Mother Mermaid

when mothers take an evening and give in to girlish delight, pretending to be mermaids. 

for lauren's birthday we surprised her with an evening swim party. we got crazy and just played and ate treats. that turned into delving into our childhood and being mermaids. one thing lead to another and kim's iPhone that is waterproof was taken over we played some more. i know these are just iPhone photos but, they move me. :) 

Free People Event!

I am SO excited to be a part of the Local Live event at Free People, this Sunday in Durham, NC!!! Live band + local artists + local food (bestie, Jessie with her amazing Cookie Cult yummies!) And to top it all off, with every purchase, your name will be put into a drawing for a basket of amazing local goodies! It's going to be a blast! Whose coming?!! I'll be selling my Bohemian Ink prints and temporary tattoos! I really hope to meet lots of new friends who have the same passions for living with a free spirit and creativity.

Don't Be Afraid to Hope

Choosing to live in a place of disappointment is so easy sometimes. It's got a weird comfort and familiarity about it. Choosing to believe that I'm loved  over the fear of my disappointments repeating themselves feels risky and terrifying.

As I take that seemingly illogical and idiotic step off of the cliff,
a million let downs and long ago cried tears try to argue against that one simple choice-trust.

This cliff of belief in the notion that Jesus will take care of me, that good things can happen and will happen. That hope isn't a wasted practice or cruel joke, but a reality that precedes beauty and promise.

I choose to trust in his love for me over what I think I see.

He catches, he holds, he tends my heart with simple love, that calms the anxious into rest and expectation of good.


Don't be afraid to hope.

more hand lettering over at www.bohemianink.com 

Snow.

 I've lived in the Carolinas for almost 5 years now and I've never experienced a snow storm. Ok, so maybe this isn't a real snow storm, but to my Texan soul, this is a snow storm guys. At around 6 inches and the prediction of hours and hours of constant snow fall…I'm kind of in a different world right now. My backyard is now a sledding haven. Fuzzy blankets, sister talks, a fresh pot of chili simmering  and group texts from my neighborhood besties about grocery runs and snow men, have my heart feeling fresh and excited. I like it when things slow down. My lists don't seem so long, my stresses about everyday things are faded and all I see is white and the wonder in my boys' eyes.

I'll be playing in the snow with my kids and singing "Let it Go" from Frozen if anyone needs me.

Magic Days

 Somedays I throw away schedules, the practical and the ordinary, to find something so sweet and simple,  that it's magic. Magic that isn't measured by expense or achievement,  but by laughter filling the space around me, the sound of eager, excited questions and the look of wonderment on little faces.

We had already had a full morning with our friends at the farmer market, then gourmet doughnut munching,  train rides together, coffee sipping , story time at the library and then lunch. All of our kids were fully enjoying their time together. It was a tiring but perfect first half of the day.

During lunch we decided to be a bit daring and go on yet another adventure, skipping naps in order to take the kids to a fairy festival on a nearby plantation. I wasn't totally sure what we would find but, I was mentally prepared for the possibility of an extra melt down or two. It was worth it. As we explored the acres of woods,  I felt like I was 8 years old, living in a dream land finding the most amazing fairy houses scattered under various fallen trees, built from bark, moss and twigs. Our kids were in heaven. We were in heaven. Everyone around us was building an organic abode for little sprites and creatures. It's the best thing to my heart to see little kids finding so much joy in nature. The best.

We finished the day as it stretched into early evening, with a make shift camp on the beach, watching our kids sail their handmade fairy boats on the lake. No money was spent,  just time. Our hearts were filled up with goodness.  The pure joy in watching our kids' imaginations go wild was worth stepping outside of my plan, the predictable and the thought out. Spontaneous "yeses," and taking the small risks outside of the routine can sometimes be just what I need.

As I sat there with two of my closest friends, soaking in the perfection of this afternoon, I told myself that this needs to be normal. How have I slipped away from this feeling? I want wonder to be the common that I never get tired of or take for granted.  I want to try and make more of an intention and effort to make the ordinary magic for my boys and for my own heart, in the coming weeks and months. I want normal to always have wide eyes of expectation and adventure. Why not?

...There might be a magical fairy, forest people world in my back yard by the end of spring. All are welcome.

Future/Past

The single, "Future / Past"  came out on iTunes today and I have been listening to it all morning. We love the McMillan family so much and are so blessed to be a part of the most amazing community with them here in Charlotte. John Mark is an incredible songwriter and brings so much authenticity, raw beauty and true honesty to his music. You can download "Future / Past" on iTunes HERE. Watch the music video down below, as well! You might see a familiar girl in a black hat in there somewhere. ;) The night this was filmed, probably was one of my favorites ever. Hours of genuine love, surrounded by friends, singing our guts out, laughing, pure joy, worship and  community. Guys, I actually got blisters and I didn't step out from my tiny 3 ft circle of space. These lyrics move me to my core. I tear up when I sing them and find hope as I  turn them over again and again in my heart. I hope your hearts are lifted this morning in joy and hope. Enjoy! 

The full album "Borderland" will be released 3.4.14 mark your calendars!  Ah, can't wait! 

(the night "future / past" was filmed. best night ever!) 

ORDINARY MORNING.

My dear friend and favorite lifestyle photographer, Melinda (Wild Scout Photography) came over to our home, bright and early one morning this past fall and captured one of our simple, ordinary mornings for us. This is my favorite treasure of pictures from this year. So many little things have changed, since these were taken. Small memories that I might have forgotten are frozen in time. The messes, the smirks, the sweetness, the tears, are all still and perfect for my heart to remember. 

There are more photos from our shoot to be seen on her blog HERE.   Literally, every single picture she posts and every word she writes moves my soul.  If you want your heart to feel alive, go visit her blog and enjoy wandering through all of her beauty. 

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When I'm in the thick of ordinary, the beauty of it can be forgotten or brushed off as stressful or meaningless.  Simple and calm can seem boring. Especially, if I let my eyes filter everything through the lens of comparison with the world that I think I see others living.  

But, like magic, when I step outside of my moments into the cherishing of them,  I'm brought wonder. When I gaze at the ordinary through eyes that one day, decades down the road, will be looking back, remembering and wishing, beauty rushes in. If I love with the heart that I know will  be longing  for all of these things, later when age and life have found me wiser,  surrounded with the kindred friendship of my adult children, I will smile more and worry less. Put into perspective, the routine and everyday is a golden treasure.

Ordinary, when cherished, can be a wonderland, my place of joy that brings with it, the simple and the rare gift of contentment.

Jess

WILD SCOUT PHOTOGRAPHY