Seeing Sunshine

Even in the darkest of days

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13 Things I Miss About Living in Georgia

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So my last three posts have been a bit ... heavy, I guess you could say. So I thought I might lighten it up a bit with this post. Living in Indiana definitely has its perks, but boy are there some things I miss about living in Georgia. 1. Living just down the road from a Kroger -- getting groceries was a breeze, and if you forgot something it was easy to run back later. 2. Seeing armadillos on the side of the road. OK, yes they were dead. But armadillos don't stink the way opossums do, and seeing armadillos was way neater to me than the roadkill here. 3. Knowing my husband was coming home Continue Reading

How to Help a Depressed Friend

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Do you have a friend who seems to be depressed? Do they have the following symptoms? Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness Loss of interest in daily activities Appetite or weight changes Sleep changes Anger or irritability Loss of energy Self-loathing Reckless behavior Those are the symptoms and signs of depression. If you have a friend who is dealing with depression, you may be wondering how you can help. I've enlisted the help of others who have dealt with depression themselves. They are sharing some great advice on what do to and what not to do to help a Continue Reading

Ways to Fight Depression

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Remember when I told you I was trying not to drown? Well, the truth is I was trying not to sink. I was trying not to sink into depression. I thought of those of you out there who read that post and felt it down in your bones. The ones who were also trying not to sink. And then I thought of those of you who are already sinking. So I reached out to my fellow blogging friends, asking if anyone has dealt with depression. I asked them if they were willing to talk to me about it. I was blown away by the number of people who responded. Friends, we are not alone in our sinking. So many out there Continue Reading

When you’re right in the midst of it

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As bloggers, writers, and Christians in general, we tend to tell our stories once we have a happy ending. We tell how hard it was and how God got us through. We got to the other side, found our way through the valley. We're basking in the sunshine on top of the mountain. Those are inspiring and encouraging stories, and I've got my fair share of them. But today, I don't have one of those stories to share. Today, I'm just going to be totally honest in this post. I'm right in the midst of it. In the hard. In the struggle. In the valley. This past month has been difficult, and it Continue Reading

Wedding Vow Art

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My husband and I wrote our own vows for our wedding. It was something I really wanted to do, and I think we are both so glad that we did it. I love that they were written from the heart and very personal. We wrote our vows separately and didn't hear each other's until our wedding ceremony. It made it even more special! After our wedding, I knew I wanted to create something with our wedding vows to display in our home. I wanted to be reminded of those vows often. I also loved our wedding photos. We had a great photographer, and I figured I could display our wedding vows using our wedding Continue Reading

My Favorite Things to Do When Visiting Knoxville

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I recently went to visit family in Knoxville, Tennessee. I've been there several times visiting. Even though I wish that family lived closer, I do love the Knoxville area. Whenever we go to visit, there's always so many things we want to do -- things we can't do back at home. Today, I'm sharing my favorite things to do when visiting Knoxville, as well as some other things you may want to check out if you visit. Get smoothies from the Juice Bar. This place is my all-time favorite. If there was one next to my house, I would have a smoothie every single day. I love that they are Continue Reading

Thankful Thursday 07.09.15

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Here are five things I'm thankful for this week: 1. Baby laughs. I've spent this week with my nieces and nephews, and I have so enjoyed their littleness. One of my favorite moments was playing with my littlest niece who turns 1 next month in the pool. I loved making her laugh and smile. 2. For girl time. I love getting to spend time with any and all of my sisters-in-law. This week I was able to hang out with two of them, and it was so nice. I especially liked long talks with Casey in the car or when we all tried to get a selfie at the fountain and it took us about 10 minutes. 3. Really good Continue Reading

Great Books for Christian Single Women

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Even though it has been awhile, I do remember my single days -- trying to find contentment and confidence in myself (something I'm still working on) while I waited for Mr. Right to come along. There were times where I was completely happy with my singleness, and times where I loathed it. One thing that really helped me during those difficult times of singleness was reading a good book, specifically one that understood where I was and encouraged me in those times of waiting. Perhaps you are single. Or maybe you are looking for a gift for a friend who's single. Either way, these are my Continue Reading

DIY Bucket Planter

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A relative of mine is basically a gardening master. She loves flowers, and always has such a pretty view near her home. She posted some photos of the landscape at her house, and I immediately loved this idea! Planting flowers in an old bucket and hanging them up on an outdoor faucet is such a cute addition to any yard or garden. I was happily surprised with how easy it was too! So today, I'm sharing how to make this DIY Bucket Planter. Here's what you'll need: Bucket -- old or new Drill or hammer & nail Gravel or pebbles Potting soil Flowers I used a Behrens Continue Reading

Chicken Salad with Grapes

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I never knew I liked chicken salad until one day I had a little of my mother-in-law's while we were taking a road trip. I was hungry and it was my only option, so I tried it. And low and behold it was actually pretty good. This summer, I tried more chicken salad, and again I liked it. And just a couple weeks ago, my mom took me to a local restaurant where she had been going on and on about their chicken salad. I got some and fell in love just like she had. It was delicious! In fact, I went back again another day, all by myself, for more. I wanted to recreate this amazing chicken salad if Continue Reading

Guy Behind the Blog: Episode 2

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Last month I started the Guy Behind the Blog series, where you get to know my husband a little bit better. I really enjoyed reading Travis' answers to the questions last time, so I knew I wanted to keep this series up. I'm linking up with Heavens to Betsy and According to Laura Jean. Here are this month's questions in bold, with Travis' answers. 1. What's the best vacation you've ever been on? This is a tough question! My family has gone on vacation every year since I can remember.  It's so hard to just pick one vacation! But I'd probably have to say Panama City Beach, Florida four years Continue Reading

Fourth of July Care Package

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Every day is Independence Day in America. But we celebrate it on July 4th with barbecues, boating, homemade ice cream, fireworks, and a whole lot of red, white, and blue. As far as I can remember, Travis and I have only spent one or maybe two of these holidays together. Knowing we wouldn't be together this year, I wanted to send him something special for one of his favorite holidays. I put together a Fourth of July Care Package complete with everything red, white, and blue. Here's what was in his care package and other ideas for your own care package! I loved decorating this box Continue Reading

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