It's the Saturday of the year.

My friend, Hayley, says that this time of the year is like the Thursdays of the year. Thursdays are awesome and exciting and yet they drag on forever and ever and a day when all you want is Friday. My other wise friend, Rachael, wrote this post about not giving up on 2013 yet - living it out to the very full. I pumped my fist with her at the beginning of the December, but here on December 18th - I'm moving into the weekend of the year. I'm ready to rest. I'm ready to celebrate. I'm ready to create good content again. 

Baby having, business starting, moving, the beginning seasons of church planting, the conference, and writing a book proposal. That was my January through November and it was loud and wonderful and hard and tiring and wonderful! I have something my husband calls Saturday-syndrome. On Saturdays, I can relax for like 2 hours. I can cuddle with kids, make a long breakfast. I can let the house get messy and sip my coffee. Till like 10am. And then I want to GO! PRODUCE! WORK! BE PRODUCTIVE! And it's so unproductive. If I just let myself rest, the work that comes on Monday morning is so much sweeter and good. 

So I'm forcing myself now to let it be the Saturday of the year, and I'm going to fight my Saturday-syndrome. I'll be posting less on the blog, less on social media, and even though I have ideas I want to work on, words I want to write, and designs I want to create - I'm just gonna rest up and ask the Lord to store up the new stuff and help me flesh it out on Monday, er - in January. 

Until then! Two things that are super close to my heart. 

1. One huge stinking blessing of our life here in Charleston is that we just happened to move two doors down from another mama-entrepreneur. My sweet friend Zoe is my neighbor-friend and she runs a sustainable clothing company with her twin sister. They make BEAUTIFUL pieces in an environmentally conscious way. I'd love for you to check them out! 

2. We're done shipping for the year, but we have one more promotion in our shop that we're really excited about. Our precious friend (and amazing photographer) Caroline Ro is fundraising to go on a trip and we're giving her the day in our shop to help out. 100% of the profits from sales that day will go to fund her trip. She'll be on the blog sharing a bit more Friday - so check back in! 

Do you need encouragement to go quiet?
Do you have Saturday syndrome? If so, I'm praying for you and thinking of you. 
Rest it up, girl, January is coming. 

a new season.

Elias started his first year of out-of-the-home-school, 1st grade. 
Glory had her first day of Kindergarten. 
Benja had a Mommy day, but he starts full day preK next week. 

Lots of thoughts and stories and observations coming. 
But for now, time to pack lunches! 

life lately in grace

Life lately is filled with loud kids who are prepping for the biggest change their little lives have ever seen. They are excited and wound up and a little nervous and excited about starting school this week. In these last few days, we are squeezing every last drop of summer and having them full time. Last trips to the beach, movie dates with dad, and falling asleep in the parents room are all happening. And we're loving it.  

Life lately is gathering with community once again. Those first few weeks in Charleston were so different. Lots of people visiting, but no permanent community. As our friends from Fort Wayne have begun to move for the church and as the Lord has brought new friends, there is such much comfort for us in community. I love seeing my sink full of dishes and my driveway full of cars. Says the introverted community lover. 

Life lately is kissing the side of a baby's neck and laying beside him as he practices crawling. Cannon is still such a happy baby except for when it comes to eating (we can NEVER feed him fast enough) or sleeping (who likes to sleep?), but otherwise he is really the joy of our family. 

Life lately is all jumbled in a sweet and sticky way. Small business talk bleeds into church talk and intense marriage conversations are had while buying school supplies. Guests come and go and plan are always changing, but the Lord has us where He wants us and for that -- we praise Him. 

What's your life like lately?