easter.

Today is a time for a lot of things. A time to reflect on the Lord's goodness and mercy while praising Him for His love and grace. A time to repent of our worldly tendencies and come back to Jesus, our Savior and our friend. A time to lift the glories of His name high while inviting Him to dwell low with us on earth. A time to choose Him, maybe for the very first time. A time to celebrate Him who conquered death and offers us life everlasting through Him.

The joy that is acknowledged on Easter Sunday wasn't created for just one day out of the year. No, it's depth transcends everything we've ever known and grants us access into the world we were intended to be in, the world that His followers will soon call home. When we choose Him, we choose joy. And peace. And all things that are good. When we choose Him, we are no longer broken, for He fills us with His spirit, all sufficient and all-satisfying.

It is my prayer that you no only worship Him like never before today, but that that same fire and passion would become who you are. Dying to yourself and your sinful desires isn't easy, but neither was suffering and dying on a cross in humiliation. Is your life marked by obedience to Christ? My prayer for you today is that it would be.

Live in the freedom of Christ and experience His power and might like never before, friends. Nothing else compares to knowing Him!

fort sumter.

On Tuesday afternoon, Daddy and Shannon treated us to lunch and a tour of Fort Sumter. It was so fun to take a trip back in time, and it made it that much more special to do it with some incredible people. The weather was beautiful, the sights were glorious, and the company wasn’t so bad either.

Ladies and gentlemen, a little piece of history for your enjoyment.

monday funday.

On Monday, Troy and Angie came down for the day to spend some time on the coast with us. Since daddy and Shannon had arrived in town on Sunday afternoon, we got to hang out with both of our families. Not to mention how we’d had the pleasure of hanging out with Katie’s dad, Danny, for the previous two days. Such a treat! We did some more exploring, stuffed our faces with more incredibly delicious food, and simply enjoyed hanging out.

We did a lot during our time in Charleston, but my favorite part was simple. It’s rare that I get to hang out with most of the people I love more than most others all in the same weekend, and even those who couldn’t make the trip were carried with us in our spirit. Seriously, y’all, it was a weekend straight out of my dreams. I wish all my weekends were this full, but since they’re not quite as so, at least I’ve got this happy memory to stick with me for my whole life.

charleston.

Last week, several of us traveled down to the beautiful city of Charleston, South Carolina. It was a vacation mixed in with a little business, and we were drowning in favor and good times. I’m beyond thankful for all the new memories I got to made with old, and even older, friends. We explored the streets of downtown, ate lunch with one of our beloved ABS ladies, did a little more exploring and eventually turned in for the evening. We laughed hard all day long, and I won’t forget this day for as long as I live. It was such a blessed day, indeed, and I hope I never forget just how much it made me smile and swell with gratefulness.

 

 

lacy is finally here!

We’d been looking forward to her arrival for nine months, and I can assure you that March 21, 2013 at 3:16 PM was one of the best moments of all of our lives. Lacy Claire Hargett is here, and she is beautiful! Her blond hair, blue eyes, tiny fingers and toes, and quivering jaw when she cries are absolutely, positively precious. My first first cousin. Be still, my heart. I’m so excited I could just explode!

I’ve got lots of cousins all over the spectrum, but no first cousins until now. I was my Uncle’s first niece, and he is still doing a great job spoiling me rotten. Lucky for Lacy, it’s finally my chance to return the favor to his baby girl. I’ve got so much planned for her already, and I will not delay in checking items off our list of things to do together. We’ll be best friends before you know it! :)

bonfire.

The fire.

The men.

The ladies.

 The lovebirds.

'Twas a glorious evening as we gathered around the bonfire on Saturday with family at Cannie Ree's house in honor of her birthday, which, by the way, was yesterday! We ate hotdogs, pasta salad, and smores, while sipping our beverages from the cutesy cups Heather made for all the ladies. The weather was cold, but the heat from the fire compensated nicely, making it enjoyable to be outside when it was forty degrees. I'm already looking forward to the next time we get to bask in the bliss of each other's company!

my mossy.

My precious Aeydin, better known as Mossy, turned five years old on Saturday, and I got to hang out with some of my favorite adults + kiddos as we celebrated his life. It's the biggest blessing to be surrounded by children every day of the week, and I know that when I look back on my life in forty years, I'll still be laughing at all the crazy things I watched them do so long ago. Especially my Mossy. I don't know if y'all know this, but he's kind of my boyfriend. :o)

Everyone had a great time, Malesha was an incredible host (as usual), and we even got to see Aeydin get his face smashed into his cake. I'd never want y'all to miss out on all that action, so here is the documentation of the funniest + cutest part of the whole party!

Happy birthday to my MOSSY!

a[nother] shower for lacy claire.

It was such a blessing to spend this Sunday afternoon loving on Uncle, Val, and soon-to-be Lacy Claire! We laughed and reminisced and just enjoyed each other's company. I wish I could relive this day over and over again, but something tells me I'll get to as soon as Lacy makes her entrance into the world.

We can't wait to meet that precious baby girl!