You Are More

There's a girl in the corner
With tear stains on her eyes
From the places she's wandered
And the shame she can't hide

She says, "How did I get here?
I'm not who I once was.
And I'm crippled by the fear
That I've fallen too far to love"

But don't you know who you are,
What's been done for you?
Yeah don't you know who you are?

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

Well she tries to believe it
That she's been given new life
But she can't shake the feeling
That it's not true tonight

She knows all the answers
And she's rehearsed all the lines
And so she'll try to do better
But then she's too weak to try

But don't you know who you are?

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

'Cause this is not about what you've done,
But what's been done for you.
This is not about where you've been,
But where your brokenness brings you to

This is not about what you feel,
But what He felt to forgive you,
And what He felt to make you loved.

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

You are more than the choices that you've made,
You are more than the sum of your past mistakes,
You are more than the problems you create,
You've been remade.

You've been remade
You've been remade.
You've been remade.
You've been remade.

You Are More. Tenth Ave North

Talk To Me (This Chapter)

Ang was sharing the church bulletin from their service on Sunday. It was about chapters of our life and the pastor asked what would you name this chapter of your life? Good question!

Talk To Me Tuesday (or whatever day you get around to it!):

What would you name this chapter of your life?

This was so hard! Together, A & I threw around several titles... change, unexpected, challenging, confusion, WAITING. What about adversity, strength, not being enough, patience, pressure?

I was thinking about this last one while Rusty was watching a basketball game on tv. The announcers were talking about a player dealing with adversity. He said, "Pipes may burst under pressure but diamonds are made under pressure."

I guess I could call this chapter "Making Diamonds." Can't wait to see God's diamond in the rough.

Next Week's:

Thanksgiving in March.

I got the best 'thank you' in the mail last week. It came with blue raspberry jolly ranchers. Completely made my day and was a good reminder to me that I've been slacking on sending my own 'thank-you's' lately. So.....

Who are some people you are thankful for? Have you told them lately?

16-30.....

.....may or may not ever make it.

Dear 30x30,

It's not you. It's me. You're awesome. Really you are. And last fall we shared something special. I learned a lot from you. But it's just not working out this time. You see, I love those boots in the mix but the weather here one day was 70 and then there was this shopping trip planned with J. I just couldn't miss out on it. So please forgive me for totally breaking the no shopping rule and for finding new items that are dying to be worn while your 30 sit in the back of the closet in waiting. (Well- let's not kid ourselves.... those BR jeans are still going strong. Make that 29 items.) Maybe one day we'll reunite, but until then- don't you love these shoes I scored on a super sale? At least they aren't the real ones that I have shoe envy of (size 9, Easter Bunny). That's gotta count for something, right?

Take care, 30x30. It's been real.

Fondly,

H.

13, 14, 15

Day 13

Necklaces: Forever 21/{cb}h

Shirt: Old Navy

Belt: Express

Jeans: (squint and imagine that these are the gap skinnies I cant find anywhere)

Shoes: (squint and imagine I'm wearing the target flats)

I know... not the best 30x30 but again, I like to rely on the steady and true squint method.

Day 14

Necklaces: Forever 21/{cb}h

Shirt: Gap

Sweater: Gap

Belt: NY&Co

Jeans: Banana Republic

Shoes: Target

Day 15

Necklaces: Forever 21/{cb}h

Tank: Banana Republic outlet

Sweater: Gap

Skirt: Gap

Leggings: Express

Socks: Target

Boots: Madden Girl

It was practically 70 today (or low 60s but who's keeping track?). It was an awesome February day!

And aren't you glad I didn't wear the same jeans/boots combo every single day this time around? Oh come on- The necklace combo isn't as annoying is it??

Talk to Me (cabin fever?)

What are you doing to ward off cabin fever?

Maybe this should have been preceded with, "If you have cabin fever."

I actually don't. Yet.

Our schedule doesn't slow down in the winter (hello, basketball season). And compared to last year, the roads have so far been pretty nice so we've still managed to be out and about.

So instead of 'warding off cabin fever,' my answer today will be what would you do if you were stuck inside for a snow day with nothing else that needed to be done (I'm talking no photo editing, ordering, or scheduling- like that would ever happen!). :)

I would take a long hot bath and read some of the many books sitting around either unopened or half started. I finally read one not too long ago and it was the first one I'd read since before I started doing photography. Reading is probably one of the things I miss most since starting to work two full-time jobs. I vow to read at least one book over spring break!

So what about you? What are your inside activities this winter? Or have you had time for any?

Link up to your answers in the comments.

Next Week:

What would you name this chapter of your life?

10, 11, 12

Day 10

Scarf: {cb}h (from craft day!)

Shirt: Target

Belt: NY&Co

Jeans: Banana Republic

Boots: Madden Girl

Day 11

Necklaces: Forever 21/{cb}h

Shirt: Forever 21

Jeans: Banana Republic

Shoes: Target - for the record, they are flats (two 3rd grade boys were discussing whether they were heels or not. ha.)

It was nearly 50 this day. I didn't wear socks and may have been made fun of just a little for it.... but Jaren actually got a pair as a gift this day and she let me borrow them since admittedly my feet were cold... ironically only when I was inside though.

Day 12

Scarf: Gift from my amazingly talented Aunt Peggy!

Shirt: Gap

Bracelet: Express (I think?)

Belt: NY&Co

Jeans: Banana Republic

Boots: Madden Girl

How much do you love this scarf? My plan was to wear the red for Valentine's Day. I actually had a student notice it without prompt and gave a sweet compliment. Guess the red worked! ;)

Side note: Did you see this about clothing prices going up?

Date Night

I'm way behind in blogging (and editing and laundry and house cleaning and email returning and.... well you get the point) but I still wanted to get at least one post up this weekend.

R&I (and hundreds of other people judging by the traffic) celebrated Valentine's Day yesterday. We went all out this year.... we did dinner (err, lunch) AND a movie. We may have done dinner (uh, lunch) on a gift card from Christmas and the movie on our couch, but we still got both in. And in between we picked up treats at Target. Sour Patch Kids and Coca Cola bottles in the popcorn. Yum. (If you are thinking you knew me better than that and I don't eat sour candy... you'd be right, until they were mixed in with the popcorn... it's a whole new treat.)

So anyway, happy Valentine's to you. Hope you spend the day (and the rest of the year) knowing how much you are loved.

7, 8, 9

Day 7: This remix has been way different from the last one. I haven't spent one second sitting down to plan out outfits like I did last time around. Every morning has been a grab/go kind of morning- something I only rarely did last time around. So I've found when I've had time to check out other remixer's outfits I do a quick check to see if I have similar pieces in my own 30 so I can recreate the look. That's what I attempted with this one.

If you are thinking, "wow, H, that looks nothing like yours" you should consider trying the squint method. Works every time.

Scarf: Some little Valley Junction shop

Sweater: Lauren Conrad

Belt: NY&Co

Jeans: BR

Boots: Madden Girl

Day 8: Again grab & go. Do you like the change of shoes? I know you are thinking I took Kari's advice and wore boots into the building then changed my shoes. I didn't. I mean, I wore boots into the building alright. But I forgot the part about bringing the original shoes to change into. Oops. So the boots I wore the majority of the day aren't pictured. Turns out that's good because they also weren't a legal 30x30 item. But since there's no photo it never happened and since there is a photo of this outfit, clearly this outfit did happen so no harm, no foul, right? Maybe I should have just pleaded the 5th about this one and lived with the guilty conscious....

Scarf: fab'rik

Shirt: Gap

Jeans: See Thru Soul

Shoes: Target

Day 9: Clearly g&g. Not so much an outfit. But definitely comfy. I could have added a belt and a big bracelet but I didn't. I also could have worn it with tights as the dress it was meant to be but it's too cold for that. I'm a layerer so this doesn't seem real versatile to me. Other than the aforementioned, how else would you style this?

Shirt Dress: Target (purchased with Christmas gift cards.)

Necklace: {cb}h (worn everyday but I feel like the days it's hidden under a scarf it isn't worth mentioning. I also wonder that since I mention this most days, maybe I should start mentioning my wedding ring as well?)

Jeans: BR

Boots: Madden Girl

Life

via this post

Maddox Says

After R asked Maddox if he was going to come pull weeds at our house this summer, he had this conversation with his mom:

Maddox: "I pull weeds."

Mom: "What??"

Maddox: "I stay at H's house and pull weeds. I keep all my clothes here and you stay home. Don't worry, I'll be okay here."

Love this little guy. :)