What Love Looks Like

It seems like nowadays, having two parents who live together is pretty uncommon.
Even more uncommon, is having two parents who live together and like living together.
And just about unheard of, is having two parents who live together, like living together, and genuinely love eachother.
I say "just about" unheard of, because of my parents. I have never met two people more in love with eachother than my parents.

When I was growing up, I thought it was totally normal to have a mom and dad who pretty much acted like teenagers in their "honeymoon phase" 24/7. They cuddled on the couch when we watched movies, ALWAYS held hands wherever we went, skyped every night when my dad was on a trip, and a day didn't go by where I didn't hear them say they loved eachother. My brother and I would scream "EWWWWWW Gross!" at the sight of them kissing in the kitchen while making dinner, which was a very common sight.

As a child, I thought that that's how everyone must live their lives: You find someone, you marry them, and you're that happy forever. That's the way it works. That's the way it's supposed to be, right? But as you grow up, you realize that the way it's supposed to be, isn't always the way it plays out.

As I got older, I realized that my parents weren't the norm- they were the expection. By middle school, most of my friend's parents were divorced. And for those that weren't, they described anguish in their home lives and between their parents. Their was alot of fighting, anger, and even abuse, but definitely not love. I watched as the discontented relationships of their parents really took an emotional them. In highschool, many of those friends struggled to have meaningful friendships and relationships of their own.
If you don't have a working model for what real-life love looks like, how can you create it on your own? Yeah, Nicholas Sparks movies hot and steamy and romantic, but what happens when the drama is over and the screen fades to black? How do those characters create a healthy, loving relationship that will last a lifetime? I looked at my parents, and knew that that is what love was.

My parent's loving marriage is also what made them really great parents. By receiving so much love from eachother, they were able to pour that love into the lives of my brothers and I. They were always patient, loving, and joyful with us; Always able to be fun and silly with us. They loved spending time with eachother, which made for lots of family game nights, hikes, and trips. The meaningful relationships they built with each of us lead to amazing friendships between my brothers and I. Don't get me wrong, we still bicker like any normal siblings (probably moreso). But beneath that, we really love eachother and enjoy spending time together. My parents brought out the best in eachother, so they brought out the best in us. They created a household and a family that was truly built out of love and centered around God. They loved us so much, because they loved eachother so much.

My parents are going on 25 years of marriage and nearly 30 years of dating, and their love really does seem to grow every day. They truly showed me first hand what love looks like, and gave me the best upbringing I could ever ask for. With all the turmoil that my teenage years have brought, I always had a supportive and steady household to anchor myself in, and that is all thanks to my parents and the love they have for eachother. 

When I was 12, I was running errands with my dad. While we were driving, "All Your Life" by The Band Perry came on the radio. The words coming form the speakers said,

Would you walk to the edge of the ocean

Just to fill my jar with sand?

Just in case I get the notion

To let it run through my hand.

My dad turned to me and said,  "You know, I would do that for your mom."
And that's what I think love is. That's what my parents have shown me love is.

DIY: Spring Wreath

I absolutely LOVE Do It Yourself (DIY) projects! I've always been a crafty person, and being an assistant costumer at the Broadway Theatre for 2 years and joining a sorority have both given me plenty of chances to be creative and crafty. Now that I'm living in my very first apartment, I've been going a little crazy on the DIY projects to decorate. As a college student, my crafting budget is pretty much non existant, so I like to find ways to repurpose old things, and find my supplies very cheap. 

I've made a few wreaths before, but I've always followed a template or a picture from pintrest or a crafting blog when designing it. This time, I did it totally 'freehand' without looking at any pictures for inspiration or ideas- it was all me! I'm really surprised with how well it came out! Regardless of if you live in an apartment, dorms, or with your parents, wreaths are the perfect way to make it feel more "homey" and decorate for the season. 

Supplies:

1 blue flower busshel (dollar tree)

4 white flower bushels (dollar tree)

1 Medium Wreath ($5 Michael's)

4 Letters to Spell "Home" ($.50/each Michael's)

*Burlap 

*Blue Paint

*Sponge Brush

*Hot Glue Gun

***These are items I already had, but you can get them pretty much anywhere (Michael's, Dollar Tree, Walmart Ect.

Step #1

First, I cut about 6 inches of the bottom of the stems of the white flower bushells so they weren't so long. Then, I hot glued 2 white flower bushells on the left side of the wreath facing upwards. Use the glue generously, and don't worry if it looks messy- Once you put the bigger flower on you can't see any of the glue. Then, I hot glued the other 2 going the opposite way on the same side.

Step #2

Cut the stem of the blue bushell off, leaving only about an 2 inches of the stem attatched to the flowers. Put some hot glue on the end of the stem and stick it into the left side of the wreath in between the white bushells.

Step #3

This was definitely my favorite part because I love to paint. Paint the letters with a sponge brush, brushing only downwards so that the letters get that pinstriped look. Another alternative I considered in lue of having the wreath say "home" is using the house number for your address or your last name! I decided to go with "home" because there's a song in the Broadway Production of Beauty and the Beast called home that I adore.

Step #4 

Make a bow out of burlap, ribbon, or really any material! First, take the material and fold it so it looks like the breast cancer ribbon. Next, pinch the center of tthe fabric so that it comes together as a bow. Last, cut a 1 inch swatch of material to tie the center together. You can also add a little hot glue (I really do love hot glue) to the middle so that it will stay together. Now you have your bow!

Step #5

Hot glue the bow and the letters onto the wreath to have your finished product! Yay wreaths!

I had an absolute blast making this wreath! Feel free to follow the steps and recreate it, or make your own version. DIY projects are my favorite hobby, so look out for more on my blog in the future (: