the perfect neutral lip

I’ve been meaning to do a tutorial on this for a while now. I always get asked what I’m wearing on my lips. It’s not really just a lipstick…it’s a formula. A “secret recipe” if you will, and today I’m sharing my secret. :) I’m going to go ahead and apologize for the pictures. They’re pretty terrible and definitely don’t do this lip color any justice. I waited too late in the day and the lighting in my house is less than stellar!  I’m not wearing any makeup on my face so that’s why you’re getting an awkward close up of my lips. I felt kind of like Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights “I don’t know what to do with my hands!” Except I didn’t know what to do with my lips! Ok, on to the tutorial!

1.) Start with a lip liner a few shades darker than you natural lip color. As always, I just use what I have on hand. In this case, I used Stila lip liner in Contour No. 4.  Line all the way around the lips concentrating more of the product on the four corners of your lips. Basically, you want to keep the four corners of your lips darker and the inside lighter to create the appearance of fuller lips. I had a hard time finding out if this lip pencil is still available for purchase {I’ve had it forever!} but I’ve read that it’s very similar to Wet N Wild’s Brandywine lip liner.

2.) Fill in the rest of your lips with a lip pencil that is closer to your natural lip color bringing it up and out to slightly overlap the darker line. I used Rimmel Lasting Finish lip liner in 049 Natural. This color matches my natural lip color so it’s hard to see, but notice how it blends the harshness of the original line?

3.) Apply a neutral {not nude} colored lipstick all over the lips, slightly overlapping the darker line. I used Ulta’s 225 In the Buff. It’s my favorite lipstick that I’ve ever owned. It is slightly sheer and also matches my natural lip color. It’s so creamy and great by itself as well.

4.) Finish with a gloss. My favorite to use with this particular look is MAC’s Lipglass in Enchantress. It’s such a gorgeous pinky, peachy color with the perfect hint of golden shimmer. I’m going to have to repurchase it soon because I use it ALL the time!

I apply my lip color last so I usually have foundation on the edges of my lips. This helps to conceal the natural lip line in case you need to fake your desired lip shape with liner. I typically overdraw my lips ever so slightly because they are thinner than I’d like. I also prefer to accentuate the points along my Cupid’s bow. If you desire for your lip line to look really crisp and precise you can take a small concealer brush and clean up along the lip line with a bit of foundation.

I know this may seem like a lot of steps for an every day look, but it’s so gorgeous and really takes your overall look up a notch. I get compliments on this little “concoction” all the time. Although I do love nude lips, I feel like this is more wearable and flattering on most skin tones because it plays up the natural lip color. I’m definitely not a perfectionist when I do my lips, but they somehow always look great. I’m convinced it’s my secret lipstick recipe. If I haven’t already mentioned this 10 times, this is my go-to lip color for myself and everyone that I do makeup for. It’s just universally flattering! Try it out and let me know what you think!

 

And Happy Anniversary to my amazing husband :)

 

Until next time,

Kelsey

exciting news + 5 minute brown smolder eye

Goodness gracious this has been a busy month! It’s been a while since I left you hanging with my post about the “exciting news” I had for you. Today is the day I’ll be sharing what most of my friends and family already know! So, without further adieu, I’ll clue everyone in to what I’ve been up to! It all started with a wedding. The first weekend of April, my sweet friend, Cortney, married her long time love, JP, and I had the privilege of doing makeup for a couple of her bridesmaids. SO exciting and so much fun to be my first “professional” job. I’ve been doing hair and makeup for my friends and family for years, but to actually get paid to do something that I love and comes second nature to me was everything I thought it would be and more! Thanks to Cortney and her bridesmaids for allowing me to be a part of that special day! The following Saturday I had two appointments  for prom hair and makeup. The fact that I’ve already been out of high school for five years blows my mind. I felt like I should have been getting ready for prom with those sweet girls!

This past weekend was SO totally exciting for me. One of the fabulous four {MELK}, partner in crime, and long time BFF got married on the 20th! Her wedding was everything I knew it would be: romantic, vintage chic, and gorgeous! I had the honors of doing her makeup for her engagement and bridal photos, so of course, I had to do makeup for her wedding! Megan has trusted me to do her makeup since middle school/high school {bless her heart} and I love her for it! I also got to do makeup for her bridesmaids {myself included} and her sweet mother. My makeup brushes were just a-flyin’ and I was worn out by the end of the day, but I LOVED IT! How many people get to do what they love and get paid for it? I am so blessed!

So that’s about it! I guess I’m a “makeup artist.” I really don’t care for that word because, honestly, anyone can be a “makeup artist.” I will be calling my little “business” Kelsey Lange Makeup Artistry and I may start a new blog, strictly dedicated to all things beauty. Right now, I’m working on furthering my portfolio and {God willing} continuing to book clients. I post a lot of makeup related photos on Instagram, so if you’re not following me on there {@kelseyleigh879} you’re missing out! There should be a little Instagram icon at the bottom of my blog.

Below, I’ll be posting the tutorial to the 5 minute brown smolder eye that I posted a picture of on Instagram yesterday. Enjoy!

Use what you have. Seriously. You do not need to go out and buy a ton of special products for this look. My grandmother gives me free samples of Clinique makeup (gift with purchase type items) and that’s what I started playing with before I was even old enough to wear makeup. It’s fun to create something out of “nothing” and feels good to get compliments from something that was FREE!

You’ll need:

• an eye primer
• a light, shimmery color
• a medium brown
• a matte, dark crease color
• eyeliner pencil
• mascara
• pencil or eyeshadow to match eyebrows
• makeup brushes: basic eyeshadow brush, blending brush, shader brush (or Q-tip)

Clinique Trio

Ulta Plum Smoke {I’ve used this eyeshadow since before I could drive! Love it!}

1.) Start with some sort of eye primer. I applied Maybelline Color Tattoo in 05 Too Cool all over my lid up to my brow bone.

2.) Like I said, use what you have! I used colors from a Clinique Color Surge eyeshadow trio. Apply the light, shimmery color {mine was Day Break} all over. Apply your medium brown color on the lid. I used a green {sparkling sage} because that’s what was in the compact I was using.

3.) Apply a matte, dark crease color to the outer V. The color I used was Sable Stay Matte. I love my Sigma E45 blending brush because it really gets right in the crease and gives so much dimension to your eyes. You could also use a MAC 217 brush or whatever you are comfortable using.

4.) Line all around the eyes. I used Sinful Colors Metal Eyes in Copper Wire {from Walgreens}. This step does not have to be perfect. Just get that eyeliner all the way around your eye up against your lash line. If you’d like, tight-line your eyes, and apply to your waterline.

5.) Take a short shader brush {I used my Sigma E20} or a Q-tip and blend out your eyeliner with either brown shadow from earlier. I used a different shadow {Ulta Plum Smoke}. Just blend the eyeshadow into the liner really well, on the top lash line, blend up toward the middle of your lid. Curl lashes if desired and apply a few coats of mascara to top and bottom lashes. I used L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black. See how much softer and prettier the eyeliner looks now? No harsh lines is the key for this look. I zoomed in on the bottom middle picture so you can see how much of a difference this blending step makes.

6.) Fill in your brows with either an eyeshadow or  pencil that matches your eyebrows. I love to use Cork, a Satin finish MAC shadow. It’s the perfect neutral, slightly warm brown and is so flattering on all skin tones. I’m not saying it will match your brows, but it really is a great eyeshadow to have in your beauty arsenal!

 

If you’re in the market for some inexpensive, but still really nice makeup brushes, or if you’re just starting out with makeup, I highly suggest mark. makeup products. You can check out the website here. Just click on “Shop Entire Collection” to see what the company has to offer! This brush is my absolute favorite all-over eyeshadow brush compared to all of my MAC and Sigma brushes. I’ve had it for years and it is so dense–great for packing color onto the lid. This brush does not shed. I’ve washed it so many times and it still holds its shape wonderfully. Hands down, the best $8 you’ll ever spend on a brush.

 

 

**If you’re in the East Texas area, you can email me for booking and pricing information at klangeartistry[at]gmail[dot]com. Serious inquiries only.

 

 

I hope you’ve learned something today and I can’t wait to share more with you!

Always remember, pretty comes from the personality, not the makeup!

 

 

Until next time,

Kelsey

 

attitude adjustment

Today, this heart needs a change. One might call it an “attitude adjustment”. {Maybe we just call it an attitude adjustment here in the South?} I’ve been consumed with physical and emotional exhaustion. All I’ve wanted to do is sleep and complain. I keep trying to remind myself {as a sweet friend recently told me} that this is a spiritual battle, not a battle of the flesh. As I type this, it already feels a little silly. My prayer today is that I will look to the Lord as my source of joy–day in and day out–that I would not allow circumstances to sway me. I want joy to be a part of my character, not a fleeting emotion. I normally wouldn’t post something like this; but I know there may be someone out there feeling the exact same way. Take heart, brothers and sisters, God is on our side. Satan will try to oppose us in every way, but God will never leave us or forsake us {Joshua 1:5}.

 

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice!

Philippians 4:4 ESV

 

heart like You

I recently had the privilege of attending a Francesca Battistelli concert {part of the Hundred More Years tour} in my hometown. For free. If you’ve ever listened to a Christian radio station you’ve heard her songs. She’s amazing! I was so excited about the concert & my “date.” Since Jarrett was out of town I went with my step dad.

Side note: If you know me you know how much I love music. It’s so weird how my brain works…you can say something to me and I pretty much always think of a song to correspond with it. I’ve been that way for as long as I can remember. I drive Jarrett crazy with my weird music memory recall (although I can’t remember where I’m driving half of the time) when he’s getting ready to go out of town. He almost always says “I feel like I’m forgetting something.” I almost always respond with Lee Ann Womack’s lyrics. I promise you there is no significance to those lyrics for us; I just know the song and it pops into my head when I hear the words. I can’t help myself! One benefit to this strangeness is the fact that I’ve been listening to a lot more Christian music instead of country. Now, when I’m struggling, praising, and even in the mundane, everyday tasks I’m usually able to think of a song that deals with whatever is going on. It’s such a hopeful and uplifting thing for me. It often gives me the words to say what I feel in my heart. I love that particular quirk of mine!

Ok, back to the concert. We were all packed into the sanctuary of First Baptist Church in downtown Longview, Texas. I had never been to a “real” Christian concert aside from hearing bands at Youth camp and I was so pumped! Did I mention I love music? Anyways, there were some pretty awesome bands set to perform that night—some whose music I knew by heart and others I’d never heard of. Kyle Sherman, The Afters, Love and the Outcome, and Francesca Battistelli. Amazing artists, amazing music, amazing stewards of the talents God has given them. My heart was so filled with joy by the lyrics. I felt God’s presence in that place. I was totally impressed by one particular band, though. Love and the Outcome. I am SO glad I bought their EP at the concert. I believe you can only get it while they’re on tour, but their album should be coming out in August from what I understand. They are a husband and wife duo from Canada and their music will not disappoint! {Another thing I love is Jodie’s awesome sense of fashion!} I can’t get the songs out of my head and I don’t want to! I have the EP in my car and I literally keep listening to those three songs over and over and over. The lyrics just speak to me and make me want to live out God’s love. You can hear their song “City of God” here, but I’ll give you a sample of the lyrics from the other two songs because they’re just so dang good!

“Heart Like You”
I’d give up the world to find my soul
I’d pour out my life, give You control
I just want to be what You want me to be
I just want a heart that’s true
A heart like You

“King of my Heart”
‘Cause You are
Bigger than any battle I’m facing
You are
Better than anything I’ve been chasing
Savior and royalty
The only hope for me
Jesus, You are, You are
The King of my heart, heart

Aren’t those words just so sweet? Those are my prayers lately. I want a heart like Him. I want Him to be King of my heart, not the other things I get so caught up in. Although I have a great husband and an awesome little boy, neither one would make a very good god. Who is like my God? I need to remember to put him above ALL things. I was just so impressed with this band and their music and wanted to share. I would have felt selfish if I didn’t tell y’all about something that makes me feel so joyful! I’ve also got some exciting (for me) news that I want to share here pretty soon, but not today, so stay tuned! And no, Remi is not going to be a big brother!

Until next time,

Kelsey

sweet spring pictures

where’s Remi??

stinky face

munching on a carrot

he melts my heart!

peek-a-boo!

i love his little crossed legs!

handsome boy

post-photo shoot snack

What can I say? I got a little snap-happy with my Mom’s fancy camera {I’m still learning how to use it…maybe one day I’ll be better} and tried to pick my absolute favorite photos of Remi. This child MELTS MY HEART! He was so much fun yesterday and we had a blast taking his pictures. I’m pretty sure his SuSu {my mom} had something to do with all of those sweet little grins! I hope everyone has a fantastic Easter weekend!

P.S. You should be able to click on one of the pictures and then scroll through them individually if you want to view them larger!

It is written: Christ is risen! Jesus, You are Lord of ALL!

Until next time,

Kelsey

best friends + a bachelorette party

I’ve been told I needed to write a blog post. It’s been WAY too long! I got so caught up in everything going on around me {hello wedding & baby shower season!} that I haven’t even had time to write until now. Jarrett took Remi to my inlaws for the day. J is fixing fences and gardening…just being the country boy that I love. Remi is spending time with his grandmother, great grandmother, and aunt. Being spoiled, no doubt! When J asked me what I was going to do today I just looked at him. Number one, I hadn’t had my coffee yet and I only had one eye open. Number two, I never know where the day will take me when I’m kid-free. Typically to Walmart. Exciting, huh?! It drives my husband crazy that I don’t plan out every minute of my life but I cannot live like that. I need down time. I need time to cuddle with Remi. I need quiet time with God. Some people need to stay busy. They thrive on it. That is so not me. I’m like the tortoise…slow and steady. Sometimes it’s good for me to stay busy. I enjoy a change of pace every now and then, but lately:

I’ve been going, going, going to the point where I just felt gone.

Things got busy around the beginning of last week. I had a house to clean and decorate for my friend’s bachelorette party. Thanks to my awesome husband who knows how stressed I get and how big of a deal it is for me to have company, the house cleaning went pretty smoothly. We even did “crazy” spring cleaning things like washing the outside of the windows and vacuuming the baseboards. OK, maybe it’s not so crazy, but if you know me you know I prefer to spend my time doing other things.  As the week progressed I got to spend time with my girlfriends. These girls are my fellow bridesmaids {and Bride} and biffles BFFAEAEAE partners-in-crime since body glitter and the Backstreet Boys were cool. We’ve had some fun times, us four. This doesn’t even scratch the surface of embarrassing pictures of us. We started calling ourselves “MELK” around eighth or ninth grade {Megan, Emily, Layna, Kelsey} and it stuck.

It really is a rare, but special occurrence for all of us to be together now. In preparation for Megan’s party {Meg is the shorty with dark hair} we shopped, laughed, ate, shopped, decorated, planned, cooked, shopped and celebrated. One thing that was so special about this week {besides everything} was getting to hang out with Emily. Emily and I have been friends since the first grade.

circa 1997

There’s a funny little story behind that, but I basically forced her to be my “best friend forever”  and I think she was too scared to say no! I have been so blessed by her friendship in my life and I’m glad she didn’t go running for the hills when she first met me! Although our lives have taken us worlds apart {I’m being dramatic–she lives in New Hampshire & I live in Texas} we can always pick up where we left off. Emily is my sweet, free-spirited little hippie girl. Everyone that knows her can’t help but love her.

I could go on and on about these girls…that will have to be another blog post! Enough about the sappy stuff—let’s get to the good stuff—the bachelorette party! We played around with a few ideas for themes and couldn’t come up with anything that really stuck, so we decided on a “Megan’s Favorites” theme. After a few weeks of Layna, the other bridesmaids, and I corresponding through text, Facebook, and the occasional face to face meeting, we basically just threw a bunch of random decorations together with some food. {Kidding} We had fun recalling her favorite snacks and remembering all the memories to go along with them. Is it weird that we actually have memories tied to food? Maybe.

Somehow we failed to get pictures of all the food and decorations after we set up. This is the only picture I snapped before we got everything ready and got ourselves ready to PAR-TAY! The food was set up on the {vintage} vanity in front of the window & on the shelves of the hutch. It was so cute! We had {Megan’s favorite} chocolate covered strawberries, people puppy chow, Velveeta dip, cupcakes from Bake, and various other snacks. Not your typical Bachelorette party food, but so “Megan!” Of course, no party would be complete without displaying embarrassing pictures of the guest of honor because that’s how we roll! {Contact Layna if you ever need funny pics of Meg! She has the motherload!} We also set up a photo backdrop on one of the living room walls so we could take “photo booth” pictures. Our backdrop was just a bed sheet and .99 cent streamers hung vertically. Definitely a must for any party—so easy and so much fun!

Isn’t Megan’s fanny pack fabulous? We thought so too!

the banner we painted “Bling Bling Meg’s got the ring”

We went out for a little bit of dancing and painting the town, then came back to the house to play games and let Megan open her gifts. {Side note: If you’ve never heard of the Kleenex box/ping pong ball game, look it up. It’s hilarious.} We secretly conspired with the groom to embarrass Megan with a game of Groom Trivia. We’re sweet. We asked Megan’s fiancé to answer a series of questions earlier in the week and recorded his answers. We then had Megan see if she knew his answers. For every wrong answer she had to chew a piece of bubble gum. Let’s just say we lost count of how many pieces of gum she had in her mouth. It was one of my favorite parts of the night!

Warning: disgustingly large piece of chewed bubble gum in the next picture!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall, we had a blast, stayed up way too late, and had to be up bright and early for Meg’s Bridal shower the next morning! I definitely can’t hang like I used to. It took me a good three days to recuperate. I was so tired and I definitely missed Remi during the week, but it was so nice to spend time with all the girls! Thanks again, Whitney for coming to celebrate us! I hope we didn’t scare you away!

 

 

Meg & her bridesmaids…Surprisingly, no dark circles under our eyes!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to Megan and Ryan! Less than a month until the big day!

Until next time,

Kelsey

saturday

It seems like each time I post on a different topic I gain new readers. I love the fact that my blog can hopefully be well-rounded. I’ve posted recipes, ideas, beauty tutorials, and pictures of my family. This morning I want to do something a little different. Why not talk about the Creator of all of these wonderful things in my life? I’m going to share with you exactly what I wrote in my journal this morning after my quiet time with God. Maybe some of you can relate.

Yes, once again I’ve been behind on my daily Bible plan {a She Reads Truth plan from the You Version Bible app}. I always struggle with consistency and it angers me. Today, I thought about not even doing the reading plan because I was irritated with myself and didn’t want to be reminded that once again I didn’t measure up to my own expectations. Today’s reading plan {I’m over a week behind, so really Feb. 26th reading plan} was perfect. It’s from Exodus and deals with the Israelites’ weariness. After watching The Bible {amazing History Channel series} last week, I have been so enthralled with the story of Moses and the Israelites in Egypt. How perfectly did God work these details together for my good? He knew I would be reading this very plan today. He knew I would be questioning myself and be weary with my own bad habits. He knows that sometimes I’m just a little too comfortable hanging back in the crowd and I don’t want to be stretched.

It’s so comforting to serve a God that knows my every move or even thought ahead of time. He works all things together for my good. I don’t have to be perfect and I know He’s not finished with me yet. I love this line from today’s plan:

“Let us quiet our hearts and watch as God, full of grace, fights daily for our hearts. And wins.”

I hope you all enjoy a lazy Spring Break Saturday. I should be cleaning for next weekend {I’m hosting my girlfriend’s Bachelorette party at my house WHAT, WHAT?!} but instead I think I’ll continue drinking coffee to my heart’s content and watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse with Mr. Remi. I’ll clean tomorrow!

I don’t think he’s worn a bib in 6 months. It makes me laugh to see him in one!

She wants in. He wants out. It’s nice in Texas today. I think we’ll play outside!

I guess Remi and Mickey are having a tea party with the bunnies.

 

Until next time,

Kelsey

DIY lasting manicure tutorial

What is it about a manicure that just makes a girl feel pretty? I still remember my first set of acrylic nails and pedicure. I spent some time in Dallas with my aunt and uncle the summer before 5th grade. My aunt always loved to spoil me and I loved being spoiled! One day we went for mani’s & pedi’s before meeting my uncle for lunch. (Isn’t it amazing how I can remember these details considering how forgetful I am?) I was probably wearing my new threads from Limited Too, butterfly hair clips and matching powerbeads bracelet because I was cool like that. Anyways, the time came for me to pick what color I wanted my toenails to be painted and I panicked. I chose some bright neon orange which seemed awesome at the time; however, not so much when it didn’t match the rest of the clothes I packed! When I came home from my week with my aunt and uncle, I was sent home with an envelope of money to get my nails “filled.” I had no clue what that meant, but it sounded important. I excitedly told my mom what the money was for and I think she might have rolled her eyes. She was probably thinking No daughter of mine is going to be a diva! Well, that’s exactly what my Aunt Debbie created. :) I was hooked! I loved getting my nails done {mainly for special events} because I just felt beautiful. Now that I’m a mom I don’t have the time {or take the time} to get my nails done. My husband always tells me to get my nails done {he just wants his back scratched!} but I don’t anymore. I’d rather use the $35 for something else. I’m sounding more and more like my mother! {Love you, Mom!}

After looking at my unpolished nails for far too long, I decided to paint them.  {I act like this is a huge deal, but for me it is—I hate not using my hands while the polish dries!} Why not take a few minutes of my time to do something for myself that makes me feel a little bit prettier? I learned a few tips in cosmetology school {No, I didn’t graduate. Yes, I make beauty school dropout jokes about myself. Laugh it up!} and wanted to share my easy four step process. So, for all of you folks out there wanting a quick, lasting manicure, read on.

Supplies:

• Nail Polish Remover
• Cotton balls
• Base Coat
• Colored Polish
• Top Coat
• Optional: quick dry spray, orange stick, moisturizer, cuticle oil

Assuming you’re not like me and actually take care of your hands and cuticles {or wear cute little gloves to do the dishes}, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, slather on some lotion & gently push your cuticles back with an orange stick. File the edge of your nails if needed.

1. First, take a cotton ball with some nail polish remover and go over each fingernail. This is such a simple step that many people don’t do, but it’s the best way to remove the top layer of oils on your nails which promotes better nail polish staying power.
2. Next, apply a good base coat. {I like China Glaze Strong Adhesion Base Coat} Don’t purchase a product that says “base and top coat”. Your base coat and top coat should be two completely different products. A base coat has a slightly tacky finish which gives the nail polish something to hold on to. Trust me on this one—the 2-in-1 products are not worth it because they can’t do two different jobs.
3. Now, you can apply your colored polish. Don’t be like me and pick a weird color. I always regret my color choice, but I’m actually enjoying the color I picked this time! {OPI A-Taupe The Space Needle} The best way to get a good color payoff is to apply a thin layer of polish, let it dry, and apply another thin layer. Typically, you want to only use three strokes of the brush for each nail {one for the center & one for each side} per coat, resulting in two coats of colored polish. Did I lose you there?
4. Finally, apply a top clear coat to your nails. I’ve been using Revlon Extra Life No Chip Top Coat with good results. If desired, you can finish by spraying your nails with a nail dry spray like the one pictured below {purchased at Sally Beauty Supply} and applying some cuticle oil.

 

I’m sure I’ve missed something and I could definitely go into detail about the actual painting of the nails, but this is my simple four step mani that I give myself. Once you get all of the steps down, it’s a breeze. Of course, I waited until right before we left for my cousin’s couples shower {Congrats Blake & Tori!} this weekend and didn’t have time to snap any pictures, so I did that today. I painted them Saturday evening and I have to say they don’t look too shabby after our crazy weekend! It never fails that I smudge the tip of at least one of my nails before they are completely dry! A weird, but tried and true tip is to lick the smudge! I know it sounds crazy, but it really works. It blends that nasty smudge right back in and doesn’t look any worse for the wear! I hope you enjoyed this simple little beauty tutorial. It’s crazy to me how so many people don’t know these little tricks, but I’ve always loved hair, makeup & nails for as long as I can remember! I guess some things are just second nature to people. Leave me some feedback in the comment section and let me know if there’s something you’d like me to write about. I look forward to bringing you more beauty tutorials–especially simple ones for busy moms, working women, and students alike. {Maybe even some dads out there that aren’t afraid of a little nail polish?}

 

What color are you going to paint your nails?

 

Until next time,

Kelsey

forgetfulness

I’ve always struggled with forgetfulness. Before you think Oh, you’re too young for that, hear me out. You can ask my parents, my husband, and my friends. Just don’t ask Remi because he might say “Helllpp!” since that’s one of his favorite things to say. I know my “bad memory” is annoying. It’s inconvenient and at times can put others in a bind. I try to be proactive about list making and filling out my calendar, but then I forget to look at these things. I’ve tried setting reminders on my phone, recurring alarms—just about everything! When I was younger I forgot to do my homework and clean my room. Now that I’m {trying} to be a responsible adult I forget essential things like putting gas in my car. In my defense, I’ve only run out of gas once when I was 16 years old. My gas gauge didn’t work and I knew I was getting “low” so I was on my way to the gas station. I found out just how far I could safely go on a tank of gas that day! It drives my husband crazy that I forget something as simple as this. He says “You’re the one that drives your car every day! I can’t remember for you every time you need gas.” He’s right. I do drive my car almost every day. I also tend to not look at how much gas is in my tank.

WHY do I do this? No idea.

God has been revealing some things to me, though. He’s been tugging on my heart and I’ve been wondering if my forgetfulness is truly “bad memory” or selfishness. Do I forget to do things because I know other people will do them for me or remind me to do them? That is certainly not my intentions, but like I quoted on Facebook the other day:

We tend to judge others by their behavior and ourselves by our intentions.
Albert F. Schlieder

So, although I don’t intend to forget to do things, it’s what I actually do that matters.

Maybe it’s my own sinful, selfish nature. Perhaps I’m too focused on my own thoughts. Could it be that I truly just have a bad memory? I don’t know. Today, I’m blaming it on muscle memory. Sunday lunch at J’s grandparent’s house is a tradition. We’ve gone to lunch more Sundays than not since we’ve been together. While Jarrett was heading to work earlier today, I loaded Remi up in the car and headed to lunch with the family. When I drive, I tend to pray, sing, think, and let the road take me where it will. Sounds real safe, right? I was wondering what we were having for lunch today {their home cooked meals are always awesome} when I glanced in the rearview mirror and noticed Remi had already fallen asleep. Of course, it was right as we were turning onto the road to the house. I drove a little ways until I remembered that lunch was not at the grandparent’s today. It was at J’s parents as he had just reminded me before I left. I began to get angry with myself. How hard is it to remember something as simple as where you’re driving to? Obviously it’s hard for me. Then, I started to laugh to myself. It was a little bit amusing. Lunch is always a “come when you can” type thing so I wasn’t worried about being late. In fact, as I corrected my direction, I drove a little bit slower. I wanted Remi to be able to squeeze every extra second out of that little nap. I just enjoyed a little bit of quiet time to myself before I reached my destination.

I don’t want to be that girl—the one no one can count on. Do I fail to remember things because they’re not important to me? Or maybe because I’m simply too “busy” at the time to just do whatever needs to be done? The truth is: I still don’t know the answer, but I’m praying about it. I’ve never forgotten to feed Remi or change his diapers, so don’t worry about that. It’s just the little things that I’m learning may not be so little to others. Does anyone else have any experience with this? I feel like I’m the only person that struggles in this area. Instead of feeling determined to remedy my problem, sometimes I just feel helpless.

Maybe I won’t forget to work on this. Pun intended.

 

Until next time,

Kelsey

 

P.S. Thanks to all of my awesome readers {mainly friends and family} that listen to my complaining & corny sense of humor. I love you all! :) As a reward, I’ll leave you with a sugary sweet picture of Remi napping in the car today.

 

yes, that’s a goldfish remnant on his shirt :)

humbled.

Has it really only been a week since I posted? It seems like ages. I think this has been one of the most trying weeks I’ve had in a long time. It all started with Remington running a fever then the tell-tale eye boogers. Ugh, please don’t let it be pink eye. It was. The pediatrician went ahead and wrote us a script for an antibiotic in case Remi didn’t get well over the weekend. He didn’t. By the time I got the antibiotics on Saturday afternoon I couldn’t get Remi’s fever under control and I knew we would probably need to take him to the ER to get him checked out. 105.2 is a pretty high temperature, folks. I was so calm. Strangely calm. God definitely had his hand on me. Mom, Jarrett, Sisters, Dad…everyone was out of town. My step dad met me at the ER and we waited. Turns out that Remington had an ear infection and what looked like strep (although the test came back negative) along with his pink eye. Poor kiddo. Thankfully, the folks in the ER were great and we were able to come home by bedtime. I thought the worst was behind me. All I had left to do was administer meds, love on my baby, and enjoy a little down time. WRONG. Each time I gave Remington his medicine it was a battle. I totally agree with what the X-ray tech at the ER said: “He may be small, but this kid is stout!! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a baby this strong.” He IS strong. He had to prove his strength each time I tried to change his diaper. Any mommy knows antibiotics + not eating = tummy troubles.  Tummy troubles leads to lots of diaper changes and diaper rash. And a fight. EVERY time. I was physically so exhausted that my arms, shoulders, and back hurt by the time I would get in bed every night. Praise the Lord that Remi is feeling better now. Aside from a runny nose which I can totally deal with, he seems to not be in pain anymore. However, his behavior is off the charts. Crazy-acting, fit-throwing, biting-holes-in-pacifiers, momma-kicking tantrums. Where would I be without my husband? In the corner rocking back and forth, no doubt. It’s been bad, y’all. So in all of my poor-pitiful-me mess, I carried myself to Bible study today. It came time for prayer requests {SO thankful for sweet friends who pray me through the hard times} and I recounted my week to them. Then, the quietest lady in the group told us of what she has been going through with her foster and adopted children. I was humbled. Next, my sweet friend praised Jesus for the fact that her father-in-law will be able to receive chemo close to home. I was humbled. Once again, I had gotten so caught up in ME that I was blinded to how completely blessed I am. My God never forsakes me, even in my darkest hour. He loves me. That makes everything else seem trivial. If having a screaming kid is the worst thing I have to deal with this week–I can handle it. That’s all for now folks. I just wanted to get that out there. It’s my way of taking a deep breath and starting new. Speaking of newness, I just started a She Reads Truth reading plan on my YouVersion Bible app. I’m so excited to see what God reveals to me. Sometimes we all just need a fresh start.

Be blessed friends,

Kelsey