Can You Spare a Quarter?

Apartment life has definitely been a blessing! But also extremely life-changing for me. Its amazing how fulfilling and happy it makes me to have a few hours one day to clean, do dishes, do laundry, and possibly cook some real food other than bagels.
So many little things pop up that no one ever thinks about while living at home. Granted, yes I was fully aware of small daily tasks at home, such as taking out the garbage, cleaning up the living room, etc. Most people (I hope) are, even as teens. But you don't realize how time comsuming - HOW NECESSARY- these little daily tasks are until you live on your own. If you don't do them, no one will! And if you want a presentable, cozy & clean home to come home to every night after work, strap the rubber gloves on.
And you don't realize how much hair falls out of your head everywhere every day until you live with another girl and have to sweep! (Jenelle and I are quite the shedders. Long hair problems, I guess.)

My biggest hurdle has been laundry. I DO keep up with it fine! I even separate my whites from darks....only because the washing machine here isn't big enough for both, though. I'm not that mom-ish yet to care. Why do my work socks need to be bleach-white anyway? Who cares.

Anyway.

But the quarters to start the machines. Oh, the quarters. It takes 10 quarters a load! So, on my day off, if I do both of my loads, its 20 quarters. Yeah, that's what I said. Who just has loads of quarters laying around?
So of course I've been scrounging. A quarter from someone at work, 2 from my car, finding them, whatever.
And I am proud to say as I type this that I have accumulated enough to put in a load of whites this morning.
I may have gambled to win 8 of those quarters from my employees at work, but that's okay too. As long as I have a clean pair of white, ankle-covering, uniform-approved socks for work today, I'm happy.

(No, This is not the 1st load of laundry I've done since moving day.)

Little Beauties

My eyes -physical and spiritual- have been glued to the little things going on in my life.
For those who know me, you know I have been in wedding-planning mode since 2012! Slowly and surely, being sure to take my time and enjoy every aspect of planning...this will only happen ONCE in my life! And God has blessed Bill and I with a wedding season almost 3 years in length. How lucky are we?! That's a lot of cherished moments.

As wedding prices and "normal" wedding budgets rear their ugly heads, from Pinterest to wedding websites, I was beginning to get overwhelmed; the wedding is 7 months away today!  And I feel as if nothing is done! Or at least, I will be broke by the time it IS. (Probably the latter.)

But God said "No"

The word "No" from God is ever so sweet when it comes concerning your fears. 

Will we be broke after this wedding? "No"

Will I lose my mind? "No"

Will we rush so much, I will miss the joy of this season? "No"

Rather, all I keep hearing in my heart is "Be still, and know that I am God." (Pslam 46:10)

Never, in my life, has God tangibly proven His presence in my life. I mean like solid, undeniable, unquestionable, crazy, stupid favor.

Please, let me list them off. I will start with my apartment situation, and go from there.

- I am so content and so at peace with my living arrangement. Be-a-u-t-i-f-u-l apartment.

- I absolutely adore my roommate; one of the best decisions of my life

- Almost my entire apartment is furnished with hand-me-downs, family heirlooms, and thrift store finds. And i love it all so much, I don't even know what Billy and I will put on our wedding registry.

- My mother-in-law has given me a couch, and gorgeous (no exaggeration, no falling short) solid dark wood bedroom furniture. Billy and I will probably have it our entire lives. I don't know what could replace such beauty.

- I have received 4 new pairs of tennis shoes in a time when I really needed new ones and don't have spare cash. Now I have options!

-I have an adorable cat, who is more like a dog than a cat. Score!

- I have been able to purchase a $1600 KING size pillow-top mattress for $800 in September, pay it off in increments of my choice, and have it delivered in August to mine&Billy's home. No lay-away fee.

-Today, got King size flannel bed sheets for $20. Twenty. Dollars.

That's my home-life.Amazing. On top of that, the wedding blessings are rolling in. God is just soaking Bill&I with provision, and I need to tell people!

- I am getting my dream wedding dress custom made for $500 cheaper than at a bridal store I saw a similar dress at. AND she is a family friend. You can check her out by clicking here and support a private-owned business.

-We are getting our church venue, tech work, and a musician for a grand total of about $250

- Our wedding date got double booked, so we are having it on a Friday now and saving $2/head for our 300 count guest list

- A long-time friend of my mother's is doing our wedding cake! Sure to be more affordable than a shop.

-Billy's Aunt is doing all of our floral work. We pay for the flowers, and she is doing our arrangements and center-pieces for f-r-e-e

-To make said center-pieces, I have been blessed to be working at Jimmy Johns and have been able to save all of our glass Grey Poupon jars over the last 2 years. Mason Jars. Free. I have probably close to 80. Again I say, f-r-e-e.

-We just got an email from our catering company, telling us that all of the metal folding chairs that get used at our venue (usually couples just rent chair covers for them) have been replaced with brand-new plastic wedding chairs. So they will be included for our wedding day. No chair covers needed.

-Billy and I have been needing to set up food tasting. Near impossible, as Billy will only be home once a month this semester. This week, I got an email that there is an open house at our catering company to try all their foods and ask questions on Sunday, January 26th. Billy comes home for an already-planned visit on Friday the 24th-26th.

-We met with our officiant for pre-marital counseling last week. Not only does he see us doing quite well-off, but Billy and I had a very intimate one-on-one Starbucks date the week prior and grew so much as a couple, as we saw that almost all of our answers in our booklets were identical. Not because they were all ideal, but because we both knew what the other wanted and what we expect from eachother and is expected from us by each other.

Now the biggest one. Photography.

It has been my dream to have 2 photographers. Wedding photography is hella-expensive. We would be pushing it affording just one. I mean $2-$3k for photos? Its totally worth it- wedding photos are priceless- but I can't afford that price.

That being said, my beautiful friend Abby offered to do ours. For Free. I was ecstatic. On cloud 9. Free photos AND I love this girl. What a great way to share my day with her! I still wanted 2 photographers, but Billy and I decided to have her, and then maybe find a 2nd person to pay at a reasonable price, also.

Same day, I get an offer from from another friend. Her husband has been in photography for 10 years, and offered to shoot our wedding. For free.

So here I am, little me, with all these blessings already, and this happens to me. I about hit thankfulness overload. TWO PHOTOGRAPHERS?! Really God? For a grand total of $0.

And that's that. I just needed to share. I am fully expecting more blessings. I just had my live band contact me today and say they can't make our wedding date. I am sad, but after God's track record I can't help but sit here and think "Oh my, who do we have in store for us then?!"

God is good. He provides. He CARES about the little things. All these little beauties around us in life.

 I am blessed and I am content. Most of all, I'm excited! 

And that's what happens,

When You Give a Girl Grace

-Britney

That Day My Childhood Stopped

Summer 2010 or 2011

Well, it happened. My brother finally left for the Navy, 8 days ago. He is off at boot camp in Chicago for 2 months, then straight to Charleston, SC for 2 years of schooling in nuclear power. From SC, he will have 4 years active duty wherever they station him, followed by 2 years inactive. 8 years total of having my brother nowhere near me, plus more if he sticks with this as his life-long career choice. 8 in the bible means new beginnings. I choose to assume that's not a coincidence.
Its safe to say I haven't cried so much or been so....missing something in my heart, since my discovery of routine male infant circumcison (different topic, different time, point is I cried for weeks over those discoveries. Anyway.)
I miss my little brother!  But I am happy he has found his place, his niche, and direction for his life. I have been watching him closely over his teen years, and I know how much he has been yearning/searching for what his purpose is in life and where he should go after high school. I know men and women have equally important life roles and burdens to bear, but I must say I can't imagine the pressure that must be on young men's shoulders senior year of high school; To pick a college or trade, knowing that you must succeed to support a wife and children for virtually the next 50 years of your life. The decisions and stress! And I could visibly see it weighing on my brother. Maybe others could too, I don't know.

Summer 2012

But it doesn't change how much I miss him. We are 2 years apart and grew up together. We both equally love our little sisters, Trinity & Nika, but just as they have a special bond because they are doing childhood together, so Matthew and I have the same. Heck, we shared and room and bunk beds up until just 5 months ago!! Me being 21 and him 18! That's rare, if I can assume.
He annoyed me, literally all of my childhood. We did not get along, and had quite a few bumps throughout the teenage years.
And now we have gotten to singing in the car together to songs and video taping it, by free will. I wish that it had happened years sooner, realizing that that opportunity and time is gone now.

December 11, 2013. Shipping out.

There's probably a lot of things I'd do differently if I knew this is how our time together and childhood was going to end. Which is big for me, because I hardly ever admit I am wrong. Family trait I suppose. I'd hang out more. Put up with his snoring longer. Bought him more just-because gifts. Given him more rides.  Yelled at him less. Loved on him more.
I know I can still do all those things. But not necessarily as easily or frequently anymore. He used to wrestle me down and hug me and told me he loved me, and told Billy "I had her first." I would fight him off, deciding his loving behavior was so weird, because we just weren't like that! I don't think I ever even regularly hugged my brother- in our whole lives-  until he moved out in July and I couldn't see him every day anymore. Oh how I'd love that time back now!

I had the pleasure of praying over my brother at Worship one Monday night in 2012. I can't even remember all that was prophesied, but I distinctly remember telling him he was a shield; He was destined to protect, and that the earth will crack and shatter from beneath his footsteps, and his words have influence. It all makes sense now! Never before and never after that night have I ever prophesied over my little brother.
I plan on writing him quite often. He can't write any letters back for 3 weeks of boot camp, but I'll be expecting one soon.
I don't think Matthew has ever read my blog, but if he does I hope he sees this one post.

Matthew, I love you dearly. Annoying as you are.

You are MY little brother. I absolutely cherish the time we had growing up together.

Its sad that it took you leaving for the military for me to fully appreciate you and love you to the extent you deserve. I hope you find what you need, and God fills you with peace in your choices. You are EXACTLY where you are supposed to be. I have not one ounce of doubt in my heart. Keep your mind open, your heart soft, and your spirit fed.  Thrive in God's grace! You will grow into a fantastic man, husband, and dad.

-Big sister