from the floor of a bedroom, part two.

Good morning from Lake Norman. 

Yesterday, Justin, the boys, & I went out for Saturday morning coffee. When it was time to return home, we decided to just keep driving, & this is where we ended up. It has afforded us an impromptu visit with family, as well as a respite from daily life in our own little bubble. 

Life lately has consisted of adhering to nap times, drinking inordinate amounts of coffee, having hummus & crackers with my two-and-a-half-year-old, & trying to squeeze in some sleep here & there. We are currently making our way through the four month sleep regression. I phrase it in that way because I truly believe that this particular developmental milestone demands that you simply survive. Sure, I've read the books, I follow the sleep experts on Instagram (and watch their stories religiously)... but somehow, we are still met with a bit of a challenge in this department right now. 

I won't sugar coat it - it's hard. And unfortunately, I am one of those particular individuals who are grumpy when they lack sleep. 

But, it won't last forever, and we will persevere. 

I'm making it sound far too dramatic, but that's what happens on little sleep & a lot of coffee. 

I was chatting with a friend yesterday via text, and she remarked that maybe, one day, we would look back on this time in our lives and miss it. 

I replied that I thought we certainly would. After all, despite the challenges of our daily lives, there is an overarching tone of joy, of purpose. From moment to moment, hour to hour, I find myself already missing it. The whole-face smile of a four month old baby, the stories told by a nearly-three-year-old, punctuated by the question, "Ee-mem-er?" On two hours' sleep or twelve, nothing could be sweeter, nothing could be more significant. 

joyful shreveport.

Well, our Christmas vacation in Shreveport was over in a flash. 

We ate lots of delicious food, spent lots of time with family, went shopping, and saw a couple of our friends. As always happens on these visits, we didn't get to see everyone that we would have hoped to have seen, but that always seems to be the way of it when we're in for less than a week.

This trip was a joyful one, however, filled with memories I know we will never want to forget. And while I'm glad to be settling back into my home routine, I am already missing Shreveport and all that place means to me.

You may have noticed, too, that I didn't blog one bit while there either - I know, slacker. Sometimes you just have to "unplug," right? I am happy to be blogging again, happy to be home, happy to be settling in to see what twenty-sixteen will bring.

home for the holidays.

before the trimmings

There's nothing quite like the time leading up to when we get to travel home to be with family for the holidays. There's a spark in the air, an energy. Everything looks brighter and more festive. 

In the time we've lived over here in North Carolina, I've grown very fond of travel. There's something magical about starting out in one place and ending up in another. Add to that the little details - the wool carry-on bag that I've grown to love even more than when we picked it up in a shop on a sleepy Saturday; the buzz of the airport, with hundreds - or is it thousands? I've never been good with numbers - of people, all going to different, interesting places; watching the planes take off and land in a peaceful, amazing little dance... There is so much about travel to love. 

There's also something so renewing about this time of year. Of course, there is the New Year right around the corner, getting ready to usher in twenty sixteen. But there's just something special about feeling like everything is a little celebration. Nothing is too small to indulge in, nothing is too mundane to be exciting. What a truly wonderful time of year. 

And when we arrive in our beloved hometown, I'm hoping for lots of things, but especially long talks sitting on the cold, comforting wood floors of the Ontario House; the click-click-click of my DSLR and phone cameras, paving the way for memories made and kept; endless cups of coffee enjoyed; long, long talks about the future and where that may take us; but most of all, just love. Love of family - is there anything more fulfilling in this world?

Here's to the holiday season.

inspiration: found. searching for discipline.

serendipitous photographs  

My mom and I ran into a friend while out shopping today. 

We talked about so many things, and it felt so great to reconnect, but it struck me [as it always does when this topic comes up in real life conversations] when we talked about blogging.

She shared that she herself was interested in getting into blogging.

"My blog has been paid for for a few months now," she said. "But it's blank - there's no content."

I want her to start blogging. She's witty, she's funny - she has the BEST kind of dry humor. 

And it made me think. Maybe if I want her to blog so badly, I also want me to blog just as much. And I do. I want to be here. I miss sharing. I miss connecting. 

With the rebirth of The Sunday Currently, I've felt so much joy. That means something, doesn't it? Yes, it does.

Long live blogging. Long live the written word. Long live siddathornton.

the sunday currently, volume 102 | "the monday currently."

when in wyoming

[*Editor's Note: This is the very first edition of The Sunday Currently that is being published on Monday. What can I say? Life happens. See the bottom of this post for additional information on all future editions of TSC.]

Greetings from Shreveport! I know in last week's post, I said I would be coming to you from Wyoming, but we were having such a great time, I refrained from blogging. I did, however, write a few recaps in my journal while we were there, so I will be combing through those later this week to decide what to share here. For now, though, I will say this: Wyoming is absolutely beautiful, and I look forward to going back one day.

I arrived in Shreveport late Friday night, and I've stayed busy since then, with a trip over to Natchitoches on Saturday, as well as a visit to the Gem and Mineral Show yesterday. It feels great to be here, and I'm greatly looking forward to all the adventures that lie ahead for the rest of my stay.

On this Monday edition of The Sunday Currently, I am currently...

reading Go Set A Watchman, by Harper Lee. I was unaware of the controversy until my mom told me about it two days ago.

writing in my Filofax and my Moleskine journal.

listening to the Mates of State Pandora station while I'm in Shreveport. Ever since May 2013, it's become a Shreveport tradition that I look forward to every time I visit. Right now, "Heart It Races," by Dr. Dog, is playing. I love this song, and it reminds me of some wonderful years that I spent here in my hometown.

thinking that I'm so happy to be in Shreveport right now! I love being here to spend time with my parents.

smelling the caramel Starbucks K-cup I just brewed. And the Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin lotion from Bath and Body Works that I slathered on a few minutes ago.

wishing I would have gotten up this early for all of the days we spent in Wyoming. It's currently 7:08 a.m., and I've been up now for about 30 minutes. In a little while, I plan to go for a run before getting ready for the day. When fall semester starts back up (a week from today, actually), I plan to be rising at 6:00 a.m. every morning. I've been working on my schedule for the semester, and I'm looking forward to getting into the groove. I am planning to begin training for my first triathlon soon, so I'm going to have to exhibit some discipline with my training schedule. Let the fun begin!

hoping to order my Travelers Notebook soon. I can't stop thinking about it. I will probably share my set-up once I order it and get settled into it.

wearing my already-beloved Jackson Hole t-shirt. I've worn it every day since we got it during our stay there (which I already miss).

loving that we took a day trip to Natchitoches on Saturday. I am already grappling with how to put my thoughts on the trip into words, but I may try to put both literal and figurative pen to paper about it soon. I will probably share it here, too.

wanting to drink my coffee soon. And also, to listen to the mix tape CDs from a few years ago, today. I'm pretty excited about the latter, actually. I found them in a box of old stuff (including my gymnastics trophies) that my dad had me go through last night.

needing a workout and a shower. Both of those things are coming, respectively, after this blog post is written and published.

feeling content. And happy - so happy - that I woke up early this morning. And suddenly lonesome for our cozy Wilmington apartment. And suddenly excited for whatever becomes our house once I have graduated school.

clicking The Sunday Secrets this morning. I didn't read them last week, which I regret. They have become part of my weekly routine, and I don't like to skip them! Also clicking? The Chic Sparrow website, because I'm pretty sure a purchase is in my future...

pssst: last week I talked about how there were going to be some changes to The Sunday Currently as we move forward. Here they are:

1) The Sunday Currently has its own Twitter account! Follow here to be alerted when a new TSC post has gone live, as well as to see your name "in lights" each week as I tweet out the twitter handles of all participants.

2) Each following edition of The Sunday Currently will be published by 10:00 a.m. eastern time.

3) Those who link up with The Sunday Currently will be shouted out on TSC's twitter account the following Tuesday, throughout the day. If you would like your twitter handle included, make sure it is easily accessible from your blog. I will search for about 2 minutes, then I will give up. True story.

That's all for now, folks. As always, thank you for linking up and carrying on TSC's tradition!

What are you doing? Link up and share below.

the sunday currently, volume 101 | back in business!

dinner last night at Mai Thai II

It is with absolute elation that I sit here typing these words to let you know that The Sunday Currently is back in business here on siddathornton. But, what about this, you may be asking. And this? Well, let me tell you a little story...

One afternoon - Wednesday afternoon, to be exact - I was reading through some of siddathornton's archives, getting all misty-eyed and nostalgic, when I had a thought. And then, as I walked TBear along our neighborhood road, I had more thoughts. I've been putting off starting up my new blog for reasons undetermined, and I just started feeling that pull back to this space. And, even though I'll be busy once school starts back up again at the end of August, surely I would have time for The Sunday Currently each Sunday? 

I am so grateful that, while I was away, Kristin kept the Sunday tradition going, and then graciously passed the torch back to me recently. It makes me so happy that others are excited about cataloguing moments that otherwise may go un-remembered. Because, really, that's what The Sunday Currently is all about, and the thing that I was missing so much in my life for these last few months.

Next week, I will have some announcements that involve a few minor changes to The Sunday Currently, but for now, I just want to revel in all the glory of doing these posts again.

So, on this travel Sunday, I am currently...

reading Go Set a Watchman, by Harper Lee. Many thanks to my friend, Jessica, for letting me borrow it.
writing in my Moleskine journal while traveling, as well. I am hoping to join the ranks of those with Travelers Notebooks soon, so I wanted to get the feel of Moleskines. I do not plan to buy an official Travelers Notebook, but rather one that fits Moleskine, Field Notes, and other various inserts.
listening to the incessant whoosh of our hotel room air conditioner. Justin is still sleeping. As I tap out this post, it is 6:51 a.m. in Charlotte. We don't fly out to Jackson until later today, but for whatever reason, I was up with the sun. I'm not complaining!
thinking that yesterday's shopping trip at Concord Mills was certainly a joy! I've always enjoyed the shopping trips with my family at its Texas counterpart, Grapevine Mills, and this trip definitely followed suit. I picked up some comfy cozy jeans and a "Wyoming-esque" scarf at Forever21, as well as a couple of "leggings tanks" from Gap. We also had some pretzel nuggets at Auntie Anne's, so really, what could have gone better?
smelling nothing at all recently. I've basically been sick since summer semester let out a little over a week ago. I don't understand why I get sick after every semester... but maybe it's stress-induced?
wishing we were already in Wyoming! I cannot wait to get to our home for the week and relax. Plus, as I tend to be a bit of an anxious traveler, the time spent waiting for our flight time to arrive always makes me nervous and unsettled. I am so excited to visit a state that I've never been to before, though, and it's very exciting to me that that is happening today.
hoping we have smooth, safe travels today. I'm looking forward to my cozy travel outfit, as well as a soothing, relaxing playlist.
wearing my standard hotel room pajamas: long sleeved t-shirt, long pajama pants, and fuzzy socks.
loving that we are officially on vacation, as of yesterday! I know that Justin is happy to have some relaxation time, and I am too!
wanting some hot coffee or tea. I think we are going to go get in a quick workout downstairs soon, then we will probably grab some breakfast.
needing to remember to relax this week. All last week, I was running around like a crazy person, trying to get our house in order, trying to do this, trying to do that. I need to remember what vacation is all about this week and really unwind so that I can come back to Fall Semester full-force.
feeling a little bit better this morning. I have had a cough and some congestion for about a week now, but luckily yesterday I picked up some medication and I'm already feeling on the mend. I need to make sure to stay hydrated today, though. I haven't been doing as well with that lately, and it always makes me feel better.
clicking nothing at the moment... any blog suggestions? Send 'em my way!

What are you up to today? Link up and share below!

Hope you all have a happy Sunday! Next time we chat, I'll be coming to you from beautiful Wyoming.

around here lately.

Hello. Happy two thousand fifteen! It's been quite a while since my last around here lately post, so I thought I would share some images from the last month or so with you all today. It's been a whirlwind holiday season, and I feel nostalgic poring over these particular images. Enjoy!

my family, arriving in raleigh for christmas at RDU

festive decorations in downtown greenville

the road from smithfield to new bern

shopping in raleigh

breakfast at big ed's city market restaurant in raleigh

roaming duke's campus

lounging at the starbucks in chapel hill

our christmas tree stays up until the new year

two thousand fifteen: the year of lipstick and bangs

christmas at the ontario house

drinks at bird cafe in sundance square in fort worth with justin, jesse, & brian

slumber party with austen jane and jordan in frisco

january's book: a moveable feast, by ernest hemingway

a west shreveport sunset

remembering justin's grandma with this north monroe sunset

we started friends from the beginning

lunch at dawg house in ruston with justin's mom

the obligatory travel strawberry cream tea latte while on layover at ATL

Today marks the beginning of spring semester, and with that new beginning, I will also be launching into my new years resolutions/goals for the year. I hope to share them soon! What are your resolutions and goals for this year?

photos via my instagram

the centennial sunday currently.

glen iris flowers

Hello & welcome to the one hundredth edition of The Sunday Currently! It's hard for me to believe that I've sat down & tapped out one hundred different Sunday posts. In fact, to someone whose concept of numbers is a little... skewed... it seems like a much bigger number than it really is. 

I grappled with whether or not I was going to continue weekly editions of The Sunday Currently after this 100-post mark, & after careful thought & consideration, it is with slight sadness, but persistent confidence that I announce that this will be the last in the series. I thought it would be a nice way to wrap up this fun little series, to have a complete set of 100 to look back on. I'm not saying I'll never do a currently post again, nor am I implying that I'll never do another edition of specifically The Sunday Currently. I'm simply relinquishing the responsibility to write & post one each week, on Sunday, at noon eastern, on the dot. In fact, as you may have noticed, this post is not going up at noon eastern. Which brings me to my next point...

Lately, I've felt drawn to getting out & really just living my life, without the bonds of social media & constantly capturing every moment & making sure to do blog-worthy things weighing on my mind. It's felt liberating. I know what that means for my blog, really, but I am optimistic that this space will continue to be updated, maybe with a different kind of content, maybe not regularly, & maybe not forever, but for the time being. You know how people usually say they just know when a blog's time has kind of run out? Well, I won't lie to you & say I haven't felt those feelings about this space, because I have. BUT, I am not yet ready to let it go just yet. I don't know what the future holds for siddathornton, but I know that I'm probably one of those people who will always have a blog. 

I'll share more with you all as these thoughts develop & change. But for now, that's where I am. 

Seriousness aside, I'm happy to say that I've been in Shreveport since Wednesday! Completely surprising my parents was a success, & I think that we have all enjoyed our time here together. I am sad to be leaving soon, but I am also ready to get back home to Justin & Tahoe & get school started!

C U R R E N T L Y . . .

R E A D I N G  will resume in full force tomorrow. I haven't been good about keeping up with my reading on this trip, since I've been so busy running around! I've missed my daily Bible readings, & I'm excited to get back into them.

W R I T I N G  has also fallen off a bit.  

L I S T E N I N G  to the Mates of State Pandora station - it's been my Shreveport thing for the past few visits.  

T H I N K I N G  that trips home are a treasure.

S M E L L I N G  the French Lavender & Honey that I sprayed - liberally - on myself while we shopped around in Bath & Body Works just a little while ago.

W I S H I N G  I could have done even more than I did during my Shreveport trip. I'm so glad I finally got to meet Baby Austen, but there is so much more that I always want to do. It's hard to get everything squeezed into one trip! 

W E A R I N G  J. Crew plaid & dark nail polish.

L O V I N G  my family & friends who took time out of their schedules to visit with me while I've been in town - it means the world to me! 

W A N T I N G  Southern Maid donuts later. I'm excited!

N E E D I N G  to wash my hair. And pack my suitcase.

F E E L I N G  bittersweet. The Sunday Currently has been such a labor of love for me. I know I'll miss it, but I also know this is the right choice.

this week's posts:

songs from greenville, volume 1

rain in greenville

three from wilmington

the sunday currently, volume 99

Well, folks, it's been a good run for The Sunday Currently. Thank you to everyone who has linked up & commented & Tweeted & Instagrammed about this link-up. It wouldn't have been what it was without all of you. Thank you for helping me to celebrate the every-day & in commemorating the simple moments. Most of all, just thank you.

What are you doing? Link up & share below.

big buildings yield big thoughts.

sometimes i feel like my life is simultaneously coming together & falling apart.

i don't even know what that means, but i just know that i feel 

this yearning for life & love that feels bigger than myself. 

there's so much i want to do & see.

there's so much i want to say, so much that i want to share with others. 

sometimes i feel like i can, but most times i feel like i can't. 

photo: the tutwiler in birmingham, alabama | operation: tata | more on instagram

thoughts in memphis.

Greetings from Memphis! We have now traversed the distance between Wilmington & Birmingham [yesterday], & between Birmingham & Memphis [this morning]. We are posted up in our hotel room with Justin's mom & Tahoe, Justin's dog, just relaxing, because tomorrow we trek to Greenville, SC [not to be confused with Greenville, NC, which is where we are moving].

I haven't been able to keep up with the blogging rhythm I set up for myself a few weeks ago, but I'm ok with that, because it means I'm learning what I AM able to keep up with. And, to be quite honest, right now, with being busy with our move & Justin starting a new job & me starting grad school soon & us adding Tahoe back into our family, my best blogging rhythm is the one that comes naturally. I'd still like to write about certain topics on certain days, like organization on Tuesdays, but I also want to leave days blank sometimes, & sometimes I just want to come on here & let words flow out of my fingertips, like I'm doing right now. So, that's where I am with that.

We are set to arrive back in Wilmington on Wednesday afternoon, & I would like to have my 2014 Organizational Suite post up on Thursday. And then, my healthy living update on Friday. So, that's what you can expect to find in this space in the next few days. 

Well, folks, I guess it's time for me to get back to viewing Jurassic Park, which is what is currently playing in our hotel room. To tell you the truth, this movie terrified me as a child. And, in truth, it still kind of does. Maybe I can talk everyone into a viewing of The Firm. 

We are in Memphis, after all.

the sunday currently, volume 96.

slowly but surely getting all of our things into boxes

Happy Sunday! Justin & I are on the road today, headed to Birmingham, Alabama, where we'll be sleeping after the first leg of our road trip to pick up Justin's dog, Tahoe! She has been living with Justin's mom for the past few years, as we have not lived in places where we could have her. We are so excited for her to be joining us in Greenville!

We've been working on packing up our apartment over the last week. Justin's last day at his job here in Wilmington was on Friday. Things are coming together! I'd be lying if I said things weren't a bit stressful. But, we are excited, too!

C U R R E N T L Y . . .

R E A D I N G  my very first edition of OT Practice, which I got in the mail on Friday, has made me even more excited about becoming an OT. I can't wait for school to start!

W R I T I N G  lists of things that need to happen before our move. After all, we shove off from Wilmington, for Greenville, a week from TOMORROW! There is so, so much to be done, as I'm sure you would guess. Writing out lists upon lists makes me feel a lot less stressed. Somehow, seeing the multitude of things I need to do written on paper makes them seem less scary.  

L I S T E N I N G  to Justin Timberlake, Phillip Phillips, & Coldplay have been such a source of comfort recently. Those have got to be my current favorites.    

T H I N K I N G  that it's funny how, in some of these editions of The Sunday Currently, I have so much to say, but in others - like today - I just feel like I'm reaching to get all of the words out.

S M E L L I N G  cardboard. It's not the best smell. But, we're moving. So, there are boxes. Lots of them. All over the apartment. 

W I S H I N G  that Spider-Man was constantly playing on TV. It was playing on TNT yesterday evening while we were packing. It's one of my very favorite movies.

H O P I N G  for safe travels for us from Wilmington to Birmingham today. And from Birmingham to Memphis tomorrow. And from Memphis to Greenville, SC on Tuesday. And from Greenville, SC, back to Wilmington on Wednesday! Whew! We've got quite a road trip ahead of us! It will be worth it to have Tahoe with us!

W E A R I N G  comfy clothes for the next few days. Being in the car dictates comfort!

L O V I N G  that we are almost finished packing everything up. It's always so much more of a daunting task than you're expecting.

W A N T I N G  a big stack of pancakes for breakfast tomorrow.

N E E D I N G  to drink plenty of water on the road. I've been staying hydrated, & I don't want that to be compromised just because we're traveling. 

F E E L I N G  good. I can't wait to write about my healthy living update this coming Friday.

this week's posts:

the sunday currently, volume 95

life update: to school & moving to greenville

my new filofax

around here lately: kara in wilmington

Well, here's to the days of travel we have ahead of us. My bed in Wilmington is already calling my name!

What are you doing? Link up & share below.

jackson snapshot: mother's day.

oh, we definitely got the glasses memo

Living far from home [1,020 miles, to be exact] is hard sometimes. I'm sure any who have trekked out of their hometown for any prolonged period of time can relate: you miss birthdays, weddings, baby showers... the list goes on. That's why Mother's Day this year was so special: I got to spend it with my mother. 

The day after Kara's graduation, we rose early & scooted over to her house, because for her, it was moving day. We carried boxes & mattresses downstairs, we fanned ourselves in the Mississippi heat & humidity, & sadly, not one photo was taken. Not even when we presented mom with her Mother's Day gift from Justin & me: a Japanese Maple for the yard back home at The Ontario House.

Luckily, though, we did think to snap a quick photo when we chowed down at Broad Street [our second visit of the trip - it's yummy] for Mother's Day lunch. Shortly after we ate, it was off to the airport & back to Wilmington, but the memories of this weekend stayed with me for long after.

Want to see more from Graduation Weekend?

the journey there

friday day time

baccalaureate

graduation

fondren & happy hour

Today wraps coverage of our weekend in Jackson, Mississippi for Kara's graduation. I hope you enjoyed coming along. Next week, we will be revisiting Kara's trip to Wilmington, which came right after graduation weekend! She flew out the day after Mother's Day & spent a week with us. I'm looking forward to sharing our adventures here.

the sunday currently, volume 94.

here we are, on the beach

Greetings from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina! We are wrapping up a little family visit with some ocean-front quality time. The photo you see above is from last night, when we went for a sunset walk - the kind where the ocean felt like bath water on our toes & the sky was pink & then orange & then navy & then black. Today, after we make a couple of deposits at the airport, we'll be headed back to Wilmington for a day of lying on the couch & watching One Tree Hill. Oh, & maybe some laundry, too. And definitely some Chipotle for dinner. Because, Chipotle Sunday. Obviously. 

C U R R E N T L Y . . .

R E A D I N G  has been put on hold recently. So much LIFE has been happening. We've had visitors since the last week of June, & I've been trying to give my undivided attention, to be really present. It has been wonderful.

W R I T I N G  has been an afterthought, too. And it's the writing that I've really missed the most. Thoughts have been bouncing around in my head, though, of course. And I hope to soon turn them into blog posts. Or perhaps diary entries. Or perhaps both.

L I S T E N I N G  to fireworks echoing off the ocean last night was a treat. Especially from our room on the sixteenth floor.  

T H I N K I N G  that things often turn out much better than you think they will. If only I could stop worrying. If only I could just relax & enjoy & savor. 

S M E L L I N G  perfumes at Banana Republic yielded a new obsession of mine: Rosewood . I must have it. I must. Hopefully soon.

W I S H I N G  I only needed about four hours of sleep per night. 

H O P I N G  for safe, smooth travels back to Wilmington today for us, as well as safe travels back to Shreveport today for our guests.

W E A R I N G  my new duds soon, I hope. I got two striped sleeveless blouses from Nautica, a striped dress from Banana Republic, & a pair of green flats. School clothes, but also clothes that can be worn anytime.

L O V I N G  family. And that my mom liked her birthday gift from us. And life.

W A N T I N G  the most relaxing day today.

N E E D I N G  to do laundry & to clean the house this week. 

F E E L I N G  very sleepy. Surprise, surprise. I'll have a different answer next week, I hope. 

this week's posts:

happy birthday, mom!

cozy thursday: july fourth frolicking 

jackson snapshot: fondren & happy hour

mornings: fluffy light & endless potential

posting schedule: summer 2014

the sunday currently, volume 93

What are you doing? Link up & share below!

jackson snapshot: fondren & happy hour.

a rainy glimpse of fondren

video footage can be found here

After Kara's graduation, the guys headed out to do guy things, & the girls headed over to Fondren for a spot of shopping. We had grand plans to walk around to all the shops, but a sudden & torrential downpour cut those plans in half. We did, however, get to stop in to some lovely little boutiques, most of them boasting the best smelling hand lotion on the planet. We were going to stop in for a little afternoon sweets fix at Campbells, but they were closing up shop just as we were heading over. 

That's ok, though, because that led us to partake of the afternoon happy hour in the Cabot's lobby. And we ended up feasting on the leftover cake from this event. 

I've been trying to figure out how to put in words the experience of this stormy afternoon, but I find myself stuck. I can usually express my feelings through writing pretty well, but every once in  a while, a moment's words will evade me. I guess I'll just say that the comfort of sitting in the rustic lodge's lobby, with the dim, warm light filtering & reflecting off of the greenish-gray clouds of an afternoon storm in the Mississippi spring-time goes unmatched. Wine was poured, cake was eaten, words were said. I don't really know where else to go looking for the kind of coziness that comes from just being, in the presence of beloved family.

The boys were able to join up with us & catch the tail-end of the happy hour, as well as steal a bite or two of the demolished cake. We sat for as long as we could, talking, laughing, & sharing. 

And moments like that, that I can never get back, live fresh in my memory. I hold them close to my heart, because something about them glows. 

Want to see more from Graduation Weekend?

the journey there

friday day time

baccalaureate

graduation

jackson snapshot: graduation.

Last week, we got to re-experience the joy that was Baccalaureate. Now, we're moving onward & upward to GRADUATION! Graduation was held bright & early on Saturday morning, at Christ United Methodist Church, which is quite a beautiful venue.

the crowd building before the graduation service started.

of course we had to take some selfies.

and here's a goofy one for you. you're welcome.

of course this is a bit pixellated, but i had to get a candid!

i love both of these photos very much.

post-graduation photos

we did a campus walk-through, as well as class re-enactment, as well.

Want to see more from Graduation Weekend?

the journey there

friday day time

baccalaureate

Next Wednesday, I'll be sharing one of my very favorite parts of graduation weekend - a post-graduation trip to Fondren with my mom & Kara, as well as a happy hour well-spent in the lodge of the Cabot. I'm looking forward to sharing that.

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jackson snapshot: baccalaureate.

Last Wednesday, I offered you a little peek into a Friday that Justin & I spent in Jackson with Kara. Why were we in Jackson, you ask? Well, it was Kara's graduation weekend, of course! If you'd like to be caught up to speed on the events of Friday day time, which of course included scary panda cupcakes & traipsing through a monsoon, then by all means, see its corresponding post. Because now, we're soldiering on to one of the weekend's main events: Baccalaureate.

mom & i sat next to each other - we misbehaved, as usual.

doesn't justin's bag match his outfit perfectly?

me with my parents.

us with the graduate.

i really, really love this photo of us.

dinner at babalu - one of my favorites in jackson.

candids at the dinner table.

kara's celebration with cake in the lobby of the cabot.

looking at this cake is making my mouth water - it was beyond delicious.

after our little party in the hotel lobby, 

everyone else went to bed while i traipsed 

out to fenian's with kara, for a night of dancing & live music.

Want to see more from Graduation Weekend?

the journey there

friday day time

Next week will feature the big kahuna event of the weekend: GRADUATION!

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Want to join me in blogging every day in June? The more the merrier. I even made a button to celebrate the occasion. Feel free to use it in your blog sidebar or in the body of your posts. Let's encourage one another to get back to our blogging roots. Happy blogging!

jackson snapshot: friday day time.

As I mentioned in last Wednesday's post, I wanted to document the revelry that was Kara's graduation weekend in Jackson, Mississippi. Today I'll be sharing the goings-on of Friday day time, which as you will see, was quite eventful in itself. As we were gearing up for the Baccalaureate event that evening, as well as my parents' arrive from Shreveport, there was a festive twinge in the air, & I can still feel that very feeling today, as I am typing this out. 

Want to see more from Graduation Weekend?

the journey there

We woke up to a rainy Jackson Friday. Kara came & retrieved us from the Cabot, & we started the day off with a little brunch/lunch at Broad Street, followed by a quick perusal at Lemuria Books. A trip to Whole Foods happened, because what's a day without treats from their bakery section? It is important to note that this was the day I tried my first - EVER - macaron. [I know. How had I made it that far in life without tasting one?]. I got the coffee flavor, & it certainly packed a delicious punch. Sadly, our Whole Foods doesn't carry this delicacy [or perhaps it is a happy thing?]. 

After the joy that is Whole Foods, we were given a proper tour of Kara's more-than-precious house, a historic home right on North State Street. I had every intention of pulling out the DSLR & taking some detail shots, but alas, it never happened. We played music & nosed around the house while Kara got ready for graduation practice, during which we attempted to buy her a book about Jackson/Millsaps from Lemuria. They had NO books on Jackson OR Millsaps. How is that even possible? The jury is still out on that question.

We trekked out to Lowe's after practice to pick up a Mother's Day gift for my mom - a Japanese Maple. I had previously gifted her another of these trees, but as they are one of her favorite's, I thought her yard could do with an addition. She loved it, by the way. And I hope it will always remind her of Kara's graduation weekend that we spent together.

You may have noticed those ridiculous "selfies" at the end of the photo collage. I'd say sorry, but I'm not. Because when good eyebrow days happen, selfies happen. There's just nothing else to say on the matter.

Join me back here next week for a look at Baccalaureate, a Millsaps Graduation tradition. 

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Want to join me in blogging every day in June? The more the merrier. I even made a button to celebrate the occasion. Feel free to use it in your blog sidebar or in the body of your posts. Let's encourage one another to get back to our blogging roots. Happy blogging!