Anyways, in my mad dash for the finish line (Yikes! I’m turning 30 in less than a month) I’ve been scrambling to meet some of my remaining goals… one in particular that I was excited about… take a language class… a Portuguese class to be exact.

You see I dedicated most of my college experience to studying Spanish.  As a Latin American Studies major, I felt it important to learn a language of the area I had decided to dedicate so much of my studies to and I’m so glad that I did.  I loved every minute of it (except that one minute in the middle of that one oral exam when I forgot stuff… yeah that minute stunk)

That being said, I realize that Spanish is not the only language spoken in Latin America and it has long been a desire of mine to also learn Portuguese.   Somehow in my mind if I can speak Portuguese than I will also be able to inexplicably master the Samba and maybe even Capoeira (don’t laugh… it could happen)  Unfortunately, my dreams were dashed earlier this week when I received a notice saying that my registration for beginners Portuguese was “Rejeitada”… that means Denied… I would have known that if I had made it into the class and I wouldn’t have had to bother my wonderful friend (Thanks Lety!).

Photo Credit

You see, there’s this great organization called the Global Language Network that was started by a few students at my Alma Mater (Go G-DUB!).  It’s mission is to advance language learning by offering classes in common and less commonly taught languages, by making language learning affordable and effective, and by facilitating cross-cultural interaction and exchange.  Let me tell you… THEY.ARE.AWESOME.

So awesome in fact that the demand far outweighs the supply (I learned about that in my Econ classes… yeah education!) and they don’t have room for me this semester.   I really shouldn’t even be telling you about them, because it’s just going to make it that much harder for me to get in… but I can’t help myself.  They’re pretty cool.

Anyways, I’m not giving up.  I will try again in the Summer and before you know it I will be doing this. ( or maybe I’ll learn German so I can sing about the Samba like these guys)

Any languages you’ve been wanting to learn?  Any you have already learned and want to teach me? 

I learned that I like stripes.  I like them a lot. Just ask my closet.

I learned that it’s ok to ask for other people’s opinions. You don’t have to take them, but you might just get a better idea than what you originally had.  That’s one of the wonderful advantages of having friends.

I learned that just because you don’t face something doesn’t mean it has magically disappeared.

I learned that often times when you face something, it’s not as big as you originally thought.

I learned that courage is sometimes just the small decision to try again.

I learned that confidence is important.  It doesn’t mean you don’t have your doubts, it just means you don’t give them the final say.

I learned that ROKU rocks your socks off… literally.

I learned that a handsome con man can be rehabilitated to help the FBI solve a number of “White Collar” crimes and if they film said con man… I will be stuck to the TV watching his every move…

I learned that in Hawaii they don’t say fifty, they say Five – Oh … and I will watch that too.

I learned that if you spray paint yourself orange and stumble around the streets of Italy, I’ll probably watch that too.

I learned I watch too much TV.

I learned that I think it’s funny when people say something is “cray cray” but I would never say that myself

I learned from Justin Beiber to “Never Say Never”

I learned that when I make lists, they go downhill very fast.

I learned a lot of others things that I can’t think of right now.

The End.

p.s. What I’ve learned so far in 2012… when you  google “2011 NYE Glasses” you inexplicably get a lot of Bill Nye the Science Guy hits… strange.

p.p.s. I learned that NYE (New Year’s Eve) is also his last name… AH! Now I get it.

I dutifully pulled out my rainboots (thanks Mom!) and found my umbrella at the bottom of the closet…all the while muttering under my breath about people living in California and life not being fair…

When the skies turn gray, it’s easy to feel like weight of the world is on your shoulders…. The to do list looms and hope of a brighter day soon gets lost as you slosh through the puddles of disappointment. Why today? Why me?

The office greeted me with its usual piles of paperwork, the regular chatter and bustle. I sat down at my desk, bent my head and succumbed to the pull of the cubicle….Its pull is strong.

Hours passed and time changed. My mood did not. Still weighed down by the clouds I thought loomed.   I finally pulled myself away from my desk for a moment and happened to walk past the window.

Much to my surprise the sky formerly cluttered by clouds was bursting with sunlight.  The sky was a bright blue and I could feel the warmth of the sun even through the glass window pane.  Could this possibly be the same day?  How could just a few short hours bring such a radical change in the atmosphere?  Where had the storm clouds, which had previously promised to take up permanent residence, gone?

Isn’t it like that sometimes in life?  We can so easily become weighed down by the clouds of our circumstances… losing sight of hope.  Whatever you are going through can seem never-ending and every report tells you that it’s never going to change.  The clouds have come to stay.

As I saw the sunshine stream through the window this afternoon, the thought occurred to me…. this is what Jesus does for us.

All we may see are clouds… lots of them.   We don’t see what’s happening behind the scenes.  We bury our heads in the day-to-day business of life… rarely taking a break to lift our heads from our “desks”.

I’m writing this to encourage you… take a break…. look out the window.  Jesus is working behind the scenes on your behalf.  His promises hold true even in the midst of trying situations.   The darkness may last for a season.  The storm may come, but it will not stay.  You are not alone.  The sunshine will come.  What a glorious day that will be.

All that to say… there is a particularly loooooooonnnnngggg list that I wrote for myself at the beginning of last year.  You can read more about it here...   You see, my time on this earth as a 29-year-old is swiftly drawing to a close… and while I’m tempted to hold on to that age for a bit longer, I have decided to age gracefully…. (gracefully = kicking and screaming, with some crying fits… right?)

I can’t put it off any longer…without further ado, here is the current status on my Thirty before 30 list… sigh*

• Go to a Broadway show (I’m going this weekend… woohooo!!!)
• Start playing the piano again (I played chopsticks over Christmas… does that count?)
• Pay off my Credit Card (This is an ongoing process… but it’s in the works)
• Travel to Cali (remember how I said I write things on a list that I’ve already done… read about it here, here & here)
• Vacation somewhere warm (I’m going in May!!!!!!!!)
• Take a language class
• Write a Children’s Book
• Learn how to use Photoshop
• Blog at least 3x week (soooooooooooo….about that)
• Take Voice Lessons
• Start my own business
• Take a Dance Class
• Take a Road Trip
• Lose weight (I’m going to take my shoes off in February and hope for the best)
• Grow my hair out (I already started this one)
• Do my part to fight Human Trafficking
• Go to a Hillsong Event
• Create a savings plan to buy my own home someday
• Bike to work
• Find my favorite mascara (I’ve almost decided…)
• Go to a Women’s Conference
• Learn how to apply fake eye lashes
• Organize Photos (I threw them in a box AND done)
• Find the perfect gift for my Dad
• Learn how to cook (I did learn how to bake my Mom’s bread… so basically I’ve completed this…right?)
• Read 10 books (I’ve started 20… does that count)
• Be a more generous person (This is an ongoing goal)
• Stop drinking Soda (I’m working on it….as I drink my diet coke at my desk… I will stop by next month…promise!)
• Go Sailing
• Clean out my Blog Reader

As you can see, I still have a ways to go.  I’ll be posting over the next few weeks about the ones I have accomplished thus far, but other than that if you’re looking for me, I will be….

Reading books on a sailboat somewhere in the tropics, while sipping iced tea (NOT soda!) and practicing my new dance moves (preferably samba).  I’ll be conversing in conversational Portuguese with my new language/voice/dance instructor and cooking a superb gourmet meal.  In my free time, I’ll be learning that incredible Broadway number I heard during the recent show I caught, on my shipboard piano, as well as making the final edits on my children’s book and designing the cover art on Photoshop.   Through my perfectly manicured eyelashes (where did she get that mascara?!?) I’ll be reviewing my selection online for the perfect Father’s day gift, bike and photo organization system, none of which will be paid for on my credit card. 

Sound like a plan? Yes.  Great.

Where are the donuts?  I thought they had donuts at these meetings…

Image via (Anthropologie tumblr)

Image via (BHLDN)

Image via (We<3it)

Image via (we<3it)

Image via (we<3it)

Your future is looking so bright you better put on your shades.

Image via (We<3it)

Any time you pose that question I feel that you have made a universal challenge and you will soon feel the consequences.  What I didn’t take into account where the distractions that I allowed myself on the drive.  The music I was singing far too loud to.  The cold I had inevitably caught over the holidays.  The phone calls to catch up that left me talking with my hands (they call it hands free for a reason) and giggling… (aren’t you glad you weren’t on the road with me) Personally, my consequences were wondering around on a back road in the rain.

So.Not.Ideal

I pulled out my trusty iPhone (oh how I love thee dear iPhone) and in a matter of minutes my GPS had me re-routed and back on a road to civilization… or so I hoped.  It was at this point in the journey that I began to ask myself the question posed above… Am I on the right road?

It wasn’t familiar.  I was nervous.  The signs seemed foreign.  It was rainy and while the scenery was beautiful, it was unknown.

It was also at this moment that I realized I’ve not just been asking that question during my epic car ride…. I’ve been asking that question in life.

Am I on the right road?  How did I get here?  This looks unfamiliar?  God, is this where I’m supposed to be?  This wasn’t the plan.  The surroundings, while beautiful, are unknown and…I’m nervous.

Contrary to the internal voices that were telling my I was lost… I kept going where my trusty GPS told me.  Over the hill and down the country road.  Before I knew it, I was in Maryland. The signs started to look familiar.  I saw DC license plates and soon had my answer…

I was on the right road.

Not only that, my little trip off the plan had saved me time.  I had missed the miles of road work and numerous trucks that had awaited me on THE plan.

My little adventure reminded me of what I needed to hear most in this season.

Keep going.  Listen to your God-given GPS that says “Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own.  Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track.” (Prov. 3:5-6 msg)

His plan for your life will always exceed your own (Eph. 3:20).  He’s not a God who disappoints but a God who loves to surprise you with GOOD things.

Here’s to a New Year with many unexpected twists that lead you to exactly where God wants you to be.  It’s always the BEST.

Piccadilly Event Planning, or PEP as I often call it, is a small boutique firm, based in Washington, D.C. specializing in wedding planning and coordination.  It’s founded on the belief that weddings are so much more than a party. They are the celebration of lives being joined. The beauty of commitment. A place for families to truly reflect on what matters most.  I LOVE that I get to be a part of those moments.

So why the name Piccadilly?  Well, Piccadilly has long been a word that evokes everything good about my childhood.  You see, my Grandmother, an entrepreneur herself, started her own store called Picadilly when I was young. As a child, I used to spend endless hours there, sifting through antique handkerchiefs, reading old comic books, and searching for hidden treasures.   It was in her store that I first discovered my obsession with accessories and all things vintage. (and tried on my first wedding dress)

It was also there where my Grandma and I talked most and where I watched how she cared for people. It’s my hope that my business will be not only the continuation of my Grandmother’s legacy, but also the embodiment of the fun, whimsy and love for people that I discovered in her shop.

If you’re interested in finding out more about Piccadilly Event Planning, you can visit us on Facebook (Piccadilly Event Planning) here ,Twitter (PiccadillyDC) here  or Pinterest here.  Our website will be launching soon, so stay tuned!

p.s. Checking one more thing off my Thirty before 30 list. YES! fist pump!

Casting out into the glorious deep

The tide is out,

the moon is high

We’re sailing*

I love sailing. That does not mean that I know the difference between port side or star board or that I giggle any less than a 12 year old when they yell “Jibe Ho!”.  It does however mean that it holds a very special place in my heart.

For as long as I can remember sailing has meant quality time with my Dad.  He’s a Sailor.  It’s in his blood and he has the best sailing stories. I have numerous wonderful memories that include his tireless patience as he tried time and again to teach me.

When I was in high school, we went to Florida for a full week, just the two of us, so he could teach me how to sail.  It’s one of my favorite memories.  While I may no longer remember when to tack or how to steer the rudder, I’ll always remember how much my Daddy loves me.

That’s why I love to sail.

The roomies and I went sailing this Fall and finally used the Groupon I mentioned here.  Not only was it a blast but I can check one more thing off my Thirty before 30 list!

The tide is out,

the moon is high

We’re sailing

We’re sailing

We’re sailing*

* Lyrics from Brooke Fraser “Sailing”

Well I’m back to tell you that I’m still as obsessed with Instagram (and PDub) as ever… In fact, I find that I spend a lot of my time playing around with the different photo filters that they offer…  It’s amazing what a filter can do… It can make a day that’s sunny and bright seem downright stormy or turn a day filled with rain clouds into sun-kissed heaven.  It all depends on the filter you look through.

This got me thinking…

What filters do I use when I look at my life?  Am I clouding my perception with past disappointments and blocking out the sunshine of possibilities?

Am I choosing to focus on the negatives and allowing doubt to block my vision of the path in front of me?

Or am I choosing to believe truth? Do I allow the word of God to be my filter when I look at the circumstances in life?

It’s amazing how your perspective can change when you look at life through the filter of what God says  “I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” – Jeremiah 29:11

What’s your filter?