Mirror Mirror

For about two weeks now, I've had an eye infection. I Googled it and had convinced myself that I had waited too long and was about to go blind. It still took me a week and a half into it to surrender to wearing my glasses. I've never been comfortable wearing them. Maybe it's because my eyes look like dots behind my coke bottle lenses. Maybe it's because they're constantly crooked. Maybe it's because they remind me of the awful maroon glasses my parents allowed me to get. I had freckles, red hair that I didn't know what to do with, and maroon glasses. Triple whammies. I still hold that against them. I tried to find a picture of me sporting them... Unfortunately, they're all displayed and framed at my mom's house. Darn it.

I haven't ever seen myself as a vain person. Self conscious and insecure? Yes. I'm nearly 30 and I think I'm just now realizing that I've wasted a lot of time worrying about what other people are going to think of me. Worrying about what's going to happen next and what does it matter? God has always been quick to show me where I need Him and He has been faithful to be with me where ever I am. Sometimes I am resistant and the shepherding hurts. I think I know best. Other times it's easy, like He's been preparing me all along.

I pray my children spend their time more wisely than I. I pray they are quick to get that dirt off their shoulders. I pray they always feel God's bumpers surrounding them. There is nothing more comforting.

 

 

 

Jesus Calling. July 31st~

Too much table

This weekend, I found two occasional tables on craigslist. Both were from Bombay Company, so they were solid, but pretty scratched and stained. I couldn't wait to paint them.

My husband and I live in a townhome, so space is limited. A couple of years ago, we decided that we needed to start living with things that worked in our home and stop holding onto certain pieces of furniture that may or may not work in our next place. Letting go has been fun. I think I make a trip to Goodwill or put something curbside at least every other week. It's so freeing. Of course, I currently have three dining room tables, but that's another story. Live and learn, right?

We had a fairly large end table, from Ikea. It's been a nightstand for our master bedroom and an end table in our living room. It was just taking up too much space and needed to be traded out. It was actually our last piece of Ikea furniture. I guess we're growing up. The table sat next to our ginormous La-Z-Boy, which I hope to someday be able to switch out as well...Just have to convince my husband that you can take a nap in a pretty linen chair too :) So far, he's not convinced :)

Two bulky things next to each other in a small living room just wasn't working. For some reason, this is one of the only pictures I can find of the previous end table and it's blurry...

So, I ended up keeping one of the end tables. I'm still working on styling it. I'd love a blue and white lamp...some fresh pink roses, but here's the after~ complete with a broken lamp and a faux plant. Just keepin it real, folks.

 

The other end table, I painted with milk paint and it turned out looking a little "coastal" to me. I don't happen to have a coastal home, but I was really pleased with the finished product. I think I get so stuck on painting things to way I would want them in my own home, that I don't branch out. So I'm working on that. This was my first attempt...

 

 

 

 

 

I just put this end table on craigslist today. Please message me if you're interested!

Ahead

 

My husband took this picture of our son in Yorktown, on one of the stops on our recent road trip. I love everything about it. I love that my son's hair is a little sweaty. I love his neck. I love how grown he looks. I love the texture of the wood on the house...the old bricks...I also love how it represents the way I feel sometimes, like I just can't see what's ahead. Instead of finding comfort in that, it causes deep impatience. It causes me to focus more on the things I don't know and can't change, then all the wonderful things about the now. I like knowing what to expect. I think most people are probably like that. I like being able to plan. I like a nice, spontaneous trip, but I'm not so down with life surprises, you know? I'm probably the norm here. I feel like God should put it in my nice, monogrammed planner. Obviously, He doesn't do that. He knows me. He made me. He wants to protect me from the future. Not necessarily because there may be something ahead that is scary, but also because there may be something ahead that is so incredible that I just wouldn't be able to believe it. I'm 29 and a 1/2 and I think I'm just now understanding that it is God who determines my steps and trusting in that.

 

 

My son, if you accept my words

and store up my commands within you,

turning your ear to wisdom

and applying your heart to

understanding-

indeed, if you call out for insight

and cry aloud for understanding,

and if you look for it as for silver

and search for it as for hidden treasure,

then you will understand the fear of the

Lord

and find the knowledge of God.

For the Lord gives wisdom;

from his mouth come knowledge and

understanding.

He holds success in store for the upright,

he is a shield to those whose walk is

blameless,

for he guards the course of the just

and protects the way of his faithful ones.

Then you will understand what is right

and just

and fair- every good path.

For wisdom will enter your heart,

and knowledge will be pleasant to your

soul.

Discretion will protect you,

and understanding will guard you.

 

Proverbs 2:1-11

 

 

 

Mariah

Here's a sneak peak of the buffet that I call Mariah...

It's been a love hate relationship, but more love now. Plus, she's painted in Lucketts Green. Ahhh...What more could you ask for, right? My drawer pulls have just arrived and I think they're going to be just perfect.

New French Provincial Table

I have really enjoyed transforming dining tables. I can't wait to post the one we're calling our own. It's #3 for us and it's a keeper. For now, at least.

I have fallen in love with French Provincial tables. Aren't they beautiful? And timeless? They have so much detail and curves...

 

This is a French Provincial table that I did fairly recently. I decided to leave the top unpainted. It was just in such wonderful condition and such a pretty walnut color.

 

 

 

It seats six. Let me know if you are interested in bringing this home.

 

A before & after look at our new dining chairs

I couldn't decide what color to paint these dining chairs. I thought that I was going to paint them black and I may at some point, but I decided to go with French Linen and antiquing wax in all the floral swirl carvings. We spend a lot of time in our dining room. We eat in here, play in here, and have school in here. I love how much light it gets during the day, but at night, without an overhead light or many lamps, it gets nearly too dark to enjoy. So...black chairs just felt like the wrong way to go. What do you think? They're a coat heavier than the china cabinet.

before

after



 

So that's them. These are the chairs our family will sit at every day. The ones they will spill things in...where they will learn...where stories will be told...where my children will complain about what I feed them...Sweet memories for my soul.

 

 

Linking up to No Minimalist Here for the Open House Party!

Pretty in Pink

 

Today I'm linking up to Savvy Southern Style's Wow Us Wednesday!

My daughter is two years old. The honey and I still call her "the baby" and think of her as the baby. She's two, so I guess she still kind of is :) But she's growing. Growing so fast. I wanted to capture her nursery before it changed.

 

I'm a sentimental person, so a lot of the decor in her room was mine or the honey's when we were babies. The big rocking chair has rocked my sister and I, my aunts two children, and all three of my babies. So many family members have rocked in that chair and loved and cuddled and shushed and sang off key. Being able to add that layer of special to her room was important to me.

 

 

 

 

 

Earlier this year, she and the boys switched rooms. The furniture set up just seemed to work better that way. This is what her nursery looked like when we first brought her home. I loved this room. It was so bright and happy and relaxing.

 



 

 

 

Oh how you've grown, my darling!