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Today's my birthday! I feel way more reflective about it than normal maybe? In regards to thinking about - in less than 6 months, I could be the vessel to be making someone else's birthday. That's kinda crazy. 

This morning J picked up some breakfast so I got to have a Mickey pancake, with some other breakfast goodness. I'm working today, but I had beautiful flowers to greet me, and we ordered a delicious lunch. Tonight J and I are going to my parents (because I'm reflective on what a birthday of a child means to a parent), and we're observing their grilling skills that we can apply to our own grill :) This time last year, I was less than a month from our wedding and enjoying living at home, with just Sully. Now we have our town home, we're married, we have our Dash, and a baby on the way. God is good. It's been a great year!! 

Better ahead

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I got to take it easy on Sunday, followed by a kinda random cleaning up with J Sunday night. It feels good to have a clean house. We got to see Greyden again last night :) sweet little guy. Tomorrow is my birthday and my sister's and father in law's are on Friday. It's a good week! Feeling very blessed.  

Wedding weekend

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Today and tomorrow I'll be spending a lot of time in my friend Annie's wedding and festivities. She and her fiance Paul have been together just over 8 years and it'll be sweet to so see them tie the knot :) J is working day shifts, but he'll get to be a part of the rehearsal dinner and reception (before jetting off to play in the last day of a tournament). Happy weekend to all!  

Joy

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"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly,

 but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty."

  Maya Angelou

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Last night, J and I had a date night. We went out to dinner, started a movie, he let me fashion-show my way through the rest of my manager's maternity clothes, and we talked. One of the hot topics stemmed from my thoughts on my baby blog yesterday. The truth is - no, I don't love my job, and I probably never did. I'm extremely grateful that it fell in my lap. The things required of me have stretched me. I deal with interesting personalities (sandpaper people), and that's taught me and is continuing to teach me. But it's not something that adds to my happiness. One of my best friends works downstairs, but she's on maternity leave right now. (Yay for her :) ) My manager is an awesome lady, who I really enjoy, and although her office is across from mine, I don't actually do any work with her anymore. Basically, what's the solution? For now, I feel as though I should be here (I have no idea how I'll feel after January and I'm just praying right now, and hoping to listen), and until I decide otherwise, I want to be joyful here. I don't have to love it to do the work well. I don't need a job to make me happy when I have other sources of joy :) Ok. That's where I'm at!

Forgiveness

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"To all my nonbelieving, sort-of-believing, and used-to-be-believing friends; I am sorry that so often the biggest obstacle to God has been us, Christians. Christians who have had so much to say with our mouths and so little to show with our lives. Christians who have so much judgement to give, but so little forgiveness to show. Christians carrying grudges on their backs, rather than the cross of salvation. I am sorry that so often we have forgotten the Christ of our Christianity… Forgive me, forgive us."

  Jacinta - hope-movement.tumblr.com

Love life, love others, love well.

August - looking forward

 

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 Happy August, Happy Friday! August is my birthday month (as well as my sister's, my father-in-law's and tons of people), and we also get to find out if we're having a little girl or little boy. My friend Annie's wedding is next weekend and my sister and her husband are going on a long motorcycling road trip. My younger brother and his bride-to-be plan to have their venue and wedding date picked out by the end of the month. Today is Greyden's due date, but he's a July baby :) Although fall is around the corner, I want to finish out summer with focus. Going to the pool, evening walks, popsicles, the like. I think it's going to be a good month!

July Books

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Flirting with the Forbidden by Steven James (really enjoyed this. A lot of the chapters are told from the perspective of a biblical character. I got goosebumps and teary eyed throughout, and left me with a lot to think about)
The Dry Grass of August by Anna Jean Mayhew (well written, has been compared a little to the Help, mainly for this time period and easiness to read)
The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen (very fun)
Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen (also fun)
The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen (still fun)
Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin (a little hard to read as a married person)
That Hideous Strength by C.S. Lewis (mostly slow, but some good parts)

7 for the month, 56 for the year :)
PS, I'm reading some pregnancy books, I'm just reading them really slow - sometimes keeping on the week/month I'm currently at.