Friday's Letters

Dear Cutie Pie Husband of Mine,

  I had fun with you at Steak and Shake.  Actually, I have fun with you wherever we are. But you know that already don't you? xoxo

ps. Remember those "bargain half price shakes" that enticed me to get my own instead of sharing with you?  Yeah me too.  I also remember laying on the couch in agony for an hour after eating it. Ughh.  So NOT worth it.  (never again...remember that. OK?)

Dear Jennifer,
  This time last week, we were enjoying a cup of cup together catching up on all that the Lord has done and is doing in our lives.  What a great time of fellowship!  Praising God's faithfulness with the redeemed is my fave!  Psalm 107

 Dear Thrift Store,
  I never know what I'm gonna find when I go treasure hunting....this time I found Truth. Thank you for the two blue tags I found for less than a dollar but more than that thanks for this great reminder.  

Dear Farmer's Market Restaurant,

  Nick loves your smoked meat but my fave is your salad bar.  For obvious reasons.

Dear Rebeca,

 Thank you for the sweetest of sweet packages that I had waiting for me in my stack of mail.  Your Random Acts of Craftiness that you are doing, where you send handmade goodies that you create to unsuspecting recipients is a BLESSING.  This little beauty and her message couldn't have come at a more perfect time.

 Dear Box of "Too Small Clothes",
     It was fun stumbling across you in our storage while  looking for my winter boots.  Everything fits now so I will have to change your label which is pretty awesome.  And its super nice being reunited with some of my favorite t-shirts.  I haven't seen this guy in years.

Dear Hannah,

   You bless me daily with your friendship.  I don't know what "the girls" would do without your expertise on most subjects that we text about. You really blessed me when you sent me some of your new hoops!  And mint and gold! ....you know me well.  Love you.  And congratulations on your shop reaching 1000 sales!!  I mean...wow!

 Dear Rosalyn,
  Your Honey loves seeing you create.  You are growing up so fast that it blows my mind!  You will be having a birthday before we know it and will turn 5!!  How did this happen so fast?   I'm so glad that you promised me that no matter how big you get, you will always be my Toot Toot.  Don't forget that ok?

Dear Lydia,
   Thank you for cutting my hair.  I forgive you for the 3 inches you whacked trimmed....I can see your wisdom in your doing so when I have styled it each day... it's much much healthier. So there you go....Are we bff's again now?

Dear Pastor of mine,
   I loved your illustration of your new gun you shared on Sunday.  About how excited you were and blessed by the gift you had received from your dad when he gave it to. And that some people around you don't share in the excitement or joy because guns and hunting and that stuff just ain't their thing. (ouch).  But then you paralleled it with the things of the Lord....how sometimes others aren't as excited about what we've gleaned from God's word or something He has shown or taught us when we go to tell them.....He's just not what they are most interested in at the moment ....He's not "their thing". And that we shouldn't take it personal...just keep being excited and sharing with others what brings us joy.    Two things hit home with me from that...I need to be excited about your "things"cuz you are excited.  And I must keep in check the things that excite me most...meaning it should be Jesus.  Thank you Bro Nick for always pushing me to be more like Christ.

Dear Elizabeth,
   You are beautiful!!  When I saw this picture of you it inspired me to dig out my Fall clothes and boots.  Also, I miss you so much and can't wait til our visit to come see you.  It's gonna be great.

Dear Lauren...excuse me...Mrs. McMullen,

   Wowza!  You are kicking off  Wifeyhood with a bang.  This pic made your daddy hungry and it made us both proud!   Way to go with taking care of that man of yours.  Can't wait for our invitation to the feast.  ;)

Dear Balloons,
  You are still hanging around since July at Lydia's birthday.   I'm gonna take you down soon though.  Just preparing you.   I mean, Christmas is right around the corner and I don't think you will blend in with my decorations.
ps.  I see you checking me out Nick Holden.

Dear married daughters of mine,
   I love running into y'all at Walmart. Or anywhere really. It made my day.

Dear Grandkids of mine,
  I miss you more than Mr. Bill's donkeys love gumdrops.  Can't wait to see y'all and snuggle with y'all and just hang out with y'all.  It's gonna be fun city!

Happy Friday y'all!

                                                          

linking up with jeannette today for her InstaFriday.

My life :: as documented by my phone

One week in pics.

Starting last Friday.

Bringing Henry home to his house.

He was pouting. ;)

Back in a pair of old jeans that I couldn't even button several months ago. 

Feels good.

Came home to find the other half of my birthday present from my momma had been delivered.

The chairs that go to my patio table. I LOVE them.

The next morning.

Traveling feet.  

Heading out to share the gospel and equip the saints in McComb, Mississippi.

All packed up and on the road.

Claimed my spot for the week to make my "altar".

The coffee here at the hotel was the worse.  Like I pretty much gave up drinking it.

Got to enjoy working with the precious Carver family again.

Wish I had taken a pic with Bro. Steve and Becky.  They are such genuine worship leaders and their children are precious.  They gained a new family member since last time we were together...

Meet Charlie!!!  

Oh my goodness!  Such a lil cutie.

(also I put a rinse in my hair to test the waters of gingerness.....it wasn't permanent and it's already washed out mostly but I kinda liked it.  Me and Charlie matched.)

Our Sunday Nap!!

(the hotel room had a ceiling fan.  whoop whoop!)

Stayed on track with my eating as best I could. 

Stayed clear of the continental breakfast ....and the coffee.

Stocked up our mini fridge with healthy goodness.

Got to visit Nick's cousin, Jami who lives in the area!

She and her husband own Mauthe Progress Milk Barn and they make some of the best cheese you will ever eat.  They sell fresh milk in glass bottles the old fashioned way aaannddd they make the best cheese cake evah! Made with their very own creole cream cheese. 

Discovered that eating such said scrumptious cheesecake at 10:30 at night when you haven't had anything even close to it's richness is probably not a great idea.  Even the three little bites that I sampled and adored was a bit much when your body has gotten used to eating clean.

I paid for it the next morning.

Had to cut it short..could barely make it 2 miles.

In other news, Nick trimmed his beard and I lovvvve it.

And my toes were all matchy matchy with the pool. 

After the insistence of a certain friend, I branched out in search for some decent coffee.

Found this little coffee shop, PJ's.  The girl just couldn't get it right.... and I have come to the conclusion that I am a bonafide coffee snob.  Which I really hate.  I don't want to be snobby in any area of my life. But good coffee is kinda important you know.

Speaking of good coffee, I was beyond excited to find K-Cups for my Keirug in my beloved Community Coffee!!  

This is big people.  Possibly a life changer.

I only bought one box which I'm already regretting.

On our way to the pastor's house for lunch, turned onto their road and sun was shining so pretty.

This isn't some souped up filter.  It's pure sunlight.  Along with FFH singing "One of these Days" on the radio.   Perfect. 

  

The feast that Bro Emon and Mrs. Myra treated us to for lunch.  Almost everything was fresh from his garden.  The tomatoes and cucumbers were my faves.

 Realized once we got to the hotel earlier in the week as we unpacked that all of my outfits were stripes, maxis and cardis.     So of course I had to document that as any decent blogger would. 

 Tried on some red lips.  They aren't Nick's fave so I only do them every now and then.

Packed up and said goodbye to our hotel and the amazing king sized bed that we will miss immensely....not so much this hallway that reminded me of "The Shining" the entire week.

Nick treated me to one of these on the way home.

I seriously slurped it down within minutes.

Made it home and pulled into this.

It never gets old.  They love us so well. It's humbling.

It was a great week.

Full of refreshing for me as I sat under the preaching of the Word each night and enjoyed a break from wedding projects during the day as I just enjoyed being in Nick's company.

Thank you to any of you who prayed for our travels and the revival.

We are trusting God that seeds were planted and He will reap the harvest.

"that we might have some fruit among them also.."

Romans 1:13

                

#photoadaymay

Well... I did way better in May than I did in April.

Can't promise much in June...we got a little sumpin sumpin going down in our family in June!

No biggie....  :) 

Here's my May pic's... 

for all you OCD people out there, you may want to shut your eyes and not look at this collage.  

I made it on my phone late at night without my reading glasses.   

I thought it looked beau-t-full....until it popped up on my big screen. 

Lots of boo boos with lining up the the little squares.

But my time is more precious to me than being perfect...

so it is what it is  :)

** Something I discovered when I posted this....

See number 14?  It says grass. 

Notice the pic I posted that day...

(it's on the third row all the way to the end)

Notice it's not a pic of grass.  .... I thought it said GROSS.

So I shared a pic of my sweaty roots that are in desperate need of a touch up!! 

Oh my.  I've GOT to start wearing those reading glasses I bought. 

Stephanie :)

ps. i'm honeyholden on instagram.  Say hello to me on there.. :)

Randomness.

I've been doing a lot of designing, glazing, gluing, cutting, 

sewing and packaging around my house this week. 

What I haven't been doing a lot of this week is cooking, cleaning, laundry, 

wearing make-up and paying attention to what day of the month it is. 

I've managed somehow to think this week was not til next week ( I know...weird) and

 because of my brain overload, Lauren missed out on a few of her senior events. 

 Not good.

Fortunately for me, she is a very forgiving and understanding young lady. 

And I'm so thankful for grace when I foul it up as a momma.

I did manage a few snaps of this and that in the midst of the chaos.

Here I am gettin my hair did. (last week)

Lauren is not my "beauty operator" but she happened to pop in while I was there, and my girl, Amber, let her get some practice in under her careful eye.   Even though Lauren has been doing hair for some time now, she's going to school in the fall to make it all official and stuff.

Here's some sneak peaks Elizabeth sent me from a little photo shoot she did with the kids.

I can't wait to see the actual pics when she gets them edited!

Love what I see already!

Me and Lydia last weekend...

We make the exact same faces and expressions. It's really weird and pleasant all at the same time.

More weird for Lydia.   More pleasant for me.

A text from Lydia...

We started the annual packing up of our winter clothes to make room in our closets for our summer clothes and it dawned on Lydia there was no need to pack her winter coats away because next winter she won't be here.  Yeah, it was a sad moment for both us of.  

She brought them to Marcus's and hung them up over there.

....and so it begins.

My man, the Turkey Thug,  brought home supper on Tuesday.

This was that morning....

This was that evening.

I did slap a little makeup on once this week but didn't get around to fixing my hair so it ended up in braids. My go to "do" when my hair needs washing.

Lydia got her custom made wedding band for Marcus today in the mail and she

 immediately instagrammed it.

.....and I instagrammed her instagramming  :)

And I got some happy mail too!

I love this vintage fabric and buttons :)

There are so many possibilities!

Hmmm... what to do? What to do? 

I hope y'all have a happy Friday!

Stephanie:)

ps. don't forget to go sign up for {this give away} over at my friend Sarah's!

I'd love to send YOU the  Hymn necklace :)