"To her the name of father was another name for love."

[me & my dad circa 1992.]

happy fathers day 

to my dad.

i love you to the moon & back, pops. you are my hero. 

your Anna Banana

Where I truly belong.

[5.30.2011. Germany.]

And after the ups & downs & shuffling around, I have found 

my home away from home. 

And I couldn't be more  

happy. excited. inspired. thankful. blessed.

xo-

alles ist jetzt in ordnung.

 

 [my good friend Kim and me saying goodbye last week before I left.]

I am sorry for being away so long.  This past week was crazy-- and not in a good way...

It's kind of a long story and I don't really think the details are necassary-- especially because I am totally writing a book or movie about it-- you'll definitely get to read/see it... 

In a nutshell, my host family was lovely. Correction: my host mom and the children were wonderful. I loved and love them still, dearly.  my host dad was awful. just awful. he was not nice to the mom, which I immediately did not feel okay with, and then he decided to start doing so to me. I, refuse to be treated in such ways. 

I decided to leave immediately, after the dad and the mom told us (me and their children) they were seperating. this was on the third day of my stay. 

the dad was furious when he found out I was leaving to my friends (aka, lifesavers) in Kiel. He yelled for a long time. it was terrifying, but now I am safe and happy.

I am so grateful for my friends and family. Without them, I would maybe be homeless in Braunschweig. 

From one of the worst days of my life, to having an amazing day the next: 

life can be crazy. 

But God is always loving and looking after us.

I must also say, that when I was stuck in the first family's house, and I was terrified and alone, I felt like I should call the number of a lady I became in contact with that day on the au pair site.  When I called she could tell I was terrifyed and she talked me through everything. She was a stranger, but really, I think a very very wonderful person God brought into my life at that exact moment for a very important reason.  I am going to stay with her family and potentially be their au pair, but until then, she has taken me under her wing and helped me through one of the scariest times of my life. She even called my parents in the USA after I called her from the train station and needed to tell them something I wasn't able to do.  She not only helped me, she talked my mom through it as well. 

She is such a blessing.

So after a week I have found a potential new family and they live very near my friends.  It may be exactly what I was meant to end up doing. I know that everything happens for a reason, and with my last host family, I hope my purpose was to help the mom know that she, nor anyone, should ever be treated so badly.  

I know I am where I am meant to be at this very moment, and always.
But whew, I am glad I have finally stopped shaking. 

I'll try and update more, until then, 

infinite love,

Anna

twenty + two.

Oh five year old Anna. You have so much to learn... 

Today I turn twenty-two. how strange-
it seems like just yesterday I turned twenty-one.
Komisch.

To My Beautiful Mother:

[Me & My Mom circa 1991.]

Happy Mother's Day to My Wonderful Mom.

Everyday I thank God for giving me such a loving mom. You have been such a gentle, patient, giving mother and there aren't enough thank yous in the world to truly get across how thankful I am for having you as my mom.  

Thank you for letting me march to the beat of my own drum.

Thank you for supporting me and my dreams.

Thank you for always loving me, even when I went through the really awkward teen years and acted like a brat.  

Thank you for always loving me, even though my room is always a mess.

Thank you for letting me move back home to be your roommates. 

Thank you for everything you have done for the world.

Thank you for making me feel like one of the most blessed daughters in the world.

Love,  

your favorite child, 

Anna.

to my pops on his birthday.

 {Dad & me. 1989.}

to my Dad: 

You are a true inspiration & one of my heroes.  Your talks of encouragement when i am down never seize to boost my spirits. You've raised me educating me on some of the best lessons a girl could ever learn. our long chats while exploring the world on walks, through museums & car rides have contained some of the best moments of my life. I love you more than words could ever attempt to express & am so blessed to have a father like you.

with Love forever & always, 

Anna Banana.

Happy Birthday 

to My Wonderful Dad.

Links of Love. part I.

{via: sweet home style.}

10 words to delete from your vocabulary.

23 Things to Always Remember And One Thing Never to Forget.

You're beautiful.

Fifty People One Question.

35 simple ways to be beautiful.

thank you so much for your sweet encouragement in response to my last post. it means so much to have such sweet friends. & to those of you expressing a feeling of similar dismay... you are constantly in my thoughts & i'm sending you big hugs!  

(we can all totally get through the current junk in our lives. especially with the support of each other... which you have mine, one-million percent.) 

xo- 

a "Love Connection" of sorts.

{the nieces & nephews. summer 2008.}

sometimes i get emails from readers.  they typically make me blush from appreciation & often make me feel like i was just given a big hug.  (remember the playlist i received to cheer me up after my breakup? ah-mazing.)  sometimes i get emails asking for advice, & sometimes people send wonderful things for me to check out... 

i Love connecting with You.

(um totally pointing at You right now, YES. YOU!)

Let's Connect, Loves!

if you want to say hello. ask a question. email-"high-five." be facebook pals,etc. whatever you fancy!

facebook:Little Reminders of Love 
& Anna Allen

 twitter: aeallen

 email: aeallen@gmail.com

 & someday hopes blog, too!

xo-

natalie update: 1.

{julia, natalie, carolyn. june 2010.}

Natalie's surgery went well! 

After four hours of surgery we were happy to hear from my sister, keeping us updated all day long with the progress. 

natalie is doing pretty good, just having a lot of pain, as expected. 

how i wish i could take her pain & make it mine.  i would in a heartbeat.

we continue to pray & hope that she will be back to her sassy self in no time! : )

Your support means the world to us, you have no idea.  

We are so blessed & send You lots of Love & thanks.

xo-

p.s. my sister Katie is keeping her blog updated as well.

I Love Fridays...but i Love Regina Spektor more.

I received a wonderful playlist in an email yesterday from a sweet reader who thought it would cheer me up-- my heart exploded with happiness! i am truly blessed to have such amazing readers like YOU. (yes, i'm pointing to you, and you, and you, and hey, you back there!...) 

with Love & so much gratitude for YOU.

xo-

grateful for You.

i am grateful for You. 
It's true!  there are so many things in my life to be grateful for.
i take so much for granted. i must change that about myself.
correction: i am going to change that about myself.  

 {inspiration from this print found here.}

because i am so blessed.  
blessed beyond belief. 

knowing the amount of Love in my life, makes me feel like the luckiest girl in the world.

& always know, I Love You!

Happy Friday, Lovebugs.

I hope it is full of blessings.

xo-

a few natalie updates: here.
Keep Calm & Pray On.

happy mother's day!

[my mama & me circa 1989.]

i love you so much mom!

this song will always remind me of you.

Taylor Swift - New Music - More Music Videos

happy mother's day
to all you wonderful mamas! : )

xo-

ducklings are like dreams. they need gentle time to grow.

{campus. spring 2010.}

i have around a bazillion new ideas a day.

paint a bookshelf. revamp my wardrobe. new makeup trick. organize drawers. build a desk. giveaways. knit. sew. eat organic.... these are just a few that happened to fill my head today.

each day i get a surge of excitement to create my plans. and each day i am reminded of how fast time passes, how expensive things tend to be, and that i am a poor busy college student.

and each day my heart breaks a little.

i love school. i love my friends. i love life.

but this year i have been trying to understand the balancing act that is life.

i have observed the order of priorities.
i have fought against time, earning myself a spot in the procrastinator hall of fame.
and i have come to accept that life is about sacrifices.

this lesson is the toughest one I've tried to learn. but I'm trying my best.

my favorite part of the lesson--

your dreams can come true. you just have to be patient & nurture them while they grow--like you would a baby. or perhaps a duckling.

xo-

& we'll collect the moments one by one.

potter's lake picnic.
april 3, 2010

Last weekend my cute boyfriend ross & i decided to go on a picnic. the weather in kansas was simply perfect & everything is beginning to bloom- i love the bright green grass & how soft it is!

it was such a great day. oh, & did i mention that he serenaded me on his guitar? swoooooon.

a list of reminders for our next picnic...

bubbles.
a kite.
a real life picnic basket(!)
sunscreen. (especially when the summer comes about.)

i am such a lucky girl.

xo-

for God so loved the world.

that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

via: weheartit.

"And he departed from our sight that we might return to our heart, and there find Him. For He departed, and behold, He is here."

- St. Augustine.

Happy Easter with Love!

celebrating in green & my fake irish accent.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Loves!

What a lovely day indeed. The sun is shining. My dog Patrick is happy to be celebrating his birthday (well it's not his 'real' birthday but i have no clue when his official birthdate is...so naturally...) with trips in the car (buckled up, of course) & singing along to the beatles. (he doesn't like taylor swift...not at all.)

Anywho, as i work on cleaning out my silly room & addressing all in my shaky, yet slowly progressing irish accent, i shall wish you all joyful times on this happy day!

xo-

a giveaway filled with Love.

[i would like to take this moment & apologize for breaking my promise of having a giveaway each month...i was silly to think i could come up with one each month on a budget of zero dollars a month. but i send you my love, sweet readers every. single. day.]

happy month of love, my sweets! of course, every month should be filled with lots of love--but this is the month the rest of the world jumps on the bandwagon!

hooray for love!

so i found something perfect for You, dearest loves.
a book which i hold very near & dear to my heart.

a book which captures the spirit of love--in all its forms.

a book whose title describes its content perfectly:

Love.

a book inspired by the Blessed Teresa of Calcutta.

“I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love.” -mother teresa.

so darlings, to enter the giveaway you must be a follower (you can still become a follower & qualify)- & leave a comment telling me what love means/is to you!♥

additional chances...
-tweeting this giveaway gets you an additional entry. {please state that you have done so in your comment.}
-blogging about this giveaway gets you an additional entry. {please state that you have done so in your comment.}
-following littleremindersoflove on facebook gets you an additional entry. {please state that you have done so in your comment.}
-following on bloglovin' gets you an additional entry. {please state that you have done so in your comment.}

a winner will be chosen next monday!

Viel Glück.

xo-

p.s. this giveaway is open to international readers as well!

memories of the sea...

Last weekend I ate dinner with my grandpa allen & my dad. I listened to old stories about when my grandpa was in the navy & his escapades as a seashore patrolman & the time he spent at sea. It was so fascinating-- I can only imagine how fun my grandparents would have been to have as friends.

I adore the pictures of him in his navy uniform... how sweet is the one of my grandma & him?! How beautiful & handsome! : )

I miss my grandma's stories about when she met my grandpa & how she knew he was 'the one'. how romantically wonderful! But I love to hear my grandpa's stories, too! I miss my grandma, but I must say I am so blessed to have my grandpa here to remind us of her love...not that we could ever forget.

I love my family.
xo-

A Snowy Christmas Eve.

i am snuggled up in my house, watching movies, keeping warm while outside ice sheets continue to cover the ground, along with our house. Our back door is a solid sheet of ice! As much as i love white Christmas's, this weather is a bit crazy... we are stuck in Lawrence until the storm passes and we can safely drive to Kansas City to visit our loving family.

I hope you are all having
a wonderful Christmas Eve!
(& are keeping safe!)

{via: weheartit.}

with Love to all.
xo-

p.s. my sister Katie put on, yet another, AMAZING party!

thankful for you.

{via: flickr.}

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson.

with lots of love,
Happy Thanksgiving.
xo-