hey there! influence pre-conference meet & greet

Today I'm linking up with some of the community leaders of the Influence Conference that is coming up in October.  {Definitely, definitely check out their website if you want to know more about joining in on the fun.  It is going to be such a great time!} We're sharing a few "get to know me" tidbits to help get past the awkward phase of meeting new people. {Thank goodness!}

I cannot express how pumped I am to get together with so many different women from all over that are excited about discussing and learning about the crazy awesome influence that God has given all of us.

I know absolutely no one that is attending this conference, so I'm really taking a leap (err... jump) of faith with attending.  I couldn't be more scared and excited all at the same time!

... Alright, enough already.  Here are the 3 questions:

3 get to know me things: 

• I am a definite introvert, but I absolutely love people and talking for hours.  I just have to get out of my comfort zone and push myself to do it!  Don't let my shyness fool you. 
• I am addicted to watermelon this summer.  I could (and already have) eat a whole one in just a day (or perhaps an afternoon...).  
• My husband and I just had a little baby boy 5 months ago.  I am in complete love with both of my guys and cannot get enough of them.  

2 things I'm looking forward to about the conference:

• Meeting all YOU wonderful ladies, learning and growing with each other, having discussions that inspire and excite, and just HAVING FUN!  I really think that the connections made at this conference are going to continue far and beyond the conference weekend
• Learning how I can take the next steps to becoming stronger in my voice and adequately use the influence the God has given me  

1 thing I can't leave home without: 

• If I had to choose only one thing, I would have to say that I can't leave without a small notebook.  I am a definitely list and idea maker.  {recipes, art ideas, cleaning to-dos, errands ... I have to write it all down!}

Well, that's just a tiny bit about me... it sure was hard to choose just a few things.  Have an awesome week, everyone! 

coffee date

One of my favorite people online, Casey Leigh, posts a coffee date blog every so often.  She writes as though you're sitting down to enjoy some coffee (or ice cream!) with her and I always love reading her thoughts and looking through her pictures.  It feels like we're actually sharing a relationship and a date through the computer screen.

{{Please take some time to check out Casey's blog ... it is beyond amazing.}} 

  I thought I would take some inspiration from her and start our own form of coffee dates here on homemade bliss.  

Sit down, grab a coffee (or another treat!) and let's get to know each other.   

+++

If we were sharing some coffee together right now at my tiny red patio table, I would share with you how incredibly inspired I'm feeling lately.  I would also ask you to ignore the potted herbs that were drying up (it's been a hot summer and I just cant keep anything green alive!), but that's besides the point.  The warm, blueberry almond scones I just took out of the oven would go perfectly with our strong brew (in reality, we probably would be enjoying some fresh fruit instead because who even has time to bake during these crazy summer months?).  You would hear about how I'm loving my life as a new momma, but I'm often scared silly with the crazy amount of decisions life presents when you have a little one.  We would laugh at the crazy, embarrassing moments I've caught myself in lately (living in a small town where everyone knows you can be quite interesting...).  I would ask you about what's been on your heart lately and how your summer is going.

As our coffee cooled off, I would share how I've been trying to have quiet time every morning before the whole house wakes up.  Some mornings are better than others.  I would share with you that I'm slowly reading through the book of Proverbs and Matthew.  Proverbs has given me insight and direction with how I should be living my life.  I never really took the time to realize how poetic it actually is.  I usually just get caught up in the "rights" and "wrongs" and don't look past the words.  Matthew has taught me so much about Jesus, His plans for me and the awe-inspiring miracles He's performed.  I would sheepishly tell you that I'm justs starting to understand the concept of grace and it is transforming my perspective on life.  It's almost like I'm able to read the bible in a different light lately.  We would then go on to discover that we're not all that different in our journeys and we would feel refreshed from being able to "be real" about sharing the raw-ness of finding our way through having faith with each other.

I would tell you I've finally come to peace with the decision to become a stay-at-home momma.  Leaving the coffee house ministry I started over the past three years was heartbreaking, but it felt so right.  I share with you I'm not quite sure how to do this full-time momma stuff and deal with the change.  I'm trying to just be still and quiet let things happen for a while before getting overwhelmed.  It felt so clear to me that this is what God wanted me to do and it is so comforting to rest in that.  

We would start to talk about some of our dreams.  I would share how I dream of a big farm house with little sheds (can you imagine the art studios?!) and more gardens than grass.  We would go on and on about inspiration and the little things we would love to do in this life.  I would ask you what really inspires you and makes you feel alive.

Before you know it, our mugs would be empty and the babe would be wanting to be fed again.  Maybe we can do this again soon?!

whoa babe. slow down.

Lately, life around here has been beautiful whirlwind of sleep schedules, family hikes, farmer market veggies, finding time for creativity, and soaking up every last bit of summer.  It's been interesting to see my shift in perspective since becoming a mama.  Living life has become more about slowing down and trying to enjoy every moment instead of racing around and doing, doing, doing.  I still have to remind myself daily to just be and enjoy the moment, but it's refreshing to have a new found contentment and peace.  I think I always equated slowing down with not being good enough or being successful enough.  I'm able to see how incredibly false that perspective is now (even though it still nags at me on and off ... just keeping it real).

Having this cute little babe has made me realize how fast life literally flies by.  I feel like just yesterday I was holding a tiny newborn in a hospital bed and now he's already almost 5 months and starting to eat cereal?  Hold the phone.  What?!  He just makes my heart burst. 

     

when the quiet moments sink in

Lately I have avoided the quiet moments. The moments when your thoughts settle, sort themselves out, and start to flood your mind and soul.  Usually I love being quiet--it's when inspiration hits me and gets me giddy.  It's when I can hear God nudge and whisper.  It's when I'm able to see the beauty in the simple things--the way my love's eyes crinkle when he smiles, the way sunflowers turn towards the sun, or the green beauty of fields blowing rhythmically in the wind.

I think I've avoided being quiet lately because I'm fearful.  I can tell there are a bundle of things brewing up inside my chest and I'm nervous to unleash it all.  Instead of embracing and seeking out time to reflect, I am busy doing anything and everything.  Some times I don't even shut off my mind--I continue to let the anxious thoughts of absolutely nothing run circles in my mind.

Perfectionism.
Fear of falling short.
Fear of the unknown.

Today I was able to sit down and breathe. I think we all have seasons when we would rather ignore life.  We get tired or too comfortable, so we put our days on repeat and busy our bodies and minds until they are numb.  Thank goodness God understands this imperfect journey of life we're on.  He gets us before we even "get" ourselves. He plants seeds in us that he just waits for us to unleash and comprehend.

God knows the anxious thoughts of our hearts.  He plants and harvests in us the crazy dreams that breed uncertainty and fear.  He has awesome purpose for us through seasons of quiet and seasons of uncertainty.  He is all knowing--He sees all of us.  He knows every shortcoming, every fear, every weird thought, every insecurity ... yet He still loves us.

He still loves us. 

Through loud seasons.  Quiet seasons.  Stormy and broken seasons.  Seasons of ignorance and seasons of complete awareness.

All of this to say that we all have purpose.  There's no reason to search for unattainable perfection.  Once we accept that God sees all of us and still loves us, it's a little bit easier to search for and live out our purpose.

There's no reason to fear the quiet moments, because we don't need to fear imperfection.

Here's to living real and living out loud the passions and purpose the God has imprinted on our minds and hearts.  Let's unleash ourselves from the fear of the quiet and the grasp of perfection and just be.

Just be.


{{This post was entirely fueled by too much coffee and was highly therapeutic.  I now realize my words could make absolutey no sense to you, but in embracing imperfection I'm choosing to overlook at fact.  Enjoy!}}

two years

two years ago I had no idea we would be on the journey we are today.

two years ago I had no clue about the things I would learn about myself and life while married to you.

we have laughed.  we have cried.  we have danced.  we have yawned.  and we have ate a lot of ice cream.      

marriage is the best thing and the hardest thing I have ever been a part of -- and I am so incredibly lucky to be sharing it with a husband that is so patient and forgiving with me, so loving towards our babe, and such a servant with anyone he meets.  he always reminds me of what's really important in life and strives to be such a strong leader for our family.  

... and it doesn't hurt that he has the sweetest smile that  melts my heart and gives the best kisses either.

here's to many, many more anniversaries! 

weekend of rest

This past weekend was a weekend of rest.  It was so much fun to escape as a family and enjoy the each other's company without the craziness of meetings, company, or a messy house getting in the way.  

I think we drove on the most gorgeous country roads over the weekend.  I drive on them every summer, and they still capture my attention every time I'm driving on them.  I had to pull to the side of the road to take a picture of this cornfield.  The way the morning sun was hitting the cornstalks ... and the sky was just so.  Goodness.  How ridiculous do I sound! 

 Coffee and watermelon was our diet of choice.  

 There is something about water that I just love.  It has such a calming affect on me.  I can't put my finger on it, but I am definitely a water girl.  

 I found some goodies from the garden and farm market that I am beyond excited about.  Fresh produce ... yes!  (Those blueberries may already be all gone ... )  

We discovered an old mill that was made into a coffee house in the middle of nowhere.  The owners were so incredibly nice.  I could sit on their porch for hours.  

... here's to more weekends for taking it slow, realizing simple beauty, and enjoying loved ones.   

how he loves :: {new momma thoughts}

As I write this, my babe is to my right ... sleeping all swaddled up in his bassinet.  The temperatures are in the 100's in Wisconsin, so he is having sleepovers in our bedroom until the temperature goes down in his room.  I find myself glancing over at him constantly ... drinking in his every last feature.  The long eye lashes, pink cheeks, and peaceful face makes my heart melt every time.  Our babe has just started to giggle, coo, and smile more.  Seeing and hearing him be so happy is probably the best thing ever.  I can't even fathom how my love continues to grow and grow for him.  This little boy is teaching me what it means to be a momma; to let go of all self-centeredness and to love with a love so deep it hurts.

A few nights ago, while thinking about the over-abundance of crazy love I have for this little man, God grabbed my attention.

"Meg, that is how I feel about YOU.  That smile you get when you see your babe smile?  I smile when you smile.  The heartbreak you feel?  My heart breaks for you when I watch you suffer.  I want the best for you.  Be with me ... let go of control.   Let me guide you and be your Father. "

I always thought I understood as well as I could the intimate connection I had as God's daughter.  But, I was paralyzed with intense awe after making the correlation I spoke about above.  To think thad God stares at me that way that I stare at my little boy ... drinking in his every feature.  Awe-ing over how perfectly created he his.  It blows my mind that God thinks so similarly about us.  He so intensely wants us to be happy and looks out for our best interests.  He created me ... you ... us ... with passions, desires, creativity that shouldn't be silenced and that has great purpose.  He delights in us.  He loves us.

God is so great.  I am so blessed.