coffee date: {grateful}

It's been a while since I've linked up with  Alissa @ Rags to Stiches for a coffee date,  but I'm totally in a fall coffee kind of mood and I want to share today. Over a venti Pumpkin Spice Latte  (my favorite coffee ever! oh my be still my beating heart!!!) I'd tell you: 
I did the math last night and realized that I am working a 70-hour work week this week.   It's kind of a hazy blur, and yeah it's a lot of crazy hours, but I'm managing OK.
It'll make my weekend that much sweeter when it finally gets here.
I'd tell you that in what down time I had this week:
I've caught up with old friends in email and text,  checked a few things off my to-do list (like renting a textbook for my new major in Business Marketing:  back to school after 10 years of this full time+ career and I'm excited!) read some great new blogs, made myself a blog button,  and finally caught up on my She Reads Truth Proverbs Daily. 

I'd share that today was Proverbs 27 and verse17 has been finding me all yearlong.
"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."  
A constant reminder that the people who are falling in & out of my life  in person & here in the blogger world are all there for a purpose. I'm starting to see how some of the dots of sadness and disappointment are connecting  into a bigger picture kind of woven story that's all my own.

I'd tell you that despite these long days:  I had a great dinner with my friends Carrie, Jacob, and their baby Olivia.  I woke up to a picture of cute baby Owen the other day.  The clouds and sky all this week have captivated me. I made it to the gym to run twice early in the AM after my shift. I saw my childhood friend who was having her first kind of great day after the last couple of months of chemo/radiation. I spent time with my Uncle.  Time with him will be gone sooner rather than later.  It's bittersweet.  We have peace in knowing he'll go to a better place, but we will miss him.  Our law enforcement community lost another patrol officer due to a senseless gunman.  It is happening to often and a loss of one is a loss to us all.  It makes my heart heavy. I held back tears when a friend told me nonchalantly that she prays for me everyday.  I didn't hold back tears when another friend thanked me for loving her and her family unconditionally and that a quick email to check in on her early at 5am was a major comfort to her when she really needed it.  Timing. My other lesson this year.
Finally, I'd tell you that this has been a busy week but when I sat down to write this coffee blog,  I realized how grateful I really am and should be. 
I have a good, reliable job, a house of my own to live in,  precious friends & family that love me, and I have a lot of: goals, ambition, dreams, and opportunities that have yet to come to light. 
I hope you all have had a great week and good weekend that is still yet to come.  <3

{just} because

Busy is as busy does and I've missed a couple of posts that I meant  to get up in the last week or so.  Today seems like a perfect day to play catch up! If you haven't had a chance  yes, check out Operation Beautiful,  Hosted by Shane {Whispering Sweet Nothings}. It's a great opportunity for a little self-reflection,  and a gentle reminder to appreciate who we are as women.
My opinions on what I think is beautiful, heck my opinion of myself, is an evolution.  I don't necessarily feel beautiful day-in day-out,  but I'm learning to see myself through other people's eyes,  be more forgiving and less of my own worst critic.  Seriously, girls, we are harder on ourselves than we should be!
My entry for Operation Beautiful IV: 

My other little catch-up for the week is for the last Jewelry Swap hosted by Melissa  {Life of a Not So Ordinary House Wife}
I had a nice shift change weekend/Labor Day weekend and when I finally got around to checking the mail, I found these awesome, and brand new feather earrings in my mailbox from Marissa {Everyday Lounge Act}. Thanks Marissa!!!
You see I have a Las Vegas trip coming up and they are a perfect match  for the outrageous skirt I bought to wear out.  

I'm going for a Las Vegas Neon Sign look.  We've decided that I shall be called Tropicana the night I don this outfit.   Or Tropical Thunder. It's still being discussed... Yup. Hot (yeah girl) neon mess.   Meow.  So yeah... Viva Las Vegas & Happy Thursday to you all!!! <3

{Dear} Friday v.4

Dear Friday, well hello there.  I thought you might never get here, but you never fail me. You see I have finally resigned myself to your late hour, having made it through the day and the week.  Dear Red Wine, yes you, I like your sassy bottle curves and your sneaky little smile.  Mmmm...  

Dear Billy Currington (double mmmm...), if you could only see me spinning around this big candlelit room with a glass in my hand, well, that voice of yours is always doing something right.   Dear Sore Body, yeah, you.  You keep wanting to give up on me one muscle a a time, but surely and slowly we're getting it back.  No, no.  No more giving up and giving in.  We're both in this for the long haul.  I have to live somewhere, and it's not longer going to be a lazy garbage dump.   Dear Lynn, Jill, Ashley, Gail, and Michelle, thanks for the nods, the emails, the kudos, and the encouragement this week. Dear Aunt Liz & Uncle Tom, thank you for the invite.  Tomorrow's Cal v. Nevada College Football game is going to be quite amazing.  Somehow I have managed to make it to 31 never having been to a live College Football Game.  I think it's high time to do some jumping, shouting, and screaming!!   Dear Summer, I am sad to see you go.  I feel like we were just getting comfy together.  I can't believe you're gone again.  Like another lost love...*sigh*, but I have hope you'll be back some day.  Hopefully sooner rather than later.  You know how much I love you even if I sometimes complain about how uncomfortable you make me. Dear Family, we knew it was coming, let's make the best of our time with our blessed, sweet Uncle Mickey.  3-6 months isn't a long time, but it's an invitation to make the most if it and so many people don't get that at all.  Don't be afraid.  There's nothing to fear.  It's just going to hurt for a while.  Don't let it disable you from spending the few good days and moments we have left with him.   Dear Louise, you didn't get a warning.  No one should ever outlive their children.  I can't think of the words to say to you to help be a comfort, other than you have my thoughts and my prayers.  Dear readers, whoever you are.  Tell the people you love that you love them.  Whether it's the actual words, a kind gesture, a moment of time our of your day dedicated to thinking of them and simply saying that they're on your mind.  Do it.  Do it now, do it consistently, do it sincerely   


Hoping everyone has a great weekend! XO, 

{8} Fears

I'm running late today on this weekly entry so I'm gonna just lay it out there  and try not think too hard about these. 
I'm just gonna type until my fingers are done ...cause right now, tonight,  I think my heart and my head have some things to say. A lot of things.
Lauren & Tiffany, you asked, here you go:

  First off, I wouldn't say that I'm a really fearful person.  I'd say I'm kind of brave. I do a lot of stuff on my own.   I don't think it's a broken sense of security.
Quite opposite, in fact, I am pretty aware of my surroundings - more than most I'd say  I think that's by being the oldest, by being independent from an early age,  and by being in law enforcement for so many years.
I was raised in a family and by parents who had a strong faith in God and so do I.  I have a solid foundation that doesn't forsake me even when I ignore it. (Say it with an accent now) I am a God fearin' woman.  Yes, indeed I am.  I saw this today and thought it was perfect for this week's 10 Day You Challenge

 {via Facebook}
I know who I am, I'm not afraid of making mistakes,  I'm not afraid of learning things the hard way. I'm learning a lot about myself lately.

This next picture is a few years old.  

A good friend of mine, who knows me well, put this on my locker at work one day. 

I read it and remember distinctly recognizing for maybe one of the first times in my short life that 

the way I carried myself, the things I did and stood for, they were noticed. 

I remember distinctly being proud that someone would think this of me. 

I remember not wanting to lose that label of fearless.

This is one of the best compliments I've ever received.

I haven't read any of the other girl's lists in the link up yet today.   I didn't on purpose.   I didn't want their lists to influence mine. I wanted to really think about this. 
So here's my list of {fears}: 
1) Sharks Seriously, do I even have to explain this one?  Shark Week people.   'Nuff said. (but, guess what? a shark cage dive is on my bucket list. I will confront this fear. Someday.)
which leads me to...
2) large bodies of water they're beautiful, but it makes me get all panicky and nervous knowing that  I can't see or feel or know what is lurking, and swimming, and slinking about at the bottom. Nuh-uh, not gonna dew it.   Nope. NO. Negative.
also...I fear them because I don't want to 
3) Drown(ing) also...do I have to explain this one?  *shudder* *cough* *sputter*
4) Intruders I live alone. I don't like the things that go bump in the night. There's only so much a girl can do armed with a big dog and a cell phone.  I think it's worse cause I know first hand the intruder stories.  Meh.  Not cool at all.  I've been thinking about my 2nd Amendment Rights a lot lately. 
5) Heights - that is a fear that seems to increase with my age for some reason.   I don't like glass bottom elevators, I don't like looking over multi story balconies.  I get sweaty palms and my heart races and I want to go pee pee in my pants.
6) Spiders...to an extent, seeing them I'm ok... having them crawl on or around me, no, no, NO.
{story time} I had spider crawl up my dress once...I was sitting on the ground.  In about 1/2 nanosecond, I was up, I was screaming shrieking, I threw a pillow and I jumped up and down like I was a 3 year old in a bouncy house. I have a witness, he'll tell you it was true, but what he won't tell you and didn't tell me for like a year, is that he's afraid of spiders too. Ah-ha!!!!   Chicken.   Ok, so can we get real for a second.  Like really, real? 
  7) and we shall label this <3? I fear I will never be in love again. Like puppy dog kind of, head over heels, mutual (key word),  in love with your best friend kind of love.  Yeah.  It seems like a ghost or a dream or a fable. 
and last, but most definitely not least
8) Settling I fear that I'll settle and the thought of that damn near makes me ill. Like physically sick.  I see it all the time.  Personally, professionally...it's an epidemic.
I don't wanna settle for good not great ~ Brad Paisley
This isn't me being judgmental, this is me standing in the midst of this shit storm we call society's take on commitment and relationships and screaming at the top of my lungs but feeling like no one is hearing me.
So... it's funny or acceptable to see people cheat, lie, and degrade each other? It's ok to see people lie to themselves and not intervene? Stop the train wreck. I mean there's whole talk shows and "reality" shows that have that as the main story line. Marriage is, what? A trend? A phase?

Source: Uploaded by user via Lauren on Pinterest

I guess it's a double edged sword, swing too far to cautious  and  you risk never taking a chance on anyone and missing out on...your destiny?  Eh.  Swing too far the other way and you're in love every 5 seconds and it's cry wolf. 
Listen, I've been there,  on the other end of the phone listening to the stories scratching my head wondering what it is about love that makes people lose all sense of self and logic, then again in the bridesmaid's dress fully supportive on the outside while inside saying "noooo, don't do it!", and then finally with a shoulder to lean on and a spare bedroom to offer when it all comes tumbling down. 
Don't call me and expert by any means,  but more often than not, the writing is always on the wall.   They say when you know, you know.   And well, if you're just still standing there guessing cause you think it's better than nothing, or it's comfortable, or it's been long enough so it's do or die...even when there's that nagging voice of doubt, well listen to it and don't.   Don't do it.  Don't settle.  Please.  Save you, save me, save us all.  For the love of...LoVe.  *sigh* I read } this { recently and I really appreciated it.  
From a woman who lived and loved in a generation that made something of what they had, this is some tried and true expertise.  I don't know Grandma Carol, but I like her.  Honorable mentions: 
There's a couple of things that came to mind that I realized  don't frighten me and I wanted to mention them. This is not a judgement on anyone else,  this is just my life's opinion as I've experienced it thus far. 
I'm in no way looking forward  or hoping either  of these to happen, but  if/when they might, I don't fear these and here's why: 
Losing loved ones - not because I don't love them dearly, but because I know that I tell them and show them on a regular basis.  I make the time.  I know it's precious. I have an aging family, this is a reality for me every day.  I have embraced it.   I can't be selfish enough to think that I can close my eyes and ignore it.
I am learning, damn near every day, to try again, to give second and third chances, to apologize, to make amends,  and to tell people that I value them and want and need  them in my life. I'm also learning when it's time to give up, give in, and let things go.  That lesson is just as hard as swallowing my pride and mending fences.

Source: s-kinnyl-ove.tumblr.com via M on Pinterest

Having a child with a serious or fatal illness - some of the strongest people I know have had children who have fought and won and unfortunately fought and lost  to cancer, Batten Disease, and other rare diseases that have no cures. 
 These children are every bit as valuable, precious, and worthy of love as any "healthy" child.   These children are some of the bravest fighters I have ever had the opportunity to meet. These children are warriors.   All they know is fight, every breath is a struggle, but they keep going.  They're resilient. They're an every day lesson in life and love. 
I don't wish it on anyone and I don't understand the unfairness,  but I don't fear the ability to love unconditionally those who are different, sick, or "incurable".
So, loss, I don't willingly embrace it, but I understand it's purpose in life. 
I have said my goodbyes when the time has come,  I have listened and watched for the last few breaths,  I have felt the breathless sobs of the loved ones left behind, embraced the outstretched arms,  felt the relentless tears roll down off of cheeks and soak through the clothing that drapes my shoulders.   I've been there, felt it, comforted it, cursed it, denied it, and finally accepted it. 
And...if you're still here at the end of this long dissertation I just wrote,  I will give more honorable mention to these other "non-fears" cause we need some levity! 
Financial ruin, credit card debt, body odor, running out of gas, passing gas in inappropriate situations, karaoke, public speaking, making a complete and total ass of your myself, having my heart broken, saying "I love you " and meaning it, stretch marks, acts of nature, flying, and ever increasing chin hair.   Yeah, whattadya gonna do?  Just roll with it! Come on, we have got to get through this together!!!!
Next week...{7} Wants
I might, just might, go all Veruka Salt on you!!!
xOxoXoxOXoooX
XO ,
PS - I feel better now.  I do.  Writing.  Makes some of the funk go away.

{Versatile} Blogger

"Ladies and gentlemen of the Grand Jury"
*ahem* wait...
"I'd like to thank the Academy..."
oh no...wrong one again...hold up: 
"Dear John, ..."
Ok, ok, ok...no really, I got nominated! 
For the  *drumroll* Versatile Blogger Award!
by Nelly (AKA PartyMom) at Mom With An Agenda to Save {Nelly was my Grandma's name, gotta love it already!}

This award is a fun way for bloggers to share their favorite blogs  and to promote promising new blogs .
If you are nominated, you’ve been awarded the Versatile Blogger award.
The VBA Rules: 

•  Thank the person who gave you this award. That’s common courtesy.
•  Include a link to their blog. That’s also common courtesy.
•  Next, select 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly. 
•  Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award.
•  Finally, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself

 I am paying it forward and nominating these ladies (I have 16, shhh don't tell!): 
Mellissa @ Kitchen.Garden.Love Jennifer @ My Not So Glamorous Life Lady A @ Anonymous A Ashley @ All Things Ashley  Angela @ Just a City Girl with Tractor Envy  Erin @ Shades of Gray and a Pinch of Pink Jill @ Ernestine Edna and Her Really Big Ideas Sippy Cups and Pearls Jodi @ Jod a la Mode  Lauren @ Tennessee Honey The Divvy Spot  Michelle @ All That Glitta & Blang Kayla Lynn @ Simple Bliss Tanya @ Knowing Tanya Jessica @ Where Simplicity Meets Complexity  Elizabeth @ Port of Thoughts 
Ok, so for 7 things about moi: 
* I am the oldest of 3 kids, my brother who ran across the country,  and my sister who is in school to be an RN * I am a 911 operator /Police/Fire dispatcher * I am Fillipino/Irish/German/Swiss * I really love salsa (well good salsa that is) * When I was in high school, I loved the Fugees,  so for about 6 months I spelled my name Lauryn after Lauryn Hill  * I bought/live in the house I grew up in * my hair right now is the longest it's been probably since I was a kid   and I <3 it !

Linking up: it's GFC Blog Hop Tuesday!

Hey folks,

 I'm excited to co-host my first link-up with Melissa from 
Life of a Not So Ordinary House Wife
  I'm still fairly new at this whole Blogger community thing, 
so it was super cool have Melissa find me at 
Shane's Bloggers Coast to Coast just a few weeks ago. 

 Turns out, we live about 10 minutes apart. One of these days when time allows, 
we might actually even get coffee. 
In person...I know right, Blogger meet up, say whaaaat?

 Anyways...here's the info on the Google Friend Connect Blog Hop 
but before you link up, you gotta take a listen to this: 

Tell me I'm not the only one who hears this song every time I read the words "Blog Hop"?
Well I'm not noo-oooow!  

It's Tuesday again which means it's time for the GFC Blog Hop!

When I want to follow a blog the first thing I look for is GFC (Google Friend Connect), it's so easy and  nice to be able to go and see all of the blogs you follow in one spot. It's really a great tool to have. 

One side note- Did you know you can follow through GFC using your Twitter Account? TRUE, it's definitely an option!

If you are interested in co-hosting the next GFC Blog Hop email Melissa at: 

melissa@thelifeofanotsoordinarywife.com

Ok, so let's get to the party, shall we?

RULES are simple:

1. Follow your host via GFC

The First link below

2. Follow your co-hosts via GFC

The Next 8 links below

3. Link up below using your main blog url not a specific post.

4. Make sure to visit some of the blogs in the link up and follow them via GFC 

and if you want to leave them a comment, I'm sure they'd appreciate that as well.

5. Tweet about this blog hop

Tweet

6. Share about this blog hop by grabbing a button and putting it on your sidebar!

<a href="http://www.thelifeofanotsoordinarywife.com/search/label/gfcbloghop"> <img src="http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z237/melissaenault/gfcbloghop-1.gif" border="0" /></a>

Have fun,  get to Hoppin',  & yes,  y'all are welcome for the Rappin' Granny tune that's gonna be stuck in your head for the.rest.of.the.day.  

My new friend: The Jewelry Whisperer

I have a tale.

It is a story of kismet.

Once upon a time there was a girl {*ahem* me}

who decided to start upon a new adventure {*ahem* this blog}.

She moved into the land of Blogspot and laid claim to her part of the land.

{thanks, Shane!}

Seeing as the new land was a Land of Lovelies, a new friend came along quickly and said hello.

{the new friend!!}

The new friend, a red-haired madien, was a regular in the Land of Lovelies.

She was also the host of many gatherings {that's a lot of linkage!} with all the other lovelies in the land.

One day she set up a market, a place where all the lovelies could come and share their wares & trade their goods.  Something they called "bling".

The new girl wanted to play and so one day that she stumbled upon a brand new trinket in her little cottage that she knew she could share.

{this little guy needed a new home and someone to love him}

She told her new friend that she would come to the market but did not tell her what she was bringing. 

A few fortnights later, the new friend sent the new girl in the land a message saying she had a arranged for a fair market trade with another lovely in a far away place {New Jersey!!}

An owl?!  How did you know new friend? 

Did the jewelry Fairy Godmother come and tell you what I had to share?

And then it came upon her - the new girl realized that her new friend was actually: 

The Jewelry Whisperer

{everyone say "Ooooohhhhhhhhhh" with me.}

_________________________________________________________________

Ok, so I'm not gonna quit my day job anytime soon and get paid handsomely to write fairy tales, buuuuut, I do want to thank Melissa, my new {and oh, so close} blogger bud for being a sweetheart, saying hi after she found me on Coast-to-Coast, pimping out my audience with a July post sponsorship, and then making such a fabulous, fantastic, fatalistic (too many F words!) jewlelry swap arrangement and helping me find a new home for a long-neglected piece of bling.  *hoo, hoo!*

Sandra, my swap buddy {yo! way ova' thea'} at RedRoseVintage, I hope you like your little treasure and p.s. your baby is so, so stinking cute!!

And, to Rachel from lalalists for my new earring bling, thank you!!

They're super cute, I would have totally snagged them at the store if I saw them.

This was a super-fun swap.

Now can we do it with clothing, furniture, and scrapbook materials that have gathered dust? 

Can we, can we? 

No. *sigh*

Ok, I'll head over to Craigslists before I have to be featured on an episode of Hoarders. 

I'm seriously like one Old Navy bag full of clearance items away from an intervention. 

Hope you all had a great Swapportunity too.

XoXo ~ Lauren

WIWW: chevrons & {scriptures}

So, I simply cannot NOT share my favorite new piece of Summer attire with y'all. 

I have to confess I've worn this skirt three times now since I got it 10 days ago. 

I love this chevron print, the fabric is totally breezy and comfortable for these 100*+ days we've been having in California this last week. 

{blue tank - from last season - & grey chevron maxi skirt both Old Navy}

I really love chevron print anything right now in a serious, serious way. 

It matches with everything, and it is just flat out slimming. 

{yeah, yeah, I didn't get a booty shot, but let me just say that it will make your bum look good, which is nice cause there's that ol' rule about stripes making you wider.  Not so, just not the case with this skirt I tell ya!}

I even did Old Navy a solid and wrote them the first review on it {here}.

Really, at under $25 and then with a few coupon codes, I think this new fave was under $20 and free shipping too.  I love it!

{playing in new wine barrel planter, teal feather earrings from Charlotte Russe}

Outside of that, my long standing favorite trend for the last few years, is feather bling. 

I just think they're cool & funky, total dress up or dress down. 

{spotted feather necklace from Charlotte Russe}

Outside of jabbering about my new duds & feathers, I am still working on finding that balance between being in the moment and present in the day and finding a way to keep writing, taking pictures, and blogging.  Capturing words and images to share with the world has been a passion of mine for years now, but blogging for the last 4 years was really just for me as a therapy.

This blog now is a new chapter in my crazy life, My {beautiful} Mess. 

Since I've been branching out, linking up, and sharing my thoughts and daily inspirations, I've made some great new friends:

(Melissa @ Life of A Not So Ordinary Wife) & (Sharon @ MamasteNYC),

and come to find out all this writing has inspired

my IRL (In Real Life) friends to start or get back to writing again too. 

{pin}

Lynn (who just gets me)

Mellissa (my "Sisterwife")

Stefanie (who knows my dramas and always makes me smile)

&

Gail  (busy mama/good friend who was going to give up on writing until I started sharing)

I had been thinking about staring a new blog for a few months now, but a series of personal dramas, disappointments, and well, just life's daily challenges really prompted me to get back into it {and praying!!} sooner rather than later.

In perusing all the great blogs that I've found lately, I started seeing side bar links to

I wanted to get in on the next Daily Devo and well, just today they've started a new one,
{I Will Hear You}
This is exactly what I've been doing on my own and needing lately, so it's so much greater to have a group of other's to do this with and help keep me on track.

So now on top of doing the #julyphotoaday challenge I'm going to do my best to keep up with all the ladies @SheReadsTruth

Looking forward to keep on keeping up with everyone. 

Stay cool, stay classy, stay connected.

~ Lauren