it's a wonderful life.

   

     Somehow, I graduated (a year late..so what). By the grace of our Savior, I am employed (401-what?). I walked that stage, turned that tassel, and pranced across campus (through the rain, no umbrella..grr) to greet family and friends on the other side of my Samford degree in Essie Peach Daiquiri-ed hand.

     To say the past month has been a whirlwind would be the understatement of the year. It was also set up like a set of biblical miracles, one after the other...with that little rain shower to show me that I indeed was not dreaming :) ... . I absolutely never thought I would have crossed the stage at graduation with a great job in line and an apartment waiting for me. Praise the Lord for His provision! To say it was an easy month would be a complete lie, though. Depending on the strength of the Lord, both physically and emotionally, is the only way I could make it through. It's so easy to believe things will not work out the way you want/think you need them to. Sometimes, as in my case, they work out far better than you could ever imagine. Praying for God's will, not yours, is one of the scariest things you can do, but so far it's never failed me yet. One of my biggest weaknesses is not having faith that God's will and my will align. My friends and family can attest to that after two months of freaking and and near panic attacks. Despite all of this, I crossed the stage, I'm sitting in my new home, and I start my new job in 3 days. Sounds storybook to me.

     Another shout out to all of the family and friends who took the time to come for graduation, and to those who couldn't make it, but who were every bit as supportive! Remember my "no man is an island" revelation? So true, and I'm so grateful for the people God has placed in my life. Nothing like a huddle-full of people to make you feel blessed and loved. God has blessed me far more than I could ever deserve. (..and I'm working on those thank you notes.. promise!)

     I can't write about graduation without writing about the shining beacon/country club, with its manicured lawns and incredible professors, who helped me to grow in every way. I can't imagine any place I could have fit and grown more than at Samford. Seven years ago, I toured the campus, absolutely adamant before I entered those gates that I would never step foot on this campus after my visit. Entering those gates is all it took to change my mind. Two years later, I had only applied to Samford, and there was no turning back. The friends, coworkers, circumstances, and professors I had have changed my life. It surely was not all fun, but you haven't lived until you've sat on a bench in Ben Brown Plaza with a Tervis full of an Arnold Palmer and the sun shining down on you. I'm so grateful for my time at Samford and for the relationships I've carried out of those gates. So humbling.

I am blessed beyond belief, and I can't wait for the next chapter to begin Monday! Praise the Lord!  

   
   

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Centennial Walk after the Prayer Breakfast

Talk about blessings..I'm watching this one walk down the aisle tomorrow! 

biscuits + gravy

If you've read this blog for any length of time, you know my obsession with weddings. It's 85% of the reason I have Pinterest. Enjoy. 

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Via Caroline Fontenot.

thirty-one

My friends know that during breaks, I usually have a countdown going. As in, at the beginning of May, before school's even out, I've already figured out how many days until we are back in again and have scribbled it down in my Lilly planner. I post it on every social media outlet, and if I don't, I get the texts from my friends like, "What's today's count?" Well, this picture could not have come at a more appropriate time to remind me to live in the moment.
This summer is actually a little bit different. I have a job (read: something to actually do) this summer, so I've been busy and not sitting around wishing time away. Maybe it's because this 5th year/victory lap is not going to be the same as years' past, and all of my friends will not be walking the Samford sidewalks with me. For whatever reason, the countdown never actually made it from pen to paper. However, I'm still longing, longing, longing to be back in my home sweet home of Birmingham. I've started telling anyone who will listen how many days until I hit the highways on my journey "home" . . . 31 to be exact. But am I missing out on the place and opportunity God has called me to because I am in a daze of passing time? Someone called me out on that recently. Actually, a couple of people. "Stop wishing your life away." "Enjoy now." I feel certain they are right. I'm excited to go back, but I need to stay in the now. I'm trying to listen to the Lord's voice and meditate on this verse as well:

"Whatever you do, work HEARTILY, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." 

-Colossians 3:23-24 

instagramification.

I swore I'd never do it, but (with coverup on, of course) I set out to the Quad on
 Saturday to lay out and catch up on the Masters

Did a little shopping a couple of weeks ago and got these two dresses from Gap.
The vermillion one was my Easter dress!

{Easter mashup} Got to see my bff Edmund for Easter | Yummy Dreamcakes |
Easter-y Wall About You background | One of my best friends, Lydia, adopted me for Easter. :)

Pretty sunset from 31 in Vestavia. 

fit to be (bow) tied.

Social Primer himself, K. Cooper Ray, graced us with his presence this past week (in his new Fall Camo Reversible Bow Tie) to kick off his Tailgate Tour at Brooks Brothers. Give me a live band, drinks, and good company, all in the name of bow ties and southern hospitality, and I’m there. It was a great night and a thrill to meet the mastermind behind one of my favorite websites. Between our Samford group and the two—count them—two buses that the Alabama IFC chartered from Tuscaloosa (can I get a roll tide to that?), the party was a roaring success. Thank you to Cooper for inviting us out for a great evening! Be sure to shop his phenomenal bow tie collection in stores and online, and don’t forget that his new book, Bill of Rites: The American Man, was just released.  If you missed the Birmingham event, check here for details on the Atlanta event later this week. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did. 

Photography by Shawn Sharp.