Hi friends! I simply cannot believe that we are to our very last day of 2019. Whew this year has absolutely flown by!! For all of y'all who have been reading my blog for quite some time, you know I like to close out my year with a special post reflecting on the year. I'm also excited to share these New Years photos with y'all. We were sick at the time we were supposed to do out Christmas card photos this year, so instead, we turned our looks into NYE ones and are sending our New Years cards instead (and honestly I kind of love this even more since I'm not stressing as I normally would be with Christmas cards)! I wish I could send out a card to each and every one of y'all, so this post is also a way for me and Madeline to just send a nice big hug and a happy New Years wish your way.
This year has overall been a great one! But it's had its ups and downs for sure, and through both the good and the not so easy, I've seen the Lord's love and mercy like never before.
We pretty much hit the ground running in 2019 and I honestly feel like we haven't stopped ever since. I'm sitting here now writing this and thinking "how on earth was that a whole year ago?!" All of y'all who have been following along since the beginning of the year probably remember that my sister got married March 2nd of this year which was truly one of the happiest days ever, seeing my radiant big sissy marry the love of her life. I not only had the privilege of standing by her side as her MOH, but I also planned her entire wedding. So, my 2019 (literally the morning of January 2nd), started off with the business of the final two month countdown to her wedding. Making sure everything was in order, meeting with vendors (not to mention it was a destination wedding), final fittings, hair and makeup trials, bachelorette weekend in Nashville, hosting her bridesmaids luncheon and oh so much more! Through that, I also found my passion for event/wedding planning which I'd love to pursue some day. But I think the best two parts of my sister getting married was one, my bond with my sister (as if I didn't think it could get any closer) grew more than I ever could have imagined. And two, I gained another brother who I love so very much! Hannah and Trey - together - have been such a stronghold in mine and Madeline's life this year and I'm just so very grateful for them both. And how happy this year was with how it started with preparing for their happily ever after.
Once the wedding came and went, I immediately (and I mean the day after getting home from their wedding) began to plan Madeline's 4th birthday. She had her Fancy Nancy party, which was just so...her and incorporated all her favorite things. It's always so special, yet so bittersweet, with each birthday. Planning her parties is always so fun, and I just can't believe how quickly my girl is growing. I so truly wish I could just freeze time!
We got to do some fun traveling this year to our favorite places. Our three weeks in New Smyrna Beach, Florida this summer were some of the best three weeks of the year. I'm so thankful that I have a job where I can pretty much work from anywhere. I basically moved my little office to the beach and made so many memories during those weeks. NSB means family to me! It holds such a special place in my heart, and at the heart of this beach is my family. The memories I've made being there with them over the years are precious, and that especially holds true for this year.
But the best part of my 2019 was most certainly another year of being Madeline's mama. What an absolute blessing this girl is! Having the privilege of raising her in the Lord, watching her grow into a precious little lady and truly seeing her flourish has been such an absolute blessing. She started preschool this year, and seeing her love for learning has been so incredible! We have met lots of sweet, new friends through her co-op preschool class, and then being able to homeschool her along with that has been such a blessing. Her caring, sweet personality just shows in all she does! She has always had a love for playing nurse/doctor, but this year, I feel like she connected that with her love for animals. She tells me each and every day of her dreams of becoming a "sea veterinarian". She wants to pray every day and ask God to help her follow her dreams of becoming that when she grows up, and it's just the sweetest thing! We have learned about pretty much every shark species imaginable this year, and she can tell you lots and lots of shark facts haha! She's pretty much obsessed with sharks. I also feel like this year, she not only is my precious daughter, but she has also become my little best friend. This year, we've had conversations so deep that I have to remind myself I'm talking to a four-year-old. She has taught me so many important lessons and is always a reminder to slow down and cherish every single second. Every sweet moment together, the secrets we share and the many adventures we've gone on have made this year such a special one. Overall, she is just such a precious little girl. Her giggles and smile are contagious. Her personality can just light up a room! I find myself every day just holding her and thinking to myself "these are the moments I'll treasure forever." It's hard to believe that it's been almost five years since she made me a mama. And goodness how the Lord has blessed me beyond measure by allowing me to be the mama to this precious girl. This year has also been a one of realizing how important it is for me to grow her in the Lord's love and Word. Being an example to her. Teaching her the power of prayer (and goodness has the Lord showed this to both of us). Memorizing Scripture with her. And so much more. She is just such a bright spot, and I pray each and every day that she will be a light for Jesus in this world! That her love for Him will shine so bright and that she will know that wherever life leads her, she can always cling to Jesus, holding to the truths of Psalm 27:1.
I am also so very thankful for another year of Something Delightful. Honestly this year, I feel like the Lord gave me confidence I have never felt before. Confidence of who I am in Him. And with that, the promise of With God, all things are possible. This year, He has given me the confidence that I could truly turn this space I'm so passionate about into my job. And let me just say, being able to share my love for fashion, being a mama, my faith and just life in general with y'all is pure joy!!! Something I love so very dearly and will never take for granted. To be honest, over the past few years, I've really had to re-build my confidence. To be really honest, about five years ago, I really didn't have any at all. So many days, I'd beat myself up over the smallest things (and trust me, I still do at times), but through my relationship with the Lord, I've been able to find my confidence of who I am in Him. I also just want to say that I've also been able to find this confidence by all of y'all who allow me to be a part of your day (I want to share a blog post more on this later on)! Especially if you follow me on Instagram and tune into my Instagram Stories (hey, stories fam :D), I just want to say THANK YOU! Thank each and every one of y'all for trusting me and allowing me to be your friend. This year, I feel like I'm finally getting over my fear just opening up and sharing my heart. Not caring about what everyone will think because as long as it can encourage someone, it's worth sharing. Not needing to be "perfect". Sharing the good, the bad and everything in between. Sharing everything from what the Lord is teaching me on a daily basis to a new eyeshadow palette I'm loving haha. This year, I feel like I've made so many friends (I love getting to talk with y'all) and although some may see it as "silly" to just talk to your screen haha, I feel like I'm sitting down to have coffee and catch up with friends when I do. Getting to share things with y'all is such a privilege and I just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart! Thank you for allowing me to share with y'all, for trusting in me and just being my friend! Because I truly believe that community is what matters. Having a community where we can all come together, whether it's over a love for some good Amazon finds haha, a little beauty tip to make your life easier, a funny story that will make your day a little lighter or most importantly, come together on our love for Jesus...just that feeling of "we're all in this together" can be all the encouragement you need to get you going (or keep you going). So THANK YOU! From the bottom of my heart. I don't know what the Lord has in store for my platform, but I will continue to give it all to Him. The guidance and confidence He has given me is all I need to get me going for 2020, and there's lots I can't wait to incorporate for this new year. I have so much I'm excited to share and just being able to share it with all of y'all makes it so very special.
I also have to give a shout out to my mother who has been my number one encourager from day one and continued on through 2019. The times when I have felt discouraged, she has reminded me to carry on and wait on the Lord's perfect timing. She is always ready to shoot content, send her creative ideas my way, offer suggestions, proof read, whatever! With all she balances in her life, she is always here for me and Madeline. Again, not only my mother but my best friend.
But on top of sharing some of my highlights of 2019, there are some lessons I've learned that I want to share with y'all. Although these things I've mentioned from my year have seemed "big" to me, there's always that little voice in the back of my head that tries to lie and cause me to think "hmm nothing that big happened in my life this year." No huge milestones, no "big announcements", etc. But honestly, I feel like each year, the Lord is continuing to tell me to "Be Still". It's not just the big things in life that matter, but also the little things. And honestly through the Lord teaching me the importance of being still and going at a slower pace, He has taught me that the little things seem just as big as what some may refer to as the "big things". And through the "little things" I've been able to see Him in a closer, more personal way. I've been able to grow closer to Him, truly cling to Him. For example, I started 2019 off with a goal of reading the Bible all the way through. This time last year I thought to myself, this time next year, I'll be able to say I read through the whole thing! Well, I'm just now starting the book of Psalms. Although I could look at that and say there's a goal I didn't complete, I instead look at it and say "wow, that's nineteen books I've been able to study". And through this slower process, I've truly been able to meditate on this more and come to know the Lord in an even closer way. Instead of my "I'm going to read the Bible through in one year" mindset, I've switched to "I'm going to read the Bible through at my own pace" because that way I can truly take it all in. And that's just a little example of this "Be Still" mindset the Lord continues to teach me. Simply take things One. Day. At. A. Time. Because when I look back over the last few years, all the "little things" are piecing together to seem pretty big, if you ask me. I definitely don't have all the answers, and I still feel like I'm in a waiting game sometimes, but I look back at things a year or two ago and now can say "Wow Lord, in your perfect timing, this is starting to make sense." Being still can be difficult at times, but the Lord is continuing to teach me that His perfect timing is the only way I want it to be. Starting off a new year with this mindset brings such an assurance of peace. So, I will continue to "be still" as I don't want to miss the "little things" that are working together for His plans for mine and Madeline's bigger picture.
Something else I have learned this year is the power of trusting in the Lord. Through His love and mercies, He has shown me that He is truly is the "stronghold of my life." I have learned that trust = peace. I start off every single day saying, "today, I choose to trust." And that along helps me know that whatever goes on in my day, I can turn it all over to Him. I have read so many times through Scripture this year the power of trusting. And goodness y'all, have I seen it in my life. The peace I have felt through knowing I can trust all things, the big, the small, the good and what seems like the not so good, brings about so much certainty among all the uncertainties.
"You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you."
I know this post is getting lengthy, so I'll stop there. But again, I just encourage y'all, to go into this New Year with a mindset of "being still" while keeping your eyes on Jesus, and allowing Him to keep you in perfect peace. You never know what amazing things He can bring your way this year as he can do exceedingly more than we could ever ask or think. He can do amazing things in your life, just when you're least expecting it. And in the midst of it all, continue to be still as you trust in Him. Just image that!
Thanks again, friends, for helping to make 2019 such a special year! I love you all so much and am wishing you a blessed 2020 filled with more than you could ever ask or think.
Jaycee: White Faux Fur Jacket
Thanks for stopping by :)
