Hello my dears! Is it cold and blustery where you live? It has been frigid in this part of Ohio since the late part of November, and this week we actually have snow on the ground! A few weeks ago, just as the cold weather began to arrive, Gabe and I took a trip to visit my family. Charlotte and I took the opportunity to take some photos at a new location she had discovered by the lake near their house. Of course on the day we decided to do this it was positively freezing and windy. But it lent a sense of adventure to the photo-shoot, even if I was nearly freezing my fingers off.
This time of year feels so vastly different from last year’s month of December. I am in my own home, caring for my own household affairs, and trying to knock my brain into figuring out some sort of cheery Christmas decorations. It has certainly been an adventure, these first few months of married life. It has been so lovely, and I haven’t felt homesick until last week. It was then that a wave hit me as I realized how near Christmas was, and that I didn’t even feel like decorating for it. I was suddenly longing for those delightful days of decorating with my sisters for Christmas: stringing up lights and ornaments on the Christmas tree, setting up Mom’s collection of Nativity scenes (my favorite part), listening to our favorite Christmas music all the while. I was homesick and sad.
But that is what married life feels like sometimes. You feel like you are on a newly discovered island with your beloved, separated from your old life by a great expanse of water.
Sometimes, the tide rolls out far enough that you can cross over a sandbar to old familiar ground, a place to recall memories and gather inspiration, before heading back out on the exciting journey of taking dominion of the territory God has given you. At other times, when you feel lonely, something from the homeland washes up on the shore, or a messenger bird comes flying in with a scroll tied to its foot. Slowly, a new civilization begins to take place on the island. Rocks are cleared out to make way for a garden; The once wild landscape shows signs of cultivation; and the joys and comforts of the old home can be glimpsed here and there as the months go on. The process is a lengthy but joyful one, with touches of drama here and there, but soon the house is a home, the land is your own, and there are blessings beyond want or care.
Coat: Costco (a LONG time ago) | Blouse: Thrifted | Sweater: Thrifted | Skirt: Me-made | Socks: Warm Legwear | Millicent Boots: Miss L. Fire
So, this late Autumn I find myself in the position of adventurer. Of course my clothes must suit my task, while still reminding me of home. Thus, my lace-up boots have been getting quite a lot of wear, and are no longer being saved for “special” occasions. My wardrobe has become stocked with nicer things to wear everyday, so I have had to adjust my fear of getting my nice clothes dirty to a lower level of trepidation. Because one can’t let the fear of getting a skirt dirty keep them from the adventures that lie ahead. 😉
Besides, adventurers can wear nice clothes too, can’t they?
What do you wear to go on an adventure?
What is the weather like in your neck of the woods?
Oh! Before I sign off, I thought you all should know that the winner of the Meadow & Fawn Giveaway has been announced! You can go and visit the original giveaway post to see who won.
Blessings!
Brigid, the Middle Sister and Singer
Will you be sharing more about your new life here on the blog or no?
Thanks for the post: I love the colors!
I am glad you shared about this, Brigid. Not everything is sunshine and roses in life, and while I don’t anticipate getting married any time soon, I think this is a lot how I would feel. I don’t particularly like change, and so moving on from the old and grasping the new (even with how wonderful a new life it will be!) won’t be a piece of cake. Although maybe not so drastic of a contrast, I think moving will be a similar experience to some extent.
Sarah
I couldn’t find who won the contest, it didn’t say who it was. Could you maybe point to where it said that? Oh, and I LOVE your outfit Brigid, it’s so stunning. I also love the photography by the lake. : )
Hadassah <3
Its been so cold here(western Oh), but im just glad I dont live farther north!!! Those boots are lovely!!
This was a beautiful post, Brigid. I think to say much else would sound trite (at least coming from me!), but it *was* beautiful.
A warm leather jacket, a denim skirt and a pair of leather laceup workboots!! The weather is horridly cold and icy here!!
Beautiful! I n Oregon we have 7 inches of snow. Yikes!
Up here in the AK, it gets below 0.
Aw! I cried every night the first two weeks after I was married…and my family lived ten minutes away! *sheepish grin* We moved last year, which I thought would be HORRIBLE, but the homesickness does get better. Still, nothing is more nostalgic than the holidays, I think!
Ugh it is soooo cold here! We’re actually being hit by a Polar Vortex which means a lot of biting wind and the possibility of snow. Not looking forward to it. I’ve been wearing a lot of heavy jackets, sweaters, scarves, hats, and sweatpants (thank God for the wonderful person who invented those).
A very moving post – change is never easy but you will get the strength to adapt to your new life. I love your photo shoot and outfit – thankfully it is very mild here in the UK but when it gets really cold, I reach for some thick woollies, scarves and warm trousers.
Please mention the winner again. I don’t see the name listed.
Yes, please do! 🙂
Hi Kathy!
Sorry for the confusion. The Lilla Rose winner & the Meadow & Fawn winner were listed on their individual posts 🙂
Blessings,
Jessica
Thank you for your reply; however, I must be missing something. I did click on your link leading to the individual post but I don’t see the winner’s name listed anywhere. In the Lila Rose giveaway, you have the winner listed in the Rafflecopter box, but not in the Meadow and Fawn Rafflecopter box. Maybe you have it somewhere else and I’m just not seeing it.
Maybe I’m blind, but I still can’t find the winner of the giveaways. The links go back to the original post. Am I doing something wrong?
Thanks!
Sarah
Dear Brigid!
I got married 20 years ago and soon after, my husband and I moved from Europe to North America. And even though we have our own family now and are quite settled here I still find myself wiping away a silent tear when Christmas comes around. I think it only gives testimony to growing up in a loving family that you understandably miss . I wish you and your husband a blessed Holiday season!
Sally
I resonate with this post very well Brigid. Being married is such an odd transition in a lot of ways as one learn to deal with now being part of two different families. I am glad to hear married life is going well though, and I’d love to hear more about your new life, housekeeping etc
Definitely an outfit for a lady adventurer! I love everything about it, and am also glad to hear that things are mostly well with your new life. There will always be bumps along the way, but I hope that you won’t let them get in your way, and will keep looking forward to what God has in store for you next!
The Artyologist
Do you live by a lake now?
Glad to hear a little about your married life and seeing you on the blog again. Lovely outfit, here in Denmark it is cold and windy (and dark) too, but no snow – yet. Wishing you a merry Christmas. 🙂
Christmas weather is always so conflicting here in Australia. Every movie shown on TV presents a fantasy that Christmas should be cold, we should be rugged up and drinking hot chocolate by the lit fire. It’s simply not our reality. Yesterday was 37oC where I live! Definitely no snow anywhere in sight (except for the fake snow and snowflakes that shops put in window displays to try and copy the white Christmas look) and we’re left wondering how the Santas aren’t overheating in their big suits! I would love to have a white Christmas one day though. Just to see if it’s really as magical as the movies portray it to be 🙂
I hope you had a lovely Christmas 🙂
That was very insightful.
You’re right about your clothes on an adventure…☺.
Right now, on the 28th of December, we have no snow where I live here in Missouri.