Where to Find Everything You Need

In the three months that Jonah has been ex utero, I have experienced the greatest joy and awe for God's handiwork and creation. It is incredible that this tiny human was growing inside of me for nine short months! I fall more in love with his face every day, and crave his snuggly body in my arms while he is away from me. Every new milestone he conquers I want to both cry and beam with pride. I spend every moment with him trying to soak in everything about him - the smell of his head, the softness of his face, the weight of his tiny body on my chest while he sleeps... I love him. I love motherhood. I feel so blessed to be entrusted with this little person.

BUT...

New Pumpkin Spice Crochet for Autumn

Mmmm... Fall colors... How lovely you are! Twice this week I have seen references to "You've Got Mail" and the way that Meg Ryan has a way of making us all yearn for New York's autumn, and that is certainly true in my life lately.
My parents took me to New York my senior year of high school and we happened to go at the peak of fall colors in Central Park... the peak! It was breathtaking, and I wish I could visit every fall for the rest of my life.

With that in mind, I immediately knew that Thistlefish Knit's fall color needed to feel like New York in autumn. And this pumpkin orange is exactly what I needed.

Because I'm primarily a knitter, I've challenged myself to learn a few crochet patterns to expand my knowledge a little bit. Wash cloths are a great place to start because they are a small project and don't take long to complete. And if I mess up, no biggie! 

 The contrast between this color and both the light and dark colors in my inventory is so pretty!

 This scallop border is one of my new favorites... It takes this simple pattern and gives a more feminine look! (And who doesn't need a little bit of extra pretty in their kitchen or bathroom?😉)

 I've also tried a few new knitting patterns that I'm excited to add to the shop.

Are you following on Instagram? Because if you aren't, you missed a giveaway! Two fabulous ladies won a bundle of three (including this fab new orange) for FREE!

There are only a few of these left for autumn, so click your way on over to Thistlefish Knits and purchase your own! Spice up your kitchen with some pumpkin color or grab a few for some gifts!

September's Top 6 Podcast Episodes

Everyone was telling me to listen to podcasts for months before I could actually find any that I liked... I didn't know where to start! It took me some time to find my favorites. My criteria was that 1) they need to have a pleasant voice to listen to, 2) they needed to be encouraging, and 3) occasionally they need to be giving me something spiritually.

I have shared with ya'll a few of my favorite podcasters before, but this week I wanted to share specifically 6 specific podcast episodes that I've listened to in the past month and you need to listen to, too!

Not a podcast subscriber? No worries! I left links so that you can just listen to them on your computer instead.

Why I Wanted Maternity Pictures

My aunt and uncle are great photographers, and sweetly offered to take maternity pictures of Jon and I right before Jonah arrived! (Seriously, right before... I think my water broke 8 days later!)

They were super fun, so I thought I would share a few of my faves, along with why I wanted these pictures to begin with.

Meet Jonah Brooks

If you haven't guessed it (or seen my Instagram posts), Jon and I had our baby!

Meet Jonah Brooks!

5 Reasons You Should "Babymoon" (and 4 cheap ways to do it!)

I know "babymoons" haven't always been this super trendy thing, but I can't understand why! Getting away for a quick weekend before the Little Dude gets here was one of the best things we have done to get ready (arguably the best thing! Read about it here!).

Why should you go on a baby moon before your first kid makes his/her entrance??

"Babymooning" in the Outer Banks!

I honestly had never heard of a "babymoon" until two or three years ago, but their trendiness seems to be on the rise! I think for some great reasons, too. Our babymoon to the Outer Banks totally helped us feel more relaxed and relationally ready to welcome our son into the world in the next couple of weeks!

Blue Walls and Stretch Marks: Emotional Meltdowns that Revealed my True Priorities

I am a firm believer in not apologizing as a blogger for not posting "x" amount of times per week, or for taking a break. I don't get paid to blog, and it actually needs to take a backseat in some seasons.

However, there is that awkward moment when you haven't blogged in almost two months and you don't quite know how to jump back into it without some sort of explanation.

So this is not an apology. But this is a "catch-you-up-on-where-I'm-at" post to let you in on the emotionally exhausting whirlwind that this summer has been since I've last posted.

Keeping Up with the Capra's: Triathlons, Graduations, & Mother's Day

These last two weeks have been full. It is so nice to be out of classes and to experience the first feelings of summer!

Are you qualified to study the Bible?

We've all fallen into the trap of comparison. But have you ever tripped up and started comparing your spiritual walk to someone who looks "more spiritual" or "more qualified"? Have you ever questioned whether or not you are qualified to read and study the Bible on your own?

I've seen many women insist that they have nothing to give, that they don't know enough about the Word of God to be able to lead or encourage others. It is heartbreaking to know that so many women stay quiet about what God is teaching them because they don't have the ministry title or the "book learnin'" to back them up.

In the presence of divinity students or powerful Christian leaders, it is easy to feel unqualified in comparison.

Thistlefish Knits has an ETSY!

Guys, I am SO excited that I finally have an Etsy shop! I have been hoping to open one for a long time, so even though this is something small, it already feels so big.

A Letter to Me in 6 Months (aka: the first time mom of a 3-mo-old)

Hey there, Mama,
You are well into motherhood by now! You've been a mom for a year now technically, but these last three months are when things have gotten real. The rubber has hit the road. Motherhood is not a dream anymore, but a very involved reality. It's six months from now, and you are a first-time mom of a three-month-old. Wow.

Keeping Up with the Capra's: Girl brunch, pedis, and parenting practice

The school year is finally over! Woohoo! Let the summer nesting begin!

Second Trimester Essentials + My Second Thirteen Weeks of Pregnancy

Hello sweet friends!

Wow, this second trimester has FLOWN. I can't believe I'm technically in my third trimester this week! This update definitely snuck up on me.

So here's a little peak at how I've been doing at this whole baby-growing thing.😉

"Wait, why the cross?" Procrastinated, post-easter reflections from a lifelong church kid

I'm someone who does more reflecting after-the-fact instead of in the preparation. For example, when I go on a trip, I spend more time after the trip reminiscing and processing and looking back than I did looking forward to the trip and emotionally/mentally prepping for it. Maybe it's because I'm a procrastinator, maybe I'm just more reflective. I don't know.

Easter this year was similar. Instead of prepping for it emotionally and spending time in that portion of the Gospels before Easter morning was upon us, Jon and I found ourselves watching the Passion of the Christ a week late, and reflecting on Resurrection Morning after-the-fact.
Side note: How was this was my first time ever watching the Passion of the Christ??

All that to say, last week was spent reflecting on what it was Jesus actually did. Like, why did the cross have to happen again? As a church kid who met Jesus before she could form her first memory, I find myself needing to come back to these foundational lessons.

I will give you what you need for today: Becoming confident in God's promises to provide your daily bread

"I will give you what you need for today - nothing more, nothing less."
That's what I heard whispered to my soul last week, cutting through my worries and anxieties, putting to rest my heart's frenzy.
"I will give you what you need for today."

I have a struggle that I feel is not uncommon to A-type personalities and mothers: that feeling first thing in the morning of "I have WAY too much to do today. There's no way I'll get everything done."

It's this fear associated with not having the time, finances, resources, or energy I need to do what needs to be done. And it starts my day with a handicap because I feel like I am falling behind before I have even begun.

Falling behind before I've begun

I don't know where I learned it or how I started thinking this way, but ever since high school I can look back and see a pattern of worrying that I was going to fall short that day of what was needed from me. Sometimes that was stressing out about homework, or youth group tasks or the amount of chores I had. But now it looks like trying to keep my home in working order, keeping my husband's shirts wrinkle-free, finishing up this semester, nesting for a baby coming, struggling not to be tired, getting dinner ready, and still finding time to pursue my dreams of blogging and making a few bucks by doing what I love. Not to mention the budgeting. Oh, the budgeting!

Where does this fear come from?

Where does this struggle come from?
Ultimately, it comes from the belief that I am doing things on my own.
It comes from the belief that the Lord is there in my quiet times with Him in the morning, and then He sends me off into my day to figure out the rest on my own.
It comes from the belief that the Lord hasn't already decided what needs to be done today and what doesn't.
It comes from the belief that it's "all on me."
It comes from the belief that I don't have a good heavenly father that has promised to give me everything I need for the day.

Where does it end?

Where does this fear end? By believing that God is who He says He is - a Good Father who gives good things - and that He will do what He says He will do - provide for all of my needs! (Matt. 6:25-33, Psalm 34:10, Matt. 7:9-11)

"Consider the lilies of the field... even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?" Matthew 6:28-30

Basically,

if He clothes the pesky weeds in the grumpy neighbor's grass; 

how much more will He clothe His kids?

But this doesn't mean anything if I don't believe who I am to Him - a Beloved daughter who is free from the fear of abandonment (Romans 8:15). 

We can sing "You're a good, good Father," over and over, proclaiming that it's who He is and that we are loved by Him... but until we actually believe that, and we are walking that out with belief, it will change nothing about our daily life.

Becoming confident in my Father's daily bread

When Jesus shows His disciples how to pray, He teaches them to ask, "give us this day our daily bread," (Matthew 6:9-13). In teaching them this, He is telling them that they can trust their heavenly Father to give them what they need for this day, just like He gave the Israelites their literal daily bread in the desert (Exodus 16). There was never a day those Israelites went without manna.

Does this mean I'll be dripping in pearls and endless productivity every day of my life? Nope. It doesn't even mean that some days I will go without, or that our grocery budget might look slim, or that I will end the day without getting something done.

BUT I can be confident that God knows what I need.

I can be confident that, if I am walking in daily obedience and fellowship with His Holy Spirit,

the moment I need energy for what the Lord has called me to do, I will have it.

The moment I need the finances to feed my family, I will have it.

The moment I need more of His grace to get me through a challenging day, I will have it.

He won't give me what I need for tomorrow, nor will I have to rely on yesterday's leftovers (Exodus 16:19-21, Matthew 6:34). In fact, He gives me what I need moment-by-moment, hour-by-hour.

Whatever tomorrow brings

My little dude comes in August, and there are many days when I feel like I am falling short of just taking care of myself and my home and my husband. Multiple times Jon has come home to a wife who laments "How will I be a good mother if I can't even get my life together now???"

But the Lord didn't make me a mother by accident. He knew what He was doing, and He still does. And He already has more than enough to give to me when I need it. I am not called to fret about being prepared for tomorrow, or August, or raising a teenage boy in 11+ years (omg how terrifying 😅)

I am called to be faithful with today and believe that God knows what I need for today. I am not going through today on my own, nor I am I called to. Success is not getting everything on my to-do list checked off, success is daily walking out my days with Him, letting Him dictate my agendas, my goals, my to-do lists, my priorities... And depending on Him more and more, knowing that He is fully aware of my needs and fully prepared to fulfill them.

And the best part is, this isn't a crutch, or an excuse. It frees me up to just spend my days walking in step with Him, following His heart, and seeking Him above anything else. #goals!

What promises are you learning to be more confident in?

Linking up with some awesome parties here!

Keeping Up with the Capra's: Feeling... 24? Birthday and Easter Celebrations!

These two weeks have been two full ones! Especially since my birthday fell on Easter weekend, there were lots of reasons to celebrate:)

Paint!

Jon and I finally picked out some paint for the nursery and the bedroom... only to dislike it once it was on the walls! Which is always disappointing. But hey, we're moving in the right direction! Any recommendations for grays?

Easter Sunday

Our Easter Sunday was different this year! We had Easter dinner in my parents front yard with my mom's extended family, and it was absolutely beautiful. And the weather made it one of the most beautiful Easters I can remember! It was also the first year Jon and I have been invested in our church, which means our Resurrection Sunday celebration was even more exciting.

Birthday Celebration

Funny story, for the whole week leading up to my birthday I thought I was turning 24! Nope, only 23... but I'm not even that old and I'm already getting my age confused 😂 #mombrain

Jon took the day off, which was the best. And see the hanging flowers + the planter under my window in our Easter picture? He knew exactly what I wanted for my birthday 😄
We went to breakfast at a little place called Dock Taylor's on the oceanfront, got Starbucks, saw Beauty & the Beast, had dinner at our fave local sushi place, ate at Rita's for dessert, AND finished the day with a lounge in the hammock and a bike ride with the pup. It was a super full day, and involved so many of my favorite things. My husband is so good to me.

In the kitchen...

Finding things to make for Easter was difficult, but lead me to the oh-so-inspiring place of Pinterest! For our Easter potluck, I made Quinoa Vegetable Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing, and it was sooo so yummy. Cool, quinoa salads are great to make the day ahead and chill overnight, because the longer they sit in their dressing, the yummier they get! This recipe is gluten free, dairy free, and vinegar free, and high in protein, but would also be great if you added some feta or a crumbly cheese. 

I also made this Maple Oat Mixed Berry Cobbler. Next time I make it I'm going to double the amount of topping the recipe calls for, but it was such an easy recipe! I used a giant bag of frozen mixed fruits, which was cheaper than buying all the berries separately (I just stuck them in the oven for a few minutes before I put the topping on, to let them thaw out.) This recipe is gluten free, sugar free and vegan! (Sidenote: while it's hot it's a little runnier, but when it's cold/cool it isn't as runny... but just as delicious.)

A couple of days later, I made these Flourless Banana Chocolate Chips Muffins! I wake up SO hungry in the morning that I've been trying to have easy, protein-packed breakfasts that are quick to grab. They are also gluten free, dairy free, and egg free... and if you sub the honey for maple syrup, it would be vegan, too! They were really yummy, and I'm making them again for a brunch tomorrow! (Surprising, because they are made of beans!!!)

Latest posts:

God's plans are for you... but not about you

The Modest Budget: LuLaRoe Giveaway for My 23rd Birthday

Hello, Year 23! Oh, how the Lord has been faithful

Currently: Watching, Reading, Wearing, and more!

After such a full two weeks, it feels like these next week are going to be so calm! Plus I only have one last exam to do on Thursday... and then I won't be back until next January (when my self-proclaimed "maternity leave" is up!😜). After that exam, I will be free to nest for the rest of the summer, and I am so so excited.

What have you been up to?

Linking up with some awesome parties here!

Currently: Watching, Reading, Wearing... and more!

Letting ya'll have a peek into my life these days currently! And honestly, I need some help with a few of these... Like my inability to commit to a book club 😅

Hello, Year 23: Oh, how the Lord has been faithful.

Wow, 23. To be honest, I actually thought I was turning 24 for hot second 😂 That was a funny moment...

This birthday has been a little weird! Just because this season has been all about enjoying some "lasts" before the baby comes. Our "freedoms" and flexibility as a family of three will be very different! So we've been trying to really appreciate the little things.
Like Sunday naps together, random drives together after work, or eating whenever we want.
Or celebrating birthdays at sushi restaurants that we won't be taking a toddler to 😉

(Literally wore my LuLaRoe dress all day for my birthday!

Don't forget to enter our giveaway to win your fave LLR product!)

All that to say, I know that a year from now my life is going to look TOTALLY different. In so many good and challenging ways.
So maybe it's the fact that this birthday was a kind of "last," but it's left me very reflective about where Jon and I have been the last year and what God could possibly have in store for us in this next one.

Because even though this birthday is a "last," it is also one step closer to living out a lifelong dream of being a mother. I had no idea how many good and adventurous things God had in store for my 22nd year; why would my 23rd be any different?

The Modest Budget + Lularoe Giveaway for My 23rd Birthday!

Hello, hello, hellooooo! Do I have something super fun for ya'll today!

First things first, it's my birthday! Woot. Birthdays tend to get less and less fun every year because that's just what growing up is... SO. To ramp things up a bit and celebrate, Megan and Cathryn from LuLaRoe Thomson Girls Boutique and I are teaming up for a LuLaRoe GIVEAWAY!

I got really excited when Megan and Cathryn contacted me because I have been craving a pair of LuLaRoe leggings ever since I had heard them called "butter leggings." Not kidding. Butter leggings.
But the thrifty girl in me always has trouble with online shopping! Megan and Cathryn were so sweet, though, and made everything so easy on me. And now I just might be addicted😉

God's Plans are For You... But Not About You

We all have had moments where we want to look at God and say, "Seriously? Where did that come from?"

Whether it's something big and tragic, or just getting stuck behind that lady that wants to drive 25 in a 45, our life is full of moments where we can doubt God's Romans 8:28 promise that "in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose," (ESV).

Sometimes what He's doing just doesn't feel good. And sometimes that silver lining just isn't there.

Keeping Up with the Capra's: Spring Things

These last two weeks have been full ones! Not only were we able to get out of town for a day, but spring just seems to make everyday life just a little bit nicer (minus the pollen! 😝)

The Modest Budget: Learning to Love my Pregnant Body

Hi friends!

Can you believe that 3/5 of this outfit was clearanced, thrifted, or free??

Honestly, it doesn't mean I'm not discouraged about this growing girth of mine sometimes, but a couple of cute products always brings a little boost to the self-confidence levels.