summer {vibes}.

well friends, as wonderful as it’s been, it’s time to wrap up my summer festivities.

& let me tell you, it’s flown by!

…i’ve been running for almost 2 months now… & am up to 4.7 miles!

…been on roadtrips to kansas for a wedding + to missouri for a float trip/lake weekend.

…ran in the color run + another 5k for the american baseball league.

… & now i’m about to go bananas in belize for 2 weeks!!! {note:: this vaca is falling on my one year anniversary + it’s the same place we honeymooned… & it wasn’t even planned that way}

so although i apologize for being so absent with my blogging, i must say it’s been worth the break! i feel like i’ve truly soaked up my summer. with that said, i will officially return at the end of august//beginning of september.

now it just needs to cool off a tad.

soakin’ up the rest of the rays,

 sarahjo

roughin' it.

drove. pitched a tent. ran in the crisp morning. black coffee + baked beans for breakfast. canoed all day. burnt shoulders. camped out. drove some more. lake time. water skiing. tubing with my momma. cliff jumping. water up my nose. twice. more burnt skin.

& totally worth the crazy looking sun rash i had last night.

oh how i love summer weekend-ing,

sarahjobell

the long haul home.

“thank God for the county lines that welcome you back in

when you were dying to get out…

you got somewhere to go + get found

thank God for hometowns.

i always find another piece of me

walking down these old familiar streets.”

{it’ll be worth the drive to get back to kansas a few times this summer.}

spring {in every shape + size}

spring brings renewal in many forms::

the breeze blowing through my window,

igniting my imagination.

& the hope//preparation for summer adventures.

sipping on cold starbucks drinks once again,

while continually reminding myself that i need to maintain my florida tan.

planting flowers//herbs//veggies in every.single.pot in own.

{the patio is looking rather lush…

& it makes me giddy.}

 sarahjobell

{come find} Me.

“sometimes God allows us to have what we are asking for, to let us see our own lack of understanding.”

& i finally saw that today in the sermon at church.

& how it applies to my life.

to a “T”.

& yes, it took me driving all the way down to sarasota, florida to finally get it.

maybe because i just feel so close to God’s unique beauty + creations.

or maybe because this is a familiar place to me. a home.

either way, i know fear is what held me back.

i thought this someone in my life was too big {of an influence} + God was//felt so small. that mindset has crippled me. & i was living in fear of letting go {of surrendering} because i didn’t trust that God has something better planned for me. i just wasn’t listening…

& i heard Him say, “stop looking at their life, sarah. it only hurts + hinders you. nothing good is coming from it. just let it go + I will take care of it.”

i know it’s going to be a daily challenge, but it’s not impossible.

i can do this with God’s help.

sarahjobell

& run {with reckless abandon}

“you got a fast car

but is it fast enough so we can fly away?”

i have loved this song since middle school.

it really is terribly sad.

but my gosh, it’s beautiful.

just how hard life is…

& there is still so much adventure + beauty in it.

i want to see more of those two things in my own life.

& i feel that vacation brings that sort of reckless abandon back in my life.

just like i crave.

sarahjobell

cozied {up}

sometimes i think it would be nice to live in a different zipcode.

kansas always sounds appealing because of its familiarity.

colorado is my even bigger dream that seems a little out of reach right now, but is still possible in the future.

but right now, home is here in oklahoma.

& i’m just happy to be cozied up in my bed {kinda worn out from this last week + thinking about the one ahead.}

snuggling with three adorable cats.

just relaxing.

even if it is just one day off work.

sarahbell

so long {summer}

i wish i could stay at the beach + ocean forever.

no makeup.

wild hair.

always tan.

but i do miss my kitties.

& my bed.

normal american food...

& being able to have a shower everyday.

packing is SO not my favorite...

sarahbell

wandering {aimlessly}

i realized today that it is possible for adventure to take on different formations...

whether it be scouting out the best downtown shops in belize city.

then getting lost.

trying to find a specific restaurant.

& getting lost.

it doesn't necessarily have to be the well-thought out or planned kayaking, hiking, & snorkeling trips {although i am seriously stoked to see the mayan ruins + go cave tubing!}. sometimes, wandering {sort of aimlessly} + then celebrating in what you find in the end is the best expedition.

adventure is out there!

sarahbell

{our} adventurebook

registering at REI was officially the best idea ever {hint, hint}.

so many fun bits + bobbins that i would have never even thought existed!

check this out {i'm surprised it doesn't make coffee too!}.

can't wait for our new adventure.

i still love target & bed bath + beyond too ;),

sarahjo

the {great} outdoors

i braced myself as i started watching 127 hours. just hoping that i wouldn't have to turn it off. what i found in the end is that past all the gruesome + bloody images, it was completely heartbreaking. no one should ever be so selfish + prideful that they go somewhere by themselves, and especially not tell anyone...

and, {surprisingly} it inspired me. i thought maybe it would deter me from wanting to go on my hiking adventures ever again... but instead i started to make a list in my head of places i want to take my next adventures. and i would love to go where Aron hiked in the canyons, too. ::

#1. the bottom of the grand canyon

#2. {finish} long's peak... although not this summer... so sad.

#3. blue john canyon in utah... my gosh it's beautiful.

so maybe registering at backwoods is a good idea,

sarahjo