Free to Be Me

It has been a while, me not really feeling "my blog." I really want this NOT to be the place where I try to impress people who are reading, not like there actually are! Ha! That's ok. I want this to be an open journal, for me. I want to be able to look back a year from now and see how things have changed. I love looking back and seeing what was important to me then and how things have changed now. The posts will continue to be random, kind of like me. My passions in life are: my relationship with the one whom I will spend eternity, God. My marriage. I want to keep learning how to be a better wife. I want to love my husband the way that he deserves. My need for a creative outlet, decorating my home. I love to decorate and do DIY projects around the house! It may not be magazine worthy, but it's Melanie worthy. Ha! I work with what I got!

That's me. I will write whatever I feel like at the moment. :)

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We have been cat free for a week now and I am still doing a happy dance! She is living with my mother in law, very happily. I am so glad. I love animals. Cats too, I just don't like living with them. I am more of a dog person. My Maggie, I love her...she was just not being too nice to the kitty. So no more litter box for me! Which is the way that life should be lived as far as I am concerned!

We just started a new series in church about the second coming. I love it! I have always found this topic so interesting. As a kid, Revelations was like the one book that I would read in the Bible over and over. Scared to death after reading it, each time! I love that our pastor is teaching on this. This life is just a short path that gets us to be closer with Him. The Bible says that we will work beside Him! We will see him face to face!  I want to live this life only in a way that Glorifies Him. That is why we are here. My life I give to you God. I am open. Have your way, Lord.

Why do I love Spring?

I am so ready for Spring! As I get older, I notice that I am becoming more aware of the seasons, becoming more appreciative of them. Most people around here can't wait for the cold weather. I on the other hand, love and adore Spring! A time when new life is evident, when all of the ugly trees start budding again, grass is actually green, and the weather is perfect to take a picnic on. Yes, I do love Spring! Here are some other reasons why I love Spring time...

I want to start wearing more dresses..I love this one from Mod Cloth..Super Cute!

Some say I have an obsession with bags/purses...Look at it though???

I wants to have it...from Anthropologie..

Spring, you can come super fast, if you'd like!

Sock Hoppin'

This past weekend a good friend of ours celebrated a birthday. Instead of a traditional party she had a costume party. I love this idea! What a great excuse to have a ton of fun and dress up! You could pick any era, and because I love the whole "sock hop" days, it was easy for me to get excited! So I don't forget what we both looked like..pictures.

I don't think I could have put anymore makeup on! ;)

The hubs was such a good sport..as well as the most handsome Greaser! This picture makes me look like I am missing an arm.

I had to throw in a pic of Maggie. Love those ears!

Furniture Therapy...

Lately, I have been itching for change, like most days when I look around my house. What can I change, move, rearrange, paint, you know the normal stuff you ask yourself if you are a house enthusiast. Then it hits you, you can paint that bombay chest that your mom gave you, (that's covered in antiquey looking flowers that you were never crazy about,) when you were newly married and had nothing to furnish your home with! Where to start?...

I got a little excited and remembered to do a before pic after I already took the drawers out and was too lazy to put them back in...

All primed up! As always make sure animals are out during the process of this makeover, or you might have a puppy like I did,  who decides to oddly rub up against it, while it's wet...ugh. She's a goof!

One coat, almost there...

 

Two coats, lookin' good!

Ahhh, that's much better!

 

In action in the master & loving it!

I am so sure..

Have you ever been so sure of something? Like you know without a doubt that what you were doing or were about to do or you were plan on doing, was exactly what you are supposed to be doing? Like nothing can ruin or take away from your sureness. This moment, this very feeling, instant-is exactly where you are destined to be. This was a part of the plan. All along, this is where you were meant to end up.

I feel like I have just had a comlete revelation. A breath of fresh, clean, crisp air has pushed its way right to me. I am thankful for this feeling. It doesn't happen too often. Five years ago, I was a young girl searching for what I knew was mine. I just didn't know where to find or to go looking. What was I looking for you ask? What was I on a search for?

The place that God wanted me to find Him in, that's where. The place that He knew He created me to find. The place where all worries, doubts, fears and dreams were placed in His hands. The place where I would meet some of the most dear and precious people to me. People who may not even know the impact that they have made in my life. A place where I feel I experienced the fullness of loving, accepting and worshipping Christ. This place I hold so dear. My home church Hosanna.

This church is a safe haven. A place of joy and love. A place where each week I look forward to going and seeing familiar faces of the people that I have grown to love. My family. I can't express enough how thankful I am for having a church that I can call my "Home." People who know and love you, despite your flaws, or missed glances in the halls, because your mind is somewhere else, and they don't judge you. People who are there for you no matter what. Who will show up for you in a moments notice, even if they don't even know you very well. Because they love. They Love. With the Love that God has given them, they give it freely back.

Now I know that finding a home church that you can call a "home" sometimes doesn't come easy. Sometimes it takes a few visits, but you will know the one you are meant to be at. God will show you where He wants you to be and He will bring peace. If you still haven't found it, keep searching. That is what God wants you to do. He wants you to be in His church. We were meant to gather together and love each other, encourage, lift up and worship together in His place, His kingdom, His church. Thank you God, for sending me Hosanna. Thank you Hosanna for being the place where His love is found.

No More...

I have given this up. Probably and sadly one of THE hardest things I have had to do! I realized one day that I had drank nothing but the chemical infused beverage. No water..only coffee and DC. That is just plain awful! My car had gotten bombarded with little peppermints from my daily visit to Sonic's Happy Hour...the car hop even knew me! I am not even joking when I say that a day could NOT go by without me having one. If for some reason I didn't make Happy Hour, my husband would be sweet and go get me one. It had to be a fountain, not a can or a bottle. Only a fountain Diet Coke would make my day seem complete. I noticed that if I didn't recieve my bubbly beverage that burned my throat on its way down and give me sheer pleasure, hasn't happened... I would get somehow angry and bitter and down right ridiculous that I would try to find some excuse to go get one, find it and slurp it down.

Yes, I know this is sad, ridiculous and silly. That is why I have to come to terms that I was addicted to Diet Coke, and that Coca-Cola was a company that preyed off of people like me. Ha! It worked for a very long time...But, now I am proud to say that it has been a week since I have enjoyed its goodness! I have made myself drink only water in its place! High Five to me! Woohoo! I am patting myself on the back for this great accomplishment! If you are a Diet Coke addict like I was, you will realize what kind of feat this truly is! It is like giving up toilet paper or something people! HARD STUFF!

I am now loving my new friend water! Water, how I love you! You make me feel full and you are supposed to make me have pretty skin and even burn calories so they say...I hope that you live up to that! So, cheers to water and a million trips to the ladies room! Ha!

Loving Life's Simple Pleasures.....

There are so many things in life that sometimes get merely overlooked or forgotten. When I think of life's simple pleasures, these things come to mind...

Sweet notes from my husband

Spending hours reading and sipping coffee at Barnes & Noble

The smell of clean clothes

Long talks with my husband over dinner

Coming home and having Maggie greet me with excitement

A clean house

Walking into a HomeGoods-sheer joy! Ha!

Clean hair & the way you feel after you get a new hair cut!

Laughing so hard that you can't breath

Worship practice, yes I love it! One day I will look back on these times and smile!

Sitting under the sun during the summertime

There is litterally so many more, the more I think about it! I am thankful for the small things in life and for  life's sweet moments that I don't want to take for granted!