The past few days have been the perfect amount of grey. Yesterday, in between pouts of showers, I took my sweet cousin's missionary photos. She'll be serving in the Belgium/Netherlands mission, so she felt the rain was fitting. I was grateful for it (I always am) as it gave us lots of opportunities to catch up while we took cover in the car.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'd take rain over shine any day.

plants

For Valentines, we got a few cacti and succulents, our own little "love ferns" if you will. Only they are the kind of plant you hardly have to pay attention to AKA my kind of plant! (not the best metaphor for marriage though...). I'm going to try my hand at gardening soon, but it's nice to start out with little succulents to boost my confidence. Since these, we have purchased a mysterious large leafy thing that I just adore, I just about every time I go to smiths I want to bring home a little growing something! Grocery stores should stick to groceries, lest I spend all my ice-cream money on plants!)

I'm still holding out for a fiddle-leaf-fig for our living room. Plants indoors just make me all kinds of happy!

the great outdoors

I've had a lot of time indoors this last week to day dream about the outdoors. The way far-out outdoors. Italy to be precise. And why must Italy and pictures of it and the internet exist if only to taunt me whilst I sit in my bathrobe? It's just plain rude you see. While we were dating, Brando promised me Italy during a mushy gushy romantic moment that was followed by mad kissing. I'm holding him to it. But Italy is a 5 year dream (or maybe 50). And I'm too impatient for those right now. I need 5 day and 5 week dreams. So I'm back to day dreaming about the outdoors, only the near-outdoors.

Camping is pretty great. And when I haven't recently been thinking about Italy, camping is the greatest! It's a practically free, no make-up, show you who your real friends are, one with mother nature, always an adventure, kind-of-vacation. Our downstairs neighbors went camping this last weekend and had the nerve not to invite us! (Though can I blame them? with my body being what it is as of late? heal body, heal!!) So I made them promise we'll go soon.

Favorite camping spots in the Utah locale?

recovery

Recovery from my surgery has been pretty ideal. I managed to avoid pain killers all together (I thank my kidney stones for high pain tolerance) and since time off from all obligations is rare for me, I looked at it as a bit of a vacation. But yesterday I got discouraged. The novelty of my swollen belly had worn off and not fitting into my pants became just plain annoying. I had exhausted netflix, caught up on enough sleep for weeks, eaten too much junk food, and was plain bored. And then I hit a bit of a hic-up in my healing. And that made me mad. Mad that my body needed this surgery. Mad that it doesn't always work how I want it to. Mad.

I hate being mad. I went to bed last night with a prayer in my heart that I'd wake up on the right side of the bed. Today is better. I had raspberries on the front porch for breakfast. Took a nice long shower. And put my hands to use. My hands always work how I want them to: quick and clean. I'll be forever grateful for that. For their ability to translate ideas into something physical and visual: a clean room, a painting, homemade curtains. I'm grateful for the hands God gave me.

here, now

I'm having surgery today. Nothing too serious, just looking for some answers. I've been thinking a lot about patience, how I seem to have very little and it all comes down to urgency by fear. I regret looking back in my life at times of trial to remember the doubt I had. If anything, my life is a testament that God is here, now. God was always here, even when I forgot it, ignored it, and refused it.

God is here.

My hair is a mile long (it only took me a lifetime to grow out). And that felt like an accomplishment worth documenting.

My grandma often sends me packages. Inside is a simple note, stating what the contents are, and sometimes a bit about their history. These scarves belonged to my Grandma D. I never met her, but I'm sure she was a lovely lady.

These things become precious to me. These objects that hold stories I'll never know. Probably simple stories, every day stories. Those are the significant ones anyway, right?

Like yesterday, Brandon made me pineapple curry and it rained a bit and I was happy.
    

this corner

We've officially lived in our house, "the cottage", for 1 year. We've been making it our home VERY VERY slowly which isn't my preferred way of doing things. I'm a fast person. I was the fastest girl in the third grade! Okay, fine, second fastest. But the point is, I like to do things fast. But this nesting project has proved to be slow if it's going to be successful. You don't just chance upon all your dream decor and furniture in a moment, and in your price range. We want items in our home that we'll truly treasure, and that have significance. This corner on our mantle might be the one place that's got it all together.

Top to bottom, left to right:
-Our very first purchased original work of art by a former professor, Fidalis Buehler (we hope this to be the first of a very large collection of original works).
-Yet another granny embroidery (I have a thing for flowers).
-A wine stopper with a "W" engraved on it (cause Whites...duh).
-And a photograph found thrifting during our dating days of a WWII soldier camp. At the bottom of the photograph it reads "restricted", which instantly made it mysterious and special.
-And barely captured on the right is the side of the silliest bird sculpture that Brandon inherited and has convinced me is worth a fortune ;)

How do you go about finding just the right things for your home? Any nesting tips?

Danielle

!!

I've been so excited to share these images with you but have had to be patient since her dress was a total surprise to the groom! Danielle and Colin were married on Saturday and it was the most beautiful day. My one and only regret is not getting my picture with the bride. I had so much fun working with her and getting to know her better. So much trust and communication is involved in photographing such a special day, it's hard not to feel a special bond with the couples, and even the families. So basically, if you don't want to be my friend, then you shouldn't hire me to do your wedding. I'm considering including rules about it in the contract ;) These are a select few from a roll of film I brought along the shoot. Don't worry, I'll post more soon, so we can continue to swoon over that dress...