Those Were the Days

THINGS I MISS:

1.  Quotes on Grande Starbucks cups.
Seriously, I do.  It devastated me when I could no longer be inspired by both my mocha and my cup.  I was determined to get one of my quotes on there (one day, somewhere over the rainbow).  It really is so sad that they're gone.  Are they coming back?  So, so sad.

2.  Dressing up as Mary for our church Halloween (though I'm sure we named it something more positive and uplifting...)

Ok, ok.  I did just put this on the list because I wanted to share this hilarious picture.  I look so unhappy.  Also, it is a little weird that I dressed as Mary.  Not that she wasn't great or anything, but I don't think I understood the whole virgin birth thing yet.  I even carried around a baby doll.  I should have been another character, you know, maybe Ruth?  Or maybe a younger version of Mary, sans baby?

3.  Saying "Like" every other word
This is sarcastic.  I do not miss this at all, in any way, shape, or form.  I have a fifteen year old brother (in the previous picture, he's the one holding the lamb... obviously, he was younger then) - and all of his friends say "like" as if it is going out of style.  I consistently think, Did I really do that?!  I know I did.  You know, like, the word like, is like, just the greatest, like, right?

4.  Thinking I was a Good Singer
This is the problem with marrying an extremely talented man.  I used to know that I wasn't that great, but you know, I secretly thought I was kind-of alright at singing.  You know, I could carry a tune.  I mean, I wouldn't sing in front of anybody, but if you were to ask me, I'd tell you I wasn't awful.
Wrong.  I was so wrong.  I AM awful.
The other day, the "I'm-ok-at-singing" thought reared its head again.  I was alone in the house.  I was singing Bruno Mars' song "Grenade" ... and I sounded like a mix between Mariah and Carrie (if I do say so myself).  Then, it happened.  Billy came home, and all of the sudden, my voice left me.  I have no idea what happened, but when he joined in, I sounded TERRIBLE.  Maybe my voice just changed because I was nervous, and I couldn't use my real talent in front of him (I'm totally lying). 
Really, though, I miss lying to myself about my musical talent.  I really do.

"Remembering" & Giveaway

The other day, I was trying to remember this Bible verse, and was wondering how I could most effectively put it somewhere that I would read it all of the time.  Seeing as how I'm almost on my computer all the time (hey, it's part of my job), I decided to make a background for my MacBook's desktop!
I started out with something more simple:

 

Then, of course, I got really excited about the whole thing, and I decided to work just a little harder, and I got this:

I am just so thrilled!  I keep looking at it, and I almost have the verse memorized!

This is where you all come in to help!  Should I add this as an option for sale on Bon Blog Designs?  Would you all like to have this kind of thing on your computer desktop (it could include a picture collage, a verse, a quote, or anything else you can come up with)?

To find out, I'm going to do a giveaway for a custom desktop background with the scrapbook kit of your choice (I used Paislee Press in mine - I can't get enough of their designs).

To Enter:
1.  Become a follower on Sydney's blog.
2.  Tell me your idea for a custom desktop background (what you would include, etc.).
3.  Tweet about this (and include me in your tweet: @sarahannrogers).

(Obviously, leave ONE COMMENT per entry!)

The giveaway closes at 10pm, Monday, Feb. 28.

It's an easy thing, and nobody may ever see it but you.  However, it's been making me smile every time I see it, and I'm wondering if anyone else would want something similar!

New Polish

Last night, I bought some new finger-nail polish in a color I've wanted to try for a long time.  I was kind of nervous, especially because my nails are a little damaged due to having my acrylic nails removed recently.  Well, at Target (who doesn't love every trip there?!), I found OPI Ridge Remover, and it was incredible!  It made my nails all smooth and polish ready!

 

Seriously, it was incredible!  The color I bought I could only find in one brand, and I loved it!  I did a beige color, which is more me than having pink on my fingers.  On my toes, I go every which way, but on my hands, I just need something more subtle.

Anyway, I've been giddy about my nails all morning and can't wait to go out into the world with them done... is that silly?  It feels a bit silly, but it also feels really good!  I feel as if I've done myself a favor, and it was so easy!  Please tell me I'm not alone.  What makes you feel that way?  (One of my other things is doing my eyebrows... Makes me feel super prepped for the day!)

Alright, down to business!  I have a friend that just started blogging, and her name is Sydney.  She's super fun, and I've been on her to blog for awhile!  She's super cute, and she just started blogging this month!  Please, 

go read her blog here!

You'd be doing yourself a favor!  She's hilarious, and she only has a few posts up!  I can't wait to see how much more fun her blog becomes!  Thank you, friends!

Have a lovely Tuesday!  Paint your nails!  Read Sydney's blog!  Enjoy the lovely weather (oh yeah... In SC, we're in the sun-shine-y 60s...)

Blast from the Past

I was sifting through some of my older posts and came across this one from 1-year ago today!  That's not so long ago!  However, I've met some of you since then, and thought I'd update you.  It was part 1 in a 3-part mini blog series I did (which you can read here: 1, 2, & 3), and I still remember what I was going through when I wrote it.  It was part of my heart learning to grow.  I just love looking back and seeing God's faithfulness.

In high school Spanish I had to do a project called "Sueño," which means dream. On a poster board, we had to list out some dreams we had in Spanish, of course. There must have been a certain amount of dreams that we had to list because I remember people including the most absurd things, places, celebrities, and activities on their boards. Needless to say, it was not really what anyone dreamed of, and we were all thinking of enough articles to place on our lists.

Well, this morning I was thinking and praying about my real dreams (in life, not in sleep) and I was reminded of that poster, and how if we had been asked to be truthful and serious, what I would have said. Honestly, the thought of putting my dreams out there scares me. I feel as if I either saying or writing them will do one of two things: one, that they would be plucked right out of my mouth and off of the page and taken away into some abyss forever and they will join all of the other proclaimed dreams that people have and never do - I take my dreams very seriously, and I think that if I share them, then you won't take them seriously; two, I think that if I put my dreams into word boxes and mark them somewhere, I will have to achieve them, and I'm terrified that I can't do them.

I always said that I didn't share all of myself with people because I was too deep thought of life in very strong, serious terms, and I could overwhelm them. And that is partially true. I remember a few times when I have sat down with a girlfriend and told her a dream that I had and she either glazes over, doesn't get it, or, just recently, I had someone say, "You know who would be really good at that?" and proceed to tell me who else would be better at accomplishing my own dream.

But, lately, I have had less and less of an excuse. For one, Billy has helped me tremendously. He takes me seriously and believes that everything God has placed on my heart can come to pass. I have also been meeting with an awesome girl that is a lot like me - very serious and 'overwhelming' at times, and she has really specific personal goals - and our commonalities have been inspiring because when I was younger, I truly felt as if I were the only person who took life this seriously, and that I needed to back down. Together, we are reading Beth Moore's So Long, Insecurity and that has been opening up my eyes to my own insecurities and how they have been holding me back from what I feel God wants me to do.

I can't help but think that I'm not the only one who feels this way. What are some of your dreams - the one's that you are scared to say out loud? or write down? or share with the www so that everyone might hold you accountable? I'd love to hear yours, because my next blog post will be mine. I'd like to be in good company.

Lethargy

I woke up this morning feeling just awful.  I'm not sick; I'm just being a girl.
However, for some reason, I feel this huge burst of productivity.  I don't necessarily feel the energy necessary to do all that is in my head, but I've started a list (as of this morning) of things that I would like to do very soon.

My new To-Do list (Don't hold me to this!)

Read a new book.  My friend Mandy has blogged about this book that I'd really like to read, and I really want to make time for it.  However, I don't really have time right now.  If I did, though, I'd read Permission to Speak Freely by Anne Jackson.  You can read Mandy's review on it here.

Be super crafty.  I've been wanting to learn how to make fabric flowers for awhile now.  I really want to make headbands and belts (only for myself-not to sell), and if I could just take time to learn, I would love to do it.

via

Redesign my blog.  Wait.  I just did that two days ago.  I have to admit, I really love doing that.  I love designing in general, but the only head I can get inside is mine, and it's gratifying to get the look I know is exactly what I want.

Do a deep-clean of my entire house.  Including: steam cleaning the carpets, bleaching the baseboards, and cleaning and re-ironing all of my curtains, pillowcases, and anything else worth ironing.

Like I said, don't hold me to any of this.  Don't come over and look at my baseboards.  That will not get done, at least not today.  I have great plans of being a super-housewife.  I just don't always get them done.

 

Happy weekend, friends!  Enjoy it!  Take time off.  Don't check off your to do list.  I'm not going to...

Tomorrow, Tomorrow...

A personality test recently revealed to me that I like to live in the world of future plans.  I used to like calling it "always looking forward to the next stage" - you know, to make it seem like a positive thing.  I have always known this about myself, way before the personality test revelation.  For example, I have never, not once, finished using a planner until the very last day.  Usually, I get antsy about half way through and want to buy a new one.  Also, I always get excited about a new project only until the newness wears off.  Ok, this isn't always me, but it's often me.

I just love plans.  I like knowing things ahead of time.  I like to make lists (in case you haven't noticed).  I make lists for my lists.  And then I make lists about buying more notepaper for lists.

I feel as if my life is a huge connect-the-dots coloring page.  The problem is that I'm usually looking at the next dot, trying to finish the picture.  I'm always psyched about the next move, the next step, the next goal I get to meet.  I have the tendency to rush away today by making plans for tomorrow.

But right now, in this moment, I have to make a choice.  I have the cutest (ahem, manliest) husband sitting beside me, watching a musical on tv just to make me happy.  I now live in the greatest townhouse and can hardly remember the tiny one bedroom apartment we started in only a year and a half ago.  We have so many things to look forward to, but there is so much to treasure today.  I will never get this day back (and I don't mean that in a "let's save the world because time is running out" way).

There is so much that I'm excited about, but I don't want to forget that where we are at is all part of the process.  Tomorrow will come quickly enough for me.  Today is going to be the best day of my life.  We'll see about tomorrow, well, tomorrow.

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, 

for tomorrow will worry about itself.

Matthew 6:34

Wordless Wednesday: Time Flies

Two years ago yesterday I got engaged to the most wonderful man in the world.

Two years ago today, I was staring at my ring shopping for wedding dresses (already)!

What a wonderful start to a wonderful life.

Restraint

I had a friend recently tell me, "You've seemed very restrained lately."  She didn't mean it as an insult, and I knew better than to take it as one.  However, when she told me that, I felt as if she'd explained my life over the past month.  For some reason, I feel as if there is a lot going on in my heart and mind and prayers that I just can't share yet.  It has nothing to do with negativity or nervousness, but I just feel a need to keep it inside of my own little bubble.  Eventually, I am sure to share with the whole world, and I will love when that time comes.  I'm not good at being a closed book.
However, I have been learning through my extra efforts to stay quiet and watchful.  I've been learning things that I think the rest of the world already knew, and maybe I just needed to keep my mouth shut to learn earlier on.

So, in proper list fashion (how could you think I'd do anything else!?),
here are things I've learned by shutting up:

1.  It's not all about me.  A lot of people have things to say, and if I don't always have something to add, life goes on.  People don't usually miss out on my opinions.  Recently, I haven't missed giving them all of the time.

2.  People say some funny things.  By being less talkative, I've had time to observe more.  Seeing the awkward and hilarious things that slip out of people's mouths is a huge warning sign to me.  Because I'm such a talker usually, that must happen to me all of the time.  Hopefully I've been able to provide some amusement in the past, and hopefully others have not felt as embarrassed for me as I think they probably have...

3.  Confidence comes with restraint.  My personality, like I said, tends to be an open book.  I like to talk everything, and I mean everything, out.  Usually, I prefer everything laid out on the table so that I can get advice, share my ideas, and have others give input so that I can move around the pieces until my ideas make absolutely everyone else happy, because happy people make me happy.  However, while being more quiet and more of a "closed book," I've learned that when I can only trust God to point me in a direction, it may scare me for a moment, but then I am more sure than I have ever been.  I find myself not second-guessing myself as much because when I'm sure, I know that God is giving me peace.  I'm learning to please him, not the world around me.

4.  Secrets between spouses are a great thing.  Having to just talk to Billy all of the time is really good for our relationship.  I've been able to see his incredible ability to lead and pray for our family.  I've been so impressed by his sensitivity to my feelings and needs while he also continues to not be swayed by my ever-changing emotions.  Trusting him has made me look at why I chose to spend my life with him, and I don't regret it for a moment.

Thanks for sharing my deep thoughts with me, friends!  I always get nervous to share, and you are always oh-so kind and loving.  I'm incredibly thankful for you.

Happy V-Day!

Happy Valentine's day, loves!  It's one of my favorite days of the year.  Even when I didn't have the most romantic husband in the world, I love chocolate, so it seemed like chocolate's birthday.  I needed to celebrate it all day long.

Of course, I must share things I love about my man.  Not only is he generally awesome, but he's incredibly sweet and cheesy (in a way that is wonderful)!

What I love about Billy

[hello, super old picture]

1.  Let's start with this morning.  I woke up with a rose on the pillow next to me, a bathroom counter covered in rose petals, tulips on a stack of towels, chocolate, a card, and candles all around my bathtub.  It was heavenly.  A wonderful way to start Valentine's.

2.  He loves to keep secrets.  He's like a little boy in that way.  I love how excited he gets when he knows something that I don't.

3.  He won't ever make a decision by the seat of his pants.  That's me.  He's so thought-out and will pray and ask for wisdom for months before making a big decision.  I know that when I put my life in his hands, he could handle it.  He's an amazing leader.

4.  He's just so handsome.  I love when he smiles at me and I know that it's my smile.

5.  He is incredibly talented.  He's very musical, and I hope my children are just like him.

Alright, I could go on and on and on.  However, I know that you all have heard other lists of mine about how much I adore him.  God is so good in giving me such a man.

Baby Shower Lovin'

Hey loves! I've missed you all! I've been so busy!
I know I said I'd upload baby shower pictures, but I've been so busy (thank you, bon blog designs!).
Anyway, here they are!

The Thank-You candy bar (The theme was bicycles)

Of course we had Sweet Tea - What southern ladies wouldn't?!

This was SUPER easy to make! 

One of my best friends, Chelsie, was at the shower, and she just announced that they are pregnant!

If you live in Charleston, you know that Cupcake is the place to get cupcakes for any occasion.  

They were to die for.  

Speaking of cupcakes, head over to Michelle's blog to support her opening her own cupcake business!  Then, find out if you live close enough to eat some of her yummy creations!

Also, I took some pictures for our friends that we threw the baby shower for.  We went downtown Charleston, and it was a dream!

Aren't they precious?

Cooties

I know this is the second time this week I've posted a video, but you just have to see this one.  It makes me die laughing.  Plus, if you've been following me on twitter, you've seen that I have barely a free moment to sit down and write:

So it's a win-win!  You get to laugh and I get to finish my To Do list!




PS - Tomorrow's post is about last weekend's baby shower!  Get excited!

Brown Eyed Sweetie

Some of you know that I recently designed Julie's blog over at Brown Eyed Belle.  Not only was she easy to work with and a blast to email all of the time, but she was so sweet once we were done!  Quickly after we finished, I received this in the mail:

Isn't she wonderful?!  Thanks, Julie!

She made my week!

Working on My Fitness

For those of you who don't know, I've been really trying to get myself back in shape.  I got some advice from you on food, and I've been going back to the gym, which I mostly enjoy.  It's not my favorite thing, mind you.  I'd rather stay curled up on the couch reading books any day, but working out makes me feel good.

Last night, Billy and I went with some friends (Chad & Melissa - she blogs, so check her out!) to a cycling class at our gym.  Let me first say that Billy is infinitely more athletic than I am and works out all of the time.  I, on the other hand, have to work at it.
So, at the beginning of the class, the instructor asks who's new.  I raise my hand.  I'm in the front row, and Billy's sitting right behind me.  She runs back to Billy (right past me) and makes sure that his bike is all adjusted and perfect.  I don't ask her for help because I think, hey, she must have thought I looked like I already knew how to do all of this.
So we start.
I feel really good until about halfway through the class.  I hit that wall that tells me that maybe: one, I should have eaten more than fruits and vegetables all day, and two, I'm just not that athletic.  However, I push on.  I follow instructions.  Even though my knees are locking up, I go as fast as I can.
And then I fell.  Thankfully, it was only distracting for a good minute or so, but my foot came out of the little foot-holder, and I fell smack down onto the seat.
And then we finished.
The instructor yelled, right at the end, "Let's congratulate our first timers!"
She runs, again, right past me, and gives my husband a high five.  I decided to take it as a compliment.  She must have thought I was a veteran.  I mean, it's normal to fall off of your bike, right?

When we got home, I kept wondering why my left calf was so sore.  Nothing else was that sore.  Finally, I looked down in the shower, and realized that I had fallen right onto my calf.
Here's my battle scar:

Yes, that whole bottom half of my calf is discolored.  Along with that reddish bluish spot to the left.

Really, though, I LOVED the class.  And I'm going back Wednesday.  And silly me probably won't ask for help again, because, hey, now, I'm really a veteran.  I've got the scars to prove it.