Who I am

hey y'all.

I'm Sarah and I can't wait to get to know you! Thanks for coming by to share my life and my heart.

So thankful for the blogging community...it truly has added to my life.

me:

I am a 32 year old mama of two beautiful little ladies, Abigail (5) and Bethany (3), and a brand new baby boy Isaac (born January 2015), who are my world!

They keep me on my toes in every way, and I wouldn't trade staying home with them for anything.

Having babies rocked my world in the best way possible.

(preggo with baby Isaac, picture by Danielle Burkleo)

randoms:

I love Nutella (mainly on tortillas...think "nutella taco").

I am obsessed with the show Friends and will beat you at the boardgame every time.

Yes, I own the Friends boardgame.

I am a die-hard Texas Aggie fan (my Daddy raised me right), even though I went to school at Baylor.

I have been married to Parker for almost 12 years.

We've been through LOTS together, more than the average young couple...

but God has seen us through.

I wear Uggs every day in the winter, and Reefs every day in the summer.

my shows: Grey's, Parenthood, Shark Tank, Downton Abbey, The Good Wife, and Fixer Upper.

I am adopted and think it is the most amazing blessing someone can give and receive.

I am a Texas gal living in Oklahoma hoping to live in the mountains someday.

I love to blog and connect through social media (I have met some of my very best friends though it).

I write here about the seasons of life God has us walk through,

and about the faith that has made me who I am...and continues to mold me.

And I share about my sweet children, and everything in between.

My goal here on this blog is to be real.

I hope we can share life together through this little space...

Feel free to drop me an email or follow me here!

Would love to get to know you.

 So there you have it.

I hope you sit and stay a while. :)

Hope Spoken is almost here!

I am BEYOND excited that Hope Spoken 2015 is happening THIS WEEK.
My heart literally is so so happy that it is finally here!!
I look so forward to being in His presence and being uplifted by so many amazing women...again!

One neat thing about this year?
I have lots of my "people" that will be there.
My "tribe" (see below) of girls who i met through blogging, but are my closest friends now,
some precious friends from Norman (where we live now), including my amazing next-door neighbor,
AND some of my oldest and dearest friends from Dallas who have been part of our "spiritual family" for 20 years now!
....and of course new friends who I either met last year at Hope Spoken, or hope to meet this year!

I totally cried this morning just thinking of getting to worship in one room with these sweet women from all different  areas of my life.
How AMAZING.
Just does something to me emotionally.

I can't wait for it all, and for what I know the Lord has in store.
Especially for the women who did not attend last year...I think the Lord is going to just blow them away with his sweetness through this conference!

So get ready, ladies.
Come prepared to taste His goodness and to reminded how much He cares for you!!

(I thought I'd re-share my post about Hope Spoken last year... :)  )

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"Hope Spoken 2014: God showed up"

I can't even, I don't even know...how to start about this last weekend.
Hope Spoken wasn't just a good conference. It wasn't a "blogging thing", it wasn't a women's retreat, It wasn't a place to hear good speakers and take pictures with friends.
It was a place God showed up.
His presence fell and His Spirit got the attention of many women there.
Women who, like me, needed a fresh taste of His goodness.

Amidst all the beautiful women and beautiful stories of God's redemption and power and grace,
the most beautiful part for me, was seeing women open up and share their stories.
THEIR stories. THEIR souls. THEIR heartaches, THEIR fears. THEIR lives.
THEIR encounters with the goodness of God.


I think a lot of times we can so easily think that other people, "bigger" people than us, have stories that matter more that our own.
NOT true.
It's easy to think that amazing author or that "big" blogger has a story and a life testimony that matter more than ours.
YOUR story matters. Anything and everything you have been through...it's valuable.
And what I saw happening all around me at Hope Spoken, was women opening up and telling their own stories, because when God's presence comes, it creates a space to be real and comfortable.


 (that's my tribe, my girls I can't do life without. We all got to be together, which made the weekend even better)

Not only were the decorations and goodies sheer perfection (though I did not get a macaroon! tear.), the community building aspect to the weekend's flow was perfect.  The way it was set up and run and scheduled was so good. The speakers were awesome. The worship leaders were wonderful. The small group aspect was perfect.
Danielle, Casey and Emily left no detail undone and I am so amazed how the weekend went, especially it being the very first one. Those ladies should be so proud of themselves for following their dream and seeing it come to life so beautifully
God showed up in all the details.

I had the honor to lead a small group throughout the weekend, and I could not have asked for a better one. The openness, the tears, the loving spirits shared between all these women who had all just met was really inspiring. God showed up...kindof the theme here, right?
I was humbled to hear different stories and to hear these women encourage each other.
I actually had things in my head to say for each session, but the Lord always just took over...which is really exactly what I prayed would happen. His agenda, not my own.
And things the women shared? I needed.
I needed to hear other people's stories.
And I came away with a love for these new friends, which is awesome
(love you ladies, miss you!)

- - - - - - - - - -

The reason I started this blog was because after our first miscarriage, I needed a place to tell my story. I needed an outlet to help me process, to just "put it out there".
(I think a lot of bloggers can relate to this).
And so I did.
And then I realized how much it helped me, and even connected me with others who were going through the same.
My point is...through that inner-hurting need and desire to be heard, I gained life.
Through sharing my loss, I gained life.
And through continuing to share my story here...I have gained SO much life.

So my encouragement to you?
Find a place to share your story.
Seek it out. If you don't have people you feel safe sharing with, then journal in some way.
I promise you...you need to tell your story.
And I can promise you this too...someone else needs to hear your story.

- - - - - - - - - -

I will share more about Hope Spoken next week, but just wanted to say all this for now.
Also, here are a few pics of the weekend!
*Tickets for next years conference go on sale soon. Last weekend of March 2015 in Dallas! Please consider going! Ill keep you posted here ab it all!*







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Cant wait, y'all!!

heartthrob.

Seriously cannot get enough of this little man.

Hope yall have a great weekend!

hey hey

hey friends, hey blogland, just hey.

I've missed you.

I've been doing lots of this lately....

(this sweet shot was captured by Abigail!)

So here is my brain and my heart today...here on this page.

Excuse the jumble, just felt like bloggin!

- - - - - - - - - -

Some days lately are filled with complete amazement at how full my life feels,

and other days i feel like I'm trying to just catch my breath.

Sleep is here and there and so the coffee pot stays running all day long.

The newborn phase is unbelievably sweet, I love every second and want to do it forever and ever...

and God gave me an easy easy little man this time around, for which I am so thankful!

The three and five year olds are the ones that exhaust me, let's be real.

They run circles around me, literally, while I sit and nurse my sweet boy.

They love their little brother so so so much!

My girls both love with an intense love, from deep down, even physically.

I literally have to make sure they don't squeeze him too tight!

It's such a treasure to see.

Especially because the last time I saw Abigail with a newborn sibling, she was only 2.

Tooootally different to see her interact as a 5-year-old.

I love it.

Isaac.

Sweet precious Isaac Jonathan.

He is 6 1/2 weeks now. CRAAAAZY, right? Time has flown.

I fall in love more every day.

And to be honest, I was worried about how it might feel different to love a little boy versus my two girls.

And I'll say this, it IS different, in the BEST way possible.

He is breaking my heart already! He is so handsome, so sweet, so snuggly.

His smiles melt me. I tell him this all the time, but he is just such a peaceful little guy.

God knew I needed that in #3 I think.

He has avoided the colic that plagued my girls so badly the first several months of life (praise God!).

He is a great sleeper so far and only cried when he's hungry or passes gas!

Just a miracle, this little dude. In every way.

I have yet to share his birth story, but plan to really soon.

I havent yet, partly because I am trying my best to prioritize life right now as I adjust to another child, and for me, blogging has obviously not been at the top of the list.

But I also havent shared it because it honestly is really hard to think about still.

I know that sounds terrible, yall.

Because the end of the story is the BEST gift possible, our son.

But the journey of labor and delivery was far from a happy thing for us this time around.

But I want to write it out, and I know it needs to be shared.

Look for that coming soon.

And this picture below is Abigail talking to her Daddy on a pretty significant night

we had with her recently.

That night, Daddy led us all into our little prayer closet before bedtime, where we spent some of the sweetest time as a family we've ever had.

One of those moments looking back, that I'm glad I didn't discourage staying up late even though I was totally spent after a long day.

Anyways, Parker led us in learning a scripture (we are going to start doing that every month), and also in playing some worship songs. 

Isaac slept peacefully, and the girls danced around and soaked up the Lord's presence in their own little ways.

Abigail became super inquisitive and discerning all at once...more than she usually is.

She always has been spiritually mature for her age, even prophetic at times.

But it's like something shifted in her little soul that night.

It will be one we will always remember.

I can't wait to watch the Holy Spirit blossom in her!

and speaking of the girls...

yes, they remain the divas of the house. :)

I have loved watching their little mama spirits come out as they love on their baby brother.

And while far from easy ages...I also love this stage right now.

SO much happening in their little brains and hearts.

Figuring out life around them, become closer to each other as sisters, loving on a newborn, discovering reading (Abigail), nurturing their desires to be creative..

While the tantrums and whining episodes are many...the fun is increasing too.

They challenge me daily in ways I am still figuring out...

I dont think I ever knew what a soul-refining job motherhood would be!

It truly might be one of the most.

I feel like I have adjusted well to adding a third, 

(him being an easy baby has certainly helped that!)...

but my patience is still tested by the older two having constant desire for independence, 

yet still mainly dependant on me.

Some days are rough, but we are ALL learning how to deal!

Loving the little years. Mess and all.

Letting go and letting them find themselves and learn who God created them to be.

Some days it comes easy, but I'm trying to learn how how to best embrace it ALL!

hmm, what else is on the brain?

oh yeah, eating.

well I gave myself about 6 weeks to eat whatever I wanted bc I've still been in new-baby-contstantly-hungry-from-breastfeeding-land.

BUT the last few days, Parker and I have been instituting some big changes around here.

Eating whole foods, lots of grains, fruits and veggies. No meat or dairy.

And yes, you heard that right from this Texas girl...no meat or milk. WHAA?

all I gotta say is...you need to watch Forks Over Knives if you haven't seen it yet.
(you can find it on netflix or amazon)

SO...here's to health...and lots of yummy fruit. :)

AND on the health note...

Today I start back to running.

Parker and I are registered to the the OKC Memorial Marathon Half, in 8 weeks.

yikes!

But I think I can do it.

My post-partum stiff body is SO ready to get back to moving!

In the current issue of Oklahoma Sports and Fitness Magazine, 

there is a write up about this year's race.

And guess what? In the article, there is a pic from my friend and I finishing last year!

so cool.

aaaaand definately motivating for this year's training!

Treadmill today, yall!

(it's snowy and freezing outside)

Well, I guess that's all for now.

Just catchin up a little with you. :)

The Lord has spoken pretty clearly about this month being the start to some new things for me, for us...look forward to sharing that as it unfolds!

So cheers to March 1st today!

Blessings, friends.

babies don't keep.

{via}

...this is where you can find me these days.
totally in love.