Wanderlust

                         

I cannot control my urge to travel right now. I am in the middle of planning a pretty ambitious trip for Philip and I over the New Year holiday. I can't go into anymore detail than that bc it is my turn to plan. We alternate vacation planning and the only rule is that we have to visit a city that we have never been to. Im pretty sure he doesn't frequent my blog, but on the off chance he has all of a sudden become an avid reader, I will keep a tight lip.  So far, we will be making 3 stops. It will be a lot of hustling and super exhausting, but I want to see as much as we can while in a certain part of the country. So far, we have been to London, Liverpool, Wales, Chester, Llandudno, Rome, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Palm Springs (California), Denver, Vail, Pensacola, New Orleans, and last but not least, all over Oklahoma and Texas. Our travel bucket list consists of a lot more places like Germany, Spain, Greece, Amsterdam, Ireland, New York, Canada, Mexico, and Washington among a lot of others. We will be checking off at least 2 of those this year. In the meantime, we are taking little trips to the lake with the pups or spending a weekend in Fort Worth. Priceline and Groupon make it doable for us. Travel does not have to be expensive......well it doesn't have to be SUPER expensive.  This coming weekend I am road tripping to Austin with my sister Molly. I can't wait. I see mimosas, pool lounging, beers, live music, and possibly sister tatoos in our very near future. I want to see the world but for now, I am happy in Texas. 

Sunday Mornings

"...and we are in bed together laughing, and we don't care about anything..."- Charles Bukowski

This coming Sunday is a day I have been looking forward to for six years. We have both waited patiently, and finally its here. This Sunday begins Philips new schedule that includes every Sunday off!  Our work hours are crazy between three jobs and we have to really work to spend time together, but now we have a whole entire day, every week, to spend together, doing whatever we want. We will get to sleep in together. Wake up and have coffee together. Work in the yard if we want to. Paint a room.  Hang out with friends and family. Take a quick overnight trip on Saturdays. We even get to start going to church together should we find one that feels like home.  The possibilities are endless. Just one day, but we will take it. He is my best friend in the whole world and he works so hard, he deserves a real live weekend day. I can't wait to fill the hours building our life. But first, I think we will sleep in...

30 feels right

I am 30.  Officially, I have been 30 for 17 days, 12 hours, and 15 minutes, and I am kind of loving it. It may sound cliche, but I feel more myself now than I ever have before.  It is a good, rounded feeling. I am comfortable in my skin. I feel healthy and beautiful.  I have a steady grasp on life and where I want it to go.  I no longer feel the anxiety of what people might think about something I believe, or like, or don't like.  Time can't be wasted worrying about the judgement of others. Happiness is a very real, attainable life status and it feels good to go after it.  I know who is on my side, who has my back, and who doesn't.  30 is going to be a year of owning it for me.  The good, the bad, the hiccups, its my life and i plan on taking full responsibility.  So, a few fun things I have done since I turned 30.  We went to Vegas! Chelsey (agreatbigcanvas.blogspot.com) and I jumped off the Stratosphere as soon as we arrived.  I confidently wore a dress with a plunging (and I mean plunging) neckline out on the town. Hubby and I road tripped to California with one of our best friends.  We rented a moped for the day and drove through the mountains for hours laughing and hiking.  I got my nose pierced! (eek).  And last but not least, I quit my job and went to work for my brother/sister in law as their nanny. It is less hours working which means more hours as a wife, and that is exactly what we needed.  The extra perks money can bring are great, but the decreased stress level and increased family time are so much greater.  I am loving 30. Who knew aging could be so rejuvenating?!

                   

                       

                 

Before Baby Bucket List

 I mentioned in an earlier post, we have decided we want to start a family this year. Actually, we decided that last July, but it didnt happen in 2013 so now we plan on this year.  After a good 7 months of trying we decided to take a break.  I was starting to stress, which in turn stressed Philip and so on and so forth.  We both agreed that we weren't ready to start charting temperatures and all of that other junk yet. So we stopped. In all honesty, the tick of my clock was deafening at the beginning of February. A lot of our friends were pregnant so quickly and I was starting to feel like something was wrong with me.  I know it can take around a year, and I also know that getting pregnant quickly is not as common as it might seem, but it still hurt. And thats normal and ok. But then I decided to stop freaking out about the "baby thing".  There are so many amazing things in life to enjoy pre-baby. Things that are completely out of the question, or close to it after your two becomes three. My husband is my favorite person in the whole world, I have a ride or die family, my friends are the best, and my pups...don't even get me started on my doggies. We would love to have babies. They would totally enhance the light that is our life, but the timing is obviously not ours to decide. My plan for 2014 is to count my blessings big and small. To do all of the things I always said I wanted to do. To take full advantage of our pre-baby days.  I want to make memories with my husband and plans for our future. I want to get healthy and happy. I want to be settled in simplicity but stimulated spiritually.  I want to live my life day to day instead of constantly worrying about the future. Sometimes I can't see the forest for the trees. I will reduce negativity and be grateful for this sweet life God has made available to me. I will pray for grace, patience, and acceptance. I will try every day to put out positive energy and hope into the world. We will have our time as parents, its just that we cant know the when, where, or how, and thats ok. Im feeling really good about 2014.

                                                                  John 21:20-22