a weekend list.

{1}

I'm convinced that Beyonce is the most beautiful woman in the world. I'm also mildly obsessed with her. I mean, seriously. Just look at her.

{2}

I. love. crafting. This is a new thing for me. I used food coloring to make some pseudo-watercolors and just went to town. 

{3}

I'm trying to be a runner. Meaning, I really, really want to be a runner. Partly because I want to feel like a little bit less of a poser when I wear nike running shorts every single day a lot, and also I think it'd be good for me. This could be a really long process for me, because the longest I've ever run in one sitting was 4 miles, and I'm pretty convinced that was some kind of freak accident, because it's never happened before then or since then. So anyway, we'll see how it goes. 

{4}

This weekend, I've dreaming about being married one day. I tried not worry about the effect that it would have on my emotional health, if it was not okay to do, what if I don't get married til I'm 40, what if I never get married, blah, blah, blah. I think sometimes it's just okay to dream. Then I read this quote, which only furthered my potentially-emotionally-damaging-but-really-fun day dreams:

Marriage is those two thousand indistinguishable conversations, chatted over two thousand indistinguishable breakfasts, where intimacy turns like a slow wheel. How do you measure the worth of becoming that familiar to somebody - so utterly well know and so throughly ever-present that you become an almost invisible necessity, like air? 

-Elizabeth Gilbert-

[I hope we build forts together.

 & that he makes me laugh]

Today I am thankful...

For students that miss me when I'm gone for a few days

For excellent movies

For letters [and misspelled names]

For rest

For vacations with my favorite girls

That I get to go to cool conferences like this one because of my job

And that because of Jesus' death, the grave has lost all its power. 

things making me happy [december edition]

{1}

In honor of December's arrival, I made these little guys last night :)

{2}

Christmas music has started! Here are my favorites this year:

[1] Santa Clause is Coming to Town - Justin Bieber

[2] Hark the Herald Angels Sing - Josh Groban & Brian McKnight

[3] Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer - Andrew Ripp 

[4] I'll Be Home for Christmas - Michael Buble

[5] God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman - Bethany Dillon

[6] O Come O Come Emmanuel - Maeve

[7] Oh Come All Te Faithful - Faith Hill

[8] Joy to the World - Sufjan Stevens

[9] Silent Night - Sarah McLachlan

[10] What Are You Doing New Years Eve? - Ella Fitzgerald 

[11. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Frank Sinatra

{3}

I bought a MacBook. I'm mostly in love with it so far, and spending way too much time playing around on it.

{4}

Funny things my students write on their worksheets. 

{5}

These adorable silver-tipped matches I discovered at my house

{6}

Hilarious conversations my family has on this group messaging app we started using

{7}

Reading the Chronicles of Narnia. I'm embarrassed to say it's my first time to ever read them. 

today I am thankful...

1. For Ben Rector's new album, Something Like This. I can't stop listening to it. I will seriously try to listen to other songs and then just give up because I'll just be thinking about how I'd rather be listening to that album. Also, I get to see him IN CONCERT with Needtobreathe this Friday night. I am so so pumped.

2. For October. I think September is something that I have to drag my feet through before I can really start liking Autumn. Also, October is my birthday month, so I'm kind of partial. And this amazing weather is making it extra easy to love this month already.

3. For awesome grandparents. This weekend my entire family was gone, so I stayed with my grandparents because I hate staying at my house by myself (yes, I'm still scared to sleep in my house alone). I hadn't stayed with them in forever, like maybe since middle school. I forgot how much I love having people taking care of me. I got to watch a chick-flick with my Nanny and football on Sunday afternoon with my grandpa, and sit around and drink coffee with them and  talk. It was wonderful.

4. For the coolest little brother ever. I got to have a date with my brother Matthew on Friday night, which is unusual. It's almost never just the two of us. He's 19 and turning into such a man, and has a huge heart for the Lord. I'm so proud of him.

5. For God slapping me in the face. Even though that's not exactly an accurate description, because God has been much kinder and gentler than that with me, even though I don't deserve it. I've had a terrible attitude about a whole lot of things lately. I find myself getting angry about stupid things, and having a general disposition of ungratefulness. I'm driving the other day and God is saying, It's not about you, Sara. And I'm here thinking, I know that the world doesn't revolve around me, God... 
But you think that your life revolves around you.
Ouch. He's right. I have been treating my life like it's mine to plan and arrange and have it the way that I want it to be. I've been getting angry because I felt like my rights to my life were being violated when things didn't work out how I wanted. You gave all those to me, remember, Sara? Yes... and "Oh, for grace to trust Him more."

6. For this verse: "Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry hosts one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of his great power not one of them is missing." Thank you Jesus for stars.

decisions, decisions.

I decided today that

a) If I were to be magically given the song-writing ability of anyone in the world, it would be Sara Bareilles. She is the only artist I've listened to that can make me cry, laugh out loud, and be hopeful about love and life, all in one album.

b) If I had to eat one food for the rest of my life, it would be blueberry muffins. Hands down. Preferably the ones from Cafe on Broadway.

c) I love my job. I'm probably going to write something excessively long and heartfelt soon. So be pumped up for that.

A List

1. I have this new thing where I read people's blogs who are total strangers. Occasionally they are friends of friends, but mostly they are just strangers. This makes me feel a little creepy, but I do it anyway because I like it so much.

2. I never really felt like I was very southern until I went to college, where I was suddenly much more southern than most of my other friends. This is because where I'm from, people don't consider me southern or country at all, because compared to everyone else around here I'm not. All this to say, living at home, I'm back to feeling very normal and non-southern, which makes me a little sad. [but I still say yall and love sweet tea]

3. Sometimes I look at people's blogs or pictures on Facebook and I'm jealous of their lives. Jealous that they are going on adventures or are married or even just because their lives look really fun. This is a confession. My heart shouldn't have this attitude because I know that I am exactly where the Lord wants me. That should be enough for me.

4. Summer is almost over. This depresses me most years. But I found myself actually looking forward to fall when I was thinking about it this morning. Ok, to be honest, I'm looking forward to boots and cardigans. But it's a start, right? :)

5. Monday I start my first full-time teaching job. I'm teaching math and science at a Juvenile Detention Center in Pine Bluff. I honestly almost laugh out loud every time I think about how crazy it is that this is my first job out of college. Most of the time I feel unprepared and inadequate and like they surely should've hired someone else for this. And then I remember that that is just about God's favorite thing. Which makes me not so worried anymore.