Breakfast with Bethany

So you may remember a few days ago I was talking about having our weekends crazie full, well... One of the more fun-filled and enjoyable experiences happened the last week of february/ the first weekend of March. I got to host my dear friend, Bethany's bridal shower!  I got to design mostly all of the decorative pieces so I wanted to show off a little. Also I just had to gab about this beautiful bride at least a bit on here before she becomes a Mrs =)

beth and me at my vow renewal

Bethany. She is like a sister from another mother. No really, it's true. We only met a few years ago, but she and I just clicked.  I remember even back when we first met, she was sipping her tea on the couch and I was listening as she told a story and for some reason, I immediately felt - we'll be doing this for years. I didn't know her too well back then, but I just felt automatically comfortable with her.  Now, she could start to explain how she may feel about a situation and before she would even have to go further, I would already be there...completely with her.  At every turn and detail -- as she is with me.  It's encouraging. She always says: sometimes, it's like we are the same person. It's nice to have someone I could just call or email or text with all the crazie that is me, and trust that she'll know who I am and what I mean.

Anyway, now that she has Eric, I'm so excited for their future together!! Love you, Beth! I have more to say, but we'll wait for your big day!

So Miss Bethany is getting married in a month (ahhhhh!!!!!) and she deemed that I be her matron of honor (seriously. it IS an honor) and thus, I got to throw her a beautiful, well-deserved, Audrey Hepburn style bridal shower.   "Breakfast with Bethany!" We got all her bridesmaids and the moms to help put pieces of it together, and some the gals in the long island area ended up being my manual labor -  thanks ladies!!  All in all, it turned out great! It was fun, and intimate, and just a really sweet time together.

So here are some of the pictures from the day. Just an fyi: most of them were taken before the actual party began as we were still putting on finishing touches. Either way, enjoy!

the banner twirled a bit - it added a bit of charm =)

these had flowers in them too

aren't the cupcakes adorable?
mademarian {our friend is starting a baking business}

yours truly explaining the day's agenda

the soon-to-be-mrs opening her gifts

i like to adorn the door and bathrooms too - it's all in the details

Event Credits:

Photo Credit:  Krysta { Eric's sister }

Decor & Printables:  Sherry

Cupcakes:  MadeMarian

Just Say No!

Somehow it keeps happening: we have an unhealthily-full schedule. It feels like I keep trying to harness it, but somehow, we end up packing it all in. Week after week. As self-appointed social coordinator of our family, I'm quick to take the blame, so it has been my continuous goal to calm our schedule down more than a little …each week.

But it doesn’t seem to be working.

So I mentioned that perhaps we just need to learn to say “No.” Well, not really learn, because we actually know how to say it {at least so much more than we did 5 years ago.}. Also, it isn't like we are this delicate couple just too intimidated to say, “sorry maybe another night”. The problem is that we love everyone and everything.

We love our friends, we love people, we love having people over, we love church, we love our nights at home together, we love going into the city, we love trying new things, we love helping, we love serving, we love eating, we love talking …we love listening. We love doing everything. So it isn’t that we can’t say no to things we don’t want to do…

… it’s that we just want to do everything!

It’s difficult when both partners want to do everything. We each, on our own… and together…  enjoy so many things. But fortunately, life is a bit different now with our little guys and their needs. The fact is that our decisions really need to be intentional, not because we are trying to keep to some kind of schedule {I mean, there is definitely a basic routine to the eating and napping and playing/learning that keeps them healthy} but because our decisions now affect two lives that have been put into our responsibility. That’s not to say we want to stop everything we are doing because we have kids, but I think it does mean that we need to show discernment and wisdom and care …and an amount of intentionality… with the choices we make, the people we invest in, the new things we try.

So eventually we’ll get it. I feel a personal responsibility to make it happen. One day we’ll see it in our google calendar: a completely event free week. Ahh. I can dream, can’t I? 

Well, maybe not completely event free =) 

feeling imperfect

Ah, the craving to be known. A desire to be understood. The need for relationship. I've read that it is utterly human yet absolutely divine as well. I find it interesting that somehow God uses dead ends almost disguised as a means to bring us all longing for relationship with Him.

Most are often too busy mulling about their own business, their own solitary lives to take the more-than-a-minute they need to find out more about another. Okay, wait. I take that back. Not everyone is like that, but I certainly live in a society where maintenance is our highest priority.   Where we make sure everything sits in its proper place, everything is in order and is oh-so-pretty on the outside before we take the time to reach out our hand to help another who may have fallen down.

I am one of them; they are me. It's a lonely existence.

To be freed from loneliness, from despair, we need to leave our safe little corner of the world in search of a caring community.

But... I do know what it means to live in an authentic, caring community.

Over the last few years, I've begun to embrace the reality of transparency and leave the pulpit with theory. It's a life of vulnerability and true exposure. A life where I embrace the emotional. One where I have allowed the walls to come down so I can be known.

But it's still second nature to get caught up in the nitty-gritty. I still want my perfectly trimmed lawn, a spic and span kitchen and my kids to be wally and beaver cleaver.

I come undone when I see how far I am from attaining those "dreams". I feel imperfect. It's a dead end.

I'm being reminded of who I am, where I am, and that there is One (who actually is perfect) that still wants to be with me. This perspective allows me to see that there are others who also need a shoulder to cry on, a hand to hold, someone to care... And I can be that someone for them.

So yah, I'm not perfect. But then on this planet, no one really is.