An ode and a giveaway!

First, I must start with this: I am very sad that today has come. The fact that The Office is over, done, kaput, well that just breaks my heart. I've re-watched all 8 seasons on Netflix at least 3-4 times and now season 9 is coming to a close and just... I can't. So, like I said, I'm not happy about it - but to everyone from The Office: thank you for keeping sweet comedy alive, for being true to each other like the family that you are, and for giving us such a glorious experience getting to be a part of this special show that has made history. You're forever loved.

Onto the fun!
Lex from her blog, He and I, has one of the most adorable baby girls in the universe. Seriously, I stalk her on Vine like it's my job and check her blog everyday to see new pictures of Lex and Ellie - it's almost ridiculous. Anyway, Lex has been so generous to host a giveaway here on my blog today from her sweet little shop, Alexa Z Design! I got to snag two prints for myself and these are the two I chose: one and two.
Can't wait to hang them in our new home!




via
a Rafflecopter giveaway

May Wishlist,

Let me tell you something:
on Pinterest, I have about 10 or so boards, my Wishlist board being the one with the absolute most pins.
I figured that because of this, it would be smart to summarize what I pin each month onto this board
and share it with you here on my blog! Here is May's.


1. The most adorable Rifle Paper Co. iPhone case from Anthropologie.
2. I'm sort of dying for an Instax Mini camera, especially in this lovely yellow color!
3. I have heard great things about this subtle but sweet Indian Coconut Nectar Spray; perfect for summer!
4. Even though I wouldn't be able to eat anything I'd bake out of The Secret Lives of Baked Goods,
I've read that this is a fun and intriguing cookbook. Fun!
5. Joy the Baker is hands down one of my favorite bloggers, and since she's planning on
coming out with her second cookbook soon, I definitely need to get her first one.
6. I really need a new two piece for this summer, especially if I'm down at the beach and out in the sun
as much as I want to be. This one by O'Neill is so lovely and still has good coverage!
7. Last but not least, I've had my eye on this lovely purse from TopShop for a while now.

What are you wishing for during this lovely month of May?
A giveaway is coming tomorrow, and another one is coming on Monday!

Also: ad spots are 50% off right now with code: MAY50. Details here.

Alone time,

Yesterday was a much-needed breath of fresh air in my life.


via
I found this quote today on tumblr and it defines what I made the decision I did yesterday to stay home while Dan went up to the mountains with his parents to see his grandma - and I am so so overjoyed and thankful that the Lord has made me the independent woman that I am so I could have the day yesterday that I did.

I got to sleep in, organize a lot of mine and Dan's important health, tax, loan, and credit files, read my devotional, do dishes and clean, blog (see here), head down to Bogart's to Skype with my momma for Mother's Day, and then I headed to Ikea to pick up a full-length mirror for our bedroom and then to church by myself! It was insanely crazy though - the sermon was about anxiety, and it couldn't have been more perfect for Danny... but it's good, because God opened my eyes and allowed me to be the ambassador for which He is going to bless Dan in this battle. I'm excited to see and experience change! Anyway, it was an amazing day to be alone, and I feel so blessed that I had the chance to enjoy it. Thank you Lord!

On another note, I was inspired last night before I fell asleep to really consider hosting a book-study here on the blog for one of my favorites, Captivating by John and Staci Eldredge. Honestly, Wild at Heart affected and taught me more than Captivating did, but Captivating is so affirming and encouraging and full of our value and worth, and it is just so lovely for us women. Anyway, if you're interested, we're going to be starting June 1 and each week we will read a chapter, and then link up and answer questions about that chapter. Will you join us?

My favorite lady,

>> Happy Mother's Day! <<

to the most wonderful momma in the whole wide world; my best friend, my confidant, my sister, my encourager, my prayer warrior; you are the woman who inspires me more than all others and I hope beyond hope to be like you so much. Thank you for your selflessness, your giving of yourself, your prayers, gifts, helping financially, and always pushing me closer and closer to the Lord. I love you so much!

Happy Mother's Day to ALL OF YOU lovelies!
You make the whole world go round and nobody could be here without your love.

I finally did it. I finally watched Les Miserables last night - and I'll admit, I was not expecting to love it nearly as much as I did... but goodness, the acting, the glorious live-singing, the singing and acting as one, it was all to die for. Such a magnificent film with such beauty and sadness, pain and mercy - the two seem to go hand in hand in this world.

Work has been going pretty well lately; I love my boss and the organization I work for, and I feel as though I've been really productive and taking control of my work and tasks and such. Praise God for that,
because Lord knows I wouldn't get anything done without Him and His perfect discipline.

I'll be interviewing sweet Miss Casey Wiegand on the blog next week and I just read over her interview answers and one thing she said is really in the forefront of my mind and that is to be authentic... and with the things going on in my life at this exact moment, I don't feel like I'm writing with true authenticity; authenticity that has no fear but is humble and open to the world.

So I'll begin again.


via

Marriage is some tough ish. Let me tell you; living with another person, being around them and seeing their uglies as much as their beauties, listening to them every day and every night... gosh it's overwhelming and I don't know how in the world couples do it without the Lord. I don't know how marriage prospers without God as the center, honestly. At this point in time I'm saddened to say that even though I know Dan and I want Him as our center, he's not. I feel as though I'm fighting for this on my own right now - and that's okay - spouses go through seasons and we have to build the other up because there will come in due time our own season where we see nothing but darkness and need a rock just the same.

So I do what He's been teaching me this week, and that is to lay my burdens down at his feet and allow Him and His peace to comfort and perfect me. Because I absolutely cannot do this. I cannot build up my broken husband, I can't encourage him with truth he won't listen to right now, and I can't be his rock: only God in me can do those things and His Spirit alone.
Please please pray with me in this tough time. Please pray that the oppressive chains wrapped around Dan
be broken and fall to the ground; that he will not put up with the taunts and circumstances of the Enemy.

Because in the same breath, I married the most tender-hearted, loving, humble, and Godly man I've ever met,
and I know he's in there somewhere.



PS - be sure to check out some awesome ladies in my sidebar this month!

Probably my biggest struggle.

Hi, my name's Cara and I'm a sugar addict.

Candy Addict by caraalynn on Polyvore

Now, I know this sounds like it's starting off as a sort of joke post, but I promise you it's not. I've been struggling with my 100% real addiction to sugar for as long as I can remember, but not until I was forced to go off of it while on this journey for my health and healing have I seen truly the hold and control it has on me. I feel so much helplessness that I truly never understood an alcoholic until I've struggled with this. Once again, God's gracious hand teaches me that things which I once thought were just a lack of dependence upon Him are actually oppressions and afflictions holding onto us and taking control. (I used to think this about depression, and then I was diagnosed with it myself. Now I know addictions are deep and real things as well.) I can't even begin to describe the awful frustration of not being able to control my decision and myself, and I know that sounds like a cop-out, like sin was killed on the cross with Jesus Christ and my sins, Cara, you are no longer a slave to sin, Cara, you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you and the power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead, Cara - you have no excuse.

And I'm not trying to excuse it. I take full responsibility for my decisions, for the sneakiness I've committed behind my loving and amazing husband's back (I finally confessed to him last night), for the ways I've been hurting my body by ingesting something that leaves me with such pain and nausea; but I don't know how to stop. I know that Dan is going to be keeping me accountable daily for the next month or so until I get into the habit of stopping sugar, but I just feel awful that he has to have such a big role in my breaking this addiction. But clearly I cannot do it on my own, and prayer on my own isn't enough either. Clearly I need help, and my husband is so willing to give it to me. Thank you Jesus for the sweetest, most compassionate and caring husband.

There are a few other things that I want to leave in mine and Dan's old apartment and not bring their disgusting nature into our new home. These things include swearing, raunchy movies, my sugar habits, my yelling; and I want to bring into our new home more prayer, more quiet time spent with the Lord, and a much more contrite and humble spirit. Lord please manifest these things in our new home. We trust you.