[i have a crush... or two or three]

Here area few of my infatuations as of late... people, places, products... things I just can't get enough of! Forgive my vanity if it seems I am... a girl's gotta have some obsessions!

The show The Event

Now, this is HUGE. I am not a lover of TV shows, but I admittedly am addicted! It may be slightly cheesy, and slightly reminiscent of 24 (remember the good 'ole Keifer Sutherland days?) but you can't deny it's awesomeness. Ben and I look forward to this every Monday night.

Mint Candy Apple Essie Nailpolish

Can't get enough of this color! Just makes me think of hot summer days and looks fabulous with a tan :-)

Letterpress

Isn't this gorgeous? Origins of the letterpress machine go as far back as 1440. I am so thankful it's stuck around-what a timeless and eye-catching type of print. We are fortunate to have one in the Art and Architecture building right on UT's campus that is available for student's to use, so I plan on taking a trip there in the near future.

Sea Dog Blueberry Beer

Thank goodness for blueberry beer! All the ladies (and men!) who hate beer won't for long after one sip of this. I have Kacie Fite to thank for the scrumptious discovery :-)

My Nephew

As soon as he was born I all the sudden had a love for him I never knew existed. He is two years old and the sweetest boy in the world. I can only image how his mama and daddy feel about him!

Ice Cream

See ya later, frozen yogurt fad. Give me real, chocolate ice cream over frozen yogurt any day!

Moroccan Oil

The perfect remedy to any type of dry hair. Just a few drops of this adds instant shine and moisture!

Canoeing

Our last trip to Nashville Ben and I strapped his canoe to the top of his car and drove it back to Knoxville. It's been so fun to canoeing this spring!

DIY Projects

This is my newest and most favorite venture. I recently bought an old antique picture frame at this cute flee market and stapled chicken wire coop to the back of it-creating a similar look to this on etsy. With Ben and I moving into our first house in the fall, I can't WAIT to do more of these projects! So fun.

Asos.com

Pure genius in a website. I am a sceptic when it comes to online shopping, but this website has never let me down! Fabulous finds for super cheap. :-)

My fiance

In two months I will marry the man of my dreams.... My biggest crush of all!

Until next time...

[swept away]

How ironic that, almost a year ago, my last post dealt with my musings on beauty, when over the last year I have glimpsed beauty in a way that I never knew existed. In the past 12 months, I have traveled to four different countries in Europe, am anticipating two new nieces and nephews, am enjoying my last and final year of college, and am growing in ways only my Father above could have orchestrated. But nothing compares to the best surprise of all that happened on October 28, 2010. The man of my dreams proposed to me! Throughout the entire engagement, I have been swept away by my fiancé's steadfast love and patience with me, and moreover, his steadfast love to our Father above. His eyes are fixed on Jesus, and what a blessing to know that is the man I will spend the rest of my life with! He will be running right beside me, chasing after the One who calms the storms of life and fills us with indescribable joy. And I only know the best is yet to come.

The best is yet to come... what a promise that Christ gives us in the scriptures: That all things work together for the GOOD of those who love God! I am no preacher, but I can't help but share a small portion of what Christ is teaching me. While this time of year does indeed represent new life and fresh beginnings, there can be a sense of anxiousness as things come to a close before summer. Especially among many of my fellow classmates who are graduating, there is a simultaneous mixture of happiness, grief, contentment, regret, anticipation, reflection, and anticipation of what is to come. "Did I do everything I wanted to in college? Was I the kind of friend the Lord speaks of? Did I choose to love those who were unloveable?" Did I cross off enough "things" on my list?" Isn't it a relief, or should I say a great relief to know that our lives are not dependent on our performance? Scripture says ALL things work for the good of those who love God. Certainly we can't expect for everything to be rainbows and butterflies in our lives, but we can expect for God to bring us through it. His tapestry for our lives is far greater and far better than we can even imagine. With that in mind, perhaps it can change the way we live. Knowing that all that counts is "faith expressing itself through love," perhaps we can begin to live beyond ourselves.

I believe Nicole Nordeman says it best. Dear friends, hear the beauty in her words:

"Not well-traveled, not well-read

Not well-to-do or well bred

I would like to hear instead:

Well done, good and faithful one."