When Norway comes to Colorado you drop everything to make sure you get to hug them at least once or twice! My dear friend Laken was able to schedule some Colorado dates in on her trip back home to visit family in the states. She met her husband in Norway, fell in love with him & the culture, and is now raising her beautiful family out there. I flew out to be in her wedding three years ago and that is the last time I was able to squeeze her. She has had two babies since then, so there was a lot of hugging & squeezing to do to make up for the time! We sat on the back porch, swapped stories, drank Colorado beer, laughed, and sat in the golden hour glow as the sun set behind the mountains. Some friendships pick right up where they left off and I am forever thankful for friendships like that.
This summer has been so much of everything. Family & friends in town, traveling, dinners, and time together. It has taken priority over this blog and building a business empire 😉 To be honest, I’ve kind of felt guilty about that. I’ve chosen people over emails and I’ve scheduled more family dinners than posts for my content calendar. The more I read and see, I find that a lot of other bloggers & boss ladies give themselves more of a break the summer months. They allow time for family vacations, pool dates, and kids home from school. I ran into the summer with huge expectations of what it would be like to blog full time. I would have all the time in the world – I would be able to get so much done. Yet the reality that I am facing is the opposite. My days & nights fill with other things so fast that only half (or a fourth) of the things on my to-do list actually get done.
My internal crisis lies in the fact that I feel like I need to prove myself. I feel pressure to prove to myself and everyone that I can make it as a blogger. That quitting my stable job to spend my hours online was a good thing. That is was all worth it. Yet nothing huge has changed since I started working from home. My blog looks the same, the content is just as frequent, and I have yet to sit down to write a book or e-course or redo my website or finally figure out a way to rock my newsletters.
Yet when I quit one of the reasons was to spend more time with people. I quit so that I wasn’t spending all my time working two jobs and so I could actually hang out with people. I quit to hug, laugh, and spend time with people without feeling guilty. I quit to have time to be creative & inspired without being overwhelmed by deadlines and expectations.
So this post on Norway friends is what my blog is about these days. It is about friends coming to visit last minute and trips to explore. Maybe it is a reminder to this anxious heart to remember what this space is all about in the first place – community, memories, and everyday moments.
I don’t know what your summer looks like – if you are feeling guilty about spending too much time or not enough time on work. If you are questioning your dreams or purpose or creativity. I don’t know if you are overwhelmed about too much to do or not enough. But I do know that we think too much and our hearts can dwell too deeply too easily on the wrong things. So my prayer for you (and for me) is to keep our eyes open this summer. To make time for community, to enjoy the everyday, and to know when to work and when to rest. I pray that your days are gifts and you see them as such. Happy summertime dear friends.
XOXO, ELIZABETH
WOW – what seriously gorgeous photos. loved reading about you and your family time. What a blessing to make those memories together!
xoxo a fellow Peony project-er,
Sarah
delightthedetails.com
Thanks so much! You are so sweet!
This is so beautiful Beth! You have such a beautiful heart! Love you friend!
Thanks so much Sam! And thank you – you are such an encouragement to me!
These photos are so precious! I adore her little ones!
Also, I resonate with what you’re saying in this post. I’ve been struggling with guilt over wanting more time to sit back and chill and be in the moment recently. My heart isn’t in the routines I feel as if I “have” to maintain. I’ve been trying to pull back and evaluate this past week – where have the shifts happen and how can I find a balance that works for me where I am now. Lots of prayers, soul-searching, and discussions with my husband who keeps reminding me that some seasons are for extreme work and some are for extreme play, and each help make the others better and more possible.
Oh girl! Yes & yes!
ahhh i love that y’all were able to take some time to spend together! <3
it sounds like the time was beautiful and full of making memories!
also – i love how airy these pics are!
Oh Amy! Thanks so much! The lighting was just SO airy at dinner time that day!