lately grammies- More in May.

The past 3 weeks have flown by! It has been 3 weeks since Michel arrived in the airport and what a wonderful time it has been. Exciting new opportunities have been coming my way and I feel truly blessed. 

Today I have been thinking alot about stress, worry & letting go. So many things happen in life that are beyond our control, and under these circumstances anger, frustration and stress is completely useless. But along with that, we must always focus on what we CAN control. And often times the biggest most powerful thing we can do is control the way we react to difficulties and discomfort. Our mind is a powerful thing, and if we approach something feeling lost & disempowered we end up creating a cycle of hopelessness. But with persistance, optimism and a can-do attitude, we open ourselves up to more opportunities and allow ourselves to enjoy our days by focusing on the beautiful things that are going right. This is no easy thing, but I do believe the more aware we are of this > the more we can remind ourselves to practice self- control/ optimism > practice makes it easier and easier, until it hopefully becomes habit! I try and remind myself of this concept often, because it is easy to forget!

Here are a few moments from the past 2 weeks -

 This crazy one on my right graduated & had a party to celebrate.

Adventures were had in DC. More pics to come!

Michel and I were gifted with these adorable matching mugs. My mug collection is out of control. 

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Wedding decorating with family and friends!

Nothing better than books & snuggles.

Came across this hidden gem in the back of our building and it made me smile.

My love + latte = bliss!

The cool effects in the photos are from a new iphone app called beautifulmess. As you can see, I am a big fan!

lately grammies - May 2013 w/ my love!

Could things be more wonderful? The love of my life has finally arrived and we have no more tearful goodbyes awaiting is in the near future! My heart is so full of joy and gratitude and peace. 

A few happy moments from the past week...

Honey and Michel's first encounter! :)

Adorable little turtles sunbathing on my early morn walk.

  Michel's first Starbucks!

  THIS FACE MAKES ME MELT! 

 A happy happy family.

NYC leopard scarf - new Jcrew pants I got on sale - golden sparkles & Starbucks in hand :)

Open doors & an anniversary.

The past few weeks have been mindblowingly wonderful. It is so easy to forget that EVERYTHING happens for a reason! After what seemed like a series of no's the past few months, I received the best kind of yes! Sometimes closed doors can be the best things for us because it leaves the possibility of bigger more beautiful doors to open. Never give up, keep working hard and have faith, and eventually things will fall into place.

On another note, today is the 1 year anniversary of M and I's engagement! On an even more exciting note, HE WILL BE HERE IN 3 DAYS! This time apart, although SERIOUSLY tough, has really brought us closer. And having to go through so much effort with his visa and us actually being together is a great reminder of how much we truly care and love one another. I remember hearing somewhere about how distance to love is like wind to a flame. If it is a small flame then the wind can easily put the fire out, but if the fire is strong enough it will spread and become even bigger. I find that to be so true.

Other recent thoughts that have crossed my mind recently have to do w/ love and communication. It baffles me how some people neglect to think about how their words and actions affect others, especially those that they love. When we love our friends and family, we care for their feelings, and therefore we should be very conscious of striving to ensure that our words and actions support and lift up their spirit. When this consciousness exists between BOTH individuals, the relationship is able to flourish. We must own our actions and our words and take responsibility for how we impact others. 

(A random photo that makes me smile and may look familiar. It was taken during class in Gulu, Uganda one day when us students were a wee bit bored and melting from the heat.)