AUBREY KINCH

Yesterday I recapped about hubs being a little sickling and me being me, made him finally visit the doctor which was for a good reason. Come to find out, he has a severe case of Bronchitis and early Pneumonia. He's been put on the strongest drugs out there and has a week cycle of antibiotics. Today is day 3 of no work and he will be off the entire weekend as well. Your prayers are always appreciated and we're very grateful for them! We planned to have Drake all weekend but if hubs isn't doing better, I'm not happy with exposing Maximus. So again, here's to knowing God is working in his life on the road to recovery.

On another note, today is delivery day for hubs Christmas gift and it needs a signature. I was planning on coming home throughout the day to be there for drop off but since he's home, he'll do just fine. And of course, now I'm stressing my man will peek at the return address and know exactly what it is. Guess I'm not too great at surprise (also cause I can't keep them since I'm too excited to tell!). Either way, I hope, hope, hope he loves what I came up with. As soon as the cat's out of the bag I'll be sharing this great gift here!

Have y'all started your holiday shopping? I came across Luvocracy a few weeks back on Justina's blog which was a blessing in disguise. It's the perfect outlet for making a "wish list" of any kind to pass along to your family.

It's similar to Pinterest but more on the catalog side cause everything can be purchased! Basically, you install the plug in and when you're browsing the web you and come across something you'd like for yourself you can add it to your recommendations. You can create different "boards" with different types of product just as Pinterest but when you pass this along, all the receiver has to do is click on the item and it takes them through all the steps to purchase.

Great, huh? This is my holiday wish list passed along to hubs and the best part is that I picked it all so he can't go wrong! Just as Pinterest you'll need an invite for this fab site so check out Justina's blog as she has the hook up!

Happy Thursday!

& pray hubs doesn't peek! ;)

Hubs has been sick and it's breaking my heart. I'm the person who wants to bend over backwards making sure people are comfortable, happy, feeling good and themselves. He's a hot mess and I can't do anything. I want to take the pain away, ease his discomfort with pillows and tea. I want to break his fever and snuggle in close making him feel warm and secure. But all he can do right now is lay in bed with a burning fever and his mouth open to slightly breathe.

He doesn't get sick often but when he does, he's knocked out for 4-5 days straight. He can hardly function and all I can do right now is pray. Pray for a quick recovery and a healthy husband in my arms. It's time for me to have faith and know God is good.

Oh, Black Friday. I conquered you once and that experience can last me a lifetime. So here I am snuggled in bed with a coffee in hand, small Christmas tree lit and the TV on. Just the way I prefer spending my day off of work. I do have to take on the roads later to mail our Christmas cards but I'll stress about that later once I've had my daily dose of caffeine and good reality TV (thank you Jeff Lewis).

Everyone here knows I'm a sucker for Christmas so I am starting off the Christmas season right with a little printable you can have to dress up your home, office, shop...whatever! Yes, I just created it and yes, it's already snuggled nicely next to our tree. I'm kind of in love.

Have a great Friday and enjoy your weekends!

P.S. December is when I start charging for advertising//sponsoring so if you're interested in a swap for the next 30 days, email me!

aubreykinch@gmail.com

Real talk time.

Saturday night hubs and I went to a concert at the church and Andy Cherry was opening for Citizen Way. He had his wife in the audience and shared a song he wrote for her and sang to her the night before their wedding. I hit me hard and in an emotional way. He was talking about their love and the closeness they share with each other. I made me think of Elle, random, I know.

I've been irritated lately when we've been around babies and I can't quite seem to find the sweet spot holding them. I can't seem to lull them to sleep or snuggle them just right. But with Elle, I was the only one who could.

She was my sweet pea and I knew as soon as cuddles started with her, she was in her happy place dozing off. When she was an infant I stole her from her swing and crib just to hold her during naps. Once she hit toddler she started showing signs of sleepiness and we'd grab a blanket and bury into the couch together for some sweet quiet time. Even the last few months before I left while watching movies she'd be my buddy curled up enjoying our moments like that. It made me realize that even though I don't have that "touch" with every baby, I have that touch with the people closest to me. I had that touch with Elle because she was like my own. She was my sweet baby girl and had (and still does) a firm grip on my heart.

I've been missing the time I had with her and those moments we would share. I've been praying for her and the new nanny she's adapting to. I've been praying she understands she's getting a baby brother or sister in the spring. I've been praying she is building a solid and stable relationship with her parents over her nanny. Maybe I'm being selfish (which is probably the case) but I wish I was the one with her now sharing these moments while her life is turning upside down.

I wish it was me holding her and lulling her to sleep. I wish it was me teaching her how to share and love a sibling. I wish it was me growing a deeper relationship and dependence. I love where I am now and am so blessed but that doesn't mean I don't have weak days missing my little bug who is so dear to my heart.

When it comes to the holidays I find myself stalking Pinterest for inspiration on ways I'd like to decorate and bring in some flavor. I came across the infamous Anthro inspired snow globes many times as I'm sure a lot of you have too; around the 37th time I realized I needed to make it for myself but in my own style.

Christmas around here isn't super calm or a white winter wonderful. We have pops of color and an overall eclectic feel, I would say. I conveniently snagged a Target catalog with a few coupons Saturday morning and saw darling small felt trees in a multi colored scheme. At the very back of the catalog were coupons, one buy 3 ornaments get one free. A little back story: the night before I was irritated with the 3 candle sticks as the center piece on the dining table. I couldn't quite bring in the Christmas feel in the way I wanted so when I saw this coupon I knew I was headed to Target to make my Anthro inspired snow globes.

Oh, Friday. You are sweet bliss.

I have been so inspired lately and this is exactly what I need to remember.

Click here to download.
You can use this as a printable or a desktop background.
Enjoy!

Community Church of Joy focuses on loving God, building community & serving others.

I'm lucky enough to have built solid friendships with a few people on staff. They're people I met through volunteering with the youth and have only grown closer as I came on staff. Marissa, David, Jake and I have made Tuesdays our days to build community with each other. After our staff meeting we hit the town for lunch and sometimes spice it up with a little dessert treat. This week was Pita Jungle and Starbucks for a spike to finish our afternoon right.

What's an afternoon without snapping a picture for evidence of our happiness with that outing.

What can I say? We were supes excited for our red cups. Like to the extent we made our pic shine with our giddiness. But for real, how blessed am I to have this environment to work in? These people I firmly believe have been placed in my life to simply build His community and to keep me sane after a morning of crying about Elle in our small groups (seriously). They're great; they also helped cast the vision of the Bridge Revamp back here and here.

And yes, you've seen David grace this blog a handful of times. He and his wifey Holly are great friends of ours we've spent a lot of time with; he was even in our wedding. You'll most likely remember him from our Cabin Trip or from being smashed in Brut's crate for an evening of entertainment.

What do you have to be thankful for today?

1// Simply Glamorous 2// Springtime 3// Bounty Bold 4// Antrokasdemo 5// Little Principessa

So funny story.

Wednesday night Drake had a little ceremony to get trophies from his basketball season ending and luckily Andrew was able to get off of work so we could join in on the fun. We figured since it was an early night we'd go out and have a nice dinner just the two of us after. We splurged and went to Ah-so for some Calif rolls and the most amazing steak//shrimp meal of all time (in our humble opinions). We were just talking and enjoying each other company when I was telling Andrew about a story, I don't even remember what now and I had an itch on my nose. I subconsciously itched it with the back of my hand only to see my husband's face turn to absolute disgust.

Turns out I pulled a booger right out of my nose and had it on my hand.

Classy I tell ya, classy.

It was a moment of our marriage I wanted to crawl under a rock. I was so embarrassed. I have this phobia about my nose, you see. I don't let hubs see me blow it or anything so when he caught a nice glimpse of a booger, I was horrified. Not in the sense that it's nasty, I mean we live together and he gets the good, bad and the ugly buuuuuuut I just hate my nose and don't prefer him knowing about it. At all if I had my way.

Moral of the story, always itch your nose behind closed doors. Or else you'll have a husband laughing his ass off at the booger on you.

But alas, today is Friday so here is your iPhone background for download!

Last night was something my heart and soul so much needed after I've been in the ditches for weeks.

& a printable for you today with a verse that makes our Christmas cards every year.

Click HERE to download the printable.

As of lately, things have a been a little off in the Kinch household. With me not feeling good, like.....ever (like that TSwift pun?) it's been hard to keep things going in an onward manner. I've been struggling keeping the house clean, I've had zero motivation for the gym or even walking Brutus. I'm feeling completely defeated like I'm not satisfying my husband and providing for him in ways it's needed.

Last night was to the point that I consumed no sleep, it was filled with tears (the ugly sobbing kind) and pain. So much pain.

It's not just my head anymore. It's my heart that's taking a toll. I have no sense of fulfillment or self worth because I'm never feeling good enough to do anything. It took everything in me to get up Saturday and take Drake to his basketball game. I had to leave hubs at his tattoo appointment Sunday to go home because I was throwing up from the pain.

I've come to a conclusion I'm at a breaking point. Everything in life seems to be piling on and I'm not quite living out what needs to be accomplished. I hear hubs say over and over, "life is too short to stress, the stress will only shorten your life" which I understand but can't seem to put into motion. Every little thing is getting to me in an unhealthy way and I end up snapping at the wrong person for all the wrong reasons.

I need to apologize to my husband for being in the line of fire. He doesn't deserve my blow ups and I need to start taking what he says to heart and truly try my hardest to live out what he's been explaining.  I try to go about life like I'm not hurting and that there isn't something that's keeping me on the verge of tears all the time but I've learned from hubs that I need to be coming to him daily if that's what it means explaining my frustrations about my migraines so I don't completely bottle it up.

This is absolutely in circles but I have so much on my heart and in my head I just need to get it out.

Elle is welcoming another new nanny today and I can't help but think did I do the right thing leaving her 5 months ago. Are they in a good place or did I add a burden to their household? They've reached out asking me to come back again and I haven't thought about it this in depth before but it's been tugging hard at my heartstrings. I miss her so much and can only hope for the best for her. Again hubs spoke light into my life with this situation. He feels like it's time I sever that tie because I'm only missing her more and more when I talk to her. I need a clean break and I need to move on with the chapter of life I'm in. I'm no longer her nanny and no longer should be worrying about what her parents should only be worrying about. I am there as a sitter if it's needed but I'm no longer her adopted parent.

I'm also at a place with designing I'd love to work from home and have that as a part time business. That's really what it is currently but I'm using my nights and weekends to get that work completed. I don't have free time during the day to get those tasks done because of working full time at our church home but I'm simply trying to figure out a solution and how to navigate where to go with my next steps with building my brand.

Am I always going to be able to design? Will it support my family when we expand and I stay home with kids? Will business always be coming in? There are so many questions about this and how I can establish a great foundation on it with our future and I've been praying for those answers and seeking guidance everywhere I can find.

Overload I tell ya. OVERLOAD.

If you're still with me, thank you. This community has kept me stable and given me so much encouragement so I just felt it's time let out everything that's been on my heart lately. I had goals to post separately about each obstacle buuuuut that didn't happen. Maybe once I get a grasp on what my next steps are, things will be a little more organized as I like it.

Good thing I have these boys to keep me sane.

By adding a cute little background courtesy of me or The Kinch Life DESIGNS. However you want to refer to my design business. Either way, snag it for your personal use, spread the word, pin it, whatever you fancy!