C U R R E N T L Y {FEBRUARY}

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finishing my two library books due back next week. #cheerstonewlibrarycard

subscribing to nothing right now. keeping excess out of life for the moment.

wishlisting many new workout clothes plus lots and lots of trips. 

watching THE O L Y M P I C S! USA USA USA!!!!!

hearting my family, my friends, my husband and of course YOU! 

praying for Lent to help cleanse my heart and set me up for a more relaxed year.

believing in the good. believing in myself. believing in faith.

recovering from a virus last week. almost to day ten when it will be truly GONE! 

practicing my BODYPUMP and SPRINT routines all the time. Have to be ready for auditions next month.

renovating our kitchen...and our bathroom...at the SAME TIME. #facepalm

Lots of love to all our you dear friends. I wish you a wonderful Valentine's and a blessed Ash Wednesday.

SportySpice Gets Married TOMORROW!

Another Friday, another post it seems. Not sure why this is my posting schedule, but I'm just gonna go with it. Sooooo, it's wedding week. I mean, it's the FRIDAY of wedding week. Sportyspice gets married T O M O R R O W! Wow, I mean, wow!

This week has been insane. Both in good ways and in meh ways, but isn't that the way of wedding week? I drove up to NOVA on Tuesday so I've been helping as much as I can to get everything set up. I managed to sneak away one night to have dinner with one of my besties and it was so much fun catching up. I have to admit, I feel like an outsider now with the traffic and everything going on where I used to live. Tennessee is so much more chill than northern Virginia and it's crazy three months later and I'm already OVER the traffic ;)!

While home I've managed to do some organizing of our things at my parent's house and put together another couple throw way and give away bags. Living in someone else's house really opens your eyes to what you need to get along. I can't remember the last time I went shopping for non workout or wedding related things. 

Speaking of wedding, the past two days have been a whirl wind. Not only have we been hitting it hard and taking care of business, we've also been dealing with two blackouts in two days! YES, two in two. Wednesday night we had a pretty severe thunderstorm, which is normal during the summer, but about 45 minutes in our lights just died and poof, blackness everywhere. Despite a few eeeeks, the Brady bunch was undeterred and we continued to pack welcome bags and finish up place cards in the dark. I even managed to get in a squat workout, too!

There was also a shenanigans leader who brought out the uhnce dance party in the kitchen and continued to make us laugh while we finished our assignments. The giggles helped keep the bride calm because, yeah, a black out three days before the wedding isn't necessary what you want.

You know what you also don't want? A RANDOM black out Thursday night of wedding week when you're hosting a family get dinner for everyone in town. We didn't want it, but we rolled with it for sure. This time the outage was due to a car hitting a telephone pole, causing a fire and a line to be cut. Clearly that person was having a worse day than we were but it was one of those 'REALLY' moments. 

Again, undeterred Mama B jumped in the car and drove to our church to finishing cooking the meal and we all sat down in the evening light to enjoy a meal. Thankfully the power came on before we are finished and I was ecstatic because I thought it meant lava cake for dessert. Sadly everyone was too distracted to make it so that will just have to wait until Sunday, drat. 

Today we will be getting our nails done, finishing up last minute things, rehearsing, eating dinner, meeting family for cocktails, putting the last touches on speeches and then tucking Sportyspice in for her last night as just a Brady. I'll be honest, it's a bit surreal to think in less than 48 hours she'll be married. I'm so thrilled for her and her fiancé and am hoping Saturday is their best day ever. If you have a moment, please send them alllll the good vibes and prayers. Follow me on Instagram here for fun pictures and snaps this weekend. I promise to show you all the good stuff ;)!

Time to Play a Lil Catch Up

Today marks a week in Tennessee and time has honestly flown by so quickly. It does not seem like it was seven days ago I packed up my car and made the eight hour drive to a new state. Tears lasted about two hours on the drive, but soon the excitement began to chase away the sadness. 

All a sudden I was pulling up to my temporary home and unpacking my overpacked lil car. Wednesday was a mess of a day with organizing our lil room, getting the lay of the important roads and a quick lunch with T-Bone. 

Our next big project was finding a Gold's so I could plug into the BODYPUMP circuit quickly. I had already connected with a manager at a gym down here and went to audition on Friday morning. That led to another class on Saturday morning and I NOW have a morning class on Wednesdays until I find a 9-5. I'll also be subbing as much as possible at different gyms in the area. We were also able to get our memberships transferred over which took a lot of stress off my shoulders. 

The past seven days we've done our best to try and create a new routine while we continue to look for jobs. Mornings have been all about prepping resumes, editing cover letters and applying to jobs online and then we try to do something outside in the afternoon. Our first bike ride through downtown was awesome and we excited to plug into the biking community here. 

Since my aunt and uncle live on a lake there are often people stopping by on the weekends. We helped them prep both the big boat and the ski boat for the opening weekend and then enjoyed a few hours out on the lake once the rain subsided. I have big plans for the hills and lake for my new workout routine. 

While driving along one of the main drags in the area we happened upon a Dick's sporting goods store and participated in a bit of retail fun. I finally found a USA soccer shirt after looking forever and some awesome Calia leggings on sale {similar here}. Of course I had to buy a UT shirt since I'm now in Volunteer country.

My running shoes were walked to death in Europe so I've been on the lookout for a new pair. While we were at the sports store I perused the shoe department and the new Nike's caught my eye. I settled on these awesome Zoom Pegasus pair because they are SO LIGHT, have great support and I'm honestly stoked to just have a pair of black running shoes for once. 

Food here is a bit more decadent than we normally eat so Le Husband and I are trying to get back on the healthy track. I have a whole post about this later in the week, because my fitness is at an all time low right now and it's no bueno. Lots of these salads are in my future for sure. 

I touched on this a lil in Friday's post, but I am ever so grateful for family and the fact Le Husband and I don't have to do this on our own. Not having to stress about immediately finding a place has been such a blessing and it's so nice spending extra time with family we usually only see once a year. My heart did a lil pitter patter watching Le Husband and my cousin playing a Xbox game. 

Yesterday my aunt took to get a much needed manicure and I've been smiling at my toes ever since. It was such a small lil thing, but it made me feel more at home because it reminded me of pedicures with my sissys. So happy to finally have cute feet again. 

So there you have it, a quick lil update on our move. If you can send a lil prayer for jobs our way if you will. I understand it's only been a week but it's the longest either of us has ever been out of work so it's a lil unnerving. I know we will find great jobs in due time, but extra good vibes would be helpful!

Hope you have a great day!

Easter Weekend in Numbers {Bikes, Boxes & Bunches O'Fun}

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Morning, friends! Happy Easter Monday. Christ is Risen, He is Risen indeed. I am so grateful for my Savior and his sacrifice. This weekend we celebrated Easter at home as a family and it was quite a wonderful weekend. I thought I'd switch up the recap, therefore I present, my Easter in numbers.

7 || The number of mini sermons given at our Tenabrae service on Friday night. #goodfriday

3 || Boxes packed.

540 || Minutes slept.

50 || The degrees on the thermostat Saturday morning.

65 || The degrees I was dressed for on our bike ride.

100 || How many times I said 'Holy moly it's cold out here'.

230483204803284 || Cherry blossoms blooming around the DC area. #dctourist #onelastvisit

1 || Bowl of oatmeal eaten when we finally made it home out of the cold.

94320420384 Gobzillion || Trips taken from the apartment to the cars.

334930 Gobzillion || Trips taken from the cars to the storage unit.

1 || INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT CREATED! Yes, after years of being prodded to create an account I finally decided to make one to document out BIG TRIP next month. Shameless plug, you can follow me here @pinkyfit321 if you want!

0 || Naps taken

10 || More pieces of nostalgia I came across while packing. #minimooncork #wedding2013

4 || Steaks cooked on the grill Saturday night before we did our taxes with a friend. 

108000 || The number of seconds we spent filing our taxes.

XXXX || The number of our tax return. #HALLELUJAH

1 || Reese's peanut butter egg tried for the first time. 

7 || Hours of sleep slept Saturday night.

5 || Chores were done before we left to prep Easter food.

9 || Cornish game hens cooked for Easter lunch. #preppingwithmyman

3 || Antondas at the Easter celebration. #onlytookonepicture #lamers

6 || Mimosas and glasses of wine #drank.

2 || Lil minions who joined the party. #theyweresupercute #loveotherpeopleskids

3 || plates of dessert eaten. #theremayhavebeensomecandyintheretoo.

3,600 || Seconds spent napping after lunch.

10 || Minutes spent prepping for my LAST 6AM BODYPUMP CLASS! #woofitsgonnabeadoozy

It might not sound like a lot got done this weekend but I sure am bush waked. Might have something to do with ALLLLL the delicious food eaten on Sunday night. Did not make for the best frame of mine for teaching this morning, but hey, it's the last class so I gave it my all. We are back on the healthy train now until the trip because, hello, bathing suits and European women ;)! Hope you have a fabulous Monday, I'll see you tomorrow < 3!

Linking up with these ladies

The Quiet Last Friday in March

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You all are those people. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your words on my post yesterday.  Thank you for championing me, cheering me on, comforting me, sending me advice, blessings and prayers. I am incredibly grateful for all of y'all and truly feel blessed to know each and every one of you. Our plan is set and I am excited for our future.

Today is a quieter day in pinkland. This week and weekend culminate the most important seven days in the Christian calendar. Today our Savior dies and we wait with humbled hearts for the empty tomb when He rises bright and early on Sunday morning. Last night we shared the last supper and tonight is Tenebrae.

Fellow Christians I mourn with you today. We experience the darkest day of our year, but we know death does not win. I wait for that glorious moment on Sunday, when the tomb is empty and Jesus ascends to join our Father. T o d a y is dark but the L I G H T will shine again in three short days come Easter morning.

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Whatever your beliefs today, know that I wish you and yours a blessed Friday and wonderful weekend! < 3

The Big Reveal: We're Doing Europe and MOVING {True Confession}

After months and months of planning, thinking and praying Le Husband and I have decided we are going to leave the Northern Virginia area for Knoxville, Tennessee. And before we take the final leap we are taking time off this spring and spending 29 days in Europe. HOLY COW, is this real life?!?! #forrealisthisreallife

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Talk about a confession, huh? Yup, I've been keeping this lil secret for quite awhile and finally feel the clarity and faith to share it here on the blog. A little backstory if you will. After a lot of hemming and hawing and praying Le Husband and I decided back in October that even if opportunities didn't come our way we would quit our jobs and move by spring 2016. Scary right? Then in November Le Husband floated the idea of using the time after we quit our jobs to finally go and see Europe. Honestly I was quite skeptical of the idea because even though it's always been a dream it's an EXPENSIVE dream. Immediately I reached out to friends who have traveled in Europe [oh hey BOFF and Kristen] and peppered them with "Is this really possible?" questions. After realizing it was actually quite possible Le Husband and I developed a plan. We decided to use my yearly bonus [which he would match] as our budget and we'd travel for as long as we could and see as much of the continent as possible.

Remember that Wanderlust post about the Mediterranean? So I was sneaky when I posted because we are going to make that trip happen. Our cruise is booked and we are finishing up our itinerary for the rest of the trip through France, Germany and Italy. To say I'm stoked would be an understatement. To say I'm overwhelmed would also be an understatement. There is so much to see over there and we are still struggling to try and fit everything into our trip. We are both HUGE WW2 history nerds so we are tailoring our trip around battles and history more so than normal sight seeing adventures [I AM SO EXCITED TO VISIT NORMANDY]. This promises to be a trip of a lifetime and I'm so looking forward to seeing another part of the world and enjoying new sights, foods and adventures with Le Husband.

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Speaking of adventure, let's talk a little about our BIG move. We return from our jaunt through Europe and promptly three days later we will drive down to Knoxville to begin our new life. Luckily I have family in the area so we will be staying with them while we search for our perfect rental or home. This is a BIG deal. I'll be moving away from my immediate family and even though it's only an eight hour drive I've been within 20 minutes of my family since I graduated from college [Ten YEARS, holy cow]. Most of me is excited to really go and stand on my own two feet [with Le Husband] but there is a lil bit of me that is sad I'll be so far away when I achieve new milestones. Yet I feel this IS the right thing to do, even if it turns out to be only a short time away. We are ready for a slower pace of life and the ability to have a home with land without paying a bazillion dollars. Change is scary and as excited as I am for this new step there is a bit also a bit of fear.

How are you going to swing this you ask? For the time being Le Husband will continue to work for his company and will keep his same territory while I use our change to finally figure out what I want to be when I grow up. There are multiple opportunities in the area and I've begun revamping my resume which is scary as all get out. If I'm honest I would LOVE to find a job in the fitness world and continue to get certified in LES MILLS programs to parlay that into a career and not just a hobby. Who knows where the job search will lead, but I'm HOPEFUL it will be the start of something great. #takeachance

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Maybe you think I'm silly for waiting so long to break the news and maybe you think I'm a bit ridiculous for holding back, but you know what, that's okay. I've become less frivolous in my declarations. I don't normally share news unless I know it's 99.9% [hello BODYPUMP certification]. I hate failing at anything and this will be the third time Le Husband and I have tried to up and move. Each time life happened and we had to put our plans on hold which became incredibly frustrating and deflating. Part of me just wanted to throw in the towel and settle for the fact we weren't going to be able to follow this dream and to just buck up about living in this area forever. But we kept praying and realized this was something we had to do so we just went for it. We don't know what the future holds but we know we want to try.

Things became real last week when I had my review and dropped the 'I'm leaving' bomb on my boss. It went MUCH better than expected and he was quite supportive. Now that work knows I feel better about sharing it here on the Internet for everyone to see. Not that anyone I work with knows about the blog but you can never been too careful right? So there you have it friends, the big secret I've been keeping off the blog for the past six months. There are QUITE a few posts in drafts where I just had to spill my guts somewhere because things were still so up in the air. They might make it here, they might not, but for now I'm happy to be at the stage of sharing it with my blog land friends. Things in pinkland are about to get CRAZY busy as we start packing up our life, saying goodbye to our friends whilst packing our suitcases for the trip of a lifetime. Sleep will probably become a luxury but you know what, that's okay. I'm excited this is finally happening and I CAN'T WAIT to see where life takes us. Cheers to taking the leap and trying something NEW!

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So now, tell me the best way to quickly learn Italian and French and give me your MUST sees!

linking up with Jess for confessions and Kristin for whatsnewwithyou

&with  Natalie & Kristin

Friday Favorites {The One With a Great Quote and Sissy Birthday}

Morning and happy Friday, loves! Cheers to making it to the weekend y'all! It's been a bit of a doozy this week at work and in life and I'm quite ready for the next few days of relaxation. This weekend brings birthday celebrations, baking fun time and of course working out and soccer. Let's get this party started, shall we?

Favorite quote of the week: I am so grateful for my inner circle and my village. #luckyandblessed

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Favorite Video of the Week:  A dramatic reading, by EVA LONGORIA!

Favorite Birthday of the Week: Sportyspice turns the big THREE - OH today and it is oh so surreal. I remember my 30th birthday like it was yesterday and I can not FATHOM that sweet lil sissybear is now part of the 30 club. We are celebrating her birthday with dinner tonight and then going out for a few drinks. Happy BIRTHDAY sissyboo, I hope you have the bestestestest day! I love you so much and can't wait to see what 30 brings you! #happybirthdaysissy #antondaforever

Favorite Links of the Week: Hope you enjoy and learn something!

13 things you didn't know about Five Guys.

How to ruin your life without even noticing.

Couple weds mid flight so mom can witness ceremony.

The six least toxic items you can buy at the dollar store.

Gilmore Girls fans unite! #oywiththepiechartsalready

Five things you need to know about cage free eggs.

Favorite Funnies of the Week: Have a laugh on me!

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Have a fantastic day and wonderful weekend. I'll catch you bright and early on Monday < 3!

**linking up  Here  here , here, here and, this week**

All is Calm. All is Bright.

NOT A CREATURE WAS STIRRING...

Twas the Night Before Christmas

By: Sister St. Thomas, B.N.D. de N

Via Domestic-Church via Catholic Pages

"Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the town,

St. Joseph was searching, walking up roads and down;

Our Lady was waiting, so meek and so mild,
While Joseph was seeking a place for the Child.

The children were nestles, each snug in their beds,

The grown-ups wouldn't bother, there's no room they said;

When even the innkeeper sent them away,

Joseph was wondering, where they would stay.

He thought of the caves in the side of the hills,

Lets go there said Mary, it's silent and still;

Made pathways of light for their tired feet to go.

And there in a cave, in a cradle of hay,

Our Savior was born on the first Christmas Day!

The Father was watching in heaven above,
He sent angels, His couriers of love.

More rapid than eagles God's bright angels came;

Rejoicing and eager as each hear his name;

Come Power, Come Cherubs, Come Virtues, Come Raphael,

Come Thrones and Dominions, come Michael and Gabriel.

Now fly to the Earth, where My poor people live,

Announce the glad tiding My Son comes to give;

The Shepherds were watching their flocks on this night,

And saw in the heavens and unearthly light.

The Angels assured them, they'd nothing to fear,

It's Christmas they said, the Savior is here!

They hastened to find Him, and stood at the door,
Til Mary invited them in to adore.

He was swaddled in bands from His head to His feet,

Never did the Shepherd's see a baby so sweet.

He spoke not a word, but the Shepherd's all knew,

He was telling them secrets and blessing them too.

Then softly they left Him, The Babe in the hay,

And rejoiced with great joy on that first Christmas Day;

Mary heard them exclaim and they walked up the hill,
Glory to God in the Highest, Peace to men of good will!"

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Oh Holy Night
Sweet hymns of JOY in grateful chorus raise we,
let all within us PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME!
CHRIST is the LORD!!!

Oh Little Town of Bethlehem

We hear the CHRISTMAS ANGELS,

the GREAT GLAD tidings tell

Oh come to us, abide with us

our LORD EMMANUEL!

Christmas Carol of the Bells

Ring Christmas bells,

Merrily ring

Tell all the world

JESUS IS KING

Masters in the Hall

This is Christ, the Lord

Masters be ye glad!

Christmas is come in

And no folk shall be sad!

Joy to the World

Joy to the world! the Lord is come;

Let earth receive her King;

Let every heart prepare him room,

And heaven and nature sing,

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Wishing you and yours a blessed Christmas Eve. 

And if you're offline the rest of the week I wish you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Twenty Three Notes

The TRUE meaning of Memorial Day Weekend.

"Day is done, gone the sun

From the lakes, from the hills, from the sky

 
All is well, safely rest

 
God is nigh."

**brief history ::here::**

Best Month but the Worst Day

April is one of the best months of the year, in my opinion. Spring officially makes an apperance with warm weather, flowers start to bloom, trees start sprouting new life, Easter usually happens [depending on the year], sweaters are put away for sleeveless tops, outdoor workouts resume and oh yeah, it's my BIRTHDAY MONTH! I'm a self proclaimed birthdayaholic [not just for myself, I love celebrating my friend's birthdays too] so April is birthday month, full of sparkles, glitter, drinks and special eats. I LOVE SPRING! I LOVE BIRTHDAYS! I LOVE APRIL!

But, six years ago April lost some of it's luster. Unfairly pneumonia started an unexpected chain of events that stole a beautiful soul from this earth. My mother's mom, Mo, fell sick and within less than a week she was gone. The unexpectedness, the DNR [whole other post], the choice I made to wait until the weekend to head down to Tennessee [will regret missing that time for the rest of my life], have all made dealing with her death extremely hard. We had seen her that summer and had planned to see her the next summer just like we did every year. Our yearly Tennessee trip to the lake was a week of fun in the sun and family time with our grandparents and aunt, uncle and cousin. Sometimes there was a bit of family discord, but all in all it was a wonderful week of good food, family and sunshine.

Mo suffered a stroke when I was younger and she started suffering from Alzheimer's when I was in college. There had been falls in the past and we knew an assisted living home might become a possibility because our grandfather T-Bone wouldn't be able to care for her as she needed. We knew she was getting older and that more patience would be needed during visits. However, the patience was never needed because too soon she left us to be home with the Lord.

I miss her. EVERYDAY.I.MISS.HER! But, April hits me hard. It's no longer just a happy sparkly month. It's a month that brings sadness, anger and tears. April brings back the pain of that weekend, the sadness of a funeral and the memories of so many people coming to honor my grandmother. She was an amazing lady. One who always had a smile, had a heart of gold and just loved to be around family. I can close my eyes and see her waving goodbye to us as we drove away from their home. I can still hear her voice say "Hey there, doll".
 

I still grieve that she wasn't able to be here for my wedding. I've written about it before, but her being gone kept it from being the perfect day. She would have loved the excitement. She would have loved the party and the cupcakes. I'm sure she would have had her South Carolina opinion about something [peeled tomatoes, straight hair parted down the center], but she would have danced on the dance floor and told me I was her beautiful doll. She would have walked own the aisle so proudly and hugged me and Le Husband a million times. She never got to meet the man of my dreams or witness me become a wife. She will never see her great-grand children and she will never be able to pass down advice on being a mother. Those moments have been stripped away forever and I can't help but cry as I type.

I honored her at my wedding with a picture on our wedding cake table. She loved cake and ice cream and I knew I wanted her picture where all could witness her beautiful face. I find myself looking back to these photos every time I scroll through wedding pictures. It's the little piece of her I keep in my heart from that day.

Wasn't she gorgeous? I get my small stature from her and my petite lil frame. I wish I had taken the time to cook with her more. I wanted to learn her butter bean, potato salad and ham recipe. Mama B will teach me, I know, but I wish I had spent time in the kitchen with Mo. She loved to cook. That's how she showed love, by cooking dinner for us every night when we visited. She wasn't as athletic as she once was, due to a midlife surgery, so she couldn't participate in some of the fun on the lake. But she brought us dinner every night and it was delicious.

 

We lost my great aunt, Mo's sister in 2013 and it happened to be the same week we had to say good-bye to Mo. It was so hard and it ripped open a scab I thought was closed for good.  The anger came back. The hurt came back. And my faith felt tested once again. To be honest it feels tested every April 8th. She's not here anymore and I regret all of the things I didn't say to her and the moments I brushed off because I would get frustrated. I lost so much and it was all my fault. But, there is nothing I can do about it now. All I can do is honor her memory and remember all the joy she brought to my life. 

Dearest Mo, I hope you know that you are missed so greatly. I hope you are proud of the woman your doll baby has become. I hope you are proud of how much I love to be in the kitchen and how much I love to cook. I hope when you look down on us you smile at Le Husband. He's a great guy, even if he isn't southern ;)! I know you and Aunt Rah-Rah are keeping people well fed up in heaven and I'm happy that the two of you are together. We all wish you could still be with us, but we know it was time for you to go home. Please know how much we love you and how often you are still thought about. I'll always pick the vegetables from the back because of you. I love you to the moon and back! < 3 your doll!

***To those reading that have lost a parent, please know I grieve for you. Losing my grandmother hurts me so badly, but I can't imagine the suffering faced when losing a parent. Please know I'm praying for you and send you a big hug***

linking up *here* *here* and *here*

Christ is Risen! He is Risen INDEED!

The Tomb is Empty!

Jesus has beaten death. 

Let the trumpets sound and the celebration begin.

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I'm alive! I'm alive because HE LIVES!

HAPPY EASTER, FRIENDS!

Three for Good Friday

Favorite Quote of the Week: Today is dark, but Sunday brings the LIGHT.

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Favorite Picture of the Week: He chose nails to save us. You and me. #grateful

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Favorite Song of the Week: I've been listening to this constantly since Babyspice shared it with me. #powerful

Fellow Christians I mourn with you today. We experience the darkest day of our year, but we know death does not win. I wait for that glorious moment on Sunday, when the tomb is empty and Jesus ascends to join our Father. T o d a y is dark but the light will shine again in three short days.

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Whatever your beliefs today, know that I wish you and yours a blessed and GOOD FRIDAY! < 3

**linking up here, here , here, here, here and here this week**

A New Dawn...A New Day...A New Year

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Today begins:

a new year

a new chapter

a new start

a new page

a clean slate

a fresh perspective

another day of blessings!

Make the most out of each and every day you have been granted.

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AND LET'S GO BUCKEYES!!!