friday in photos

I was really tempted to title it friday in fotos
but my inner spelling geek wouldn't let me. ;)
On Friday my mom and I got in the car and drove down to Grande Jete so I could get fitted for Gaynor Minden pointe shoes.

We stopped at Mcdonald's, but for the bank, not the food.

the box + shank was completely broken/dead on my old pointe shoes
And while we were driving, I amused myself by taking photos of iced tea,

scenery,


cars,

more cars,

and even more cars

I might have also taken pictures of cars.

I'm not sure.

Anyways...


(the tunnels were the best part of our drive)

We finally reached our destination and I got fitted for my shoes -- it took about twenty minutes and I left happy (and minus $120 bucks)



Swinging by Trader Joes, we picked up some delicious salads and had a nummy (and healthy lunch)

And we picked up Starbucks. Of course. ;)

We took the back roads home, because the traffic was ridiculous due to it being Memorial Day weekend.

So we saw horses

and fields

(side note -- aren't baby shoes the cutest things ever?)

So there was my Friday.

And when I got home, this flower greeted me.

The end.


Loads of love,
Hannah

i am learning...

joining my mom for
friday favorite things

during the past few months, I've been growing,
blossoming, being pruned, and changing,
and becoming the woman the Lord created me as.



I feel like a butterfly,
still poking its way out of the chrysalis
emerging with bright wings
and dreams of flying

and through this time,
I've learned several things.

i am learning...

Jesus has to come first
always.
Lord, let this be the cry of my heart.

what I do or don't do today
matters perhaps more
tomorrow



the way we see Jesus
directly affects how we see life;
when we live differently
we see differently.
Lord, fix my eyes on you.

I am somewhat of a journaler

journaler isn't a word

I am not defined by the world and its lies
but instead
am made whole at the foot of the cross



I am the most beautiful
when I am filled with the fire of God
and not when
wearing the latest clothes
trendiest makeup
or cutest hairstyle

Life
is gritty, messy, hard, and
beautiful.
and it's a choice to see that God-given beauty
in the midst of the everyday.

I don't need to pretend to have it all together.



I flounder, fall, fake, flip-out, and fail,
but in Jesus,
I am loved, redeemed, forgiven and
free.

Family is forever
and relationships
need to be nurtured

I may prefer tea over coffee
and it's okay.

Life is not a popularity game to be won
but a glorious collaboration where the body of Christ
lives out the commands He gives



Little boy smiles are some of the
sweetest things

Letting go of things,
releasing them to Jesus
and asking for forgiveness
is something I'm working on



I have some of the best friends
in the world

Sunny days and peach ginger floats
are some of my favorites

It doesn't have to be
big or expensive
to be beautiful



I'm a storyteller.

life is a gift.
I'm not going to live like I'm stuffed on a shelf,
waiting to be opened,
then forgot about.
Instead, I want to live everyday,
intentionally, authentically and
vividly.



I'm realizing more and more
how good God is.

and...

today is short.
I want to use every second;
I want to spend my life soaking every
drop of God's love up.
Lord, make me like a sponge.

—————————



So grateful for all the comments yesterday
your sweet words
and how you showered Sammy,
and our whole family,
in prayer.

Grateful, sweet friends.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Your friendship makes one of my friday favorite things -- so thankful for you all.
Blessed to call you my blogging buddies.

Loads and loads like laundry of love.

Hannah

please pray for sammy boy

My little brother Sammy is going in for a biopsy today. If you've been around since January, you'll know that the past few months have been a whirlwind of doctor visits, including several hospitalizations, leading up to his diagnosis of Celiac Disease.

Today, Samuel is going to the hospital to get a biopsy done of his intestinal tract to make sure that everything is okay, and that he's healed since the initial diagnosis. (if you'd like to read his story, please click here)

If you all could pray, my entire family and myself would be so grateful. My mom wrote about it on her blog, and some specific prayer requests are...

...calm heart for Samuel. He was nervous and scared yesterday at the doctor's office
...that Samuel can deal with having no food till almost 2pm.
...during the procedure {12noon -1pm}
...steady hand for the surgeon
...that Samuel does not develop croup afterwards
...for kind and caring staff
...that the biopsy sample sites are taken in the right spots {they'll be taken throughout the intestinal tract}
...complete healing
...strength for my mom - specifically when she goes back to the operating room while they put him asleep
...wisdom for the anesthesiologist
...that she can feel the Lord's presence throughout the day.

Thank you, sweet friends.

Loads of love,
Hannah

lovely photo wednesday

<a href="http://manyrandommusings.blogspot.com/search/label/Lovely%20Photo%20Wednesday"><img vspace="none" hspace="none" alt="Lovely Photo - Wordless or Not-So-Wordless Wednesday at Aspire" src="http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt255/ElvishAuthoress/LovelyPhoto.png" align="center" /></a>Hello friends! After a short absence, Lovely Photo is back up and open from tonight till Thursday morning. Have a photo you want to share? Link it up — I'd love to see it.

My photo is from a mini shoot I did the other day with my sister Gracie. See that chair? That was my great-grandpa's. It's definitely seen some love. My mom has memories of herself sitting in that chair in her grandparent's house; she's kept it because she wants to get it refinished — and I love it for photos. More than that though, I love it because of the memories it has.

Have any favorite vintage items?

Linking up with Supermom, Project Alicia, Live out Loud, Dear Crissy, Better in Bulk,
Faith Hope & a whole lotta Love, and then, she {snapped}, and ♥ The Paper Mama

If you haven't played along before, link up your lovely photo and tell us a bit about it, or nothing at all. Write what you want or don't say anything, but share a picture and link it up below. Then, remember to bloghop around a bit and comment on at least three other entries. Make sure to include the button or a link back to Aspire in your post. Have a lovely day!



Loads of love,
Hannah

Looking for a fresh new design for your site? Head over here to win a blog design.

Collaboration # 5 - Life

Top - Hannah Nicole.
Bottom - Abigail Grace

Oh, how I love life, friends.

I'm so grateful to be able to live on this wild land that I'm passing through on my journey home. I want to be living fully — vividly — twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. I don't want any moment of my life to spent simply existing. That's not life, friends. That's not living.

Every moment is precious. Life is a wonderful gift, given with a purpose. Intentionality. I don't want to lose it living lethargically, lost in complacency. The only time we have is now. You had better believe I'm going to use it.

I want to be fully alive.

Loads of love,
Hannah

p.s. I'm giving away a blog design on my site; head over for your chance to win. Have a lovely Monday, friends.

A Spring Look for YOU { giveaway }

Today, because the weather is deliciously springy outside and I'm drinking a sweet cup of tea, I thought it was high time for a little giveaway. Since the world outside is fresh and blooming, why not freshen up your site too?

I'm excited to announce the opening of my new blog design site, Hannah Nicole Designs! I've been planning, branding, designing, coding, and creating this site for several months, so I'm ecstatic to reveal the finished product.



And what better way to say hello to Spring and a new site than with a giveaway? Here's how to win a New Blog Design valued at $100...

Mandatory Entry

Comment and tell me what your favorite part about spring is. Love the flowers, fruit, or the warm weather? Let me know and you're entered to win.

Extra Entries

• Follow Aspire
• Tweet/facebook/blog this giveaway (each worth one entry)

Make sure to leave a new comment for each entry. Giveaway runs from May 21st - May 28th and closes at 11:59 EST. Good luck, sweet friends!

Loads of love,
Hannah

friday favorite things

Linking up with my momma today.

Celebrating little things

being grateful for small moments throughout the week.

These are my Friday Favorite things...

____

this boy

and his freckly face

my family

The fact that it's Friday
and tomorrow morning
I have ballet + rehearsal

Trees that are green
and not just sticks anymore

watermelon

and the fact that we eat a half of one
in a day
(#largefamilymuch?)

being able to sit outside on the deck

garage sale finds

flowers poking up out of the dirt


the promise that we can be made new --
washed clean
sanctified

Ricotta with lemon + vanilla and raspberries
for breakfast

the fact that our raspberry bushes
are growing
(excited about the fresh raspberries to come!)


Samuel running, running, running

healthy.

Being completely healed
from my injury last fall

Ballet
and the fact that the performance
is only 23 days away
(soooooooo excited)

Grand jeté's in the backyard

(photo of me taken by my mom)

Spring weather

Watching movies with the family

Plans being formed

School finishing up


Tomatoes with balsamic vinegar, olive oil,
salt, and feta cheese.
Delicious.

Laughing at how many of my Friday favorites
are food.

The Bible.

Praise jam sessions with friends


this picture.

and...

Life.

Do you have any Friday favorites? I'd love to hear them! Make sure to head to my momma's blog and link up your favorites from the week.

Loads of love,
Hannah