it's always better when we're together

I may have just gotten more than a little emotional sitting on the couch watching a video our friends made for Hunter's 21st birthday.  That was 9 years ago. Holy moly.

They came down to see us that summer for his birthday and brought this little video montage with them. That year had been pretty much a disaster for us--our relationship was in tact, but our world was crumbling. And let me tell you something...God's almighty hand put these people in our lives to walk that journey with us. 

We hadn't even known each other a year by this point. But even then, we knew without question that the connection was firm, sincere, and unshakeable. We've walked with each other through weddings, divorces, babies, moves, weight gain, mission trips, deaths, hard diagnoses, bad decisions, school, vacations, and everything in between. These people undoubtedly helped (and keep helping) shape us into the people and couple we are. They love us when we're wrong. They love us when we're annoying. They love us even though we're far away. They love us because we are us. And that's just as grand as it gets, folks. 

Watching those pictures scroll through, this time knowing how life has turned out so far for all of us, was such a different feeling. We were so young and so stupidly unaware. And oh how there are so many days I wish we could all just go back and relive it. 

Let's just be honest. Sometimes this life sucks. It just flat out beats you up. People mess with your heart. Disaster and disrase have no prejudices. The demands of the daily will wear you ragged. Not to mention kids and work and adult-ing. As that ever so "lovely" episode of Grey's Anatomy put it this week: the carousel never stops turning. 

But you know what makes the ride possible?  Your people. The ones who will jump out and get crazy dizzy with you so you're not alone. The ones who climb in the trenches with you, tell it like it is, and force you to climb back out. The ones who laugh with and/or at you because it's just necessary. The ones who put you in your place, whether that's being taken down a notch or two or ten, or offering praise. The ones who know your dark moments. The ones who are there (even if it can't be physically) and you don't even have to wonder if they will be. Your people not only make life sucking more bearable, they make it pretty fantastic. 

And as I sat on my couch tonight, softly weeping (aka cheeks flooded with tears and ugly crying...), my heart and spirit overflowed with gratitude for these people. These hilarious weirdos that I get to do life with. 

I love my people. 

Xoxo, angie

Ps. I know that all of you are going to make fun of this random emotional outburst. Get over it. You know I'm the bleeding heart and you love me in spite of it (or maybe even because of it!).  Just humor me and embrace all the feels, k?  K. 

let me tell you about my friend...

We moved to this area a little over five years ago.  It is definitely not "home", as Louisiana, particularly Lake Charles, will always hold that treasured title.  However, we fell immediately in love with our little church and the family there.  And now five years later, we just wouldn't be the same people without them.

This post is going to give a little glimpse into a friendship I found there...possibly in someone a little unexpected...but then again possibly not.

My Dajuanna.  

She is such a beauty!  Her smile and laugh light up a room (I know how cheesy that sounds, but it really is true); she has the literal voice of an angel and can hit notes and harmonies without even breaking a sweat; she always matches and accessorizes with the best of them; she's just beautiful.

But even more so than that, her spirit is beautiful.  She is one of the kindest most tenderhearted people on this little planet.  She bends over backwards to help other people, is always at the center of everything going on, and has a true heart for our Jesus.

Over these past five years, we found ourselves smooshed together time and again with all of our youth group events, ladies' classes, craft clubs, and on and on.  It didn't take long for us to really click and form a full on friendship.  This past year (2013) however, has been the year for us to get to a whole new level of closeness.

This year, we have grown inseparable.  To the point that multiple people have told each of us that we're together all the time.  And when we went a week without seeing each other, they commented on how odd that was for us.  We hadn't even realized that yet!  We craft together and plan events together and love to be silly together.  But this year connected us spiritually, even more than all of our church events past.

On top of monthly crafting gatherings, more youth activities than I can count, coaching our LTC chorus, cheering on our kids at their events, and every bit of "girl talk" we can squeeze in...this year, three big things happened:

Our fabulous LTC Chorus kiddos.  They make us proud.  Pretty much all the time.

--We chaperoned our youth group's trip to Encounter, and in depth and intense youth camp at Lubbock Christian University.  There were 10 of us who went and that week changed all 10 of us forever.  We have experiences and memories no one else will understand.  We poured our hearts out to each other and spent a lot of time in the throne room together, feeling the movement of the Holy Spirit amongst us.  That experience connected us forever, on a whole new level.  We were mentors and towers of strength for five vulnerable and open-hearted teens, and we embraced just how much we love them and each other.

--We planned a youth rally together.  Every detail was prepared together, prayed over, and thoughtfully planned out.  That experience--we still can't believe we actually did it!--connected us forever, on a whole new level.  We were an amazing team, and we embraced just how well we work together.

We even matched (unplanned) on our last day of decorating/prep.  One in the same, I tell ya!

--We planned, prepared for, and taught a ladies' day using Lysa Terkeurst's book, Unglued.  This experience changed our lives.  We had heard Lysa speak at Women of Faith and Dajuanna bought the book.  She came to me a few weeks later and asked if I would help her do a small ladies' day that actually was meant to be a craft day (she had also just signed up as a Stampin' Up! demonstrator)...we had no idea what it would turn in to.  For three solid weeks, we delved into this book.  We could basically quote it and flip to certain material without thought.  The pages of that book are packed with scripturally inspired application for learning to control your emotions.  What woman doesn't crave that desperately?!  Every day, we talked and planned and prayed;  we giggled and cried when we noticed the Lord's blatant hand in our planning.  We crafted and created beautiful gifts that turned into gifts of grace and memoirs of gratitude.  We decorated and cooked and gifted these ladies with precious treasures.  Then we finally mustered up the courage to actually present this material to them which had captivated our hearts.  And because we allowed the Almighty to lead us and enter that place, all of them were also captivated.  We were even asked to come present it to another congregation (which we have since done and it also was a beautiful day)!  That experience connected us forever, on a whole new level.  We basically became the same person, tenderly understanding God's desires for His girls and willingly accepting the call to spread that to others.  We were leaders, teachers, and vessels of the Spirit, and we embraced our steps of imperfect progress in our friendship and in our Christ-walk.

Plus, do you SEE those pants?!  Anyone who will not only wear those with me, but buy them for me for Christmas--we're meant to be :)

She really is my God-sent soul-sister who has given me a bountiful gift in her friendship.  I am so incredibly grateful for every memory we get to share, for every lesson we get to learn, and for every giggle we get to embody.

So this fella Trey told a story at our youth rally about finding a best friend in 80 year old Garth... While our ladies aren't quite 80 (!), we Browning girls have each found our own "Garth".
What a blessing they are to us! 

I hope you like me, Garth...because you're stuck with me :P  You are so, so precious to me, sweet friend, and I thank our God every day for choosing us for each other.

xoxo, angie

"Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God."  --Philippians 1:3

a birthday wish

We all have {or at least I hope for each of you} that one friend that just gets us.  The one we can be completely honest with, tell all of the embarrassing and nasty secrets and realities, let them see us at our worst.  The one we can giggle with all-night-long, speak without talking, and pick up right where we left off no matter how long it's been...

Well, my person is named Rachel.  And I adore her.  And today happens to be her birthday--whoop!

This lady right here {and her boys} is family that I got to choose.  She is one of the toughest cookies on the block who tells it like it is and does what she has to to get the job done.  She's hilarious, honest, and pretty much the most adorable and beautiful person I know.  And as if all that wasn't great enough, she's a Jesus girl, and that really trumps anything else on any list.  We just fit.

Here she is at her toughest, loving on her beautiful second son who has had the deck stacked against him for a long time and he just keeps fighting right through it all.  He's a warrior!  The strength and faith, peace and resolve that she has lived during these past five weeks fighting for her little boy leaves me speechless...

So here's to you, dearest friend!  I hope this birthday brings you a great appreciation of the life you have led--you're pretty incredible.  I hope you get pampered and spoiled and reminded of how loved you are.  I hope you have the chance to relax and rest.  I hope it is simply marvelous!  Happiest of happies--happy birthday!

xoxo, angie

in the quiet...

One of my favorite parts of the day is the very end of it.  When I get the living room and kitchen picked up and cleaned up, I get Arabella tucked in and snoozing soundly (and sometimes Hunter is too), and I get to sit down on my couch...in the quiet...

I don't usually keep my house quiet because I don't enjoy it.  The TV or some sort of music is always playing.  But for those few seconds when my day is closing, the quiet is beautiful.

Tonight I'm using it to meditate on a few things.  Our absolute best and dearest friends had their second sweet boy last week.  However, he has faced many complications since coming into this world and is having to fight for his life.  In turn, our sweet friends' world has been completely changed--it always is when you welcome a new life, but this is completely different.  Their days and nights both now consist of constant trips back and forth between the hospital with son #2 and home with son #1; reading and researching information about what the doctors are telling them; praying with every ounce of their being for their tiny son to come out on the other side completely healthy...their routine, their priorities, their lives are completely different.

Their names haven't left my heart or my lips these past few days.  I'm reminded of the scripture that discusses the Holy Spirit's intervention for us through prayer when we can no longer find words for our emotions.  I've been in that place this week.

However, they are handling this situation with so much dignity, so much grace, and so much faith.  They are all fighters, trudging through this crazy world relying solely on the hope that our Jesus provides.

As my heart turns over them tonight, my personal struggles seem minute.  These past few weeks have been hard for me--not because of anything I can specifically point out, but for the state my spirit has found itself.  And now my perspective is coming back into focus.  You are always aware of the fact that someone (many someones actually) out there has it worse than you do.  But when the struggle comes this close, but is still so distant (both physically and metaphorically...I will never know the battles and struggles they are facing even if the Lord chooses to write a similar story for me)...when the struggle hits you hard but not directly...you are forced to remember how good you've got it.

So although my spirit still struggles to find its peace, I'm able to search for hope.  Because my heart is focusing so much on my sweet friends and their precious baby, my defeat and my failures are losing the priority that Satan has allowed them to have in me these past weeks.

Tonight in the quiet, I rest in my blessings--in my beautiful and healthy angel sleeping gently in the next room; in my hard-working and nurturing husband who helps keep me going; in my Jesus, whose name alone holds power beyond our reasoning and whose grace catches us softly when we think we've hit the bottom.

I sit and I offer thanksgiving...for friends, for Miracle Maddox, and for hope...

love, angie

Hoot Knows Jewelry

A sweet friend of mine, Brooklyn, personifies beauty to me.  She was gifted with sparkling eyes and a contagious smile.  Her sense of style is modest and trendy, and she accessorizes with the best of them.  On top of this, her humble and soft spirit compliment her passionate love for Jesus.  I'm telling you, the girl just radiates beauty!

See what I mean?  Beautiful.

She's a fellow blogger and has also begun making and selling her own jewelry line, Hoot Knows!  We were able to stop in and visit with her and her husband a couple of weeks ago, and she allowed me to peruse her stock and select some pretties to keep as my own.  I could hardly decide what I wanted because I wanted all of it!

I managed to narrow my choices down to two pairs of earrings and two necklaces.  They are perfect!  Simple, yet they make a statement.  L.O.V.E.

I got these two pairs of earrings, "Pearly Whites" and "Jade Love Birds".  

The pearls are so classy.  Not only do they go with every single thing imaginable, but the drop design adds a perfectly simple touch of sparkle.  

And the birds are so sweet.  I am loving the oil rubbed bronze color, not to mention the mint color the jade stones take on.  They add just a little fun and whimsy to any outfit.

Although I don't wear jewelry all that often (especially since my wee one decided they look like really fun toys), I have worn each of these pieces multiple times since I got them a couple of weeks ago!  Since I don't wear earrings every day, I usually can't leave them in for more than an hour or so before they start hurting my ears.  And then I pay for it once I take them out by having sore ears sometimes even into the next day...  But these earrings have not bothered my ears at all!  They're light weight and made of good material.  I barely remembered I was wearing them until I'd catch a glance in the mirror.

And the necklaces are so fun!  Both are oiled bronze in color, one with an oval owl pendant (I am so into the owl phase that's happening now), and the other is a dangling charm peacock.  He jingles when I walk which makes him even more festive in my opinion :)  The chains also add quite a bit of character, being they're not the normal thin and plain ones.

I know it's a little blurry (thanks to cropping an iPhone photo), but this gives you an idea of how perfectly these necklaces accent your wardrobe (this is the Peacock).  They are the perfect length, size, and weight; and they're also the perfect combination of detail and simplicity.  

Plus, she brings out her crafty side even more and provides your jewelry on these beautiful placards made of sheet music.  Just a beautiful touch that makes the homemade love clear...

So here's the really good news!  Brooklyn is offering a discount code for all of my "dancing" readers!

Here's what you need to do:

• Visit her website and check out her really cool stuff! 
• She's always making new things to replace what sells so the inventory will not always be the same--and she also does custom work if that's something you're interested in!  
• Put the pretties you want in your cart and enter the code: DANCING10 (must be in all caps) to receive a 10% discount!

Help support my sweet friend and her talents--and get yourself some trendy trinkets and some unique Southern charm in the process!  Give her some love, blogland.  You'll be glad you did.

love, angie

**as of today, she has not yet posted any of the necklaces.  However, she is planning to add some more product in the next few days.  If you're interested in a necklace, contact her directly using the contact button on her website!

Nashville drive through

So I mentioned on our trip to Kentucky for the wedding that we drove all the way up there in one day--because we're insane.  The wedding was late Saturday night and there was just no way we were going to be able to get up early enough to make it home the whole way on Sunday after staying up late and a busy weekend.  So during the reception, I had to start making new arrangements for our daughter and figuring out all of the details that went along with that... But it was definitely the only option.

So we decided to sleep in a bit and rest up, drive to Nashville and crash with some friends (free boarding!), and hit the road super early Monday to finish off the trip home.  This worked pretty well--although Monday was another travel day that felt like it would never end; the miles and hours seemed to grow at each pit stop...  Anyway, we got to squeeze in a somewhat quick but great visit with some of our dearest friends!  And we all got to take some time touring Nashville--a new experience for all of us!

Here are some highlights of our little 15 hour visit:

First off we hit the road again to go see the homes of some stars.  First up was the late George Jones' ranch.  It was in the back of a small "neighborhood" (a street with several really large homes on it) and it was gorgeous.  The following pictures are all of his property.  We also saw Martina McBride's and Little Jimmy Dickens' homes but the pictures didn't come out well.

3 in the front, 3 in the back to tour Nash-town.  I got to sit and giggle between two of my favorite boys.

Next up we drove up and down Music Row to see where all the magic happens...

And then we spent the rest of the evening walking around down town...

Country Music Hall of Fame.  Notice that the windows mimic the black keys on a piano.  We didn't get to go in because they were closed, but it's a place I hope I get to tour someday!

This is the new fancy conference center they're finishing up to open this fall.  I don't remember the name of it, but it was snazzy and will probably house the country awards ceremonies in the future.

Sonny making friends with Reba's star

Downtown at sunset from the pedestrian bridge that crosses the Cumberland River

The Titans' football arena just on the other side

I liked this shot because it caught the CMT building all the way to the word Nashville painted on a building...

Photobomber...  but I love him, so it's all good.

There we all are!

We of course had to stop by the Ryman Auditorium.  The Grand Ole Opry was too far off for us to visit.

Such a pretty piece of history...

We ended the night at Puckett's Grocery and Restaurant for dinner--DELICIOUS!  Plus they had a live band playing (actually a collective, not a band--I just learned a little bit about this movement during an SXM interview with the Rend Collective Experiment).  The group playing for us that night was the Cumberland Collective.  The food was fantastic, the music was great, and the company was phenomenal.

Plus Willie joined us for dinner so who could complain?

There were nine people playing up on stage and they were all incredible musicians.  We also got to sit next to a group of old folk traveling together from Pennsylvania.   

The whole gang

 It was a great mix of old friends and new ones.  We relaxed a lot and laughed even more (especially when Fosh barked at the pedestrian walking his dog...late at night...on a curvy, hilly road.  Pretty sure we scared him and the dog silly).  What a great way to end a great weekend!  We'll be back in Nashville one day--hopefully soon!

love, angie