wedding bells: NOLA style

while it seems someone is always getting married I was so blessed to witness my friend Madi (I call her Mad) tie the knot with the man of her dreams last weekend. It was a wonderful night and getting to be with my friends back in New Orleans was just too good to be true. After this weekend I am so looking forward to our reunion in NYC!

it all started as single girls at Mardi Gras spring of 2009



me and my Mad at the rehearsal dinner



on the streets of NOLA



beautiful bride....



typical....



nashville....

ok so Ive been bad about this blog thing. Not like I have tons of interest in it or anything, but I went to Nashville a couple weeks ago and couldn't have needed anything more. The week of seeing old friends, going out, and hanging out with family was just what I needed to get ready for fall here in Jacksonville. Here are some pics from the week....

paparazzi at outdoor yoga

laughing/blowing out my bday candles...thanks Krista

seester and her bf came out to whiskey kitchen

familia sending me back to jax

BELIZE it...

yea so this one time I took my youth kids to Belize. It was a combination of incredible experiences, challenges, opportunities and growth (and that's just my own take on it)...I am so grateful to be able to live out my passions as my 'career' or whatever the adult term for that is. Aside from my dabble with death, I was deeply humbled and got to see my youth grow in a whole new way. I had nothing to do with that but I was able to live with these youth during that two weeks and for that I am eternally grateful. They (and HE) taught me so much during that brief time.

bambini

Something about kids always makes me want to make funny faces. Maybe its because they like it so much. Probably because I like it so much. Sometimes I don't even know I'm doing it. Natural reaction.

ATL was the perfect weekend getaway to break up my crazy new life in Jacksonville.

Nothing is more refreshing than being with family and friends. And the babini. Cannot believe they are three.

Happy Birthday to my Goddaughter (Isabella) and her twin Gabriella.

Some pics from the weekend (you will understand why funny faces were mentioned)

Isa never looks right at the camera. True life.

                  

Haven't seen her since Christmas. Stupid Sewanee

Midge in the middle. They always crouch.

friday night...

So I somehow got suckered into doing a lock-in at the church this past friday night. While most of my high school kids are out of the country right now, I did luck out on 15 middle schooler’s showing up ready to stay up all night. Between playing manhunt, watching movies on the wall, making waffles at midnight, walking to Dunkin Donuts, and ending with communion in the church, there was about an hour people actually slept. A big factor in that is because the majority of the kids there were middle school boys. Awesome. Even though I’ve felt like a zombie this week from going out and running Vacation Bible School (yea bad planning on my part) I would gladly do it again. Which is good because there are already tons of requests for another one.

Here are some pics from the night/morning.

Yes I am letting a 13 yr old boy handle my iPad. Scary I know.

Always entertaining...

Communion early morning saturday

I suck at this....

So work has been so out of control I have had no time to breathe let alone write on my blog. No worries I have found time to be in weddings, go graduations, concerts, the beach, art walks, and have porch time with my great guy neighbors.


One of the incredible parts of my job (there is so many) is to design and be the project director of our new youth space The Attic. It started out two months ago as three rooms and is now a beautiful restored room. It took a lot of work with the contractor and various workers but was well worth the headache. The youth love it and I have to say it turned out better than I had envisioned in my head. Now maybe I can focus more on having a life this summer. Just a thought.

It Is Finished.

ok ok. so im not a super emotional girl, but weirdly my favorite season in the church is Lent (something about Jesus' journey in the desert always connects with me). So you can now guess my favorite service of the year (yes including Christmas and Easter) is Good Friday noon service.



There is something so personal, so shameful, and so painful about Jesus' death that resounds in my bones. Singing "Were You There" still brings me to tears and is the only day I allow myself to cry and not feel bad about it. Im not talking about sobbing uncontrollably, just small, quiet tears for Gods eyes only.


As I walk around in my black dress with a heavy heart, I keep this message from the service in my mind:

"Our Heavenly Father sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved"- The Book of Common Prayer