70 to 20

Today I'm going to go from 70 degree weather to 20 degrees. And yes, I'm SO excited about it! My family and I are all meeting in Chicago for Christmas this year. Up until I was in junior high we spent every Christmas in Chicago (I lived there until I was 10 and then 3 or 4 years after that we continued to go).

I'm so excited about this trip for many reasons: 1. My siblings, nieces, and mom and I will all be there, which is in itself a huge accomplishment considering we live so far away from each other 2. We are staying in a condo downtown 3. I'll most likely have a snowy Christmas considering the forecast for every day is "snow" 4. It's Chicago - who wouldn't be excited about that? 5. I get to run in 20 degree weather =) Yes, I'm serious. I LOVE it!

I'm so ready to be there. I feel like I should start making bets on how delayed we are going to be tonight BUT I'm going to be hopeful and say that we will be on time =/

I encourage you, in this busy week as you are with family and waking up to little kiddos running around, that you get away to be with Jesus for 15 minutes alone each day. Just 15. Our pastor encouraged us with this on Sunday - that we will press into Jesus and what He wants to say to us and how He wants to use us for the rest of this week.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the almighty. I will say of the Lord "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust."

Merry Christmas to me…..

One of the things that I wish I could change is my bed. For some reason I can't seem to get my bed to be as comfortable and pretty as I hope and imagine it to be. I bought my quilt (from Anthropolgie) right after graduation, and I'm totally in love with it. It was the one thing I bought for myself for graduating college…. and of course all of the other money went into a deposit for my first months rent to my condo in Nashville.

Anyway, it's been super frustrating trying to get this bed to be what I want it to be. I've had to just kind of let it go, b/c for some reason I just don't want to spend a bunch of money on trying to make it look right. I always talk to my super creative mother about how I can change it, and she always has such great ideas. Well, on Saturday I get the most beautiful thing in the mail: A BOX FROM ANTHROPOLOGIE. If you know me at all, you know that I am completely in love with that store. I know there are a lot of people who are, but seriously, I feel like I love it the most. I never get sick of frolicking around in that magical place. I don't even have to buy anything. I just love looking. If I could have my home look like a store, it would be Anthropologie. I have to admit as well that if there is a time that I covet, it is also in that place. Lord help me!

So……… guess what was in the box? A bedskirt that matches my quilt! FANTASTIC. My mom is so incredible to get this for me. Such a wonderful Christmas present! My bed is one step closer to looking put together. I took some pictures so you can see. Pardon the totally unprofessional pictures…..

Cute, huh? I think so. Thanks Marmee! I love it!