For Japan With Love.

click through for more information.

xo-

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- 

natalie update: happiness.

{natalie.monday sept.6. 2010.}

we fetched miss natalie, & her mamma & daddy, up at the airport monday morning. my heart was giddy to see her run up to us to say "hello"- she RAN up to us!! 

needless to say, she is happy, healthy & back to her old sassy self.  

we keep our hopes high for her MRI check-up, in a few months,back in Dallas.  

we cannot thank you enough for your prayers & encouraging support. 

we are so blessed for having You all in our lives.

with Love & so many thanks- Anna.

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.

to natalie: a note from your aunt "nina".

{natalie & julia. August 2010.}

sweet girl, 

i won't be there tomorrow to kiss you before you are wheeled into surgery- but as you close your eyes to dream, dream of hugs, snuggles & Love. (and story-times filled with cuddles from your aunt "nina".)

everyone is praying for you baby girl. 

all. around. the. world!

i will be thinking of you all day tomorrow- & you will be in my heart, as you always are.

And, when you get back, we will dance around & sing to mamma mia like we love to do together. ok? 

I love you, precious natalie. 

so many hugs & snuggles,

xoxo-aunt"nina".

Angels descending, bring from above, Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.   -Fanny J. Crosby

update: our sweet girl, natalie.

[natalie & me. september 2009.] 

our hearts have been heavy this summer while my niece natalie has had various health issues.  

this thursday natalie will be undergoing spinal surgery performed in dallas, texas.  her brothers will stay at home, her mamma, dad, gma & gpa (my mom & pops) will be by her side, helping her heal along with the angels. i cannot be there for my goddaughter when she awakes, but my Love will be forever surrounding her. 

our hearts are anxious, but our prayers are endless.

your thoughts of hope are so very appreciated, as we have already been so gratefully affected by your kindness & Love.

thank you so much for taking a moment to rally for our sweet girl-

we are forever thankful.

xo-

"We hear the Angels' song & lose our fear..."

an update on my sweet niece natalie.

 Our Prayers of Hope continue!

xo-

Keep Calm & Pray On.

[natalie. fall 2009.]

Happy Friday to You! 

alas, the sweet, sweet weekend.

I hope it is filled with happiness & hugs. 

Because hugs are like band-aids for the soul.

Thank you so much for all the support & Love in lieu of my niece natalie's recent health issues. 

You can follow details of her story here. (with, of course, updates on here.)

thank you, thank you, thank you.  

xo-

& many prayers to the darling Kate & her family.  

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-

Love to Haiti.

"I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you,so you also should love one another." John 13:34.

How to Help: Haiti.
With Love & Prayers.
xo-