who I was honored to have standing next to me on my wedding day as my matron of honor. Mom, I can only hope and pray to follow in your footsteps, to be at least half of the amazing mother that you are to me!
 
And to all the other wonderful mother figures in my life, THANK YOU, for being such wonderful role models. For teaching me and showing me the power and wonder of motherly love. For encouraging me and supporting me as I get ready to join your club.
So to all you special women who hold this lovely title...I hope you felt extra loved yesterday and always!
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Bright tulips
Freeing those "feetsies" in some darling wedge sandals
Adding some some pop color into the wardbrode (best done with shoes!)
Pastels and Chiffon. mmm.
Sweet picnics outside
Showing my nails some love with these lovely spring colors
Adding some cheerful color around the house
Accenting with fresh green decor
Sweet treats with fresh fruit
..and of course...iced coffee
eager·ly adv. 1. Having or showing keen interest, intense desire, or impatient expectancy.
Ya'll. I can not stop thinking about this term. This line. This desire for one day getting to meet my true heavenly Father.
I'll never forget this time at NC State, I went with a group of friends to see Shane & Shane in concert at a local church. A young girl opened for them (I hate that I can't remember her name) who sang some beautiful songs of worship. She was maybe only 16 or 17? I remember when she took a break to speak to the the audience, she mentioned this:
"you know, a lot of my friends and family often ask why most of my songs tend to be about life after death and heaven...and basically dying. Well, I guess I never realized that it was the common theme in most of my music, but I do know that I write music about my passions and what I'm passionate about. And ya'll, one thing I am SO passionate about is our Lord and getting to meet Him one day!! So yes, I AM excited for life after death and I AM excited to get to heaven to meet our Father...SO EXCITED! If he even came tomorrow to take us home, I would be the happiest girl ever. Because you guys...this is NOT our home."
Whoa. Right then. Right there. I was slapped with so much conviction and shown a selfish mirror of my heart and mind that I had been ignoring. This girl, who's barely even experienced life (being only a teenager) was already excited to...die? What!?!
Honestly, until that night when I heard her share this, I slightly feared the thought of death. I knew that I was supposed to be excited about my eternal home and life in heaven with our Father one day...but I always thought...what is this life after death really like? This home, here on earth, is all I know? But what if I don't get to have a family and kids before our Lord returns? But I'd really like to see some more of the world and get to travel before our time on earth is finished?
HA! How ridiculous was I!?!? I'm almost ashamed that I ever let my sinful mind trick me into thinking that ANYTHING here on earth could be better than experiencing eternal life with our Almighty God in HIS Kingdom. But that's what our human flesh is accustomed to...sin. And that's what is so great about finally going HOME one day...There will be no more sin. We will struggle no more. There will be no more pain. No more sickness. No more hate. It will be finished.
I can confidently say now, that I am SO excited, with an intense desire, to meet my heavenly Father one day. Afterall, this is not our home.
So until that great day comes, when He turns our lowly flesh into His glorious image, I will push on to live out this life for Him, to strive for His perfection and to be in His image.
Are you willing to give up this earthly home and these wordly things in order to meet our sweet, heavenly Father one day? Are you willing to say goodbye to sin and welcome life...eternal life?
Are you eagerly awaiting His return with me?
Andrew and I took this hummus to work today for a snack, and I received a sweet message from him (at 9:30am, mind you) stating that this hummus was the best hummus he has ever had, and that he's had a LOT of hummus from living over in the Middle East, and that we should go open a hummus shop in the Middle East. I love that man, and love that he eats hummus at 9:30am and love that he wants to move to foreign countries to make a living off of hummus.
Ya'll. These are amazing. And so easy. And healthier than store-bought chips. And particularly spectacular when paired with that cilantro lime hummus above! mmm.
More thanks to Erin, for bringing Nutella into my life (and for this recipe!) Seriously...hooked on that hazelnut goodness.