14 february

After spending time with Jess, I've felt so inspired to live & create more. With school & work, I can sometimes forget the activities & hobbies I truly love doing, alone or with others. Jess mentioned to me that she spends her mornings doing yoga & in quiet time with the Lord before checking her email, blogs, etc. I think this would be a very healthy way for me to make a sort-of routine for myself, a way to start the day off right. So instead of checking blogs in the morning before my first class, I plan to sit down & slowly eat breakfast while reading my bible (by the way, Luke & I are reading Matthew- it is so good!). If I have enough time, I would like to work on a creative project like the scarf that I'm currently knitting. By doing this, I hope to feel closer to & be reminded of God daily & live the creative, healthy life He intended for me. 
So thank you, Jess!
----
& onto Valentine's Day- I never thought Luke would plan something for Valentine's Day (it being such a commercial holiday), but he knew I was a sucker for this day of celebrated love so he planned a perfect evening. 
He surprised me with a homemade Valentine (featured above), made of cardboard & colored pencils, & a box of dark chocolate-covered strawberries from the candy shop in downtown. We road our bikes, him in his blue three-piece suit & me in my red dress found while dumpster-diving, to Felini's: a greek cuisine restaurant. It was delicious! We always order two different entrees & split them so that we can try everything. I love that about him- he gets just as excited about trying out food as I do. Then, we came back to my house, lit some candles, & watched When Harry Met Sally. It was so funny! Luke & I loved it so much. 
Our first Valentine's Day together & engaged! It was wonderful :)

On Sunday, I spent my morning making breakfast with Luke & going to church. After church, I went to Ann's nesting shower. Instead of a card, I bought a tiny nest with three eggs & placed the Target gift card inside. It was too lovely not to photograph.

As for this week, I'm drowning in exams & papers. It doesn't matter, though- this weekend Tori's coming to visit Columbia! I'm off the entire weekend so we will have so much time to talk & bake & just do what we love doing together. I'm so excited!!

love,
Natalie

6 comments:

Mark Samuel Monroe said...

how beautiful.

tori is extremely excited to be coming up. she was talking to me about it the other day in art history.

Keeper of the Skies Wife said...

How sweet of Luke!! I wish I could have seen the two of you on your bikes.

Love the egg & nest idea!!! beautiful

Jess said...

Natalie, yes, yes, yes to what you said on my blog - let's talk, knit, bake together!
the valentine Luke made for you is just perfect, as is the image in my mind of you two on bikes, dressed nicely.
also, i looove the new heading. that picture is gorgeous.

fawn & fern said...

hell yes to everything in this blog!
it is all so very beautiful!
i, too, love the new header!
& you!
& AHHFHOAHFIO i'm coming soon!

i want to type more but i have so much to do but we will talk about it all on friday!!!

fawn & fern said...

thanks lovely!
& we will have all weekend to catch up & tell stories & evvverything! : )

the photograph of nick made me crack up, too. he's such a silly nicholas.

fawn & fern said...

p.s. i totally forgot to tell you that i tried to teach myself to knit over the christmas holiday & i kind of failed aside from the casting on!....

so, imma gonna bring my needles & yarn &...let's knit!
by that i mean, hey, teach me to! : )

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