letters from the library {fall break}

dear fall break,

I cannot believe it's already thursday! you've been good to me this past week through time to refuel and time to get a lot of work done. since monday I have:

a) exercised three times.
b) updated all of my outlines & notecards.
c) gotten a somewhat good understanding of contracts **insert fist pumps x's 1000 here**
d) left the library by 5:00 every day.
e) all of the above.

while this is the first break where I have had to spend a majority of the time studying, I am so thankful for the rest that has come alongside of that! I've even been able to see Michael almost everyday this week & make dinner for us **yes, like really cook** Michael's apartment complex has the coolest ponds through the grounds and the trees are just unreal. they are just beginning to show signs of fall this week, and it makes me into the crazy person who stops and takes pictures all.day.every.day. overall, you have been just what the doctor **or just me** ordered. feeling like I can conquer the world these next 6 weeks of classes before finals! let's do this.

peace out.
yoga pants at the library for dayz.

go crazy with this {fall}

yesterday was my last midterm before fall break. to say I was a little relieved after that thing was over is a gross understatement! for weeks I had been wanting to go back to trader joe's and whole foods and target, but between class & being at the library there just was never enough time... and so that was my reward for making it through these past few weeks of hard-core study mode. when I got back home yesterday, I realized that my shopping bags were trying to tell me something... I have officially welcomed october with pumpkin & fall flavored/scented EVERYTHING!!! who even knew these things existed?! I even had time last night to take the summery colors off of my nails & replace them with a fall combo of deep red & grey... and this morning I get to go for a quick run in the crisp fall air before heading to class **time?! what is this you speak of?!?** 

here's to refueling, time to paint my nails, & waking up to fall! happy friday, peoples!!

{gratitude} lately

the past few weeks have been rough, and I can find myself easily complaining about little things. today I'm making a list of things I am thankful to remind myself there is good, even in the crazy...

 for warm chocolate chip cookies that give you energy to power through a late night at the library.

 for friends who share their amazing tea secrets, are always smiling, and countdown to wednesday night's mixxed fit class with you.

for great bbq & a hunky barbe-cutie (aka Michael James) **you da you da**

and for date nights that end here.

here's to holding onto the beauty in the midst of the crazy. praise the Lord a break is on the horizon!

just keep swimming

this is the last week before fall break. last week & this week have been marked **already** by late nights at the library, early mornings, trying to maintain some kind of life balance, studying because it's my job, midterms that count, midterms that don't count, and finally having time to go to the grocery store but forgetting to get half of the things you needed. there are so many things that I wish I could do, but yesterday was a good, full day. yesterday I was able to fold 3 loads of laundry & go for a run in the stunning weather here. it kills me to be in the library on days like yesterday when the temperature is perfect & there's not a cloud in the sky, but time constraints tell me that I can't do that because I've got a million other things I could be doing. so, how did I justify it? I took notecards with me to study while running **insert fist pumps here** 

needless to say, I am so looking forward to a break where I can have time to study and have time to do normal life things, like sleep. praise the Lord for 4 more days of crazy until there's a little breathing room for a.full.week. here's to time to paint my nails, sitting in beautiful weather, and finding nemo. just keep swimming, friends.

happy october

october ushers in my favorite time of the year: pumpkin candles, pumpkin pie, leaves changing, crisp mornings, thick socks, & oversized sweaters. octobers have gotten prettier with each state I've moved to. texas, october breaks the crazed summer heat, & you can almost feel the earth take a deep breath. arkansas, I've never lived anywhere that had so many trees and rolling hills & sights that take your breath away! and now virginia... it's similar to arkansas with the trees, except these are bigger. a lot of the buildings here have the historic, colonial architecture, which makes for dreamy scenes in the fall. then there's the weather... I'm a little more north than normal, and it has already started to get a little chilly in the mornings & evenings which is my favorite! it makes me crave just simply sitting outside. I got to do that for a few minutes yesterday evening... just sit. sit & breathe. october is in the air, & it's a beautiful thing!