A Soft Heart & Tears

Lately, there have been quite a few things that I have watched or read that have really touched my heart. The emotion has left my heart aching and I find myself on the verge of tears.

From the seemingly silly moments, like last Saturday when Mike & I saw a deer slip and scrape his leg on the pavement as he was running away from the busy highway. I was really worried that the deer had gotten injured, but Mike assured me that even if that was true, it was better to have a scraped leg than to be hit by a car. (Alright, true...you got me there.)

And on the same night, when we pulled into our apartment parking spot, and watched a momma bunny rabbit run away from our car, but in doing so, leaving her babies behind. I couldn't get over the fact that these baby bunnies were left huddling in fright. I was so worried that the momma was not going to come back that I watched out our bedroom window until she slowly moved from the side of the building back toward her babies.

And then there are the larger scale tragedies, like the tornadoes that have been ripping through Texas and Oklahoma. My heart breaks for everyone effected by the devastation of these storms. I can't bring myself to look at any more pictures of the damage and the scared faces of those who have lost their homes and people dear to them.

In relation to the tornadoes, I was touched by (and entirely impressed with the classiness of) Tom Bergeron (host of Dancing With the Stars) and his request that the audience hold their applause after coming back from a commercial break. In his words:

“Here’s why,” Bergeron said, on the verge of tears. “We’re a live show, and as such, occasionally we go to air in the shadow of tragic events. That happened April 15, when we went to air hours after the Boston bombing. And it’s happened again today. While we’re having a celebration here [in the ballroom], we want you to know our thoughts are with everyone who’s been affected by the devastating tornado in Oklahoma City.”

“I would, however, ask you to applaud the amazing courage of the first responders on site,” Bergeron added, visibly shaken before introducing the next dance. (source)

In the same episode of Dancing With the Stars, I literally got chills and broke down in tears after watching Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough dance to a song called "Beneath Your Beautiful." This was their "freestyle dance" in the finals of the competition, and they chose to focus purely on the dance, rather than an overdone production.

via

After all of this happened, I read this post from Ashley at The Shine Project, and her words helped me to understand an underlying truth in the meaning of my soft heart and tears. Hard times and unimaginable tragedies can (and do) happen to any of us. That's why it's so easy to feel heartbroken for others who are suffering - we understand each other. Maybe we haven't walked the exact same road, but we understand how hard life can be, and how important it is to keep fighting and supporting each other through those hard times. In Ashley's words:

I once heard a quote that said, I may not know what the future holds, but I know who holds the future. That stands truer today than ever. I know there's a plan for each of our lives. Don't fight it. Grow with the hard steps, and connect with the people around you. They have things to offer you that you can't find anywhere else, that's why God has given us to each other. We need each other to survive. (source)

Tonight I am praying for peace worldwide and comfort for all those who are struggling. Indeed, I know God has a plan in everything, and I pray that He keeps my heart soft so that I can continue to connect with others, even if just through small moments with a deer on the side of the road and a dance performance on a reality TV show.

DIY Necklace Holder

I brainstormed several ideas for Mother's Day gifts before finally deciding on what I wanted to make. I came across several photos showing fun and fashionable ways to display your necklaces and bracelets, and knew it would be a perfect gift for my mother-in-law!

I really love the finished product, and I was so pleased that my mother-in-law found several places she could put it in her house! This project is easy to personalize to reflect your personality, or the style of the person you are gifting it to. In my search for supplies, I came across those beautiful shabby chic clothes pins from Michael's, and I just couldn't leave the store without them! I used that as my base and knew everything else had to coordinate with these!

To see some of my other creations, be sure to click on "Designs" at the top!
Linking up with Katie and Steph for "Saw It. Pinned It. Did It." :)

When Splurging Is Worth It

Usually when we get together with friends or family, we enjoy just hanging out and watching movies or playing games. It's totally our style to spend a relaxing evening in and just enjoy each others' company. Every once in a while though, we will "splurge" and do something fun & unique!

When I was planning for Mike's birthday gift, I emailed my friend Abby, whose husband's birthday is only a few weeks after Mike's, so that we could plan a night out together as a surprise to our hubby's. We originally had plans to go on an interactive "Murder Mystery" themed train ride with a small group of friends, but unfortunately that was cancelled (boo!). Luckily, we found super fun alternative to take it's place! 

Mike & I met up with Abby & Brad downtown Grand Rapids at The B.O.B., which stands for "Big Old Building." It's an old factory that was turned into restaurant...actually it's a five story building with different restaurants on each floor, which allowed us to have dinner on one floor, and then move to another floor for drinks and a comedy show.

We weren't familiar with the comedian going into the night, so we were taking a chance on whether we'd enjoy this part. I think, in general, there are parts of any/all comedic acts that you just don't connect with or you feel might cross a line, so knowing this, we all went in with an open mind. My thoughts on that still stand, but there were definitely enough one-liners that we could appreciate throughout each of the three acts to keep us laughing! 

Even if the comedy club had been a total flop, we still all enjoyed just having a fun night out together! It's one of those nights where I felt like we were all participating in "experiencing life" rather than just living it. It's not that it was better than a relaxing night in, but we have a greater appreciation for things when we don't do them all the time. We always appreciate being able to spend time with friends like Abby & Brad, but I'm especially grateful for experiences like this night out together, that allow me to recognize (both in the moment and in reflecting on the memory) what types of "splurges" are worth it.

Happy Mother's Day!

Today I'm sending love to my momma, my mom-in-law, all of the women who have served as mother figures to me, my dear friend who's celebrating her first Mother's Day, and all the other fabulous moms out there! If you are a mother, know that you are loved and appreciated - not just today, but maybe just a teensy-bit more today :)

via

I am firm believer in the quote above. A mother's prayers are praises in times of celebration, and hope in times of uncertainty; they pray with you for added support, and on your behalf when you are unable to find the words yourself. I can tell you from my own experience how humbling it is to have a mother who never ceases to pray for you. I've also been blessed with a mother-in-law who prays for me like I'm her own daughter. Sometimes I've got more prayers coming at me than I know what to do with ;) It's a wonderful comfort for me now and a great role-model to live up to someday when I'm a mom myself.

Many thanks & much love to my fabulous mother and mother-in-law! Happy Mother's Day!

See last year's Mother's Day post here.