Wednesday, February 16, 2011

just being.



rarely do i take a moment to just "be". i come home tired after clinical or class, and make dinner and watch tv and go to bed. i lack energy to do much more, but i love time to just be quiet. still. listen.
i have been so encouraged by ann voskamp's new book called a thousand gifts, it's a beautiful and encouraging reminder to be still and thankful multiple times through the day. you can buy it here. i won a free copy of it from my friends at zondervan, but it's available in most booksellers. besides the incredibly moving message, her writing is unmatched.

she talked about the word Eucharistia, which we use when taking communion, or the Eucharist. The root words of it, informally mean thankfulness and joy. we are to take "eucharistia" more than just on sabbath mornings, but all the time. every day. every moment. she made a list, after several grief-inducing moments in her life, of a thousand gifts she was thankful for. amid depression, troubles and problems, she came up with well over a thousand quickly. just by being still.
i was so encouraged by her simple admonition to remember often the gifts the Lord sets before us, and to do this daily. thankfulness. joy. grateful. eucharistia.

my list starts like this: 1. a warm cup of coffee. 2. an hour to myself at Starbucks. 3. the engagement of one of my best friends. 4. the joy of seeing my patient smile. 5. a successful iv start, 6. a sweet text from a friend. 7. the smell of my valentines roses....


joy. peace. eucharistia.

Monday, February 14, 2011

my forever valentine


To my Sweetheart: i love you with all my heart. i'm yours forever.

"i have found the one my soul loves!" songs 3:4

"diamond ring and twelve red roses, everything she ever wanted, all those dreams and now they're coming true. she's so young and he's so perfect, waited for love and it was worth it, she wants to feel like this for a hundred years. all this life still yet to live and they can hardly wait...she wants to make it last for a hundred more years".

Friday, February 11, 2011

The Great Closet Purge


That's right friends....i'm going in (eek!). My tiny closet in our house is overflowing. In an effort to streamline and "practical-ize" my wardrobe, here's what I'm going to do:
1) PURGE! Yep. If i havent ever worn it, won't ever wear it, or it needs heavy alterations, its adios. Unfortunately, I have purchased literally dozens of dresses that don't fit, and then i hang them up in high hopes, only to find them five months later.
2) ASSESS: What do I still need to tie my wardrobe together? A few things would be:
-a straight leg pair of tweed/ khaki trousers, high waisted, and slim fit.
-A better black pencil skirt, that fits correctly high waisted.
-regular slim leg jeans from Citizens of Humanity *the best jean EVER for petites!
-suede wedges, black flats
-flowy white blouse that can be tucked in
-belts!
3) SELL! i give my clothes to three different consignment shops and so far have been really successful in selling them. it gives me extra money for the above items i ACTUALLY need and not more random items.
So here goes...we will see how this ends ;-)

blogs that inspire my creativity


These days, the time i have to be creative is limited. I wish i could create dresses and sew and paint and craft all day long, but my time just doesn't allow. however, that doesn't mean i can't be inspired by other people's crafting!

here are some of the blogs that i LOVE:

Finding my Feet: Raechel Myer's beautiful story of her Evie Grace drew me to the blog, and i kept up after that because of her sweet photos, wonderful sense of color, and fun baby ideas (for future :)

Adventures in Dressmaking: This fun blog always inspires me to tear up old clothes and recycle them into wearable, cute dresses. Although i don't share some of her style (her body type is different than mine, which is why she wisely chooses shapes that would look terrible on me), her ideas for ruffles and etc are fabulous

Grograin Fabulous: Oh wow. this gal just blows me away! she makes up goodwill dresses into gorgeous, drool-worthy creations that i would just love to wear. her color sense is amazing as well, and she is always combining great combinations like orange and navy and turquoise and red. lovely. She is giving away a dress today too!


Thursday, February 10, 2011

A letter to my mom

Dear Mom,

Thank you for being you. For all those years I never said thank you, I am saying it now. I have watched myself become a new wife, and have noticed how much of my efforts are because of you.

I have found joy in cooking dinner, because I remember always coming home to a warm meal when I was growing up. I remember sitting down as a family almost every night to something home-made. I make your casseroles and recipes because they are comfort food now.

I still love to sew, which I credit to you, since I was not the one who seam-ripped me through 4-H! I can sew on a button, hem pants, and attach ruffles to just about anything because you taught me how. You taught me and the girls the art of being a homemaker. Ironing, laundry, sewing, cooking.

I am excited to be a mom because you were such a good one. You taught us faithfully, prayed for us daily, and never let us go. Thank you for instilling in me a love for the arts. For reading, writing, and piano. For listening to me cry over math problems, and assuring me that, yes indeed, I needed to finish Saxon math to graduate J Thanks for forcing me to study anatomy and helping quiz me into nursing school.

I am, I hope, a good wife because I watched you be such a good one. Rarely did I ever see you complain to dad, or argue in front of us. You are so faithful to him, and dad adores you. It’s easy to see why. You are a top notch teacher, cook, grandma, mom, and wife. Truly a Proverbs 31 woman.

I am who I am today because you were the mom that you were, and still are. I am the nurse I am today because you taught me to be unselfish. I am the friend I am today because you taught me to not leave others out and to always honor commitments. I am the writer I am today because you taught me never to give up on something I wanted. I am the wife I am today because you taught me how to love and honor my husband. I will be the mom I will be someday because you were so faithful.

Thank you mom.

-Love, Grace

Monday, February 7, 2011

i have the best...


my husband is the sweetest, most wonderful guy in the whole entire world. he wakes up early every day, either for men's group discipleship or to take me to work, and NEVER complains. here's to you, husband. i love you with all my heart.


Suede boots


I REALLY love my new Enzo Angiolini Suede Boots! My bestie Liz and I got matching ones at Macy's in Portland and I must say...I almost squealed when I saw them! They are perfect for all my ruffly dresses. Today, I am rocking them with a ruffled dress (Mossimo for Target), a wool military jacket (Mac and Jac for Papillon Rouge) and black tights. If you see me in the boots constantly, well...don't judge :)

Friday, February 4, 2011

spring transition pieces...

with my recent shopping spree, i decided to highlight my favorite buys. i am deciding to a) never shop at forever21 again, because the clothes fall apart every time, and b) to buy more simple, good quality, mix and match pieces instead of impractical random items that don't go with anything.

here's what i ended up with:

surplus anorak by American Eagle. a good transition piece for Spring all the way to Fall.
Planning on layering over the pink cami below and skinny jeans and boots.
Floral tiered cami in chiffon by American Eagle
Nice to Meet You top by Modcloth. Love the back of this!



Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

unexpected blessings



So at work today, a gal left a ton of free clothes that she had from her mom, I believe. They were all really dated, but I found a dress that I am going to transform...y' all should be super excited, because well...it's kinda hideous. I mean we are talking shoulder pad hideous, friends. but there are some great structured seams in it, and some beautiful vintage buttons! I'm envisioning a nautical summer dress...i'm ridiculously excited about my free find. i'm gonna post a pic on an evening when I didn't just work ten hours solid, okay? Promise! its going to be awesome. i need y'all to hold me to this, since last time i got really excited, i spent thirty bucks on fabric for my auburn championship dress. where is it, you ask? in a box.
as in, fabric in a box, complete with a zipper and matching hair ribbons (sad, i know...)
so i'm really gonna do it this time, inspired by mrs zigenis who is doing clothing challenges left and right (the girl is wearing the same pieces, shoes included, for 30 days. brave girl.) the dress is gonna rock your socks off!

in other really neat news, please buy the album pictured above from my friend Fran...she is fabulous. plus, the cover is just really cute. so buy it. i promise you will love it. and if you don't believe me, my review is coming out in CCM soon, so you can read it there :)

don't forget to look for jesus in everything today. i found Him today, and yesterday, in the funniest little and big ways. yesterday, i won a free book from Zondervan! and i got a much bigger paycheck than i anticipated. i snagged this juicy couture watch for a penny at a thrift store! it was brand new in the BOX!


i was blessed by extra sleep, some coffee, extra time with my husband, dinner when i got home, time to clean my house, a good grade on a paper. i was also humbled by my patients today...broken people who need a big God. I think Jesus shows up and blesses my socks off sometimes to remind me that i need to represent Him better. He is a big, glorious, wrathful, gracious God who chooses to bless little ol' me. That should move me to a confident joy that should overflow to everyone.

that's my thought for today.

.mrs aspinwall.

modcloth love


used another giftcard (i literally have wayyyy too many...i went a little overboard on rehearsal dinner dresses in the Fall for our wedding, and therefore was too late to return the ones that didn't fit. hence, the many many giftcards i have.)

here's one of my scores from modcloth!