JUNE GOALS

oh my goodness, what happened to april + may?! remember how i wanted to start posting monthly goals this year? well maybe it should become a goal to actual post my monthly goals. but you know what? april + may were full of good things, and while i may not have check off goals on a list, i definitely still got ish done. now it's summer and i can breathe a little easier. my last final has been submitted, my last paper is done, and i survived a tough year of senioritis (seriously, i can't even count the number of classes i skipped, because hey, i had better things to do -youknowwhatimean?). i just know this summer will fly by - we're kicking it off with a trip to visit family this weekend - but i'm determined to soak it up before i start student teaching in the fall. 

this is the first summer where Travis and i aren't on break together, and that's different. we started dating while we were both in school, but since we've been married, he has been working full-time while i finish my credential. it's been interesting adjusting to a new pace of life. while our college schedules were pretty flexible, nothing gives with an 8-5 schedule. and while i have winter break, spring break, and summer break, travis just keeps working. it sounds silly, but this whole year i've been struggling with a lot of guilt. when i have time off during the day and my husband is still at work, i feel guilty for not working when he's working - like i'm lazy or indulgent. but that's so far from the truth. it helped when we sat down and evaluated our time, and i realized that my real full-time job is being a wife. laundry, dishes, cleaning, bills, chores, errands, grocery shopping, budget balancing - it all takes time, so much time, and it's valuable work. while travis goes out and makes dat money, my job is to hold down the home fort, to make breakfast and pack lunches and prepare meals, to make sure my husband has clean clothes for the week, to make our house a home, a place of rest and relaxation for him after a long day. AND, it's also my responsibility to take care of myself. if i can squeeze in a nap and make sure i'm also emotionally and physically refreshed when he gets home, then i should make that happen, because it's healthy, because it benefits us both in the long run. that lie that tells us we always have to busy, running ourselves into the ground, drinking 5 cups of coffee just to get through, eating on the go? it's exactly that, a lie - and it's an empty way to live. it results in stress, exhaustion, and tension, and those emotions bleed into our work, our relationships, and our health. that's not the purpose of our life. our purpose is not to keep up, to create an image that impresses others, to become successful (and really, what does that even mean?). no. we are meant to live for so much more. 

so, that's where i'm at. learning, growing, adjusting, and always wanting to thrive. and the best part of it all? we don't have to do all that stretching and growing and falling and rising up again alone. life is so much richer when it is shared with others, which is why i think i love writing these posts. maybe i'm not the most clever or powerful writer, but i always hope to be real. i want to walk through life with others, to encourage each other, to laugh when things are just WAY beyond our control, to pick each other up when days are just a little too much. so, how are you? how can i pray for you? 

MARCH GOALS:

// cut down on screen time - i want to devote a part of the day to updating FB, blogging, and sharing on instagram, and then i want to be DONE with it. it's become second nature to me to scroll through a feed and fill my brain with the stuff of other people's lives, and i think it's affected how i do life as well. it's a comparison trap for me - "they did that, and it worked out like this for them, so maybe i should try that to" "should i be doing this, doing that?" "i wish i had that, wore that, that my house looked like that" and it's just an unhealthy cycle. instead, i want to use those inbetween moments to just talk to God, acknowledge Him during my day, ask for HIS direction rather than comparing myself to others. so, i'm challenging myself. let's see how it goes. 

// shoot two sessions
// send thank you notes
// practice gratitude - more thankfulness, less complaining
// make care packages for the homeless
// write & send our mission support letters
// work on finishing house decor: the wall above the couch is STILL bare, and we need something over our bed. i want to finish it all before the family comes to visit in april!

JUNE GOALS:

// store wedding momentos
// host a 'shop my closet'
// host a worship night at our place
// spend as much time as possible with our dear friends before they move in july
// develop a regular quiet time during the day
// prepare spiritually, physically, and mentally for Kenya
// WRITE A BIRTHDAY LIST
// finish weddediting
// shoot three sessions
// eat more healthy - prep meals, choose healthy snacks, and eat more greens + fruits
// REBRAND

June is officially the first month of summer, and i want to knock some things out of the park during this downtime. July will be mostly spent on preparing for, traveling to, and coming home from Kenya, and then August is the last month before student teaching, so i'm soaking June up as much as i can! wish me luck!

march goals

oh february, you were a riot. going into it, i knew the month would be nuts, but i don't think i realized just what kind of a toll it would take on us. but again, we learned MILLIONS, and are going to try and do things a little differently from here on out. during february, we seriously evaluated our time (which i shared in this post), and realized we need to leave some space in our schedule. unfortunately, we just had to put our heads down and get through february, because it was just one of those months. our camping trip, winter camp, a trip to san diego - every weekend was basically booked. it was full of fun things, but it left us pretty beat overall. so, lesson learned. all is grace. 

but, february was also full of really great things. we've been connecting more with a group of friends - friends who are also fairly newly married and are also around our age - and it's been SUCH an answer to prayer. Travis turned 24, and i had a whole day's worth of excuses to spoil him and love on him. even though it was a full day of work and classes, we still tried to make it as special as possible! and it RAINED. SO MUCH. with thunder. that was the BEST part. we've also officially committed to Kenya, and Travis is co-leading - i'm so excited about our team, so excited for the opportunity to step outside of our routine and watch God mess us up. 

FEBRUARY GOALS: 

// submit substitute applications

// complete and submit student teaching application and i'm overwhelmingly blessed with my placement! i will be working with a phenomenal middle school teacher, and the school is just a quick drive around the corner from our house - PTL. 

// send thank you photos to officiates, musicians, and coordinator

// make care packages for the homeless

// sell the Xterra

// dream up and host a birthday bash for my love! (welp, i dreamt it, and that was that) 

// unplug and camp on the beach with T to celebrate 6 months of marriage

// shoot two sessions

// reflect on previous shoots - what worked, what didn't, how can i prepare better? (still working on this!)

// dream up shoot inspirations

// listen more and don't be afraid of silences during conversations

// start a book study with the Young Wives Club

// pray more regularly with T and start our Gospel devotional together (i think we always thought we'd definitely do our devotionals together, but lately, we've slipped into the habit of doing our own quiet times. we're working through separate books, tuning in to various podcasts, meeting up with our guy friends and girl friends, and so far it's really working for us! it's fun to wind down at the end of the day and share what we each learned with each other)

// soak up Winter Camp with my junior high girls. be present. make the most of it.

MARCH GOALS: 

// cut down on screen time - i want to devote a part of the day to updating FB, blogging, and sharing on instagram, and then i want to be DONE with it. it's become second nature to me to scroll through a feed and fill my brain with the stuff of other people's lives, and i think it's affected how i do life as well. it's a comparison trap for me - "they did that, and it worked out like this for them, so maybe i should try that to" "should i be doing this, doing that?" "i wish i had that, wore that, that my house looked like that" and it's just an unhealthy cycle. instead, i want to use those inbetween moments to just talk to God, acknowledge Him during my day, ask for HIS direction rather than comparing myself to others. so, i'm challenging myself. let's see how it goes. 

// shoot two sessions
// send thank you notes
// practice gratitude - more thankfulness, less complaining.
// sell the Xterra
// make care packages for the homeless
// write & send our mission support letters
// work on finishing house decor: the wall above the couch is STILL bare, and we need something over our bed. i want to finish it all before the family comes to visit in april!

do you have any goals this month? share below - i'd love to hear from you!

xo.

february goals

i have never really been a goal-setter before. it seemed so cliche to me, a little corny. but setting goals really is an effective way to get things done. though i feel like i lost my mojo during the second half of this month (when school started back up again), i'm excited to just make the most of what i've got. even after 22 years of unpredictable life, i still always seem to be surprised when something goes amiss. i resent the change and i desperately try to keep it all together, keep it all under control. but life is full of change, and rather than fearing it, i want to learn how to simply embrace it - like, "today i planned this, this, and this, and then THIS happened and nothing went as planned, and it totally threw my day upside down and now all i want is a glass of wine. but i'm cool with it, because that's life, and i love it." i want to be a lover of change, of messed up plans, of being thrown out of my routine. i want to make the space for God to mess up my day and invite me into what He's really all about. and i want my day to be defined by Him, by how He wants me to love others, love my husband, and use my time, not by my schedule and my lists and my routines.

JANUARY GOALS: 

// submit substitute applications - in progress

// clean wedding dress

// print thank you photos for vendors - most, but not all have been e-mailed and shared! 

// make care packages for the homeless

// pray about joining/creating a small group - we've dubbed it the "young wives club" and i'm so excited to get to know some awesome ladies even more deeply!

// host a game night/worship night - our february is SO slammed, that i think i'm going to make this a march goal instead...

// go home to see Baby Emma (& take newborn photos) - hands down the BEST part of our january!

// organize 2013 photos and back it all up

// create a realistic schedule for the spring semester: office hours, work, errands/chores, school/HW

// sell moped and Xterra and bring the motorcycle down! - Travis officially has is motorcycle (and his license now!) and he could not be more stoked. i'm excited to cruise on the back with my hot hubs!

// shoot two sessions

// begin our devotional through the Gospels - whew, let's be real. we really need to still work on this. 

// eat more dinners at the table instead of on the couch, watching TV

other exciting things that happened in january? my husband baked for the first time and surprised me with delicious french breakfast puffs on a saturday morning, we invited new friends over for dinner, i rekindled my friendship with the library and have had my nose buried in books for much of the month, and i've been connecting more regularly with my girlfriends (which i'm super thankful for!).

FEBRUARY GOALS:

// submit substitute applications
// complete and submit student teaching application
// send thank you photos to officiates, musicians, and coordinator
// make care packages for the homeless
// sell the Xterra
// dream up and host a birthday bash for my love!
// unplug and camp on the beach with T to celebrate 6 months of marriage
// shoot two sessions
// reflect on previous shoots - what worked, what didn't, how can i prepare better?
// dream up shoot inspirations
// listen more and don't be afraid of silences during conversations
// start a book study with the Young Wives Club
// pray more regularly with T and start our Gospel devotional together
// soak up Winter Camp with my junior high girls. be present. make the most of it.

here's to a happy month of love, and reaching our goals!

xo.

january goals

all this talk about a fresh start in 2014 is so inspiring - don't you think?! i love the new-ness of the new year, the opportunity to reflect, dream, and make changes. in addition to creating a list of 2014 dreams & do's, i'm also going to try and set monthly goals in order to keep me on track throughout the year. most of all, i want to use my time intentionally, live a life that reflects Jesus, and work on my relationships and friendships with others. that last one is definitely dear to my heart. so many people have told me that the post-graduate life is almost disappointing in a way, and i tend to agree - so many things change in ways you didn't expect. your college friends move away, start new jobs, enter into new relationships, and it seems like there isn't much to connect you anymore - does that make sense? i seriously struggled in my friendships during this past year, with many of my closest girls moving far away. i'm a quality over quantity girl, and i really only need one person to pour my heart out to, one person with whom i have a deep quality friendship with. though Travis is hands-down my closest and truest friend, he ain't a girlfriend if you-know-what-i-mean, and we've both recognized that it is important to have other close friendships, including each other. so i'm praying hard for a woman who i can connect with, who makes me think about things differently, who asks the tough questions, and who encourages me through rough times - and she must love coffee. it almost feels like dating again sometimes - pursuing people, feeling out whether you click or not. but at the same time, God has always brought the right people into my life exactly when i needed them - in fact, before i even knew i needed them. so i'm trusting Him to do the same for both T and i this coming year. all that to say, i'm going to try and schedule regular coffee dates with friends, to show up and be present, and to invest in those around me. 

end of long thought process. 

remember how i had a list of end-of-the-year goals? well, then the common cold decided to visit this house and in the past week we've had more chicken noodle soup, watched more episodes of LOST, and have spent more time on the couch doing nothing than ever before. i'm praying we're on the tail end of this because i'm ready to get back to bizzzness! 

speaking of business, here are my January goals - i'm looking forward to seeing what i can accomplish in the next four weeks! 

// submit substitute applications

// clean wedding dress

// print thank you photos for vendors

// make care packages for the homeless

// pray about joining/creating a small group

// host a game night/worship night

// go home to see Baby Emma (& take newborn photos)

// organize 2013 photos and back it all up

// create a realistic schedule for the spring semester: office hours, work, errands/chores, school/HW

// sell moped and Xterra and bring the motorcycle down! 

// shoot two sessions

// begin our devotional through the Gospels

// eat more dinners at the table instead of on the couch, watching TV

have you guys set any goals? i'd love to hear them! 

xo. 

2013 end of year goals

happy friday, friends and happy christmas from our home to yours. i hope you had a special holiday filled with the people and the things you love - it truly is the most wonderful time of the year! 

the end of the year always has a sacred feel about it. as if i'm finishing a marathon and mentally gearing up for a fresh start. honestly, this year has brought about innumerable changes and many challenges. it has been the most exciting year of our life, but at times it has also been the most stressful. as we look back on where we've grown and where we've fallen short, we're praying about changes to make in the new year, changes that will allow us to thrive exactly where God wants us to be. it's going to be a big year, but we're not quite sure what it will look like yet. at the moment, we're a little beat, a little burnt out, and ready for something new. the never-ending busyness is hard to keep up with, you know? we're all about re-evaluating and making new things happen, and that's exactly what we'll be doing in the coming weeks. for now, in the last 4 days of 2013, there are a few things i'd like to tackle and sort away before we ring in 2014 - wish this girl luck! 

end of the year goals: 

have my wedding gown professionally cleaned (it's been hanging in my closet for months now - how does time fly so quickly?!) 

finish wedding thank you's (see above note about time flying and these past few months being stupid busy) 

get on top of our 2013 finances and start the new year fresh

make time for some business planning and create 2014 goals

finish blogging all 2013 sessions

filter through 2013 sessions, sort, delete, and back up

fill out that 2014 calendar

design & mail happy new year cards to friends and clients

slow down, reflect, and prepare for the upcoming year

considering there are only 4 days left in this year, i think that's enough for now. i'm trying to create smaller, more manageable lists and actually accomplish everything i set out to do. often i spend too much time creating a list and then find myself exhausted by task 3 or 4. by the end of the day, i feel unproductive, unaccomplished, and overwhelmed by the things that are left to do. so, here's to using the next 96 hours wisely: getting ish done, making time for quiet and rest, sleeping, spending time with friends, and ringing in the new year!