Meet Hermione!

Gifted to me by wonderful friends Mal and Ryan, Hermione is my newest friend :)

She's a very cautious creature but I think she's starting to get used to me -

every night before bed we watch an episode of House

and she crawls around on my belly.

She's a simple little thing, but she makes me happy.

inspired::Mary Lou & Jim

In the midst of my

distrust-of-love-and-all-things-good phase,

I find Mary Lou and Jim breath taking.

After 50 years of marriage,

they still hold hands when they walk,

kiss longer than they have to,

and make each other laugh.

They inspire me to believe,

that maybe sometimes,

love is everything it should be.

Motherland!

I travel to Alexandria on my weekends,
to work,
because work is money,
and money is {apparently} essential.

My days are filled with
lime green work shirts,
the making of beds,
and toilet bowl cleaner.

But also,
friendships,
worn to a beautiful familiarity.

Which, if you ask me, is worth all the
chemical saturated heat filled days ;)

Hahaha, Yup

I laughed outloud when I found this - I get this ALL THE TIME.
and honestly...it's just my face =)

(found at: http://bleubirdvintage.typepad.com/)

Another Start

"Take courage. Do not fear. Start a new life tomorrow. Put the old mistakes away, and start anew. I give you a fresh start. Be not burdened. Be not anxious. If My forgiveness were for the righteous only, and those who had not sinned, where would be its need?...Why do you fret and worry so? I wait to give you all that is lovely, but your lives are soiled with worry and fret. You would crush my treasures. I can only bless glad, thankful hearts."

-God Calling

In recent weeks I have found myself walking on the outskirts of God's love, weary to make eye contact. In my subconscious, I always thought christianity was about the level of perfection you could offer up to Him -

I am all about perfection. No expectation should be less. No mistake should be accepted.

But I'm learning the hard way, turning it over in my hands waiting for it to be familiar - God's grace is not because I deserve it, not because of my perfection, or my effort for it.

Even as my skin feels muddied, my heart seemingly ruined...

He finds me worth loving,

a thought still uncomfortable. but true.

"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

-Matthew 9:12-13

Montana

It's pure country out here - drifting fields running up into yellowed mountains.
Here, it's easy to believe the world is still a big place.
Easy to believe there's room to dream.

It's almost enough to make me want to marry a cowboy.
Almost.

Brother Understands

I hang my legs through the window,
painfully pale,
as he drags on his cigarette,
soft smoke,
drifting across my lap.

We trade thoughts like
playing cards,
lazily throwing them down
for the other to observe.

We dig out the pockets of pain,
brush off faded hopes,
and sit in silence,
to avoid being alone.

It's a treasure,
having someone to hold your thoughts,
when they've become too heavy,
a person to lean on
when you need a breath.


Life is lighter,
when you're understood.