Aunt Lindsey and Kyndal Faith

This weekend we celebrated Kyndal Faith's 7th birthday! ❤  She's my only niece, and the last of my niece and nephews to reach this "perfect number" age.  I've loved and adored her since well before she was born, and I pray often for her and her brothers!!

^^(This = us at The Brook last week)

And now, some Aunt Lindsey and Kyndal Faith pics (click the age for link to a full post)...

Her BIRTH-day -- August 14, 2013

All cozy and swaddled on the night she was born.  Lots of babies avoid the bright lights and mostly keep their eyes closed at first, but she was looking at all of us right from the beginning.  What a little preshface!

ONE (2014)

I had no idea how drastically my life would change just 12 days after she was born, nor what a gift from God and bright light in a dark season she would be for me.  So many memories of holding the Miss K and singing to her as God spoke to my heart about the value and beauty of life that first year. ❤

Hi, baby Missy K!

TWO (2015) 

So cuddly and sweet.  I know we had a summer swim party for her at JoBug's pool that year, and Laura and Sarah joined me for an OKC road trip and swim day with the fam!

THREE (2016)

Another fun pool party at JB's... (No blog post from that year because I took a 3-month break after Mom's back surgery and feeling a bit of soul exhaustion that summer.)

FOUR (2017)

K-Faith chose a three-part birthday celebration that year with a pool party, Peter Piper Pizza, and then a family dinner at Mamaw's house!

FIVE (2018)

We took a family trip to Grand Lake to celebrate her turning 5!

SIX

Last year's party was lunch followed by games and fun times at Urban Air, then a family dinner at Pelicans.  This was the last year of her all-baby-teeth smile... adorable!

SEVEN!

(Yesterday's party at Oklahoma Gold!)

 ...Mom and Dad and all four kids came to Tulsa on Thursday to have lunch at The Brook and to see my home renovations!  I got K this 250-piece photo collage puzzle for her birthday, and I caved when she begged me to give her her present two days early. lol  She and Carter and I worked on it together for a little while.  The pics make it fun, but the pieces are small and it's pretty challenging (which apparently she likes, so that's good)!

The beginning of our birthday Facetime call Friday morning:  "I was on the phone with my friend, Ella, but I told her: My aunt is calling me, so I have to call you back." ❤  Toward the end of it:  "Oh no, my other friend is calling me now." lol  She's a popular one.  No clue what this pose is about, but I love how happy and confident she is!  She's so beautiful, gap-toothed smile and all! =)

And finally, a happy Aunt Lindsey and Kyndal Faith through the years slideshow!! ❤❤

(I found a new slideshow app called PicPlayPost that seems pretty good, so huzzah for that!)

SEVEN

Kyndal Faith turned 7 years old on Friday!! ❤

She celebrated yesterday with a party at Oklahoma Gold Gymnastics (where she takes private lessons twice a week).  Thanks to the pandemic, only a few of her classmates made it, but a couple of Jace and Carter's friends were there too, and they all had a blast!

Here she is with her friends Emalynn, Arianna, and Dylan!

A small but fun crowd showed up for her party!

Dylan got her a matching heart necklace - love it!

Glad I got to be there to celebrate and get a few videos and pics.  Love her!

K-Faith can do a round-off double back handspring in her private lessons, but she still gets a little nervous with a crowd, so I haven't seen it live yet.  Jace and Carter, on the other hand, are all about the performing for an audience. lol

Both can do all kind of flips on the trampoline, and they're learning wall flips, which are also impressive!

Miles is the teenage son of one of the coaches there, and he helps out with the parties.  He was really great with the kids and they had a blast on this swing and on the zipline!

A fun slideshow of party pics!!

Randomness + Google Photos Tip

Here's me feeling cute yesterday morning in my leopard cardigan... I got up early to workout, then had time to shower and put in some effort on fixing my hair (such a rarity these days, but I'm trying to care more even though no one sees me most days, purely because it makes a difference for me)... and I still had time to run a couple errands before work -- clearly, I should get up early more often!  ...Just not this week bc today is my last official workday till next Monday! ;-)

Super random side note:  See the gold earrings in the above pic?  I've had them for at least 14 years because there's a pic I remember well but can't find of me at a CHA volleyball game with JMM and co. from 2006, wearing a long-sleeved green t-shirt and those gold earrings... anyway, they lived a good life. lol  They tend to be heavy up front so I pinched the back to make sure they would stay on my ear, then the back side of the right one somehow got caught and tangled in a microscopic hole in the chain on the front, and it was impossible to get out.  After several futile attempts, I finally tried cutting them off with scissors, which didn't work, but made the earring flip weirdly and hurt my ear and damaged the wire to a point that I couldn't pull it out from the front even after getting wire cutters and cutting off part of the back.  So I had to cut it again from the front side (being extra careful and standing right up close to the mirror), then I was able to pull it out in reverse.  And that was the crazy dramatic end of the lovely gold earrings. Rest in peace.

Second random side note:  PLEASE DOWNLOAD THE GOOGLE PHOTOS APP if you don't already use it.  It backs up all your iPhone pictures and videos (or any uploaded pics from your computer) and stores them forever, sorted in date order.  It's free and offers unlimited storage, so you can clear stuff off your phone and you can easily find what you're looking for there since you can search the photos by date, by place, by person, by searching a specific color, etc.  You can create gif images, collages, and movies with it.  It's incredibly helpful, and unlikely to disappear any time soon bc it's Google.  I'm just sad that I didn't have it before 2015.  I searched Shutterfly for over an hour this morning (lots of reminiscing fun) but could never find that pic.  Hopefully it's in an old scrapbook somewhere, but Google Photos would've made it so simple.  I still like the idea of scanning in all the physical scrapbooks we made so that they're preserved somewhere online.  A daunting thought, but it would probably be worth the effort to me to preserve those memories.

EDIT - found it - yay! lol

Anyway, that's all the random side notes. Time for an encouraging verse...

This year has felt shaky for most of us, but God's love is firm and unshakable!

Last Sunday was my Aunt Charlene's birthday - YAY - she would've been my Alaska cruise buddy next month... maybe next year now!?  Also, this Friday is the birthday of the mini Miss Kyndal Faith!!  July and August are very busy birthday months, and I love it!

An encouraging quote Brene Brown shared this week.  She said we should look at the bigger picture rather than getting anxious and hyper-focused on minor details, past or present.  None of us can change the past, but we have a God who can work hard things together for good and bring beauty out of painful situations.

Random meme that made me laugh... I loved the Flintstone vitamins!

Kyndal Facetime calling me to say goodnight when she was staying with Mamaw and Grandpa!  I love it, and love her confident gap-toothed smile here!! ❤

And now, two random flashback pics... the Jaceman on this day 8 years ago! ❤

And a Christmas 2008 pic from Shutterfly... my immediate thought was positive today, but this is one of many old pics where I remember feeling harsh and critical of myself because of my weight, focusing on unfair comparisons and thinking I shouldn't have worn the horizontal stripes.  I wasn't a size 4, but I was pretty and worthy of love and respect, and the same applies today.  I'm mostly out of that hypercritical mindset now, and I know Peloton and years of life experience and maturity have helped a lot with my confidence there.  So just a reminder that whatever you look like and whatever health goals you're pursuing, this day matters and your life matters right now.  We will never make lasting progress without inner strength and joy.  You've got this!  Live fully and joyfully and don't let the enemy weaken your joy, steal your confidence, or make you feel inferior!

That's all I've got for this overcast Tuesday.  
Hope you are well, and hope it is well with your soul!! ❤

Career Comforts

Happy Friday!  

A friend posted the chart below on FB, and I thought it was helpful, especially the categories at the bottom.  

• At present, in my court reporting career, I fall into the "Comfort" category... on a basic level, the world needs court reporters, they pay us well for what we do (better in some states than others), and I am trained to do this job well.  I enjoy my job but wouldn't say that I "love it," so it's not a passion or a place where I find a lot of soul fulfillment.  (And that's 100% okay, contrary to what I used to think.  Three out of four categories here is wonderful.)
• A side job proofreading or being a virtual assistant would fit the same "Comfort" category.  The list of things I really love will always revolve around human connection.
• Blogging falls into the "Passion" or "Fulfillment" category for me -- I love to write and document things, I do it well, and depending on the topic, I believe the world needs more light and hope and connection.
• A career as a paid author or counselor could fall into the "Bliss" category for me if I genuinely felt that I did it well and I made good money there.  I believe bliss is a strong word for any job, honestly... nothing is always perfect on this side of heaven, and we would do well not to have sky high expectations but rather “embrace the partial” in all these categories.
• Motherhood and raising a child will fall into the "Fulfillment" category... I would love it and be good at it, and the world absolutely needs more good, attentive mothers and more deeply loved children!
• On a different level, Aunthood already falls into that "Fulfillment" category for me, along with close friendships and being a contented, joyful single Christian woman, which is pretty cool!  The world needs it, I do it well, and I love it. ❤
• And on the days when I don't feel like I'm doing the motherhood or great friend or joyful singleness thing well, it still falls into the "Vocation"/calling category.
• I guess my point in this post is that we don't have to put so much pressure on our job or on one specific role to fill all these things!!  God likes variety, and we can find purpose in so many different areas.
• For example, the Apostle Paul was a tentmaker, a career where he provided for himself through a skill he performed well that others needed and paid for... but that wasn't his "passion" and was certainly not what he was known or remembered for in the end!
• ...While thinking about how I might feel as a new mother, I thought of this Friends quote last night and got so cracked up.  I've prepared in some ways, but I think there's no way to adequately prepare for that level of life change - you just have to learn a lot as you go.

And learning as you go can be wonderful and exciting (and sometimes overwhelming and exhausting, I'm quite sure)!  And that's okay too.

....That's all I've got for today, gang.
Hope you have a great weekend ahead!!

Thankful Thursday (118)

"He will not crush those who are weak or quench the smallest hope.

He will bring full justice to all who have been wronged."

~Isaiah 42:3

Today, I am thankful for:

1.  Getting fun celebratory mail from the BooCrew!! =)  I also get a free t-shirt from Peloton for being in the "Century club," so that's awesome!

2.   Successfully brewing my first pot of coffee this morning, thanks to Laura's expert video tutorial. lol  (Judges were meeting in our courtroom, and I'm covering the office today.)

3.  This epic photo wall, which Mom and I completed 3 years ago this week.  Still my favorite wall in the house - it brings me a lot of joy! ❤

4.  Reading this little book from cover to cover yesterday afternoon/night.  Lots of good thoughts and poems and short stories from Beth!

 (This = one of my favorites.  The "our pride alone is fragile" line really struck a chord with me.)

5.  Finally getting to catch up with Lindsay over soup and salad at La Madeleine.  (Her birthday is later this week.)  I'm thankful for her friendship and her example of faith and strength!

6.  That J&K got to visit the Blue Zoo (OKC's new aquarium)... Jace had been talking about it a lot, so I know he was excited.  (Side note: I can tell by looking that I would be FAR less comfortable in this room than I am in the butterfly room.  Tiny birds tend to freak me out a bit when we're up close and personal, as my Vegas friends can attest.)

7.   God leading me to this podcast (HERE) last night... this was new to me and deeply fascinating (I listened through slowly and repeatedly to really understand it) and incredibly helpful!!  This is big... learning about the four attachment styles is the 2020 equivalent of the 2010 personality types seminar for me.  I've spent most of my "workday" reading about and watching more videos from Thais Gibson on this topic, and I'm barely scratching the surface.  (These develop in childhood but can shift over time based on our thoughts and experiences.)  I love that God designed our minds in such a way that we can make choices to reprogram them and get healthier and more secure as we grow and learn. ❤  Lasting change is obviously not an easy thing, especially for those who have endured trauma/neglect, but no one has to remain stuck in negative patterns, and that is something we can all be grateful for.

*I found the one above because I was excited when I saw that Dr. Leaf had a podcast on "toxic positivity" about the importance of validating hard decisions and painful emotions and not glossing over things or shutting down the conversation with cliches when someone is hurting - something I already believe in strongly, but it was very well stated HERE.

Anyway, that's all my deep thoughts for the blog today.  Hope you're having a good week so far, friends.  It's been such a crazy year, so I wish you lots of grace and love!! ❤

All the Restaurants!

Happy Wednesday!  I had a lovely long weekend with Monday and Tuesday off work - it was the most time I've spent with the fam since February.  We celebrated Dad's 67th birthday, and I helped Mom buy and start organizing school supplies and notebooks for the kids.

Here are a few pics...

Dad with his bday ice cream sundae at Longhorn Steakhouse... which he shared with everyone (me getting the first bite). #winning

Apparently no one but me and T-man cares deeply about germs, even during the pandemic. This pic is cute, though! ❤

We got some very sad news that JoBug was diagnosed with breast cancer last week.  They caught it early and she may not have to do chemo, but still waiting for more info on all that.  She was her usual fun and thoughtful self bringing gifts for the kids on Sunday, and I love that about her!

The Jaceman with his Mom and Mamaw!

Me and T-man had a nice chat about their Six Flags trip, his schedule for his first year of Junior High next year (crazy!), and the video game he is building on Roblox!!  He's a smart and determined one, and I wish so many good things for his future... him and all his siblings!

Mom and I baked a 3-layer chocolate cake and made the awesome buttercream icing... it did not disappoint! =)

I got to have dinner with Kristin at Olive Garden on Friday, then lunch at Hideaway with Elizabeth on Saturday!!  It was wonderful to see and catch up with both of them.  Elizabeth and I got into a long convo about the Enneagram and how the wings balance each other out, and it always makes me happy when others find the personality stuff fascinating!  Her Schrute Farms shirt also made me happy... =)

Mom and I went to Target and Walmart for school supplies.  J&K were more excited about it than I expected.  Jace was super-jazzed about these Ticonderoga pencils - a brand his teacher told him was good. lol

The Miss was thrilled with her glittery spiral notebooks.  The Lisa Frank design brought back memories for me. =)

It was quite the argument over who got to sharpen the pencils... they each did their own box and then split Triston and Carter's.

A precious note from my precious niece!! ❤

We had dinner at Charleston's for Dad's bday, then came back to the house for cake and ice cream + watching the kids swim while chatting with Bill and Jill on the back patio.  It was all great -  a good way to end Dad's birthday and my weekend with the fam!

Through the 3-day weekend, there was an Olive Garden dinner, Hideaway lunch, Teds dinner with Charlene and Mom and Dad, Longhorn Steakhouse lunch, and Charlestons dinner!! lol  Lots of my favorite places, but I'm ready for some healthier foods this week!

I made it back in time for my eye appointment yesterday... they mentioned again how rare it is for me to be nearsighted in my left eye and farsighted in the right - I'm a medical marvel, just like Ross-topher. ;-)  The drops to dilate your pupils sting more than I remembered - ouch!  It's always fun picking out new glasses, though! =)

Fun fact:  Yesterday was Jon and Kristin's 8th anniversary!

They're one of my favorite couples, and I'm thankful for their friendship!

And here's a random silly pic of Dad that Bill Lemieux took during the golf tournament on Friday (it was Rick's annual tournament to honor Daniel Minnich).  Bill told Jace to slap him if he ever sees him in a hat like that. lolol

Also, when Dad and Alan showed up to pick Bill up that morning, he was out front doing pushups then said, "Oh, I didn't see you guys there!" lol  He's definitely one of my favorites... always fun!

That's all I've got for now, but I'll probably see you again here sometime tomorrow! =)