2014: a year in review

JANUARY: a road trip to Virginia Beach with our sisters and Gui to see Julie and Dre 

+ the start of my last spring semester.

FEBRUARY: more polar vortex temps +  our first time watching the Bulls + a valentines day that included sending a dozen postcards to friends.

MARCH: an amazing trip all over Southern California to visit schools, friends and celebrate G's birthday + the beginning of making plans for after Moody.

APRIL: a blessed month of transition and rest + coming out of hibernation ready for endless walks again.

MAY: was definitely one of our most memorable months of the year between g graduating + our families coming to Chi + endless outdoor dates + celebrating Angies pregnancy + a day trip to NY with the girls for TheDryBar + Jen and Bruno's wedding + Jess going to Africa! 

JUNE: all the summer things + our three year *leather* anniversary celebrated with our first picnic overlooking the city. (the best)

JULY: we just took in all that Chicago summers have to offer: endless fireworks, concerts, walks, beach days, Taste of Chicago, Navy Peir hangouts, outdoor brunch and more + The World Cup.

 Can you spot our Brazilian flag hanging on our window?

AUGUST: was all about Rio! I was so unsettled about going because of all our moving expenses only a few months away, but God provided for us to go, and #olivesinrio became one of the most special trips of our lives.

SEPTEMBER: a month of extremes. From huge disappointments, like Fabz dramatically not coming to photograph us in Chi the one weekend that seemed perfect. To huge excitement, like announcing our move to San Diego and receiving so much love and encouragement from everyone + G went right back to Rio for a couple days making this month his final and 4th trip there in 2014, which is amazing in and of itself.

OCTOBER: I excitedly traveled to Jersey for a weekend to attend Angie's baby shower for Nathan (just could not miss it!) + #weekendwiththeolives happened, another absolute favorite part of our year! God knew, yes, He always knows what He is doing in our lives even when we are so confused; this month proved to me that God will go to extremes to bless His children. He is so good.

NOVEMBER: Thanksgiving with our families for the first time in Jersey as a married couple! + our first Friendsgiving + my busiest and most stressful month school work wise + g and I wondering what the heck we were going to do with all our stuff.

 

DECEMBER: friends came through + moving dreams came true. 24 happened in Laguna and felt amazing. Oh, and Ang & Jon had a baby. :) Nathan we love you! + our first Cali. Christmas!

 

All in all, I know that this year God has shown me so many times that He is able to do anything in our lives. The impossible truly is possible in Jesus name. What can separate us from His love? NOTHING. The answer is nothing. It always was and it always will be. Oh Lord I am so thankful for 2014. So many times I didn't think I could make it, but You provided the faith, friends, love and peace.

 

Cheers to a new year!

 

 

resolution road

Some thoughts concerning resolutions have been skipping around in my head; year after year I have felt obligated to have some. In essence, have goals to try and accomplish in that year to move forward, to grow. I have always loved the idea of growing every year so I would become the person I was "supposed" to be. This burden was continually weighing on my mind : be better, live better, feel better. If I wasn't improving in life, well, that means I'm getting worse at it. And THAT was unacceptable. Regression was unacceptable to me, so I was in a constant state of frustration with myself. But my biggest problem was that everything that did not feel like growth was regression. Sitting, waiting, living in the tension meant something was wrong.

What lies I believed for so long. Thankfully, the past two years I have been learning that tension is the opposite of regression! Actually,  it is in the tension that growth especially occurs because you're forced to rely completely on Jesus to bring you to new life in areas that need growth. It's in the tension that God speaks directly to your soul, and you are in season to hear with open ears what He has to say. He is moving, transforming, and renewing you! He was renewing me, but I did not understand what was really happening during those times for many years. 

So thinking about resolutions this year, I feel pretty different about how to approach them than years past. Yes, I want to grow in all areas of my life, but now the pressures and burden I once felt has been lifted because I know that God is transforming my heart. I am asking and waiting for Him to show me where I need to change while trusting Him with my desires and goals. I love what I wrote last year on my post with a list of resolutions, "They may or may not all come to pass and for the first time I'm ok with that because I know and am choosing to believe that God goes before us this year."  High-fiving myself here because It's time to enjoy the ride! I will not beat myself up for not getting everything right, or not measuring up to others I admire. God is with me, he goes before me and in Him I rest. In Him I live. In Him, I am free! Free to mess up, learn and grow in His time. Free to travel on this resolution road.

One particular goal that never seems to leave my list of resolutions is getting fit and eating healthy. And I am sure you can relate! After the holidays I just feel heavier. I can't even tell you how many times I have called myself a whale the past three weeks! (I know..I know) But this year, mainly because we are in a MUCH warmer climate and school no longer takes up most of my time, I feel so motivated to get active and eat well. The desire is coming from within and not from me forcing any burdens on myself. So in these few photos I celebrate the start of a change captured on my first jog of 2015. It's the start of new life for this 24 year old body of mine.

What goals/resolutions/changes do you want to see happen this year?
As one wise Pinterest quote once said, "progress, not perfection."

First smoothie of the year! 

one cup of water

one mango

one large banana

one 5 oz. container of vanilla Greek yogurt (I use TJ's brand)

blend all ingredients till smooth

this month: january

FEELING : excited about starting the new year on the west coast; living in Cali. was once just a dream.
LEARNING : the names of new (to us) gorgeous plant life around our new dessert-like home.

PRACTICING : patience as we wait for an opening on one of the four apartment complexes applied!

MASTERING : all the driving around the Escondido area - with the help of Ways, for now. 

EATING : lots of fruits and vegetables, becaussssse , the holidays. 

PLAYING : Coldplay's Ghost Stories, which I'm still not tired of listening to every. single. day.

FINISHING : nothing at the moment; right now it seems like everything is in good forward motion.

READING : the Psalms.

WATCHING : the last season of Parenthood which begins next week! why must it end?! why?

WEARING : neutrals, neutrals and more neutrals!

WORKING : full time, soon and very soon at the first job I applied to and interviewed for. *miracles
WALKING : so much less than normal and booing this car life because of it; drive on.

TRAVELING : no where far for now, but oh are we making plans for 2015!
DESIRING : for friends to visit us ASAP; so much missing.
CELEBRATING : g's citizenship! Now, we both of have duel citizenship and are feeling pretttty fancy. 

"To the good behind us and the great that awaits. Here's to you, 2015."

Happy New Year Everyone!

**"This month" posts is the newest series on the blog this year, inspired by a fun & fashionable blog called sittinginourtree, written by Kelsey Bethune! I loved the idea of starting this series as a way of  purposefully thinking about each month, and also being able to look back on a summery of what was going on in our lives this year every thirty days. I hope to capture the sunset on the first of every month and not filter them for these posts. As you can see. today's golden hour at Carlsbad beach was absolutely beautiful. We believe this may be the closest beach to us after we move into our own apartment - no complaints here!