g r a t i t u d e & a t t i t u d e

the beginning of july has come and gone, and with it, a wonderful week of revels with family and friends. we celebrated the marriage of Kevan & Rebekkah (J's sister and brother-in-law) with a week-long extravaganza of seafood, music, funny stories, and heartfelt thanks as these two wonderful families came together and it was such a beautiful experience to be a part of! 

my parents were also in town during the wedding week so i was finally able to show them around pensacola and give them a glimpse into out little life down here. the name of this post is 'gratitude & attitude' because sometimes it takes a big event, like a wedding, to realize how much the little things in life matter. showing small, everyday bits of gratitude for the people and things in your life makes a huge difference in how you feel and carry yourself.

one of the big things that has been bringing me down recently was my job as a nanny here in pensacola. i unfortunately let the poison of that job filter into other aspects of my life and make me miserable. i honestly don't know what i would have done without the support of my amazing friends and family as i struggled to get out of that contract. i allowed my entire being to lose its light and just coming home and making dinner after a day at work became a chore. however, with the encouragement of james, my beautiful friends, and my awesome family, i decided to quit my job (yikes!),get my real estate license in florida, and continue selling houses down here as well as in nc!

today was my first 'unemployed' day and i have to admit that although liberating, it was a little nerve-wracking to realize i don't currently have a job! luckily, through connections we've already made down here, i have a job lined up with a real estate firm as soon as i complete my 72 hour online course. whew! talk about a relief!! sometimes you have to suck it up and make a change, be it a change in scenery, job, or attitude, and in this case i changed a little bit of all three. its scary making huge life changing choices, but without change there is no room for growth :)

as i sit here reflecting on how crazy the last week was, i am struck by the enormous gratitude i feel for the love and encouragement of the people in our life. no matter what is going on in life, through the highs and lows, the happiness and the sadness, the worry and doubt, and all of the beautiful, messy moments in between nothing would hold any meaning without these kooky, sweet people we call our family and friends. i wish it didn't take a job change and a wedding for me to realize this but sometimes we all need a little kick in the ass, right? 

i am also thankful for the super great NEW friends we were able to make because of Kevan and Rebekkah's marriage. its so crazy to think about how much light there is in the world, and how many wonderful new people and experiences are out there, if we could only just change the lens we look through and have a more open and positive attitude. so, in the wake of a truly awesome fourth of july week, i am making a promise to myself and all of you, to be a more positive, optimistic, and encouraging person DESPITE the darkness in life. because lets be honest, we've all got it pretty darn good! and if something isn't gelling with your vision of how you want your life to be, CHANGE IT!! FOR GOODNESS SAKE, just jump off that metaphorical cliff and take life by the horns! 

i hope that all of you had a great week! and if ever you feel some part of your life is not going in the right direction, remember that its never too late to change it. tell the people in your life that you love them, help a stranger, laugh A LOT, ask people how they are and CARE about the answer, and never ever ever settle for something less than absolute happiness!

<3 E
p.s James, im also thankful for the vacuum...those stairs would have been nightmare without it ;)

(this last photo was taken by Jerry Padgett Photography)