Adios, Texas!

Well you guys, I'm here to let you know that is IS possible to pack your life for 6+ months in a suitcase, a carry on, and a flute bag. AND I only had to leave a few sweaters out. AND the bags aren't overweight!!!

#packingwin

One of the things I'm super excited about is cold weather clothes!!!!

You guys. Houston has two seasons: hot, and kind of cold.

But I the best (and semi-stressful) time planning for layers and scarves and all those fun foreign objects.
These are a few things I'm looking forward to....fall is the best season.

jacket: Old Navy, similar here.

tshirt: Target, similar here.

sweater: Burlington.

floral leggings: Ross, similar here.

jeans: Burlington, also here!

shoes: thrifted

And heres my outtake that I posted on instagram....what the puppy does while I take my "outfit assembly" photo ;)

and then my twin brother decided to post the next photo saying that I was running away to England with his baby.....but really I texted him this photo saying "One of these things is not like the other....one of these things does not belong!"

SO, with all that being said, I'm leaving Texas tomorrow morning! Most people won't think that its odd considering that I haven't lived at "home" really in the past 6 years....but I've never left Texas. Tomorrow I head to DC which is just one stop away from my 6 month long journey to England!!! I'm excited and anxious and nervous and ALLTHEFEELS at the same time....but more than anything I know that God has a pretty exciting path waiting for me and its just getting started!!!

I've been saying my "goodbye for nows" and "you'll be married when I get backs" and eating quite a bit of Mexican food. I haven't ever been away for 6 whole months and I've definitely never been overseas for more than 8 days, but like I said, I'm really excited :)

If I have consistent wifi (lets cross our fingers and say some prayers), this little blog will be getting a good deal more interesting in the near future!! Stick with me and hopefully you'll get a fun taste of my travels for the next 7 months.

Unintentionally matchy photos with my brother at one of our last meals!
We've got the hipster thing down.

EEP! I'm off to make sure I didn't forget to pack my socks (ahem, Darbi) and to snuggle my puppy for good measure. <3

Happy Birthday

Dear Patty,

You deserve a "Happy Birthday" today first. Happy Birthday sweet sweet momma of my second favorite man in the whole entire world (Daddy still comes first at this point, sorry Drew). I'm so thankful to you for creating this wonderful life that has blessed so many people. Thank you for instilling in him such strength and kindness and loyalty. He is blessed to have you!!

Dear Drew,

You're OLD ;) Today I wish you the happiest of birthdays thus far! You have accomplished SO MUCH this year. I hope today you can take time to reflect on how hard you have worked and how much God has blessed you in the past 12 months. 

(This is my abridged list)

You advanced in every stinking audition you took. 

You won an audition with Pershing's Own. 

You graduated with your masters degree.

You graduated from BCT.

You moved across the country with your best friend,

and you started the job of your dreams! 

What a year.

Thank you for letting me be a part of your journey, and I can't wait to see you in a few days to pretend like its your birthday all over again! (I'll make you some sort of cake with cream cheesy frosting- promise!) 

Here's to another several quarter centuries ;) LOVE YOU!!

Songs That Define Me

I didn't really have any ideas for a blog post today, but then I stumbled across Helene's link-up and it really spoke to me!

"Come link up and tell everyone: What songs define you?"

As a career musician, I jumped out of my seat, did a little fist pump (perfectly shown above), and thought to myself "YUUUUUUUUS!" I can do this! This is totally me! Oh my gosh, how do I ever choose?!

I've devoted more than half of my life to studying music, classical music in particular, but I can tell you in full honesty than nothing touches my heart or life more than music that worships the Lord.

Matt Maher is one of my favorite artists of late. The words, the music....its simplicity and accuracy just speaks to my soul and always perfectly ushers me into a worshipful place in my heart!

Shall we go ahead and just make this a Jesus post? I think I might :)

Christy Nockles...seriously, get it girl! This song is a simple meditation of worship....and to me it defines my life in that no matter what I do (ahem, moving to England, studying the flute, practicing my butt off, etc...) God is forming my life for his purpose and glory. Thank you, Jesus!

Now, lets go ahead and add at least a little bit of culture.... :)

Beautiful, universal, life defining? Yep. I know you've heard "How Great is Our God" but if you haven't heard the world edition....and even if you have... I absolutely promise you that it will be a blessing to your day no matter what your beliefs are :)

I'm pretty sure the list could go on and on. Yes, I love pop music and I seriously enjoy music of all genres but I would have to say in order for any sort of music to actually define me, it needs to be about the glory of the source of music itself, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

ModCloth Pinning Party!

"It's made out of kittens, clouds & literally awesomeness." Rachel S, ModCloth

School’s back in session and football season is here! You know what that means – Homecoming’s next!
To celebrate this time-honored scholastic holiday, ModCloth is hosting a Party Dress Pinning Party on Pinterest! 

Enter by 9/12 to win one of two $250 ModCloth gift certificates. 

How do you enter??? Find out all the details on the ModCloth blog: blog.modcloth.com/2013/09/05/party-dress-pinning-party/

Most importantly, spend some quality time perusing the ModCloth homecoming dress section to find the dress of your dreams! 

Check them all out here: ModCloth Homecoming Dresses 

Other than Homecoming, Modcloth has dresses for literally EVERY occasion. Most of you are familiar with ModCloth, but if not, you are definitely missing out!

I spend a little time of the site myself, and wanted to show you a few of my current favorites!!

Enchanting Encore Dress

Fireworkin It Dress

Glimmer and Dancing Dress

Celebrate Your Soul Top, because it just might be the most beautiful blouse I have ever seen.

What dress would YOU buy with your $250 gift card?

START PINNING!

*This is an affiliate sponsored post, although my opinions stated are entirely my own!

This Weekend, Drew the Decorator...

For a little over a week now, Drew and his BFF have been settling into their new apartment in Virginia, so I'm just going to take this little blog post to brag on his decorating stilllz!!!

(Lets pretend that Drew is the author of this "this weekend" even though I am most definitely writing it but its about him and not me. WHEW. Run on sentence alert!!!)

 

So, this weekend...

Drew (for the most part) finished unpacking/furniture assembling/setting up his new place and then sent me photos to rub it in my face that I'm not there to see it in person.

Ok thats not why he sent me photos, but still...

BUT, check out these mad skills! Boy has got an EYE for home deco. 

I'm honestly a little bit jealous.

Bed frame: ikea
Bed sheets: ikea
Floating shelves: similar

First of all, let us all admire the colors. Beautiful, right? Its "plum" and yet so so manly. Good job, babe ;)

Second of all, adorable old bugle, yes?? This art installation makes me particularly happy because I happen to know that poor little bugle was homeless in Drew's house in Waco.

Awesome floating shelves. Perfect book stacking. Pretty cross and perfect placement.

Lastly, Pixar lamp and rubix cube. Need I say any more?

Vintage 7UP trays: similar

Now lets move to the bathroom and admire the not-even-pinterest-inspired use of a vintage 7-up tray!

I wish I would have thought of that. Very cool!

Check the Army rolled towel.....wait a sec, thats MY Meyers candle!!!

Happy early birthday......just kidding. 

Now, if you're wondering what's in the frame, its a "3" written on a scrap of paper. Say whaaaa

Let me explain: When you audition for a music job (in this case, Pershing's Own), you literally draw numbers to decide what the order will be and to make sure the panel will not know who is playing at what time (I should mention that auditions....first round at least...are played behind a screen). This happens to be the piece of paper that Drew drew (heh....heh heh heh) for the audition when he won his job! He had left this slip of paper in his friend's car, and his friend framed it and gave it to him as a gift after he graduated from BCT! So awesome :) And that story turned out to be the longest part of this blog post. Oh well, its the little things!!!

So, basically my boyfriend is awesome and you should be jealous of his apartment ;)

Oh oh!!!! One last thing- I've told you to check Darbi out before, but now I'm even MORE serious because she just moved to PARIS (happy dance!!!!!) and will be writing about her life there as a flutist and an au pair! So exciting :)

Check her out at Table for One.

Happy Monday and I hope you all have a blessed week!