I was born and raised a "good ole southern girl" in the Heart of Dixie, but don't be fooled. Just because I'm from Alabama doesn't mean I'm a card-carrying conservative. Well, most of the time I am... but I don't feel my spiritual convictions should dictate how you live your life. I'd like to be an example of God's love and not carry it around in a sledge hammer. And now I'm done with politics.
I attended the University of Alabama and was a Crimsonette. ROLL TIDE! (Man, to be that skinny again...) ;)
My family is my life. God is at the center. I have a loving husband and two incredible kiddos. Ridge, my son, is four and Ellington just turned 6 months. Ridge told me I was going to have a baby before I knew, so Ell has always been "his baby." He's the most adorable big brother and even though I knew he'd be a great big brother, I had no idea how much he would adore and love his sister. He said from the get-go that we would have a little girl and that he wanted a sister (and that her name would be Kate... sorry bud... hate to have disappointed), but I didn't realize how much all of what he told me would come to pass. Creepy. Or adorable? Either way, I love it.
That brings me to Ivan.
Ivan and I met in Birmingham, dated for 6 months, fell madly in love, got engaged, had a year long engagement (I was in love, not completely stupid), and were immediately transferred by his company to North Carolina. Really? It was super exciting at the time, but I miss having family in the same town... especially now that I have kids. I am, however, supremely grateful that God pushed Ivan and me out of our comfort zones that first year of marriage so we would be completely and totally dependent on one another. Ivan is my exact opposite. I love it. Well, I love it most days. Learning to communicate with your complete opposite is tough, but now that we've gotten that down it's amazing to feel complimented and loved by someone so different than myself. I'm not sure what I'd do without my intelligent, handsome, athletic, loving, moody, handyman husband. He's by no means perfect, but neither am I, so for me... that's perfection.
Photo credit- Jessica Messer
My decorating obsession began when Ivan and I purchased our first house. I would spend hours on Overstock.com looking at bedding or wander the aisles of Homegoods picking up odds and ends for our new home. I didn't realize it at the time, but thanks to my step-dad never wanting to miss out on a "good buy" and my (at the time unknown) love of home decor, we had enough furniture to fill our starter home. On move-in day, I woke early to greet the moving vans and didn't sleep for the next 48 hours. Ivan left on a business trip and came back to every room being finished! Friends visited our "new" home and joked that we'd been in for 3 days and looked like we'd been there for 3 years. I then realized how much I enjoyed decorating... to the point of obsession! I look back on pictures of certain rooms in our starter home and cringe, but we all have to start somewhere... right?
After about a year in NC, I began my photography obsession. I'm told I have "an eye" for what looks good behind the camera. Really, I just want things to be pretty and know how to use Photoshop. I love photography and feel super blessed by what my "hobby" has turned into, but if you look at photography long enough, read enough manuals, buy the expensive lenses, and learn Photoshop, you too could be a photographer! ;) Plus, having awesome photos of your kids (for free) is an added bonus!
My most recent obsession is children's boutique clothing. Oh my. That's a post and world all of it's own! It's a caddy, loving, fast-paced, expensive whirl wind of beautiful fabrics and precious designs (which completely make me want to learn to sew- next obsession?) by super-moms all over the world.
Pretty stinkin' adorable, right? The struggle is real, y'all! This precious hoodie is from Sweet Honey Clothing Company. And yes, those are baby Joe Jeans! I die!!! :) Dressing a little girl is SO. MUCH. FUN! All her brother wants to wear is Under Armor (which is NOT cheap!), so being able to play dress up with my little girl works for Ridge (bc I leave him alone), Ellington (bc she loves any attention from mommy), and me! Win-win!
Okay... enough about me today! I feel pretty accomplished on "starting" this project, so adieu for now. I can't see where this new road takes me. A new obsession? Very possibly... ;)
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