A Small but Big Dream.

It's Friday. Oh Friday how I welcome thee. The weekend ahead, with nothing on the agenda except celebrating my sweet hubby's birthday. 

Ava and I will bake him a pie, at his request for his birthday. 

We'll do our best to be lazy but that may not happen because I've got to many projects on want to complete. 

When Orion and I got married we lived out of state from family. We lived 4 hours away from my family. During this time it was nice to be only  a few hours away and be able to make it home for parties, vacations and holidays. 

When we moved to Arizona it was a time in our lives where a lot of things were changing that were out of our control. We needed a fresh start, I was newly pregnant and we looked forward to starting a family in this new adventure. 

Once Ava was born everything changed for me. I began to miss my family even more, and longed to be closer to them. I wanted them to see Ava grow up, I wanted them to be apart of our family moments. 

If we were having coffee today I would tell you that for the last couple of years that has been my dream. A small dream. But yet a dream that seemed way to big to ever even happen. 

Orion and I last last few years have attempted many times to move out of Arizona. It's true. We've applied for jobs, sent resumes, had phone interviews all that led nowhere. Doors closed left and right, and it became clear that God had us here. 

So we started looking for a house, and decided that this is where we would be for a while. Orion got a raise at his job which we were so very thankful for, I was able to stay at home with my kids. And I quietly tucked this dream of living near family away in my heart. 

All while silently at night saying prayers to God about it. We've had sort of a "if we build it they will come" mentality. Thinking maybe just maybe the longer we live here, some of our family will move here someday. Someday.

Can I tell you something? Something so amazing, I could just cry right now as I type this! These are my Grandparents, aren't they cute?!! Yes, yes they are. 

I know not everyone is close to their grandparents, but I am extremely close to them. They have been such an important part of my life. They taught me about the Lord, my Grandmother taught me about prayer. She taught me how to sew so many years ago. My grandfather is funny, I get my quick whit from him. And I'll never forget the day he walked me down aisle on my wedding day. 

My small but very big dream is coming true this weekend. 

A dream that seemed so, so big God has had his hand in all the while. 

They are moving here. 

I almost didn't want to talk about it for fear that it just might not be true. I didn't want to rub it in to my other family, but I'm also just so excited I could burst.

And not only are they moving here, but they are moving right across the street from me and my family. 

The Lord has long since known my desires and he has answered this prayer that I've had on my heart for so long. I am so thankful. 

I can not wait to have them close. I look forward to having them around for everyday life, holidays and everything else. 

If we were having coffee today I would tell you that even though something may seem oh so small to you, it may not be small to God. And those prayers that you think are to small to pray God wants to hear them. He wants to answer them. So go ahead, let him.

Some thoughts on notes and Encouragement

The last few weeks I've been doing a lot of reflecting during my times in prayer with the Lord, taking a look at myself and pondering how I can be better.

I realized something about myself that I've really become very lax on. Something that at one time was always on my mind and somehow unintentionally I've let go.

I realized I don't pray for my friends nearly enough as I should.

Sure, I try to encourage them, call, text, and email them as much as I can. But more than anything I think as much as I want my friends to think about me I want them to be praying for me. For the things I tell them I need prayer for but also for maybe the things they don't know.

Most of my friends do not live near me, so unfortunately we don't get to meet regularly, because of this I feel even more convicted to pray for them. To pray for the things I know going on in their lives, but more importantly to pray for the things that I don't know, for the things they don't know yet. The things unseen, and the things God has yet to do, but will in their lives. 

Along with this I wanted to do something practical, something to encourage them daily. I love a good little hand written note in the mail. And since I firmly believe that in order to have good friendships you have to be a good friend and exemplify those qualities yourself that you want in a friend. 

I've started weekly taking a small group of friends (3-5) and writing them a little note of encouragement on Sunday nights. And mailing them Monday morning, so that they get this little note at some point during the week. The next week, I'll pick a different group and send them a note. And so on, and so on. You get the idea. Continually rotating who gets a note each week. I hope it gives them a little happiness as they open their mail box, and gives them encouragement to know someone is thinking about them and praying for them. 

So here's my encouragement for you today; how can you show someone you love, a friend how much you care about them? How can you encourage them today? 

In my opinion the best things are small, but they are intentional and that's what matters most. 

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I like to get my note cards in the dollar bins at Target, Michael's and the Dollar Store. They always have some pretty note cards, stickers and stamps to make a note extra special.