Pure Vintage Bliss

10/27/2024

01/03/2020

🖤🖤🖤

God: How do you think you’re doing at life?

Me: Well, I don’t know, I guess I’m doing okay. I’m on social media way too much, I can’t stand my screen time updates because it makes me feel like crap. I need to eat healthier. I start out in the morning eating really healthy and by 8:00 I eat like a freshmen in college. What’s up with that? I don’t really know. I love my family so much, but sometimes when I’m with them I’m more annoyed than loving. I hate that I’m that way. I think I need to burn down my closet because let’s face it, I’m never going to organize it. I spend too much money on coffee and t-shirts. I think I’m a little selfish, but I also am not great at self care…is that a thing? I don’t know. I feel like I should be a bit further in life than I am. Also, God, I suck at budgeting. Like I really suck at it. Did you forget that brain cell in there? Just wondering. I’m not wanting to “blame” you, but maybe we could like share the blame.

God: You want to know what I see?

Me: Sure.

God: I saw that when your daughter was calling from her room last night. She’d just thrown a fit so you were still annoyed, but you got up anyway. I saw that you laid with her and kissed her head. I saw you buy something for a friend just because. I saw you watch an adoption video and cry your eyes out, then you spent a few minutes praying for those kids. I saw you go above and beyond to be kind to someone that hasn’t been nice to you. I saw that. I saw you doing laundry so your kids and husband would have clothes in the morning, even though that was the last thing you wanted to do. I saw you staring into your fridge without a glimmer of inspiration and somehow making a meal for your family anyway. I saw you sit down with your girls and read books even though you felt like you had a thousand other pressing things on your plate. I saw you put some money in a homeless man’s cup wishing it was more. I saw that. I saw you praying fiercely for your kids, husband, and friends, as you fall asleep at night.

Me:…

God: I see someone who’s beautiful inside and out.

Me: Are you sure? Because I also should have mentioned I get grumpy when the kids keep asking for snacks. Also it drives my husband crazy when I steal his socks, but I do it anyway.

God: I’m sure.

***

Follow Wonderoak by Jess Johnston for more real, raw, and funny.

12/05/2019

This♥️

I don't care about the grades my kids bring home from school.

Sorry. It's true.

I care that they work hard, they're respectful to their teachers, and I care that they're kind.

I don't care if my kids win the game.

I care that they held their heads up while they lost. I care that they helped their opposing teammate up when they fell. I care that they do their best to the very last second of the game. I care that they play fair and are honoring to their coaches.

I don't care if my kids get into a "good college".

I care that they go after their dreams and they don't give up easily. I care that they are good people who care about others, not just themselves.

I don't care if they're "popular" or have tons of friends.

I care that they know how to make friends and that they treat the friends they have well. I care that they look for the outsider and include them.

I don't care what they do when they grow up.

I care that they're people who work hard and love well. I care that they're honorable and trustworthy.

I try and care about the other things, but I just don't. Life is way to important to be worried about the small things.

***
Follow Wonderoak by Jess Johnston for more real, raw, and funny.

Picture by Elizabeth Lucht

12/02/2019

🤣🤣🤣

Does anyone else get “special day” anxiety? (Special days include holidays, family days, birthdays, and anytime there is an expectation that the day is going to be important).

I don't always get it, but when I do, I'm probably going to have to apologize later.

Symptoms include:

1. Being the drill sergeant of fun. “THIS IS FUN, EVERYONE IS REQUIRED TO HAVE FUN.” Behavior that is sanctioned as NOT FUN is as follows: whining, bickering, screaming, pouting, leaving toilet paper all over the bathroom, and whining.

2. Stressing if I have any sort of ailment (my head hurts, my throat hurts, ect) (This can’t happen today of all days!!) I'm so worried about being sick I make myself sick. Now that I'm a mom I also get to stress about any of the kids being sick. (This means regularly asking my husband to feel heads which he assures me are not in fact "warm".

3. Having anxiety about possibly getting grumpy. Trying so hard to not be grumpy that I end up exhausting myself and becoming grumpy.

4. Regularly denying that I'm grumpy or that anything is wrong. What? I'm fine! Everything is fine!

5. Being mildly perfectionistic. The holidays bring out this weird perfectionistic side of me that I don’t normally have. That star cannot be like that on the top of the tree or else Christmas will be ruined.

6. Apologizes all day for everything both real and imagined.

If you too suffer from anxiety, know you aren’t alone. Take a deep breath, drink your coffee, laugh because it’s all gunna be okay, and carry on sister. And P.S. maybe run around the block a few times...it helps me.

XOXOX

Wonderoak by Jess Johnston

*Me and Oaks taking in the magic of the tree a couple years ago because it really is magical isn't it? Although...those ornaments look a little cluttered on the right...

11/22/2019

♥️♥️♥️

When I was a fresh mom with two under three my card got declined in the checkout line. The baby was in the carseat, the two year old was asking for bubble gum and chocolate bars. I felt like I could just melt into the floor.

Without missing a beat the man behind me in line handed the cashier his card. "I've got it." He said.

That was ten years ago, and I will never forget it.

When I worked at a coffee shop we had someone buy their own coffee and then anonymously buy the next person in lines coffee just saying "pay it forward". The next person was shocked to hear their coffee was covered and said, "well I want to buy the one for the next costumer". The pay-it-forward lasted most of the afternoon with people buying other peoples drinks. My friend at the cash register was near tears by the end of her shift.

I won't ever forget that day and I doubt she has either.

One time in the Target line a mom with a brand new infant and two littles who were crying and clinging to her legs asked if I might hold her baby for a minute. I took that baby and rocked her in my arms until she stopped fussing.

I bet that mom remembers that day, I know I do.

When my toddler was somewhere between threenager and fournado she threw I giant tantrum in a shopping center. I held her on a park bench while she screamed like I was her kidnapper. A couple older ladies stopped and said, "You're doing an AMAZING job mama, hang in there!!"

I will never ever forget them or their words that day.

In a train depot in France we were lost and confused trying to figure out where to go. An older man sitting near us accidentally dropped some cash on the ground. My daughter who was six found it and returned it to him. He and his friend loaded us up with snacks from their bags and then in broken english asked if we needed help. They ended up walking us all the way to our next train and riding it with us for a while just to make sure we didn't get lost.

We won't ever forget those two men.

One time on a family road trip we stopped at a roadside cafe to get lunch. When we went to pay we found out that another couple had already bought it saying that we had a "sweet family".

You better believe we will remember that forever.

Kindness is so powerful. It can be such a little thing like buying someone's coffee or giving an encouraging word to someone who could use it. You just never know the impact it might have. My guess is that most of us remember the times that someone stepped out of their own life just to bless ours.

What little things can we do this week that just might last with someone for a lifetime?

***

Follow Wonderoak by Jess Johnston for more real, raw, and funny.

02/04/2019

A Sunday afternoon reception for the sweetest couple. (February 3, 2019)

11/29/2018

Rogers Wedding-November 3, 2018

11/29/2018

Mr. and Mrs. Rogers. (November 3, 2018)

11/20/2017

06/30/2014

06/30/2014