Time for my five favorite things from this week:
#1. Summer Home Project: Coming back home from family camp has been a bit of adjustment. Back to cooking, cleaning, and the lovely routine. Camp left us refreshed and seriously rested, so much so that when we came home we painted the dining room and kitchen. I have been wanting to paint it for a while now, but wasn’t set on a color. We went this beautiful grey from Glidden called Secret Locket. I had them lighten it once. I love the way it came out. It has brightened up our whole space! I have some great shots of the kitchen I will share very soon as my next project is to paint the kitchen cabinets.
Here is a little before and after:
#2. Summer Reading:Â This summer my goal is to read at least one book a month. I just finished Made to Crave and loved it and now I am on to Radical by David Platt. I heard this book would mess me up and I was willing and ready for the challenge. I love books that challenge me, grow me and turn to God’s word. I also love to get lost in fiction books as well. Any books that you have loved this year?
#3. Garden:Â Our garden is really coming a long. We already have several peppers, zucchini, and squash. This year we planted a lot of tomatoes, kale, peppers, squash, cucumbers, and root vegetables. I can’t wait to do some canning!
#4. TRX BURN: We finished phase 2 of the TRX BURN which is part of my 10 week challenge! We have one more phase to go. I do measurements this weekend and I am pretty sure I haven’t changed too much from the last month, but I feel great and I am loving the workouts! I will do a full review of this program at the end of the month. Phase 3 is KILLER! We are doing some inverted planks, inverted presses, single arm rows, and much more. If you are on Periscope, follow me @nhershoes. It’s a fun live streaming app that and I will be doing a lot of TRX workouts and some 20 minute at home workouts on there, that you can do a long with me!
#5. Community: This week at our Thursday night community group my heart was filled with joy! Since RJ was born we have been meeting every Thursday night for dinner and just some good old fashion fellowship. There is a total of 14 kids in the group and 17 adults. This week as I turned the corner and saw a few of them snuggled together on the bed, I paused a moment and thanked the Lord for these sweet littles and I can’t wait for them to grow up together and be not just friends, but family!
Question: How was your week? Any favorites?Â
]]>The word for this week is HOLD.
When I think of the world hold, the first thing I think of is how IÂ 
hold on to my life. I think that is something I try and do way to often. I went through a season, where it was so easy to let go of all my plans for the future and just trust God with whatever he had in store for us. But now days, I find myself holding on to these dreams that are clearly my dreams and I am not even sure why I even want them in the first place. I need to let go.
One things I can let go of is my schedule. I used to hold on tightly  to my schedule, these days the goal is to thrive and enjoy each moment of whatever the day has in store for us. Whether I get to cleaning the toilet bowls or blogging or not. I am not afraid of having a long list of to-do’s as long  as I have that list. Maybe one day, I will let go of that to-do list, but it was keeps my sanity!
Holding on to things can also be a great thing, but for me in this season of my life…than anything I need to let GO and walk in God’s freedom!
If you are wondering what this Five Minute Friday things is all about, check it out here. I love Five Minute Friday’s, because I get to write what is on my heart for five uninterrupted minutes, unedited and unfiltered. Setting my timer…lets GO!
CHANGE
She is about to turn ONE! Yes, ONE! Crazy right? I know everyone always says don’t blink, cause it always goes by so fast…well they are beyond right.
This little girl, this amazing miracle walked into our lives almost 12 months ago and our lives were CHANGED forever, Well yes, we would never get to sleep in again, we would sacrifice a lot, but honestly she fits right into our lives that the change was beautiful. It was like she had been with us forever. Her smile, her giggles, her hugs and kisses were always meant to be here, Our family has grown and the change is wild and glorious.
I always use to love change and now that I am older, it’s a littler harder. Being a Mom has been the greatest change of my life. It has taught me to slow down and appreciate the things that really matter. The dishes in the sink, the bed not being made, the floors having dirt on them, those things DO NOT MATTER! What matter’s is the moment’s that are made in our home, the messes mean life is happening! I think the greatest thing about Change, is when you learn how to roll with the punches and laugh when you get knocked down.
Change with grace. Cause without it you will live within your comfort/OCD zone and you will miss out on living!
]]>I am really starting to truly enjoy just sitting down for 5 minutes and writing from my heart (I hope you don’t mind all the errors). I love not over thinking what I am going to write, but really just getting whatever is on my mind out there.
OK it’s time for five beautiful, sacred, unrushed, unedited minutes —-> this week word is BEGIN:
Beginning something is always exciting for me! A new book, a new budget, a new workout schedule, a new recipe…I love starting fresh and having new oppertunities at any chance I get. I began the journey of motherhood way before we got the call for RJ to come in to our home. It all began when God planted the seed in my heart to become a Mom, I don’t know if I was 21 or 25…but I do remember the first time that I wanted to become a mom. It was the first time I held my best friends daughter. She was perfect and so beautiful. I knew right then, that someday I was gonna be a mom.
Beginnings are kinda of bittersweet if you think about it, you only get one chance to start something. Well, unless you re-read that favorite book or begin a new Netflix serious. But one thing is for sure that no matter what, the one thing you can always start over, start fresh, from scratch, is each day (well as long as God gives them to us). So maybe the day wasn’t so great, but God give’s us new mercies, fresh new beginnings each and every morning. I don’t know about you…but that brings me so much comfort.
Question: When you think of the work begin, what comes to mind?Â
]]>I AM HERE!!!
This week was our anniversary and time kinda of got in front of me. I know I was supposed to be tracking my water, but I am gonna start our Propel Hydration challenge next MONDAY, don’t worry if you left a comment those will still count until next Friday August 1st!
Now how about the five-minute Friday post? This weeks writing prompt from Lisa Jo Baker was Finish and I am sad to see her pass the baton, but excited for what’s in store for her!
FINISH…
When I think of the word finish, the first thing to come to mind is a RACE..naturally. I think about all the training that goes into my marathon and triathlon races and how I just can’t wait to get to the finish line. But then I also think about finishing well in life. Like when I start a new job, project, fun new lesson with RJ, a book, a letter…I always want to finish well.
There are so many things that I start that I truly never finish, do you have things like that? I can’t even tell you how many books I have read and have never finished. I even started a baby book for RJ, that I think I only made it to month four. Or even blog serious that I have great intentions in keeping up! Even though I haven’t finished, I usually plan to…or at least I think I will.
It is interesting that there are some things in my life that I couldn’t imagine not finishing, a workout, a marathon, a meal, a house project, but then are other things that I just throw the towel in and never touch again. I guess you could say if I am not passionate about it, I won’t finish it…not always the case, but sometimes it’s true.
I want to get better at finishing the things I start. Maybe that means I need to take on less and just pour into the things that I already have on my plate. I want to stop leaving things undone (I am the worst at mailing things and they will sit in my car for months). I want to be better at following through!
So where do I start? Guess I should make a list that I actually FINISH of things that I have undone and start checking things off…or maybe just start fresh?
At the end of it all, I want nothing more than to approach God’s throne one day and have him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant, well done!” Matthew 25:31.
Belong
He created every little hair on your head, ever nail on your fingertips, every beat in your heart..for you belong to HIM not us, not anyone else but the Lord.
I have always said that one should not consider becoming a parent, until they are ready to let their children go. It doesn’t matter if you birth your child or you adopt them into your family, they are never yours to begin with. It is the moment when I felt like I could truly give our child to the Lord that I was ready to start the process of adoption.
This past week has been one of the hardest weeks for a best friend of mine and truly one of the hardest weeks for me as well. She sadly had to say goodbye to her baby boy at just 19.5 weeks old. As she re-told the story of how she gave birth to him and had to say goodbye to her little man, I wept and still weep inside for her and her family.
It is easier to say that our children belong to the Lord when we don’t feel like we have to give them up, but when the time comes where we have to say goodbye…it is then, out of the deepest pain and hurt that is humanly possible that we smile and say it is well, it is well, it is well with my soul.
“When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.
Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.
My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!
For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.
But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.”
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From the minute we stepped foot into our 80B cabin at Forest Home, I felt like I could finally EXHALE after a week of comforting a sweet little teething and sick baby girl.
A week filled with listening to God’s word through some amazing speakers that challenged me in areas that I didn’t even know that I needed to be challenged in, caused me to EXHALE.
Snow Cone and latte breaks everyday while RJ napped and almost finishing an entire book in our hammock was just what this mama needed. Having someone make us meals and clean up after our oh so messy 10 month old and not having to do a single dish, exhale.
Long quite pauses each day in the beautiful mountains and leaning deep into God’s Word… I truly took three deep breaths in and finally EXHALED.
]]>The family and I are headed to our 5th family camp this summer up at Forest Home for the week. I have plenty in store for you next week, a coffee date, crossfit, summer grilling ideas and even a workout!!!
I have decided to partake in something from Lisa Joe Bakers Blog called 5 minute Fridays. How does it work? Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking on a topic they choose for the week. Fun right? Back to basics kind of blogging!
This week the topic is Lost…
I want to get lost in love and laughter. To be so far from trying to be someone I am not and really just get lost in the moments, in the smiles in the conversations and in the giggles. I want to be lost in the weekend and find pure refreshment in rest. I want to get away with my best friends and enjoy a cocktail or snow cone and enjoy a relaxing weekend by the pool.
When I come home I want to head to camp, refreshed and ready for a fun time away in the mountains with God and my family.
I want to lose my phone and my computer in enjoy the great outdoors.I want to leave my makeup and real pants at home. I want to lose social media for the week and not wanting to tell the world about it every step of the way, but just capturing the moments while we are in them. I want to act like a 5 year old on the giant swing and I want to play in the creek with my daughter and not worry if my hair get’s messed up.
That’s it, I am ready, let’s get LOST!
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