Here I am posting more than once within a month. Can you remember the last time that happened? That was meant to be a rhetorical question, smarty-pants. A change in my posting frequency can always be a sign of a change(s) in my life. Yep, you got it: I’ve been going through some more changes.

My full time management position has once again effected my school schedule and professional plan. I just can’t make the schedules work together. Not with Lilie Jo waiting at home.

I’ve dropped out completely, now, with the intentions of finishing online. Will it happen this semester? Don’t think so. This year? I hope so. Am I happy about? Ehh. You know me.

I won’t lie, though, I was feeling pretty defeated and discouraged when I first came to the conclusion. I may even be guilty of sulking a bit. But then I kicked myself in the tush and made a change of focus and perspective. Not to mention some encouragement from some really amazing people. Turns out, the pros out-weigh the cons:

• More stable day-to-day home life and routine
• More family time
• More energy
• Less running around
• Less chaotic schedules
• Less stress {all different kinds}
• More time for me {reading, blogging, photography, short trips, crafts}
• More time to serve at church

I’ll be able to focus more of my time and energy into doing the best I can with the career I have now. I’m in a great position and making decent money. Not to mention, this job will look great on a resume, so why not make the best of it and really give it my all? Who knows where it may take me.

And get this: my church just hit a big milestone. For the past year, we’ve been meeting in a theater, which has been very limiting and required us to set up and tear down every week. This past Sunday, though, we tore down for the last time and moved to a permanent location.

How coincidental is that? We’ll now have more freedom to do and more opportunities for growth. Now I’m certain Someone is trying to keep us here {instead of moving away like we originally planned}. These changes give me the opportunity to serve and give more of my time and talents to RLC.

More time for my family {home and church} makes this decision conclusion worth it.

{warning: poor image quality to come}

Another year gone. Though I can’t think of a big long list of events that occurred, a lot has passed, none the less. We are not just older individually, but another year older as a family. Though far from perfect, we’ve had another year to learn to live and work together. Part of me would say we aren’t any closer to achieving our goals, but then I take a deeper look.

time spent playing games as a fmaily is happening more and more

Sure we’re in the same town house, but its more homey and memory-filled than last year.

a few days in the sand hills of nebraska

No, we didn’t go on any vacations to far off tropical places, but we did venture west for a week with loved ones.

another sunday amongst friends at rlc

Yes, we’re still in Kentucky.  But we’ve some how managed to grow some roots, here, with new friends and a church to call home. It might be harder to leave when the time comes. But we’re leaving that timing in His hands, now.

the daily grind at jcp salon

And–big sigh–no, I still haven’t received my degree, but I have landed myself a real, grownup full time job. Though I sometimes despise it, its blessed my family in so many ways. Who knows what other doors it may open for me in the future.

christmas 2012

Sure, our savings account still isn’t where we want it to be, but we were able to have the best Christmas yet, this year. It brought so much joy being able to bless our loved ones with gifts.

I think our biggest accomplishment for 2012 has been our family’s spiritual growth. As a whole, our relationship with God is stronger. Our obedience is more consistant. We have felt His love so strongly this year. He’s saved and blessed us so much. Through Him, our bonds with each other are stronger. We love each other more and forgive each other faster.

No, 2012 may not have been eventful, but it was a blessed one, indeed. More than going and doing, we were growing and learning. I can’t wait to see what He has in store for us in 2013.

A lot, yet very little, seems to be going on lately. We’re constantly running around with different schedules to keep up with.

Lilie Jo is on Fall Break this week and is spending part of it with Grandma and Aunt Ariel. Here, on the homefront, we’re planning and preparing for out little camping trip coming up this weekend. We’re taking Lil Jo to Mammoth Cave for the first time. Its the perfect time of year for camping and I’m stoked.  We’ll only being staying one night and day since we need to be up so early Sunday mornings, but I’m sure we’ll have lots of fun.

Work lately–deep breath–is not even going to be touched in this post. I’d rather keep only the good energy here.  Catch my drift?

Moving on.

One day last week, Lilie and I set off for a trip to the park. The air was a tad crisp, the wind was perfect and our moods were high.  Lilie Jo, her crazy curls and that blissful smile of hers had me reaching for my camera. I wanted to capture the pure essence of Fall in that little one. We didn’t try sprucing the hair of putting on the “perfect” outfit. We just grabbed the camera and climbed some trees.

I finally got my Five-years-old/Fall pictures.  Mama is pleased.

Lilie Jo is so full of life and every now and then I just need to borrow some of it to blow back into my sails. The energy is bad, at work, and its really hard sometimes most times to remember the reason I took the position. I like the job, its self, its just the mass amount of negative attitudes. There are so many of them and its so easy to get caught up in the mess.

But then I get to come home to this magical little creature–and pumpkin muffins. Some snuggles and silliness usually melts away the bad vibes–for a little while.

Please don’t judge me when I tell you that it took me 27 years to get a full time job.  Its just part of the industry.  Very rarely is someone able to jump in full time with instant success {especially if they are raising children}.

I’ve worked two jobs as well as worked part time while attending school full time.  But a full time, 40 hours a week, salary job?  This is the first.  I think I did pretty good for my first week, too.  I actually put in about 44-45 hours, to be precise.  I didn’t even complain.

Turning that salon around will be a challenge, for sure.  But one I am excited to take on and makeover.

However, I’ve decided not to go on with the original plan of full time job and full time school.  I just don’t think I can handle it with scheduled meetings and other work requirements.  Not to mention the fact that I don’t want to spend the three hours I have with Lilie Jo, every night, before bedtime filled completely with homework and other house chores.

I’ve definitely learned, this past week, that I need a decent bedtime…. and lots of coffee {but that’s not new}.

Call me lazy and uncommitted all you want.  I don’t care.  My time spent with Baby Bear is way more precious to me than than having that bachelor’s degree in May.  It will still be there next December and/or May 2014.  Lilie Jo-the-kindergartener will not.

I’ve spent years searching, fighting and praying for a job, within my talents, with substantial pay to help provide for my family.  That’s why I was in such a rush to get back in and finished with school.  But then this sweet little opportunity was basically gifted wrapped and set in my lap.  No, its not the exact job I originally had in mind.  But then again, who am I to know what’s best for me and mine?  That’s all up to ole big guns, up stairs.  And I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t happy or excited about my new salon leader position.

So, with all this change {mine and Lil’s birthday, salon job, starting kindergarden}, I thought my hair needed a little change, too.  I decided to try a subtle ombre.  The ombre trend is all over the place: clothes, nails, hair.  I had to get in on a little of that.

If you’re one of my Instagram followers, I’m sure you’ve been dying to see the final result.  What do you think?  Should I keep it or lighten the ends a bit more?

Its my last week before classes and I’m swamped.  About 95% of my time not spent taking care of Lilie or eating is spent on school work.  I only have one final exam to study for, but I have several tedious and time-extensive projects I’m working to finish.

This first of which is due tomorrow.  This Kandinsky-inspired oil pastel has been something I’ve been sporadically dropping work into.  Sometimes I’m excited about how its coming along but, occasionally, I hate it.  I’m finding that I’m not really a fan of this medium, either.  Maybe that’s the problem.

However, ink pen is one I always hated.  Since I’ve been forced to experiment and use it anyway, though, I’ve really come to enjoy it.  The past few weeks of landscape drawing outside have been absolutely marvelous.  An activity I hope to enjoy often this summer.

Yesterday, though, we were handed a sheet of watercolor paper and told to use our India ink and do a wash drawing outside. I’ve come to so love this medium and am just dying to get my hands on some watercolors. My next trip to Hobby Lobby will not exist without watercolors.  This day, though, I used my ink pens and brushes.  This is when the piece was half finished.  I can’t wait to show you the finished product.  It is likely my favorite from this whole semester.

Sorry, I haven’t been too present, lately.  Let me get through this last week and a half of school and I’ll be ready to throw some goodies your way.

Happy May Day!

The house has been too quiet this past week.  Lilie Jo has been on Spring Break and therefore went to spend some time with her Daddy.  I know she’s having a blast {bc we call each other so often} but she has been terribly missed.  But breaks are always good for everyone.  And like they say: distance makes the heart grow fonder.  As if my heart could possible hold any more love for that child.

In the mean time, I’ve tried to spend my week being 100% wife to Billy.  Our time has been good together.  Here are some of my favorite things from this past week:

• Walking in the woods and getting lost with cool people.  Oh, yeah, and Gus, the turtle.  He escaped after only four days.  I’m sad Lil doesn’t get to see the little guy.
• Getting invited to work behind the scenes with the media team at church.
• Sitting on the patio without having to fuss at little girls who don’t always play nicely.  But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss it.
• Having the quiet house all to myself on the nights Billy works.  Sippin’ decaf earl grey watching the boob-tube.  {do people still even call it that?}
• My Wednesday night small group with ladies from church.  I love getting to know these girls.
• Sipping coffee made by my love.  That is seriously one of the most romantic things to me: when Billy makes me coffee.
• Instagramming.  In case you’ve missed the buzz, Instagram has finally become available in the Android market and this girl couldn’t be more please.  Instagram was the only reason I ever had for possibly switching to iPhone.  No need, now.  BTW follow me @meghannchapman
• Sitting in Centennial Park with Billy after our Nashville errand yesterday.  We took a picnic, threw the frisbee and I drew some.  It was a pretty much perfect day, really.

And that wraps up my adult-only week of goodness.  My baby comes home this evening and Mama couldn’t be more excited to see her.  Seven whole days, she has been gone.  Much too long, if you ask me.  But I admit, its a great little cushion for this last month of school.  Maybe it won’t be quite as stressful with a better state of mind.

But enough about me.  What about you?  What’s your favorite thing from this past week?

And it starts: the long stretch of the last month of Spring semester.  It always seems to be worse than Fall.  I think Spring semester is worse because that’s when Mother Nature decides to bless us cabin fever-stricken, sunburn-deprived, Summer babies with a bit of fair weather after months of wintry torture.

Don’t get me wrong.  I love boots, scarves, cozy sweaters and cardigans; but a southern bred girl can only take so much before she needs her toes in the grass and sun-kissed skin to bring her back to life.

As the professor’s use the last month to pile on the load of final projects, homework and whatever else they forgot to assign earlier in the semester, I become Princess Procrastinator.  I call myself the princess because as bad as I seem to be, there’s always at least a few in the class that are worse.  I’ve known several to literally walk out of the computer lab with freshly finished projects to turn in, still wearing the yesterday’s outfit.

Also, princess just makes me sound more fresh and sexy.

Due to my near-mastering of the skill, I’d like to share my top five methods of Spring semester procrastination:

“I think I need a snack.  Bagel?  Salad?  String Cheese!”

“Flickr?  Oh, yeah, I was meaning to go make a new account of there…”

“Oh!  Idea.  Let’s write a blog post.” {hence, you are reading this}

“Hmm, now I think I want a glass of iced tea.  Crap, someone drank the last of it.  Guess I’ll make more.”

“The patio sure does look lonely out there.  Someone’s gotta hold the fort down; might as well be me.”

I know what you’re thinking, “How is the patio and excuse?  You can do your work on the patio.” *insert wrong answer buzzer sound* Wrong–well, kind of.  I can get my work done there, if I have plenty of time.  Because with the patio comes little girls, excessive daydreaming, chatting with whoever, random inspiration, and more daydreaming.

Ok, that’s enough procrastinating.  Back to that drawing essay I was writing.

p.s.  Notice I didn’t list Facebook or Twitter.  I assume you follow me there and, therefore, I need not list the most obvious of methods.

What are your favorite methods of procrastination?? 

Morning, sweet pea! Hope you’re enjoying this week as much as me!  A few things I’d like to note:

First: I attended my first small group meeting last night.  It was wonderful.  We’re following a lesson book by Beth Moore.  From what I’ve seen so far, this woman is amazing.  I really feel her speaking to me on a personal level.  I can’t wait to dive in deeper.  Also, I love the relationships I’m building, here.

Second: The weather has been absolutely perfect this week.  I even {accidentally} got my first sunburn of the season.  Time to pull out my sun screen and floppy hat, I suppose.  Dandelions are in abundance and my vases are being put to use once more.  These photos were taken during a break from the August heat, last summer.  I’m excited for sun dresses and playful days in the sun, to come.

Third:  I may just be silly and imagining things, but I feel something coming.  I don’t know if it will bring happiness or hurt to us, but I feel it looming.  Intuition is a real thing, right?  If its a good thing, great.  If not, I invited it none the less.  Bring it.  I picked up a great verse at my small group meeting which is a great reminder of why we should appreciate the bad as much as the good.  I invite you to read John 16:20-24.

And that’s all.  As I said before, I hope your week is going as well as mine.  Nothing big has taken place, but then again, its the small things that matter most, right?

Share: Tell me one thing that has made you smile this week.

Happy Friday, darlin’.  Are you relieved its here?

Spring Break is winding down and I feel it wasn’t a waste.  I have a completely clean house to show for it.  Oh, and A nice new shop open for business.  :)

Though I have tried to keep myself from being completely worthless, I’ve also allowed myself to be  lazy a bit.  Time sipping coffee and finding time lost in a day dream, time writing, designing, planting some herb seeds, time wasted in front of the boob tube and time aimlessly wandering the web.

I hadn’t used StumbleUpon in a while, so the other day I thought I’d see what I could find.  I love finding new things to feast my mind on.

Over at Stylist I found this really great list of the Top 100 Opening Lines from Books.  I was happy to see some of my favorites made the list.

I found this list of  ideal food combinations to be both interesting and helpful.  I know that growing certain herbs/veggies together was beneficial to growth, but I didn’t realize eating certain food paired together could be beneficial to your health.

I’ve seen this site before, but I’m not sure if I shared it or not.  It is probably one of the coolest things I’ve seen in a while.  This lady takes drawings by children and gives them life as a toy.  So clever.  What a special little treasure to hold on to.

The National Education Association has a list of Top 100 Books for Kids.

Though I have yet to hop onto the ebook wagon, if I did finally decide to own one, I’d insist on this case.  I don’t really think I have to tell you how amazing I think these are.  They’re gorgeous and I love them.

T’ is all.

Have a blessed weekend!

Afternoon, love!  I just wanted to take a minute to note how beautiful the weather has been the past couple days!  Today, I’ve decided to take my work outdoors.  I had lunch and am now enjoying some sweet tea out here on my back patio.  Its a bit windy, but nothing a light jacket can’t fix.

I stopped by Kroger on my way home from class and grabbed a pack of sushi from the deli.  I was overjoyed to notice they have finally set out their seeds for this Spring.  Can’t wait to get some things growing in the back yard!

Hope you’re having a lovely day!