good morning

boo

mom took these photos of my cousins, sy and bryce,

when they came down for a weekend this summer. (i.e. schlitterbahn.)

i just love these boys and thought they were just perfect for my little halloween post.

i oddly really love this holiday. pumpkins, skulls, bats, and everything black.

happy halloween weekend!

word

booooze cruise.

i can't believe i did this again

boston. 13.1 miles.

more pics soon to come.

i was so thinking the same thing...

...missing last october's family trip to nashville....

can't wait till these two arrive next week.

(this will be my brother's first trip to nyc!)

midweek guests

i cannot think of a better way to spend a random thursday than with a quick visit from my best friend and her equally fantastic husband. love y'all.

my favorite ivy-trimed corner on irving.

asian tourist in time square.

the absolute best cookie. even oprah thinks so.

us open

oh september. i love september in new york because the weather changes. you go to bed one night and it's 95 degrees. and then you wake up the next morning and, voila! 60's!

like last year, september began with the us open. hot dogs and fries, good friends, scarves, and roger federer. me gusta.

that lady in red- i wish you could see her whole "pony tail."

at one point i looked down and it was sitting in my mustard. ruined.

manhattan sunset.

celebrating TX in NY: part two

in march my friend kristine (lovingly pictured above and throughout) organized a texas girls brunch celebrating new york anniversaries. it was complete with good food, too much bubbly, star sunglasses and sheriff stars, lots of laughter, and no last call.

and if the pictures are not evident enough, kristine is a trip. her fur hat was a hit.

the dancing merengue dog

this is amazing. love. it.

i heart this painted archway.

and furthermore, love that they've hung their bikes on the wall! if only my apt wasn't a fifth floor walk up, because i'm just dying for a bike with a basket...

celebrating TX in NY: part one

do not be fooled.

even though we live 2,000 miles away from the lone star state, we texans still know how to celebrate being southern. at the end of feburary we saluted texas' independence from mexico with pat green, eli young band, reckless kelly, and roger creager.

boots, yes. wranglers, yes. over sized belt buckles, yes. and several of these.

hi there. i'm back from my blogging hiatus! (ha, well for today at least. i don't want to make any false promises.)

lately i have been thinking a lot about how i have let down all five readers i probably have... and honestly, it really would be neat to have a record of how i have been spending my days. so i suppose that is where blogging comes in because i definitely have not been putting pen to paper.

so here goes my small attempt to get over my fear of being boring, or not being witty enough, or have dull conversation with myself and just write.

and seeing that my last post was from january, i hope you are looking forward to multiple posts recapping the months that have been skipped in between. (probably including explanation of the trolls above.)

stay tuned...

Powder

This is what I woke up to.
(And unfortunately this is what I had to walk to work in.)

View from my desk.

Brooklyn Bridge (on clear days that is.)

Nisya

Last year I wrote a post about Akugbey. He's the little boy that I have been sponsoring for over a year now in Africa through Compassion International. Through this sponsorship I have been able to celebrate two birthdays with him, seen him grow and mature, read his letters of thankfulness and prayed over his struggles and requests. I have stepped out of myself and seen the bigger picture of what God means when He tells us to "give generously."

Since moving to New York I have learned what it means to live on a budget. But more importantly what I've learned is that God is faithful to financially provide enough to make ends meet each month. (More often than not, usually does not mean being able to purchase those super cute suede ruffle mary jane heels I want from JCrew.) When I first began sponsoring Akugby I was living in Dallas - I had no idea how rich I was at the time! Now, in New York, my rent has doubled, I live in a City obsessed with appearances and dining out, abundant shopping opportunities creep on every corner, and the average cocktail price is usually at least $12.

I knew all of these expenses came along with moving here and I was ok with that. But I did force myself to make a conscious decision that I would always forgo a meal out or a new dress so that I could continue supporting Akugby. (For those of you who know me, materialism is kinda my thing. So this is sometimes harder than it may sound.)

The point of this post is this Christmas Compassion has asked sponsors to pray for a child that is currently waiting to be sponsored. I received Nisya, and y'all she's cute! She is 6 years old, lives in Indonesia with her father and her mother. Making beds is her household duty and she loves playing with dolls.

I know at the end of the month I will not be able to financially support Nisya. But I also know that God works through people. Therefore I have committed the next 30 days to pray - for her development, her family, her health, her faith, and ultimately for the lucky individual that will one day sponsor her.

My pastor often says, Live simply so others can simply live. The sweet letters, the drawings, the progress reports, and the pictures I receive from Akugbey outweigh the $38 I forfeit each month. And I know that $38 means more to him then it ever could to me.


* If you are intrested in supporting Nisya please let me know so I can mail you a picture of her with all her information.
Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own. 2 Corinthians 8:2-3

i'm thankful

I'm thankful that as I write this post I can sit on my bed, stare at the Empire State Building, and listen a bird chirp on my fire escape.

I'm thankful for my two legs, that week after week have proved me wrong as I continue to train for a half-marathon.

I'm thankful I have a job- that I almost always love :)

I'm thankful that although I earn a tiny salary, I still have enough to make Christmas better for other people in the City.

I'm usually thankful for my next door neighbor who entertains me with his mad karaoke skills morning, noon, and night. Show tunes, Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey Christmas, you name it. (Currently singing acapello as I type, which is probably why he's even making it in this post.)

I'm thankful for Apostle's Church, because I swear sometimes God created it just for me.

I'm literally thankful for stretchy pants- love of my life.

I'm thankful for trashy reality television.

I'm thankful for my roommate, who I've known and loved for 16 years!

I'm thankful for Liz, who is cooking our entire Thanksgiving feast today, for Bethany who is making Trashy Jello Pretzel Pie (??), for Riley who flew in from Texas and immediately bought 6 bottles of wine, and Renee who is totally on board with the "Stretchy Pants must be worn to T'Giving Dinner" rule.

I'm thankful for the friends I hardly get to see, yet their friendships continue to be marked by trust and love.

I'm thankful for my family, full of laughter and abundant love for one another.

I'm thankful for my Savior, who on a daily basis dies for me, challenges me, humbles me, comforts me, and unconditionally loves me.

Thanks be to God for his indescrible gift!
2 Corinthians 9:15

there's no place like home

I have several friends that are really good at blogging. They are consistent, fun, and somehow take random day to day activities or interests and turn them into elaborate blog posts. As we all know, all meaning the three or four readers I may still have, I am not someone who can do that. Don't get me wrong, I have a lot to say. But I somehow talk myself into shopping on the internet instead of blogging. So I was not at all surprised nor offended that I'm not part of the blog carnival like a few of my favorite bloggers are. ;)

However, all week I can't stop thinking about their first subject, Home, and what that word means to me.

Home is my tiny apartment, on the 5th floor, with no elevator, which I shell out over a whole paycheck to for rent. Home is the smallest bathroom you'll ever see. Home is a picnic with friends on the Great Lawn. Home is 71 Irving with a cup of coffee and a good book. Home is the way my running shoes feel against the pavement on my evening runs. Home is the little farmer's market I pass every Tuesday on my way to work. Home is Jean who owns the laundry mat- where I usually drop off at least 18 pounds of laundry and she asks me about my day. Home is my next door neighbor that sings karaoke at the top of his lungs- and he's not good. Home is watching reality tv with Kristin on our red couch. Home is Apostle's Church, where every Sunday I feel more at home than I ever have in my life. Home is the friends I have only known for several months but feel like I have known forever. Home is the friends I have known forever. Home is brunching together, laughing together, praying together, and struggling together. Home is the siren that interrupts all my phone conversations. Home is cheap pizza, cheap wine, and dark chocolate m&m's.

But home is also in Texas. A red brick house on Ridge Drive. My brother and I played basketball in the driveway. Our names are written in the cement from when the goal was installed. I had a rabbit named Harriet and a rabbit named Harvey that lived in a hutch my Dad built. Our home has wood floors and they’re always cold. On Saturday mornings I can always count on my Dad to be either biking or kayaking, my Mom at yoga or in the garden. In the Spring, there are multiple fawns that call our backyard home. They eat my Mom’s plants and Maggie, our dog, doesn’t chase them. When I was little I rode a purple bike but quit riding because I was scared of skinning my knee. My mom made every birthday cake from scratch in our kitchen. Springtime at home reminds me of Easter, white tights with white patent shoes, and our sandwiches on croissants instead of wheat bread at lunch. Summertime at home reminds me of jumping in the river just to cool off, the farmer’s market, grilling out, and the Gipsey Kings. Fall reminds me full moons, reciting the poem Little Orphan Annie, and David and I waiting for the school bus- our bus passes, laminated of course (thanks Dad!), hung around our necks by string. Christmastime at home reminds me of anxiety! I literally stayed up all night wondering which gifts from my list would be under the tree for me.

But I also know that these homes are not permanent . I also have a home in heaven. The truth is no matter how great our earthly homes are, they are nothing in comparison to the home God is preparing for us. I find rest and peace in knowing that it's not the end all if my home doesn't look like a page out of Pottery Barn! Minuscule in the bigger picture. If my building was to crumble or Texas somehow floated away, life still continues because Christ remains. One of my favorite hymns says it best, "...on Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand."


Other places I feel at home:
Dallas- because some of my dearest, dearest friends call it home
Tennessee- Union City and Franklin
the Farm- Oil Trough, AR
Home is anywhere with David and Tiffany
Home has always been with my Mom and Dad

A year of firsts

Leaving Texas.

First NY roomies and Central Park picnic.

First week in NY.

My first cupcakes, literally. (Always well worth the calories.)

P Party House Party.

First Fall.

First road trip out of the City for pumpkins and apples.

Apple picking.

First (and probably only) Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

First NY Thanksgiving at Friend of a Farmer.

My first live Christmas tree... ever.

My first NY Christmas experience and my first NY visitor.

New Years in NY.

First of many snow days.

My first NY birthday party.

Happy one year anniversary New York! Here's to a few more years of memories... xoxo