101 in 1001: #14 Join a Church.

We raced up and down the dim hallways, exploring room after room after room, shouting at each other when we found something. For my brother and I, checking out a new church was almost as exciting as Christmas morning. You never knew what you might find. We got to check out new churches often because my mom is an interim minister (yep, I'm a PK ... a Pastor's Kid!), which means that she serves a church for a few years while they look for a permanent pastor. For us, that was generally exciting. New people to meet, new friends to make, new rooms to explore.

When I went off to college though, going to church was on me. What?? I'd grown up following my family from church to church and now it was up to me to decide if, when and where I would go. That was a huge turning point for me, and I really do think it set the stage for my post-college years.

Finding a church home has always been one of the first things I do in a new city. I want get involved, I want to worship alongside friends that share similar beliefs. Belonging to a church is just that ... it's belonging, it's having a sense of purpose.

Nathan and I knew we were home the first time we visited Forest Hill Church. I remember whispering to him during the service, "I've never seen a church this vibrant." I've pretty much overused the word "vibrant" when describing Forest Hill, but it's the word that always comes to mind. There's so much going on and everyone is SO happy.

I knew almost right away that we'd become members of Forest Hill Church, and this past Sunday we did. I felt like I was coming full circle ... from those really early days of exploring new churches, to making my own decisions in college, to this. I'm excited for what's ahead!

Beautiful Business Cards and Packaging

Since I started photography, every time someone asked for one of my business cards, I'd sheepishly hand over a homemade one. They didn't have smooth edges or sharp text and I longed for professionally made cards. One of the first pieces of advice Amanda gave me was always pay cash to further your business. If you don't have the money for a new lens, wait until you do. If you can't justify new business cards exactly when you want them, you'll have to be patient.

Well, guys, my patient(ish) waiting is over! I'm so excited to unveil my beautiful business cards and packaging (yes, that means NO more Jewel Cases!) from the lovely Kraft and Jute. Each of the pieces I'm about to show you fits my brand perfectly ... lots of burlap and kraft paper! Can't wait to start using these. :)

101 in 1001: #91 Learn How to Work Our Grill

OK, first, let me just preface this post by saying yeah, it's kinda weird that I'm writing about learning to work our grill. BUT, when I started my 101 list, I vowed to blog about each thing as a way to sort of "scrapbook my life" online. So, here it is. Boring or not. :) It has been absolutely beautiful here in Cleveland. Nathan and I decided to break out the grill on Sunday for the first time this year, and I insisted begged to cook our food myself. Usually Nathan's the grill master but he reluctantly handed over the tongs for the sake of my 101 list. Now I officially know how to stack the charcoal, open the flue and close the lid to grill the perfect chicken. Not that my chicken wasn't perfect. It was slightly chewy and overcooked ... but Nathan was nice and ate it anyways without saying a word until I mentioned it. Next time I'll get it!

(Please disregard the random letter B in the yard. Another bedroom project!)

Goodreads | The Train of Small Mercies, Love Wins & The Girls

You know that feeling when you finish a really good book and you don't want to start another one just yet because you're still hanging on to the last one? Or maybe you start another book but you just can't get into it because you're still thinking of the one you just read? That's how I felt after each of these books because they were all so good, but SO different! Check it out: The Train of Small Mercies by David Rowell. This is one of the best books I've read in a loooong time. I flew through this thing; it helps that it's an easy read. This is a story about multiple characters and how they react/deal with Robert F. Kennedy's assassination ... and all the tragedy that the country has faced up to this point. The entire book revolves around the train carrying Kennedy's body from New York to Washington, D.C. I'm embarrassed to say I knew almost nothing about Robert Kennedy, so bonus points for learning something, as well as being entertained.

Love Wins by Rob Bell. I've been a Rob Bell fan for awhile now because of his NOOMA series, but I had never read one of his books (it's now checked off my 101 in 1001 list). I needed to read this book. One that, yes, explores heaven and hell, but also pounds home the point: God loves you ... always. I really like Bell's writing style (very casual), and after I finished this book I felt like I needed to pick it up and read it all over again. There's so much packed into 198 pages, and Bell can so poetically put into understandable words and sentences things that I could barely comprehend before starting the book. Go.read.

The Girls by Lori Lansens. I can't say I've ever read a fiction (or non-fiction) story about conjoined twins ... until now. Rose and Ruby have been joined at the head since birth, and now, at 30 years old, Rose (the writer of the two) has decided she's going to write her autobiography. While she tells a lot of stories, I think the most interesting parts are about them: how they get around, how they decide what they're going to do each day, and how they lead a fairly normal life having never been alone in 30 years.