Category: Monday Lovin’

It’s the second to last Monday of 2014. Where did the year go? Something about the year ending and something else beginning makes me a little sentimental… who am I kidding? I’m always sentimental. I wish I could say all my Christmas presents were wrapped and I was packed for vacation, but sadly, I’m not. So before I procrastinate any further, here are the things I’m loving as this week kicks off.

1. I thought I was going to send Christmas cards this year. I mailed probably 10 out of the 20 that I intended to write and send. Snaps to my friends who sent all of theirs! The side of our fridge is covered with Christmas cards. I love seeing the photos of my friends from all over the world, that they’ve sent me this holiday season. It’s a great reminder of all the special people I have in my life. Plus, it livens up our kitchen!

2. Also on the topic of friendship, the 2^nd Annual Christmas at the Crossing was on Friday night. Christmas at the Crossing is our apartment’s Christmas party. It is the best feeling to be in a room, celebrating Christmas, eating great food and drinking fun drinks with some of your best college friends. Every get together almost prompts me to send Cru a thank you note – “Thanks for my life-long best friends” is what it would read. I got ready with two of my best girl friends and then just spent good time with friends the rest of the night. Some days I wish I could back and relive my last two years of college, but Friday night was a reminder that what I have now is even better.

3. I like Chipotle. I love Chipotle when it’s dinner on my break during holiday season. It seriously hit the spot tonight.

4. I’m not the most organized person. As a recovering perfectionist, I give myself grace for this. However, I love outfit planning. I sit down at the beginning of the week, with the weather predictions and my schedule, and I plan my outfits. It saves stress in the mornings, and helps me to wear more of what is in my closet. It also prevents me from buying something midweek at work because, “I have nothing to wear.”

I’m excited for two days of work this week and then Christmas vacation! I haven’t had 5 days off since this summer, and we’re traveling to Seattle this week to meet our family’s latest addition. Happy Holidays!

Happy Monday! It’s the last full week of work before Christmas and I could not be more excited. I cannot wait to give the gifts to my family that I’ve been collecting since September. I’m one of those weird shoppers that starts Christmas shopping in the early fall the first time I see something that someone may like. Only ten more days until gift exchange time! Monday Lovin’ this week is almost as exciting as ten days until Christmas… not really, but maybe you’ll think so!

1. I was grocery shopping with a headache on Friday night, so my normal thought process at Kroger was not present. On a whim, I bought Zesty Cheddar Ranch Cheez-It’s. Oh my goodness, they are so good. No regrets with that purchase, although you usually cannot go wrong with Cheez-It’s. I usually try to avoid them because they are not good for you, at all, but they are one of my favorite snack foods. Yum!

2. In 10^th grade, we read To Kill A Mockingbird. I failed the test. I’ve spent the past 7 years hating the classic novel because I have terrible memories from studying it. This year, in light of the Ferguson trial, and injustice in general, I’ve picked up the book again. I love the characterization. My bad memories are being replaced with fascination.

3. I left church yesterday with the biggest smile on my face. I spent the summer I lived at home praying for a church body to join, not knowing what city I would end up in, or the type of church it would be. Eighteen months later, I continue to be reminded of God’s faithfulness and I delight in the ways He answered the prayers. Despite being a fast growing church and from a church fellowship known for producing megachurches, Harvest Bible Chapel North Indy feels truly like a church family to me. I am so encouraged watching others walk with Jesus, give sacrificially and take the great commission seriously. I’ve learned that church is so much more than what the preacher teaches from the pulpit on Sunday morning, it’s a community, a family.

4. Starbucks is doing 15 days of Christmas for Gold Card members. I love it. I got 5 bonus stars yesterday just for buying a Christmas drink, since that was the promotion of the day. I’m that much closer to a free drink, which are the BEST. I love being rewarded for spending money!

5. The New Year is almost here. I’m so excited for 2015 and have been thinking through and praying through some goals. I cannot wait to share them in the next couple weeks.

Another crazy week kicks off today. Retail working and holiday season don’t combine super well, but I’m thankful for another week.

It seems like Monday rolls around so quickly and it’s back to the grind. I find myself wanting just one more day of the weekend – to workout without a time limit, read without worrying about the time, and to write my heart out, but Monday morning comes once again. I’m thankful that Sami began Monday Lovin’ because it encourages me to be positive on a Monday instead of dragging my feet through the day.

1. This weekend I made a 24-hour trip back to Cincinnati to watch Jake play some soccer and basketball, but more importantly to see Elf! It was a great show with fun choreography, singing and an endearing message about the importance of the Christmas Spirit. This year I’ve truly tried to focus on the reason for the season instead of spending it exhausted, trying to jam pack extra work and every seasonal activity. I’m chosen rest over exhaustion, trying to get into the Christmas Spirit, focusing on Jesus. I loved seeing excitement over Christmas throughout the show.
2. I’ve been spending each morning with the She Reads Truth Advent study. The book is beautiful and it’s so great to read through the scripture passages prophesying about Baby Jesus. I continue to be amazed by Him and how a baby born in a manager was the answer to sin, death, and destruction. His birth and life fulfilled thousands of years of prophecies.
3. Our apartment celebrated Mackenzie’s 25^th birthday over the weekend. She moved into the apartment in October, and since her move to Indy she has already made so many fun friends. I loved having the opportunity to meet people from all of her circles of friends. She is a truly special friend to me – we were sorority sisters in college, prayed for our sorority SO MUCH, were in Bible Study together and have continued to remain friends even after graduation. Birthdays are my favorite because it’s a chance to celebrate someone for who they are! (I give gifts of alcohol and J.Crew goodies)
4. I’m going to be a broken record, but I still cannot get enough of Taylor Swift’s latest CD. I keep listening to it. Not only are the songs upbeat and pop-py, but the writing is incredible.

 

I hope your week is off to a great start! I choosing to make this week wonderful!

Happy Monday! Well this Monday comes after four days off of work for most people. For those in the retail life, it was one of the busiest weekends of the year. Lucky me got a little bit of both – Thursday and Friday off work and then a crazy weekend at J.Crew with holiday shopping in full swing.

1. Sparkle! What better way to jump into the holiday season than with sparkles – everywhere. My fingernails are painted with glitter in both gold and silver hues; I plan on keeping them that way for the next month. I’m not always a fan of sparkle and glitter, but lately I’ve been digging it, and I have no doubt that part of it has to do with Christmas decorations and it being the season when glitter is not only accepted, but encouraged.
2. Food: I think I may be full for the next week, even longer when I remember the leftovers that my mom sent me back to Indianapolis with. My sister made an excellent pumpkin dip that I’m currently eating with a side of sweet potato casserole.
3. Today we had a brainstorming session at work. It was so fun to have all my co-workers in one room thinking through ways we can better find families for the children who deserve them. I cannot wait to put some of our ideas into practice, flush out our vision and come up with some ways to measure success.
4. Forty miles in November. After a couple weeks of not tracking my miles, I wanted to return to the discipline and commit. For anyone, runner or not, wanting to get in shape, I recommend goal setting and monthly goals are a great place to start. You can have an off week and not ruin it, but the end is close enough that you don’t lose motivation.
5. “Good enough is the enemy of great.” I’m trying to push through the temptation to be “good enough” and reach for more. I’ll be the first to admit that there are times when good enough has to be okay, but there are times when it’s just easier to settle. I don’t want to let myself settle for average and mediocrity, I want to be great.

Hope your Monday has kicked off your December on the right foot. It’s a big week for me – check back on Thursday to read my blog on InCourage.

I have fifty more minutes of Monday to get my Monday Lovin’ posted, and even though discipline is hard as a primary motivation, God honors showing up. So without further ado, this Monday (with the 45 minutes left in it), I’m loving…

1) My new J.Crew Abstract Fair Isle Sweater. Nice and cozy, and oh so festive! Red, pink and gray, man, I think I may be in love! I’ll be wearing it once a week for the next month, trying to get all of the use out of it until it heads back into my closet until next holiday season. Some people do summer loves, I do holiday loves… except instead of boys, they’re clothes.

2) Gift giving – I love shopping. Especially for my friends and family. It’s even better when I can find special gifts that I know that will mean a lot to the specific person. I have lots of notes to write, but just a couple more gifts to buy. December 25^th is going to be here before I know it.

3) Taylor Swift’s new CD. Yes, I said it. Me and everyone else. Obsessed. Blank Space has been on repeat (3 times in a 5 mile treadmill run). Welcome to New York is also a favorite. Listen to it, it’s upbeat and poppy – exactly what I need to listen to while working holiday retail hours.

4) Family time! I cannot wait to drink mimosas, watch football and cuddle on the couches at my parents house all day on Thursday. It’s the best. We do a low-key, just the 5 of us Thanksgiving that has quickly become one of my favorite holiday traditions. We seldom spend time with just us, that I relish every moment of it.

It’s a short week, and I hope to make the most of my downtime on Thursday and Friday. Happy Thanksgiving!

It’s Monday and there’s snow on the ground. If it has to be Monday and winter weather, I like that there’s snow on the ground. At least I like it right now, in January I may be cursing the snow, but I today I think it’s magical. Winter is has arrived and is bringing with it fresh snow to usher in the holiday season.

Speaking of the holiday season, it’s HERE! At J.Crew! I spent yesterday morning doing creative installs – when we decorate our windows. To get us in the holiday spirit, this involved ornaments bigger than me and large sequins. It brought back memories of December living in Phi Mu. Right after Thanksgiving, the house was transformed into a magical holiday mansion that smelled like apple cinnamon. I love the warmth of the holiday season! Thanksgiving and Christmas bring me joy – giddy, bounce on the balls of my feet – joy!

It’s basketball season, which as an IU grad that means one thing — #iubb is back! My senior year, IU was ranked 1 for most of the season. I have such fun memories of playing IU basketball drinking games, watching the games at Nicks, having behind the basket seats to one of the games (the infamous “Call 911, Will Sheehey stole my heart” sign), beating Michigan who was ranked #1 at the time, watching the game at a roof top bar on spring break, and lots of cheesy bread (and Blue Moon). I’m realizing how nostalgic I am for college, and IU basketball being back only brings back special memories with great friends.

Working in retail has some benefits, one being that I usually know when things are on sale. The past two months I’ve really lucked out with finding things on sale or when they’re damaged. It’s a shame that it’s snowing because I am in love with the new fall jacket I just bought. It’s olive green with really pretty gold buttons. It’s also long and hooded. I like clothes, it may just be God’s grace in a season of life where I’m surrounded by them while trying to pay off my student loans.

This Monday I’m loving snow, IU basketball, and clothes. This week, as Beth Moore taught me about joy, I’m reminded that it is because of Him that I know what joy is. He gives every perfect gift. He does not withhold good things. October took it out of me and now halfway through November, I’m thankful that Jesus, not my circumstances, is the source of my joy. I pray that today is the start of a week where i will choose joy in all circumstances!

Happy Monday! I hope your weekend was as restful as mine was. I drove to Cincinnati to spend time with my brother since my parents are in Las Vegas and worked on Saturday at a Kids and Family Expo for MLJ Adoptions in hopes of meeting some families interested in international adoption. Besides the six hours of work on Saturday, the rest of the weekend was free. Jake and I spent some good time together, but ultimately I rested.

You never fully know how tired and exhausted you are until you stop moving. At least that’s how it always works for me. I can buckle down and keep going purely based on inertia, but when I force myself to stop, I realize just how tired I am. This weekend, I did not touch my computer until Sunday, and I just read and watched television. In fact, halfway through Sunday I felt bored, which is the sign that I’m ready to go again.

Saturday afternoon, despite how cold it was, I went running. I usually leave on my runs with my phone for music and to keep my time. Instead, I decided to unplug and just run. Three miles with nothing but my thoughts felt freeing. Time to pray, time to listen and time to go. How thankful I am for a body that can run, I so often take for granted that blessing, but I have a body that moves, easily, not always fast, but it moves well, and I’ve always lived in safe places where I can run without feeling unsafe. My body and soul feel better when I run.

Catching up on television. More on this tomorrow, but I caught up on television this weekend. Eight episodes of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal. I loved it, and I refuse to feel guilty that it was not productive because it was what I needed! Thank you ABC on demand.

Dewey’s Pizza is my favorite pizza in Cincinnati. Jake and I decided it’s what we needed on Saturday night. We ate our favorite pizza and watched some football. It was so good!

I finished reading One Thousand Gifts on Sunday morning. I am thankful for the way that Ann Voskamp challenges her readers to live more fully. It is not a quick read, even though it is relatively short, but her words moved me towards greater gratitude and joy. I want to know and walk with Jesus, through gratitude, the way that she does.

 

I’m back here again, since it’s Monday and time for Monday Lovin’. What a weekend it was – full of fun, family and friends.

My parents brought my desk from Cincinnati and it’s all set up. I’m look forward to having a place to write and sit when I talk with clients on the phone. The more I write, the more I want to write. Serious writers need actual desks and spaces to create. I’m looking forward to not just typing on my computer as I lay in bed, but having a place to work. Plus, I’ve moved one of my favorite decorations onto the desk, a wood sign that says, “Dream,” reminding me of my why. I want to write well, I dream of writing well, and it starts here. With practice and commitment.

The reason why my parents were in Indianapolis was for Jake’s soccer tournament. It was so refreshing to spend time with them and remember just how much they love me. They know me inside and outside and I love having the opportunity to host them in Indianapolis once a year. We had wonderful fried chicken and loaded potato wedges on Saturday night. Yum! Plus, Sue took me shopping, and that’s also my favorite!

 

Jake is a great soccer player. He spent some time playing goalie on Sunday and I was proud of how brave he is. While I would completely flinch, he remains calm and collected. It takes courage to play sports, a type of vulnerability that we take for granted in kids, but it is encouraging to watch him play his best.

Ann Voskamp’s words in One Thousand Gifts are motivating and convicting me. I love learning more about how to practice gratitude. I highly recommend it!

I am excited to head back to work this morning. I’m in a sweet spot in the work I’m doing, feeling as though I’m growing, learning and using my strengths. It’s a beautiful thing to be able to love what I’m doing and feel as though it makes a difference.

 

 

 

 

 

It’s Monday again. The start to a new week. I am thankful to start this week with renewed energy and desire to seek the Lord in the work I’ve been called to.

1. Summer is my season. Party tanks, fruity drinks, long days, flip-flops, I love it. But, even this summer girl cannot deny how beautiful the leaves are when they’re changing colors. As I’ve driven to and from work each day, I’ve loved the changing colors of the leaves. It is sad when the trees have lost their leaves, only to reappear in the spring. It’s a faithful cycle.

2. I made way too many cinnamon rolls on Saturday morning for breakfast with a friend. The upside – cinnamon rolls for snacks until they’re gone. Oh darn 😉 I love cinnamon rolls in the fall, some love Pumpkin Spice Lattes, I’m a fan of cinnamon!

3. Gilmore Girls was one of my favorite television shows in middle school and high school and now I’m binge watching in on Netflix. I’m thankful that my bad fashion choices have not been recorded on video for everyone to watch and make fun of later. But, I am thankful that witty banter is timeless. #sorrynotsorry

4. Families who adopt special needs kiddos are some of the most courageous I’ve ever had the privilege of meeting, and I get to work with them! I am beyond thankful for the ways that the families that I work with trust God and move forward in meeting needs of the world’s most vulnerable children.

I’m learning from Ann Voskamp that grace and joy flow from thankfulness. This week, I’m practicing thankfulness and remembering that every good gift is from above. Happy Monday!