Lovelies.

[instagram: theplaidsparrow]

Well, this week flew by for me.

I'm so happy it is the weekend & I am off of work!

Though, next week will be a different story, I'm afraid.

Anyhoo, I have plans to run to town this afternoon and get my momma her Mother's Day gift! 

Yay! So fun.

Before I get ready to jet off & do that, I wanted to leave you all with some posts that have inspired, encouraged, and gave me few laughs this past week!

So, without further ado:

When Lauren plays matchmaker to the stars you better believe your in for treat ... & a bunch of laughs!


Haley is so lovely. She is someone I would love to know more. This post brought a sweet smile to my face.


Please do yourself a favor & check out Gentri Lee's trip to the Breathing Blogger Retreat here and here. Plus, more fun with instagram photos here.

Before stopping in Amsterdam, Nicole shares a few snapshots of Seville! So gorgeous!!


Katie never fails at bringing a smile to my face, and this post was no different. :)


Do you remember?


For someone who has struggled on and off her whole life with her weight, this post was most encouraging!!


When the girls shared photos of their Bali trip I just swooned over them all!
(Part 1 & 2 can be found here and here)


Molly & her mom are as cute as buttons, I tell ya! :)


I adore this lady & I love this outfit post! -- I hope she does more of them. ;)


If you haven't heard about The Influence Conference, then please do yourself a favor and read about it on Casey's blog!! 

Happy weekend, friends!! 

& Happy Mother's Day to all the lovely momma's or soon-to-be. 

much love.

xoxo

the random thoughts of my life.

- Instagram-ed for the first day in a week yesterday. (breaks my heart)

- Got through an extremely stressful week last week

- Praying for direction, patience, and understanding

- Wishing so badly that I could just hop on a plane and travel the world!

- Missing my Dallas friends, oh-so much.

- Watched all the Scream movies. Had nightmares that someone was trying to kill me. Dumb decision. I know.

- Trying desperately NOT to cut my hair. (When it is at the "in between" stages, I just want to chop it off!!)

- The weather has been a bit chilly. It is making me miss the warm weather we were having around here. I suppose I didn't realize how grateful I should have been while we had it!

- Went to the gym the other day! I felt fantastic afterwards. :) I hope I continue doing so.

- Spicy Ranch Dressing is the BEST!!

- Coral & Mint fingernail polish is the cutest colors for spring.

- I remember how I read non-stop growing up. I wish I still did. I don't make the time anymore. :(

- I still LOVE coffee. (**prove below)

- I am getting four days off of work. It has been glorious so far.

- Zooey Deschanel and I should definitely be friends, along with Michelle Williams, Emma Stone, and Jennifer Lawrence. :)

- I want another tattoo. Srsly. Soon. I am thinking for my birthday next month!?

- Loving the fact that there are so many lovely women (and men) out there with encouraging, funny, and inspiring blogs.

- I dream about one day waking up and I being british. :)

- I have never liked my hands. They look old and wrinkled to me. :/

- I am looking forward to a fun roadtrip with friends this coming Saturday. It is much needed.

- I am going on a hike this morning and hoping I don't feel sore tomorrow.
- Bethany is coming home from Haiti in about 2 weeks, and I CAN'T WAIT TO MEET HER!! :D Srsly. I am pretty sure we are going to be great friends.
- I love Jesus. I'm glad he is my best friend.

That's it for now.
Nothing too exciting, but thanks for reading.
much love to you all!!
Happy Friday.

PS. If you haven't entered to win the giveaway for the $25 Forever 21 gift card, then you should.
Right here!
Today is the last day, btw.
Good luck!

Hello, there!

Happy, Happy Wednesday!

I hope you all have a beautiful day.

xoxo

PS. I love getting moring emails from Charlie.

They inspire, encourage, and bring a smile to my face.

Please check out it out here.

Then get added to the mailing list.

Your mornings will be brighter. I promise.

:)

For you, Kimmie. :)

This evening I went with one of my dear friends to do last minute Christmas shopping at Wal-Mart.
Please remind me NOT to do that next year!
Jordan & I almost pulled our hair out. : /

Anyways, afterwards she & her boys were headed to church with her husband.
I got in my car & headed home.
The whole ride to my house my heart just ached.
I started to whisper the sweet name of "Jesus, Jesus, Jesus."
It helped to put my heart at rest.

I miss church.
When I say church I am not just speaking of the growth in my walk with the Lord, (because I strive for that everyday), but I miss having family, a support system.
I  miss community.
I miss having a place to run to when all other doors are closed in my face.
I yearn for that peace in my life again.

I once read where Shane Claiborne said that his liberal friends saw him as conservative and his conservative friends saw him as liberal.
I laugh every time I read that.
I feel quite similar to that at times.
I am a very open-minded person, yet hold the teachings of God close to my heart everyday.

Please let me define open-minded for you:
I am open to my LOVE for ALL people.
Do I agree with every choice or lifestyle they choose?
No. Absolutely not.
Do I still love them?
YES! for that is what Jesus did.
He loved.
Everyone.
Especially those that the world did not.
I will never be close having the heart of Jesus, but I do have Jesus IN my heart.
For that, I can say that my life is far sweeter than I could ever possibly give words to.

I have tattoos, I sometimes say "pissed", I listen to both christian & secular music, I laugh all the time, I try to always be myself - even if that means not everyone will like me, I love encouraging others, I adore hugs, I like getting to know people, sometimes I get frustrated, I go out for a drink once in a blue moon, I cry, I like awkwardness (makes life a little more interesting), and I may be a little different that what the world labels "normal", but guess what?

God loves those things about me.
He knows me.
He knows I am NOT perfect.
I am flawed.
I'm full of mistakes.
& yet I am still on this journey with Him.
I love Jesus!
I am not defined to live life inside a box that the world has created for myself ... or for God.

I know God is leading me to a church that is right for me.
I will continue to pray & be patient.

I long for His presence ... for the Holy Spirit.
Always.

much love,
colie

TO WRITE LOVE ON HER ARMS*

1. LOVE IS THE MOVEMENT. 2. rescue is possible for everyone.

3. showing some love. 4. my heart for twloha.

something wonderful happened last night!!
to write love on her arms won chase community giving's award for 1 million dollars to go towards their organization. :D
i might have jumped up and down & did a bit of clapping.
which, probably looked a bit silly considering i was alone in my room, but hey ... i was so happy!!

twloha means so very much to me.
if you have not had the opportunity to hear about how wonderful they are and what they do, then PLEASE pop on over to their website today.
it started with just a few people wanting to help someone who had lost all hope in life.
just a few.
& now ... because of them, including the founder (jamie tworkowski), there are more people willing to help -- & more people FINDING help!
i am extremely passionate about this non-profit organization.

below is their mission statement:

MISSION STATEMENT:

To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addicition, self-injury, and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire, and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.

after 8 days. 8 votes. & the chance @ 1 million dollars.

this is the photo from last night's chase giving awards where twloha won! 

(taken from miss christina perri's instagram)

:)

d of your story.