i don't really know where to start

i can't really come up with a good title

this morning i am just heart broken

i'm sorry if you're new to my blog

i don't always talk about such heavy things

but this is life right now

last tuesday evening i received the call that my precious friend's daughter

had been killed in an accident

i was just about to head downstairs to watch glee for the first time

with my own teenagers

mindless tv that i virtually never watch

but wanted to hang out & enjoy what my girls enjoyed

i stood at the window

cell phone in hand talking to a lifelong bff

a mother herself, who had buried her own child years ago

while we discussed virginia's death

viriginia & my savannah...born only months apart

as i looked out the window, savannah was pulling in the driveway

just another reminder that life continues...that life doesn't stop for all when it stops for one

that fact always blows me away

tuesday

that very same day

another young girl lost her battle with cancer

14 year old daniela went to be with lord

she was one of my daughter , madison's best friends

i went to a funeral on wednesday

my daughter went to a funeral on saturday

monday morning i headed over to visit my precious friend sandra
sandra & i have been friends for over 20 years

my hubby taught her daughter in elementary school

that very daughter, now 27, stood before me monday & took my breath away

she could be ms america. seriously.

sandra's husband mike was upstairs

battling cancer

diagnosed only 10 weeks ago

sandra was there for me when gregg died

sitting in her gloriously decorated home monday

i feared the tables were turning

that she would soon be where i was 15 years ago

we talked about how our big strong healthy men

mike & gregg

battled such a horrific disease

the injustice of it all

she remembered moments in gregg's last days that i had actually forgotten

your mind compartmentalizes sadness that's beyond understanding

in ways we can't comprehend

i prayed that she would remember the health & vigor of her sweet mike

not the mike whose body was ridden with cancer

we talked about fear

we talked about telling our daughters that their daddies were dying

both sandra & her daughter lauren look like Ms Universe

gorgeous women

strong women

their home should be in a magazine

as i pulled out of the driveway on a gorgeous fall day

i realized that a passerby would never imagine the grief inside that georgian home

this morning

at 3 am

mike passed on from this life......

while we know

that all these precious loved ones

are healthy & whole today in heaven

their bodies perfect

no broken bones or cancer

the "they're in a better place" is obvious

& while knowing that does bring peace

life goes on today

the birds are still chirping outside my window

there is traffic on all the highways in atlanta

koda & kathy lee are still going to be chatting on the today show...for crying out loud

but the immeasurable heartache of those left behind

will not soon end

sometimes having nothing to say

is ok

just holding that person & telling them they are loved is all you can do

&

that's where i am today

wanting to encourage so many

remind them that they have a god who sees every tear

& who heard every prayer

every single prayer

& that there is hope

hope in knowing we were not meant for this world

hope in knowing that they will see their loved ones

again

i've mumbled & rambled

i apologize for the lack of eloquence

but i want to share the following song

i realize i shared it months ago

but as i ran yesterday & tried to process all the pain of my friends

i listened to this song of hope

i lose it every time at the bridge around min 2.47

i go to two churches

one is lead in worship by chris tomlin

here he is, probably being filmed at our church

there's a day that's drawing near

when this darkness breaks to light

& the shadows disappear

& my faith shall my eyes

Jesus has overcome

& the grave is overwhelmed

the victory is won

he is risen from the dead

& i will rise when he calls my name

no more sorrow

no more pain

i will rise

Boston Fashion Week: Second Time Around

I was lucky enough to be a part of Boston's Fashion Week. My first show was yesterday and was happy that it was for Second Time Around; a store that sells second hand low end and high end clothes. The event took place at the gorgeous W Hotel where my boyfriend and I were hesitant and eager to book a room for the night. Each model was styled by The Stylist's Closets own Terri Mahn. Sequins, lace, short vests, and even bright red converses strutted up and down the runway. It was a night of fashion, styling, cocktails, and shopping all in one.    

Tuve la suerte de ser parte de la Semana de la Moda de Boston. Mi primer concierto fue ayer y estaba feliz de que lo fue para Second Time Around, una tienda que vende final de segunda mano baja y la ropa de gama alta. El evento tuvo lugar en el magnífico Hotel W donde mi novio y yo estábamos indecisos y con ganas de reservar una habitación para pasar la noche. Cada modelo fue diseñado por Closets El estilista propio Mahn Terri. Lentejuelas, encajes, chalecos cortos, e incluso de color rojo brillante conversos se pavoneaba por toda la pista. Fue una noche de moda, estilo, cócteles y tiendas, todo en uno.

her senior homecoming

what a super fun weekend!

savannah & bailey have been besties for several years

bailey is precious to me

i have considered it an honor to watch her grow into a beautiful young woman

who's love for the Lord continues to bloom

i am so proud of her

( & she's just been accepted to Ole Miss!!)

i have files of photos of these two from various occasions

but saturday i captured what are certainly my most favorite pictures of them

ever

we had a little bit of time before the boys arrived

to get some gorgeous shots

i've said it hundreds of times

but i'm so proud of this child of mine

 the obligatory "we're so mad ya'll are late shot"...ha!

this is savannah's other "best friend"

trevor is such a great guy

one of the things i've tried to encourage my girls to do

is hold off on the 'boyfriend' thing

to not find themselves in a committed relationship at such a young age

blah blah blah

anyway...i couldn't be prouder of savannah's choice

she held off on the boyfriend gig until a few months ago

& he's a winner

they had a fantastic evening

making memories

they will never forget

 

i want to share just a tiny bit about trevor's family~

this weekend in atlanta the weather was glorious

a far cry from a year ago

trevor's home was devestated in the floods that ravaged atlanta almost a year ago to date

at one point, their home was under 15--FIFTEEN--feet of water

this family is amazing

actually....that word doesn't even begin to touch the character of his parents

trevor is one of two biological children in a home that also has 8 children adopted from russia

his mom is one of the world's top researchers

on the relationship of HIV/aids and a host of issues facing orphans

after the devastating loss of their young son years ago

the hillis family began their adoption process

honestly, i've never known a family like trevor's

while they are still battling insurance issues on their home

they currently are in a rental home in our area

if you have a few minutes

i'd love for you to see their application

to extreme home make over

i think you'll be inspired by this precious amazing family

Hillis Family - Flood Video from Matt Gibson on Vimeo.

Fashion Night Out

top, fashion night out from dvf; cardigan, banana republic; jeans, joes jeans; flats, tory burch, clutch, kooba 

Last week Boston contributed in Fashion Night Out. It was an amazing night full of cocktails, sweets, and late night shopping. I enjoyed myself and was more than happy to be a part of the event. I had to get myself a Fashion Night Out tee-shirt since the proceeds went to AIDS. How did you spend your Fashion Night Out?

La semana pasada en Boston contribuyó Fashion Night Out. Fue una noche increíble llena de cócteles, dulces, y la noche de compras. Me divertí y estaba más que feliz de ser parte del evento. Tuve que ponerme una noche fuera de moda camiseta ya que los beneficios fueron a causa del AIDS.

me.... on a wednesday

this past wednesday i was mentally exhausted from all the emotions

surrounding virginia's funeral

i was tired of sitting in a car all day

& listening to my thoughts knock around inside my head

but i knew that evening there was only one place i wanted to be

our church has an AMAZING program for the middle schoolers

LUG

it stands for living under grace

the purpose is to teach our kids about the amazing love

our heavenly father has for them

make sure they have nailed down in their hearts

at such a pivotal age

that we have a holy god

who is full of grace

& is wildly crazy about each of them

somewhere between 800 and 1000 kids meet up every wednesday night

eight hundred to one thousand

seriously

hilarious skits

amazing teaching

worship music that would blow your mind

& sweet sweet small group time

during group time the highschoolers teach the middle schoolers

pouring back into the next generation what they've been taught

beautiful!

i am privileged to be the adult facilitator for the group savannah leads

most weeks i sit and listen to them

i usually get all choked up

i'm so proud of these girls

wednesday night they spontaneously began encouraging each other

every one of them

picked out a character quality about another that meant something to them

over a dozen 13 year old girls loving on each other

priceless

when we come back together

all 800-1000 of us

we worship

talk about worship

these kids love the lord unashamedly & with a pure devotion

part of me felt guilty that night

sitting with my daughter

while my friend had buried hers just hours before

but during worship that night

while all 800 to 1000 of us worshiped

i knew viriginia

was

doing

  the

very

same

thing.....