Taking Stock

Making : plans for next weeks babysitting festivities to do with all my girls
Cooking : nothing really! Since moving in with my parents I haven't had to do a whole lot of cooking which has lead to some bad eating habits so I am going to try to start cooking and making meal plans next week!
Drinking : a whole lotta diet dr. pepper. I need help. But I am also loving Panera's green tea. It is amazeballs.
Reading: Chasing Fireflies by Charles Martin, Evolving in Monkey Town by Rachel Held Evans, A Year of Biblical Womanhood by Rachel Held Evans, and Living So That by Wendy Blight
Wanting: to make a thrift store run for some clothes; also wanting a red pair of Keds
Looking: at the Walking Dead on tv right now
Playing: a lot of games with my husband's five year old cousin I am babysitting throughout the weekdays
Wasting: nothing I can think of
Sewing: nothing, but I want to learn!
Wishing: and praying that God would give us the house I am entering to win
Enjoying: the rainy evening, candles twinkling, and the Walking Dead on television
Waiting: for Josh to get home
Liking: that I am able to rest the rest of the night 
Wondering: if the "no-poo" method I'm using on my hair will work
Loving: that my dog is curled right up next to me
Hoping: that my sister and I get to meet Eric & Jessie Decker on Saturday at the City of Hope softball game
Marveling: at how good God really is to me, no matter what, and that He truly deeply loves me
Needing: a vacation!
Smelling: candles
Wearing: nike shorts and my light blue Washburn General Store tee
Following: so many inspiring instagrams 
Noticing: how my mom's chihuahua is sleeping in her arms. It is so cute!
Knowing: that this summer is going to be a blast
Thinking: that I am way too tired
Feeling: so sleepy
Bookmarking: June Photo A Day Challenge (I can't wait to start it tomorrow!)
Opening: McDonald's bags way tooooo often. I need to start being healthy again
Giggling: at the three dogs trying to chase each other out in the yard
Feeling: plain wore out

Five on Friday

Today has felt like the first time in a long while that I have actually had my schedule under control. I am hoping to just relax this weekend as much as possible. I start watching Josh's cousin next week three days a week until mid-August. I am super excited to start watching her and getting to make sure she has a fun summer!

I decided to link up to Five on Friday with April, Darci, Natasha, and Christina today!

{One}

Lately, I have actually found the time to pick up a few books and really start reading again. So far on my reading list is Living "So That": Making Faith-Filled Choices in the Midst of a Messy Life, The Circle Maker, What Kind of Love Are You Making?, Evolving in Monkey Town, and A Year of Biblical Womanhood. Have you read any of these? If so, what did you think of them? I'm loving every one of them [I haven't started A Year of Biblical Womanhood yet though].

{Two}

Was anyone else absolutely over the top obsessed with this season of Dancing With the Stars? My two absolute favorite teams were Maryl & Maksim and Derek & Amy. I also enjoyed watching Candace & Mark dance as well. Anyway, I know for a fact that Meryl & Maks need to get married and have "Russian Ice-Skating babies" as he said. And I would love to see Derek & Amy end up together too. [Oh and off topic but I am going to try to convince my husband to let us name our future husky Maksim. I seriously think that is a perfect name for him!]

Edited: I just realized that I forgot to include Peeta and James! They were one of my favorite teams too! They were so stinkin cute.

{Three}

I wrote this post yesterday and it just feels really good to get that off my chest and in to the open. It gives me some sort of a sense of relief.

{Four}

Has anyone went to go see Mom's Night Out? Oh, I loved it! I know I am not a mom [yet], but one of my biggest dreams has always been to be a mom! The movie was funny and was impressively quite faith based. It surprised me because I had no idea it even had anything to do with church in there. It was a great movie!

{Five}

Ryland's biopsy came back and thank God it was not cancerous! It turned out to be just gingivitis so I am going to start working on some homeopathic/holistic treatments for Ry so it can get better and we won't have another repeat :)

Happy Friday! Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

Confession Time

I have a confession to make... I have no idea how to be a wife. I have been married for almost eleven months and I have no earthly idea on how to be a wife. I know the roles I play as a wife: cooker, cleaner, lover, friend... But I don't know exactly how to go about being these. Does that make any sense at all?

And since we're being honest here, I feel like a failure as a wife half the time. Does it have to do with getting married so young? Maybe, but I am not sure. Does it have to do with not having many married friends to give me advice and to lend a listening ear? Possibly.

I just know that during this season of life I feel like I am just wandering through the days, trying to get some sort of understanding on how to take on this role as a wife. Sometimes it sends me into a depression, making me just want to curl up with a book and a diet Dr Pepper and try to forgot all of my woes. But sometimes I am motivated beyond belief to give it my absolute all.

I am praying and asking God to help me find balance during this season of life. I know that He will bring me the peace and love and joy and balance that I need for my journey.

I have no idea how to be a wife, but I know that God will guide my steps and hold the lantern for me over the path that I need to take each day. He will hold my hand and we will walk side by side as He leads me on this (somewhat) new adventure I have been embarking on.

Grace Upon Grace {Four}

I am going to be honest. I feel like I have been stuck in such a rut these past couple of weeks. I feel sort of just... there, going through the motions. I don't want to feel like that. It makes me feel so crappy and not full of life. But God. He is always going to be there for me whether I feel low or on top of the world. I can use this season of feeling not so great to draw closer to Him and rely deeper on Him.

The great things in my life from God never cease. They will always be abundantly there, even if I overlook them. And you know what? The good will always far outweigh the bad.

One. I know I have mentioned this before, but I am just so thankful for the She Reads Truth reading plans and devotionals. Every single one always has something for me. I love that God can speak right to me through this community. The Nehemiah plan that we are currently doing is just absolutely rocking my world.

Two. Ryland had his surgery today to remove a growth on his gum so that it can be biopsied. The vet said he did great during it and when I picked him up he was just as happy as he could be! Please pray that the growth was nothing at all.

Three. I really am so thankful for the blogging community. I love coming across a new blog and reading all their current posts and archives. I love seeing what other people love, what their passions are, their families, and just their adventures in life. It really is so inspiring to me.

Four. I am so excited for the water park passes that my dad bought my sister and I for this summer! He also purchased a parking pass and locker for us to use when we go. Even though I am a married woman, he still loves to help me out with covering costs of things. He's the absolute best.

Five. As I was reading passages from the SRT Nehemiah plan I came across two bible verses that I just fell in love with. I'm memorizing the first one this week and the second one next week:

Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes! -Nehemiah 4:14

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is Yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore You as the one who is over all things. -1 Chronicles 29:11

Six. The warmer weather is just a blessing in itself. It may feel like a hundred and ten degrees some days, but all the more reason to hop in the car and drive to the water park :)

Go link up with Jordyn at She Who Fears to share how God is blessing your lives this week! Can't wait to hear all about them :)

May Barkbox Review

Ryland playing with his new toy from Barkbox

Ryland has received close to 10 or so Barkboxes and he always loves every single one! They always send out a shipping notification and the box gets here shortly afterwards.

Barkbox comes with an information card telling you about the theme of the box and each item included in the box. This month's Barkbox celebrates healthy eating. They focused on organic, GMO-free, and eco-friendly products.

~JW Pet Bone ($9.99): Ryland LOVED this toy and so did I! It's super durable for his incredibly tough chompers and great for him because he absolutely loves to chew anything. Ry is pictured above chewing on it.

~YumZies Natural BBQ Chicken Flavor Dog Treats ($8.53): I'm pretty picky about treats for Ry, but I approved of these. They are grain-free, natural with zero grains, have Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, chicken is the number one ingredient, and they are made in the USA! They're soft enough too for my parent's chihuahuas to munch on. Overall a winner.

~Cool Treat's Smoothies For Dogs Carrot Cake ($?): I couldn't find an accurate price for these on Amazon, but you can buy a pack of 6 for around $10.00-$16.00. Last time that it came in the box I froze it and gave it to Ryland, but he didn't really like the coldness of it so this time around I'm just going to try giving it to him straight out of the cup.

~Flexi-Bowl Small Pet Bowl ($9.01): This bowl will be perfect for when we are traveling or even if we go to the park for the day. It says it is free from cancer-causing chemicals which automatically becomes a winner for me. It's also oven and dishwasher safe which I thought was pretty neat!

~Barkworthies Premium Dog Treats, 12-Inch Thick Bully Sticks ($11.30): I think the bully stick is Ry's favorite every time one comes in the package. He always grabs it, runs away, and hides with it so the other two dogs won't try to take it from him. It's so cute.

Overall, I loved this Barkbox and Ryland did too :)

http://www.aharvestofblessing.com

Grace Upon Grace {Three}

To be honest, this past week has been so busy. I feel like I haven't got to really sit down and rest in over a week. Between packing and moving back home with Josh, everything is feeling just a bit overwhelming right now. But God never ceases with His grace upon grace, even when the graces don't seem so clear to me.

One. I feel so worn out and tired, but God has given me the strength and energy I need for each day to just make it through, and I praise Him for that.

Two. Josh started his new job yesterday! He actually got sick this past weekend had to go to his first day of work sick, but thank the Lord that we were able to go to the walk in clinic yesterday before he went to work so he could get some medicine. Please pray that he gets over his sickness quickly and that his job continues to go well!

Three. I've been looking for a nannying or babysitting job over the summer and I finally have gotten one! I will be watching Josh's little cousin for three days out of every week this summer! I am so excited to spend time with her and have loads of fun :)

Four. Even though I have been so worn out, I am just so thankful that we have moved back to Nashville! I have wanted to be back in Nashville since the day we moved, but we finally are back and I am just so excited to see what God has in store for our lives here!

Go over to She Who Fears to link up and share about what God is doing in your life!

Weekend Recap {and Grace Upon Grace}

Recap:
One. We celebrated my mom and sister's birthday with dinner at The Cheesecake Factory, balloons, cake, presents, cards, and the movies! They were both born on the same day!

Two. My sister and I watched all of DWTS episodes from this season (except for the very first one). Our favorites are Derek and Amy! They are so DANG cute! I really love everybody who is left, but I would love for Amy and Derek to win!

Three. We watched the season finale of Eric & Jessie on Sunday night and oh my word they are the cutest! They really inspire me to have that kind of marriage with Joshua.

Favorites from the week:
7 Things You Learn Your First Year of Marriage. So funny and so true! Written by the husband's perspective.
On Laundry & Love Stories. This was beautifully written by Shauna Niequist. My aunt-in-law shared it with me a couple days ago. "Cooking and cleaning never built a marriage. But listening and memory-making and looking each other in the eye will." So good.
Lessons from the Hundred-Acre Woods. Was anybody else completely obsessed with Winnie the Pooh growing up? I was. I cannot wait to share the stories of Winnie the Pooh with my babies.
This husky is absolutely gorgeous. Josh wants a husky and I would love one too. Once we can afford to get another dog you better believe we are going to go get us a husky!

I was reading Jordyn's Grace Upon Grace over at her blog She Who Fears. I missed the She Reads Truth devotional on Saturday but Jordyn posted a quote from it that I absolutely love:

"Look around your life. Where do you see the risen Christ today? What needs has He fulfilled that you did not anticipate, did not plan for, did not even know to ask for? Where do you see the fingerprints of His grace and lovingkindness? Sister, He is revealing Himself to you even now, in ways only you can recognize."

The past week has had it's fair share of ups, downs, and in betweens, but God's grace is always abounding, even in the moments that seem like your heart is breaking into a thousand pieces. God endlessly provides for Josh and I, each and every single day. Here are just a few of those graces He's blessing us with this past week:

One. Well, we are FINALLY moving this week back to Nashville! I just love how God answered the desires of my heart when I didn't even think to pray about the possibility of moving back to Nashville. He is so good to His children. He knows the desires of our hearts even when we don't think to tell Him about them.

Two. It may not seem like a big deal, but I've finally (for the most part) gotten to the point where I can get rid of a lot of items that I have been holding onto for whatever reason. It's helping us to simplify our lives and it's especially helping us since we are in the process of moving our items back to Nashville and storing them until we find a place of our own.

Three. I've been having a lot more motivation recently to work out a lot more than I usually do. It feels so refreshing and freeing. I am hoping to begin a regular weekly schedule of working out once I move back to Nashville this week.

Four. We took Ryland to the vet on Friday because of a place on his gum that hasn't healed over the past month or so. The vet said he believes it's a benign growth, but he wants to have it removed and sent to be biopsied. I was thinking that his surgery would cost thousands, but the vet brought the estimate back into the room and the high end of the estimate was only 506 dollars! Praise the Lord! Josh and I will be getting it removed sometime during the summer months so please say a prayer for our little Ryland!

Ryland {3 years and 10 months}

"A dog has no use for fancy cars, big homes, or designer clothes. A water logged stick will do just fine. A dog doesn't care if you're rich or poor, clever or dull, smart or dumb. Give him your heart and he'll give you his. How many people can you say that about? How many people can make you feel rare and pure and special? How many people can make you feel extraordinary?" - Marley & Me

Ryland is my baby, and like any mama, I want to document my baby's life. I've decided to document his life monthly on here. We adopted him 10 months ago tomorrow from the animal shelter and life has been so good with him. We did not know the day he was born, but he was around three when we adopted him so we've decided he is going to be a patriotic dog and celebrate his birthday every Fourth of July. 

"Ma, enough with the selfies."

Things Ryland likes: running around in circles, chewing on bones, eating gobs of coconut oil, snuggling, playing outside

Things Ryland dislikes: dogs that are bigger than him, the vacuum cleaner, sharing his bones, wearing his doggy harness seat belt on long drives