Oh joy!

We have been away for the holidays in our beloved Maine and it was just wonderful on all accounts. The snow decided to wait and come the day after we left which was not very nice but oh well. J's family took the time off and so everyone was home and our days consisted of coffee, fires, good food, good conversation, relaxing, and visiting our favorite people and places. It was my favorite to have J all day and sleep in every morning together, something that doesn't happen very often (our bedroom also overlooked the river and sunrise which was lovely).

While in Maine, J's mom and sister threw me the sweetest baby shower and it was just perfect. It was intimate, casual, with good food and sparkles. It was a book shower...which there is little I love as much as children's books. I am not one for games, activities or any attention on myself for that matter so they had onesies and wooden blocks for people to paint if they wanted which was so sweet. People also filled out these sweetest cards guessing the babies name, weight and so on but also writing down their intended role in our child's life which was incredible to hear and I will share another time! It was very joyful and here are some of the treasures of the evening! 

The classics. The original illustrated version of the Velveteen Rabbit, a Peter rabbit to start my collection of Beatrix Potter books, and a treasure Winnie the Poo book. A Child's Garden of Verses is I think my favorite of all time and this is the Tasha Tudor illustrated version. My grandmother gave me another copy where old children's book illustrations accompany his poems, which I have always treasured! 

My twelve Maine Christmas Days was illustrated by one of the art teachers from my high school. Where The Wild Things Are was given by a dear family friend of the Cavanaghs and is one of their old children's books and it is worn and has obviously been well loved. 

Dahlov Ipcar is just the best and I am so excited with this collection already!

One of the Cavanagh's friends gave us this book and painted this beautiful little stool to go with it! I die! This picture does not do this treasure any justice. The sweetest.

My favorite articles of clothing! My friend knit me that sweetest hat and mittens.

My aunt and cousins also hosted the sweetest very intimate gathering and dinner for me and J and I received these treasures.

My grandmother gave me this absolute beautiful set of stacking blocks, too beautiful to play with obviously because i don't ever remember seeing them in our childhood.

My cousin and aunt gave me this treasure. She said it has been in her shopping cart since the beginning of time, just waiting for the perfect reason to buy it...I am very honored to be that reason! I can't wait to see this hanging above our little cutie filling his imagination with wonder and adventure.

These itty bitty socks came with my ship and then J got me a matching pair for Christmas and I just can't handle it.

The above only barely scratches the surface of what I received. I was very well showered the entire vacation. My cup (and book shelf) runneth over! 

A gift for me!

Merry Christmas to me! J made me this gorgeous coffee table and its just so pretty. 

It is made of steel and wood painted the absolute brightest white J could find, and large enough to house my gorgeous wooden bowl my parents gave me for Christmas last year, which has been sadly sitting in a box with no place to rest until now! (It is still too big for the top but until I have a gigantic coffee table or dining table this will have to do). 

Since we moved down to here, we have just made so many talented, crafty, creative friends. It has been so fun being a part of this creative bundle and taking full advantage of their skills for our own enjoyment. One of our friends is a welder who makes the most gorgeous furniture and he has sweetly taken the time to teach J to weld me a fire pit and now this coffee table. It is such a fun, wonderful, impressive craft to know and I am very excited for J learning and falling in love with his new skills. Thank you sweet friends and thank you J for knowing me and creating this pretty thing!

Our baby...

We are so excited to share that we are having a little boy! And I am already in love with his sweetest little face.

A year...

October 4, 2014:

J proposes on one of the most beautiful fall days down on the shores of Winnegance Bay in Maine. 

December 28, 2014:

J and I get married on a beautiful winter morning on our favorite Florida beach. 

January 3, 2015:

J and I move into our first apartment in Bath, ME with water views and walking distance to everything. 

May 30, 2015:

J graduates from RPI and gets to come home full time! 

June 28, 2015:

We move out of our little town apartment and head to Columbia, SC for J's new job. 

July 4, 2015:

We move into our first house together and J's boss invites us to his fourth of July party where we meet all of our new favorite people who we don't understand how we ever got along in life without them. 

July 27, 2015:

I find out I am pregnant! 

September 19, 2015:

J and I join my parents for a weekend trip in the mountains and rent out our own little cottage and have a romantic first vacation together! This week I also decide to start up my own business and gain a wonderful investor to get me started. 

October 23, 2015

We get our first set of laying hens and they are so fun! 

November 26, 2015:

J and I celebrate our first Thanksgiving together as a married couple and for the first time he gets to meet my dads side of the family and all of our cousins. 

December 1, 2015:

I get to decorate our first home for Christmas and put a pom pom garland on our deer hear (which I have been dying to do). 

December 4, 2015:

J and I cut down and decorate our first Christmas tree together! 

December 11, 2015:

I successfully make my first item for my new business that will be starting up shortly and I am just so excited! Today J also started working one day a week at a local farm where he is actively trying to educate himself for our own farming dream! He also brought home lots of fresh eggs!

December 14, 2015:

We get to find out the sex of our baby! 

December 25, 2015:

J and I will be in Maine celebrating our first Christmas together with his family and a fireplace and lots of snow hopefully! 

December 28, 2015:

One year married to my favorite man and hopefully spent together in Charleston. 

If this is how joy-filled our first year of marriage is then goodness I can't wait to be married to you forever. 

Somethings in the works!

I have finally been blessed with a chance to start up my own little business. It is a long time dream and passion of mine but has always remained a hobby and a really fun way to give gifts. Things are still in the works, I have only just recently finished receiving my equipment and supplies. I am in the experimental and educational phase right now and it is all very new to me. 

Clementine's will be a shop of pretty things for your children, your nest and just for you. Here are some past examples that may be similar to the things you'll find at Clementine's. 

linens 

pillows 

little clothes of all sorts (swaddle blankets)

and other pretty things like this!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is just a couple days away and J and I head out to visit the family in Florida before sunrise tomorrow! Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday for so many reasons other than our excellent meal. My family does thanksgiving really really well. I am not just being biased. They used to host the most extravagant Thanksgiving dinners at the Inn and invited what seemed to be hundreds of people when I was little....probably on average 40-50 plus the 100 children. I guess these years of so many food contributions and experiments evolved into the most perfect assembly of sides and turkey for our annual feast. Another reason our Thanksgivings were just so wonderful is because we love Jesus and we are so incredibly thankful for His gift, provision, and love and this spirit shines through us all during this time...or maybe it's the constant flow of mimosas...either way! 

So aside from our wonderful feast and family, these are some of the reasons Thanksgiving is just my absolute favorite! 

One: After 10 1/5 months of anticipation, Thanksgiving morning, the oh so longed for moment...my dad turns on our beloved Handle's Messiah. When I think about Christmas, I think about the messiah. Those familiar 7-10 notes that open the Sinfonia give me chills down my spine. Saving the messiah for Thanksgiving morning and through Christmas preserves how beautiful it is. It is never overplayed and the meaning is that much more prominent. It is my favorite holiday tradition. 

Two: Baking. One things that my parents did so well was invite their children to join in the excitement and responsibility of preparing for Thanksgiving dinner. Since we were little, we have all partaken and contributed to our dinners. There in nothing more exciting for a child than the praise you receive from your well done contribution. Thanksgiving morning is just a sweet time of coffee, messiah, and baking with my mom and sisters before my dad takes over the kitchen domain. In addition to this baking...after Thanksgiving we get to make Christmas cookies and the same wonderful mornings with my mom, sisters and christmas music (usually by this time we have expanded past just the messiah) carry on. 

Three: Decorating. We have always done nature inspired table decorations. We used to scavenge for berries, leaves, pine cones, and whatever else we could find to decorate alongside of candles and beautiful place settings. This was always so fun and an adventure. One time, on Thanksgiving morning in Rome, GA, my sister and I go to take some berries from the landscaping of a local shopping mall. Feeling like we were committing some awful crime we were trying to be discrete and we actually got pulled over on the way home because a couple cops saw us suspiciously sneaking around in the bushes. I don't think there was ever anything more awkward and embarrassing than trying to convince that cop that we were just getting table decorations for dinner...at least we had the berries to prove it. So decorating has always been very fun. But in addition to table decorations, my parents save all Christmas decorating until after Thanksgiving. It gets harder and harder to wait the older I get because the "holiday" season in society begins November 1st it seems and it is just a tease. But it is just so exciting to come home from Thanksgiving and break out the Christmas gear, hang the wreaths, set up the tree and pull out the most precious little handmade nativity. Our house has never been very over the top with the decorations. A lot of wonderful smelling balsam fir wreaths and maybe a garland on the mantel, a simple charlie brown tree decorated so beautifully, poinsettias and the few favorite treasures. I like it this way. 

From here on we start to get into the Christmas traditions and I will save that for another post. I am really excited this year because it is Js and my very first Thanksgiving and Christmas as a married couple and I am so excited to see our own traditions form. I am slowly bringing J around to the excitement of the holidays. His grinch heart is growing...jk he has never been a grinch, just never cared that much about the holiday festivities since I have known him. That is all changing.

Middle verse of O Holy Night.

Everyone knows the first verse...but see how sweet the second verse is! 

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,

With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand. 

O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming, 

Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land. 

The King of kings lay thus lowly manger; 

In all our trials born to be our friends. 

He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger, 

Behold your King! Before him lowly bend! 

Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

An eventful morning

Today I got to taste the scary side of living in a city. Little small town me had quite the morning. I was woken up by Gunner's ferocious bark and I could tell someone was at the door...usually it is Jehovah's witnesses who are not satisfied with my faith or our town crazy who likes to come and ask for work, money, or food quite often. Therefor I was not in any rush to answer whoever was knocking and took my sweet time getting dressed and making myself look presentable. When I got to the door no one was there so I thought I was in the clear. I closed the door and turned around and saw someone in my back yard on a bike. I was horrified and confused. I opened the door again and ran out into the front yard and noticed it was Js bike and this kid was stealing it. By the time I was outside he was in the street and as I started off to chase him, yelling in my bare feet and jammies, he looked at me and took off. I was horrified, I felt so helpless as he sped away on Js nice bike. I ran back inside and searched for my phone, called J and then went after him in the car on a hopeless attempt to retrieve my bike. By the time I was driving he could have been anywhere, turned down any street, gone to any house so I called it in to the police, looked around for about 20 mins and went home to meet the officer to tell him what happened...some high school boy, he was black, short dark hair, wearing dark clothes and he stole my husbands grey hybrid Trek bike...there couldn't be a more generic description.

For a couple hours I stewed and I couldn't stop thinking about how this kid had the nerve to go into my yard, while I was home with a car in the driveway and take a bike. He probably saw a glimpse of my not so awesome bike from the street, checked to see if anyone was home, my long hesitation to answer the door made him think not, and then when going to take my bike, noticed J's much nicer bike and thought he scored. I have had things stolen from me before, but it has been my own stupidity, misplacing, or carelessness that has resulted in it. This was a complete violation of home and property, trespassing and stealing right in front of me, and completely ignoring me as I ran out to try and stop him.

I decided to go search some more, get myself a latte to make it more enjoyable and look around the area I guessed he would go considering the direction he took off in. A friend of ours had their car stolen right out of their driveway while they were home and found it at an apartment complex in our neighborhood. I didn't know where that was exactly but I had come across some apartments that seemed to fit the description and so I had checked there in my first search for the bike and didn't see anything. Once I got my latte and searched again I decided to do another sweep of the complex and lo and behold, at the furthest back side apartment I see Js bike on the ground next to some stairs with two high school kids sitting up near the top. I stop right in front of the bike and stairs and I get sooooo nervous. I knew the kid who stole it was young and dumb but these apartments are not the safest, or friendliest looking. We know all about high school kids dropping out and joining gangs in this city and so my mind was thinking the worst and I couldn't even get out of the car. I called the city police and attempted to tell them I found the bike and my phone died. I was horrified. I thought I had gotten myself into a really stupid situation. If I leave they will hide the bike again, if I stay and they are mean then I am in trouble. The boy came down and I recognized him immediately and was actually impressed how well he fit my description to the cop. I asked him if he was going to give me back my bike or if I should call the police and have them come over here...totally bluffing with my dead phone. He told me he had no idea what I was talking about and that it wasn't his bike but he told me I could take it if I wanted...how nice...and then he took off. The other guy came down the stairs and he was older, maybe 18 or 19 and I told him I was taking my bike back and he said he had no idea what I was talking about, he is too old to be stealing bikes (probably graduated to cars at that point). I asked what the other kids name was and he wouldn't tell me so I told him if they ever tried a stunt like that again, next time I would't be so nice....I probably scared them to death...little white girl, clearly shaking to the bone, basically in jammies...."shame on you." I couldn't stop giggling while attempting to somehow fit Js huge bike in his tiny car just at the entire ordeal. I couldn't believe I found the bike, I was so excited.

Though this story came to a happy ending, and I feel like a bad ass for taking back the bike, it is actually terrifying to think of someone coming into your property and stealing. I am lucky this was just some punk kid, who hopefully I left an impression and showed he in not so tough or cunning, but we have had far more serious theft, shootings and killings in our neighborhood. This was a lesson to be much more careful with the security of our things, more prepared and alert. We know this is a good neighborhood and we also know the kids and student need love, protection and clear guidance. So many drop out of school and just fall into bad lifestyles, join gangs, and if they continue on that path for too long then things can get worse. I guess we are not in Bath, Maine anymore.

Oh Joy!

We have a little baby coming this May 2nd in the Cavanagh family. O happy day!

Music

Everything about my church is just so wonderful. J and I were so lucky to find such a Jesus loving, bible teaching community that just feeds our souls and our minds and also extends out of the church doors to our daily lives. It really is a blessing. With this though comes one sad sacrifice, the music. I am not criticizing the music, our church does a wonderful job and it is always pretty but it is contemporary and I was raised singing the old old beautiful hymns. I know that a lot of what I desire is just to be able to know the songs and sing along, but even so, when the rare moment comes of an old hymn being chosen, my heart leaps for joy only to fall in disappointment again because the melody is changed to be more contemporary. I truly just come home with an emptiness in my heart and start singing the old beautiful hymns my grandmother began teaching me when I was 5 or 6 years old. Just a few excerpts of a few of my favorite hymns.

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.

Abide With Me

1. Abide with me; fast falls the eventide;
   The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide;
   When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
   Help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with Thee at hand to bless;

Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness;

Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?

I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

O Love that wilt not let me go, 

I rest my weary soul in thee;

I give thee back the life I owe, 

That in thine ocean depths its flow

May richer, fuller be. 

The Old Rugged Cross

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, 

The emblem of suffering and shame;

And I love that old cross where the dearest and best

For a world of lost sinners was slain

Be Still My Soul

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In every change, He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Great is Thy Faithfulness

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!

  Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—

    Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Low in the Grave He Lay

Death cannot keep its prey, Jesus my Savior; 

he tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave he arose; 

with a mighty triumph o'er his foes; 

he arose a victor from the dark domain, 

and he lives forever, with his saints to reign. 

He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

I think that a constant, repetitive theme for contemporary music is "I am worthless and need Jesus" or something along the lines of "you have taken away my sins at the cross and saved me." I am not belittling these statements but I think one of the things about old hymns that truly just bring us to tears or give us goose bumps or literally put a smile on our face the entire time we are singing is not only how beautiful the song is and being able to thank God for simply music in all its glory but the stories, the most beautiful sincere prayers, the perfect descriptions of our suffering and pain, being able to know and understand the sorrow or joy we are singing about. Another aspect of the old hymns that I think is lost in the newer age of music is the strong person of God, the might and power of God, His glorious and "mighty triumph o'er his foes." How wonderful to see not only his grace, steadfast love, and provision, but also his sword, his strength and his victory. 

This is my favorite hymn I believe and how simply beautiful and perfect it is. My grandmother taught it to us when we were so little with the most beautiful harmony and twice it has made me cry while singing. 

Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,

Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heaven and home,

When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He:

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy,

I sing because I’m free,

For His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

“Let not your heart be troubled,” His tender word I hear,

And resting on His goodness, I lose my doubts and fears;

Though by the path He leadeth, but one step I may see;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy,

I sing because I’m free,

For His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted, whenever clouds arise,

When songs give place to sighing, when hope within me dies,

I draw the closer to Him, from care He sets me free;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.

I sing because I’m happy,

I sing because I’m free,

For His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

A few new members...

Meet Daisy (the brown hen) and Pepper (the white and black). This past weekend J and I built a little coop (too little we decided) and we were given these two beautiful hens. 

Gunner is fascinated. The first morning I let him out and he saw them, he took off to the coop and circled it frantically trying to destroy these intruders. Since then I have knocked some sense into him and he keeps his distance but whenever I go over to the coop, he becomes the bird dog again. 

The first day we had them, they roamed free in our fenced yard as happy as could be until dusk came and they had no idea where to roost. We found them up on on our window sills and spent a good majority of the evening trying to catch them and put them up in their coop. So for now they are staying in their little coop for awhile to become familiar with their new home. 

J in the Kitchen

This past weekend has been fun with J and all of his cooking. I am lucky he grew up with a mom who made such delicious home cooked meals and I am thankful J loved to watch. Cooking together is one of our favorite activities and truly brings us so much joy. There is nothing like making something new, completely from scratch and then eating it! Last night, J made homemade pasta from scratch. It was so much fun, so easy (maybe not easy but simple) and it was sooooooooooooo goooooood! We didn't roll the pasta thin enough but that was OK because it was the yummiest kind of chewy pasta. We made a butter cheese sauce and had some fresh oregano from our garden. Oh my goodness we will never buy pasta from the store again! The Italians would be proud! (or think we are foolish for it not being second nature...)

The Biltmore

This past weekend we visited my parents in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains where we stayed in a cozy little cottage, tucked away in the woods for two days. On our last day we visited Ashville. My mom, J and I went to the Biltmore Estate and toured the grounds. It was so wonderful in every way! We also did an Upstairs, Downstairs "behind the scenes" tour. There is no photography inside so wamp wamp, but of course our favorite parts were the servants quarters and downstairs kitchens. This estate was so grand and the landscape so wooded and hilly, overlooking the mountains, it was hard to capture on an iPhone the expanse of the property.