A Simple Life.

I felt the need to simplify our life. The need to get rid of things like clutter while adding color and light to our lives. It really is a weird balance that we strive for. We're constantly told that we should want more and more but sometimes that comes with the neglect of experiences and simplicity (am I even making sense right now).

When Will and I first got married (we just celebrated our four year anniversary - holla!), I had this idea in my head of our "perfect" life. Our perfect house and our perfect kids. It took me awhile to realize that perfect, in the sense that I was reaching for, doesn't really exist and it really shouldn't. I can't expect a perfect house and perfect children if I want our lives to be full of experiences and color and patterns. I have to accept the mess that comes along with adding this sense of warmth to our lives.

I will admit that even though this desire for imperfection is strong, it is extremely hard for someone like me. I like structure and predictability. I like clean and sharp. Stepping outside of my comfort zone sends my anxiety levels sky high but I am trying a little more each day to accept the mess that comes with a house of warmth.

I'm currently working on lots of different areas of our house. I plan to share our progress soon and maybe even do a few DIY tutorials (although they probably won't be too interesting or as visually appealing as other blogs). I really do like this transition we're making in our home and in our lives. We're living in lots of color right now and I love it.

Germany, Here We Come!

Well, not at this exact moment but very soon.
One thing about the military is that there is never a set plan. You have to be flexible because things can change at the drop of a ACU/ABU hat.

This has never rang more true until about two weeks ago. Will's recruiting orders fell through and he decided to call Branch to see if there were any bases open right now. They told him that we had a choice between Alaska, Korea or Germany. Of course we picked Germany. We are excited. I, however, am completely freaking out. This will be our first move as a family and to make it more nervewrecking, it's overseas. There are so many details that we need to work out such as only being allowed to ship two dogs (we have three), only one vehicle shipped at the government's expense (we just bought a second car), etc.

This will be a crazy experience for us but every single person that I have talked to who has been stationed in Germany loved it. I really think this will give our family a much needed break, a change to spend time together and an opportunity to see lots of places in Europe.

Of course this move will bring about many changes in our lives (like a temporary end to my National Guard career) but we are accepting it with open arms and realizing how lucky and blessed we are. I'll keep you guys updated on our planning and moving over the next few months!

When it rains, It pours...Unless you're Will, Then rain is just rain

I am what you would call a "worrier". If something goes wrong, I worry it about it until it is either resolved or until something else takes my attention. I guess I'm an "obsessive worrier".

So throughout our short marriage, we've had a lot of trials and obstacles. Things haven't been easy and it doesn't help that we were successful at getting pregnant so soon after getting married (hooray for our honeymoon baby). Not only were we planning our lives together, we were also planning for a new life and an upcoming deployment. I definitely think that our problems have helped to make our relationship stronger but Will and I tend to handle things differently. While a problem can seem like the end of the world to me, he's far more calm and optimistic.

To be honest, if it wasn't for Will, I think I would never get any sleep and would spend all my time worrying about things that may or may not be in my control. It's this calm and optimism (among other things) that make me love Will more and more each day. Without him, not only would I not have an amazing support system but I also wouldn't have another lovely man in my life, Mr. Liam.


So, in honor of the two of the most important men in my life, enjoy a few pictures :)

(p.s. baby, if you're reading this, love you lots)

Photographs by Melissa Bradfield Photography