embrace the camera: family edition

We spent a weekend at the end of July making our way around family birthday parties. When you live out of state, there's nothing better then seeing tons of extended family all on one trip!

Ironically, both baby birthday were Mickey or Minnie Mouse themed. Hmmmm...

Here is the two-year old birthday boy... I got his cape from an etsy shop called Applesauce. It was a big hit! (he never took it off.) And the quality was outrageously awesome.

My sweet (tall!) baby sister. She is a high school junior as of today!

Three generations!  I love getting my grandmother in photos!

embracing the camera,

Lauren

Linking up with

get moody

I posted once before about my obsession love for mood boards. I came across another site called olioboard and have had an absolute blast in my free time creating rooms that usually only exist in my dreams...

This first one all started with this lovely little hot air balloon mobile. Don't you love it? And I think $90 is actually pretty reasonable for such a charming little thing... The striped pouf is just so dreamy, too. I love this whimsical, colorful room!

I adore this next living area with neutral tones and weathered wood, complimented by bright pops of blues and yellows. I'm sensing a trend - maybe I need some more color in my life!

I tried to stretch myself a little and create something that was out of my comfort level, just for fun. Besides a couple of RED pieces, I didn't get to far out of the "zone", but it is a little more modern that I would like normally. But I love the idea of this color scheme for a boy's room. Bold but still sweet. The zebra print and flower fabric might be a little too much for a boy, though. (still love the color scheme.)

We are celebrating Memorial Day with a long weekend on the lake and looking forward to seeing this little guy....

...who isn't quite so little anymore!

Happy weekend!

Lauren

what about dave?

As you know, my husband and I are working through the Financial Peace University curriculum in our journey towards debt-freedom. It has been quite a trip already! There have been celebrations and tears, feelings of moving forward and moments of discouragement.

But what's important is that we are moving forward.

I have heard lots of nasty criticism of Dave in the past, both online and around town. In Nashville, home to Financial Peace Plaza and all-things-Dave-Ramsey, it seems that for every "Dave follower" there is also a "Dave cynic".

The cynics think he is money-hungry and selfish. That he promotes hoarding cash and building wealth for yourself. That he's got to be out of his ever-loving mind if he thinks people can live completely and utterly with.out.debt.

I am not here to speak for Dave Ramsey as a person or as a financial advisor, even... but I do want to get this little ditty out on the internet in case someone else has questions or doubts or wants to know more behind the philosophy that so many skeptics have their hay-day with.

Dave goes to our church and delivered a rather impactful message recently on "How big is your WHY?"

Now, I know lots of folks disapprove of Dave's rants on-air or of his "wealth building" philosophy, or that he doesn't stress "giving" enough for their taste. First and foremost, I can assure you that when given the platform of a church alter instead of a radio studio, his message is clear. Do I sometimes wish that he could be as clear about the end-all message on the air? Absolutely. Do I know of the restrictions (if any) that are given to him while on national radio? I don't. Am I glad that he's getting the message out anyway and making people angry enough to fight their way out of bondage that we call debt? 100%.

Moving on...  "How big is your WHY?"

When we first begin this debt-free journey, our "why" is selfish. Noble, maybe, but selfish. "We want to be free! We want out of this bondage that the world calls debt. We are sick and tired of being sick and tired!"

As we pay off debt and build up "wealth", per se, our "why" morphs into something bigger -

 

To "change our family tree".

Having student debt from nursing school, this is very real to me. The thought of sending my children to college and allowing them to start "real life" without (what the world calls justifiable) debt puts tears in my eyes. I will not pass a legacy of debt on to my children.

 "A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children." Prov 13:22

This inheritance may not be a lofty trust fund, but it certainly will not be a chunk of debt, either.

As our wealth grows, so does our "why"... It seems that the cynics have a problem with what they call "hoarding wealth", but Dave recommends that you not save more than 3 to 6 months of your living expenses after you are debt free. I see this "emergency fund" as two-fold.

1) taking care of your household if you were to lose your job. You are to take care of your family inside the four walls of your home first and foremost.

2) to put you in a position where "emergencies" are now just "inconveniences". You will have tires blow out. AC units will fail.  There will be a major leak in the bathroom... maybe all in the same week. But that emergency fund allows you to take care of those things without dipping into your monthly income and causing a true "emergency". Now replacing that AC unit is only an inconvenience...

Which leads me to my next (and final, promise!) point - what some may call "hoarding wealth", I see as allowing one to free up their "other" money to GIVE.

Instead of having to postpone your gift to that family's adoption fund for a month because the car broke down, you have a safety net that allows you to do BOTH. And that is freedom. Too "comfortable" for some people? Maybe. But it allows you to be consistent and excessive in your giving and I do not think that the Lord frowns upon that.

You know what? It's not about money. It's not about budgets and spreadsheets and envelopes.

It's about freedom. Stewardship. About tackling something hard and rocking it in a way that impacts not only your future, but generations after you.

I, personally, am thankful to Dave - that someone finally spoke out and said that it's NOT OK for believers to be enslaved by debt. That we are not good stewards when we are in bondage to lenders. That true freedom comes when you are able to give CONSISTENTLY and EXCESSIVELY because you have been financially responsible.

I would hate for people to miss that because of a few skeptics.

Lauren

30 Days of Thankfulness - #26 - Traditions

On the Saturday after Thanksgiving each year, Matt and I have made a point to return home to Nashville to decorate for Christmas... We play our favorite holiday tunes, drink hot cocoa, and decorate the tree. There are always a few pieces that bring extra-large smiles to our faces, like our ornaments from each trip we've taken together. So far we've racked up on holiday tokens from Cozumel, Savannah, Chicago, DC, and Disney World.

One of my favorite pieces to pull out each year is our Flying Santa. It was a gift from Matt's sweet Aunt Pat when we got married, and it always makes me think of her... I'm feeling really grateful for the traditions we've started and will continue to create for our little fam!

Thankful,
Lauren

30 Days of Thankfulness - #25 - Quality Time

I have always been a sucker for good, ole-fashioned quality time.

In fact, Matt has always ragged on me for being a "quality-time-gift-giver"... a hockey or football game, comedy show, or a dinner at some place special. I'm just in it for the experience!

Today, I had the pleasure of shopping with these two...

Meet my mother-in-law and sister-in-law... they were cray-cray enough to shop all night and morning, and I hopped in for the ride somewhere around noon. We headed to ATL for an Ikea trip and some girls' time. Success! We had a lot of fun and a lot of laughs...I'm a very lucky girl.

Thankful,
Lauren

30 Days of Thankfulness - #23 - Grandparents

There's nothing quite like a grandmother's or grandfather's love, is there?

I've been blessed with two sets of extraordinary grandparents. My dad's parents, Granny and Papa, got married when my grandmother was only 15! It's been 61 years now, and they are still the cutest couple ever. They are sharp and witty and kind. When I talk to my granny on the phone, she tells about all the ways that she prays for Matt and me - almost word for word. I love her for that. I feel like she is speaking blessings over me every time I talk to her. My papa is a Korean War Veteran and has more interesting stories than I can fathom... he has a sense of humor like no other and has always made me feel so special.

I've written about my mom's mother, Mammaw, before. Here and here. I don't know much more to say about her except that I hope I age as gracefully as her. She is energetic and sharp and beautiful! 

We are headed to Georgia tonight for the holiday. I will wake up early tomorrow morning and savor a few hours alone with her in the kitchen, helping to prepare Thankgiving lunch for the family as I always have. We will set the table and gather some magnolia leaves from outside for a centerpiece. She will ask me to put the "final touches" on the dishes... a cherry here or a leafy green there. I enjoy my time with her so much. She taught me almost everything I know in the kitchen and a whole heck of a lot outside of it... I feel so blessed to have the relationship with her that I do.

Thankful,

Lauren

30 Days of Thankfulness - #19 - Home of the Brave

This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave. ~Elmer Davis

In honor of:

my dad, Jeffrey Tab Anderson (air force)
my papa, Howard Anderson (army)
my pappaw, Columbus Owen Kelley (coast guard)

"Our Nation honors her sons and daughters who answered the call to defend a country they never knew and a people they never met." [Korean War Memorial - Washington, DC]

Thankful,
Lauren

30 Days of Thankfulness - #16 - Grady Boo

This little guy is our nephew, Grady... 



He is 15 months old and an absolute doll baby... see? Look at that face! He is the apple of our family's eye and we couldn't be happier to be his Uncle Mattie and Auntie Lala (titles we plan to work on in babytalk when we visit over thanksgiving). Unfortunately, we don't live as close as we'd like to him and don't see him nearly often enough... but I think that makes our visits with him that much sweeter. We can't get enough of our Grady boo!

We feel so blessed that he was put in our family, and can't wait to watch this little one grow! (not too fast, please.) He is a pure joy.

Thankful,
Lauren

30 Days of Thankfulness - #13 - Addie & Nolan

Today I'm spending the afternoon with these sweet faces:

You've seen them plenty around here, but I don't believe I've ever done a formal introduction. These are my cousins, Addie (8) and Nolan (6). They have been the loves of my life from the moment they entered the world.

This is Addie... affectionately called Addie Lou, Addie Lucy, or Addie Loohoo. (Her middle name is not Lucy, for the record.) There's always been a special something between the two of us. She's the only eight year old I will carry on a 20 minute phone convo with and never know how much time has passed. She is an athlete - basketball, soccer - an all-around superstar. She is kind and smart and funny. She started calling me "Lala" as soon as she could talk and is forbidden to ever stop. I am so grateful that I have the privilege of seeing this girl grow up. (just not too fast, please!)

This is Nolan... the most outrageous character you'll ever meet. He was four at our rehearsal dinner and, after the speeches, asked for the mic and sang an entire High School Musical song for a room of 85 people. Fearless. He is sweet and affectionate... still a cuddle bug even at six years old. His most recent one liner involved a conversation about what the new wrestling class he is signed up for would entail. 


"I can wear a shirt, right? I don't want my pom-poms to show!"

They are one of the best parts about going home. We love these sweet kiddos with all our might.

Thankful, 

Lauren

30 Days of Thankfulness - #11 - By Proxy

proxy (ˈprɒksɪ)


-- n, pl proxies
1. a person authorized to act on behalf of someone else.

In the years since my dad died, I have been so blessed to have various men step in and assume roles in my life that I would have otherwise gone without. My uncles took over the task of supporting me, coming games and graduations. Various men in my church became like spiritual leaders for me, praying for my needs and showing me a Godly example. My friends' fathers invited me into their home and welcomed me as part of their family.
I was fifteen years old when I first read Romans 8:15 and felt like the Lord had written it just for me.


"For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, 'Abba, Father.'"


It was then that I realized how the Lord fulfills all my needs as Father... including putting kind, Godly men in my life to love me in all the ways I could ever need... loving me by proxy. 


The picture above is of my sweet uncle Joey. He married my aunt when I was 11, and from the moment he met me, became the closest thing I know as an earthly father. He has provided for me, supported me, loved me, and encouraged me. I am more grateful to him than I will ever be able to express.


The Lord is our provider in that way... giving us just the person we need to fulfill a need at a specific time. His love is a perfect love.


Thankful,
Lauren

30 Days of Thankfulness - #10 - My Dad

My dad's birthday is today! He would have been 51 years old...

There's not much I remember about my dad. He died when I was five from a very short battle with acute Leukemia. A lot of my memories come from stories and pictures and a few home videos. While the personal recollections are few, my dad left me so many things to be proud of.


My family... the most loving, affectionate, and funniest people you'll ever run into. They have loved me in a way that fills the void.


My appearance... at a recent family wedding, a lady approached me with tears in her eyes and said, "You must be Tab's daughter." That makes me so happy... that people can see me after all these years and pinpoint who I belong to. I am my daddy's daughter!


My mom... she wouldn't be who she is without him or without losing him. His life and death impacted her forever, and I can see the positive repercussions of strength and resiliency even after all these years.


His legacy... this is the biggie. There isn't a person without a good opinion or memory of my dad. He was a faithful husband and dad. He loved me more than I could ever fathom. He was a believer and loved Jesus with all his heart. He was a great friend. He loved his family. He was witty and generous and kind. And best of all? People came to know Jesus because of his life. That's the ultimate legacy. And one that I'm so proud of.


Thankful,
Lauren

30 Days of Thankfulness - #8 - Home Is Where The Heart Is

I was always a little restless in college... never feeling ready to settle down and plant my feet. I couldn't pinpoint it, but I knew something was missing. 

At the time, it puzzled me. All my "stuff" was there. I ate meals there and did laundry there and had a 10x10 room to call my very own. So why didn't it feel like home?

During college, I spent practically every weekend visiting either my family or Matt. During those visits, I realized that it was then that I felt content. I wasn't longing to be somewhere else. I was happy. I was "at home".

Fast forward four years. Matt and I get married and I move to the little-big city of Nashville. My family and friends know what an extreme home-body I am and constantly ask the question, "Are you homesick yet?"

Even I surprised myself. I wasn't. Not even a little bit. Although to be clear, I did miss my mom and my sister and my whole family... but I wasn't homesick. I was content. Happy.

I was at home.

And that's when it hit me. Home is not about zip codes and square footage. Home has nothing to do with the number of bedrooms or the size of your kitchen. Home is not contained in four walls.

For me, home is when I'm with people I love. Whether that be my husband, our family, or our friends... home is wherever you make it. 

Home is where the heart is. 

Thankful, 

Lauren

30 Days of Thankfulness - #7 - the in-loves

The in-laws.


First off, my mother and father-in-law did an obviously extraordinary job raising my husband... he is kind, compassionate, and respectful. He loves people with all his might. They found that perfect balance of love and discipline... of being parents and friends. I couldn't be more grateful to them for this.

Matt loves his parents with all his heart. His mama is one of his best friends and his dad is the perfect example of a Godly, loving family man. He has such a beautiful relationship with them both. 

I love watching the relationship between my mother and father-in-law. They have been through thick and thin, better and worse, and they support and respect each other through every last drop. I hope that Matt and I can follow in their footsteps and love like they do. 

Little Grady boo was born 15 months ago and they, in turn, became the most doting grandparents in the world. I'm so thankful that our future kiddos will have these two in their lives. 

My sister-in-law, Anna, and I were friends in high school, and I've loved watching us grow from friends to family. I love that we're learning to do life together and that we'll be friends and sisters fifty years from now.

I became part of a sweet, sweet family when I married Matt. They have welcomed me into their lives and loved me like their own. I couldn't be more grateful!


Thankful, 
Lauren

30 Days of Thankfulness - #6 - family ties

My family. 

It's one of few things in life that I never have and never will take for granted. Even from very early in life, I knew that my family was special.

You see, for as long as I can remember, we have spent every Sunday at my Mammaw's house for a homecooked spread - a traditional southern meal of meat and three (or four), cornbread or biscuits, and a fruit pie. We eat off Mammaw's "good" Thanksgiving china and drink out of old fashioned pedestal glasses. If fruit is out of season, then somebody picks up an ice cream cake on their way back from church... doesn't everybody like a good ice cream cake?


Nobody eats and runs. We sit in the sunny living room and watch Sunday football or watch the little kids put on a show. 

In the mild months, we sit in the old wooden swing (whoever gets there first!) and everybody pulls up a chair to sit under the enormous oak trees.

We sit and talk and play with the little ones. We throw a football and work off those extra biscuits we shouldn't have eaten. The fellowship, the ice cream cake, the pseudo-Thanksgiving meal... each Sunday is treated as a celebration. We don't work to come up with a reason to get together, like birthday or holiday or special occasion.


Although I've always appreciated my family's Sunday tradition, moving to Nashville has opened my eyes even more. This is special. I know it doesn't happen this way for every family, whether due to distance or differences. Now that I can't be there every week, the time with my family around my grandmother's table, eating her good cooking, and laughing outside on the old swing... it does my soul and my spirit good. It rejuvenates me and reminds me how fortunate I am to be a part of this family. 


I am counting down the days till Sunday lunch on our next visit to Georgia. The table is always a little crowded, but I like it that way.

Thankful, 

Lauren

30 Days of Thankfulness - #5 - sisters

Sisters.

It seems to be a love-hate relationship at times...

But I've come to find that love almost always outweighs the other...

I've written about my sister, Ashley, before. She is 15 going on 25. She is strong willed and passionate and stubborn. She is brave and funny and bright. I love that she is so drastically different from me. I love that she gives me a run for my money in just about every conversation we have.

I think the best way to put it is this: She challenges me. She challenges me to be better. To ask myself the tough questions {because she never fails to do so}. To stand beside my faith and my beliefs. Why? Because she's watching me, my actions, my priorities. My decisions. Her presence in life makes me strive to be better.  I couldn't be more grateful for that.

Thankful, Lauren

30 Days of Thankfulness - #3 - mama

My mama.

There's so much to thank a mother for... not only did she give me life, but she raised me and taught me right from wrong. She provided for me and cheered me on through growing up.

She taught me to be independent and encouraged me to be self-sufficient. She showed more resiliency in her life than I've seen in any person since. She succeeded against all odds. She taught me values, morals, and the qualities to look for in a husband. She always said to me, "Watch how a man treats his mother and you'll see a glimpse of how he'll treat you." {matt loves his mama to pieces.}

There's another thing. My mama loves Matt as if he were her very own. It's a win-win situation... she finally has the-son-she-never-had and Matt has an adoring, doting mother-in-law! I just couldn't be more grateful for their relationship.

As time goes on, my mom is becoming more and more of a friend. I have found that, many times, she is the person I call with a tidbit of good news or to vent frustrations... she is always faithful to pray for me and encourage me, and for that I am so grateful.

"If you have a mom, there is nowhere you are likely to go where a prayer has not already been." -Robert Brault
 
Thankful,
Lauren

Bundle of Joy

My sweet cousin had her first baby on Sunday. She is the very first great-grandchild for my wonderful Mammaw! 

Karlee Ann... Eight pounds, seven ounces of pure loveliness.

I am already  one of little Karlee's favorites. How do I know that, you ask? 

I've been praying for weeks that we could meet her right away. And sure enough, she made her grand entrance on a Sunday while I was in town, just thirty minutes from the hospital, and hours before I had to head back to Nashville. See? What a sweet, obedient child she is...

This was mine and Matt's first time ever taking newborn pictures... it was such a joy to capture all of her precious little expressions just hours after she arrived.

My cousin, Kristin, will be the most wonderful mother. After all, she's been mother hen to me and her sister for years! 

So proud of you and for you, Kristin. She is a beauty!

We are headed back this weekend for a family wedding and to take more photos of this little bundle. I've been getting all kinds of ideas on Pinterest. Stay tuned!

Love!

Lauren