as of late

i like these days, when the sky isn't sunny blue, and there's  a chill in the air. october is one of my favorites and i don't want it to end. these months are going by so quickly, and before i know it, snow will cover the ground and thick coats will be the everyday. there's something sweet though, about the way everything is silent in the dead of winter. the sky and night are still, and you can hear the simplest sound miles away. i hope fall doesn't go too quickly though, as i would very much like to hold onto it and savor every moment before all i want to do is be bundled up inside. <3 

anticipating:: senior pictures,skyping with friends who i've never video chatted with and a possible google hangout crafting workshop in the near future/
starting replies to: sarah, grace, katie, bethany, 
brewing a cuppa:: holiday tea { i may be fond of tea tins and part of the reasoning behind trying certain ones. ;) but i'm also just excited for this time of year in general.}
watching:: xfactor and the voice
reading:: a fine romance, falling in love with the english countryside
firsts :: visiting minnesota \\ having an official sister \\ 
to-do:: catching up on school from while i was gone. weekly photography assignment for my class. 
eating:: marinated chicken for dinner. 
cooking::  fall yummies. is it just me or am i seeing more pumpkin goodness than ever before?
quoting:: i'm so thankful to live in a world where there are octobers. ~ anne of green gables. 
loving::  instagram, always // long skype chats filled with much laughter, and plenty of hours messaging dear friends who make me laugh. // inside jokes

Josh, You're Getting Married Today!!!!

Love this picture..though the date is wrong :)

Please excuse me. I don't know what my face is doing here. :p

My sweet siblings. Joe and Josh. Best brothers ever!!

For Josh,

Wow, where has the time gone! Here we are on your wedding day. A day every person dreams of. I can't believe how fast these years have gone. It seems like just yesterday we were playing basketball in the driveway. I have so many memories of special times together. You have always been one I look up to, even through all the nicknames you've called me, as brothers do, I love you no less. ;) 

I can't believe we are here, on your wedding day. I only ever wish the best for you and I can't wait to see all the Lord has for you and Abbey. I'm so excited to share this special day with you and be in the wedding. 

Love you always,

Your favorite sister ;) <3

P.S. Thanks for giving me the sister I always dreamed of.  

A little story for my sweet readers... (This was written many months ago, and added to here and there.)

"Four years ago, my brother packed up his belongings and headed off to college. He's one of my best friends and having him go away, living elsewhere, and not seeing him everyday was hard on me. I couldn't imagine him not being here everyday. The feeling of four in the house was so unknown, because all my life, there had been five.

Time is something that flashes before our eyes so quickly. Years can pass by before realizing all those "moments'' were meant to be remembered. Even just the small ones. The feeling of waking up to the sound of family all under one roof someday becomes quiet once one moves out. You realize how much you appreciate all that you had and moments you'll never forget become treasured stories to tell and look back on and smile. I never want to take a single day for granted.There's little blessings in the every day whether big or small. Sometimes the smaller ones mean far more later on.

I think of my 16th birthday.  Going up to Josh's college to bring him home. My mom and I spent the night at a hotel right down the street from his college. We enjoyed spending time together. We had never been away with just the two of us. It was peaceful and found ourselves giddy with it being so quiet. My mom and I felt like going out for a late night Meijer run. We were hungry because we didn't really have much to eat for dinner. I saw someone with clearanced lunch meat and rotiseree chicken. My mom and I started laughing at the idea of getting that and having it be just the two of us eating it in our hotel room. So there we were, back at the hotel eating chicken together and cracking up. A moment that I won't ever forget. :) 

In the morning we packed up our things, ate breakfast and headed over to help Josh bring all of his suitcases to the car. After several trips to and from the car we were on our way. 

I think back to when Josh left for college nearly four years ago. I wondered how I would make it through four years knowing that one of my best friends was leaving and I wouldn't get to see him every day. My family has always been so close and it's all too rare in this day and age. My family's relationship is something that I am so thankful to have as I know many families are so distant nowadays. Yes, it was hard at first to just let Josh go and being on his own for the first time but God gave us all that we needed to go on and live our lives. My mom and I basically cried for the first 3 years every time we said goodbye while visiting him up at school and having him come home. Christmas and summer break were always the hardest. He came home for a month at Christmas and almost 4 months during the summer. When he's home things are all as they used to be. And I've learned to appreciate them far more than I ever did. Josh is graduating in May. He's engaged to a sweet girl who loves him with all her heart and I am so thankful to be gaining a sister. One who shares many interests as I. October is the wedding and plans are all in the works.

There's memories I keep in my heart.. many car rides with music blaring loud, talking and laughing, summertime and floating on rafts while hearing him talk about work. i'll never forget those car rides. those were things i loved back then and every time he came home from school. i looked forward to those probably the most. because it was us and like things were as they used to be. i still love those rides when he comes home. i won't forget the midnight runs up to the gas station in the summer to get a frozen drink . i won't forget seeing his car pull into our court and especially those hugs. "

Here we are four years later. He's graduated, and getting married today. Time sure flies by. 

Simply Breakfast