July 2021

QUOTE OF THE MONTH: 

 "The more you love, the harder you fight.
You always have a right to defend yourself and others,
but never ever lash out in anger.
Don't become what you are fighting...
Always be motivated by love.”
~Rachael Denhollander, What is a Girl Worth

JULY GRATITUDE LIST

• Getting to swim a couple times with the Whitaker fam
  
• Celebrating the birthdays of Katherine Claire, Kristin, Sarah, Chet, and Amelia Belle!  (Two new babies + three of my favorite adults. lol)
  
• Celebrating the 4th of July with the fam - watching the fireworks while chatting with Heather with my feet in the pool
• Spending time with Mom and watching Olympic gymnastics while we decorated at Rachael's house
  
• Getting to see Megan's house and recreate some fun high school photos with old friends
  

What was life-draining this month?

• Witnessing someone being condescending to my niece and wishing I'd confronted that immediately; Seeing one of my nephews treated very poorly for trying to confront an abusive situation
  
• Aggressive and arrogant people who give little thought to the feelings and desires of others
  
• Feeling worried for the physical health and the emotional well-being of each of my family members -- mirroring their emotions as I try to understand those who are navigating big change and loss and all the pain, anger, and stress surrounding that
• The uproar of cruel and callous comments surrounding Simone Biles' choice to pull out of the team competition.  As if anyone truly knows all she is going through.  This one doesn't matter as much to me personally, but I would so deeply love to see more sensitivity, grace, compassion, and kindness around discussions of sexual molestation and the physical and mental health of gymnasts AND the value of human beings vs. the value of national pride and medals, particularly among the "Christian" crowd.
• The severe lack of love and empathy in most of the online conversations about vaccines vs. anti-vaxxers and the politics behind all of it feels especially exhausting and disheartening to me right now.  I've realized over the last few days that I'm genuinely at max capacity and feeling emotionally drained with all the family stuff and the personal loss I'm still processing... so I have a lower energy level and a low tolerance for any outside drama, thus I'll be taking a lovely social media break through the month of August (from Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, but not from blogging).
  

What was life-giving this month?

• Sleep. lol  Naps, sleeping in, and going to bed early several times instead of staying up for one more episode.
• Meeting baby Kate and getting to hold her and hug Sarah and Steve
  
• Annie and Eddie podcast reruns -- always uplifting and fun for me
  
• Making a long list of power thoughts and verses and going over it every day this month
• Teaching my oldest two nephews to drive; a couple of good talks and important phone calls with T-man
• A long-awaited signature that signifies the end of a painful chapter and the beginning of a brighter new season
  
• Crying my way through the last few chapters of Rachael Denhollander's audiobook... I so admire her courage and character.  It was a very long road, but I'm grateful that she was willing to tell the worst parts of her story over and over under intense scrutiny and ridiculous defamation to fight for the hearts and voices of hundreds of abuse victims, and I'm incredibly thankful that they all got their day in court to speak for themselves and confront their abuser and the terrible institutions that tried to keep them silent
  
• It makes me feel thankful that the national conversation is sloooowly but surely shifting in some positive ways there, although institutional corruption is still alive and well
• The heart behind this post:  "Here's the message I hope we can send to Simone Biles: You are an outstanding athlete, a true role model, and a powerful woman. Nothing will change that. Please don't sacrifice your emotional or physical well-being for our entertainment or national pride. We are proud of you for being brave enough to compete, and proud of you for having the wisdom to know when to step back. Your choice makes you an even better example to our daughters than you were before. We're still rooting for you!" -Byron Heath
  
• The entire gratitude list above ❤
  

HAPPY LISTS

I Read:  Mark 3-16, Luke 1-17

I Listened To:

• What is a Girl Worth: My Story of Breaking the Silence and Exposing the Truth about Larry Nassar and USA Gymnastics by Rachael Denhollander
• How to Hear From God and Battlefield of the Mind CD set by Joyce Meyer
• The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine by A.W. Tozer
  
• The usual podcasts + the March through December 2020 episodes of Annie and Eddie Keep Talking (again)

I Watched:  Modern Family seasons 1-4 on Hulu

I Made:  ...it through the month! lol

 

*This recap was inspired by Emily Freeman's The Next Right Thing Journal, and I'm writing one for each month of 2021!

 

P.S.  Happy 41st Birthday to Harry Potter today!! lol ;-) #theboywholived #bestseriesever

Closing Day Nostalgia

On this day 14 years ago -- July 31, 2007 -- I signed approximately 1,000 papers to close on buying my first home!  I remember feeling overwhelmed by the amount of paperwork and anxious about whether I was making the right choice to stay in the Tulsa area.  This was less than two months after receiving the letter that cut me off from my original Tulsa friend group of ORU students.  But I had already made an offer on this home, and I had also joined a Tulsa LifeGroup and made a few new friends there, so that made me feel a little safer in staying.  

That summer was one of the most broken periods of my life, and I'm still so thankful for God's grace in that season when I look back... for setting things in motion with me making an offer on this house well before I received the letter, for leading me to a wonderful home  in a great part of town that I've really enjoyed for 14 years, for giving me the courage to stay in Tulsa when part of me wanted to run, for the encompassing loneliness that led me to really make an effort and press into the new LifeGroup friendships, for the personal growth that happened naturally being a bit further from the home where I grew up, and for surrounding me with good people who helped build me back up and kept me close to Him!! ❤

We didn't actually move any of my stuff in until August 4th... but we spent 3 days cleaning + prepping + painting every inch of the empty house (highly recommend doing it that way if you have the time), then we celebrated Dad's birthday on the 3rd, then it was official "moving day!"  Here are a few pictures from the first couple days in my brand new home:

I love that Mom and Dad, Grandad, JoBug, and Emily were all there helping with painting, yard work, installing the new doors, etc.  I remember deeply wishing Josh and co. were there that week, and I also remember feeling loved and supported and so grateful for my family's help.  Like I said yesterday, grief deepens your gratitude for what remains.  I also love that my first few meals in my living room here were with the fam using TV trays and sitting on lawn chairs.

And here they are loading up Grandad's pickup on August 4th... in the driveway at 9121 - such a great house!  I feel thankful that my parents didn't move until after I did... 9121 was the last house where I lived with them before transitioning to Tulsa and living on my own. ❤

*Note the brown chair and ottoman that came from 9121 and are still in my living room corner today! =)

The living room once we got everything painted and the furniture all moved in!!  I still remember going with Mom in December of 2006 to Tulsa Mathis Brothers and picking out that burgundy couch and chair and the glass coffee tables for my apartment at The Mansions when I first moved to Tulsa (in January of 2007).  After my big furniture purchase that made me feel like a real adult, we went to dinner at Chili's on 71st where Josh waited on us and we talked about how exciting it was that I'd be moving here soon... ahh, the irony. lol

In time, I painted the rose archway and the magnolias with the Donna Dewberry flowers I was practicing... Grandad cut boards that went across the bathtub so I could stand and paint more easily. ❤

These top two pics are just to remind me how long ago 2007 was... me babysitting Brooklyn (who's now headed off to college) while Alan and Bryan worked on my sprinkler system, then me and Rach and some random guy at a bar later that week. lol  The bottom pic and the collage below = one of the first get-togethers I hosted in my new home... and when I gave them the tour, one of the girls was impressed with the size of the bathtub and talking about how we could all fit in there, so we crowded in for a picture (because that's just who I am, both then and now - any opportunity for cute photos!).

My first Christmas in Tulsa... I decided it would be more unique and fun to go with the lime green, hot pink, turquoise blue, and purple colors.  And it was fun - I'm still a fan of that look!  Clearly, we were just in the process of decorating in this top pic - we would never leave it with two snowflakes on one side and only one on the other. lol  Makes me happy that I was watching Cool Runnings and I have The Office DVDs (sooo many Thursday night hangouts with Mark and Natalie watching that show) and Beth Moore's Daniel study (which I led a women's small group through) on my shelf there -  I always love the random details like that in old photos!

A few pics from the first Christmas party I hosted with LifeGroup friends (the Changie group was rapidly coupling off -- Chad & Angie, Mark & Natalie, Scott & Kim -- so I think me, Bobbi, and Kristin were in talks and just gearing up to possibly start a singles LifeGroup called Diving Deeper at that point)!  And the bottom left photo is from our Bourne trilogy movie night during the ice storm in December 2007 when I was one of few homes with power and others came to stay and hang out!

And my first time hosting a New Year's Eve party, also 2007!  Why I chose to wear crazy big earrings and a club volleyball shirt from 2000 is beyond me, but whatever. lol

That covers the highlights of events that took place in my home in 2007.  So much about my home interior and my friendship circle has changed over time, but there are a few things and people that have remained constant.  I really love where I am now, but I feel nostalgic for that season of life where most of our friend group was in a similar life stage and there was a strong sense of community and constant get-togethers!  I feel exceptionally thankful for those early days here, these photos and memories, and God's faithfulness through it all! ❤

Friendship Friday

"A friend is one that knows you as you are,
understands where you have been,
accepts what you have become,
and still gently allows you to grow."
~Shakespeare 

Today is National Friendship Day. ❤

I was texting recently with my cousin about how loss and grief make you less likely to take things for granted.  And for me, there is no place where that holds truer than in my friendships.  The heartbreaking losses I have endured in this area deepen my gratitude and joy for the friends who have been faithful through the years... uplifting, trustworthy, fun, kind, and loyal!  Friendship is sacred to me, something I treasure and value, a place where I find great support, joy, strength, and encouragement!  I care deeply about my friends and their victories and sorrows... I love listening to their stories, and I love having people that I trust enough to share my heart and be myself with.  I'm thankful for all the good memories and fun times, for the difficult conversations and growth, and for the life changes we've all experienced together through the years!  I thank God for all the great conversations and the good meals we have shared, and for the way people have included me in their growing families and allowed me to be an honorary "Aunt Lindsey" with their kids!!  It all matters deeply to me.  Close friendships are said to double your joys and divide your sorrows... and I believe that.  We need each other more than we realize sometimes.  I am incredibly thankful for my close circle and the way they have cared for me and grown with me over the years... and I love having the opportunity to be there for my friends in return!

I won't dwell on it today, but I am also grateful for the personal growth, the valued memories, and the lessons I've learned through the friendships that eventually fell apart.  "Growing apart doesn't change the fact that for a long time we grew side by side; our roots will always be tangled. I'm glad for that."  ~Ally Condie

Dear friends, I so love and appreciate you.  Thanks for standing by me, showing up in good times and in hard seasons, and allowing me to grow and change.  I look forward to many years of continued friendship, laughter, joy, tears, and surprises with you!  

"Thank you for being a friend!  Traveled down the road and back again.  Your heart is true. You're a pal and a confidant!"  #goldengirls  That last part was for JEM and Chet Lee. ;-) Happy Friday, all, and have a lovely weekend ahead!

Parrish Pics, Part 2

I mentioned before that the Parrish fam joined another family from CHA for a beach trip to Galveston last week... here's a pic of all of them (3 adults and 9 kids!).  Sounds like they had a fun week together there!

I had fun getting to swim with Kristin and Frankie and their boys on Saturday!  Swimming with kids who are excited about it is always fun to me, and y'all know I always enjoy catching up with Kristin!

And the afternoon swim was a nice break from working with Mom all weekend to hang lots of new pictures at the Parrish home... although we didn't hang anything quite so fabulous as Kyndal's drawings. I thought this was a self-portrait at first and got kinda cracked up, but now I think she was just signing her artwork.  She has them pinned up all over her bedroom walls. lol  I just love her!

I also LOVE that Rach made these and personalized them for each kid to hang up and remember! ❤

Okay, on to the pictures of pictures. lol  These were from our park photoshoot on Black Friday last year... I like the glittery frames and the mix of color vs. black-and-white photos!

Their names and meanings and a lovely verse on the other side of the kitchen.  This is stuff I made several years ago before Rach stepped into her own creative skills and talent!  The through-the-years collaged pics of the kids makes me happy!  And on the table is the chips and skillet queso from Chili's that Dad brought us so we could keep working. lol

Their office room is really nice... Mom cleaned it up and Al helped her move in the white chest from Babah's house, then we added the painting of Jesus along with the crosses and a picture from Mom and Dad's anniversary dinner!

Something I found at Hobby Lobby that seemed perfect for Rachael. lol  (In their laundry room.)

A fun series of photos in Rachael's bedroom

Some of Jill's pictures...

Rach made these fun decorative frames a few years back, and we decided to use them in the master bathroom!

JoBug came and helped Mom with the pantry shelves and with hanging this series of pictures in the living room!

We ordered some new 4x6 pics (some from their beach trip) and mixed in some through the years to throw in these frames!  While this may look really simple, it involved cleaning the glass in each of the 36 photo slots, so it took a minute. lol  Turned out really cute, though!

We hung these pictures on the glitter wall in their entryway a few months back, but I'm not sure I ever posted it, so here they are.

Mom and I took breaks here and there, and we got to watch most of the USA men's team and women's team competitions, which I always love to watch!  

The mini Miss K and her Mom, six years ago and now!

And finally, we added the shiny fireglass in the fireplace (which Mom had repainted before I got there)... and I helped arrange things for the mantel and hearth as Mom directed me. lol  She's very good at this kind of stuff and always has a vision for it!!  And she called in a team of people to help transform some things (including Dad, Al and Donovan, a contractor, JoBug, Alisa, and me).

Rach and the kids were surprised and grateful and really happy with it, so that makes it worth the effort!  Although K-Faith was a little confused and disappointed looking around for the "surprise" Mom told them about. lol  I think she was expecting a new toy or a puppy or something. #preshface

Okay, I think that's all I've got for today.  Yesterday was Grandad's second birthday in heaven, so happy belated birthday to him!! ❤ 

Hope you're having a wild and wonderful Wednesday!

Parrish Pics

 Our closest family friends, Bill & Jill, took some new photos of Rach and the kids last weekend.  Well, Jill really took them while Bill was her photography assistant... then the kids all swam while the adults chatted outside watching them.  Anyway, here are a few of my favorite pictures of my niece and nephews and sister...

❤

This was the face Jace made every time they tried to do a serious expression, so he just looked angry or like he was pouting.  Carter pulls of the serious face pretty well!  I definitely do not.

Triston Michael

Carter Lee

Jace Michael

Kyndal Faith

This one makes me happy too!

I love and adore these kids!!  I find their unique personalities fascinating and endlessly entertaining, and I care deeply about their hearts and all that concerns them.  And on a lighter note, I still believe my niece is the very cutest person alive, and I love that she still gets excited to sit by me! ❤  ...I was at Chet Lee's birthday party the day of this photoshoot, but I hope to go see Bill and Jill's fabulous new pool and see them again sometime soon!

Photo Friday (Fireplace)!

On this day last year, my fireplace remodel (and thus, my entire home remodel project) was finally completed!!  

The first contractor I hired started to work on it, then decided he was unable to build a hearth, which was our original plan... so it looked like this for almost two months as we waited on him and then eventually called other contractors.

We found a good one named Eduardo... and he and his brother came on July 22nd and 23rd.  By then, we'd decided we liked the open look if they were able to do that... they knew what they were doing and knew how to redo some of what Antonio had gotten wrong... 

The tiny spacers for my bardiglio gray marble tile! ❤  So many things in the remodel process were interesting to me... but more for the sake of writing metaphors about the transformation process than having a desire to do any of this myself at any point. lol  I am who I am. 

Happy texts with Mom when it was finally all done. =)

It might be my favorite thing about the new stuff in my house, although there are many good ones to choose from.  My first Christmas with this new look was lovely!  This scene = one of Moira's funniest wigs to me. lol

And my first February and Valentine's day season. ❤ #xoxoCody

Anyway, just wanted to celebrate that once I realized that today was the anniversary for all that!  I'm so grateful for all the changes... and verrrry grateful that the messy process is over now!

Happy Friday, friends and fam!!