Tuesday, January 21, 2014

growing


// i miss the village.
the way it felt to stand in the middle of
the dirt road and play with all the
smiling faces.

// i miss long walks and good talks with
a pretty amazing woman.

// i miss walking outside my front
door and having church in the
backyard.

// i miss colorful houses &
cobble stone streets.

// i miss orphans.

// i miss not understanding what
everyone is saying.

// i miss walking absolutely everywhere.

// i miss sitting out my windowsill
gazing at stars and praying for the
people back home.

// i miss spending my afternoons with
11 of the most lovely yet equally hardheaded
children in the world.

// i miss simple.

it grows a little more everyday.
i miss the feelings & smells & hands & faces
that will never leave. it comes out of nowhere.
driving home from work and all of the sudden,
the village is parading in your mind.
all of the sudden, you wish you could see what he's
like now, the little abandoned boy that was just
learning to walk when you left.
it's growing my heart too. maybe it hurts a little, but
it's still growing. 

they're there, they'll always be there, 
ever growing, ever changing,
whether you are with them or not.

-t

Thursday, January 16, 2014

2014:

is for pancakes is for being kinder is for loving more is for buying homeless men coffee is for journaling a little longer is for writing letters
is for counseling girls is for overusing the record player
is for spending more time with family
is for being an aunt is for not worrying is for taking less & giving more is for being better is for helping more is for being more inlove with jesus

Sunday, January 20, 2013

life is a season

i'm going away for a while,
and maybe not ever coming back.

Monday, December 31, 2012

perspective

2012
1. i lived out of my suitcase this year more than i ever have before.
2. i found out i will gain the status of 'aunt' in the coming year.
3. i was in one wedding and went to plenty more.
4. i planned a project for RHO Missions.
5. i made new friends & kept old ones.
6. i grew in relationships with family, friends, and my savior.
7. i worked at summer camp and loved on some little girls for two weeks.
8. i spent a large chunk of my earnings on skinny ties for the future husband and dishes for me.
9. i made the bulk of my money from coloring and playing with 2-6 year olds.(who can complain about that?)
10. i was given a pair if hunter boots. (love at first sight)
11. i left 2012 behind with the status of 'single' and didn't mind one bit.
2013
1. i will start a new box of letters for my husband-to-be.
2. i will make life less about me and more about others.
3. i will take action on the project i planned for RHO Missions.
4. i will "officially" gain the status of aunt with bay-bay coming in june.
5. i will fall more in love with Christ.
6. i will bake more, love more, and eat more.
7. i will be more diligent at the task of shaving my legs.
8. i will step out of my comfort zone more often than not.
9. i will probably not go to as many weddings as i did in 2012.
10. i will do more art & take more pictures.
11. i'm entering 2013 with the status of being 'single' and don't mind one bit.

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

happy merry

it's a happy merry christmas over here.
we just got done with the chaos of opening gifts after a nice breakfast. there's a pile of wrapping paper up to my knees sitting in the doorway.
i am now the proud owner of hunter boots, some lacey unmentionables, a load of dishes and ikea knives, art books, and a french record. i like all those things, but most of all, i like my family.

happy christmas to you.
i hope you like what's important most of all.

mandy