Taylor Owens

I'm Employed!

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 10:48:00 +0000

I'm happy to report some very exciting news from the Owens household. Last Friday, I officially accepted a position as a High School Admissions Officer at Sullivan University. That's right, after months of job hunting, I am finally employed! Starting today, I will spend the next two weeks doing some intense training as I get ready to begin this new position.

Finding a job was the final missing piece to our life in Louisville and I am so excited to finally be settled in our new home. We have been so fortunate to find a church we love, meet new friends and re-connect with old friends this summer. I am so thankful for the time of rest I have had during our transition and I am looking forward to beginning this new chapter of my life at Sullivan University.

More updates to come. Promise.

Life in Louisville.

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 20:32:00 +0000

It's been about eight weeks since Stuart and I packed up our home in Tallahassee and hit the road to start our new life in Louisville. It was quite possibly the most exhausting move I've ever endured in all my 25 years of moving. I come from a family tree filled with veteran movers who all saw this as an opportunity for "initiation." Needless to say, we will definitely be hiring movers next time!

For those of you who missed out on all our lovely moving details, here is a quick recap:

I sprained my ankle in the first five minutes while attempting to move our king sized mattress down the stairs [and yes - eight weeks later it is still hurting me but don't worry, I don't think they'll have to amputate].
A quarter of our home is still in Tallahassee in the precious care of William and Jul Colle's garage. Apparently we have a lot of stuff... either that or they're making moving trucks smaller these days. We are forever thankful to them for their help! We're hoping one day it will find it's way home to Louisville.
We left on Sunday at midnight expecting a 9-10 hour drive... 17 hours later we arrived in the Promised Land. I've never been so happy.

Three days later we were finally able to unload our truck and move into our humble abode. I spent the next week attempting to make our ancient seminary apartment into a home. Here is the somewhat finished product.

The last eight weeks have been filled with exploring Louisville, trying out new restaurants and coffee shops, visiting with old friends, meeting new friends and cookouts. We have quickly grown to love our new home. I promise to use this blog as a means to share all our life adventures and local hotspots with you.

If you would have told me a year ago that I would be moving to Kentucky, I might have called you crazy. But between our first visit and now after living here for eight weeks, I don't think I could have picked a better place for us to live! Louisville is a hidden gem - a hybrid between the comfort of the midwest with some southern charm, mixed with a hint of culture that I have missed so much from living in a big city. The good news is - we have plenty of room for visitors. So plan your trips, because we sure love company!

One Year Anniversary!

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 17:10:00 +0000

It's hard to believe that one year ago today I walked down the aisle to marry my best friend and began my new life as an Owens. June 12, 2010 was the greatest day of my life to date. Stuart and I were united as one as we made a lifelong commitment to each other. Looking back one year later, I realize how blessed I am to have him by my side each day. I could not have asked for a better husband. He is the most patient and loving man I know.

There is no greater joy than being surrounded by the ones you love most on your wedding day. Having moved around so many times in my life, it is rare that I get to see so many of my closest friends and family, and having them all together at one time is a memory I will always treasure.

Stuart and I were reflecting on how much has happened in our lives since that day. It has been such an exciting journey. Here are some of the highlights from our first year of marriage.

Our amazing honeymoon to Maui and Napa Valley.
We moved into our first apartment in Southwood.
Stuart went to Ireland for two weeks.
I was accepted into Grad School and began taking classes at FSU.
We went to New York City to celebrate both Harlan and Stuart's Birthdays!
We celebrated our first Thanksgiving in Tallahassee.
Went to the ACC Championship football game in Charlotte.
6 months later we walked down the aisle again... as a bridesmaid and groomsman in Melissa & Caleb's Wedding!
We celebrated our first Christmas in Charlotte.
Stuart got accepted into Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Taylor & Stuart both quit their jobs in Tallahassee.
We moved to Louisville, Kentucky.
Stuart began his job at the YMCA.
Taylor is a professional job hunter/stay at home wife.

If the last year is any measure of what is to come, I believe we have an exciting life ahead of us and I could not be more excited!

Happy Anniversary to my amazing husband and best friend! I love you.

YMCA.

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Wed, 11 May 2011 12:31:00 +0000

I think this video is very fitting as we celebrate my amazing husband getting a job offer! Stuart is going to be the Summer Camp Director at the YMCA in Louisville.

Words cannot express how excited and thankful we are f0r this opportunity! He begins his job in a week so we happily moved our move date up about four days.

Stuart's boss at the Y is married to a Southern Seminary graduate and it has been great to connect with her. She has already been such a friend to us and we haven't even met in person yet!

The job will only last the duration of summer but we are happy one of us has something to get us started. He has several other job interviews lined up this week that could lead to something in the Fall. It has been awesome to see how God has provided for us and we are excited to see what He has in store for us this fall!

Farewell to the Florida Lottery.

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Mon, 09 May 2011 12:51:00 +0000

Last Wednesday was my last day at the Florida Lottery! I was sad to say goodbye to my co-working friends but was happy I got to say farewell to them in style.

They threw me a sweet goodbye party at work in our conference room and it was great to have a chance to see and chat with everyone. I think the thing I will miss the most is all of our nicknames. I'm pretty sure I have the longest "official" nickname in the office. They most likely had to shorten it to fit on the cake.

We also had a post-work goodbye party in midtown filled with great memories and hilarious stories. I will miss my Lottery Ladies for the quality life chats and good laughs. They got me through a lot and I am so glad that I will be able to keep in touch and see them on my return trips to Tallahassee.

Normally my type A personality would have me a nervous mess leaving a job without another job in waiting, which can only mean that this odd sense of peace is God assuring us we are on the right track. And while I am unemployed, I haven't had much down time over the past few days. I have started packing up our house which required me to run all sorts of errands to find boxes and packing supplies. Needless to say - I am exhausted. But I am also appreciating the freedom to get things done and have been very productive.

We are officially moving two weeks from today. Time is flying. More exciting news to share tomorrow!

Chez Pierre.

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 13:16:00 +0000

I love Fridays because there is so much excitement in the air. I love the morning buzz of everyone discussing their weekend plans and the countdown to 5:00 p.m.

One of my new favorite post-college Tallahassee spots has become Chez Pierre. I particularly like going there in the spring because the weather is beautiful and they always have live music, which makes every night better!

Chez Pierre is an adorable little Bistro with eclectic french decor and a great garden atmosphere. The twinkle lights and colorful lanterns make for the perfect evening ambiance.

I've been to Chez Pierre several times in college but only post-grad have I really come to appreciate their great deck and outdoor seating.

Stuart and I enjoyed a nice evening here last weekend as we soaked up the atmosphere. There is nothing I love more than dreaming and chatting about the future with my husband.

I wish you all a very happy friday and a wonderful weekend! Enjoy spending time with your loved ones.

Louisville, here we come!

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 13:58:00 +0000

I am happy today has finally come because I can officially announce the real reason behind my blogging absence.

We recently found out some amazing news. Stuart got accepted to Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.

We are really looking forward to this next stage in life as it will bring so many new and exciting things. It will give us a chance to grow both individually and together as a couple.

We have already been stretched through this whole transition process and we haven't even left yet!

Neither one of us has really been to Louisville and we only know one person there. We don't have jobs and we're downsizing from a decently sized 2 bedroom apartment/townhome with a loft to a one bedroom campus apartment. But you know what? I couldn't be more excited!

I love a good adventure and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to start a new life together. A life where we will be challenged spiritually, financially and even professionally.

Although I have not yet visited Louisville (though that is about to change!) here are some things I am already looking forward to about our move:

A new city to explore= new restaurants, shops, bakeries and bookstores. I am hoping this city will give me the culture fix I've been craving.
A new apartment to decorate.
A chance to take some classes and be challenged both spiritually and intellectually.
The Kentucky Derby
Visiting my friend Emily who just moved to Cincinati... which is only 1.5 hours away!
Chicago is only four hours away.. which means I can visit my Chi-Town friends, Diana and Kaitlin... and go shopping!

These are just a few things that are on my list although I'm sure I could bore you with a hundred more.

I am hoping to blog about all my new adventures of life as a Seminary Wife and exploring a new city.

Please pray for us as we transition and begin our new journey. And if you know anyone in Louisville and would like to hook a sister up with a job or even just a good friend, give me a shout!

Taylor & Jannie in the City.

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 22:01:00 +0000

Since our last trip in September I had been dying to try Eataly. It is an Italian food market that has so many wonderful treats and was a trip down memory lane for me and my mom. It was fun seeing all the foods I used to eat as a child. We stopped there for lunch and savored every bite we had.

We ventured over to Times Square and scored some last minute broadway tickets to see Million Dollar Quartet. I hadn't been to a show since high school and was hoping to see something while I was in NYC. The music was great and we had such a fabulous time!

We wrapped up our trip with brunch at Cafe Lalo. My heart was set on this place for a couple of reasons. One, I am obsessed with all things brunch and two, it was featured in You Got Mail and looked completely charming.

After a solid breakfast, we walked to 5th Avenue and saw the tulips blooming in Rockefellar Plaza.

And then we went home to get Toby and Hudson and took them for a long walk through Central Park. I told Stuart that I might be more motivated to go for a run if our scenery in Tallahassee looked as beautiful as Central Park. I love it there.

My trip to NYC went by way too fast as always but I loved every minute of it. I came back home feel refreshed and rejuvenated. I felt like myself again. I was happy to return home to my husband and brought him home a taste of New York.

That's right. Crumb Cupcakes. I'll leave you guessing on how long it took us to demolish these. So yum.

April Update.

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 00:46:00 +0000

Since so much has happened this month, I'm going to spend this week attempting to do a quick recap of all my April highlights.

At the beginning of April, I was fortunate to spend five days in New York City with my mom. We always love some quality "girl time" and this trip did not disappoint.

My mom was dog sitting for my brother and sister in-law while they were in Florida for a couple of weeks and I decided to join her for the first half of her stay. Luckily, I got to see Lauren and Harlan for a few hours before they departed.

And then we were left to watch these adorable dogs. They are half the reason I want a puppy so bad. Who could resist these faces?

We started our trip by getting acquainted with the neighborhood, so we strolled around the Upper East Side and did some shopping on 5th Avenue.

We stopped at Dylan's Candy Bar to browse around and check out all the Easter candy.

And after some shopping we ended our day at Serendipity with some frozen hot chocolate.

On our second day we did a little more shopping and strolling. Can you detect a trend?

While walking to a department store, we stopped by the World Trade Center and were impressed by the progress they've made since we were last here in September.

After some lunch we headed to SoHo and I insisted we check out the DASH store. The store was smaller than expected and a little over hyped but it was fun none the less!

We finished our evening having dinner at Brasserie Julien with one of my dearest friends from high school, Jess and her fiance Antonio. It was so wonderful to see them both and chatting with them warmed my heart with comfort. I don't get to see my high school friends often and I love having a chance to catch up!

Excuse the lighting... for whatever reason there was terrible reflection against the lights. But you get the picture. We had such a wonderful evening with Jess & Antonio and it was a great way to begin my trip in the city.

Beach Day.

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 23:10:00 +0000

This weekend marked the first beach day of the year for the Owens household. Stuart and I decided to pack up the car and make the trip to St. George Island to spend the afternoon laying by the water, working on our "base tan" and doing absolutely nothing.

St. George Island is about 1 1/2 hours away from our house in Southwood, but the drive along the coast makes it completely worth it. Stuart is a veteran of the "Forgotten Coast" and likes to point out his favorite stops and memories along the way. There is nothing like a forgotten coast history lesson from Stu to make the drive go by. Once the history lesson was over, we proceeded to chat about what our future beach house will look like. Stuart was more focused on what kind of boat we should get. What can I say? We're dreamers.

We finally arrived and scouted out the perfect spot by the water.

Once we finished our picnic lunch we relaxed in the sand and looked out at this beautiful view for about three hours.

After a few stressful weeks at work, this relaxing beach day definitely brought warmth to my soul.

Quality Time.

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 01:15:00 +0000

Last weekend was absolute bliss because I got to spend an entire weekend with my mom! Stuart and I were fortunate enough to see my mom pretty frequently last year with all of our wedding planning but now that our nuptials have come and gone we look forward to seeing my family over the holidays and occasional long weekends.

Needless to say I was excited about my quality time with my mom and of course planned our entire weekend with all the necessary stops. First, we met in Thomasville for lunch at Liam's. I had wanted to try Liam's ever since my first stop in Thomasville for my birthday and this seemed like the perfect occasion.

I was hoping to try their brunch but sadly they only serve it over the weekend so we just tried their lunch menu. It was delicious! The food and the atmosphere were so great that we sat there chatting for maybe 3 hours.

Then we proceeded to browse in all the shops and soak up all the charm there is to see in downtown Thomasville. Including a stop for gelato at Sparkle Goat Cafe. We loved how artsy it looked and course had to take some pictures.

That evening we spent on the patio at Chez Pierre where we sat for another 3 hours chatting. It was the perfect spring evening!

There is nothing better than spending quality time with your mom! My only wish is that she lived a little closer so this could happen more often.

Fruit.

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 00:17:00 +0000

I apologize again for my blogging hiatus. The past two weekends have been pretty eventful and I am finally getting around to sharing it with you all.

At the end of February I spent the weekend in Panama City Beach with Stuart and hundreds of high school kiddies for CRosSWilD's annual spring retreat.

I always love getting a chance to hear Stuart teach and was really looking forward to a weekend filled with time for reflection and worship.

One of the greatest things about getting all of the churches within CRosSWilD together is that I get to see some of the kids from Wakulla and Crawfordville who use to go to the church where I interned with Stuart many moons ago. The girls in that youth group were my first small group ever and I always affectionately refer to them as my "babies."

At the time when I interned with them they were hyper little middle schoolers and now they have grown into beautiful high schoolers who have developed such a mature faith and love for God. It was the greatest joy to sit with these young women and just hear their stories. I was beaming with pride and tearing with joy. It was such a testimony to me of how God has continued to grow them even in our time apart.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5

Taylor Lately.

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 01:48:00 +0000

Sorry for the lack of posts this week. Life has been keeping me very busy lately and does not look like it will be letting up soon. Let's hope my blogging can continue to keep up with the pace.

Here are the latest happenings in my life...

The weekend before last, Stuart and I decided to go spend the day with some of his family who were camping in Mexico Beach. It was so nice to be able to get away, relax and spend time with family.

Last week we received a visit from Governor Rick Scott which made things pretty exciting to say the least. Work became pretty hectic leading up to his visit. And since then, things have not really slowed down...

I had the opportunity to shake his hand and let him know about my role at the Florida Lottery. It was great to interact with some of the media and hear from the Governor regarding his thoughts and plans for the Lottery.

Last weekend the weather was gorgeous. So Stuart and I enjoyed all things Spring...

Such as FSU baseball. Stuart literally had to save me from being hit by a foul ball. He covered me while I ducked for cover as I narrowly missed being hit by the 80 mph (?) baseball. The ball ricocheted off the seat in front of me and then a girl next to me ran to snatch my prized foul ball before my very eyes. Rude much? yea... maybe. I felt I had earned that ball... ah well, I'm over it!

Stuart and I also enjoyed our first dinner out on our beloved patio. Courtesy of Earthfare's spend $10 and get a free dinner for four.... or in our case two {Delicious!}

And I think that about wraps up all the news from the Owens household!

THIS IS HOW WE CHANGE THE WORLD.

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 13:32:00 +0000

For those of you who do not know, Elevation Church is a church plant in Charlotte, NC that started in 2006 and has exploded to become one of the fastest growing churches in America with more than 5,000 attending each week.

They recently opened a new campus in Blakeney which is right by my parent's neighborhood and I have been so impressed by how far they will go to share the love of Christ with others. My parents recently bought a new car and the salesman happened to also be a pastor who was involved with Elevation. My parents were so touched by their encounter with him; how gracious he was and how he took the time to pray for their safety and adventures in their new car.

Last night I watched the documentary Elevation Church created to commemorate their 5 year anniversary. Its an hour long, but I encourage you to find time to watch it. It is such an incredible story. It gave me chills. It gave me tears. It gave me laughter and encouragement.

It will only be available on this Web site for a few more days. So watch it soon. Get ready to be inspired.

http://www.elevationexperience.com/

Happy Birthday, Dad!

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 00:11:00 +0000

This is just a quick shout out to my wonderful father who is celebrating his Birthday today! In honor of his big day I thought I would share a throwback photo of my dad and I from my Senior year of College at ADPi.

Happy Birthday dad! I love you.

A La Provence.

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 19:03:00 +0000

For Valentine's Day, Stuart and I had a wonderful night out at A La Provence. It was my first time there, but I had heard such wonderful things that we had been anticipating this night out for weeks.

A La Provence is located in Market Square and is a fine dining restaurant that offers French Classics and Euro-American cuisine.

To start out our dinner they served us an "Amuse Bouche" to cleanse the palate, which consisted of a strawberry with cheese served on top of a rose petal. They said the petal was edible, but Stuart and I decided we were content without it. The presentation was beautiful. [Please forgive the lighting].

The service was excellent, however it did take forever to get our entrees. But what can you really expect on a night like Valentine's day? We really didn't notice the time because we were enjoying each other's company, and well, their focaccia bread was so delicious that it served as a nice distraction.

Stuart ordered the N.Y. Strip and I had the Pork Tenderloin. Both were served with asparagus and twice baked yukon potatoes which were out of this world! I wish I had taken more pictures of our food, but by the time our entrees arrived I was so hungry that my plate was pretty much devoured before I had thought to snap a pic.

We had a fabulous dining experience at A La Provence and would definitely love to return. But diners beware, this restaurant is pricey- but you definitely get what you pay for. Hope you all enjoyed your evening with your loved ones. Bonne journee mes amis!

Happy Valentine's Day.

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 20:56:00 +0000

As you all most likely know I LOVE all things Christmas. So I was very sad when it came time to take down all of my Christmas decorations. My house was looking bare and just didn't feel right. So I was beyond happy when I discovered one of my new favorite blogs {House of Smiths} and was able to create some Valentines decor to get me through spring.

I was under an extremely tight budget this month, so the decorating was minimal but it was enough to make me smile and at the end of the day that is all that matters. Here is some Valentine's cheer from our home to yours.

Stuart was hoping now that Valentine's day will be over that we could dive into the giant jar of M&M's, but I let it be known that it will have to remain as decor through the rest of the month until I can begin decorating for spring.

Stuart and I were planning on a "no frills" Valentine's Day. I am more of a quality time girl, so I was plenty happy to just exchange some cards, enjoy some fine dining and call it a night. We even made an agreement that we weren't going to buy each other anything. So you can imagine my surprise when I get a phone call summoning me to the front desk where some beautiful roses and chocolate were waiting for me. I was really shocked.

I work in a department filled with nothing but women and apparently we take Valentine's day pretty seriously around here. Or maybe it's just any excuse for a party. In any case, I enjoyed a delicious spread of chicken salad and sweets galore. I knew I liked this holiday.

Stuart and I are having a nice dinner out tonight and I cannot wait! We have been waiting to try this restaurant for months. I am so lucky to have such a thoughtful and romantic husband. He's the best Valentine a girl could ask for! Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! You all are very loved.

I Heart STU

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 15:23:00 +0000

Every time I see or hear this commercial. I die of laughter. I have GOT to find myself one of these tank tops. I am one lucky lady to be married to STU. Happy Friday everyone!

Coffee, Conversation & Causes.

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 21:01:00 +0000

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of meeting up with my friend, Laura, for Coffee. There is not much better in life than grabbing a good cup of coffee and catching up with dear friends. I am a sucker for good conversation. It was by far the highlight of my day.

I was so excited when we agreed to meet up at RedEye [formerly known as The Coffee Pub] in midtown. I literally have only been there once since I have moved back to Tallahassee, so walking inside brought back some quality memories. One of my favorite things to do in college was pile into a car, go to The Coffee Pub and grab some coffee, or go to Luna's to buy some gelato and then head over to Fingers & Toes [which sadly no longer exists] for an hour of sheer pedicure bliss. {Excuse the detour down memory lane... now back to coffee shops}.

Over the past couple of months, I've come to realize how much I love coffee shops. I love how they have become a place where people can gather and re-connect. Life has become so consumed with technology and social media that I have learned to treasure the times where you can sit down face to face and have a good chat.

Many coffee shops also contribute to a good cause. I have such a heart for those nearby in America and afar in developing countries who are suffering in poverty. I have such admiration for those who are working hard to support their families and make ends meet, especially during these tough economic times. Which is why my heart fills with joy when I find a coffee shop that serves local and fair trade coffee. When you buy fair trade products you are assisting producers in developing countries by allowing them to obtain better trading conditions and helping them to receive their fair share of the profits earned by cutting out the middle man.

When I was in Charlotte, my friend Liz introduced Stuart and I to Julia's Coffee & Books. It exists to to support Habitat for Humanity, but also to create a place where the community can get a sustainable, conscientious cup of delicious coffee. It also has a used book store which we roamed for almost an hour. Attached to the coffee shop was ReStore, which is where you can find used furniture that is begging to be refinished and placed in a forever home. That's right- a coffee shop actually exists where you can catch up with good friends, buy coffee for a cause, find a good book and buy discounted furniture for cute DIY projects. Talk about heaven.

How I Know I'm Getting Old.

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 21:37:00 +0000

I feel accomplished if I get all my laundry washed and folded by Sunday night.
My meals are no longer frozen and actually require me to do more work than just pop them in the microwave.
My body naturally wakes me up at 7:00 a.m. on a weekend.
A good weekend can consist of nothing more than me and my husband sitting around the house and enjoying each other's company.
I read... for fun.
I actually have a budget, pay bills and make grocery lists. [scary].
One of my most exciting presents in the last six months was a vacuum cleaner. Yep, getting married will do that to you.
I have to DVR most of my favorite shows because I can barely stay awake to watch them. (This is new for me. I blame the 5 a.m. gym sessions).
Saturday mornings always start with a mission to make our home spotless.
I keep up with current events and watch the news every morning.
I have more work clothes than cute casual clothes.

This list could probably go on and on. But I will spare you with the rest. It has been a crazy reality to see how much my interests and priorities are changing. But I love it. As much as we all complain about the "quarterlife crisis"; there really is no more exciting time in life.

Stuart and I are growing so much as we continue to work towards our goals. While some of these things may seem boring and mundane, I can see God maturing us. He is strengthening us as a couple and preparing us for what is to come.

...You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness! ~ Matthew 25:21-22

Trim the Fat.

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 15:25:00 +0000

Stuart and I have really been trying to "trim the fat" this last month. As you know, I joined the gym last month which was a huge success. However, the battle has really been waking up at 5:30 a.m. Monday-Thursday to get in our cardio before we start the day. It's been a total lifestyle change for us. We go to bed earlier, wake up earlier and even take vitamins!

I found a running plan on my friend's blog a couple months ago and we've been using it as our guide. And although, we haven't had perfect gym attendance this week, I do think we are making huge strides towards our fitness goals. We have jokingly been calling ourselves "gym rats" now that we have joined the early riser crew at the gym.

We also have been trying to "trim the fat" with our finances. It is so easy to spend away your money without even realizing where you're spending it. We are big fans of the Dave Ramsey plan and we have been trying to follow his steps to reach our financial goals. We've been slashing areas of our budget including everything from our cable bill to our grocery bill. It's been challenging but is already proving to be rewarding.

Yesterday, we received the greatest news. After 3 1/2 months of waiting, we finally found someone who wanted to buy Stuart's car. We had really been praying for this over the past six weeks and it could not have happened at a better time. It was after the holidays, which allowed us to get through paying for all the Christmas presents and traveling. We had just the right amount of money saved up to sell the car and pay off the remaining. Stuart and I cannot WAIT to call up Dave Ramsey and scream "WE'RE DEBT FREE!" Don't worry. We are already practicing. Goodbye, Armada (A.K.A. "The War Wagon")....Financial Freedom, here we come!

Community.

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 21:16:00 +0000

Before Stuart and I got married or were even dating I attended church at The Well. It was so great to attend their marriage retreat and meet new people while catching up with some old familiar faces.

As we walked away from the church I was telling Stuart how refreshing it was to meet so many Christians who were willing to branch out and be accepting to new people. They never made me feel awkward or uncomfortable for not knowing anyone. And they each took time to introduce themselves and start a conversation with me. Not because they felt obligated but because they genuinely wanted to get to know me.

Now it may seem weird that I found this so astonishing, but I have encountered so many social and church scenarios where I will walk in and I'm lucky if anyone will even say hi to me. And if they do say hi, they rarely say more than a few words before shifting focus back to the crowd they're most comfortable with. Even as a Christian and youth pastor's wife, there have been many times where I have felt more comfortable and accepted around non-Christians than Christians.

I always wonder what this says about us. As Christians, isn't the church meant to be our home? Why would we not welcome people into our community?

As someone who has moved around a lot, I am very sensitive to newcomers. I know what it's like to be the new kid on the block and having to deal with the uneasiness of new schools, jobs and even churches. Sometimes I think that we as christians, need to be reminded of how important it is to push ourselves out of our comfort zone and meet new people. It takes more then saying hi and having surface conversation for three seconds. All people want is to feel welcomed, accepted and engaged with in genuine conversation.

I love meeting and learning about people who are different from me. I enjoy connecting with people who are similar to me. I value deep conversations with anyone who can sharpen me. I am praying now more than ever for continued opportunities to meet new people and to make new friendships.

Til Death Do Us Part.

noreply@blogger.com (Taylor Owens) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 17:45:00 +0000

Over the weekend Stuart & I attended an in-town marriage retreat at The Well. It was such a great opportunity for us to meet married couples our age and draw in some wisdom from the "veteran" married couples as well.

Here are some of the things we learned.

Wives want to be led by their husbands. When we receive wisdom, insight and direction from our husbands it makes us feel cared for.

Husbands tend to be passive in areas where they think they are not well respected. They seek assurance that we are confident in them.

Husbands must give love to their wives, so that in turn their wives will give their husbands respect. They are dependent on each other.

We must both remember that love is given and respect is not earned.

Your spouse is not your enemy. When they hurt you, it will help to view them as being wounded rather than offensive. Try to view things beyond your own perspective.

Satan loves nothing more but to divide and conquer. It is so important to be unified as a couple.

In the last seven months, we've realized how important it is to be a team as a family. I am so thankful for my husband's love, support and patience. While we certainly have and will face trials as every married couple does; I am so thankful to know that Stuart and I have made a commitment to one another that we know will last forever.

Dream House.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:33:00 +0000

I've been doing my fair share of blog-stalking and dreaming up of what I would like my future house to look like. This will most likely be an ever-changing process over the next five years or so. For now, I will just share some of my favorite inspiration pictures.

I love this living room. I love having a house or in my case, apartment, with lots of light.

One day I will live in a place where I can have a pantry big enough to make it look just like this.

And a bathroom like this.

I might even enjoy doing laundry if my laundry room looked as cute as this.

Happy Friday everyone! Stuart and I are attending a couples retreat this weekend at our neighbor church The Well. We're still new at this gig, so we are looking forward to all the wisdom there is to be learned. Stay tuned for all the afterthoughts.

Tallahassee Meets Earth Fare.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 04:36:00 +0000

I first met Earth Fare when I was home visiting one summer in Charlotte. I would always stock up on a few of my healthy favorites before I would head back to college. Needless to say, I was very excited when I learned they would be opening one in Tallahassee.

I like Earth Fare for many reasons but particularly because they promote healthy lifestyles and support local farmers. They strive to make healthy eating convenient, affordable, fun and delicious!

The only downside of healthy organic foods is that sometimes they hurt your wallet because they are so pricey. So I did some research on what types of food you should buy organic versus your neighborhood grocery store. Here is what I found at http://www.thedailygreen.com.

Focus on those foods that come with the heaviest burden of pesticides, additives and hormones. According to the Environmental Working Group, consumers can reduce their pesticide exposure by 80% by avoiding the most contaminated fruits and vegetables and eating only the cleanest.

They suggested you buy the following organic:

Meat: Beef & Pork

Milk

Vegetables: Celery, Bell Peppers, Potatoes, Carrots

Fruit: Peaches, Strawberries, Apples, Blueberries, Nectarines, Grapes, Pears

Low Pesticide Foods:

Vegetables: Onions, Corn on the Cob, Asparagus, Broccoli, Sweet Potatoes

Fruit: Watermelon

While I am the first to admit I rarely cough up the money to buy organic; I want to make more of an effort to start buying organic and less processed foods in 2011. Especially since Earth Fare has such good deals.