Weekend-O-Fun

3 day weekend of fun is here, and I am in bed fighting the headache of death. This seems to be a theme lately. I even paid a $40 co pay this week to have a doctor tell me to keep a headache journal and suggest I see an OBGYN instead because it’s probably a girl thing. What the heck?!

Josh’s friend James is in town, and his other friend Jonathan is coming tomorrow because they are running in the Austin Marathon this weekend. I know, right? I’ve been sooo looking forward to carb loading with them (Ya know, for the sake of the runners) but as of right now they are on their way to eat some of the best BBQ in Texas at Franklin’s and I am at home on the verge of  vomiting. Hooray.

Josh and I had a fun Valentine’s Day on Tuesday. I picked up some Filet Mignon steaks and whipped up some twice baked potatoes (actually, it took me 2 hours because it always takes me double the time the recipe says for some reason) and for dessert, since stores quit carrying Josh’s favorite holiday white chocolate dipped oreos, I dipped some in white chocolate myself. Man, I am resourceful. It was nice to splurge on a meal at home for a change. And my first time cooking steaks turned out 10000 times better than I expected. I even bought an extra steak, KNOWING that at least one of them would be ruined once I got my hands on them. Here’s the finished product.

It didn’t taste half bad, AND that extra steak I bought ended up being Josh’s lunch the next day. SUCCESS! We are not big gift people, and I think it is a little ridiculous when people buy each other presents that aren’t flowers or candy for V-Day, but I had the sweetest letter waiting for me on the bed Tuesday morning when I woke up. I married such a sweet guy.

 

I recently joined a pretty amazing Bible Study called BSF and I can’t wait to share in the next post about some things I’ve been learning/realizing through it. Mostly I have learned how completely little I know about the Word. This study is all over the country, and is actually international, so if anyone is looking for a place to learn a TON and be completely challenged, I would suggest looking into joining in your area. Pretty awesome stuff. Sorry for plug…Promise no one is giving me money or anything. Have an awesome weekend everybody!

Brother

When I was 8 years old, God gave me a little brother. He was the cutest thing I had ever laid eyes on. It didn’t take long before he started stealing all the attention that used to be mine. His punishment was years of being my own personal dress up doll and cheerleading stunt partner. Boy was he fun to have around. The Patterson family was finally complete the day Robby came into our lives. He has so much personality, is so talented, and never ceases to amaze us with his complete randomness. I miss him all the time, and absolutely hate the fact that I have lived so far away for his teenage years. I am so very thankful for that boy, and can not believe it has been 16 years since I first saw you. Happy birthday to the best brother I could ask for. I love you Robby!

 

Strugglin.

For whatever the reason may be, I have been super duper aware this week of some inward battles raging inside my head.

I deeply and truly desire to live a simple life. One free of striving to keep up with trends, one that is not hurtful to the environment, and one in which my mind is focused on things that are worth focusing on. Josh and I have made some hard decisions in our marriage to keep ourselves on this path to simplicity, like deciding to share a car, and not getting cable. I miss Food Network and all, but I really am proud of us for sticking it out based on what we want to achieve long term.

Even though my desire for a lovely, simple life comes so natural and easy at times, there are also more embarrassing moments which prove how far I have yet to come in my journey. One example happened this week when I walked into an Anthropologie store and literally felt tears welling up in my eyes. The clothes are so beautiful. The smells were so divine. My emotions, yet again, were too much to handle. My heart literally ached at how I knew I would probably never own anything like that. I will never have $300 vases gracing my solid birch buffet table, or walk around my house in a $200 silk robe with little birdies on it. But why, in that moment, was it so hard to swallow? I have known for a long time the type of lifestyle that God has in mind for Josh and I. Deep down I know that having pretty clothes won’t make me a better, more beautiful woman. So why was it so painful?

My desire to live freely and simply is always at war against my selfish human, thinking I deserve everything I could ever want. But me getting everything I want is not freedom. Freedom is choosing the life I want for myself and my family and making decisions to achieve that, instead of the advertising agency choosing that life for me.

I am so lucky to have such a great husband who never wants me to go without. I guarantee that when he reads this post (or if…?) he will be tempted to figure out which robe from Anthropologie I was lusting after and want to buy it for me. But he won’t, (because I’d kill him) and because he leads us in a way that his wife feels loved and valued, putting my need for growth and guidance above my wants for temporary treasures.

I’m not sure if anyone else experiences these outrageous mood swings over cake platters and blouses, but I will assume I am alone in this for the sake of everyone’s dignity.

And besides the shopping incident, I had such an amazing week. I finished my first week at National Elite Gymnastics. See? It’s official!

It was an insanely beautiful week here in Austin. Henry and I had some great trips to the park and Greenbelt enjoying some 70 degree weather and sunshine.

And then when we get back home, Henry looks like this.

 

Josh and I also had a couple fun dates this week, including a very messy cooking-making session in the apartment last night with some of my new baking toys I got for Christmas.

That’s all I got, folks. Have a great weekend and enjoy the Supah Bowl tomorrow!

Bye!