backpacking adventures

South Mountain, NC 

2 days & 12 miles later, I am even more thankful for these girls. 

& I'm back

What a fun season this has been. 

I moved to NC last fall for an amazing job that I love, which I have said before. But I feel like it has been awhile & a little update never hurt anyone. 

right? right. 

I spent Christmas in India, a place that captured my heart nearly 10 years ago. Except this time, I had the opportunity to bring 19 others with me and see their lives forever changed too. More recently, I went to South America & was able to visit Brazil with a few friends for the first time. It was one of those life changing weeks as well and I don't say that lightly. 

Can you ever max out on those kinds of moments? I sure hope not. 

This season has also been full of adventures, near and far, with some harder moments in there too. Establishing a new community takes time and I have been reminded of that often.  

You have to invest & be patient. Not longing for what you left, but encouraged in what you are gaining. 

Easier said than done for sure.

But the Lord really is so sweet to me. And my joy comes from resting in that & knowing how much he cares for me. 

"And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you,even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" - Matt. 6:29-30

meg

the new normal

Phew.

Today I am welcoming in August with a late afternoon iced coffee from the local coffee shop, a cupboard full of new groceries (for the first time in months), and a little update here on the (neglected) blog.

July was full, so full. This summer proved to be rather eventful, which caught me by surprise. I had no plans of leaving Lynchburg anytime in the (near) future. But a job opportunity came my way pretty unexpectedly and I was recently hired to work with Crossroads Worldwide as their new Missions Director. Exciting (!), to say the least. I am so in awe of the Lord and His timing, plan, patience and love for me. It all stills feels a little surreal.

 

But with that change, came many more. Leaving my job, Church, friends and home in Lynchburg and packing up and heading south. I spent most of July in NC observing camp and learning more about my new position. Then I spent some time in northern VA with the family to hang out, rest and catch up with old friends. So it feels like I have been in transition for awhile. 

About a week ago though, I made the trip south. With the help of a few good friends and a Uhaul,  I have made my home in small town in southern North Carolina. I mean like, one stoplight small. I am thankful though for so many familiar faces and friends. I kind of feel like I left one home and walked into another.

So heres to welcoming new beginnings and making this life, the new normal. 

meg 

sweet summa' time

How is it almost July? I feel like the summer months are flying by!

Catching up with old friends.
Boiling Springs, NC

But to defend myself, yet again, in my absence from the blog I must say things have been busy. Really busy. Since May, I have spent most weekends away from our sweet little apartment. I spent one weekend away with friends on a canoe-camping trip. I went to North Carolina three different times (crazy, I know)  and then home to see my family once too. Meaning, I spent plenty of time in the car developing my solo dancing career. Keep a look out. 

And to think, that was nothing compared to what July has in store. Why you ask? Well, because in July I am moving south. The real south. I am going to start working full time with for an organization that I love and have been a part of for many years. I really can’t believe it…but more on that later. For now, I am consumed in this end of the transition. Packing, planning, processing, ect. It pretty crazy to think I won’t be back in Lynchburg, and will probably never live in community with many of the people I love here again. I know, what a sad, sappy perspective. But I have been beyond blessed with the friendships I made in & post college and its okay to know that I will miss it (and them) very much.

Lynchburg, Va 

But this transition is good, and right and exciting. So here is to enjoying everything Lynchburg has to offer over these next few weeks and making sure to take snaps of all my favorite places. That way, I can compile something to put on my (new) coffee table (in NC) and tell people stories.

Fun stories.

meg 

the days are getting warmer

Life is so full these days, in a good way. Warmer weather has officially set in and I couldn't be happier. Summer is here which means hello! to road trips, camping weekends, bike rides and everything else great. Except cardigans, I am always a little sad when it becomes too hot to wear them without getting odd looks from strangers. I can't explain it, outfits just don't feel as "complete" without one. So theres that for not-so-great summer facts.

Anyway, in an attempt to make up for my recent absence from the blog, I will bring you up to date with some of my favorite snaps from the last few weeks. enjoy! 

Bike rides in the recent warmer weather, are so great. All
the girls have one now so we are like a real life bike gang.
Bike girlz fo lyfe. 

Road trips (!) mean you can eat anything, or so I thought.
Shortly after I consumed this and a few other "sweet" things
I felt ill and told Kelly to never let me do that again.
Lesson learned. 

Love time with sweet friends. Especially this one on her
birthday! 

On the road, again. We recently spent time in NC for a wedding!
It was so special to be a part of that day, and I left feeling
refreshed after time spent with so many people I love. 

Buy local. Or more specially, from the Orth family farm.  

One of the many blessings Boiling Springs has to offer. My time
with this sweet woman is always filled with encouragement and
wisdom. I am so blessed by her friendship. 

I finished my first piece of stained glass last week! I have so
enjoyed taking art lessons and creating new things. I would
love to taking something pottery related next. 

Remember this face, or what you can see of it. This guy is a
pro I tell ya. If you could only hear him play music from
Pride and Prejudice, your heart would melt too. 

Saturday mornings couldn't be sweeter. I have so enjoyed my
weekend adventures with this girl. I am looking forward to
many more yard sales this summer! 

What are some things you are looking forward to this summer? 

meg

A little show, of art.

There is just something about making something out of what was once nothing. (Yup, read that one again.) You know, taking scraps, paint whatever really and making the nothingness it was, into something new, fresh, great.  

Nothing, to something. 

I am so thankful that I have been given the ability to use my mind and my hands to create. Its a beautiful thing really, and I find so (so) much joy in it. I feel free and purposeful. I feel closer to my God in the seasons when I create often. Perhaps because He is the inspiration behind it all, or maybe just because it is then, for a moment, that I am like Him. 

Nothing, to something.

Okay but really, on to the exciting update. My very talented roommate Kelly and I decided a month ago, what the heck, lets host an art show and sell these things we create. Soon after we had a date, a time and friends who said they were coming. 

So we did it! Here are just a few snaps before the guests arrived: 

One view of the space we used in our apt. 

Kels linoleum block prints!

Little potato prints I experimented with and love. 

Hand painted post cards and envelopes, by Kel.

We both displayed some photos too. 

It turned out to be really wonderful actually. We felt so loved and encouraged by the end of the night. I hope to take advantage of opportunities like this one more often. 

"Love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

meg

We went to Prom, again

Life has been so busy lately! Kel and I hosted our first art show this weekend (full post to come!) and I felt like I had something to finished almost every night this week. Leaving of course, little to no blog lovin' time.  But a rainy Sunday afternoon is just what I needed to play a little catch up. 

So last night, there was a local fundraiser in town called the, “Second Chance Prom.” The woman who puts on the whole thing each year is in the same stained glass class that my friend Che’ and I are in. Needless to say, she spoke so highly of it that we decided to go. We were perhaps the only girls who attended NOT in actual prom dresses, but we danced the night away and had a great time. Here are a few prom-like snaps we took before heading out.

I am so glad we all went, and next year I am sure we will be better prepared and have some kind of ridiculous prom attire ready to go.

meg 

I meet Seth, Seth meets whale.

This weekend one of my best friends flew to Virginia for the first time since her little baby was born. I was so excited to see him in person and not just on a computer screen. I wanted to make him something special, so I attempted one of my first stuffed animals ever. I decided on a whale (so trendy i know) and picked out some great "feeling" fabrics to make him the perfect playmate and pillow.

And here is what I came up with! I learned some tricks along the way that will help make the next attempt a little less stressful, but all in all I was really happy with the outcome. Torri's family lived in Italy a few years back and they always speak so fondly of their time there, so I named him "Balena" which is whale in Italian.

Here are a few snaps of Seth and his new whale, Balena. (translated: whale, whale) Look at that little guy (!) , he is so precious.

Even though Tor and Seth couldn't stay too long, I am so thankful for my sweet time with them. Seeing Tor as a mom first hand, was a surreal thing because we all used to talk about being moms "one day." I am blessed to have had these two girls in my life for so many years, and thankful for the blessing of watching friends becoming wives and mothers.

Love you (three)!

meg

Happy 24!

Birthdays are so fun. I love the intentional time you get to spend with those around you. This year mine was mid-week so the girls were sweet and planned a day the weekend before doing things I love like painting pottery(!) together. My actual birthday was pretty busy which happens to those of us in the 8-5 club, but some friends came over late that night and we had a little shin-dig to celebrate the big 2-4. My friend Lu (not to be confused with my pup Lou, although she is just as great) took this video and it makes me laugh because Kel had no idea she bought me trick candles. Or maybe she did, I’ll never know.

My favorite thing about birthdays in my community here though is the tradition we started almost 3 years ago that on your birthday everyone takes time to tell you something about you they are thankful for. So often those things are never said out loud and it is just a great opportunity to encourage one another. Sometimes they are pretty light hearted and sometimes, they make you tear up. But not only was I thankful to receive that this week but I am always blessed to share on someone else’s birthday as well. I would encourage you to add this tradition to your own families or communities this year too! It really is great.

This party in a box arrived on my birthday, thanks mom.

Here’s to making year 24 full of joyful things, passionate pursuits and many, many adventures.

meg