Friday Favorites: Because Everyone's Doing It

Here are a few favorite things from the week.

This Video: Corgi puppy playing with a pumpkin. It's so adorable!

This Recipe: POTATO SOUP
It got chilly in Atlanta this week, so I decided it was time to make potato soup for dinner with E & J one night.

This Photo: Glamping Baby shower I threw for my Sister - more on this later. (Sorry just had to share!)

This Laugh: Mom emailed a ton of these this week!

Valley Life: Working in The Valley

I had been in Atlanta only a few days, but was already getting discouraged with job hunting. I had met with a recruiter & spent hours updating my resume & LinkedIn profile. Talk about fun - but I did move to a new city without a job, so it had to be done. 

But let's back up a minute. I decided in May to make the move in August. My plan had been to start really job hunting in late June! interview in July, and be ready to start as soon as I moved. Sounds good right? And the best part, one of my guy friends from UGA worked at a staffing agency and offered to help! Everything seemed to be lining up perfectly. To make a long story short, my grandpa passed away at the beginning of June, so I got a little distracted, oh and I have a small pride issue, and thought I could get myself a job on my own. 

After submitting application after application after application online, I decided I would meet with  recruiter from a different agency than the one where my friend worked. Why? Back to pride. That and I told my roommates I didn't want to put pressure on my friendship with him, but really it was pride. They say getting a job is all about who you know, and I said 'watch me.'

So, how did I get my current job - 9 days after moving to Atlanta? Lightning struck. No, seriously. It was a crazy, stormy Thursday. One roommate (J) & I had just arrived home to find out that a tree. In our front yard had been struck by lightning! My other roommate's (E) car was sitting right under the tree. We made her come home from her date, sorry E!, because we didn't have a spare car key. With the big storm came a power outage - at least at our house. E's BF was kind enough to invite us over to his place while we waited for the power to come back on. Guess who lives with E's BF? My friend who works for a staffing agency. See what God did there? Had to actually use a lightning bolt to get my attention. 

But that's not where the story ends. We made s'mores (just throwing that in there to keep you interested!), I love s'mores. And then my friend proceeded to tell me about a job I might be interested in. We talked about it for a bit, but I was tired of talking about jobs. So on Friday morning we talked again, and he mentioned that they had already sent 2 people to interview. We'll guess what! Neither of those 2 people got the job, so he helped me fix my resume, and Saturday morning he emailed me to see if I wanted to interviewed.

I interviewed Monday AM, got the call at 4pm, took the job, and started Tuesday, August 12 at 8:30am.

I know that was kind of a long, drawn out story. But it's all true. Lightning was needed to get my attention, lightning. If that didn't knock down my pride, I don't know what would have. 

I haven't posted about fashion in a while. But I will again soon, until then Stay Fashionate! 

(This is after GA Power came at 12am, not to turn on power, but to saw off limbs & block of four driveway) 

Valley Life: Moving to the Valley

I began writing this post 2 months ago, having just moved to a new city - without a job. Over the years many friends have asked me for advice on different topics, but if this had been one I'm not sure that I would have encouraged it. I've been longing to move away from home. I wanted a big city life, a grown-up life. So yes, I may have been excited for a friend to make the big move, but without a job? I don't know.  I moved to a street with the word Valley in it, and began hash tagging #ValleyLife. The Lord has begun to use that hashtag in my life to teach me a thing or two already.

So just about a week ago, I did something I've wanted to do for a long time. I moved away from home. Now, there's nothing wrong with home - I have the best family, yes, younger brother included, and the best friends from childhood, but I didn't feel like a grown-up. The night before the big move, I began to really doubt this decision. And a week later, and still jobless, those doubts are still here. But guess Who is still here as well...The Lord.

As a 17 year old girl, I dreamed of living in NYC working in fashion or event planning. Neither of which has happened.  I thought that because I didn't become a teacher (which was my non-NYC idea) or an event planner in NYC, that I was a failure. I'd let that young 17 year old girl down. One thing I learned the hard way in college, and am still learning to deal with now, is to let go of my plans. Aren't His better anyway? And that 17 year old girl, was just 17, and should've stuck with her plan, but since she didn't - then obviously things were bound to change. Change. I don't deal well with change. The thought of turning 25 in less than 6 months scares me - I still feel like a 17 year old. 

Those first two weeks in Atlanta I was constantly reminded of how He had always provided for me and that He would always provide. I thought that moving to the city would make it easier to get a job, and that I would instantly feel like a grown-up, living the mountain top life I longed for. But I began to question the whole mountain experience thing. You go to church camp every summer and they call it a 'mountain top experience' and you have to take it home with you and continue living the high that you feel at camp, or try to live a more Christ-dedicated life than you did before. But if we aren't living on the 'mountain top' then we must either be living in the valley or climbing up/down the mountain. What does that life look like? I think we spend most of our life longing for mountain top experiences but living in the Valley. Is that wrong? No, but what if we focus on life in the Valley? Its kind of like the old saying "live where you are planted." It took me a while to love living at home when all I wanted was to move away, but when I did - boy, did the Lord remind me of the sweet friendships I already had and gave me some amazing new ones. I do miss them now that I've moved away, but I'm learning a lot about living in the Valley.

(Thanks to my big bro & Anne for helping me  move!)

**Busyness, laziness, and learning have kept me from posting, but just wait - I hope to share more of what I'm learning!**

Monday Musings: Update Correction!

My sister is not having a little girl, but a little BOY! We found out on Tuesday - what a surprise! He was too much of a little gentleman the first go-round :-)

For some reason I had not bought anything for the baby girl, but I had begun planning the perfect shower for my sister and her little baby girl (details to come). I'll admit, I was already attached to that baby girl, and it took me an hour or two to switch gears. 

Now I am in love with Baby Lyle and he's not even here yet. I also bought him a few things already and can't wait to give them to my sister this weekend! And I haven't had to change too many details for the shower - just pink to blue! 

DIY: Pillows

I got a sewing/embroidery (monogram everything) machine last year for Christmas! I made a few things on my own (Pinterest is the best!) and with some help from my mom. But my sister encouraged me to find a place to take some sewing lessons - so I did.

The first thing we learned after the basics was how to make a pillow. The hardest part was making the cording (edging) on the pillow. But after making a practice pillow in class, I decided to make them on my own.

My mom loves decorating for practically every holiday, so I made these cute pillows for her for the Fourth of July. Who needs Pottery Barn?!? (yes, I monogrammed them as well)

:-)

Life's Little Updates

Wow! I had no idea that it's been so long since I last posted!

I thought when I had a part-time job I would post more often, but trying to post everyday was biting off more than I could chew. In May I switched to a full-time position, which has been great, but leaves less time to blog. 

We lost my grandfather the first of June. He has suffered several strokes five years ago. We were so glad to have him these last 5 years, but thankful his suffering his over. 

(At my sister's wedding in 2011 - how cute is that tuxedo shirt?!) 

Although we lost a loved one, we are gaing one!! I'm going to be an Aunt!! Even in my grandpa's last days he joked "I'm not old enough to be a great-grandpa!" The baby girl is due in Novemeber and I don't think I've been more excited about anything in my life.

(That's my big sis - by 14 months. We don't look anything alike!) 

Two big things are happening in my life next month...

1) I am competing in my first Triathlon! Sports/endurance isn't my best thing, but I figured why not. There's training to do everyyyyyyy day and you plan your day around it basically. It's on August 10, so it's getting close

2) The weeks before & after the Tri I will be moving to Atlanta!! I am still job hunting, so that's nerve wracking, but I'm hopeful I'll find something soon 

Well that's probably enough for now! 

Stay Fashionate!! 

Jack is Back!

(schmoesknow.com via google search)

I'm talking about Jack Bauer of 24! My family started watching years ago , after the first few seasons. One summer all we did was catch up on the past seasons (but without netflix! haha). I was so excited when the rumors were true about 24: Live Another Day actually happening. To get ready for it I have been re-watching 24 from the beginning through AmazonPrime. If y'all have not seen any of 24, get a Prime Account and start now. You have a week to watch 8 24-episode seasons. :-)

The new season proves worth waiting for.

Happy Watching!
Live Another Day!