Saying Thanks

Hey everyone - This is an incredible chance to say thanks so please take this opportunity to do so!

To all our readers...

I know it's been about 32348459034890454354 years since any of us have posted. I know for me, the past few weeks have been a whirlwind...from our Girl Gone Real reunion, to work, to parties, to holidays...life is in full motion. But have no fear...we'll be posting more soon. For now, I'll leave you with a few pics from our reunion. Our time in Evansville was so good. Catching up with each other was truly a blast!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANIELLE!!!

Happy Birthday, to our Darling Danielle! We love you much!!! From your gurrrrrls at Girl Gone Real!!

Happy Halloween!!!!

Here's to lots of candy, except for candy corn!!!

The People in this Crowd Love The Fall. Plus! Girl Gone Real Vlog Style! Yes, I Am Copying Hilary.

We girls here at GGR are a fall-lovin' group of ladies. Over the years most of our reunions have been in the fall. Most of our fall-reunion photo shoots involve red and orange and yellow and brown leaves on the ground. We are usually clad in sweaters. I think I can safely speak for all of us when I say that we all REALLY love sweaters. Tiffany even managed to get married in the fall so that our reunion that year could be both autumnal AND nuptial.

We all have favorite fall memories together from our time in college and after (hint hint, comment time, people). Our senior year we all descended upon Tiffany's family in northern Indiana for a fall retreat, and we set the bar high for the rest of our reunions to come. We had a weekend of laughter, late breakfasts, lots of pictures, and coffee made complete with a haunted hay ride, a backyard bonfire, and Momma Rachel's Famous Chicken Cheese Soup. MMM. I could die from a chicken-cheese-soup-induced death with a smile on my face.

Nat and I have started our own fall traditions, too. Since Miles is an October baby, fall is an extra special time for us, and we look forward to watching the massive tree in our front yard turn bright canary yellow (see photo above). Nat and I have perfected our Special Adult Apple Cider Deliciousness and most weekends in the fall you'll find it simmering slowly on the stovetop, making our whole house smell like cinnamon and cloves.

But I digress. I promised in the title that this would be a Vlog. So here we go. A two-year-old's attempt at leaf-jumping, plus Daddy, plus the baby, plus my really super high-pitched supportive Mommy voice:

The Next Big Thing

I just had a great conversation on the phone with a couple of girlfriends from college tonight. One of the girls had suggested a book to me last week called Cold Tangerines in response to a comment I had made about wanting to know God all over again. Long story short, I grew up in a Christian home, went to a Christian college and have spent my whole life, essentially, in the church. I've just come to a place of feeling like I'm only walking through motions. I don't have an overwhelming passion to know God and who He is as much as I have in the past. It just feels stale at the moment. So anyways, I looked up the author and was able to read an excerpt from the book, which I fully intend to purchase this week, and it was incredible. The author talked about the "next big thing" we always seem to be holding out for. I completely relate to this! It was a definite "a ha" moment for me. How often do you hear this sort of phrase coming out of your mouth, "When I do ____ ____ ____ then I'll feel like I've arrived/made it/found my purpose/etc,"? This is me! In my mind I've thought, "If I can just get a little skinnier, than all will be well" or "If I can just get promoted, then I'll feel like I've really made it," or "When I get married, that's when my life will really begin." The thing is, even when those things happen, I'll probably still want more. But...what about now? What about the moment we're in right this very minute? I've begun to realize that I spend my days with my head down, just barreling through life without even stopping to see the purpose in the little everyday things. I downplay moments where I engage in great conversation with other people, or have an opportunity to help someone in need, or to watch the sunset or laugh hysterically over fond memories. Life has become stale, because I'm too focused on wanting a big "God Moment" where the heavens part and I hear the audible voice of the Lord saying something incredibly profound to me. All the while, I'm missing His still small voice in my daily journey. So this this is what I'm learning: take a moment to really appreciate all that's around you today. Don't let those seemingly small moments slip past you. Over time those small things build to become something really significant.

A Birthday Greeting for Anna

To Anna,


Happy Birthday from your besties at Girl Gone Real. We love you much!!!


So, now, it's your turn. Feel free to leave a special birthday greeting for our darling Anna!!!