Military Wife

I grew up in a military family. I was born in El Paso, Texas and our family was stationed in Germany when  I was little. We were fortunate enough to settle in Virginia for nearly all of my childhood, a unique situation that we never took for granted. Now after many years, I am getting back into the military groove, this time taking on a different role.

I am so pleased and PROUD that my husband has made the commitment to serve our country. Who knew that I would come full circle from being a military child to a military wife?!

Jarrett will be heading to training soon and I will MISS him so much!! I take comfort in knowing that he is pursuing his dreams and that we will be reunited very soon. I have watched my mom and sister go through numerous deployments and I firmly believe that with separation comes strength! Thank you Jarrett for your service, I am mighty proud of you.

In the spirit of giving

Friday night I was at Trader Joe's picking up some goodies, scanning through my phone while the person in front of me was checking out. The young gentleman swiped his card, only to be notified by the friendly cashier that he had insufficient funds in his account. "But I deposited $40 in the account... there should be $40 in there," he said in a cracking voice with undertones of desperation. "Sorry, man. Head on over to customer service to see if they can set your items aside."

Without pause, I piped in, asking the cashier how much was owed. As the young man started to leave, I offered to pay for his items, a gesture that felt so obvious in my heart. I could tell he was shocked and extremely grateful as he offered me a hug in return. I told him that I simply wanted to be kind and wished him a Merry Christmas. After he left, the cashier smiled and said that he had never seen that done before. After ringing me up, he disappeared and then returned with a bright bouquet. This was certainly an unexpected and unnecessary surprise, but nevertheless appreciated. 

As these flowers bloom bright, I am reminded of how a simple gesture can make everyone's day. In this is a season of giving, true joy comes from serving those in need. 

The Lovefeast

In my book, the Christmas season truly begins with the partaking of the Lovefeast at Wait Chapel. It's hard to describe what make this service so magical. There is excitement in being surrounded by hundreds of Wake Forest students stealing away from finals, members of the community old and brand new, and familiar faces of those I've met over the past six and a half years. We all gather for the same reasons. To sing carols, hear beautiful music, find inspiration in the message, and of course, taste the traditional sweet coffee and bread.

As with all candlelight services, we close with jubilant cheer proclaiming "Joy to the World."

Let the Christmas season begin!!

My Blogging Why

Last weekend my mother-in-law was over for dinner (and a sleepover!) and I shared with her this precious video. We started to peruse the archives of my blog, reminiscing over stories from PA school and of course my sweet love story with her baby cub. It was fun to relive so many fun memories, captured though stories and pictures documented in my little virtual corner of cyberspace. This reminded me of the true reason I love to blog! To capture memories in time and to savor the little but big moments in life.

Blogging can be a bit scary, since essentially you're putting your business out there. When Whitney and I wrote Bellaspire, blogging became more of a task and a show than pure reflection and creativity. It was a fun adventure, but ultimately it freaked me out to have so many random strangers reading my business. I'm an extrovert with people I know and love, but definitely have introverted tendencies.

At the end of the day, it's nice to have this simple blog to connect with family and friends. There are no fancy widgets, no cool graphic designs, no corresponding Facebook and Twitter pages, and there is definitely not a huge following. And you know what? That's just the way I like it!! To me, blogging is therapy. A time to reflect, express, and remember why life is so good :). 

Grateful

I am grateful for this rainy Saturday morning, an excuse to rest and reflect instead of running around town. I had planned on working out and going to the Farmer's Market with a few errands on the way home. Instead, I brewed a pot of coffee and settled on the back porch for some quiet time with God.

I started reading "The New Resolution for Women" by Priscilla Shirer at the suggestion of my dear friend Sara. Dense in concepts that are entirely applicable to my life, this book challenges me to be grounded in the Lord. It all comes back to Jesus. This morning I focused on integrity.

I have built my character slowly over the years with a firm foundation, structurally sound with core values. I am learning to constantly evaluate and re-evaluate whether my actions and behaviors are in line with my beliefs and if the people I surround myself with contribute or retract from who I am. My friends bring out the best in me and we share our ideas and struggles, lifting each other up and loving each other along the way.

The pink journal in the picture above is my gratitude journal, where I spend a page or two every day reflecting on what I'm grateful for. The source of gratitude is infinite, the attitude and appreciation for blessings of utmost importance. Today I am grateful for:

• A morning off to reflect, pray, breathe, and blog (always a therapeutic process)
• Evening plans to hang out with Whitney and Shannon and they're exapand(ed/ing) families!
• Time set aside to study for exciting projects at work. We are expanding our knowledge base by the day and I am so grateful to be incredibly engaged in what I do. 

What are you grateful for today?

Finding Rest

Wednesday night is one of my favorite times of the week.  As we take the much anticipated turn towards the weekend, we gather with our small group to fellowship and study God's word.  Several weeks ago, we discussed the Biblical and practical nature of rest. Resting is a simple enough concept, but a state of existence that doesn't personally come easy. My tendency is to move, to think, to plan, to anticipate, to rethink, to redo, to engage, and to go go go.

My favorite time to rest is Thursday morning. I usually start the day with a quick workout and walk with the pup around the block. After showering, I always find my way back into my pajamas, this time with an accompanying cup of java to the tune of The Today Show. I spend the rest of the morning actively resting, tidying the house, sorting through stacks, compiling lists and strategizing one thing or another. This Thursday morning ritual is the reset button to a busy week.

While productivity is certainly beneficial to our family and my career (and while I have learned to seek and enjoy physical rest), it is no comparison to the true peace that comes through finding mental rest. Matthew 11:28 says "Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." This verse reminds me of the peace that comes easily as I spend time in the word and seek comfort in Christ.

It is so easy to get caught up in mundane demands, many of which we bring on ourselves. As I bring my concerns to the Lord, he quickly settles anxieties and fear, and it is then when I truly breathe and feel a genuine sense of peace and rest. My prayer is to seek this gift on a daily basis, listening as I hear him calling.

Me, from A to Z ... 4 years later

One of the best things about blogging is perusing the archives, a virtual journal of where I've been and what's inspired me along the way. Today out of curiosity, I skimmed back to May 9th 2009 to see what I was blogging about just hours before I met my husband. A list (no surpise there, I love lists) of me from A to Z. Here is an updated version 4 years later.

A - Age: 24 (29)
B - Bed size: Queen, so cozy! (King, even better!)
C - Chore you hate: Putting away tupperware (Putting away any dishes)
D - Dog's name: My future dog’s name will be Scout :) (Wrong! Baker, and I love her)
E - Essential start your day item: Drinking a mug of chai tea and listening to worship music (Same, although now I also have a love/hate relationship with coffee)
F - Favorite color: Yellow (Yellow)
G - Gold or Silver: Silver (Gold)
H - Height: in bare feet? 5'6" (Same, thank God)
I - Instruments you play: Piano, flute (Neither)
J - Job title: Physician assistant (in a few more weeks!) (Physician Assistant in Integrative Medicine)
K - Kid(s): Not yet (Baker, the pup)
L - Living arrangements: Rebecca and I have lived together for 2 years. I will miss her! (My husband and pup, I am so blessed)
M - Mom's name: Kathryn Patterson (Silly question)
N - Nicknames: Mircat, Mir, Mirs, Miri, Mirsie (Bit, BitBit from my husband)
O - Overnight hospital stays other than birth: Just as a kid (No accidents thus far)
P - Pet Peeve(s): Not calling when you’re running late (Same)
Q - Quote from a movie: “She can not go without gloves” (Inside joke, this is from Little Women)
R - Right or left handed: Right (Yep)
S- Siblings - Andrea (Love her)
T - Time you wake up: 7 (6:15 if I work out, 7:15 if I don't)
U - Underwear: Victoria secret and Aerie (Same, but newer pairs ;) )
V - Vegetable you dislike: Brussel sprouts (Love them now! I love all veggies)
W - Workout style: Running, hot yoga (Lifting weights, sprinting, HIIT, Pure Barre/Yoga)
X - X-rays you've had: Dentist, chest (Nothing new)
Y - Yesterday's best moment: Rebecca found her dream job! (I bought 16 pounds of meat at Fresh Market. Yes, I am now an adult!)
Z - Zoo favorite: Tigers! (and Mircats!)

I'll have to do this in another 4 years! By the way, it's good to be back at blogging!

30 Things I Love

{30 things I love...}

 Lazy mornings involving coffee and The Today Show
"Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young
Metabolic Effect and Jillfit
Traveling (Denver next week!)
My small group at church
Blogging (It's been too long)
Winston-Salem, Williamsburg, and Charlottesville (forever homes)
Red Wine and Dark Chocolate (new flames in my life)
Eating Paleo
... "Cornerstone" by Hillsong
Morning workouts
Wake Forest and UVA
Integrative Medicine
Role models, finding inspiration, being intentional
The first crisp fall football Saturday (and pumpkin anything)
Praying with my patients
Tanglewood (my happy place)
Silo, River Birch Lodge, and Cha Da Thai
Nut butters and coconut water
Playing soccer with my husband
My friends, truly the greatest
Boykin Spaniels (Bakie!)
Grilling out with friends (pineapple!)
Sprinting and skiing
Talking to my family every day
Destin {the perfect beach}
Trader Joe's, Fresh Market, and Whole Foods
Reynolda Village and the Farmer's Market
Podcasts and Pandora (Hillsong and Jim Brickman)
Optimism and finding the best in others

What do you love?