My New York Birthday Adventure | Personal

My New York Birthday Adventure | Personal

Nathan always gets me the best birthday gifts. We are not exactly 'present' kind of people - I would rather experience something great than get one thing in particular. Each year he has upped the ante, and this year was no different. In January, he told me to pack my bags and find a friend because he wanted to send me to New York City. He knows I fell in love with New York when we visited a couple years ago, and while he is not a big city person he wanted me to go. I asked my friend Jackie and she immediately agreed to come - so our trip was born!

My adventure actually started in Washington, DC, to help represent Tidewater and Tulle at a fun launch party for Elaya Vaughn Bridal by Kate Pankoke, a gorgeous bridal salon that recently moved from Chicago. We got to eat sushi, meet other area professionals, and participate in a Sketch n' Sip to get our creative juices flowing. The whole trip was a ton of fun (and introduced us to the amazing District Taco and SweetGreen), and was the perfect kickstart to my birthday adventure...

The Fight to Be Unselfish | Monday Musings

The Fight to Be Unselfish | Monday Musings

Last year I went to Africa. Twice. I already wrote several blogs about that (see here and here) so I won't review everything that happened, but visiting a much poorer country awakened me to something that has bothered me my entire life. I spent most of my childhood overseas in Asia and had very different experiences than most people I know who grew up in America. Some were good and some made me want to come "home," but the older I get the more I realize that I haven't yet found out where my home really is.

What has consistently bothered me is the mindset that I slip into once I return from an overseas trip. While I am there it is easy for me to be all about everyone else. I can jump in and serve the team, even doing things I absolutely hate doing, with utter joy. Being off my schedule doesn't bother me much and for however long I am there I don't even worry about my business...

Thoughts As I Turn 26 | Personal

Thoughts As I Turn 26 | Personal

This past Tuesday was my birthday, and I turned 26 years old. This year I couldn't help but remember how un-gracefully I turned 25 last year. It was the first birthday I hadn't looked forward to my entire life. I think in hindsight I thought both since I had been married and for the past few months that I would be a mother by the time my birthday rolled around, and when I wasn't that hard fact made me dread turning one year older. I have always loved my birthday beyond reason and didn't want what happened last year to become a trend.

Thankfully, it didn't. I have been looking forward to 2017 for so many reasons, not the least of which is putting 2016 behind me. Of course I had wonderful things happen last year and I don't want to discount that, but it was also the hardest year I've lived. I'm not someone who generally picks a 'word of the year' but as I was praying leading up to New Years Eve, the word peace popped into my mind.

This year, the year I turned 26, I will seek peace...