Posts Tagged ‘my life’

In case you haven’t heard yet – we’re having a baby! Our little house doesn’t have a second bedroom, so the “nursery” will be little nook in the corner of the office/craft room/library. But a girl can still dream about decorating, right?

Of course, I had to go and fall in love with a decorating scheme that’s completely unconventional for a baby’s room. But that just means I’ll get to challenge myself to make a mobile, blankets, etc. Not a bad challenge at all.  (And with sari fabrics becoming more popular in the US lately, I don’t have to cut up any of the ones I have for wearing in India.)

All these images were found on Pinterest. I’ve got them ‘pinned’ to a nursery inspiration board, so if you want to see more information on any of them, you can click through my board.

{photo by Smilebooth}

As I’ve been processing my recent journey to The Relevant Conference, I jotted down my most vivid highlights from the trip and thought I’d share them with y’all. So here they are, in no particular order.

• Attending and participating in the writing workshops.
• Spending time with my sister.
• Joining the OneVerse Blogger Team.
• Listening to Tsh Oxenreider’s opening keynote.
• Meeting amazing women like Anna R., Aurie, Crystal Paine, and SarahMae.
• Discovering Freeset.
• Hearing Sarah Shust tell their amazing testimony.
• Laughing with Maggie Hogan over technology glitches.
• Staying up late. Sometimes way too late.
• Being filled.

So I’m back from The Relevant Conference. I was incredibly nervous heading into the weekend and, quite honestly, wanted to hide in my room and cry during the first few hours of the conference. My comfort zone was so far away that it wasn’t even visible anymore.

That overwhelming feeling didn’t last forever though. Once the sessions got underway there was so much “doing” that there was hardly any time to realize that I was surrounded by strangers. But those strangers quickly became friends. Even if all we did was exchange names and business cards, there was a kinship between each of us, all daughters of the King, there to learn and grow together.

It was a beautiful weekend. I was stretched, challenged, and encouraged. I was poured into in a way that I haven’t been for a long time.

I was anxious before the conference began, ready to sell my ticket and hide away at home. But God wanted me there for a reason. He calmed my anxious heart, filled me with His peace, and blessed me beyond belief. I’m so very glad I followed Him.

This is what my husband posted as his Facebook status last night:

First comes love…… Check
Then comes marriage….. Check
Then comes the baby in the baby-carriage…… T minus 7 months

Wow. Relevant is almost here. I’ll be spending all day tomorrow packing, since I actually leave on Saturday. (We only have one car, so Michael has to take me to my sister’s over the weekend in order for me to leave with her on Thursday.)

I’ve still got a ton of stuff to get done before then, but I’m getting excited.

Although, honestly, I’m more terrified than anything.

Meeting new people has never been my forté. Don’t get me wrong – I love people! But being suddenly dropped in the midst of a couple hundred complete strangers . . . well, that’s enough to make me want to run and hide.

I have vivid memories of bursting into tears in such situations when I was not too much younger. But then I counter those memories with the ones from missions trips, and I know I’ll be just fine. When Thursday rolls around, and I’m surrounded by kindred souls, all there to serve, worship, and glorify our King, that common goal will be enough to overcome any and all dissimilarities, and even chronic shyness.

Until then, ignore my mumblings about {not going} and {selling my ticket}. I’ve been mumbling those things for months, but I am going and I’m not selling my ticket. I really am excited. Besides, my husband keeps telling me this will be good for me . . . that I’ll enjoy it. And I know he’s right.

I just need next Thursday to hurry up so that I can be sure.

Well, Michael and I have been married for 14 months now and I’m just getting around to putting together a photo book. Although, if you factor in that we didn’t get the photos until about 6 months after the wedding, I guess I’m really not so far behind after all.

{photo from our friend Rachael J.}

I’m actually planning on creating two different albums – one with all the professional photos and one with all the photos that friends and family took. (And I’m going to put together a small book with the photos from my 3-year-old niece.)

 {photo of the pro photographer, Caroline Ghetes, by 3-year-old Sophia, taken with Rachael J’s camera}

How many wedding albums do you have? How long did it take you to put them together?

Price tags? Check. Sharpies?  Check. Boxes, bags, and wrapping supplies? Check. Living room totally covered in a hodge-podge of stuff? Definite check!

After several moves where boxes have been placed in storage, and then getting married and slowly re-acquiring all these boxes, I’ve discovered all sorts of stuff I didn’t remember I had, or I just don’t need anymore. Unfortunately, we can’t have a yard sale out here (we live in the middle of nowhere), so it’s either  a joint yard sale or several trips to Goodwill.

I’ve been hoping to snag a booth at a community or church yard sale,  but when the forecast changed to rain for the one I found that would work out, it looked like it wasn’t going to work. Then a friend suggested I join her for the yard sale she’s having this weekend and . . . voila! The sale’s back on.

Here are a few of the things I’ve been trying to keep in mind for pricing, signage, etc. Do you have any extra tips?

• Price things in $0.25 increments.
• Have a box of free items.
• Keep as much as possible off the ground and at eye level.
• Make the date big on the yard sale signs.
• Toss like items in a box and sell as a lot. (ie. craft odds-and-ends)
• Price everything, even if it’s just a sign that says “all DVD’s $3.”

What yard sale tips have you found work well?