Currently ?

Ironically, one of my new year's resolutions was to blog more frequently. I shouldn't have made that one of my goals, because maybe then, I would have actually followed through with it. Usually whenever I make resolutions, it doesn't take more than a few weeks for me to slouch back into my old ways. In fact, I just now decided (while writing this) that I am absolutely done with new year's resolutions. I can make goals for myself whenever I want. 

Furthermore, I wanted to catch y'all up on what's been going on in my life lately. I haven't been carrying my camera around with me as much as I normally do, but I do have some iPhone photos I can throw into this post. I guess we'll call it a "currently" post, though most of it is old news. I don't think that should stop me from sharing, though.

Here are photos of my New Year's Eve. I spent it with two of my most wonderful friends, Heather and Rachel when I was back in Kansas for the holidays. I adore them. (It's also Heather's 20th birthday today! Crazy!)

My favorite part of being back home was getting to spend every second with my best friend, like the good ole' days. In spite of that freezing Kansas wind and snow, we still managed to get out and snap a few photos. The one below is probably my favorite photo I've ever taken of her. She's beautiful! My heart aches over not living in the same town as her anymore. That's been one of the hardest parts about living in Nashville, being away from my best friend. I love all my friends here, and I am so grateful for them, and I wouldn't trade them for anything, but having your best friend in your daily life really makes life much more wonderful. We fully plan on ending up in the same town again someday, but for now, phone calls and missing one another is how we get by. I am so excited for the next time I get to see her, though. We're going to Portland! I just know it will be magical.

I haven't taken too many photos in the last two months that I've been home, but I'll be better about that. I do have some, however.

 This is my sweet friend, Baylee. I like to call her my southern belle. She's from Alabama, and has the most fantastic accent. There is never a dull moment between she & I, because we are both overwhelmingly sassy. Therefore we understand each other. She's just a doll.

This is my church family. Not everyone is in the photo, but the photo is too great not to post. This was at our church's one year birthday party. Tuesday has become my absolute favorite day of the week. I am growing more than even I realize because of how evident the Holy Spirit's presence has become in my life. I can't dream of ever going to another church.

In other news, I drink way too much coffee and eat way too much tacos around here. And I have no regrets. I've also been blessed with a new job as a nanny! With less hours and way better pay, which I happen to think is the perfect combination. I'll be spending my days with a precious 15 month old baby boy, that I'm already so in love with after only meeting him once. I can't wait to have kids of my own. I start the job in a couple weeks, and I couldn't be more excited. 

I guess that's all folks. Thanks for reading this. Whoever you are, thank you.

Currently

It's been a little while, hasn't it? It doesn't feel like it has been, but if I stop and think about all that's happened between my last post and now, it's actually a lot. My life has been both beautiful and challenging since I moved here. Kind of crummy at first, then slowly but surely, things began to look up and now I am at a spot where, even in the most difficult of times, I am still able to look around me and feel the magic of this town. In spite of the good, and in spite of the bad, this town is exactly where I am supposed to be. I plan on writing about my experience and what I've gone through, but like I mentioned in one of my posts earlier this year, I don't want to put it in writing and make it official where I (and anyone else) can read it, and then change my mind the next day. I also want to allow myself enough time to have lived here in order to generate up a synopsis. Because I'm still new. One minute I'll think to myself, "I have got this Nashville thing down," and the next I'll be stuck in traffic, wishing I still lived in Wichita. It's funny. 

All of that aside, I have some pretty incredible friends down here. I've always said southern hospitality is real, but these people have made that sentence seem so lame. They are so many more things than just hospitable. I am surrounded by the love they pour out over others every minute I'm with them. The majority of these people and I became friends at church. A tradition we've made together is hanging out at Crema (best. Nashville. coffee.) each week before church starts, and a few weeks ago, my friend Paul and I were talking about our guilty pleasures, and he just happened to mention secretly loving musicals. Ironically, my friend Madison and I had just made plans to watch the Phantom of the Opera, and thus, it became an event rather than a chill girls night in. 

Everyone brought a snack, Lauren and I made cookies, decorated and cleaned our place all day and night, and it was such a blast. We (but mostly me) sang the entire time! Then afterwards snapped a few photos, and I thought I'd share. (And what at the lights? Double exposure is a cool thing.)

From the front left to back: Paul, me, Anya, Madison, Sam, Eryn, Lindsay, Evan, Sam N., Lau

It was a fun "night at the opera." And now, my currently's:

Reading - … Still the book thief. But the amount of books I've bought in the last month is unreal. One of my goals for 2015 is to read more, Netflix less.

Eating - A LOT of snap pea chips. The ones from Trader Joe's are absolutely my favorite. This is really the only thing I'm consistently eating. Oh and peanut butter and honey sandwiches, though that's nothing new.

Enjoying - My wonderful new friends. So many of them that I've started relationships with are people I know I can trust and people that love me in spite of my junk. I am the luckiest girl in the world.

Listening To - I'm a little late in getting this album, but geez louise, can we talk about Ed Sheeran's "X" album for a minute? It's so. good. My favorite tracks are "I'm A Mess," "Tenerife Sea," "Runaway" and "Thinking Out Loud." All of them hold a special place in my heart. Apart from that, the new Ben Howard album and HalfNoise's new album are blowing my mind daily.

Watching - I'm almost half way through the second to last season of Criminal Minds, and if you're shocked then sorry I'm not sorry. 

Loving - My church. The Holy Spirit has never been more evident in my life than He has been lately. And I think that's because I'm finally paying attention. I'm finally realizing what faith is, and how much is matters in my life. It's incredible. 

Thanks for reading. A lot of exciting things are coming up soon.. very soon. 

Currently

Last week on the second of October, I had the entire day off. Which has been rare since I got here. A day to do whatever I wanted. I got up, called my mom, vented about working at Starbucks (which is becoming a regular thing // please pray I find another job. I am just not happy at this store y'all) and thanked her for the laundry money she sent me in the mail. 

Next was doing the laundry, using the laundry money and that was that. Then I just got in my car and decided to drive. With no destination in mind. I took back roads from the city and found myself in Franklin. I stopped for coffee, and then continued on. 

Just outside of the town I stumbled upon a tiny hut that had pumpkins galore every where you looked. And this made my heart so heavy with joy. I really love the fall time more than any other time. More than Christmas, more than my birthday, more than the day I graduated high school. There just simply isn't a way for me to be upset with perfect weather, beautiful colors and warm sweaters at my reach. It's the most magical time of life to me. I am the happiest I could possibly be in the month of October.

I bought about a dozen little baby pumpkins for very cheap. Then continued on. After that, I made my way into Leiper's Fork. If you're ever in Tennessee and are looking to experience something that doesn't seem real, go there. It is the most picturesque town. It looks like it belongs in the movies. It's completely adorable. Very tiny, but so full of character. I stopped there and visited the public library. There were several books for sale and I managed to find Tender Is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald for ONE dollar. I've been wanting to read that for so long! 

I spent the rest of the day driving through the country. The mountains here are so beautiful. The trees here are so beautiful. The southern quality of everything rustic, domestic, scenic here is so beautiful. The people here are beautiful. The everything here is beautiful. It was one of the best days of my life. Here are some photos I took.

Right now, I am too excited for words because Aleah is here. Seeing her for the first time in two months was wonderful. We ran to each other in the airport, it was really cute. I've been waiting for this time since I left! It's so good to have her by my side again, though it honestly feels like nothing has changed. We just happen to be in Nashville. We have many adventures planned. And you can expect to see a post about that very soon. Until then, happy October eleventh. 

Currently - 

Reading - Still The Book Thief. At Barista Parlor, right now, actually. Aleah is here!

Eating - Still yogurt. Lot's of yogurt. But also, Nutella. Spoonfuls and sandwiches. As you can tell, I am clearly making the best choices for my body. 

Thinking About - What my life will end up looking like when I get to where I'm supposed to be. Which doesn't make sense at all because I don't think we're supposed to be one thing or in one place for our entire lives. So I guess, what I'm supposed to be doing while I'm here.

Enjoying - Aleah's company and good coffee and tacos.

Listening To - Bon Iver is playing here right now. Apart from that, Local Natives. A lot of it.

Watching - The Office. And Criminal Minds, but mostly The Office.

Missing - My sister. Wichita. Zane. My mom. The Donut Whole. Kansas sunsets.

Loving - All the new friends I'm making. Autumn. Tennessee mountains. My new church.

Currently.

Y'all. I live in Nashville. I fully plan on sharing with you how it has been and how I'm feeling about it as soon as I can, but I need time to really know how I feel. I've been here an entire month now (what?) and my emotions are still fluctuating. They're constantly moving up and down and I don't want to publicly share how I feel about this place when I might change my mind the next day. Does that make sense? I'm still trying to find a place for me to keep my feet on the ground. 

I have been very late in creating a "Currently" post. Summer and life got in the way, but I have decided to make this a monthly thing. And since eleven is my favorite number, I will try my very hardest to share my "Currently" posts on the eleventh of each month. So here we go.

Reading -

The Book Thief. I have been reading this book for a while. It's not a hard read, but it's hard to find time. So far, I love it. It's a fictional book based in Germany during WWII and other historic events. I'm about one fourth of the way through. I'm pretty sure the book is narrated by death. Interesting take, and sort of weird, but I find it very creative. I've never read a book that was narrated by death before. It's also very poetic. I feel like I'm reading song lyrics as I turn the pages. I recommend it!

Eating - 

SO. MUCH. YOGURT. Don't ask me why, because I haven't the slightest clue. Since I've moved, I've gone through one tub of yogurt a week. The kind I buy is Brown Cow from Whole Foods. I wake up and after my eyes have adjusted and I'm alert and ready to move around and such, the first thing that comes into my mind is how much I want yogurt. I just grab a mason jar, cut up some strawberries, pour the yogurt over them, grab a spoon and indulge.

Thinking About -

How life is probably the strangest concept I've ever tried to wrap my mind around. 

Enjoying - 

Off days and quality time with my roommate. And how cool it is to be free to do whatever the heck you want.

Listening To - 

Night Beds, City & Colour, Poema, and Switchfoot. Always, always Switchfoot. 

(heck I'll start throwing this one in there too)

Watching - Criminal Minds. We don't have cable in our quaint little apartment (not that I'd be using it much if we did) but we do have Netflix. And when young nineteen year old women have time to waste in their home, Netflix comes quite in handy. And I love Criminal Minds. Now I can watch it from start to finish. I am too embarrassed to tell you how far along I am in the series. . .

Missing - Familiarity. Knowing people when I walk into places. My old Starbucks and everyone in it. Hugs from my mom. 

Appreciating - FaceTime.

Loving - 

The fact that I live in Nashville. And getting coffee from my favorite shop here called 'Crema.' And how close autumn is. And God's grace.

Here are a few shots of life around here. Most of them are iPhone photos.. Sorry about that! An apartment post is coming soon! Thank you to anyone that actually reads this. It's very sweet of you. I really appreciate it. 

My roommate, Lauren.

Lights at one of my other favorite coffee shops, The Frothy Monkey.

The view from the stairs in the house I nanny at every week.

My new friend Anna Mae. 

It's been raining as much as it's been sunny, and I'm okay with that.

Another favorite coffee shop. 

I wasn't lyin'.

After a storm.

Last night Lauren & I hiked through Percy Warner. It is one of my favorite places in Nashville.