Tag: friends

lifestyle

Friends and a hole where the fridge should be!

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Flashback from fb- 2 years ago in the “refrigerator hole” as it became affectionately called by our friends who visited our house under construction! It became normal to get a phone call or text from some sweet friend who wanted to come see our house and take their picture in the refrigerator hole! 😀 We were excited to move in and thought we’d be there for a long time- then….you know the rest of the story! Jeff got transferred across the metroplex- blah blah blah. We needed to move! But I’m so grateful for the 18 months we lived in Harvest! We made wonderful lifetime friends!! I visited our old neighborhood yesterday and found myself a little wistful. But then I grabbed hold that Gods plans are bigger than our plans and big things are coming!!!! We can feel it! It’s painful and hard somedays- like stretching a sore knee after surgery! The stretching hurts but it’s necessary to take you to the next level! Are you feeling stretched? How do you handle it? Have you tried to embrace it?

So I wasn’t kidding about all the #refridgeratorselfie pics! These were all on different days during construction! Check out all the cuteness! What I love so much is that some of these friends are long time friends and others are new friends since we moved to Texas! Together they are all part of our story and we are part of theirs! And in the middle is sweet #oliverbichon. His bestie #lucybichon had recently crossed the rainbow bridge. We were so sad andhe was lost without her. As we wrote blessings on the new construction of a sweet friends house yesterday (that I met when we moved into this house, I thought of these friends – and others (after the refrigerator was installed) who blessed our home with their presence, kindness, prayer and encouragement! They spoke kindness and hope! They demonstrated the gift of showing up and speaking LIFE- and still do!

These pictures-these faces- these friends! I’m so grateful for them all! And this house? I loved it but it was just a house. It’s the people who fill it and the memories made that make a house a home! I can’t wait to see where we will end up next and the new beautiful faces that will come into our lives! We long to be planted deep but know we are exactly where God wants us now as He prepares the next steps of our journey! So thankful that He covers us and has protected us from things we didn’t even see coming! He has given us clear vision and new intention! I can’t wait to tell you all He has done! I can’t wait to see it myself! So enjoy the journey- none it is wasted! Be present! Speak words of life!!

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The forgotten draft- Ageless

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I can’t believe I forgot to post this! (Actually I can believe it). 😂 So here is my post from last august! Hope you enjoy it!- ❤️ There comes a time when you have a “wake up” moment and wonder where the time has gone. I had one of those this week. This is me, carpooling with these beautiful young moms who could actually be my daughters.  They are the same age as my daughter. 20 years ago, I would have been driving them to school and activities. You see, now, we are all senior leaders in the same company and they’d come to Dallas from Florida and Atlanta for a senior leader retreat. I love that we are all building a business together but, even more, we are enriching lives and pouring into others. It’s not just about the jewelry!

Instead of renting a car and taking a day trip to Waco after our meeting, they asked if I would take them and spend the day with them. I was honored and thrilled. Why was this a surprise to me? Because, here is my impression from personal experience- in our culture these days, it seems that when you reach a certain age (seriously, for me-it was about 40) you start to feel invisible. You start to wonder what could you possibly have to offer, are your best days behind you, are you relevant? It’s a process and a journey and I’ve come out on the other side with definite conclusions about aging and our culture and myself. I’ll share those at another time. <What a fun day we had!!! We went to Magnolia Market, the bakery, Harp Design, the Spice shops, lunch and even asked strangers where to find the fixer upper houses so we could drive by. It was so fun! We drove all over Waco -sometimes further than we planned. Thank goodness for a TURNAROUND.

That became our theme song. Seriously, we looked in the window of a fixer upper house that was unoccupied.

Kristy was tempted to peek in the door. She didn’t open it.

We did manage to get a photo on the front porch!

What beautiful, smart women! Do you know they are also foster mamas? You can find out more on Kristy’s blog called www.thishardcalling.com!ve you girls!!! Blessed by your friendship!!! You remind me what a blessing it is to have friends of all ages- old and young! Thanks for asking me to spend the day with you!

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Botox and the bride

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Ok- so just keeping it real! My daughter is getting married in less than a month and I’ve got to get my act together. I’ve discovered a big secret that no one talks about!!! If you have been the mother of the bride before-you already know!! Why didn’t you tell the rest of us coming behind you? Being the MOTB is soooo stressful!!!! Not for the reasons you see on TLC, either! I don’t have a Bridezilla and she said  “YES TO THE DRESS” without any drama!!!! In fact, my beautiful, sweet Lindsey has been relaxed and “chill” with the exception of just a couple of brief understandable moments! 

Our new son, Jordan, is precious! He loves our daughter and loves us. What more could we ask for? We are so blessed to have him joining our family. He even gets my dry- sometimes sarcastic-sense of humor and laughs at my jokes! I am looking forward to making many happy memories in the years to come! We are so looking forward to getting to know Jordan’s family, too. It is a happy time to see our family expanding and the joy multiplying!  


So why so stressed? Other than having nothing to wear (I really hate shopping) and the day getting closer- I’ve come face to face, head to forehead, faceplant on the sidewalk with how fast the years have gone. Wasn’t it just yesterday that I was playing in the yard with Lindsey and laughing with her little brother, Taylor. Wasn’t it just her last birthday when she turned 8 and cried and cried because she didn’t want to get older? Now I want to cry (and sometimes do) because this happiest occasion- with all the blessings it brings- is also very bittersweet!

I’m sure I’ll find a dress (knowing me, the week of) and I’m so excited for the venue and the sweet friends supporting us and helping! I’ve done flowers for so many events and weddings but, I have to say, that I’m looking forward to decorating my daughters wedding with precious creative friends. I’ve got some beautiful smart friends that bless my socks off! They have taught me the value of showing up! They have shown up for us big time in the past 17 months. Through brain surgery, moving- several times, Lindsey’s diagnosis and starting our lives over from scratch- they have been there. They have cheered us, prayed for us and now rejoice with us in this wedding! My cup runs over with the kindness we have been shown. 

So the other stress? I told you I’d keep it real.  When did I get old? When did my face fall and my wrinkles show up? Ugh!!!!! Without this turning into a blog on aging, let’s just say- if there was ever a day for Botox- today was the day! So I finally took the plunge and got a little “something” to relax the little reasons for being asked if I’m mad. My reply? “I’m really not mad! It’s just my face!” So…here we go! We will see how it turns out. Kelly 🍀​​

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