April // What I Read

The Prodigal's Sister by John Piper 

Piper did an amazing job with this narrative of the prodigal son's sister. I felt deeply sympathetic toward the sister and how she must have felt torn between her two brothers. The book provided me with a new perspective on the story of the prodigal son and how his journey affected his loved ones. 

A Room of Their Own

“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.” 

~ Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice 

Anyone that knows me well understands that books are very precious to me. Josh still reminds me of something I told him when we were dating: "Books are my dear friends." 

A Spring-Inspired DIY

I think with each passing year my love for flowers grows and grows. I will more than likely be one of those little old ladies that has a ridiculous flower garden all around her house and can be seen out watering it and caring for it every day.

I'm excited to be going bloom shopping with my dear friend and fellow-obsessed flower lady, Heather, this coming weekend. This girl knows her stuff and has an AMAZING flower garden that hopefully one day I can share with you all! She is always giving me tips and pointers about what to plant and how to care for it.

Scents with a Story // Fictions Beauty

I am a huge fan of perfume. Anything that evokes memories of days gone by and calls to mind that trip abroad, the day I walked down the aisle to him, that first kiss, or first glimpse of the Eiffel Tower. When I got married I purchased some perfume and saved it to wear on our wedding day. I also adorned it's scent throughout our honeymoon in Hawaii. When I returned home, whenever I wore it it recalled those precious days that I never wanted to forget. I did the same thing when we traveled to Europe last spring. Now whenever I smell those two specific perfumes, those unforgettable moments come rushing back to me. I love that. 

A Touch of Whimsy // Michelle Starbuck Designs

I came across Michelle Starbuck Designs a couple months ago and instantly fell in love with the vintage-inspired and geometric designed jewelry. Each piece is handmade and beautifully crafted from vintage findings. I absolutely adore the fact that each item is re-purposed and created into something unique, lovely, and one-of-a-kind. 

When Life Gives You Lemons...

Last night we attended our weekly community home group with our church and the topic we discussed was that on suffering. Our pastor preached about this weighty subject on Sunday and it was both convicting and encouraging.

I find it no coincidence that yesterday I also came across two different articles on suffering. As you may remember if you follow my blog, I posted a couple weeks ago that God has given Josh and I some trials lately and I feel like although it has been very difficult, God is doing something good through it all and He has given us a renewed hope in His promises and in His faithfulness.