trusting

Every night I pray. & every night I end it with these words: I will continue to hold your hand, walk with you, trust you, as we walk down this path that at times may not make sense to me, but make complete sense to you.

It has been one week & one day since I made the big move. Since I went out of my comfort zone, challenged myself as a whole, & dove in to living on my own. Minus the fact that almost everything I have bought since my mom left (food processor, internet router, & curtain rod) has either been broken or is the wrong size, everything is just "clicking".  

I love the freedom. The freedom to decorate how I want, wear anything I please, cook food that I am craving, leave & return whenever I please, & do yoga at 9 at night "just because". I have finally convinced myself that my apartment does not need to be 100% decorated & complete RIGHT NOW. I have made multiply trips to Pier 1 & Hobby Lobby thinking that maybe this time I will find something. No, Carrie, you were just here yesterday. IT'S THE SAME STUFF. Come back in a month. 

I landed the perfect job for me. It was a prime example of it's not what you know but who you know. I start next week & could not be more excited.  

Denver called & said it wanted me to explore the town tonight. Heading to the Taste of Denver before attending my first Rockies game & then headed downtown for a couple drinks. People, my life rocks. 

Time has a wonderful way of showing us what really matters.

behold...

...the greatest invention ever.

The perfect alternative for giving that normal h20 a lil' some-somethin' extra. You can add any type of fruit in to the middle holder (lemon, strawberries, watermelon, etc.) & it's juices will slowly mix in with the water. Cheers!

* This pitcher was bought at Bed, Bath, & Beyond for around $20.00.

time

Time has a funny way of showing us things. Big or small, with time, the puzzle pieces start to merge together. 

I may be miles away from everything that is comfort to me, but deep down this is where I'm meant to be. Maybe not forever, but for today. This is where I will find a new comfort. I will build relationships that further my excitement about life, love, & the unfamiliar events that lie ahead. 

I can't explain the feelings that I have. After dropping my mom off at the airport on Sunday afternoon, I drove back towards the mountains. I'm fairly positive I breathed the biggest breath of my life as I clenched on to the steering wheel. Buckle up girlfriend, it all starts now. 

I continually feel a wave of reassurance that makes my nerves wash away. Whether it be exploring the city or getting e-mails from friends that I have never truly met with words that mean so much, I am reminded of why I am here. I'm here to prove to myself that I can start from scratch. I can pick myself up from a dark place & transform it in to the most beautiful place.

Work, relationships, friendships, family, a sense of purpose, settling in. All these take time, trust, & a belief that everything will work out.

you can find me in st.lou-a

In the last 72 hours I:

Drove to the cities

Met 2 friends from college for coffee in the cities

Flew to St. Louis

Went to Jefferson City

Jammed out to Celine Dion

Attended a bridal shower for Lauren

Met 15 of her friends

Drank a Pina Colada by the pool

Ate rum infused gummie bears

Started & joined a new sorority

Successfully used the "buddy system" & spent no $ on drinks. High five!

Danced my face off

Ate breakfast at McDonald's post-Bachelorette party

Flew back to Minneapolis

Bought a coffee at 9pm to make sure I could drive the whole way home

Got a suprise visit from one of my best friends once I pulled in the driveway

To sum up the weekend in 3 words: short & sweet. But in a too short but very sweet kind of way.

Lauren & I at her bridal shower

Steph & I know how to get it done

Hooray for new friends (minus the guy who jumped in for the picture)

Enjoying some drinks by the pool

Kelsie (Lauren's sister) & myself during Lauren's gift opening at her Bachelorette party. This is our "THOSE are underwear?!" faces.

the perfect setting

My favorite date includes three things:

1. A friend

2. A cup of coffee

3. Deep converstion mixed in with laughter (& a couple "hold that thought, I gotta go to the bathroom, again" moments).

Our lives, on a different path yet parallel all at the same time, made our conversation go on for over 2 hours. Many "me too!" & "I'm the exact same way" moments were shared, words of advice were exchanged, & the ever present feeling of a friendship that is just beginning.

Today reminded me that life is too short to not open up to people & share things that mean something to you. Things that trouble & excite you. Questions you have about when will men ever get it & why things cost so much money? Be quiet & listen. Really listen to the words that you hear & rebound back with your thoughts.

it will all be clear

Getting lost is not a waste of time. Trying something new is not always as scary as you think. Confusing things will make sense with time. Your path will have bumps, turns, & detours. Friends will come, friends will go, but you will always have them. In the grand scheme of life, will it really matter? Do one thing today that your future will thank you for. The unfamiliarty of the future is what makes today exciting. Great things take time, have patience. Even when you are surrounded by no one, you are never alone. Turn up your favorite song & dance like a crazy in front of the mirror. That one person will come along & make you realize that they were completely worth the wait. Indulge in a bowl of ice cream every now & then - we need to be reminded that life is sweet.

regret

Do I regret that Diet Coke that I drank at lunch today? Yes.

Do I regret going for a run last night even if it was a short one? No.

Do I regret the $20 cutting board I bought last week at the Mall of America? Maybe.

Tomorrrow, my mom & I hit the road to start our travels toward the Denver area. While the main goal of this trip is to find me a place to live (& hopefully not bomb in a job interview), I can't help but feel the nerves trickle in. As scary as this whole thing is, I know that either way, say this could be the best decision I have ever made or the worst, I will never regret not trying, not going, & not seeing how this next chapter in my life unravels.

a pinch of this, a dash of that

Recipe for a perfect Sunday

In one day, combine the following ingredients:

1. Dress up "just because". Throw on a LBD, a pair of heels, accessories, & whip out that curling iron.

2. Grab a coffee & head to church.

3. Run a couple errands & slowly start to wonder if it's normal that your calves are already starting to hurt from wearing heels.

4. Roam around Barnes & Noble for an hour. Gather a few books & find a quiet place to skim through them.

5. Head home & start laundry. All 3 loads of it.

6. Mow the grass "just because" you want to be outside & enjoy the sunshine.
7. Debate between cooking dinner or picking up something. Picking up something means spending money & spending money on overpriced food that I could make at home seems silly. Opt for a home cooked meal. On the menu tonight was grilled chicken breast, quinoa, a little bbq sauce, & corn.
8. Since you are too ansy, write a blog post & post it before the day is even over.

life lately

This week I spent 3 days volunteering my time with United Way of Cass-Clay. I helped unload, organize, & pack backpacks for their annual School Supply Drive. 

 It was eye opening when I first walked in to the convention room & saw all of the supplies. How great it is that we live in such a giving community yet how troubling it is that there is such a need like this. 

 I met some great people during my time there & was happy that I could help some children in our community go to school prepared & ready to learn!

I took the boys bowling today & met Amber & her nanny kids there. I joked with Nolan that if he beat me he had to walk home. He's lucky that my grandma is a mighty fine bowler & I was given some of her "bowling magic" genes.

the olympics in a nutshell

[via Pinterest]