the weekend in pictures.

so, allegiant airlines was actually on time for my first flight.  smooth sailing!  a nice change. 

i'll be flying out of provo tomorrow morning, and can't believe it's already over--how did the time go so quickly?  ben and i will be coming back next week, {long story} driving to utah with the kids and then he & i will fly out of utah to north carolina for another wedding of a lovely friend, while the kiddos stay with family.  we're planning on spending a few days at the beach to celebrate our 10th anniversary back in december.  can't wait! 

i spent a lot of time with my niece and nephews, i just adore those kids.  then lauren, brett & i went to my college roommate tara's wedding and boy oh boy, i shed a few tears.  tara and i have become really close in the past couple of years and she has worked so hard to find true happiness.  she is a beautiful person, and one i am absolutely blessed to call my friend. 

anyway--here's the weekend in grainy {some worse than others} phone pictures: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

a weekend for the soul.

i am here in the sunshine with this lady and this lady for the weekend.  there has been equal parts of laughter and tears, of the good kind.  conversation that ranges from the surface, to political, to the deep heart-burning questions and fears of the spirit.

so far we've stayed awake until the sun has peeked over the horizon, wandered the streets of tempe, eaten delicious gyros, met andrea for dinner and a movie {les mis--i went into the ugly cry--so good}, and taken ridiculous pictures of us leaping and cartwheeling through our hotel.

this is what my life has come to, with friendships.  learning to love myself has brought an ease of opening up that has never existed before, because before needed boundaries and space.  i can provide that for myself now without fear of another taking more than i can give, and it's an incredible thing, to feel free to give and receive more love without walls.

today holds a hike, massage, and then dinner and possibly??  karaoke.  yep, singing in front of a crowd, continuing with the "out of my comfort zone" for 2013.  living with this thought in mind has already changed me, and we're only february 2.  makes me so excited for what the next 10 months hold.

i don't want this weekend to end so i'm going to hold on to every little piece while it lasts.


also? i read this last week and was moved by it. 

"No matter the strikes against me, I am going to worship God. That is how I fight the lies. That is how I know He still works in me."

happy weekend!!

images of thanksgiving 2012.

“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” 

― Eckhart Tolle, 

we had a perfect day.

and not because it was actually perfect, but because we spent time together recognizing again all that we have to be thankful for.  it's just a matter of perspective, even through the hard things.  there is always something to be grateful for, even in those moments--especially in those moments...and that is what defines our character.

the good, the bad, the beautiful, the messy, the difficult, the miracles, the ordinary, the heartbreaking, the joy, the tears, the smiles, the laughter, and most importantly...the love.  i am thankful for it all, every day.

my best friend's wedding.

well, i picked some of my favorites...and there's a lot of them.

beautiful bride, handsome groom, amazing sealing, wonderful family, even better friends, a lot of tears {who knew you could cry out your nose too?  well, now i do.}, and a magical weekend.

hooray for mr. and mrs. parks!  here's to a lifetime of happiness.