summer skin.

Squeaky swings and tall grass

The longest shadows ever cast

The water's warm and children swim

And we frolicked about in our summer skin

I don't recall a single care

Just greenery and humid air

Then Labor day came and went

And we shed what was left of our summer skin

~ death cab for cutie

debo and i have been talking about how we feel our summer skin growing in. it's like the layers of winter skin begin to fall off allowing the warm air to creep into your pores. it's actually being able to smell the air instead of the cold that freezes the insides of your nose. it's feeling exhausted simply because you soaked yourself in pure sunshine. it's a charming, refreshing, and sometimes dare i say tedious time of year, but i love it.

*sigh* oh, sunshine! twist ice cream cones w/ rainbow sprinkles. sun dresses. flip flops. swimming. vacations. rollerblading. farmers markets. fresh air. the zoo. long walks outside. BBQ's. fireworks. painted toe nails. pittsburgh baseball games. time well spent. i love growing into my summer skin.

visiting blessings. :-D

since we have moved to indiana we have been blessed to have so many people visit and/or stay with us. we love having visitors from out of town, and it has truly been such a blessing to have loving fam and friends willing to trek out here. so thank you: mom, clare, bekah & andrew (on several occasions), mrs. debo, jeff paul, tall john terrana (on several occasions), seth roush, adam foss, chito, tay-tay longo, tyler marwood, megan drew, helen papadopoulos, sarah bruckles & paul, erin & dave stamile, steph kunes & kaitlin anderson (your presense was felt), dana beckwith (danish), and of course our most recent visitors, heather moffat (moo) and katie klos (klosser). so thank you all again for making our first year in indiana brighter!

here are a few picture highlights from my time w/ the girls!

(we all kinda suck at taking pictures so there really weren't many pics to choose from, lol)

(crusing in the previa)

(eating strawberry shortcake)

(a ridiculous sign in marion)

(heather, me and katie at the iwu fountain)

(ah mi pueblo, our favorite local mexican place)

(moo being moo)

(walking out of hodson hall)

(the girls cuddling)

(the girls loved mi pueblo so much we went twice w/ them)

*Sigh* good times good times! have a great week all! oh and just so you know, you are always welcome to visit us here in good old marion, IN!

time flies.

so my mom always said, that once you turn 20 the years kinda just fly past you. i think she's right.

in june i'm going to turn 23, i'm also going to have been married a year, and well, out of college for a year. i've been out of high school for 5 years now. crazy! i just kinda can't get over how fast it all goes.

at the same time i just feel so blessed. God has been so good.

hope's got this. God's got this.

every moment of time's just an answer to find what you're here for, what you breathe for, what you wake for, what you bleed for, what you hope for, what you live for.

one of my close girlfriends father came down sick with cancer about two months ago now. he went to the doctor thinking he had pneumonia and found out he had cancer in his one kidney and it had spread a little to his lungs. he had surgery to remove the kidney which went successful, and the family waited to hear the results and the "what's next". this past weekend her papa had a stroke, and internal bleeding in his brain. the cancer had spread there. this morning he is getting surgery.

i get on facebook to read her profile update which says: "in the waiting room...on my lap top...lil sisters by my side...praying...Dad's in surgery getting the brain tumors removed...Hope's got this. God's got this."

i love her so much, and her dad is one of the sweetest men. he has so much wisdom and such a calm, patient, and loving spirit.

Papa please be with him in this surgery. Be with this family in this most scary and stressful of times. Bring healing, bring patience, bring Your love, and please Lord bring Hope. Amen.