Reinvention of Me

Recently, I had a life-altering experience that has made me reinvent myself. I now look at myself with more confidence and less fear. I have been blessed with the ability to finally see things as they really are, not how I used to assume they were.

I'm sorry if this is vague, but this experience and realization is very dear and personal to me, and I wanted to share a little bit of it with you. But the rest I want to keep for myself.

With this reinvention, I hope will come more maturity, more understanding, more patience, and more hope. Hope that I can become the person that I have always wanted to be. Hope that I can overcome hardships and rely on myself more and trust my own feelings. And hope that I can someday look back and think to myself, "That was the turning point. That was the time that made a difference."

So here's to reinvention. Anyone want to join me?


This layout uses Keri Schueller's Journey Collection, Thao Cosgrove's SS Embellishment Templates: Luxe Photo Mat, Dinny's SS Embellishment Template: Torn Edges 2, and Brandy Hackman's Blossoms and Blooms Embellishment Biggie - Holiday.

Had to Share

Our Stake had a big Enrichment meeting/program this weekend for which I sang in the Stake choir. It was a beautiful program and we had a great speaker. She said something that really made sense to me on my own personal level.

She was talking about our feeling of shame and guilt and how when we sin, we feel even less worthy to speak with Heavenly Father through prayer. She said this is such a silly notion, because this really is the time to seek Him the most.

She said imagine if you heard someone saying, "You know, I've got an appointment to go see my doctor on Friday, but I've got this awful bronchitis. I have to get over it before my appointment! I don't want my doctor to see me while I have this illness, he'll think I'm weak! I sure hope that I can get well before I see him."

This is exactly how it is when we don't seek our Father in Heaven after we've done something wrong. We feel like we have to wait to talk to Him until we feel more worthy. But the point is that He is there for us in those times. He is there to help us get better and become clean. He is there to wash away our sins and He wants to hear from us!

She also said something that touched me. She said, He is not thinking, "Oh, here we go again, Laurel. What is it this time?" He's thinking more along the lines of, "I'm so glad you came to talk to me about this." He doesn't expect perfection from us. Would you of your children? Of course not.

He is loving and kind and is reaching out to us, just waiting for us to come to Him. The door is open, we just have to go through it.

Beautiful Beanie

I love this new layout that I just finished today. For some reason, this color combo just came together and I knew it would be so cool! :) Of course, Angela's pictures make it beautiful. Thanks, all, have a wonderful Monday!

I used ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Well Worn by Brandie Valenzuela, ScrapSimple Digital Layout Templates: Stacked by Angie Briggs, ScrapSimple Paper Templates: Edgy, THIN by Diane Miller (dinny), and Drawn to You Brush Set - Words by Keri Schueller.

Lucky Me!

I've really got a great husband.

Nathan surprised me the other day with flowers when he came home from work. He had called before he left to see if there was anything I needed him to pick up at the store, and he could tell in my voice that I had not had the best day. So, while picking up some things for dinner, he bought me some flowers to cheer me up.

It's just the little things like that that are enough to make my whole week. Just a little gesture to let me know he cares and understands that my job(s) are hard and he appreciates what I do.

Man, I sure got lucky with my pick of hubbies. So thanks, darlin', for your sweet gesture and your continuing support for me. Love you mucho mucho.

For this layout, I used Amanda Sok's A Princess Collection, Melissa Renfro's Sparkle Curls Embellishment Biggie , Melissa Renfro's ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Lifted Photos Biggie, and Jan Hicks' ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Curled Edges Shadows 3201.

Home again, home again, jiggity-jig!

Well, I just got back yesterday from a great visit with my family in San Antonio. I went down to help watch the kids while my parents were in Mexico visiting my aunt and uncle on their mission. Whew, that's a lot of explanation!

Nathan wasn't able to come with us, but it was still a fun trip. I got to see the house all done up (my parents are moving and so my mom has been running herself ragged trying to get the house fixed up to put on the market) and I must say, she has done an incredible job! I am always amazed at what that woman can do when she's determined. But that's a whole 'nother post.

So while I was there, I took some pictures of my brother, since he's graduating from high school at the end of this month. I seriously cannot believe that, since he'll probably forever be 14 in my mind's eye. I suppose that's inevitable. :)

I have to admit, I was pretty pleased with the pictures, and I hope he likes them as much as I do. Here is a sampling for you all to look through. Enjoy!

Congrats, Mo!

This weekend I was so happy that I was able to go see one of my dear friends get married. Melissa Vincent (aka: Mo), married a really cool guy named Scott in the St. George temple on Saturday and Nathan, Eli and I were able to make the trip to take part in the festivities.

Now you have to understand something about Melissa--she is one of the best, most loving and kind-hearted people I know. We were college roommates together, she taught me a bunch of fun card games, I helped her get adjusted to life post-mission, and she even watched as I met my husband and started dating him.

Those 4 months we lived together were packed with some of the most fun times I've ever had in my life. I sometimes miss those wild and care-free times, but I'm also glad to know that our lives are moving forward and we can stay in contact with each other. Luckily, they're also semi-close to us, up in northern California, so hopefully we can see each other more soon.

I just had to say that I love this girl and I'm so happy for her and her new hubby. I'm sure they're going to have a great life together, and make a wonderful family. Much love, Mo!! :)

Grateful

I have been extremely blessed in my life. I've been thinking about things lately and how there have been so many blessings given to me without me knowing the importance of them at the time they were given. For instance, when I met my future husband, I had no idea of the significance of our meeting. I thought he was a nice guy who was ingeniously smart and knew a lot of interesting (and rather odd) facts about all sorts of things. I didn't know he was going to be the father of my children or that I would experience the most excruciating pain and the most exquisite love with him. But the Lord knew it. He knew me and Nathan well enough to know that once we made that decision to be together forever, that it would be real and tangible and that we wouldn't let anything stand in the way of our happiness together. I'm glad He knew.




One day when I learned that my very good friend was pregnant and I decided I wanted a baby, I had no idea that going through the process of creating a life, growing a child and becoming a mother would be one of the hardest and best things I would ever do. I had no idea that making this decision would change me so completely that I would hardly remember my previous life. But the Lord knew it. He knew me well enough to know that I would love this little one with so much devotion and ferocity and loyalty that it would change me and make me strive to be a better person. I'm glad He knew.




I also had no idea in my life that learning to use this program called Photoshop would open up a whole new world of possibilities for me. I was mundanely introduced to it at my studio job. At that time, I had no idea that this would turn into an all-consuming way of life for me, creating and fixing and painting and retouching and making beautiful things. But the Lord knew it. He knew me well enough to know that I would love this type of work so much and would be able to do so many things with the talent that he had given me. I'm glad He knew.




Looking back on past experiences in my life, I know that the Lord has had me in His arms and He has known what would work out best for me. He still knows it now. I just need to trust in Him and do what He asks of me. He knows. And I'm glad.

Recent Layouts

Here are a couple of recent layouts that I've done. I haven't really felt all that creative for the last little bit, but I'm hoping to get out of that slump really soon! :)

This is Eli trying to reach up to the big kids who were playing at the park while we were there. He's such a sweet little thing, so enamored with the 'big kids' that we see. I know he wants to be just like them.

This is Eli on the same day at the park, watching the older kids play. He wasn't so sure what to think of them, so he did his 'nervous' thing where he puts his hands behind his back and just watches for a while. I just love it when he does that, it's so adorable. My sweet little guy. :)


I love this template by Angie Briggs over at ScrapGirls and so I dug up some wedding pictures to use with it. I made all the papers in it with different ScrapSimple paper templates, also available at ScrapGirls (of course!) and I think it turned out kind of fun! :) I just love doing stuff with my wedding photos. I only wish I knew then what I know now about digital and photography. Then it would be a whole 'nother story! :)

This is Eli and Reener at the beach a few weeks ago. We went out there when Renee was here for Spring Break. It was so fun to see her and hang out for a while. That girl's got a good head on her shoulders! :) She's the best.

I just love this one! It's from when Matt and Remi were down for some interviews for med school. Remi and Eli got to have their long-awaited reunion after many long months of missing each other. (Hey, it's hard to be away from your girlfriend for that long, he told me!) I can't believe how big she's getting and how cute they are together. What fun!

More new layouts to come as soon as I get a couple finished. (I'm always working on at least 10 different ones at any given point.) Stay tuned! :)

Happy Easter!

The two loves of my life.

What goofy, cute men I've got!

Me and the little one.

We had a great Easter Sunday yesterday and I just had to share. :) We decided not to do the basket thing with Eli yet, because he just doesn't get it and I know that he'd have sticky chocolate and gooey sugary stuff all over himself and the house! So, we decided to play it cool and calm. We went to church and then went to dinner with Nathan's parents. They had gotten him this cute little outfit that he looks so adorable in! (Yes, I'm biased, but I don't care!) In lieu of Easter bunnies and baskets, we did some Easter pictures. That's what is important, right? The memory of it all? :) Don't worry, next year he'll totally be finding hidden eggs. (Even if they do have to be in the house because we don't have a yard....)

I hope everyone had a nice, relaxing Easter Sunday spend with family and friends. Love you all! :)

We're Back!

Hello everyone! I'm glad to say that we're back home and excited to have had such a wonderful weekend. Nathan and I dropped Eli off at Grandma and Grandpa's house while we drove up the coast to Cambria to just take it easy for my birthday. It really was a needed trip, and I truly appreciate all of the effort that Nathan put into planning and executing it. Ya know, you just sometimes need some time to recharge your batteries. I can't believe it, but this was the first time that Nathan and I had been away together without Eli since he was born. I was a little nervous, but everything turned out peachy. We got to relax, Eli got to spend time with his grandparents, and I now feel refreshed, energized, and ready to get back to being mom. It's a win-win-win situation! :) The ocean was gorgeous, the weather to die for, and the company was great. :)

This is a picture of the fog and ocean that we saw while on the hill, driving up to Hearst Castle. It was almost like we were up in the heavens, it was so beautiful. The ocean (which you can't see) is straight out there and it was just gorgeous.


Next is a picture of one of the peaceful garden walkways that were all around the property. We took 2 tours and were able to see a lot of different parts of the house. Next time we go, we'll take the twilight tour, where the docents all dress up in period costume for the tours. Can't wait to get back and see that one!