Design

I promised you design, so here are some photos that inspire me, while decorating our home. 

Being from a small town in Arkansas, you can guess already that they are southern, shabby, antique, feel. 

There is nothing I don't like about this room!

This would be amazing in a small half bath. 

I have a lot of old suitcases, this would be cool to do when family comes over to share old photos.

I am in the process of completely recreating this look in our spare bedroom, except with a full size bed.

Love this. Just got a super cool lamp for my bedside table for Christmas, and I have that fan, the jar, and the books. All I need now is some old frames, and this will be my bedside look. 

Our headboard is one single door turned sideways, and I love it! Fits a King bed perfectly!

This idea of getting the Shabby Chic look is to gather together all things, cream, tan, light brown, and white. Then throw in a pop of color here and there. Nothing really has to match (which is great), so that way everything can be perfectly....imperfect. 

Which is a great blog to check out for shabby chic decor.

www.perfectlyimperfectblog.com 

Gut Feeling

Christmas Eve came around, and I began to become EXTREMELY sad that I wasn't with my family, and by extremely sad I mean, the ugly cry. I got so sad that we left chilies after not even eating, packed up our clothes and presents in five minutes flat, and headed to the gas station.

All the while, I knew in  my spirit that we didn't need to go. I had this deep feeling that we needed to stay here in Kansas City this Christmas, and to be honest, I was pretty upset with myself for making such a huge deal out of leaving. 

I felt like a fool, and an embarrassment all wrapped up into one. Pretty much a hot mess burrito. So I apologized to my husband, I apologized to my family, I apologized to my pastor (I told him we wouldn't be at church), and I kept apologizing to my husband. <- He's such a good man. 

We came home, unpacked, baked cookies, gave Bentley a haircut, and watched a Christmas movie. Then we called all of JW's cousins and told them we were having a game night at our house on Christmas night, and they all HAD to come. 

So Christmas night comes, and everyone came. We played tons of games until midnight. Then something amazing happened. We started talking about God. JW's cousins were not raised in church, they are great people, but with out Christ, is being absent from Christ, and all of His blessings. We were up talking about all things God until 3:00am. 

There was a moment in the middle of our three hour conversation, that I realized, this is the entire reason I got the gut feeling, not to go to Texas. I felt so happy that I listened to the Holy Spirits nudge in my heart that day. 

I don't know if any of his cousins and their kids, and boyfriend/girlfriends gave their heart to God later that night, but I do know, that it was a definite seed. 

The entire experience was even better when they were leaving, and they said lets hang out again Wednesday night. (To anyone that is in ministry and your family is not, you know why this made us feel so great.) We were so excited they didn't feel "preached" at. They brought up the subject of God, they were asking the questions, they were at full attention for three hours, and I pray that their hearts were softened, and even accepting to God. 

JW and I talked after they left, and I just kept telling him that I wanted to make a huge effort, while speaking with them about God, that God is love. He calls us to love, He doesn't call us to judge, and point fingers, He calls us to love, and to share His love with others. I feel as though so many "non-Christians" feel that all Christians do, is judge, and I wanted to make that very clear, that there was no judgement on them, through us. That we love them, God loves them, and ultimately has an extraordinary plan for each of their lives. 

Listen to the nudge of the Holy Spirit. He will never lead you in the wrong direction. 

Just to know...

Just to know something so big, came in such a small package.

Just to know a King that deserves treasures, was born in a manger. 

Just to know He who holds the world in His hands, yearns to have your heart. 

Just to know all power is His, but freewill He gives.

Just to know we've done nothing worthy of His love, yet He loves us more than we could ever imagine.  

Just to know the sacrifice He gave on Calvary that day.

Just to know He beat death, and rose again.

Just to know He is coming back soon.

Just to know the power of His love, how it heals hearts, opens eyes, and makes the lame walk.

Just to know His amazing grace washes away our sin.

Just to know all of this, is to know everything worth knowing.

-Kayla Hall

big 24

JW's birthday is tomorrow, and I have been wracking my brain to come up with the PERFECT birthday. I've already given him his gift, surround sound, and he loved it, but I want to plan out an amazing day packed full of fun stuff he would love to do.... This is what I have so far:

( Needless to say, I haven't gotten very far)

I know obviously some of those empty times will be getting ready, and driving. But what can we do with those five hours between lunch and dinner? I don't want it to be like a normal day of us trying to pull out of the other one, what they are wanting to do. I want it to be planned, and smooth, and perfect! I want it to be THE best birthday. I'm going to leave him some little notes around the house to find...

(here's one of them)

All of that is so true, he is a great man, an amazing husband, will be SUCH a good dad (one day), and he is my all time best friend.

So for now, that is all I have planned, and it will be all I have planned until I can get off here and start searching some more. Merry Christmas everyone, be sure to remember the true reason for this holiday!

Bye Y'all

"The Best Part Of Waking Up...

"The Best Part Of Waking Up...

       Is Folgers In Your Cup"

A number of years ago, Folger Coffee somehow stumbled upon this amazing house and chose it to be the home on their old coffee can, and the place to film their commercial. There is something beautiful about a big red house, with tons of windows, on a winter day, and the icy lake doesn't hurt its appeal at all. I could imagine myself sitting on a big comfy couch with a cup of hot coffee (Folgers no doubt), in front of a big fire place roaring coming from the burnt longs, our baby grand piano placed perfectly in front of a corner window, an amazing kitchen, room for the whole family to come and cook together, raising kids that will love to fish and hunt, Oh I can just see it now. I wonder how much it will go for next time its up for sale. I think last time it went for close to 1.5 million, that's just pocket change right? No. A girl can dream though. So until I become a millionaire, I'll just keep this picture and dream.