Marriage Lately

It’s going on 8 months of being married and changing my life by moving to a new state with my new husband. You may have read my post about the first year of marriage, my surprising struggles, and internal conflicts. With my hubby’s impending deployment, I’m taking a sweet look back on the past 8 months and how it’s going lately.

 

Marriage lately means waking up to tickled feet and freezing cold hands on warm skin, and looking forward to it every morning.

Marriage lately is ordering pizza and spending all day watching The Walking Dead on Netflix.

Marriage lately means getting a little too emotional, crying a few too many tears, but never saying “I’m sorry” too many times.



Marriage lately is bickering over leaving the bedroom curtains opened or closed before going to sleep, and then breaking into hysterics under the sheets.

Marriage lately means having limited money to spend, and buying canned soup, Kraft Mac ‘n Cheese, and cookie dough.

Marriage lately is being strong when the other is weak, happy when the other is sad, and sympathetic when the other is down on their luck. 



Marriage lately means a surprise cup of coffee on my night stand, messages left on the refrigerator, and entries written for the other in a special journal.

Marriage lately is enjoying each other’s hobbies, like being an afternoon golf caddy, or a sudden crafting frenzy on the weekend.

Marriage lately means needing a rental car and fighting over the keys.



Marriage lately is getting the flu and having your socks put on your feet, without even asking.

Marriage lately means being misunderstood, misinterpreted, misread, but never mistreated.

Marriage lately is eye appointments, carefully times prescriptions, and wearing sunglasses in restaurants. 



Marriage lately means glitter everywhere. Literally, everywhere.

Marriage lately is reminding each other to say their prayers before the other falls asleep.

Marriage lately means spoiling the cat, calling her a brat, and laughing together at her crazy antics.



Marriage lately is giving up the remote when a golf tournament is on all day, and knowing that Monday nights are Bachelor nights.

Marriage lately means random trips to Walmart for things we never really need, and just wasting most of our time in the candle aisle.

Marriage lately is kissing all night; knowing that eventually every good, mundane, or bad day will be spent miles a part, and not wanting to waste another second we have together.



Simply,

The Hoosier Peach

Be Mine, Valentine

One thing my Mom taught me from a young age is how to make other people feel loved through small gifts. She made almost every holiday special in some way for my sisters and I as well as for her friends and family. With Valentine’s Day almost here, I thought it was a great time to share some ways you can make the people in your life feel loved.

I speak the love language of gift-giving; not necessarily lavish or expensive gifts, something simple and thoughtful easily makes me feel just as loved. For example, the other day my husband surprised me with iced-coffee and some breakfast left on my nightstand for when I woke-up. It was simple, it was easy, it cost him probably $3, but I loved being thought of during his busy morning rushing to and from work. Another time he went out with a friend and was gone most of the evening and surprised me by bringing me back a nice Nike work-out shirt! It was so sweet to know that he was thinking of me, even while he was out having a good time with his friend.

If you aren’t familiar with love languages, Gary Chapman’s book The 5 Love Languages explains that there five different ways people receive love. There’s physical touch, words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, and quality time. If you are interested in finding out what yours is head to http://www.5lovelanguages.com to take the test!

With gift-giving being the central aspect of Valentine’s Day, and most holidays, here’s how you can make the special person in your life feel most loved on what I have dubbed “Love Day”:

1. Physical Touch
This one is pretty obvious for the married couples out there! If you know your husband is a physically motivated kind of guy, take the time to do your hair the way he likes, put on those tight out-of-the-dryer jeans, a top you know he loves, and some lipstick he can’t help but notice and greet him with a hug and kiss! Of course, don’t forget the steamy night ahead and that red slip you haven’t worn in awhile….. 😉

If you’re a guy reading this, take the time to hug your wife, hold her hand when walking even short distances, and kiss her often! We love hand holding because it shows the world we are yours, and kisses in public (we’re not talking about the French kind), show that you are proud to call us yours and you want every one else to know it!

Maybe you are just going to be with friends or family this Love Day, well a hug and a simple “I love you” can mean the world.

2. Words of Affirmation
This is another top one for me, I love hearing or reading about how much someone loves me!! This is a great way to get creative. I obviously enjoy blogging and writing so coming up with a sweet letter, or poem can be a great way to express how you feel for the special person in your life. Don’t let the cheesy card do all the talking! Your handwriting inside of a blank card, or on lined paper is beautiful enough! Leave the card or letter in a surprising place- in a lunch box, on a pillow, or somewhere you know they will find it when they need it most.

For your BFF or your family members, snail mail is still a way to communicate! You know, a cute kitten card inside an envelope with an address and a stamp? Just imagine the smile opening up a kitten valentine from YOU!

3. Acts of Service
My husband is a very service oriented kind of guy. He’s constantly doing things for others and never complains about emptying the litter box, doing the dishes, and it’s almost always his idea to vacuum. If your Mom, Dad, husband, or wife has a heart of service, an act of service back will truly speak to them. On or around Valentine’s Day, offer to come over and help clean-out something they have been mentioning, but just haven’t found the time to do yet. If you see the dishes in the sink, load the dishwasher and stay long enough to unload them. If you’re a military wife- you know that doing your husband’s laundry is a huge act of service and he will be so glad he didn’t have to match all of those 50 Shades of Green socks (see what I did there?)!! It doesn’t necessarily have to be a chore, if you’re working on your cooking skills, go out of your way to attempt your significant other’s favorite meal- and don’t forget to clean the kitchen afterwords! 🙂

4. Receiving Gifts
Like I mentioned, this is my strongest area for receiving love. But, even though I love getting gifts, I love giving them even more! On Valentine’s Day, the most popular of gifts would be roses and chocolate- which I would never complain about receiving!! Last year while my husband (then boyfriend) was in Basic Training, he still managed to send me a dozen roses, a teddy bear, and a box of chocolates ON Valentine’s Day!! It was the SWEETEST surprise ever!!! How he pulled that off while he was miles away training, I’ll never know. But, I still remember how loved I felt when I saw a large box in my living room with my name on it. Whether it’s roses, or your favorite flowers (mine are sunflowers), for some reason, we are just wired to love beautiful smelly things that die. If you’re on a diet, save those chocolates for a special treat and the love will last even longer!

However as women, we are often left wondering what to get the man, BFF, Mom, or sister in our life!! Here’s my go-to list of some easy things to make or buy to say “I Love You”:
– Fleece tie blanket in favorite team colors
– “Man basket” filled with his favorite treats! Think beef jerkey, cheese, chips, candy, and a drink!
– Bestie Box filled with some treats you made, a chick flick, and a necklace.
– Tickets to a movie, concert, or sporting event the gift reciever has been wanting to see! Make a cute “golden ticket” wrapper with some yellow construction paper and markers! Don’t forget a chocolate bar for full Willy Wonka effect (and to stash in your purse for the event)!!
– If your lover one has a new (or old) hobby, do some research and find out what item they have been “dying to have”! For my husband, some golf shoes or an indoor mini golf set would be a big hit!
– A small photo album with pictures of your relationship through the years, or a classy boudoir photo shoot for your hubby if you’re feeling fabulous!! Emphasis on CLASSY!!
– His favorite beer, maybe you had to drive an hour to Whole Foods to get it, but he will LOVE you for it!!!
– Take your bestie a bottle of wine and a magazine and leave it on their doorstep with a cheesy construction paper valentine!

The idea that you were attentive to what your loved one likes, and you were sensitive to their wants and needs is the biggest act of love in gift giving. So if your craft is a fail, or you got the wrong weight golf balls- the fact that you paid attention and thought of them will always be enough!!

5. Quality Time
This one is also pretty obvious, sometimes the person we love simply just wants some uninterrupted time with us. Maybe it’s the husband that just enjoys some QT- so reverse the rolls for a change and make the dinner reservation! Call ahead and get a table for two, dress-up, and sit across from each other laughing and talking for longer than you normally would! For something a little more personal, plan a trip together to the grocery store, make dinner together, and then snuggle up and watch a movie afterwords.

Even if those are things you already do, switch it up by playing some romantic music and drink some wine while cooking, try your hand at Sushi or something you don’t normally make, turn your cell phone off and leave it in the other room, get a babysitter even if you’re just cooking at home, or look through wedding pictures and watch your wedding DVD!

Whether you’re single, married, living at home, or living away from family and friends- there’s a way to show every one you love them this Valentine’s Day and every day! And most importantly, remember that it’s not just a day to feed into the crazy culture we live in, it’s a day specially designated to tell someone you love them in their own unique way.

Simply,

The Hoosier Peach

I Was Wrong About Marriage

I can’t even believe we will be married for one year in just 5 months. These past 7 months have been the biggest challenge and learning experience I could ever have. No college class, part-time job or bridal shower advice ever prepared me for being married. I had SO MANY misconceptions about marriage coming into this, things I never saw coming and things I was flat out wrong about. I remember one day texting a friend in frustration just saying, “I feel like no one talks about the first year of marriage, like it’s a big secret no one wants to share!!” So I’m going first, I’ll let you in on the secrets you WILL ask yourself within the first year, if not the first month you’re married.

1. Nothing is “Normal”
This word “normal” will suddenly rule your life. You’ll wonder if you’re “normal”, if he’s “normal”, if that weird conversation at dinner was “normal” or if your marriage is “normal”. Nope. It’s not. Nothing is normal. It’s not normal to move-in with a guy and share 100% of your space, or to show him how many shoes you really do have, or how often you really don’t like to shower. Everything you’ve ever known as “normal” has changed. But you will get a new “normal”, you’ll create a routine together, you’ll find out every single thing you didn’t even care to know, and that will eventually be something you love and cherish and miss within daily life. Key word: eventually.

2. Except arguing IS normal
This one really scared me. We didn’t fight before we got married- maybe a few stressful wedding planning moments and me just being sassy, but nothing I ever spent more than 10 minutes stewing over. Marriage is stressful, combining your bank accounts, figuring out jobs, car accidents, Doctor appointments, moving, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning… Life happens after the wedding day!! As long as the arguments are respectful and without any type of abuse… all you can know is that it really is normal!! Every time my husband and I argue it breaks my heart, it really does- but what matters most is how it’s resolved, what you learn from it for the next time an argument arises, and that holding a grudge just causes you to become bitter. The best thing about marriage is that even when we don’t feel like we deserve love, we continue to receive it anyways. And that’s better than any “I’m sorry” in my book.

3. The Pages Change
You may be wondering, “what pages?” Well, the pages in the book of Life, of course! When you’re first falling in love at some point you’ve probably told someone “We’re on the same page” or “We have the same goals” or “Our paths have crossed and now we are going down the same road”…. all meaning you want the same things in life in that very moment. This is so important!! While your shared goals such as saving money to buy a house or having children should be the same- other things will change!! Whether that’s a career, moving to another state, acquiring different hobbies, or your relationship with Christ!! My husband and I are SO ALIKE in SO MANY ways!! However, we are very different in other areas. Since being married I have started a Christian Book Study and joined a Bible study with some other Army wives here in Georgia. My faith and personal relationship with Jesus is growing and changing- and it’s been long over due, while my husband’s may not be growing and changing at the same rate as mine. THAT’S OK!! This is a pretty deep example, but just because you’re on different pages in some areas doesn’t mean you no longer have the same ideals you started with. I’m not the same person I was 2 years ago, and in 2 years from now I will be different in other ways. Continue to pray for each other, lift each other up, don’t hold things in, talk a LOT, and the little things that change about your spouse won’t seem so big in the long run.

4. Your Past will Haunt You
During those first few months, you’ll start to re-live the past. Whether it’s during an argument or something someone says in passing, or a dish left in the sink, you’ll watch the past repeat itself from your point of view. All of those things you experienced that had a negative impact on you WILL come up. Maybe not in ways you thought, but they will. For me, I had a horrible relationship with my Dad. He was mean, he was easily angered, he made his wife and daughters full of stress, shame, and repentance. My past haunted me when my husband emptied the dishwasher after I said I would do it and it made me feel so horrible and lazy. This was a preconceived idea that was formed in my head because my mom, sisters, and I were always on edge about what “task” we needed to do next. There was no relaxing when my Dad was around. If he hollered for one of us to do the dishes, we had to do it immediately. If he cleaned out the litter box, he’d threaten to get rid of the cats. He had us all feeling horrible for ever “making” him do any sort of task. This was something HUGE I dealt with on several occasions. Again, it’s NORMAL!! You’re creating a new normal and mine is realizing that a man can respectfully help around the house and not make his wife feel bad about it. How lucky am I?? I know right…. 😉

5. It Will Feel Different
Somewhere along the lines, when life gets hectic, you’ll realize how different your relationship is from when you first met. You’ll get really sad, and you’ll ask yourself if it’s “normal”. And I’m here to tell you once again…. It’s totally normal. Well, whatever “normal” means. You’ll think about how perfectly flawless you thought your spouse was and how you stared at pictures of them for hours because you were enchanted and captivated. You’ll read your journal and see all the now silly worries you once had about falling in love because now you’re full-force, 100% in love and committed for life. Some days will feel more “dreamy” than others, some days will really suck, you’ll make each other mad, you’ll cry, you’ll waste an entire day together watching The Walking Dead on Netflix, and you’ll realize that regular life being married is better than any single life before.

Rest Easy.

I’ve been pondering prayer, my journey and various types of praying I have encountered, as well as the revelations I have had while praying.

Since I can’t sleep, and my bedtime prayer turned from an innocent conversation with God, to thinking I’m the next Aristotle with new philosophical revelations, I decided to see what great definition of prayer I could find.

This was taken from Bible Study Tools

“Christian prayer is, thus, a sequel in a relationship that begins before the idea of praying even occurs to us. One is summoned to continue the dialogue by the God who offers the gift of prayer, who guarantees its reality, and who calls on men and women to pray through the instrumentality of human speech.”

I. Love. This.

This describes my view on Christian prayer exactly as I have been trying to word it the past 30 minutes! And now that we know that I’m not the next textbook philosopher, here is my own personal testimony of prayer.

When I was young, I mean REALLLLY young, probably 4-5 years old, God spoke to me. Yes. Literally. I was saying a little kid prayer, probably something like, “Thank you God for my family. Thank you for my cat. Thank you for my food. Amen.” Then I heard God’s voice, like the deep, booming voice you would imagine it to be. He said hi to me, and He said He could hear me. And that was it. I went to Sunday School the next morning and raised my hand and told my class what happened!! I was so excited!! I actually talked to God! Then, my Sunday School teacher told me I was lying and I went under my desk and cried. I remember this like it was yesterday & I still walk by the classroom at my church where this happened and think of this situation every time. I’m not going to get started on my thoughts of children being the “closest” to God, and that being the reason for my encounter, but this was my first memorable interaction with prayer.

Later, in High School, I prayed constantly. Every other thought going through my head was a prayer, and that wasn’t necessarily a good thing. I was obsessed with praying because I thought that meant I was a “good Christian”. I prayed all the time, so I was “close to God”, right? Wrong. My prayers were empty and meaningless at times. I was focused more on saying a prayer rather than taking a moment and just trusting. I wasn’t able to hear what God was saying because I was too busy talking.

Through college I wandered slightly, I never stopped believing, but my actions drew me away from God and the things He truly wanted for my life. Then, I was so broken, tired, and lost, that prayer was all I had left. I cried myself to sleep and my only prayer was “God, I feel so alone, please take me back and hold me in Your arms.”

For awhile, my prayers were negative. “God forgive me for this….”, “God, it’s me again, will forgive me for that?”, “I’m sorry I did this….”, “God, help me be better….” and the list could go on. What was missing? Why wasn’t I seeing results? Who wants to pray when all they want is forgiveness and all they feel is guilt? Better yet, what God wants to be approached when I was only ever needing something?

Recently, my view on prayer has made a 180. Because guess what?!

God is so easy to please.

That’s it.

I’m so lucky to be a Christian and know what goodness and hope comes with that realization. I have changed from a guilty, shame-filled prayer life, to a hopeful and optimistic life focused on being prayerfully mindful. Instead of constantly praying, I’m constantly listening; listening for that “voice” (it probably won’t be booming and say my name again, but a girl can dream….), when I feel like I should smile at that person at Walmart, or when I feel like I should buy that boy a new pair of pants because his are too small, or when I think I should text that friend I’ve been thinking about…. I DO IT! I was once told that the best thing you can do for someone is to pray for them, and the worst thing you can do is to not follow through. God is easily pleased just by listening to the “voice in your head” or the simple prayer you say before your meal, or the quick “Be with ____ person today as they ______”. My life doesn’t have to be based on the next wonderfully worded prayer, or a constant string of empty “prayer thoughts” throughout the day, or what horrible thing that I did that I need to ask for forgiveness from, I rest easy in knowing that my prayer life is a sequel in a beautiful conversation with God, & he promises it’s reality.

Simply,

The Hoosier Peach

What’s Next?

I have been thinking about what I want my next year and the rest of my life to look like. Once you get married, the thought runs through your head; “What’s next?”. Growing up as a little girl you dream of meeting “the one”, “saying yes to the dress”, and the beautiful wedding day, but what comes after the wedding? I’ve felt lost for a few months now, wondering what I want to look forward to in 2015. Babies? Not for a few years. New house? We will probably be moving before long. Dream job? Soon I hope. But besides those BIG things, what do I really want my life to look like?

It’s time for a New Year. SO. MUCH. HAS. HAPPENED in 2014, but I’m so excited for 2015. I have never been one for “resolutions” or “goals” because I think it’s cheesy, and no one actually keeps them anyways.

But what if we did? What if we kept the promises we made to ourselves? I make promises to friends, family, and my husband and I fully intend on keeping them. So why not keep a promise to myself?

Instead of a “New Year Resolution”, or “New Year Goals”, I’m making New Year Promises.

1. I promise to be an active-learner. I loved college, I didn’t mind homework or projects, and I loved going to class. I feel lazy when I’m not learning or having my nose in a book. So I’m promising myself to keep my mind active and adventurous. I received the book “The Best Yes” for Christmas and I signed-up for an online Bible study. I am anxious to begin and open the door to learning and God’s word to change and shape my mind and heart.

2. I promise to stay healthy. Now that I’m 25, I feel that it is my duty to start early in pro-longing my life. I see and hear of so many people with various health issues and I am SO. THANKFUL. that I have had nothing health related holding me back in my life so far. And recently I have realized that God has blessed me with my health, but it is my duty to take care of what He has given me. I want to make Doctor appointments that I’m fearful of, schedule check-ups, take my vitamins, and exercise when I can. Thankfully, my concerned husband will keep me in-check on this one! 😉

3. I promise to join a group. This is very broad, mainly because I’m not sure what it really means yet. Since moving to Georgia, I have had a few friends here and there. Steven and I have attended a church, but we still don’t really know any one there. Maybe I will join an under-water-basket-weaving group, or maybe I will join a Lifegroup, or the circus. The possibilities on this are endless. But I am clearly longing to be a part of something. Anything, really.

4. I promise to send more hand-written cards. I love this one. Mainly because I secretly plan on doing this EVERY YEAR, but I never do it. It took me a few months to even get my wedding thank-you’s out to people!! I have great intentions on thank-you notes, birthday cards, etc… but for some reason they sit there and never make it to the mailbox. I want to send more hand-written cards because in a world of technology, it’s easy to write on someone’s “Wall” and save 50 cents on a stamp (gosh, I didn’t know stamps were so expensive these days), but a simple card in the mail to say I’m thinking of you, shows so much more thought and consideration than typing something and clicking “Post”.

5. I promise to start a hobby with my hubby. I am REALLY looking forward to this! Steven and I have a lot of different interests. He likes fishing, video games, guns, Army related anything, music, and food. I enjoy Pinterest crafts, reading, writing, playing games, Taylor Swift (that’s a hobby, right?), and my Cat (also a hobby). With such different interests, I’m so excited to find something we enjoy doing TOGETHER. Whether it’s bike riding, working-out, starting a T.V. series, or a puzzle, I would love to always have something we can look forward to every night, or each week that we love to do together.

Now, I ask for YOU to help keep me accountable! Ask me if I’ve joined a group, or what I’ve been reading, ask what Steven and I like to do together, remind me to take my vitamins, and don’t let me join the circus.

Simply,

The Hoosier Peach

Enough

I’ll (finally) admit it. Marriage is hard work. I heard it probably 50 times up to the day of my wedding, and I figured these people meant all the stress that would come with children. “Pshhh… We don’t have THOSE problems yet!” Well, we had also never lived together…… Until 4 months ago.

Moving 800 miles away, having no job, and limited funds is EXTREMELY stressful. Granted, I knew what I was signing up for, I somewhat expected it, but I didn’t expect my “true self” to come out so quickly and easily. I was defensive, easily irritated, overly sensitive, and I felt extremely hard to love. I had no clue some of the things from my past would come up and place such a heavy burden on our new marriage. Then the worst thing of all happened, I began comparing us to other couples. People I saw as “perfect” or “more Christian” or “always happy”.

This has been my biggest mistake so far as a wife.

Why?
Because when you compare yourself to others you are seeing yourself as less-than whatever is in front of you. As far as our marriage was concerned, I saw it as less-than what other people had together. Like, maybe if we took a picture like that, or went on that trip, or looked at each other in that way, we would be a husband and wife with less “issues” than before. Oh! If only it were that easy, right? I was constantly reminding myself that no couple was perfect, every marriage has disagreements, and resolutions meant we were learning. I kept these thoughts to myself for awhile, hoping my insecurities would eventually give themselves up to a new thought to ponder. But the comparisons lingered until the guilt of my thoughts betraying me had weighed too heavily. I finally told my husband, in a meltdown one day, that I didn’t think we were as happy as the “other couples” I saw. His immediate response was “Who?”, but not even one relationship came to my mind. Then, my husband said, “I’ve never once thought that we weren’t happy just because we had a disagreement.” This struck me because through my comparison lense, I assumed the worst, and I saw what I thought were the ruins. However, through his 20/20 vision, he saw us clearly. He didn’t compare us because we were the best couple we could be in his eyes. He was confident that we were doing our best to solve conflict, listen, understand, learn, laugh, and find our own joy. He never questioned it and most of all he never doubted us. And since then, that has always been enough.

Why My Wedding Wasn’t the Best Day of My Life

Before you start wondering what horrible incident happened on my wedding day, think again! Whether you’re married, engaged, or a wanna-be-wifey, what expectations did/do you have for your wedding day? What disappointments did\will you encounter? As far as disappointments go- I guess, if I were honest, arguing with my family more than necessary & not having the biggest budget in the world would be my first thoughts. Expectations? Well, my wedding was planned and executed in 90 days, so I would say I always expected to have more time, but then again I never wanted a long engagement, and I expected it to be the best day of my life.

But guess what?? MY. WEDDING. WAS. AMAZING. 75 degree days in July never happen in Indiana, but it happened for me, on my wedding day (still can’t believe it)! I didn’t have a dress catastrophe, my cake wasn’t smooshed in my face, I had ZERO bridesmaid drama (yes you read that correctly), and every one (looked) like they were having the BEST time at the BEST wedding EVER.

But it still wasn’t the best day of my life, and here’s why…

Because I’ve had so many “best days” since saying “I Do”.

First, what’s not to love about waking up to the hottest guy in the world EVERY DAY?? Or seeing and talking to your husband for the first time in a month since his Army training? What about the arguments? Yes, those are some of the best (and worst) days for me because since getting married I have become a better, more thoughtful, patient, blessed wife knowing someone loves me even when I’m wrong. I’ve conquered more fears and doubts in the last 4 months than I ever have in my life, and even though there have been tears, I have laughed more, shared more, experienced more, and prayed more than I can ever remember.

Trust me, the wedding day is amazing, but the BEST days are truly yet to come.

Sincerely,
The Hoosier Peach

A Few of My Favorite Things

Here are a few exciting things you can look forward to from The Hoosier Peach:

1. Fashion– Scarves and polka dots and boutiques… OH MY! From what I like to wear, to “Where did she get that?” I will unveil all my fashion and bargain shopping secrets. I plan to feature my favorite boutiques (shop local!) and I might even have free giveaways from time to time 😉

2. Food– The smell of apple crisp is in the air! From my successes to my failures (still haven’t mastered the apple pie crust), I will share my favorite recipes for quick dinners and yummy baked goods. I’m only sorry there won’t be a scratch-and-sniff feature on the pictures.

3. Faith– We are all on a journey, might as well venture together! I plan on sharing my experiences in friendship, marriage, family, jobs and how that all ties together perfectly with grace from God. There is a Peachy Keen Book Club in the works, you won’t want to miss out!

4. Fun- Life is fun. Simple as that. In my spare time I love to do DIY projects and crafty things to make my home comfy and colorful. I hope my DIY projects inspire you to stop Pinning and start “Doing it Yourself”. But while you’re at it, why don’t you go ahead and just pin this blog on your favorite board so every one else can experience the love! Where was I? For fun I also plan on featuring the amazingly creative and inspiring people I come across and what they have to offer the world. If you have an Etsy shop, a great meal plan or work-out guide, a small home business, or a blog of your own… I want you!! Email me or comment on this post so I can contact you to be a part of Feature Fridays!

I’m SO very excited about this blog and the thoughts and creativity it can bring! I’m so excited in fact that I’m doing a giveaway of one accessory I can’t live without. So leave a comment with your best guess, share this blog on your favorite social media, and don’t forget to subscribe to my blog and the giveaway item will be shared Friday!! 🙂

Simply,

The Hoosier Peach

Why Blog?

So, this is my first blog post…. why should I blog? What do I have to say? To be honest, not a lot, but I’ve had this grand idea on my heart for awhile now and I decided tonight, with a glass of wine, would be the best time to start. But what should I blog about? After some random compliments from friends, some have encouraged fashion posts or home decorating posts, but what do I know about that? I come from a suburban Indiana town and I currently live in the Middle-of-Nowhere, Georgia (you think I’m kidding), I don’t dress adorably every day, my dining room table collects junk, and I don’t have marriage or God completely figured out (I mean, I’d like to meet someone who does), but I feel the call to write, to share, to encourage, to inspire, to make you laugh, make you think, to make you create, and if I can do even one of those things for you, that will be enough for me. So thank you to those who have encouraged me to share my thoughts through a blog, this first post is dedicated to you.

Of course this first blog post wouldn’t be complete without spilling my glass of wine all over myself and my cat Splat, which leads me to wonder…. if she licks all the wine off herself, will she get drunk? I guess that gives way to a new blog post tomorrow.

 

Simply,

The Hoosier Peach