Lent Update and Ramblings.

Good morning!

Seems like all I ever do is ramble on this blog. However, because it's my blog, and I am so new to the game, I haven't found my rhythm yet. So I ramble...

Lent has been going on for 30 days. There are 17 days until Easter. I gave up sweets, alcohol, and Facebook for Lent because those are things that I use to hinder myself from other things that will grow me as a person.

Facebook has been the best one. I have decided that I CANNOT wait for Lent to be over because then I can delete my Facebook and move on with my life. I don't like it at all and I can't wait to do it. It was something I used out of boredom, as well as using it to look at other people with envy, and lust for their lives instead of living my own. It's going to be so wonderful. I cannot wait!

Alcohol is something that I hadn't had for quite a while before Lent started. It has never been a large part of my life, and quite honestly, I took Lent as a way to get out of drinking with my friends. It gives me a tangible reason as to why I don't want to drink. It allows me to use my religion and faith as a proper explanation as to not wanting to partake. I think I will continue this one after Lent. It is something that doesn't give me anything, it doesn't expand my heart or soul or mind or world. It just isn't something I am interested in. I would much rather have a piece of cake, than two cosmopolitans.

Speaking of cake! Let's talk about the finally item on my Lent List: sweets. I had two or three handfuls of M&M's on the Sunday Lent started, as well as a piece of homemade chocolate cake. It was the Academy Award Party, and I couldn't pass it up. However, after that, nothing has crossed my lips that I gave up. I decided to define sweets as anything you can have for dessert. Cookies, donuts, cake, candy, brownies, chocolate, etc. Things that I have used to satisfy my sweet tooth without breaking Lent: small (or LARGE) glass of chocolate milk, graham crackers and milk, YoPlait Banana Cream Pie yogurt, fruit. At a family birthday party, I had a coconut cup with raspberries and dark chocolate, however I decided that didn't count because it was mostly fruit, and I didn't like it so I hardly ate any of it (Sorry Kathy!). So, since I have been doing so well, I think I may just stick it out until my birthday and have my favorite cake in the entire world. And eat the entire cake by myself. The cravings have subsided drastically from what they used to be. I still want things, however, I don't NEED them. Its liberating to not worry about it all the time.

And because I AM diabetic, alcohol and sweets mess with my numbers so much! So it's just best to work towards not worrying about it. And I think I have made some wonderful progress.

That's all I got. I am working towards a new lap top, and I am hoping that if I work towards that, then I will be able to blog more, and better. At least I hope so.

xx

Get to Know Me: A to Z.

A. Attached or Single?
I am attached.

B. Best Friend?
I have a few, but I think my mom is my most best Best Friend.

C. Cake or Pie?
Both. I love dessert.

D. Day of Choice?
Sundays. Though I don't love the pressure of Monday, I love that you can be lazy on Sundays, you get to go to church, you get chores done, and its also acceptable to be in your pajamas most of the day.

E. Essential Item?
Insulin. Being Type 1 Diabetic and all.

F. Favorite Color?
Green.

G. Gummy Bears or Gummy Worms?
Gummy worms.

H. Hometown?
Portland, OR

I. Indulgences?
Reality Television and YouTube Videos. Oh! And cookie dough.

J. January or July?
I can't decide. January is a fresh start, but July is the summer time.

K. Kids?
None as of yet.

L. Life isn't complete without...
Self discovery.

M. Memory you cherish?
Family beach weeks.

N. Number of Brothers and Sisters?
One brother. I call him Bubby.

O. Oranges or Apples?
Apples.

P. Pet Peeves?
People expecting special treatment for the sake of special treatment.

Q. Quotes?
"He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed." Psalm 107:29

R. Reasons to Smile?
There is always someone out there who wishes their life was as good as yours.

S. Season of Choice?
Autumn

T. Tea or Coffee?
Neither. Milk or Water.

U. Unknown Fact?
Hmm... I hate chipped nail polish more than holes in my clothes.

V. Vegetable of Choice?
Cucumbers

W.Worst Habit?
Picking my cuticles when I am bored or nervous.

X. X-Ray or Ultrasound?
I've had both. Neither for fun reasons.

Y. Your Favorite Trip?
I went on a road trip with my mom and her best friend from Portland to Los Angeles.

Z. Zodiac Sign?
Gemini.

North Carolina, Self-Worth, and Adoption on My Heart.

So, I wanted to get a little bit more candid with you all about some things that have been on my heart.

As you may know, or not know, I just recently found the church of my dreams. Having a church that I enjoy so much has pushed me to welcome and discover my faith a little bit more than I had been. When church is a place where you (meaning me) open up and cry each week because you are so moved, that means the Lord is speaking right to you, and you have to listen.

It's so important to grow in you faith. The Universe is a huge and amazing place. There is not way that there isn't something out there that is working towards a greater eternity for you. And this doesn't even have to be the religious kind of spirituality. It can simply be the faith you have in karma, coincidences, The Universe, the greater beyond, or whatever it is that you believe.

We all have a faith walk that we all need to pursue. Last night I watched a video on YouTube about this woman who owns a business and creates YouTube and blog content, and to top it all off, she travels the world with her husband and friends. The video was supposed to be about her clothes and travelling back to visit family, but she talked about something that really inspired me.

She spoke about how you always look and see people on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Blogs, etc. and you think, "Wow. They have a perfect life. They really have it together." Comments like this are ones that I find myself saying much more often that I like to admit. A pang of jealousy sneaks it's way into me, and I can't help but feel like I, somehow, can't compete with them. But there is no competition!

This person I am looking at and comparing myself to, they don't have any idea I am doing it. They are posting things about their life and doing their thing. They could be struggling with things that are so much worse than what you may be dealing with. No one is in the same situation as you, and the only person you are hurting by feeling resentful of someone else is you. You are dulling your own light by wishing you were more like someone else. 

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So, with all of this, I would like to get to the topic at hand. Something that has been on my heart for a while now, and something that I feel to be very important. Something that will be the basis of my life doing forward.

Since attending church, I have found this push by God to get some things handled. I have two things that have been very much on my heart lately. And by this, I just mean that I find myself thinking about them a lot, and I find that they come up often enough that I am not in a situation of coincidences.

One of those things is North Carolina. I have always been fascinated with The South, I think it's beautiful (well the pictures I have seen anyway)! It has a plethora of small towns to choose from. When this started sitting on my heart, I didn't think much about it. However, it has now been about three years since it first came into my realm of consciousness and I think it is something that I seriously need to research and consider. 

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The second item is adoption. I wrote on one of the blog challenge days about how I was to have zero children or four children. I really like kids, but I know that I would want a ton of them, or to be the aunt to all my friends' children. Finding out that I had Type 1 Diabetes changed the way that I looked at potentially having my own children, and it really has pushed me to consider other options besides having my own.

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I know there are a million ways that Type 1 Diabetics can have their own children. Diets, Insulin therapy, getting the pump to help with stabilization, and the list goes on. However, and this is where it is controversial to some people, but I don't want to put myself and my child through something that could permanently damage me or them. There are much higher risks involved with a Type 1 Diabetic pregnancy, and instead of the constant worry just to have my "own" child, I think adoption is the way to go for me. And, why not find a child that is in need of a family? There are so many out there.

Going to church moves me every week. I sit there and cry, and sometimes its to the point that I am sobbing. And because of that, I know there is something turning inside me, there is the Spirit moving through me. I am learning to listen to my heart, and not my head all the time. It's a hard thing to do. Like I spoke about before, it is so easy to get caught up in comparing myself to other people, however, what is important is what He thinks of me, and what I think of myself. No one else's opinions matter, no misconstrued images I have of myself matter. What matters is that I am happy and healthy and that I am following my dreams, And following the feelings of you intuition. 

Those feelings, and those reoccurring coincidences are there to tell you something. So listen up.

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Blog Challenge: Thoughts and Feelings.

I have had a little bit of time to let the Blog Challenge sit, and stew. I have reflected on it. And I have found that I enjoyed it so much!

Was I all for it the entire month? No. There were days when I didn't want to post, or days when I looked at the clock and realized I was going to bed without having done my blog post for the day. However, when I look over it, I think there is a lot to be said about a routine, and schedule for a blog. Especially when you are new to blogging. With sporadic posts, it is hard to gain and audience, and though the blog posts didn't really relate to my theme of this blog, I knew that I was giving readers a chance to get to know me.

So, while I am happy it is over, I think I will search for ANOTHER blog challenge to do in the near future. Maybe I will do one a little more open ended. Or maybe I will create my own. The wheels are turning here, to see what I can do for my readers, and for this blog.

Brainstorming is something I never thought I would do for a blog, but I think it is necessary. If I want this to become a habit, something important, and a hobby that I enjoy, I will need content and I will need regularity.

So, overall, I loved to Blog Challenge. LOVED IT! It was definitely a challenge, but all good things are. I am excited to start posting some of the ideas I have.

Welcome to my Blog!

Blog Challenge: Day 25.

5 Favorite Blogs and Why You Love Them.

1. Hello, Gorgeous!

I love outfit of the day posts. I like to drool over the choices that other people make and wish that I could wear that shirt with those pants, and I also love to look and see where other people shop. She offers all that with affordable pieces, links everything, and gives you several options for alternatives. She's amazing! And she is stunning. Get ready to "ohhh" and "ahhh" over her style choices.

2. House of Rose

Once I found this blog, it has become the one I look forward to the most. When I see that she has posted something, it doesn't matter what it is, I will read it from beginning to end. Her writing style makes you fee l as though you are speaking to her rather than reading along with thousands of other people. She opens herself up to everything and it is so much fun to read.

3.Lauren Conrad

There isn't must to say about it except that there is a little bit of everything.

4. Citrus & Style

This girl is dynamite. She writes short and simple posts about all different things. She is in high school but her posts are always helpful in all stages of life. She talks about organizing for school, which can translate to organizing for my job. She does outfits, fitness, personal, and organizational. I enjoy her so much and find myself wishing I had some of the insight she is privileged to have.

5. Allison Anderson

This one! What can I say? She is my favorite YouTuber. When I found her channel, I am fairly certain I went through every single video she had posted. Then I went and started reading her blog and I just couldn't get enough of her. The writing style she uses and the way she uses photos, and she also don't just link her videos, but does separate posts that go into similar detail. I find myself looking her post and reading them the second I can.  

Blog Challenge: Day 24.

Things You've Made

I tend to, and have dabbled in the art arena. I like to make my own things and have my own art on my own walls. My tastes have changed since I started doing this, but overall, I have really enjoyed it, and wish that I did it more often than I do.

It is my New Year's Resolution to start doing it more. I haven't felt too inspired lately, but sometimes if I sit down, and force myself to do some artwork, I can make some amazing things.

Here are some pictures of some pieces that I have done.

Enjoy.

Blog Challenge: Day 23.

5 People Who Inspire You

1. My mom.
2, My dad.
3. My brother.
4. My Godmother.
5. Myself.

Blog Challenge: Day 20.

React to This: Positivity

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person's strength.

Proverbs 17:22

 

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