I have completed one of the things on my list...finally

Seriously the last six weeks have been a whirlwind of activity. I have loved it. I have gotten to hang out individually with a lot of friends. I have gotten to meet some fun new people. I have gotten to eat at some fun new places. I have gone dancing a couple of times. It has been just so much fun to feel like I am living life again and creating great memories. I am having to cut back a little because going out can be a little tough on the pocketbook. Its funny now I truly appreciate the few quiet nights at home so much now.

I have also added one thing to my list that I never thought I would do ever in my life...I am training for a half-marathon. Okay so I am walk/jogging it...But I am doing it! Its to raise money for a counseling non-profit that goes into low-income schools and provides counseling and resources to the students. Its a great program so I am excited to raise $500 for them! Hey, all I need is 50 friends to give $10. But seriously it is really fun training and getting

Well, so I took a cooking class...one of my 7 things on my list down! yeah! It was so fun. I went to Whole Foods cooking school. Super nice and the people are great who run it. My friend Kristan came along which made it even more fun. We made fish, kale, and sweet potatoes oh and bread pudding for dessert. Yep it was a hands on cooking class and we got to eat what we made at the end. I would so recommend taking a cooking class at Whole Foods if you want something really fun to do.

I want to say thanks to all my friends who have been my wingwomen...and to all those who have let me tag along on some fun adventures in the city. I have loved every minute of it!

only more to come...

feeling life again...

So, I haven't done anything on my top seven list yet...but I have been out there engaging in life and boy does it feel good.

A couple of weeks ago I went and saw the movie Julia/Julie... the premise is this woman who is about to turn 30 and she's stuck in a job she hates, married to a great guy, but is really unhappy in her life...so decides to try all the recipes in Julia Child's French cooking for Americans cookbook. The movie flashes back to Julia Child's life in France when she went to cooking school. And you go back and forth to current day Julie trying out these recipes and Julia Child's life.

I am writing all of this because a lot of what they were going through the movie I could relate too.
Julia Child was in France and loved it but didn't feel like she had this place- she tried hat making because she loved hats.. I too love hats...but she hated making them and I think I would hate it too.. but she kept looking for something to give her purpose until she found a cooking school...ah ha she found her place. She thrived. Doors started opening and she found what she loved. There have been many times I felt that this past year. Where is my place especially as a single woman? Where do I fit amongst all of my married friends especially those who have children? Where do I fit in a job that doesn't feel like it fits anymore?

Then, flash forward to present day Julie was struggling with that amongst her friends who were deemed uber successful and here she was in a job she didn't like. And she was about to turn 30. I resonated with all of that.
You hit your 30's and I feel there is the whole other level of expectation. I feel like my 20's were full of hope and adventure. A big part of my 20's was moving to different places okay so just Dallas to Boston to Austin. But each of these offered a new adventure. There was hope of meeting new people and seeing all kinds of new things. And I did all of those things for the first few years but about the fourth year I was getting restless to try something new...have new experiences. Thankfully, God was always with me through this process...

So, I have been here in Austin for 5 years now and its crazy because I have sorta felt settled which is a weird feeling for me... Last summer I did struggle with moving to Dallas to be near family but the doors didn't open. So this year has been one of resolving myself with the fact that one I am growing up (scary) and two how can I make life an adventure without having to move halfway across the country and truly live in community for a significant amount of time. Adventure comes in a whole lot of ways. And I have also been putting a whole lot of hope in the possibility of a new adventure rather than hope in the God who allows for adventure...crazy huh!

So like I said I haven't done anything on my list but life has come and I am finding new adventures...and the adventure has been mostly trusting God for life and hope and delving deeper into community with friends.

I have too often run away because of what ever reason...mostly fear and not have allowed for the fact that we are all broken and we can hurt each other because we are sinful and some friends are not forever friend but friends for a season...but the hope here is that we can accept that hurt and pain comes with the territory and allow it to build a deeper trust and love for others. And then we do that we can see the beauty of grace that God continuously bestows upon us even though we don't deserve it. We get to catch a tiny glimpse of what new creation will look like...oh and what an adventure new creation will be!!

stay tuned I promise to do at least one item off my list in the next couple of weeks...

the beginning...

So I have missed my smile...or I should say my dimples. That is why this blog is named dimples and such. I was just in Africa and I kept seeing these wonderful kids with huge smiles and these huge dimples and I would get so excited because it was like we had this connection point despite the fact we couldn't speak the same language. these kids were smiling even though they may not be eating that day or whatever hardship was coming their way they still chose to smile and of course it just makes you smile back. I realized how much I haven't smiled a lot lately because I have just been bogged down in life or have let fear replace my hope which makes my dimples not show up as much.
Its funny dimples are actually a deformity..I know crazy but I just think now its funny how God can turn something that could have not been so cute into something that is so beautiful and fun. Much like He does with our brokenness- He can redeem our broken hearts and broken lives into something with such beauty that makes others around us see that there is hope.

..so I recreated this blog with a sole purpose... to hold me accountable to bringing my dimples back. I have a whole list of things that I haven't done in Austin that I have been saying I wanted to do for a while but have let life get in the way...

I was inspired by a couple of things the movie Julie/Julia project...check out the preview if you are curious. And of course my recent trip to Uganda, Africa. They do such an amazing celebrating life amongst community. I realized I need do this so much more. I have realized I have been letting life pass me by or hibernating for whatever reason. Yep no longer! So, you may ask what kinds of things are you going to do...well here is my tentative list...feel free to make suggestions...
1. Cooking class at Central Market
2. Tour all the art museums besides my fave the Blanton which I tend to gravitate towards.
3. Kayaking on town lake
4. Dance class at Ballet Austin
5. walk the trails at the wildflower center
6. See a play or musical
7. See an orchestra concert at the Long Center


that's all I got. so let me know if you have any suggestions or if you want to join me on any of these adventures just let me know! thanks friends for supporting me in this pursuit.