{break} free

i would KILL to travel the world for a year like Julia Roberts did in Eat Pray Love. instead what i took away was lessons that the main character herself learned::

:: "ruin is a gift; ruin is the road to transformation."

:: the chaos wasn't within her {as she originally thought}. it was the world around her that was driving her MAD! {ha. no kidding.}

:: guilt for doing nothing. the italians actually gave her a hard time about this because she didn't know how to just be. eventually she found herself sitting on the floor, in her pj's, eating breakfast and whispering to herself..."the sweetness of doing nothing."

this sounds like a movie review... but i have only good things to say about it! you should see it!

sarahjo

forever + today

no green bean casserole or pumpkin cheesecake for me!

nope, instead i got a pressed turkey meal for free!

YaYa!

but the highlight of my day was seeing my patient's face light up for me serving her a piece of {unexpected} key lime pie.

this is why i'm a nurse.

thanksgiving is in kansas. but it's also here.

and today it was in having a job.

a good team of patients.

surrounded by friends and fun co-workers.

and it made the pressed turkey totally worth it.

thank you Lord for these small gifts that i receive everyday that somehow go unnoticed,

sarahjo

{a right} mind

"half of my heart's got a grip on the situation. half of heart takes time."

mmmm... i'm in love with john mayer's songs all over again.

sorry, michael buble, but you will never be him.

nice try.

sarahjo

nowhere {to go}

you + i

"you don't really forget a person. you just forget why you needed them in your life."

it's so confusing.

it's so sad.

that you & i are right back where we started.

not even speaking.

and i just can't keep pretending...

sarahjo

{just} watch me

if rebecca bloomwood and molly gunn can start all over, then SO CAN I!

sarahjo

{lost} myself

{little} wars

take what you want

steal my pride

build me up

or cut me down to size

SHUT ME OUT

but i'll just scream

i'm only one voice in a million

but you ain't taking that from me

balloons + ballerinas

Listening to "Never Grow Up" made me realize that I feel the exact same way that Taylor does:: someday everything I have will be gone. Time has already taken Petshops, hamsters, "say like", best friends and scraped knees away from me.

And watching my {not so} little sister finish out her final high school festivities and just turn 18 makes me wish I had those memories back even more. I think, ::Gosh, I wish I could relive some of those hilarious moments in Madrigals or cheering at a football game or rehearsals for the musical:: . But you can't get that back.

I wanna tell her that it goes by so fast, you'll blink and it will be gone. Hold onto it tightly and remember it all:: the Chiefs' cheerleader halloween costume, the chocolate on your mouth when you were playing wiffle ball in the front yard, and even dancing in the living room with your brother in anticipation of opening Christmas presents.

Just because you are considered a grown up now doesn't mean you need to spare innocence. Never lose that.

Even when you go to college.

The day you get married.

And {someday} have babies.

I love you so much, Hannah. Even now that you've become the incredible, smart, talented, beautiful woman that you are. And that will never change.

I will always remember the footsteps, the words said, and the songs we used to make up.

sarahjo

sassy + sweet

"She can laugh when she's in pain, she doesn't have to fake it. But she's still shattered inside. She's just forgotten for a moment."

I used to call her Miss "Thang". She was sassy, hilarious and didn't have a mean bone in her body. Oh, but I am such a selfish little girl. To think that the world could contain her beautiful heart would have been a joke. Because she knew where she really wanted to be :: home.

"in my mind's eye I can see a place
Where Your glory fills every empty space
All the cancer is gone
Every mouth is fed
And there's no one left in the orphans' bed
Every lonely heart finds their one true love
And there's no more goodbyes
And no more not enough
And there's no more enemy
No more

Oh God, I know, it's so much more than I can dream
It's far beyond anything I can conceive
So God, You know, I'm trusting You"

So I cry tears of joy and sing praises to a God that has forever ceased your pain and suffering. I love you always. The beauty will rise out of these ashes. We will see it. We will dance among it. Joy is coming in the morning.

P.S. You are my favorite. And I will always brag about how great you were. I will never forget you.

sarahjo

comfort + joy

you know the part in Edward Scissorhands where Winona Ryder dances in the falling snow {really being shaved ice} ? i wanna do that.

in a white dress & ugg boots, preferably.

that's what i want for christmas.

sarahjo

{never} give up

{well} spoken

This is a pictures & quotes speak for me kind of week::

"You, have this whole tall, dark stranger thing going on. Not to mention the tortured artist bit."

"And you, have that whole blonde cool and collected perfect smart thing going on."

"You're the boy all the girls want to rebel with."

"You, are the unattainable girl in homeroom who never gives a guy the time of day."

— Sarah Dessen (The Truth About Forever)

dear sarah dessen, i will meet you someday... adding it to the bucket list {right now}.

sarahjo

{not} happy

“The saddest kind of sad

is the sad that tries not to be sad.

You know, when sad tries to bite its lip

and not cry

and smile

and go,

“No, I’m happy for you” ?

That’s when it’s really sad.”

— John Mayer

i am trying... but is it really working?

sarahjo

bright + shining

:: open my eyes::

not a care {in the world}