"At this point in life, you're going to have to make all the sacrifices."

{The above was said during a long car ride by a fellow baseball fiancé. 
It is a piece of advice that came from a colleague of hers. 
It stuck with her long enough to share with me, and stuck with me long enough to share with you.} 

Yes, I've made quite a bit of sacrifices to be with my husband, but how long is "this point" in my life? Does it last 5, 10, 30 years? Then the tables turn and he begins to make all the sacrifices? Nope. If I have it my way I'll have children in the next 5 years (or so) and will be sacrificing it all for them for the rest of my life! 

When I got married I knew my life was changing forever. I knew it was no longer about me, but about us. I knew it, but hadn't grasped the concept completely. I still haven't. It's something I'm working through and will continue to work through for years to come {maybe the rest of my life}. 

We are selfish by nature and it's no surprise that at times I feel as though my 'sacrifices' need recognition. Then I just so happened to read the verse that opened my eyes to why I'm able to make these 'sacrifices' in the first place.
 

Christ made the ultimate sacrifice and has asked for nothing in return. His example on the cross allows us to forgive where we shouldn't, love those who are broken, sacrifice what we can't... 

Amazingly, in baseball, a successful sacrifice bunt does not count as an at bat but does count as a Plate Appearance; this means it does not count against a player in determining on base percentage. However, if the official scorer believes that the batter was attempting to bunt for a base hit, and not solely to advance the runners, the batter is not credited with a sacrifice bunt, and is charged an at bat.

What an incredible example of the message I'm trying to write. When making a sacrifice and thinking nothing of yourself during it, those closest to you are able to make advancements in the right direction without any negative repercussions onto yourself. For, "Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."

With a connection like that between the game and the Word of God, 
'it's hard not to be romantic about baseball.' 

So in an endeavor to act out the word of God rather than just read it, I am making a pledge to no longer ask when life will be all about me again.  No longer refer to these amazing opportunities Christ has given me as "sacrifices." No longer wait for the day that I don't have to adjust my life to meet the needs of others. I will let everything I say be good and helpful, so that my words may be an encouragement to those who hear them (Ephesians 4:29).  

If you struggle with the same selfish thoughts, join me in posting Ephesians 2:8-10 on your bathroom mirror, car dash, nightstand, fridge... as a reminder that this life is not about your sacrifices, 
but about His.

-E

Today is another FULL off-day for the husband, and our plans to drive to the Finger Lakes in Ithaca, NY to spend the day at a winery (there's hundreds in that area) were smashed when we woke up to a huge storm. 
It hasn't stopped raining since! 

So while the rest of my house slept until 1:00 pm, I woke up, made my coffee & oatmeal, 
did a little work and started pinning. :)

Lately I've been obsessing over beautiful blooms ... 

Maybe it's a little wedding nostalgia (Logan and I just celebrated our 6 monthiversary!) , or maybe it's the fact that I can't keep them in our home since we're constantly traveling that has made me want a garden and arrangements even more. 

Follow my Bloom Pinterest board for more incredible & inspirational florals. 



-E

I'm a dreamer. Always have been, always will be. 
Throughout my life I've wanted to be

• an actress
  
• a dallas cowboys cheerleader
  
• a professional dancer
  
• miss teen texas
  
• a model
• a news anchor
• miss texas
  
• a sports broadcaster
  

^^^Pretty big dreams, right? ^^^
I was raised to "Dream Big" and "Go Big or Go Home." 
Therefore, I've always been in the middle of doing something completely outrageous. 

Around this time last year I started dealing with a huge internal battle. 
Have I given up on my dreams? 

I was talking to another baseball fiance just the other night, and come to find out I'm not the only one that's struggled with this. 

Our generation has us believing that as women it is our responsibility to no longer be a shadow behind our husband. Unlike 50 years ago when cooking & cleaning were supposed to be our main priorities, now I feel as though becoming a supportive wife and nothing more is looked down upon.

Prime Example: During Spring Training there was a girlfriend that came to visit. During one of our first conversations she gave me the, "Soooo what do you do?" She was pursuing another degree. I felt so inferior. After all my endeavors and successes, my new "non-busy" lifestyle was overshadowing the fact that I was the happiest I think I've ever been. Of course I tried to explain how I'm working part-time and training for a marathon... does it matter? I don't need to explain myself.  God simply led me in a different direction from her and I felt judged because of it.

I’m tired of being judged. For 20 years I was judged and that’s what my success was dependent upon. Dependent upon the opinions of others. In dance they line up 5 or 7 judges to watch you, then write down what they think you should be scored, in their opinion. In pageants they choose several people, some that have never been to a pageant, to decide who takes home the crown. So go ahead society. Judge on. I'm used to it. :)
But throughout all that judging I realized this: (prepare yourself for a super-duper cliche)

 Winning is not about taking home the trophy, {Okay, so I never complained when I got one} because in my experiences, you can win because you were second all across the board, or lose because one judge scored you in last place.  Winning is about the process. It’s the discipline and hard work you put into something and being able to look back and see all that you got out of it. Life is about the process of reaching that ultimate goal, eternal life through Christ. Being able to look back and know that you did your best to live the way Christ intended. The hardest part is figuring out what Christ intends for you to do with the life you've been given. 

Either way you’re faced with the fear of regret. If you don’t follow your dreams will you forever wonder “what if?” If you don’t follow the one you love will you forever think about “what could’ve been?”

Obviously I chose the one that I dream of. The thrill of auditioning is incredible, but I get more of a thrill watching Logan pursue his dream. I find more happiness knowing that we’re living it out together. I have more satisfaction in knowing I’ve found the love of my life. 

Maybe I don't have a law degree. Maybe I'm not as career-driven as society expects (or as my 15-year-old self expected me to be). When I look back at my life 50 years from now, I want to see all the time I put into my family and friends. I want to remember the smiles they put on my face and all the crazy moments we had together. I want to relive the time Logan and I spent Easter Sunday driving from Florida to NY looking like the Beverly Hillbillies hauling my car.

Go ahead and pursue your career. Heck, become CEO of a Fortune 500 Company. You go girl! Like I said before, I'm a dreamer and I support all other dreamer's dreams! But don't look at a woman that has made the decision to follow her husband or quit her job to stay at home with her family and think she gave up on her dreams. 


That's not what happened. She considered her options and her dreams changed. 

So accept the life God has led you to live. It might not be what you always dreamed of, 
It may be something even better! 

-E

Long distance relationships are not fun. At all. So why do we do it? Oh, that's right.. we're in love. :) 

The worst part about a LDR is the constant worrying. Worrying about whether you can make it through this or not. Worrying if you can handle it! But if we were confident in our relationship remaining strong after being away from that significant other for several months:

• It wouldn't create nearly as much strain on the relationship
  
• The fighting would become minimal
  
• And a LDR would be easy! (besides the fact that you don't get to be with that person physically)

THE SECRET:

When I was a junior in high school, I had the most wonderful Spanish teacher. I actually looked forward to going to class. She was always smiling and I admired her outlook on life. Maestra said one day, "I know the secret to a long distance relationship." I had no reason to care at the time, but I love any kind of secret so my ears perked up. In her beautiful, Spanish accent she said, "Make your love the first person you speak to in the morning and the last person you talk to at night." 

Those words have followed me for the past 7 years. I've used that advice for the last 3 during the times Logan and I were away from each other. I'd do my best to at least send a good morning text or leave a voicemail and he'd do the same at night after his game (because most of the time I was already asleep). 

When I was studying abroad in Holland a few years ago, the time change was ridiculous! Every night I wrote Logan a note (through Facebook) about my day which he would get after his summer baseball game. Then he would write one to me to wake up to. Once I read his from the night before, I would write a good morning message back (even if it was very short). Then usually once he woke up he'd tell me his plan for the day, which I would read during my lunch break. 

It was a vicious cycle, but I cherish those "letters" so much! We went a full 3 months without seeing each other. 

Well, we're married now, so obviously something went right during our time apart. I'm not saying it was easy. Honestly, I couldn't handle it - I'm traveling with him now. :)

But that's not God's plan for everyone and I hope this advice reaches those of you struggling in your relationship right now.

For all my single ladies that could care less about a man, much less go through the stress of a LDR with a man... Let's consider this secret in another aspect of our life.


"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." -Joshua 1:9


But I'll be the first to admit that sometimes it seems as if God and I are in a long distance relationship. When God is the first person I talk to in the morning, giving Him all my cares and worries for the day, and the last person I speak to at night, thanking Him for all I've been given, my relationship with Christ strengthens significantly. 

"People are often mistaken that it takes two people to make a relationship work. It takes three. Keep God at the center of your relationship, and all else falls away." -Someone shared this tidbit at our wedding reception (this was the gist of it at least...)

Long distance relationships are not easy. Even with FaceTime, cell phones, Skype, texting... it never will be. But I promise that making that special someone (whether it's your boyfriend, fiance, husband or God) the first and last person you speak to everyday, you will gain confidence in your relationship which will create strength. And a strong relationship can make it through anything.


-E

On December 1, 2012, I married my true love and very best friend. 
Since then, life has gone a little differently than I imagined married-life being.

After the wedding, most married couples put their time and energy into saving money, buying a house, and making babies. Those things aren't really a priority for us. We might not be living in the same town next month! Better yet, next week! 

My husband is a MiLB pitcher for the NY Mets Organization. This is his second season playing professional ball. Last year during our engagement, we saw each other one weekend out of every month for 7 months. I was miserable, Logan was lonely, and neither of us were happy with the long-distance. This made the engagement and wedding planning very difficult. At the end of the season, after months of prayer, a long-time family friend offered me a job at his commercial real estate company in Fort Worth. He knew our situation and from the beginning promised that I could travel with my soon-to-be-husband during the season. 

God is good. 

So, in February, three months after the wedding, we moved from Fort Worth to Port St. Lucie, Florida for Spring Training. Just a few weeks ago, we moved from Florida to upstate New York for Logan to play AA ball. Because of our time apart, I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to contribute to our family financially AND emotionally by being here to support my husband. It's that can't-eat, can't-sleep, reach-for-the-stars, over-the-fence, world series kind of stuff. The stuff that makes life worth living.

I hope that through this blog I can do several things: offer advice and support to those who are enduring long-distance relationships, share our travel and love stories, and allow myself a creative outlet by sharing my many passions. I have created a blog to not only pass the time here in this little town, but to recount our exciting, uncommon, married-life journey. Enjoy!


-E