Taking Steps

Photography by Madi Flournoy Henderson

Dress: Pink Blush Maternity || Similar non-maternity style at Pink Blush || Similar non-maternity styles here & here || Similar shoes here

I’ve teamed up with Pink Blush Maternity to share this precious floral dress. Maternity dresses can feel all the same, so I love how Pink Blush has incorporated the cold shoulder look into such a fun pattern. This dress is super comfy and flowy – everything a pregnant gal needs to survive the summer heat. 

As a teacher, the countdown to summer starts May 1st (at the latest). That countdown seems to move oh so slowly. But, then, the second summer arrives it zooms right by! I can’t believe we are already done with June. Even though I have less going on in the summer, I feel like the days move quicker – which, on the one hand, is good because I am so ready for our “little bit” to arrive. But, on the other hand, it’s frustrating because I’m not ready for summer to be over.

It’s moments like this where I have to remind myself to stop worrying about time. Days are going to move quickly when we want them to linger, and slowly when we want things to happen fast. It just seems to be the way the world works. So, right now, I am working to remind myself that life happens at its own pace. There isn’t much I can do to control the speed of the days ahead.

When I am reminded of these life lessons, I have to also remind myself to put my trust in His timing. He knows when everything is going to happen. He knows exactly when this little girl of ours is going to enter the outside world. And He knows exactly how it’s all going to go down. In a world where we feel like we need to have control of our every step, it’s comforting to remember that we don’t have any control at all. While we should always strive to make the right decisions, even those right decisions can sometimes lead us down a path we didn’t expect.

So, if you are like me and wanting life to happen at a certain pace, I pray today that you will remember to let God direct your steps and your speed. Whatever mountain you are trying to climb, or fire you are walking through, know that He is walking it with you. And, eventually, you will get to where you truly want to be. Even if it is different from where you originally imagined.

With a Happy Heart

Dress: Pink Blush Maternity || Similar non-maternity styles here & here || Shoe styles here & here || Bag: here || Other bags I would carry here & here 

I have entered a whole new world of maternity wear. So, I get very excited when I find new shops with styles I can wear during my pregnancy.  Pink Blush Maternity is one of those shops, and this pink dress, in particular, is quickly becoming one of my favorites. I dressed it up with some wedges for a fun night out in Scottsdale. And when I say fun, I mean shopping for strollers (because Adam and I are so weirdly obsessed with the Uppa Baby Vista that we looked at it even while on vacation), eating lobster rolls, and going to bed by 10. But there is so much more to Pink Blush than just maternity wear. It is a place where I can affordably shop for the next couple of months and well into the future. 

While in Scottsdale, Adam and I made an agreement. He could play golf one morning as long as he promised to take blog pictures with…wait for it... a happy heart. It’s something my mom always says when you have to do something you don’t want to do. “Do it with a happy heart or don’t do it at all.” It is now a phrase that gets tossed around in conversation with Adam and my friends. It’s usually said with a laugh and a smile – unless we are super annoyed, at which time we say, “I have a happy heart, okay!?!” But Adam held up his end of the deal and did a great job subbing for Madi on the blog pictures. I am thankful that he wears the badge of “Instagram husband” with a happy heart… well, at least 98% of the time.

In our faith, there are times when we feel forced to do things with a happy heart. Sometimes it’s the little things like volunteering at church when all we really want to do is sleep-in. Or, it’s meeting up with a friend to chat over coffee when we really don’t have the time. Other times, it’s the big stuff, like forgiving someone when it’s easier to be angry. Or, accepting the situation when all you want to do is argue how it should be. But either way, we do it with a happy heart – not because we want to, but because we know deep down we should.

At the end of the day, when you do things with a happy heart, you are left with exactly that... A happy heart. You can lay your head on the pillow at night knowing that you acted in a way that is pleasing to Jesus. It’s in that happy heart that you embrace a heart like His. One that is giving, accepting, forgiving, loving, etc. And it is in those happy heart moments that you find the blessing of His peace.