Saying goodbye to our neighbors

Last Thursday I spent the afternoon at Gattiland saying bye to our sweet neighbors who moved away. Jennifer and I became friends the moment we introduced ourselves two years ago. Our husbands work for the same company and were both doing quite a bit of traveling at the time, so I loved having someone right across the street to share those experiences with!

We spent the afternoon eating pizza and playing games, and with all of the tickets her boys won they chose to get a big bag of army men that they could play with together. They were seriously some of the sweetest, most polite kids I've ever met! I'm really going to miss all of them!

Weekend Update

I know I fell behind on my daily posts, but I was in Austin this weekend spending time with some of my favorite girls!

It was a quick trip, but we managed to squeeze in a little shopping, several yummy restaurants, an afternoon of manicures and pedicures, and heartfelt good-for-the-soul conversation. And...we made a promise to make this happen a lot more often. I'm holding us to it, girls!

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

Today I'm Thankful

I apologize for being MIA lately. Like I said a few weeks ago, I've had a lot on my mind. I've been stressed, frustrated, and anxiously waiting for God to reveal himself in certain areas of my life. I know He's there, and I know He's heard my prayers. I'm just not sure what His plan is. 

After several weeks of focusing on what I wish was different, the things I'm desperately trying to change, I'm choosing today to think about all the good things in my life. It's time to refocus and change my perspective. 

Today I'm thankful for my job and that I have the opportunity to work.
I'm thankful for Brandon's job and the fact that I don't have to be the breadwinner.
I'm thankful for my parents, their constant love, guidance and support.
I'm thankful for my sister, someone who knows me like no one else ever will.
I'm thankful for Brandon. I'm thankful for his patience with me and his desire to make me happy.
I'm thankful for Princess and how she keeps me company when Brandon is away.
I'm thankful for our home.
I'm thankful for the yummy bacon and eggs I ate for breakfast.
I'm thankful for my education, something that can never be taken away from me.
Today I'm thankful for my friends, the people who have shared in every joy and every heartache.
I'm thankful for my faith and for my relationship with God.
I'm thankful for my good health and the health of my family and friends.
I'm thankful for my PaPaw and that we will be celebrating his ninety-first birthday.
I'm thankful for K-LOVE radio and how they know just what I need to hear.
I'm thankful that Jesus died on the cross to save us from sin.
I'm thankful that I will be celebrating Easter at home, surrounded by those I love.
Lastly, I'm thankful for love, laughter, and a sense of hope.
Hope that gives me the strength I need day after day.

Friendship, and Weekends Like This

This is the third opening line I've typed for this post.
I just can't seem to get it right. 

I want to tell you about our weekend,
the weekend that Kayla and Riley came to visit.
I want you to know how much we truly enjoyed it.

First I want to tell you our history and everything that brought us together.
I want to tell you about our life long friendship
and what role each of us played in helping one another find true love.

I want to share with you all of our memories,
memories of proms, graduations, twenty-first birthdays, and weddings.

Mostly, I want you to know just how special this friendship really is.

And then maybe you'll understand why this weekend meant so much.
Maybe you'll understand why it felt so good to pick up where we left off
and continue our heartfelt conversations.

Maybe you'll see that a weekend of dinner, bowling,
breakfast tacos and Pitch Perfect can actually be good for your soul.

If you're like me you'll realize
that this kind of friendship only happens once-in-a-lifetime,
and you'll vow to yourself to make weekends like this happen a lot more often.

Looking Back {on 2012} Part I

For me 2012 was a year of personal growth. As the year began I found myself searching for meaning and purpose in my life. It was a year of challenges, but those challenges eventually turned into triumphs, and as the year came to a close I felt at peace. I had learned to seek happiness for myself, instead of waiting for it to find me. 

January

We celebrated the new year in Texarkana for Britt and Dustin's wedding weekend. It was such a memorable weekend and a wonderful start to 2012. 

At some point in January it became a reality that Brandon actually had to leave for three months, starting at the end of March. I began worrying about what this meant for me. I didn't have anything holding me back in Corpus, but I started to wonder if having a job would make the coming months easier. I looked into possibilities outside of child life, and I considered going into teaching. After weighing all my options I decided against it. I didn't want to jump into something just because I was scared of the challenge ahead. 

February 

I spent the month of February taking advantage of my time with Brandon, since I knew he would be leaving in a matter of weeks. Although we squeezed in as many date nights and fun outings as we could, it still felt like there was cloud of sadness hanging over us. Even though we tried not to think about it, we knew that we were quickly approaching the biggest challenge we had ever faced as a married couple. 

Towards the end of the month I made my first Austin trip of 2012. Shell and I experienced the Campus Candy Store for the first time and attended a Texas Country benefit concert that was close to my heart.

March

I realized I had spent so much time trying to figure out the next step in God's plan that I hadn't even noticed His presence in the present moment. I began to see Him working in my life in ways that I hadn't even considered. I learned to accept the stage I was in, and life seemed fun again. 

We spent a weekend in Yoakum before Brandon started his rig training, and at the end of the month we began our Dallas adventures. 

April

I did a lot of traveling in April. I was either in Yoakum with my parents, in Austin with Michelle, or in Dallas with Brandon. I had a lot of time to myself, which I spent running, reading, and just thinking about life. 

We also celebrated my PaPaw's 90th birthday, and we felt so blessed to have him in our lives. 

April was also the beginning of Courtney and Kyle's wedding festivities. My maid of honor duties included a day in College Station for Courtney's bridal portraits, a day I will never forget.

Stay tuned for parts two and three...

Life Updates

I know, I know. I'm slacking in the blog department. Honestly, I have several posts in my head...posts about marriage, faith, a Saturday night at the camp house...I just need time to sit and write. I hope these quick updates will hold you over until then.

First I want to say THANK YOU  to my sweet blog friend, Tiffany, who sent me a little something to congratulate me on my new job. Opening and reading her sweet card put a huge smile on my face! Thanks, Tiff!

So, life updates...

- Life is good. Brandon is continuing to work hard at his job, and we are finally starting to somewhat get used to his schedule. I shouldn't even use the word 'schedule'. He's here for a few days, then he's gone for a few days. He's in Dallas for a few months and then Oklahoma for a few weeks. There's really no rhyme or reason to it. I've just learned to go with the flow. When I tell people about his job, and how often he is gone they say "I don't know how you do it." Well, I don't either. I think the only thing that helps is knowing that it's not going to be like this forever. It's only temporary. That's what I keep reminding myself.

- As far as my job goes, I'm still getting used to it. The schedule, itself, is an adjustment. I'm working Sunday through Thursday, 3:00pm to 11:30. It's not the best, but it's not the worst. I'm starting to get used to sleeping later, which was actually hard for me at first, and waking up at 8:00am and not going back to sleep 'till 2:00am can make you {or at least me} crazy.

I'm also adjusting to working at another facility, a facility that does things a lot differently than what I'm used to. I'm not going to go into a lot of detail, but I will say that I have moments, days even, when I feel very frustrated. That's when it's helpful to come back to my office and read this:

It's something my mom gave me when I was in high school, and I've carried it with me through every stage of life since then. Mom, I bet you didn't even know I still had it! It is a great reminder, and something I will be reading often.

- I'm headed to Austin this weekend to run in the Color Me Rad 5k with my sister. I've heard it's one of the funnest {is 'funnest' a word?} races, and I can't wait to show you pictures!

- I finally stepped out of the stone age and into the world of Instagram. I only follow a few people {four, to be exact} but I love it! If you have Instagram, find me! {@emrenken} And if you don't have Instagram, get it. Then you can take super fun pics of what you eat when there's no groceries in your house, like me!

{#starving #unhealthychoices}

- One good thing about my work schedule: Today's my Friday! Haha, hope you all have fun at work tomorrow! Don't worry, you can rub it in my face on Sunday when you're all at home relaxing. Seriously, have a great weekend! And thanks for reading, friends!

Angie & Logan's Wedding

We spent this past Saturday celebrating Angie & Logan. It was a perfect day.

I've been friends with Angie since, well, ever since I can remember.
And there's just something so special about seeing a childhood friend get married.
Being able to look back and remember everything that has brought her to this day.
Noticing the sweet smiles she gives her groom
and knowing that your friend has found her 'person', her soul mate.
It's a beautiful thing.

From the moment we drove up until we left that evening, I kept saying "This is so Angie!"
Everything from the outdoor ceremony to the country chic decor at the reception,
it seemed so her.
It was perfect.

The judge who performed the ceremony was a close friend of Logan's family.
To say he did an amazing job would be an understatement.
He talked about how marriages go through seasons and that they require constant commitment.
He said that a wife can't expect her husband to wear a halo,
and that the husband shouldn't expect his wife to wear wings.
His words were so true, and something every husband and wife should remember.

Later that evening we sat down for a bar-b-que dinner followed by cupcakes.
Again, so Angie.

After the sweet toasts given by both of their families,
the grand march, and first dances I finally got to hug the bride.

Angie,
I'm so happy for you!
I hope your wedding day was everything you dreamed it would be.
You looked so beautiful.
And so happy.

Logan,

You hit the jackpot in the wife department,

and the fact that you have Angie cooking for you for the rest of your life is just one reason.

But seriously, I'm so glad you and Angie found each other.

I wish you guys nothing but the best!

Courtney and Kyle say 'I do'

This past weekend we celebrated Courtney and Kyle's wedding day. All the planning and peparation paid off, because the day was absolutely perfect! Courtney was a beautiful bride, and I have never seen her as happy as she was on this day.

Kyle, she may now be your wife,

but she will always be our 'Court-Court'.





Jace & Laura's Wedding!

Two weekends ago we traveled to Rockwall, TX for Jace and Laura's wedding. Brandon and Jace have been friends since they were kids, and Laura became a close friend to us as soon as she and Jace started dating.

We were so happy to be a part of their day! Since we had to leave a little earlier than expected I didn't get any pictures with Laura {which made me very sad}, but I can tell you she was a stunning bride!

I truly believe that these two were made for each other.


Here's a few photos from the weekend...

{Rehearsal}

{Me & B}

{BFF}

{First Dance}

{"The Brothers" - We have this same pic from baseball games, proms, graduations, and weddings.. Love these boys!}

{YHS batting order}

{College roommates}

{<3}

Jace, I'm so happy you found your match!

And Laura, I'm so glad to call you my friend.

We can't wait to make many, many more memories with you guys!

Nothing I say will be good enough...

On Saturday night my grandpa died.
We were at a wedding, a close friend's wedding.
It was my mom and dad's anniversary.
We were laughing, talking, and taking pictures with long-time friends.
Yes, one minute we were laughing, talking and posing for pictures,
and the next minute we were crying.
I was sobbing.

I was prepared for this. I had been prepared for months.
I knew Grandpa was sick.
I knew that some days he wasn't even Grandpa.
I knew that the best place for him was in heaven with Grandma.
I knew that my aunts were there.
I knew that hospice had been called.
I knew the morphine had been given.
I knew all of this.

But no matter how much you know,
no matter how much you prepare,
it still hits you like a ton of bricks.

~~~~

And since then, I have been wanting to write.
I have been wanting to sort through my jumbled thoughts and emotions.
I have been wanting to clear my head,
get out of this fog.

I have been wanting to write about Grandpa.
About his life, and the memories we share with him.
I have been looking through photo albums,
searching, grasping, longing to see him again.

I have been wanting to write a blog, share the photos,
relive the memories with you.
I want you to know what a great man he was,
what an incredible Grandpa he was.

But no matter how many stories I tell or how many photos I share,
it will never be good enough.
Nothing I say will be good enough.

~~~~

To all the friends who were with us on Saturday night,
thank you.

To my aunts, uncles, and cousins who were with Grandpa,
I'm so glad he wasn't alone.

To the special person who drove to camp get my sister,
you will never know how much we appreciate you.

And to my Grandpa,
I will always love you.

Long Overdue

We spent the weekend in Austin, with our friends Eric and Jenny.
And baby Reese, Sweet baby Reese.
It was a weekend that was long overdue.

We got there Friday night.
Brandon and Eric sat in the back yard for a while.
They talked, over a few beers, and I could tell that this was exactly what they needed.
Time to talk, to catch up.

And visiting with Jenny,
that's exactly what I needed.

On Saturday the boys went to a softball tournament.
They played all day.
Jenny and I slept in, enjoyed lunch at Mighty Fine Burgers,
and spent the afternoon playing with Reese.

Oh, Reese.
Last time we saw you, you were a baby.
How fast you've grown!
You're a little person now, and we love you so much!
We can't wait to come play with you again.
But until then?
We will hold onto the memories of you smiling as you say 'Emmie',
and how you reach your arms out for B to hold you.

You see, a year ago this would have been a normal Saturday.
But now? This time is treasured.
Weekends like this don't come around very often.
So when they do?
We soak in every. single. minute.

Court's Bachelorette Bash

Two weekends ago we drove down to Port Aransas for Courtney's bachelorette party. The weekend was so much fun! We got there on Friday, spent time at the pool that night and all day Saturday, and went out Saturday night. We drove home on Sunday, all running low on sleep, with fun new memories to cherish.

Here is a photo re-cap of the weekend...

Love you, Court!

Weekend Wrap-Up

This weekend was full of friends, food, music, and fun! On Friday we went to Taste of Addison with a few of our friends from B's work.



{Taste of Addison}



When we first found out about this festival {which included lots of food, drinks, and great music} B told his friends that we may not go since I was running the next morning. Yes, he was about to turn down live Texas Country music, for me. I told him that we could definitely go, and we agreed to not stay too late. 



{Our view from the Dos Equis tent}



We got there and walked around a while. There were carnival rides, arts and crafts vendors, several concert stages, and lots and lots of yummy food. Once we decided which of the sixty-something restaurant tents we wanted to eat at, we got in line to place our order. I had seen people carrying margaritas that looked so good. Boot cups, pinapples, coconuts, glo-in-the-dark cups... You name it, they served margaritas in it! But, B reminded me that I had a race in the morning, and since I am a major lightweight when it comes to alcohol, I decided against the margarita in the oh-so-cool cup. Oh the sacrifices of being a runner..ha!



{Dinner from Taco Diner}



We ate, visited with friends, sat in the special guest Dos Equis tent. That's right, we were special guests...



{Inside the special guest tent..Sarah and I were matching!}



And after listening to a little Wade Bowen we called it a night. It was a fun, relaxing evening. And did I mention it was all free??

The next morning we got up and went to my first 5k...

{Read more about the 5k here}

We then headed to Mansfield for a softball tournament that B played in with our friend, Hunter. Hunter and B were roommates in college, and it was so good to see him and his wife, Lindsey! The tournament was at the Field of Dreams complex, which was really nice.



{Each field is designed after one of the historic major league fields.}



B loves playing softball, and he hasn't had the chance to play in almost a year because of his work schedule. So it was fun to get to watch him play again :)



{That's B... He did great!}



After our long day Saturday, we spent Sunday relaxing and hanging out at the hotel. It was a great weekend :)

A lot has changed, but it's still the same...

I just had a wonderful visit with a friend.

We talked and sipped on green tea frappuccinos.

It was a good conversation.

A conversation we hadn't had in a while.

We talked about life, marriage, jobs, our husbands' jobs,

family, friends, houses, future houses,

new cities, previous cities, future kids,

and everything in between.

As I drove away I thought about how much had changed since I met this friend.

But then I thought about how much is the same.

We are still two girls sitting cross-legged,

sharing our hopes, dreams, and fears with one another.

Both thankful to have someone to listen,

 and understand exactly what you are saying.

And that is something that I hope will never change.

A Perfect Day

Yesterday I went with my friend, Courtney, to take her bridal protraits.

It was an absolutely perfect day.

Let me rewind a bit:

I met Courtney on May 31, 1988. The day she was born.

I was six months old, my mom went to visit her mom in the hospital,

and that was the start of our life-long friendship.

Now fast forward to yesterday:

Courtney looked absolutely beautiful!

The instant the photographer put her in the first pose, it hit me.

All the sleepovers and tea parties.

All the times we played school and house.

The baby dolls and barbies, braces and boyfriends.

All the memories came flooding back. 

But I kept going.

Fluffing the train on her dress, 

making sure every curl of her hair was in just the right place.

The whole time, fighting back the tears behind my sunglasses. 

Tears of happiness.

This day was perfect.

This day was one day closer to the day Courtney will marry Kyle.

And I could not be happier for her!



Weekend Update

    Brandon and I spent this last weekend in Yoakum. Our days included family, friends, Mi Tierra, two-steppin', good music, and home cooked meals from our moms' kitchens. Here's a few pictures from Saturday night. We don't get to see our friends nearly enough, so this night was much needed :) 



     Michelle and I also made this strawberry-coconut cake, which just happens to be her favorite (strawberry) and my favorite (coconut) put together. Shell found the recipe on Pinterest, of course! 

  

The cake is super moist, and the icing is amazing!

I hope everyone had a great weekend :)