☮

dona ˈnɔbis ˈpatʃɛm

[ecclesiastical Latin] translated "grant us peace"

A Lot of L-O-V-E love

I love LOVE L-O-V-E Valentine's Day.

I try to dress in as much red as possible. 

This box arrived on my doorstep on Valentine's Day, a gift from my darling husband. 

It was filled with these...

look familiar? they are from Georgetown Cupcakes, aka the cupcake shop on tlc's DC Cupcakes. And they were amazing!

I decided to make my own decorations this year. That involved sewing lots of felt hearts and hanging them around our home with bits of rustic twine.

I also took some photos of Oliver and made Valentine's Day photo-cards for our family. 

Oliver liked to shake the hearts and throw them on the ground so it took a few tries before I captured the perfect v-day snapshots.

For Oliver's first Valentine's day, Nicholas & I bought him a special edition of Mr. Potato Head. He is called "sweetheart spud".  Oliver spotted it while we were grocery shopping and loved it. I wrapped it up and let him open it on Tuesday before Nick & I left for a romantic date at Romano's Macaroni Grill, my favorite restaurant. I think he enjoyed the gift wrapping paper more than the toy, though. 

Notice the gift bow Oliver is wearing like a hat? 

How did you spend your Valentine's Day this year?

Piglet: "How do you spell 'love'?

Pooh: "You don't spell it, you feel it."

Baby+1 More Month=9

Facts:

1. Oliver walks now.

2. Oliver likes dogs.

3. Oliver currently has 3 teeth.

4. Oliver's hair is beginning to resemble a mullet when wet.

5. Oliver's middle name, Aiden, means "little fire." 

6. Oliver is fascinated by electronic devices.

7. Oliver-bites can make an adult scream. 

8. Oliver says "Mama" when he wants to be picked up. But he refuses to say it on command.

9. Oliver is 9 months old.

today. .

so simple, yet so true.

in with the old..

A few weeks ago, I discovered a hidden gem in the Cultural Arts district of downtown Fresno:

Urban Salvage.

This amazing warehouse turned shop at 1515 Broadway Street houses all things vintage, antique, old, rustic, amazing, etc. 

I explored it a few weeks ago with Nicholas, Brother & Oliver, and we were pleasantly overwhelmed by the awesome and reasonably priced treasures lurking within. 

As I walked up, I immediately fell in love with a vintage school chair on display. At only $15, I couldn't live without it. Sadly, since we drove there in Brother's small car, we could only buy things that would fit in his trunk so I could not bring home everything that my heart desired. However the chair is mine.

Oliver likes it, too. :)

*Notice my bookcase in the background? I took the doors off an old entertainment center and used the shelves for my favorite books. 

I placed the chair with my other fabulous finds as part of my creative workspace. So far, I think the chair really loves its new home.

The old wood desk is courtesy of my in-law's storage unit. They were planning on getting rid of it but I convinced them to let me haul it away for free. Win-win :)

I dream of someday opening my own vintage shop, but for now, my home showcases my inspiration.

This week, I encourage you readers to look for ways to recycle and reuse things you already have to create something beautiful.

~Bethany

memories & superchick

When the song "Stand in the Rain" by Superchick debuted, I was living on my own in a little rural town in southwestern Oklahoma attending University. Besides going through a difficult break-up, I was homesick and alone and struggling under the weight of both. When the song drifted through the radio speakers in my car one evening,  It spoke to me, and as tears flooded my eyes, the weight on my chest finally eased off a little and I knew it was safe to breathe again. 

"...So stand in the rain

Stand your ground

Stand up when it's all crashing down

You stand through the pain

You won't drown

And one day, what's lost can be found

You stand in the rain." (Superchick lyrics)

That's why when the Warnors Theater listed "Superchick" as an upcoming concert, I instantly dialed my husbands desk phone and insisted we get tickets. 

Last night, he & I and my brother, Reuben, raced to downtown Fresno in Reuben's tiny Saturn after having to make a last-minute stop for gas. We quickly picked up our tickets at the "will call" window and then, after a bit of confusion from some general admission ticket holders, claimed our seats front and center in time to watch the opening bands Bread of Stone and SameState, both of which were pretty awesome. 

And then the lights dimmed for the main event as the band we had all waited for took center stage.

The show was phenomenal (and I haven't used that word in years but Superchick so deserves it). We sang, we danced, we learned some new dance moves, but most importantly we felt God's love reflecting through the lyrics and joy radiating throughout the space. Some songs I had only heard a few times but many were old favorites and flooded my heart with memories. 

I remember my dear friend Drew who I met years ago at summer camp. I remembered his life struggles, his pain, his hopes and dreams and how despite negative influences trying to rob him of his faith and joy, he found his hope in Christ and sang Superchick songs as his anthems to help him through dark times. 

I remembered an even older memory of the very first time I ever saw the band in concert. I was only fourteen years old and very shy, while Superchick was wild and crazy and out of my comfort zone. I remember watching them sign autographs, seeing them smile at me when I was too shy to approach them , but realizing that these people were radiant. Though I was unsure of their music at the time, I was certain that they loved God and that they were simply trying to share the message of hope with the population. I remember the girl in my youth group who was also at that concert and accepted Jesus as her Savior that night. I saw her a few days later at church and I could just see Jesus radiating from her face. She was so happy as she joined our prayer circle and took my hand. She was killed in a car accident later that week. I will never forget the sadness I felt when I heard the news. But I will also never forget the hope and the peace that I felt knowing that she had found truth and that she was now living with the Savior she had been introduced to. 

Superchick challenged me: as a person, challenged my beliefs, my pre-conceived notions about what constitutes worship, challenged me to be bold, to stop hiding behind my flaws and insecurities and to become the girl God intended me to be. 

As I danced and rocked and sang with Superchick last night, I remembered all of this. And I remembered that God is more powerful than circumstances; that he gives me a hope and a future; that I simply have to trust him with my life. 

Thank you Superchick for that reminder, 

and for those of you reading this, thanks for making it this far with me. 

Let's see where God takes us in this new year...

<3 Bethany

Resolution

I am horrible at sticking to New Year's resolutions. 

I think my problem is that I pick things that I hate doing, and then resolve to do them regularly. 

Or I just lose interest and motivation almost immediately after making the resolution.

I find comfort knowing that I am not alone. 

This year, rather than feel disappointed in myself, I found a solution: 

a month resolution.

It's perfect. 

I have always been great at giving up things for Lent. 

Perhaps because it is  a shorter period of time in which I reflect on the purpose of my self-denial each time I go without. 

Either way, I have chosen to resolve for the month of January to not buy any clothes or shoes.

This seems slightly insane since some might call me a border-line shop-a-holic. 

I live for a good bargain.

However, I have noticed that my closet is overflowing with clothes, shoes and accessories that I don't even remember I have. Some things I have never even worn. 

                                    Image via marionwd.tumblr.com 

This month, I resolve to rediscover my wardrobe and reevaluate what I already own.

At the end of the month, items I still don't wear or items that don't fit will be donated or craig's listed.

Hopefully this will also kick off my spring cleaning.

Have any of you found good ways to stick to your resolutions?