Coffee Date 1.23.14

Haha, these so-called weekly coffee dates have been a joke, huh? Life has been going so quickly, I'm having a hard time holding on. Between my responsibilities at home, with Miles, with Mike and working, sometimes my head barely feels above water. But I'm wanting to get some balance back in my life. This might mean saying no to projects, using my time more wisely while Miles sleeps and staying up later. 

Let's get this hanging out thing back in order too! I really enjoy blogging but it's not a "necessity" and is one of the last things that gets attention. 

If we were meeting for coffee on this snowy morning, we might get to sit at my dining room table while Miles naps and catch up. I'd tell you how weird it feels to be the mother of a one year old and that thoughts of wanting to be pregnant again are circling around my mind. We had planned one big first birthday party for Miles with all of this favorite people, both family and friends. But two days before our little family came down with a yucky case of the sickies, so we had to cancel the party. I was super bummed because I had put so much time and effort into planning the menu, theme and of course paper products. We ended up rescheduling the party and just ended up doing two smaller family parties at our house last weekend. I can't wait to comb through the photos and share them on the blog next week. It was awesome to celebrate my Miles being around for an entire year. 

I'd tell you how lucky I feel that Mike is a teacher, especially since he had off work from Monday through Wednesday because of the holiday and snow. It feels weird for him to be back at work this morning, but the end of May is coming quickly, then I'll get him home with me all the time! Yay for summers off! 

I'm always amazed at how pretty the snow is as it falls. It seriously snowed from 7am to 7pm on Tuesday and it was so peaceful. But in the city, it so quickly gets gross. The once clean, smooth white snow turns into dirty piles that line the street. I'm sure there is some metaphor to how quickly sin stains our righteousness, but my mind is not there quite yet this morning. 

I'd ask you how your new year has started. Have you made any exciting resolutions, and have you been sticking to them? Mike and I have decided that we are going to read through the Bible together in one year chronologically. For two people who never have been good about reading the Bible together, the past few weeks have been awesome. We've had days where we skipped reading or life felt just too busy to sit down together, but for the most part we've been dedicated. I can only thank the Holy Spirit for that miracle. 

Welp, Miles is stirring in his crib so I suppose it's time to end our time together this morning. Until next week, really! 

Coffee Date 10.4

I'm so happy for it to be Friday. This week was busier than most.

I've been missing our coffee dates for a few Fridays, but I'm glad we are back together now. Let's drink some iced coffee since it's been in the 80s for a few days in OCTOBER. Where's the fall weather I love? 

I hope we would sit on the living room rug on the floor while we watched Miles climb on everything. The past month he has been learning new things so quickly. It seems like he was just learning to army crawl and now he's moving fast and pulling himself up everywhere. I know it's hard to have a deep conversation while being constantly distracted, but we will try.

I would tell you that I'm trying to be more intentional with my friendships. In the past week, I've had two play dates with friends and their children. It's been good to socialize during the day. It's been good to step outside of my selfishness and delve into the lives of my friends. But it's work. I'm not naturally an outgoing person, and I'm content to spend the day loving on Miles and waiting for Mike to get home from work. But God calls us to be in community and to love others. I'm praying for God to change my heart and to give me a passion for deep relationships that glorify him. Won't you pray that with me?

I would tell you that selfishness is creeping its way into my heart again, into my marriage and into my care for Miles. I think that being a mother is a beautiful calling from God, but it's also draining. I have less time to actually get things done and higher expectations for everyone in my life. It's a juggling act that I need to accept that I'm going to drop some balls, and give others room to not have it all together. There's beauty in imperfection and in not getting it right – that's where grace can shine. 

I would tell you that I'm getting excited for Miles' first birthday already. I think I want to throw a lumberjack themed party at my house in January. The only problem is that we have a small row home and not enough space for our friends and family. But I desperately want to host it at our house. We're still trying to figure out the logistics. 

I would confess that I haven't really done my hair all week. It's been back in a ponytail for the past three days. I would probably even complain about how hard it is to have the bathroom and shower right beside the nursery. And that is my excuse for the ponytail. The bathroom location has to change in our next house! 

I would share what I've been learning in church and small group about Jesus' humanity. This sermon series on the man of Jesus is blowing my mind. I'll do an entire post about what I'm learning soon. 

We would talk about how you are, what you're struggling with and how God's working in your heart. Once our coffee cups were empty and time has passed quickly, I'd walk you out to your car and give you a huge hug goodbye. 

Until next week my dear friend! 

Coffee Date 8.30

Good morning friend. I hope you don't mind having coffee together early this morning. Miles was awake and ready to go at 5:20 this morning. Doesn't he know that Saturdays are for sleeping in?

I'm loving these painted bowls from West Elm. The morning would be a little more cheery with a bowl of cereal in one of these beauties.

How was your week? Mine was pretty good but went slowly. Miles had been boycotting naps for the past four days so it seems like I am always chasing the next nap. He's going down for a nap now and in hoping it takes!

I hope you don't mind me talking about work a little but. My Etsy shop had a bunch of new calling card orders this week. I love working in my shop because it gives me a chance to work directly with customers and create something from start to finish. I sell premade designs that can be tailored to fit the clients specific wording and color choices. Then once the design work had been approved, I print it on high quality 110lb. Double thick cover (probably doesn't mean much to you, but I like paper) and hand trim each piece. I like literally having my hands in each step. Every card is inspected to make sure it's up to my standard. That might be more detail than you want on my process but it's something I enjoy talking about, so I know you won't mind me rambling for a bit.

How was work for you this week? How's your family? Any big plans for Labor Day weekend?

I can't believe that it's almost September. I love autumn, but it bums me out because winter is not far behind. But Miles will turn one in January, and I can't believe how fast the past 8 months have gone by.  The first three months felt like years, but the spring and summer were gone in the blink of an eye.

I wish I had more to talk about this week, but I'm feeling a little worn out and want to hibernate for the day.

I'll talk to you soon sweet friend! I'll leave you with these lyrics from Mumford & Sons' Hopeless Wanderer:

So when your hope's on fire
But you know your desire
Don't hold a glass over the flam
Don't let your heart grow cold
I will call you by name
I will share your road

But hold me fast, hold me fast
Cause I'm a hopeless wanderer

photo from West Elms website (link in text)

Coffee Date 8.21

I know we were supposed to get together every Friday for a little virtual coffee date, but as in real life, I can be flaky and forgot. But to make up for it, I'll share a little secret with you. I found the best coffee ever through Jessi's Instagram (she blogs at Naptime Diaries). Rudabegga's artisan coffee concentrate is amazing. I ordered the Sea Salt Carmel Mocha variety and it blew my mind. This is going to sound so lame, but the flavors are so complex. I just add some ice and unsweetened vanilla almond milk and I'm ready to go!

Once I stop talking about my awesome new coffee obsession, I'd ask how your week is going and what's new in your life. If Miles were napping, I'd listen intently, but if he's not, I might have to ask you repeat the last line. (He's moving around a lot and trying to get into everything - especially shoes!)

I would tell you that I'm feeling a little overwhelmed these days. I'm a bridesmaid in one of my best friend's weddings in late September and we have her shower coming up on Saturday. I don't know why I volunteer to complete tasks that are a little too large for the time that I have. But I'm spending most of my free minutes putting together the favors of little spices and wrapping silverware with baker's twine. The shower will be great, but I'd be lying if I said that I weren't ready for it to be here and for the work to be over.

Last week my design work was slowing down and that always makes me a little bit nervous, but I was enjoying getting more housework completed. But then over the weekend, BAM, my work picked up and I was once again a little stressed about all the different projects with short deadlines.

I might even fill you in on how much I hate change, and that I was dreading Mike going back to teaching. He had his first day on Monday, and on Sunday night I was grieving the loss of our summer. The thing I'll miss most is our slow mornings together. Miles typically wakes up between 5:30 and 6:30, and then I would usually bring him in bed with us so we could all play and snuggle. But now that Mike heads out the door at 6:45, there's no time for our lazy mornings together.

But soon enough I'll get into a new routine with Miles and we will anxiously wait by the door for Mike to get home after school each afternoon!

Besides being busy and letting the stress of life get to me, not much else is new. I'm hoping that when we "sit down" for coffee next week, that I'll feel more at peace!

Until next time! 

photo from Rudabegga's website

Coffee Date 8.9.13

If we were able to sit down for coffee together at my house, I'd probably be drinking a homemade cinnamon iced coffee with almond milk. (I make a mean cup of it every morning with my iced coffee concentrate - I'll share the recipe on the blog soon). But you can drink whatever you want. Now that we have a Keurig, it's so easy to make a cup of anything! We'd probably settle down on my living room floor to chat while we watch Miles scoot around on the carpet. He'd be giving you crazy big grins and won't stop until he gets your attention. He is such a sweetheart at almost 7 months. Everyone gets a big gummy smile as his eyes light up.

I would tell you that this week has gone fast and we've been busy. But the good kind of busy, where we spent our days with friends and family. I would tell you that although I am an introvert, that being with friends breathes life into my soul. There is beauty in sharing your life with others and in delving into their heart. I spent time this week with a friend from church, a friend from high school and her two sweet boys and my mother.

I bet we would chat about how work is going, weekend plans and how weird the weather has been this week (feeling like fall in the beginning of August!).

You might even tell me how well rested I seem. And I'd start to brag about how my little boy slept through the night last night! Miles slept from 7pm to 4:45am, then promptly fell back asleep for another hour after nursing. I even went to bed at 9:30 because I was falling asleep on the couch. I would tell you how amazing sleep feels, and probably lament at how we had to let Miles fuss in his crib for a few minutes to help teach him how to sleep. I'd say that I'm sorry we had to do that, but I'm not sorry because he is much happier and well rested.

We would talk about what God is doing in our lives. I would admit that for the past 6 months, I haven't spent much time in the Word. That I had chosen work, television, Instagram and really any distraction over spending time with God. But I would rejoice in the fact that God has stirred in me and that I've been spending each morning reading the Bible and journalling for the past two weeks. I would preach about how God is so gracious to never rejects us, but to always welcome us back into his arms. I might even share with you that I am starting to feel like God wants really big things from my life. And that I'm tired of simply being comfortable, but that I want to be worthy of God's beautiful calling on my life. I have no idea what that looks like, but I'm asking God for guidance.

I would probably complain about the end of summer and that Mike is headed back to school next week (he's a teacher at a local college). Miles and I will miss our lazy mornings together with him. But I get excited to hear about all his students and what projects they are working on.

I can guarantee that we would say that we should get together more often and that we will make plans soon. I hope that we might even pray together before we leave.

Thanks for having coffee with me, let's do this again every Friday, ok?