I am a child

Let's be honest, there are many reasons for this title.

1) I got asked to be a hand model last weekend, but was then un-asked when they saw I had child hands.

2) I tend to wear highwaisted, bright colored, bell shaped skirts and flats which makes me look like one.

3) I eat like a child. There is only one thing I like at a time, and I eat it for every meal for about two weeks until it becomes the next food I hate. Right now, it is turkey taco meat. If I woke up early enough in the morning to eat breakfast, I would probably mix it in with my eggs, but I usually just opt for coffee.

No photo today, seeing how I slept so late. However, I will make up for it in the coming days/weeks with an abundance of wedding photos. We have two this weekend, and two more the weekends of August 5-7 and September 10-11, of which I will be in East Texas so contact if you want to get on the calendar for some portraits while I'm in town!
Looking at my calendar I realized we go see Jim Gaffigan that Friday! If this could be considered a past time, this would be my families favorite...watching all of his videos on YouTube

Homeschool Move

I pulled a homeschooler, and yes I can say that because I used to be one...

I used to do this all the time in highschool, cut and sew my clothes...I thought I was soo creative, but I think I was just weird. Irregardless (in the voice of Gretchen Wieners from Mean Girls), this time it was cute.

It was a bit impulsive so I did not take a before shot, thinking I could find a picture of the dress online, but to no avail. So this will have to entice you for now until I can get a before and after photo up.

This next photo was one my mom emailed a bunch of us this morning...That is my Granddad, Grandmother, Uncle and Aunt in the photo...As a photojournalist, I love the story this photo tells. It was on the way back from WWII. I never met my Grandmother, but I have heard amazing things about her- she was a strong believer, servant hearted, silly, feminine and strong.

The camera around my Granddad's neck is now on my shelf at home. I never saw him use it, but was recently given it and immediately noticed it when I saw the photo. I can't wait to grab some film and try it out. I need to do the same with this camera from the fab Grace Potter! She is such a beautiful girl, and was so sweet and left this on my front porch for me as a Thank You for doing her senior portraits.

Had a great meeting with Mel and Ash for iYL - we're game planned and moving forward for http://iyl.onthecity.org/ ! I feel so blessed to work alonside everyone in the Young Life world...having been involved in highschool/college but not since, it's so great to be back in a more administrative capacity...I'm definetly being stretched, being forced to think outside of the box, but am ultimately being so blessed!

Sparkle Princess

Day 26 of Paleo, and this is my current temptation. Sitting by my desk. Staring at me...yet I can't move it because it's how I get people to come hang out with me at my desk.

I have a little kick in my step this morning, and have therefore been extra friendly to the Frost Peeps. I chatted a little with the coffee shop guys, then I told a guy in the elevator "Have a good day!" - to which he responded "Yes, you also...have one, of those" haha, I guess proper elevator etiquette is to silently stare forward no matter how close you are to the buttons/doors.

I'm finding alot of Truth in Colosians this morning, as I write letters to my now TWO precious orphans. I remembe resting in Colossians alot in college, when I first read verses about not submitting to emply religious pracitces of the world, or getting caught up in rules. Right now I'm rejoicing in the Truths that we are qualified to share in the inheritance of His HOly people! That we are rescues from the dominion of dakrness! We are brought into the Kingdom of the Son He loves! We have redemption, the forgiveness of sins! I want the stregth to Pray without ceasing, to continually seek Wisdom and lean not on my own understanding.

Off to do some training sessions for iYL, the new online Young Life community for Austin! I'm soo excited! Meeting with Ashley Anderson and Melissa Howell to gameplan this afternoon, more to come...

Working Weekend

Filming commercials, snapping photos, and editing...these shoes are great for 12-hour days, but probably by the end of it I won't be wearing any anyway :) I saw one of our actors on another commercial last night...I got so excited and a friend teased me about it being my claim to fame- The actor on the Acadamy Sports commercial haha

We started filming last week, got a lot of great shots (I'm not sure if I can post yet, but I will asap). As a communications major, I dabbled a little in video, but my no means had to become an expert. With that said, I find myself fascinated on set, as the light team creates an environment and director and script manager create a scene, all while a track is being built for the camera to move smoothly on...not to mention all of the work and skill that goes into editing video. I remember being intimidated by photo shop, but video adds a whole new demension of time!

These are long days for sure, but great exposure and I'm learning a ton. If you havn't heard or checked it out yet, check out our newest product https://www.imeet.com/ - Your own personal meeting room is waiting! Or come to my room at https://imeet.com/pgi/mollymoody - would love to see you there!

Because how can I not post this...

Yes, that's Stephen Curtis Chapman.

Lunch Date!

 

I have a lunch date with the fab Colleen - can't wait, especially since bowing out Gracefully with Celebrate Recovery...12-hour days get to me, no matter how much I want to believe I'm a hardcore workaholic. Why would someone want to be a workaholic? Well, considering that time, or amount of free time, is one of the most common excuses...if we take away all our time, don't our responsibilities go with it?
We play the victum: "I'm so sad I can't volunteer, but work is taking over my life."
We're insecure, so we start twisting our own thoughts to make ourselves feel better: "It's not that this person does not want to have a relationship with me, it's that I don't have time for them. The ball is in my court. I'm in control"
I was laughing with a friend about how candid I can be. I went on a coffee date earlier this week, and basically verbalized this above statement in the context of dating...and then went on about how I'm too selfish to date, referring to these mysterious guys that pursue me but I play hard-core-hard-to-get...it wasn't until we left that I realized I had conjured up this situation, of me refusing all these guys, in order to protect my heart. Being insecure leads to craziness which leads to being irrational (defined as: doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result)Fortunately for my future husband, I am all of these :)

"Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of owernship on us, and put his Spirit in our hears as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come," Corinthians 1:21-22

"...those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father," Romans 8:14-15

Paleo and Proof

Proof I actually wore this outfit, and a sweet shot of my gnarly leg.

I wanted to grill again - I've been trying to use less seasonings, so grilling is fun because it kind of provides a flavor of its own. The grill is at my sister's house, so rather than fighting traffic to get food from my house, I stopped by Whole Foods...I was pleasantly surpised that two shrimp scewers and a grassfed sirloin totalled $8.65! I had some left over asparagus in the freezer, so we had a nice little dinner.

Prepping

One week down for Paleo - and I must say I feel great. I probably ate more fruit than I was suppossed to, but other than that no carbs or sugars for this girl!

I'm still trying to learn how to cook tasty meals, not just healthy ones...my sister has always made fun of me because I eat tasteless food. I'm perfectly content to eat veggies sauteed in nothing but a little water, no salt on my food - really pretty boring. But I'm learning...she has a grill so I've started bringing loads of meat over to grill and have on reserve for the week. Not the best photo, but I threw some Salmon, Rainbow Trout, and chicken/onion/pepper scewers on the grill, not too shabby! Then of course, one day for lunch I went to Whole Foods and got this, and David pointed out that I was not actually allowed legumes, so I had two egg white for lunch - still learning haha!
Eating out does prove to be a challenge, especially when you living in the land of chips and queso.

My parents live in East Texas...A drive that is long enough they would need to spend the night, but short enough that they make it once or twice a month, even more so that all of their kids live in Austin...now that Chels and I no longer share a house, we eat out, every meal.

For me, it's hard to just say I'll eat healthy, without having specific quidelines. Hopefully one day, but right now I like to have certain boundaries. We went out for dinner, and I realized the benefit of thinking just a little ahead. Usually I would blame a lack of time, but recently I've been making it more a priority to plan ahead for meals. I ate some fish and veggies before we left, and got a dinner salad with no dressing at the restaurant to much on while everyone else was eating.

A small accomplishment I know, but this was huge for me. We had a serious game of bowling that followed, and I had zero blood sugar spikes or drops, and no stomach aches. Weight loss is definetely a factor, but just feeling better - more energy and havn't gotten sick after a meal since I've started...maybe I am Lactose Intolerant or Gluten Sensitive, but I don't even care because I feel great now! So to go out on a fun note, here are a few pictures but our bowling family fun night...One of those unibrows looks way too real :)

On Adoption

Adoption has a very tender place in my heart.
As a single girl in my twenties, I do not have a Peace about pursuing adoption for myself at this time. But I yearn for a face. I want a name to specifically pray for when I am on my knees begging to be molded into a Spiritualy leader and comforter for my kids.
It may not be an option for me to adopt, but how else can I care for the widows and orphans as God has commanded us?
Last fall an idea came to me, that was really hard to put into words at first, but was basically this idea reaching out, forming relationships and supporting needs in hopes of forming lifelong relationships. My heart was specifally for orphans. Adoption, not in the typical sense, but within my means.
I contacted Africa New Life and soon began "financially fostering" my sweet girl Peace. Peace is a native Rwandan, loves the Lord, and is an amazing 11 year old. Being pin pals with her has been such a blessing, and I have begun looking into what it would look like for me to support one or two more orphans in different cities around Rwanda.
I was given information on two more children, and I decided to pray about it.
{Back ground story...when I was praying about supporting Peace, I had this thought in the back of my mind, "what if someone else decides to support her before I do?"...Praise God for every need that is met, but I was approaching this- preparing my heart- as if this was going to be a life long relationship...I am not usually that vulnerable but I had to be, and along with that came the chance that it would be taken away from me...I know this sounds very selfish, and again Praise God for every orphan that is supported - I know this is not about me and my need to fill any maternal longing}
I decided to support one of the kids, but I received an email back that she had already been sponsored, but I had the option to co sponsor her. I re-read the email. I was so thrown off because I did not prepare myself for this like I had the last time. I was told this was a blessing because it was God's answer, but I felt like a had lost someone. But why couldn't I co-sponsor her? Why did it hurt so much that I could not be her sole supporter?
{Continued from a couple weeks ago}
I did not know how to process this, so I just set it aside. One thing that is blatantly obvious to me now, is that over these past few weeks no amount of soul searching that I was doing, or could have done, was providing anything for these children. I leaned on my own understanding at the cost of basic necessities for these children.
I have again begun the process, and am excited for where this is leading, in relationship along with clarity and Peace in my own heart.