Framily

To be honest, the jury is still out on whether I like that word, but I wanted a one-word title, so I went with it!  Grateful as always for time with my family and the Wilson/Weatherford families... Mom and I made a Tulsa trip this weekend to take a few things to Melissa's house for our Christmas decorating extravaganza in a couple weeks!  Yay for this group pic with Parker proudly holding out her shells. ❤

Whataburger for lunch then a bugle serenade by Tate and Parker (Tate actually playing it, and Parker just yelling into it like a megaphone). lol

Mom and I sat across from each other at a 2-person table assuming the Wilsons would all be at the next table, then Parker brought her drink over and set it next to mine and sat next to me at our tiny little table, which totally made my day! ❤

Melissa and Parker in a straw fight - so much cuteness!

In very exciting news, Jace Michael got his braces off today - yay!

K-Faith and Dylan having fun during Fall Break!

J's response on this text thread made me laugh (Carter is teaching J&K to ride horses, so that's pretty cool!!).  He FaceTimed today to show me his teeth without braces, then I said, "Well, thanks for calling to show me.  I hope you have a good night!"  To which he unironically responded, "I hope I do too!" before we hung up. lolol  He's a funny one - often without trying to be.

Preshface enjoying her healthy dinner of steamed broccoli and shrimp. lol  Love her!

Two memes that quickly made me think of Chettles:

Get excited for the bougie party coming up! =)

That's all for this post.  Grateful for the fam and our Monday night hangouts and entertaining convos with the niece and nephews... and I'm grateful for my Tulsa fam and how our extended families have connected... speaking of, Happy Birthday to Teresa tomorrow!! ❤

❤ ❤ ❤

Thankful Thursday 209!

"The Lord gives strength to those who are weary."
~Isaiah 40:29

Today, I am grateful for...

1.  Abby, who is reminding me of so many great things about the CHA Senior year! Also thankful for my first official boba tea experience last Friday (pretty good)!

2.  A random front yard golf session after our Monday night family dinner!  (Also grateful for this fantastic fall weather lately!)

3.  'Tis the season for early Christmas decorating!  Mom and I will be starting my house today, and this = her preparing for Melissa's house in early November!

4.  Rachael's creativity and how much she genuinely enjoys the artistry!!  (Although she did rake in $2 per sign for these amazing, colorful wooden signs for the CHA Fall Festival this Tuesday. lol)  Zoom in for so many fun details!! ❤

5.  Dad's latest car purchase (better-equipped for mild visual impairment)... the bottom pics were for Chet to see the new car, and the top pic = Rach and K pairing it up with Dad's phone and radio stations whilst Jace demanded they get out to watch him golf! lol

6.  God's creativity and attention to detail!  These are the tiniest little flowers (West Indian Lantana, according to Google Lens).  More often than not, it's the generous, intimate details like this that make me pause and think about God!

7.  Scrapbook #2 arrived Tuesday night - yay!!  Thankful to be caught up, and for all the memories represented in this two-year span!

8.  A fun weekend catching up with three friends I hadn't seen in a while + quality time with my Tulsa framily! =)

9.  The benefits of taking time to handwrite and/or meditate on certain verses!

10.  Jeffrey Edward, and this (requested) group pic from the guys' lunch at Keo for his birthday... the Umberto's group from yesteryear - seeing them together always makes me happy! =)  

That's all for today.  Happy Birthday to Frankie!  The Parrish kids are on Fall break this week and had some friends over to swim (in the heated pool) yesterday.  So here again, we have all the seasons converging at once... speaking of, please wish us luck on Christmas decorating this afternoon!! lol

❤ ❤ ❤

Wednesday Wins!

A Few "Wins" Worth Celebrating...

PAST:

Signing up for Mel Robbins' Launch course back in April, and completing the final Project Sprint last week!  God timed this well to have daily emails and videos and an online support group accompanying me through a pivotal year, and my top 3 takeaways from the entire Launch experience are:  

• I am capable of change, and betting on myself is a solid investment!
• The Iceberg Model is a helpful tool in big decisions (for myself or future clients).
• Drop the sword! (Assume support and be less defensive).

PRESENT:

Slowly beginning to feel different and see myself as a healthier person, working with Rachel and tracking my food and getting lab work done this morning for the first time since surgery, and doing my best to love and have grace for all versions of myself and my body!

FUTURE:

Not something I care too deeply about, but seeing this sign on my neighborhood walk made me happy.  I'm far more likely to swim at Mom and Dad's and/or Chet and Karli's pool, but yay for Broadmoore Heights!

*I'm studying in this final week, so I'm also claiming passing the NCE as a future win on October 14th! =)

**My recent sessions with Emily fall into all three categories here (past, present, and future), so I'm counting that as a major win!!  We are looking at the present trauma responses, core beliefs, and lingering patterns stemming from the 2007, 2013, and 2021 friend breakups... specifically discussing how those past rejections (*and what they led me to believe about myself*) affect me today, and how to reprogram certain thought patterns for a healthier self-image and stronger relationships in the future! ❤

The Plans He Has for Me

Sometimes I play out conversations in my head, thinking of ways I might have responded differently or what I would say if a similar opportunity comes up later.  I've been thinking a lot about motherhood, circling through what I've already tried and the various options available now.

As a woman in my 40s considering intentionally stepping into the mom role, when I hear (or imagine) age-related comments, I tend to picture myself saying, "Oh, this was never Plan A - that ship sailed back in summer 2007.  This is more like Plan X, Y, or Z."  A thought that's somehow simultaneously self-pitying and prideful, feeling like I'm resiliently making the most of the discarded table scraps life has thrown me.  I feel like there's a root of bitterness quietly growing in the background that I am shining a light on and uprooting today.

In a fantastic sermon series about the life of King David, Steven Furtick quipped, "Maybe your plan B is God's plan A."  Out of context, I'd probably role my eyes at that line feeling cliché and hollow.  But he was talking about Samuel grieving over King Saul's disobedience, then God leading him to anoint David as their future king, although Jesse completely overlooked him and assumed each of his older sons were more qualified for that leadership role.  In human terms, David was an afterthought, out of the natural royal bloodline, a background character who was overlooked by his own family... a plan X, Y, or Z.  But God saw him and knew his heart and would not allow him to be sidelined or dismissed or forgotten.

I love David.  His emotional vulnerability and grief, his courage when he's defending the name of God, his love for writing, his insidious sin nature conflicting with his sincere desire to know God deeply, his confession and repentance for hidden sin, and of course, his devoted friendship with Jonathan all feel very relatable for me.

I would love to be a mom, a wife, an acclaimed author, a counselor, a financial success, a speaker/teacher, etc.  But most importantly, I want to be a woman after God's own heart.  If I get that last one right, other good things will naturally flow from it.  If I get everything else while missing God's heart, then nothing I accomplish will really matter in God's Kingdom.  

"Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you." ~Matthew 6:33

"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope... If you look for Me wholeheartedly, you will find Me."  ~Jeremiah 29:11-13

"Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." ~Proverbs 19:21

"But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations." ~Psalm 33:11

I've been too focused on MY plans and trying to figure all of this out myself.  God's ways are higher than ours.  My plans have failed repeatedly - I've run into lots of closed doors and walls, and it makes stepping out again feel scarier.  There are pieces of my story I wish I could change, and I deeply wish I could see the entire course and the finish line from here.  Part of me feels overlooked and undervalued, like all the best men have been taken and all the best avenues have been closed - like motherhood is unlikely and all that is available for me now is Plan X, Y, and Z.  Still... thinking about David's story is really encouraging me this week.

"Maybe your plan B is God's plan A."

God is using that small comment to counter the negative patterns in my mind, encouraging me and lifting my perspective.  My age is really not an obstacle for Him.  He has marked out a race for me to run, and every turn that's been barricaded or blocked was not intended for me.  The detours and disappointments I have faced can still be used by God for my good and for His glory.  He has a specific plan for my life, and I have a unique role to play here.  And I do not have to figure it all out alone!  There is joy and beauty ahead, and His goodness and mercy are following me.  I am safe and seen and supported, and I will be okay.

Father God, I love You and I trust You!  I believe You are with me and for me, and I believe You are good.  I need Your grace and wisdom, and I need clarity on how to move forward.  Show me the best path, and strengthen my faith to walk in it.

In Jesus' name, Amen. ❤

Weekend Update!

What a preshface!! lol  Parker Elizabeth is a delight and brings me lots of joy, even when she's in a mood and telling me "That's my skin - don't touch it!" lol  Here, she's cracking up at herself after blowing the paper off the straw at Karli. lol  Love her feisty personality and sweetness and entertaining quotes and how often she thinks of me when I'm not there with her... excited to hang out with her and her fam in Disney World and to see her Nutcracker Christmas ballet! ❤

Chet Lee and Tate Haywood joined me for my fourth and final OSU game for 2024! lol  Only six home games this year, and I'm super grateful that I've been to the beginning 2/3rds of them... thanks, Dad!! ❤

The 3rd down invisible-keys gesture is always funny to me. Us in our seats - (Tate had lots of fun, but didn't care for the loud cannons and fireworks at the beginning). Chet, Tate, and Bill in a giant inflatable chair pre-game.  Me by the fun OSU truck.  Tate getting his North Club pink bracelet.  And us bringing Bill a Snickers ice cream bar and some tea and popcorn mid-game!

Parker:  "That's Winsey and Dad and Tater... oh, and Gramps!"

Me:  "And that's Pistol Pete behind us."

(Parker cracks up) ..."He is so GIANT!" lol

Getting a photo with the cute OSU pony named BB (Bullet and BB - get it!?)

Chet and Tate walking in sync on the way back to our seats + Tate being proud of his collection of tickets (and parking passes)... he also brought home some plasticwear and was excited to show Karli how it looks real but it's plastic! lol  Kids are the best!!

Pistols Firing - Go Pokes!

I'm so glad Tate had fun!!  The original plan was to go with Chet and JEM since it's Jeff's bday weekend, but his parents came up from Texas to celebrate with him, then we talked about Mark or Karli going, but Karli found out it was a family fun day and thought Tate would enjoy all of that!  I figured he might wanna leave early, so I'm grateful he had a good time and we all happily stayed until my final Garth sing-along sesh for 2024! lol #worthit #seeyounextfallstillwater

When I got back home, I returned Jaceman's FaceTime call where he was excited to show me that he shaved his head and got this hawk faux-tatoo. lol  (Hawk from Cobra Kai had his head shaved in this last season).

Yesterday was an eventful Tulsa trip starting with a long-overdue catchup with Tiffany Joanne and Laura Allison over lunch at McAlister's!!  It had been a long time since I'd seen them, and it was good to get a more detailed update on their lives and health and the chaos of Creek County!  

I went from there to Starbucks to meet with Kristin Foster... another good talk and happy to get an update on the Foster family!

The Fosters are getting ready for a family cruise with their church friends this week, so they were unable to join us for dinner.  But the wonderful Wilson fam were dependably happy to hang out, and the kids were in fun, playful moods!

We talked about details for our upcoming Disney trip (a month from tomorrow), and I had a free soup sampler as my meal since I was still kinda full from the late lunch and Starbucks! lol

I mean, I just adore them all... so grateful for their friendship!

And last but not least, I dropped off a card for Jeffrey Edward, who is celebrating his 44th birthday today!  Here's a JEM and Mockey collage (my bday at Los Cabos 2011, his pre-Marathon carb-loading dinner 2017, his wedding 10-28-16, Disney trip 2015, Vegas trip 2014, and our matchy clothes at Chet's bday 2023! =)

Thankful for Jeff and all the great memories we share... thankful for his kind and generous heart, his love of reminiscing, his great sense of humor, and so many fun/memorable quotes! =)

These pics with Henry from their Convivial Cozy Christmas party last year make me happy!

Happy 44th, Jeffrey!!  Love and appreciate you and your family!  Here's a throwback from your 33rd bday... thanks for being a JEM of a friend. =)

That's all for today, friends.  Make it a great week!

❤ ❤ ❤

The Longer Version

Hey, friends!

What a beautiful week with great weather outside.  Yaaaaay, Fall!

I was being pulled toward a depression spiral last month, but I rejected that party invite, and October is already off to a much better start!  At this very moment, I am caught up on transcripts, caught up on school work, caught up on scrapbooking, and caught up on BSF homework.  That's a rarity, and I know it won't last long, but I love feeling on top of things - like I've totally cleared the to-do list!

I am covering the phones and the office today, then I'm off work and get to sleep in before my appointments tomorrow.  Huzzah!

Here's a random pic from my lovely lunch walk today.  And the Thankful Thursday pic was from yesterday's walk. lol  I kept that post short, but now that I'm caught up on all the things, I'm slowing down to write a bit more.

In a good way, I was caught off guard seeing my reflection in a random store window today - on so many walks last year, I would look at my (larger) reflection and pep talk myself about how the window might be distorting things and how I would totally be in a smaller size soon.  Today, I am down 70 pounds from where I was on my 40th birthday... which feels a bit surreal.  Today, I'm on a good health trajectory, and I'm so thankful to have more energy and to be regaining my strength and peace.  I'm also thankful that my reflection is starting to feel more aligned with how I've always felt inside and how I've viewed myself and desired to look - I'm deeply aware it will always be partial and incomplete before heaven, but we're getting closer (and now I'm singing Christina's Reflection in my head - lol).  And I fully acknowledge that I would not be here without the help of the surgery, so I'm just really thankful for all the things that lined up to make that happen!!  If I'd signed up for the Oklahoma clinic, I would still have a month or so to wait in line before having my surgery... and I would almost undoubtedly have talked myself out of it by now.  Grateful for God's timing and opening of doors!

In other news, I'm loving my very cozy loungewear/PJs from Target (thanks to the Big Boo Podcast) - I spent most of my weekend  in this casual vibe just scrapbooking and listening to audiobooks. =)

(Speaking of, this was another fun one from Clare Pooley, but The Authenticity Project is still my favorite!)

Without getting into political opinions here, I watched the Vice Presidential debates on Tuesday, and it was incredibly refreshing to see two opposing politicians having a respectful, professional, civil debate.  So I'm thankful for that glimmer of hope!

Mom and Dad got their silver bathroom tile redone (the original tile was turning orange for reasons unknown) -- but yay, the new tile is really pretty and classy!

This verse was part of the BSF homework... it hit me in the face as if I'd never read it before (which I know I have).  God reminding us that Scriptural prophecy is "completely reliable," then SO DIRECTLY saying, "you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place..."  because it did not come from human will, but was carried by the Holy Spirit.  I *LOVE* that.

I also love that they keep pointing out that Revelation is "a treasure trove of HOPE," drawing our attention to the victory, restoration, and renewal we are promised by our God whose word is completely reliable.  It's the hope that anchors our souls and strengthens us to be faithful and endure all the chaos and hardship that comes between now and then - I'm grateful to be studying it and trying to really soak it in!

Chet called me out with this meme, which feels very ME! lol

I said I would ask for a group pic (and promptly created this ridiculousness with the Canva app). lol

For real, though, what an absolutely freeing GIFT to know that Heaven awaits us - I love thinking about what life will be like there... basically the whole and complete and unending version of all the VERY BEST things we've ever experienced here! ❤❤

My new scrapbook arrived last night - even though I'd just seen it online, it made my day to see the printed pages in person - always fun!  This three-year season involved SO MUCH questioning, prayer, wrestling, and change - a lot of memories written on my heart.  I may be paraphrasing, but Chet recently said he would have me go through what we lovingly call the "Malori 2.0" season again (meaning he would not remove that painful narrative from my story) because it led to so much inner growth and positive change.  I'm always grateful when others see and affirm that, and I love it when I can look back at something that felt hard and like hopes being crushed... and truly see how God's plan was higher and better than mine.  (Which it always is - I just don't always see it this clearly).  There was also the very memorable pandemic year and hundreds of fun photos and events worth preserving! ❤

Speaking of memories, here is this double-stroller gem from 10 years ago today!
Babies... CUTENESS!!

Also on my mind today: one year ago (10-3-23) was my first time leading a counseling session.  Another vivid memory that's written on my heart and that I cannot share much about here!  I'll just say I'm very grateful for that initial experience and for growing in my counseling skills and my walk with God over the past year.  He's been good and kind and faithful in opening the right doors and closing the wrong ones, and I'm reminding myself of that every time I feel worried/confused about the path ahead!

Finally, 90 days from today will be January 1, 2025!  I wrote about my 4th Quarter Focus earlier this week.  Aligned with that, the two *daily* goals I am setting for the next 90 days are 30-minutes of daily cardio (walking/riding/etc. - it can be broken up as needed) and 5 minutes of Scripture meditation - (choosing one verse or passage per day and really sitting with it and meditating on it - eyes closed, focused thinking and prayer - starting with the prophecy verse above).  Both goals feel doable and very worth doing!  I don't have a daily career-focused goal, but I believe healthier choices and staying close to God will help me with direction and mindset there!

Alrighty then.  Happy Mean Girls Day (which now makes me think of Babah and her Veraden friends).  And in case no one else tells you today, here's a friendly reminder that I love you and believe in you, and that you would do well to pay attention to God's future prophecies and promises, "as to a light shining in a dark place!"  Seriously, yay for BSF tonight - and what a phenomenal verse of hope for people living in dark times!

❤ ❤ ❤

Thankful Thursday 208!

"Never let loyalty and faithfulness leave you.

Tie them around your neck;

Write them on the tablet of your heart.

Then you will find favor and high regard with God and people."

~Proverbs 3:3-4

Today, I am thankful for:

1.  God's power that triumphs over every force of evil.

2.  God's faithfulness in my life and throughout history.

3.  God's tangible goodness and mercy.

4.  God's correction and conviction.

5.  God choosing me as a part of His family.

6.  God's ability to transform those who draw near to Him.

7.  God's generous creative spirit and love of beauty.

8.  God sharing His wisdom with those who seek Him.

9.  God marking out a specific path for me to follow.

10.  God's trustworthiness and protective strength.

❤ ❤ ❤