beach babe

If you follow my husband and I on social media you would see that we made a pretty big and exciting announcement over the weekend!

Yes, you read that right! 30 weeks until baby arrives! We couldn't be more THRILLED to be welcoming a little beach babe into our family in April 2016 (at least I'm hoping they like the beach, haha)!

I thought I would play catch up on the blog about our journey of getting to this point, how we found out, and about our first appointment. I plan on blogging throughout this pregnancy (and future pregnancies) because to me this is a way of journal keeping and I want to be sure that it's here for me and our children to look back on one day. So if you hate reading about pregnancy/baby stuff you may just want to avoid my blog from here on out because I'm sure that will be what the blog consists of. haha. If you like reading that kind of stuff, keep on checking back! We are SO excited to finally be in this chapter of life!

3rd Wedding Anniversary

On July 19th we celebrated 3 years of marriage. We were joking the other day that we are pretty sure that means we are officially out of the newly wed stage now. I can't believe how fast these past 3 years have gone by. It seems so short and so long all at the same time.

It's kind of lame when your anniversary falls on a Sunday because it's not like we can go out and celebrate the day of. However, we've made sure to celebrate a little bit each day this weekend. Friday we met up for lunch at California Dreaming. It's located right on the harbor and a place we have been wanting to check out since we moved here. It had a beautiful view and the food was delicious and reasonably priced. So a win-win in my book!

Saturday we had planned to spend the morning at the beach but we only lasted for a hour because it was a miserable day to be at the beach, it was SO hot with no breeze whatsoever. So we headed back home, stopped at the grocery store, took a nap, and did house chores. Such a typical adult day! haha. Later that evening, after our friend's adoption party, we headed downtown and walked along the battery while sipping on a pineapple smoothie from smoothie king. It was the perfect cool down after a long and hot day.

Although it's been a super low key anniversary, it doesn't make it any less special. I'm so grateful to have Brad as my other half each and every day. This past year Brad has shown me over and over again how incredible of a husband he is. He is so patient with me even when I don't deserve it. Each day I strive to be a better wife because I know that's what he deserves. I'm so thankful that we have each other to lean on as we go through hard times together. I will always be his number one fan and I can't wait to see what is in store for us this next year of marriage.

I usually do a recap video of the past year of our marriage but I've tried about a million times to get it to work and it says I'm having copyright issues with the songs I choose...so that's been really obnoxious. I'm really horrible with technology so once I get it figured out I'll come back and post it here! 

Hope you guys have had an awesome weekend!

Let Freedom Ring

Although it's already the 7th, I can't not blog about how we spent our 4th of July because it was definitely one to remember.

Denim Bow Skirt//Apartment Eighteen

Since last year we spent the morning of the 4th on the beach, I decided to make that our little tradition. So that morning we headed out to Folly Beach. It was the perfect morning at the beach. We have finally found our "spot" on the beach and just always go to that same spot. We stayed out for 3 hours and then came home to change and get ready for our little BBQ get together with some of our friends.

I wish we would have gotten a picture of all of us together, especially since we were all in patriotic colors. The conversations are always so great with that group of friends!  I always end up laughing so hard my stomach hurts.

After the BBQ we headed to River Front Park, on the old navy base in North Charleston. They have quite the set up there. Complete with an entertainment stage, splash pad, inflatables for kiddos, and my favorite...food trucks! We met up with some of our closest friends that we've made here in Charleston.

The weather was beautiful up until about an hour before the fireworks were scheduled to start. They made an announcement saying we all had to evacuate the park and find shelter. UHHHH WHAT?!?!?! I was mildly freaking out. So we headed to our friends car and piled in the back seat with their 4 kids to wait out the wind and rain storm. Finally they said everyone could go back into the park and luckily a lot of people left because of the storm so we still got a good spot. We finished the night off by watching incredible fireworks in the rain, under our umbrella with our cute friends. It was a 4th of July to remember.

Bridal Shower

We just got back from a fun weekend back in Georgia. The whole reason we went was so that I could host a bridal shower for my cute cousin, Shae, who is getting married in 13 days.

Out of all my cousins I am closest to Shae. I am so glad the Stevens moved to Georgia so that we could grow up together and I could be there to watch her love story unfold with Seth. Like every relationship, there were ups and downs, but that's what makes it beautiful. I couldn't be more excited to see the two of them finally tie the knot in 13 days. You can totally tell that Seth adores Shae and that's all that I could want for her because of course I think she deserves the best.

Anyways, back to the shower. Shae's wedding them is shabby chic with blush and navy as her wedding colors. I had such a fun time creating the invites, coming up with games to play, and the food to eat (the best part if we are being honest, haha).

I'm so thankful for all the help I had to make this shower so sweet for Shae. My mom helped me with the decorations and putting fruit kabobs together. My Aunt Sherry (Shae's mom) was so amazing to let us hold the shower at her house and took charge with the majority of the food. And Colby was the perfect photographer for the event and chipped in and helped with food too!

 I love putting on parties and this was the best one because it was for my Shae Audrey! :)

change

This past week I've had 2 people tell me that I've "changed" a lot since we moved here a little over a year ago. Usually that phrase has a negative connotation attached to it, but honestly it couldn't be more of a compliment. I knew that was what the people who told me that I had changed meant too. 

Six weeks ago I added a picture on instagram where I got real honest. This past year in Charleston has been full of struggles for me. Full of moments where the phrase "comparison is the thief of joy" couldn't have been more true. I struggled with my self confidence when I felt as all the girls around me were model material and I was just your plain Jane. I struggled figuring out where I fit in within our new ward and making and keeping friends. I struggled with watching my friends go on incredible once in a life time trips while Brad and I took on thousands of dollars in student loans and was working every single day.

I was bitter and in a really hard place in my life. I tried to hide it because that's what we as humans do. We don't want anyone thinking that we are struggling because that might put off the impression that we are weak, and who wants to be weak.

From about August 2014 to February 2015 I worked on myself A LOT. There was a lot of praying and crying going on during those 6 months. I had to get to the point where I could truly be happy. As bad as it sounds I had to stop caring about how other people acted and what they did. It took a long time for me to get there. One day it just clicked that I am the one who is in charge of my happiness. I had to stop comparing for my sanity. I couldn't let things that I couldn't control take over my happiness.

I'm so proud to be have been able to look at those people this week and say "thank you". I think rather then the word "changed" the more accurate phrase would be "you've grown a lot" because that is exactly what I have done. As hard as it was going through that dark time in my life, I'm so grateful for it because I've learned so much.

"You don't find a happy life, you make it" and that's exactly what I plan on doing. I know I will hit bumps a long the road but I'm striving to create the happiest life for Brad and I, and one day our little family.

with a very special love

Today the children in our primary got up and sang a song they have been learning for Father's Day. It goes like this:

The father of our home leads our family
With wisdom's light in all that's right;
My father's good to me.

Fathers are so special with a very special love.
They watch us and protect us.
They guide us and direct us
Back to our home above.

I love this so much. I often find that I can't make it through a song about moms and dads without it pulling at my heart strings and I end up balling my eyes out. Growing up has really made me treasure the relationships that I have with each of my parents, but today I'm going to highlight my dad. 

 My dad holds such a special place in heart. There have been times where I have wondered if he ever felt like I didn't care as much about him because of the amazing relationship I have with my mom. I really hope he didn't because that is not the case at all and it would break my heart. I love him deeply. There is one letter (my love language remember)in particular that my dad wrote to me while I was at girls camp one year that I will treasure forever and think about often. The words he expressed illustrated so beautifully the special love that he has for me. 

I'm so thankful to my dad for being the perfect dad to us girls. I'm sure it's every man's dream to have a son that he can play sports with, go fishing, and do other boy activities, but I never felt like my dad wished one of us was a boy. He loves us for who we are, the good and the bad. I remember all the times he would just sit on the couch and let us play beauty shop as we put bows in his hair and did his toe nails. He is the definition of a MAN. 

Thank you dad for always calling me Brettly. It never fails to put a smile on my face. Thank you for all the personal conversations we had on our way to and from Valdosta and the airports. They are times I will always hold dear to my heart. Thank you for always "guiding and directing me back to my home above", by example of your faithfulness and dedication to the church. I love you Faddah and hope you've had a wonderful father's day.

home is where your mom is

This will always be one of my favorite pictures of my mom and I, mostly because I think it really shows how much I think of my mom. I admire and adore her so much. Mother's Day is one of my favorite days because on social media everyone posts about their moms and it always reminds me how thankful I am for mine (and how I wish we had more pictures together).

This past year as a nanny I have gotten a little glimpse as to what the role of "mom" entails. I'm so thankful for a mom who really embraced (and still does) her calling as a mother. I don't remember her ever yelling at me (although I'm sure I thought she was yelling a few times), I don't remember her ever complaining about having to make dinner every night, or take care of sick kids, and keeping up with housework. She still makes sure we are all safe and well taken care of and worries about us girls when things are going just quite right. How wonderful it is to be so loved and cherished. I know she would do anything for any of us.

She is everything I hope to be in a mother. As much as I say I would be happy to have all boys, I want at least one girl so that I can have the same bond with my daughter as I have with my mom. There is nothing like our relationship and saying she is my very best friend doesn't even scratch the surface.

Thanks mom for being there for me through the thick and thin. For always being my biggest fan. My world is a better place because you're in it! I love you!