nashville

Well oh my goodness. Eight months later and I'm finally updating this little blog of mine. February is coming!! (My birthday AND valentines day!) so I'm feeling inspired to share here again. A whole lot has happened since May! All of those magical holiday moments, and eight months of Nashville adventures! Picnics on top of giant hills, baby farm animal hugging, watching the most amazing fireworks show of my whole entire life over the 4th of July (at riverfront park!), square dancing for the first time (danced with at least 2 grandpas), ate a whole lot of Jenni's icecream, wandered the old natchez trace trail, went to a fall harvest party at a pretty vineyard, walked around tiny adorable country towns, drives through Franklin hills/countryside (the most beautiful place in the south?) What a year! I hope this one brings lots of baby pandas into my life, and less homesickness, and more strawberry macarons, and loving well. <3

p.s. if you're ever in the Nashville area these are the places to go!

- Leipers Fork  (adorable little country town)
- Arrington Vineyards  (pretty place for a picnic)
- Baja Burrito  (little burrto shack. SO good.)
- Holler & Stomp (dancing with tons of strangers!)
- Frothy Monkey  (only coffee shop I go to)
- Nashville 4th of July Fireworks  (I still dream about this night. So perfect.)
- Franklin Farmers Market  (buy veggies and honey here!)
- Jenni's icecream.  (oh my gosh)
- Silly Goose  (best dinner of my life here!)
- Lucky Ladd Farm  (baby farm animals you can hug and giant hay slides!)
- The Pharmacy  (cream sodas and black bean burgers. holy moly.)
- Belcourt Theatre  (saw moonrise kingdom here. three times. eek!)

-Liz

little lady

Avery's 4th birthday was this past week! Such a fun week! We took a day trip to the childrens zoo, fed some goats, pet a snake, sat and watched the sea lions underwater for-ev-er, rode like every single ride there, and relived every last bit of my little girlhood. This was the same zoo I went to growing up!  Nostalgia nostalgia.
Then we had a pb&j lunch and came home and opened presents from me! This girl is too precious. She says the sweetest things at the most random times. Or tells some cute story. The other day she said "You know, when humpty dumpty fell off the wall and broke himself, God came and fixed him! He healed him right Liz? Because God can heal us when we get hurt!"....  So sweet.

♥

little bird

Wow. I am a terrible blog person these days. Things are so wild and busy! Most of my time is spent hanging out with these cool kids and I love it! This is Rylee. Isn't she just a peach?! This was right before she busted out singing a  song for the whole neighborhood to hear! So awesome! She has such a tender heart and is a super gifted singer and artist. Recently found out she quit piano because of a mean teacher. Well heck naw! Back to the piano she goes! We've been practicing some songs. She's got Heart & Soul down like a super pro. Gonna miss these lovies a whole lot. Did I mention I'm moving to Nashville in a couple weeks? So thankful.

Family of Six!

Oh my golly do I love these people!! And now a fourth little peach will be coming!! The story is so  endearing and wonderful and can only be best shared by the lady herself so please go visit her blog and read all about it! The Lord has already provided much of the cost for this little lovehead so only travel expenses are left! Around $2000 is the need. If you feel like your heart may burst with joy and want to be a part of their lives in this way by supporting financially, you can donate below! ♥

- Jade's Blog
- Nathan's Blog

I don’t need to know how God is going to make it all come out all right in the end, but it is God, not us creatures, who will see to the coming of the Kingdom…. God be in my thoughts, and in my heart. In my left hand and in my right hand. Atone me. At-one me with you and your love. Help me to pray for those I fear as well as those I love, knowing that you can take my most ungracious prayers and give them grace.

—	Madeleine L’Engle

 

I finally got to visit some of my sweet friends for a tea lunch and hear all about the Uganda trip yesterday! Oh my soul was blessed to hear how the Lord has worked in their lives before/during/after that journey. I just adore these ladies! And one returned with this beeeeautiful necklace. It's not quite orange, but a stunning burnt apricot color. Oh I love it! Not sure if it was made at The Kwagala Project, but I believe so! For those that don't know, these necklaces start as recycled paper which is then cut up and hand rolled into small beads and formed into a necklace. And it's the livelihood of many of the women there! So incredible. If you'd like to read up more on the trip and see some really beautiful video clips, go to Jade's blog here at: In Awe Of Your Grace.

Just A Closer Walk With Thee

I could listen to these two men sing this blessed song every day of my life.

A couple instagram shots from my wild 11 hour day today! Woosh! This little lovie is Avery. Look at those pink converse! She's 3.5 and a ball of wonderful. The Lord provided this precious opportunity to help out this amazing family in town...which means I get to hangout with cool kids all day! It's been the sweetest time getting to know them and encouraging them. My day today consisted of: singing in the car, watching sprout, fingerpainting, reading stories, playing in the park, shooting baskets, peanut butter and jellies, bird watching, flower picking, and trying to prevent multiple meltdowns from a girl who wouldn't take a nap. So awesome! And the part that I love the most is that we get to talk about Jesus. The other day in the car Avery said out of nowhere: "Jesus and God live in my heart, but Jesus's friends can't... not enough room in there, sorry!"....Oh my word, so dang cute! And today she fingerpainted the story of when Jesus calmed the storms and told me all about it! So grateful for her little heart that loves to talk about these things!

There's this little french inspired place in my town called Madeleines Bakeshop, and they make the most AMAZING little macarons. Every flavor under the moon! Lavender, pumpkin, strawberry, chocolate, key lime, blackberry, mango, lemon poppyseed, etc etc yummmmm! Had to take a picture of their adorableness. Little wonders.

love in Africa

My heart is exploding with joy at seeing what my beloved friends are doing in Uganda!!
These pink totes were just in my living room a few days ago and now on the arms of these incredible ladies! Love it! Of all the places in the world I wish I could be right now, it would be serving the Lord alongside my friends here. So many tears seeing these women rejoice at getting BIBLES! I cannot get over their smiles!! Thank you Lord for the gift of introducing the Kwagala Project to my prayer life, for your faithful loves who travel to the ends of the earth to share your beauty, and for the hearts of these women who desire your word so eagerly. Such a wonderful beautiful way to start my Saturday.

♥ Liz

(photos by: Jade Metz)

spring love

Can we all take a minute to be so happy that spring is coming soon?! Yesterday morning I woke up to birds singing outside my window! Birds! It was one of those super dreamy disney moments. You know, like when they come in your open window and make the bed and fly your apron on? Cinderella guys, geez!  I am just freaking out that soon very soon I'll be able to ride my ol zero speed bike every single day again. The hills are torture but it's purple and kinda rusty and just a gem! Lots of memories with this bike. All the country people in my town growing up had lilac bushes in their front yards and so the scent swarmed me on rides during the summer. So magical.

Favorite things this week:

- Chobani apple cinnamon greek yogurt. So crazy delicious.

- Cutting hearts out of burlap last night to make gift tags for the kwagala girls! My grandpa proceeding to tell the story of how he forgot about valentines day one year when they were just young little loves...so he came home, took a newpaper, cut two huge hearts out of it and pasted them on the wall. Oh goodness.

- Speaking of! (his name is Rex) Thank you for your prayers. The Lord is working in his body and mind and it is SO evident. He is doing so much better! Coolest thing is that his new doctor gave them books as homework and they're all nutritionally based for reversing heart disease! 100% all vegan/veg recipes! Yesss! My grandma asked me what hummus was tonight. Oh man she has no idea what she's missing!  I kinda talk about my grandparents a lot huh? They are just super special people and so dear to me!

- The Wonder Years on netflix. Pretty much wanted to be winnie cooper growing up.

- Bosphorous Cafe. Turkish food! Favorite restaurant in Indy. If I had a flying car I would be here for lunch every single day. It is so.so.good. 

- Wooden heart necklace gifts from friends!


   
      
                         

♥ Liz

tea party

Valentines Tea Party!
Myself and friend Brenda, owner/artist of The Paper Rose are suuuuper into party throwing and decorating, so we decided to bless our friends on the prettiest winter day at the beautiful Romine home! (Brenda + her hip chef/dentist husband Rich.) We had a variety of hot teas, pink things, delicious sweets and sandwiches, and a bunch of party heads. I've shared this everywhere else and just had to share it here too! Loved this day!

love

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.

                                               -Philippians 2:1-2

I love this chapter so much. Paul is in effect saying 'the attitude of mind I have been urging on you is exactly that of Christ himself.' Christ who provides our encouragement, comfort of love, and fellowship of the Spirit. Who fills us with all joy. Be unified in Him. Keep the bond of love by being of one mind (for the Lord). Not warring against one other. Not complaining about each other or being resentful over the silliest things. Treat others as more important than yourself, consider their needs first. Have a spirit of meekness and peace; gentleness; patience; building one another up in love! Thinking not on self, but on Christ, who emptied himself. Who came not to be served, but to serve. So beautiful.

Oh hi!

Dear friends,
Welcome to my new little space! I'll still be sharing the same tales of my life, photos, pretty tunes, yum recipes, joyful things, and heart for jesus. My old In Wanderland tumblr is as of now, on the backburner. Spring is coming and I just wanted something new! So hi!

I've been daydreaming about California lately. A LOT. The ocean, the freshness, the beautifulness, the healthy vegan foodie options everywhere, beach bike cruisering every single day, backyard fruit trees, adventures, ocean, ocean...ocean. The magical day that I find a church and a job, I'm packing my bags!

My heart is about to burst for my wonderful friends who will be traveling to UGANDA in under two weeks! I had been hoping/planning to join them on this beautiful journey, but instead have been given the incredible opportunity to pray for them as they prepare... for the precious loves at Sanyu babies home, and the Kwagala ladies! I've seen the Lord provide in such overwhelming ways for this group and his little loves overseas, and can't wait to hear about the impact on all of these hearts!

Hope you're all stuffed with pizza and happy and have beach boys in your ears.
Love, Liz

Dress from: Dear Creatures