Peaches and Pearls

Sunday, January 6, 2019

New Year Resolutions 2019

I don't like the connotation that "new year resolution" seems to have adopted over the years, but I always like the idea of a fresh start come January. I always find motivation for personal growth in the new year. Whether or not I met all my expectations, dreams, or goals from the year (or years😬) before...I like to think of the new year as though it's a chance to grow closer to the woman God wants me to be. What made me stronger last year? What challenged me? How can I do things differently next time?

This year I hope to...

(do the things I wanted to do last year, but better.)

1. Practice self-control (spiritually, mentally, physically) I really worked hard on this fruit of the spirit (with God's help) for two months last year & I have never been happier or a better version of myself.

I am praying over growing in this area more in 2019!

2. Grow my relationship with the Lord, learn more about him & give thanks for all He has done + will do. I had a "mini" season of what seemed like massive growth in my relationship with the Lord in 2018, but as life does, you find discouragement & it sneaks in to hinder this. I'm ready to fight again (because it IS a fight when Satan steps in, am I right??) to grow to learn more about Him & His plan for my life.

3. Live in the moment. I'm bad to want to get all depressed over how quickly time is passing (especially with my boys #momlife). Y'all, I dread moments ending before they actually do-living for the anticipation of the times we have & not the special times themselves. I want to quit that craziness & LIVE!

4. Perspective. Despite "good" vs. "bad" days...choose happy.

"Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy."

"I don't think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains."

both quotes by Anne Frank (enough said.). WOW.

5. Prioritize. Say yes to what is important, and don't be afraid to say no to the not so important.

And that's a wrap at sharing my heart early in the year, friends!

Do me a favor if you have read this? Pray for me.

Pray for another year of growth. Growth in God's will. I may fail, but as long as I grow, I'll call it a win. Not much different than years past, but it's nice to remind myself of what is important. After the freshness of January wears off, & when the days seem to run together in the year, it's nice to look back at these things & refocus!

Especially on those "harder" days.

Do you guys make "resolutions" or areas of growth to focus on?

Happy 2019!

Thankful for these sweet memories captured by Misty Dawn photography this past December❤️

Thursday, January 3, 2019

Year in Review 2018

Every year I find myself in disbelief at how quickly a year passes by. Each one seems to go by at a quicker speed & while I always try to be cognizant of making a point not to rush them quicker then they already go by, I find myself always in anticipation. Though I have to admit, I didn't want 2018 to end. Cade is always quick to remind me to be excited for what's to come (talk about my better half-he is). And the only quote I could find was the one I looked to last year by C.S. Lewis..."There are far better things ahead, than any we leave behind." No matter what we are leaving behind, whatsoever wonderful or not so wonderful things are ahead...in Christ, there are far better things ahead!
Wrote on Dec 30, 2018.

(Joanna Gaines worded my thoughts perfectly after I wrote this passage).

#ofcourseshedid🙄

Looking back on 2018...

And the best way to do that is the "top 9" from instagram...right?

January
Began 2018 with Cam making his second appearance as a ring bearer -he did awesome!

February

We had a valentines date to build a bear & daddy came home for good. This, if you know us, was one of the biggest answered prayers of our lives. God worked in wondrous ways in 2018 in this aspect & I hope I get the chance to share one day.

March

I turned the big 3-0 & Cam celebrated his fifth birthday with a family ghostbuster bash!

April

We visited lots of playgrounds as the weather grew warmer & psyched Conley up for church every morning. Now he totes his little self through the doors with ease! We also had kindergarten roundup & spring break.

May

Cam graduated preschool and I said goodbye to the best job of all time.

I miss those people so much! The tears flowed uncontrollably.

June

School was out for summer & with Cam entering kindergarten, we were determined to make it the best summer ever...we began adventuring. Cam also had a weird spell for a couple of weeks in which he didn't eat, threw up, & slept a lot. After a trip to the doctor left us without answers, an email arrived with a recall on goldfish d/t salmonella-it happened to be the box we had been munching on. After looking up symptoms, I am 99.9% sure this is what we had happening to our big guy 😳 He also had to get kindergarten shots & let's just say God be with the nurse who gives him the next round (he'll be double in size & impossible to hold down).

July

So much fun celebrating the fourth (as always), I had a job orientation and we went on a family weekend with Cade's grandma & girls.

August

Too much for one picture.

Beach trip+kindergarten began+new job for me!

September
Daddy got the boys pumped for football season. Much to our dismay, the Panthers & Vols had terrible seasons.

October
Conley Scout turned THREE, Cam lost his first TWO teeth, had big fun at the pumpkin patch, & we had a blast with all the halloween festivities.
May be my favorite costumes to date.

FAV pic EVER.

November
Sweet Tepper came into our lives (she is just what we needed to complete our family right now-the boys AND Cade & I adore her) & we celebrated another VERY blessed Thanksgiving.

December
Christmas. What else can I say except that it was perfect.
I love every Christmas. They are all special in they own way. I love tradition & seeing my little family develop it's own traditions in addition to all that we get to be a part of.
"Only 355 (or something like that-i always get my math wrong🤓) days to go"

Goodness! It's harder than you'd think to not forget any special moments!
In love with 2018...hoping to feel the same about you 2019.

Hope your year is off to a good start, sweet friends!

Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Dear December

Dear December,
I love you most of all, but you're too fast.

As Christmas carols go silent for another year (okay, not here. I'll start cranking them up again in July), and the decorations are packed up, I always find myself a bit sad.
Aside from that, the last, slow days may be the part that gives me life for the new year & helps me to remember what this time is really about.

A reflection on the past, the future, & the present.
It's all about being the best you & growing in your walk with Christ...or if you haven't began a walk with Christ...may I introduce him to you this year? He will change everything.

Reflecting back on this past month and trying to get back into the swing of writing!

Should I share that I got a new C O M P U T E R for Christmas???

I've not had my own for two years after it fell out of a moving car on my way to work one morning.

It feels SO good to be writing again...man, how I have missed it.
Not to mention writing, but how much easier my work duties will be.

We've been back & forth to North Carolina more times than I can count & I am pooped!
Pooped but blessed.
When we've not been there, we've been home shoveling through the mess-organizing, donating, throwing out, & cleaning like mad people.

It feels so good to purge!

I really don't know where else to begin the year, than with a photo dump of all things December:

This is where I told Conley Jesus was born in a stable kind of like this. He eagerly told Cam, "This is where Jesus was born!" And then, searched for him in the stall next to the goats. "Is God in der?'