Ok Hallmark, but Make It Real

July 25' Choosing a Romanticized and Real Life + My Monthly Roundup

“You finally live in your Hallmark town.”

It’s a statement that I’ve heard from both my sister and my best friend at this point. When we first moved here over eight months ago, I remember brushing off their statement. Probably because I mainly associate Hallmark with fictional, Christmas small towns dotted with obnoxiously on-the-nose named businesses, like the Gingerbread Bakery or Peppermint Pattie’s Pralines. It was still too fresh, and I wasn’t ready to fully accept or embrace my new town and season.

But over the last several months, and especially this month, I experienced the gratitude of living in a small, coastal, Hallmarky town. While I’m not super patriotic, I’ve always enjoyed the essence of the Fourth of July. There’s something about the care-freeness, the vibe of a good cookout, conversation, fun, and fireworks shared by friends and family during the pinnacle of summer. And even more so when it is shared, soaking in the briny breeze and calming waves—it’s a combination of freedom, joy, and peace that I was thankful to experience multiple times this month.

I experienced it celebrating the Fourth of July on the St. Simons Pier and watching fireworks in downtown Brunswick on the waterfront with the kids and a friend. I experienced it while sweating and sighting safari animals at the Jacksonville Zoo on a sweltering day. I experienced it during one of my best friend’s visits, as we drank iced coffee and caught up, as our kids played and interrupted us.

While I experienced a lightness, I also experienced a heaviness too — the heaviness of unmet and unanswered prayers, along with the fear of the unknown. If I’m being honest, most days feel like I’m being tossed in the ocean, bobbing back and forth between this heaviness and lightness. It’s a balance of trust and hope, while patiently waiting in expectation, looking for what’s on the other side of the horizon. A balance that I haven’t quite mastered yet, but hope to achieve.

I think that’s what Hallmark movies miss — a balanced story that is steeped in reality and fraught with the struggles that shape character and add depth to our lives. While there is comfort found in romanticizing our lives and everyday moments, we don’t want to miss out on the resilience and refinement that comes from living a balanced story — real life.

So while I might enjoy living in a Hallmarky town, I am doing my best to learn how to embrace a real, balanced life — full of equal parts of freedom, joy, and fight.

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A Month In Grace 🌿

✨ What surprised me
How the Lord continues to provide and make a way seemingly out of no way.

💛 What challenged me
Cultivating contentment and stirring up joy in the wait. This is something I consistenly struggle with, which is why documenting joy for me is a daily and weekly practice. As Mark Vroegop says in his book Waiting Isn’t a Waste, waiting on God is living what you know to be true about God when you don’t know what to be true about your life. So much easier said than done, but something I’ve been striving to do in this season.

🤍 Something I’m holding close
These last days before school starts. I can’t believe I’m almost five years into my motherhood journey. Outside of a brief stint in daycare, when a work contract turned into a full-time position, my baby has always been home with me. Him attending pre-school next week is going to be a big transition for us. While homeschool is something I’m still highly interested in and considering, I’m excited for how we will all grow and adapt during this season, but also simultaneously savoring the days where all three kids are at home with me.

🙏🏾 What I’m learning about grace

Even after disappointment and discouragement, grace invites us to hope and try again.

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Love Notes 💌

Throughout the month, I love to post notes, reflections, or other resources that I find encouraging or helpful. Make sure you download the Substack app so you don’t miss out on new notes, chats, and threads.

On My Nightstand 📚

Monthly Favorites + Books I’m Currently Savoring

• Waiting Isn’t a Waste by Mark Vroegop. Some books just find you when you need them the most. While I’ve had this book for over several months, I picked it up at a perfect time. If you’re in a season of waiting for anything — answers, clarity, restoration, a job, a diagnosis, Mark meets you with Gospel truth and encouragement as you wade your way through your waiting season. Head over to my Instagram for a full review. Thank you to Crossway for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

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• The Hotel Nantucket ¹by Elin Hilderbrand. This story is about the Hotel Nantucket, an old haunted hotel renovated by Xavier Darling and ran by Liz Keaton, a hotel manager that is fresh off a breakup along with her crazy staff. I didn’t think I was going to get into this cooky, ghost story, but by the end, I was sold. It was the scandals in the hotel staff members’ lives (including the guests) that kept me hooked for this crazy ride.

• The Game is Afoot by Elise Bryant. Mavis Miller is back at it again, poking her nose in everybody’s business but her own as she solves the murder mystery of her daughter’s soccer coach after he drops dead at the end of their game. While I enjoyed It’s Elementary more, I love how Elise Bryant always weaves relevant topics and themes of culture and motherhood into her books.

• These were just some of my favorites from the month. Check out my monthly reading recap, Goodreads, or Fable for a full list and reviews of what I read.

Links & Little Joys 🩷

• I was looking for something simple and cool to wear to the zoo. This exercise dress was so good that I went back and ordered in another color and wouldn’t be surprised if I grabbed one more.

• These ice cream sandwiches if you’re looking for a cold, sweet treat.

• This devotional crossword puzzle to renew and unwind your mind.

July Snapshots 📸

Fourth of July plate + fireworks at Mary Ross Waterfront // Beach day with my college bestie visiting town // Post-fourth grilling // Beach day // A trip to the Zoo // Solo pool time // Popsicles and read-alouds in front of the pond // Wordsearch and ice coffee at the library // Splash pad visit // Driftwood Beach with my sister // Playground and dolphin sighting at the pier

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