Big, Scary Dream.

It's still technically a new year and I have very high hopes for 2015. Now that I have gotten all my coursework out of the way and my full teaching license is FINALLY processing....my mind can't help but wander to my next venture (aside from actually getting a new teaching job).

Believe it or not...I thought for two seconds about going back to school but a.) my husband and family would most definitely think I'd lost it and b.) stress. too much stress. Although, I think I've figured out that I secretly like stress and I really like to learn. I know, nerd alert! So, what, you ask, is up next? Truthfully, I have no idea. Remember, I'm trying not to resolve this year.

I do, however, have a BIG. SCARY. DREAM. This is actually terrifying to admit and it most likely will not happen in 2015. It may never happen. It frustrates me just as much as it excites me. If I tell you, that means it's out there in the open. People will know. You might even encourage me or hold me accountable....yikes. I seriously have butterflies as I type.

Ok, here it goes:

I want to be published one day. This is a dream that hasn't gone away. It's been written on my heart for years and only the closest people in my life have known about this desire. I mean, I feel a bit silly thinking about it sometimes. I haven't written tons (other than in journals since I was in third grade). I am not an English major. I don't have a Masters or a PhD. Besides, I don't know any publishers personally and really don't even know how to begin. I tell myself all the time, "I'm not credible" and simply, "I can't."

But here's the thing: sometimes I walk through my days and think of life in terms of poetry or children's literature. When something horrible happens, I want to write. When something spectacular happens, I want to write. Sometimes I actually do it and sometimes those thoughts just get lost in the dark, scary crevices of my brain [...eww].

In the classroom, my favorite subject to teach is Language Arts. The best aspect of teaching is to read books and poetry aloud to children. I love to watch their little minds escape and inspire them to imagine. [Imagining seems to be a dying art.] I want to be one of the creators of characters and the worlds they live in. Most of all, I want to encourage children to write. By writing stories myself, wouldn't I be more likely to have that kind of clout?

My dream has a Part 2: After I get published, I'd love to travel to schools and read to students or share my learning program with other teachers. I realize I am dreaming but I am okay with that. It doesn't hurt to dream. Isn't that what I just said I wanted to teach my students? I want to teach them to imagine and to imagine is to dream.

I would really love to know your dreams. What is it that truly terrifies you but continues to nag you most every day? What idea begs to be realized in your lifetime? Please share in your own blog and leave the link below or send me a personal message and I'll post it on mine. Share it with me over coffee. I'd love to encourage you. If it helps, I actually feel some kind of relief after sharing.



Lauren

Not to resolve.

Resolution
definition: a firm decision to do or not to do something

Resolve
definition: decide firmly on a course of action


In 2015, my resolution is not to resolve. You may simply take this to mean I am just not going to have a resolution. You might see it as a cop-out. A goal-less decision for a bright new year. But I do have a resolution after all; I am going to try really hard not to resolve.

Oh how ironic that statement is. Trying really hard to make or to not make something happen is exactly what I don't want to do this year. You can probably sense the struggle. I am a Type-A perfectionist with an ENFJ Meyers Briggs personality. Trying really hard is what I do. It goes against ever fiber of my being to stop trying so hard. Stop controlling everything. Stop planning. Stop looking ahead so much.

I cannot tell you how many prayers I've prayed this year about trusting God. I have asked Him so often to lead me; I have asked him to tell me which direction to go. Somehow I feel like I always end up trying to take over. I get impatient. Maybe my 2015 mantra should be to let "Jesus Take the Wheel" (thanks, Carrie) or for a slightly less cheesy approach, "Let Go and Let God?" All I know is when I try so hard to make things happen the way I want them to God still wins every time. His plans are always better than mine. Sometimes that's really hard. It's especially hard when I have my mind set on what I wanted. What I have to remember is that there is a reason for his timing and his provision is precise and calculated. It's not. up. to. me.

So, here's what I believe might help me with my resolution: I want to focus on Him. I want to move and change as He directs me to. I want to be available and free. I want to recognize the desires of my heart as natural goals He planted there. I want to listen for his call to act and not dwell on things I cannot change. I want to be patient. And, when I inevitably fail at these things, I want the people I love to remind me of these statements.

In Virginia, Chris made me a beautiful chalkboard fashioned from part of an old door and a piece of painted plywood. The very first verse I wrote on it was:

"Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all ways submit to Him and He will make your path straight." Proverbs 3:5-6

Now that is my mantra for 2015. What's yours?

Lauren

New Year, New Look

Happy New Year, dear friends! I have been wanting to write an update for a while; holidays have a funny way of keeping us busy. In addition to all the festivities we have been working on some house updates. I am excited to officially reveal the final look to you today!

We have LOVED our new house and didn't have to change much upon move-in as it was built seven years ago. This house has a different feel entirely from our VA house (built in 1929). The two houses are opposite from one another in appearance yet they both felt/feel like home. Like my dad always says, "A house feels like a home after you spend a holiday in it." He's so right.

So, flashback to September. We painted almost every room the week before we moved in. It was amazing how different colors changed the whole feel of the house. We went with grays and blue/green hues. Some of my favorites include Mindful Gray (most of the house) Silvermist (kitchen/master bath),and Anew Gray (master bedroom) by Sherwin Williams.

I didn't start this post to talk about paint colors (although I do have an affinity for that sorta thing nowadays). I got off on a bit of a tangent. The REAL reason I am posting is to tell you about our addition/changes to the living room. When we bought the house there were two large recessed spaces on either side of the fireplace. It was pretty obvious that built-ins were meant to be there. Chris and I set out on a mission to make this happen but we knew we would need to phone a friend (or two) to help. Greg, Chris' uncle, makes beautiful furniture and can really do anything he sets his mind to. He has a shop in his basement with some seriously impressive equipment to cut, level, plane, saw, nail, patch, and design wooden furniture. We gave him a call to see if he would build the custom pieces for us. And he said yes! We had not a clue what we were asking this man to do. I have to say, for the record, that we are incredibly grateful to him and aunt Pam for all the hours of hard work and love they put into making these massive, custom pieces for us. I also have to give a huge shout out to Jeff and Chris for all their hard work. I even now know how to use a water saw. Talk about feeling like you've arrived.

After getting a yes from Greg, we had to decide on the details. I had a picture from Ballard Designs magazine which served as the inspiration for the project. Visualize arches at the top, with wide, vertical bead board, dark counter tops, and changeable shelving. All of these elements came to fruition in the final design!

In addition to the built-ins, Chris and Jeff transformed the fireplace. They removed the creamy/yellowy marble framed out in white and up went the new stacked quartz/stone with a travertine hearth and a thick, rustic piece of walnut for the mantel. I make it sound like magic but this stuff is hard work.

Enough talk. I give you before and afters.

It's a little blurry but you can see the recessed spaces and the fireplace before the updates.

After. Ta da! (You have to look closely to see the vertical bead board backing the shelves.)

 It was fun to style the shelves and add these knobs to the cabinet doors for the finishing touches. I'd love to hear about some of your favorite design blogs or house projects! Feel free to comment below. There you have it. New year. New look. I like newness.

Happy 2015,

Lauren