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Category: boy mama

boy mama/Printables/summer

Summer Checklist (Sanity Saver!)

Posted on June 11, 2018 by Jolie / 0 Comment

As much as I love lazy summer days and the spontaneity of it all, I also crave a little structure. (I know, you’re surprised, aren’t you?) I started...

2017/Adoption/Baby Gray/boy mama/calling/change/country life/family

When Words Escape

Posted on February 8, 2017 by Jolie / 1 Comment

This place has been a safe haven for over six years. Sometimes I share a little, sometimes a lot. I don’t aspire to be the next Dickens or Tolstoy, only t...

2016/Baby Gray/boy mama/Happy House/Uncategorized

The Happy Recap

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Jolie / 0 Comment

After an emotional last week at Happy House (for me, not him), we had a wonderful graduation ceremony (where I didn’t cry at all). He sang his heart out a...

#buildingthegrayhouse/2016/Adoption/Baby Gray/boy mama/play/playroom

The Case for a Playroom

Posted on May 23, 2016 by Jolie / 0 Comment

A couple of weeks ago, I had an epiphany about why I couldn’t turn our extra room into a guest room. I kept the door shut, blocking out the boxes and the ...

#teddyelf/Baby Gray/boy mama/Santa/Teddy

Melts My Heart Like Snow in Summmmmeeeeerrrrrrrr!

Posted on December 12, 2014 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

After all the internal debate, which ended up being a weblog debate, we ended up visiting “new” Santa again this year. He’ll just be our Santa...

#fridayintroductions/#write31days/Aggies/boy mama/Facebook/football/Friday Five/Instagram

Friday Five: Hashtag Edition

Posted on November 14, 2014 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

1. I think the #write31days challenge helped me loosen up a little on my need to be in this space every weekday. I don’t have to be here every weekday. I ...

Aggies/boy mama/essential oils/football/music/social media/Tuesday 10/Tuesday ten

Shake it Off!

Posted on August 19, 2014 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

1. It’s Tuesday. Timehop told me this week I started Tuesday Ten a year ago. Yay, for 52-ish weeks of random thoughts. 2. I always have these big ideas fo...

Hi, I’m Jolie…

jolie-gray
Wife to Josh, mama to Hays (7), hopeful adoptive mama, and Jesus lover. I founded Purpose Box in July of 2014. I'm all about open sunroofs and coffee dates. Welcome to my space; have a click around. I hope you feel loved, encouraged, and empowered.

Texas forever.

Purpose Box

purpose-box

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The latest adventure. Part of our story is that The latest adventure. 

Part of our story is that God has asked us to be good stewards of what we have. We discovered a love of kayaking a few weeks ago and then made the best of finding some to meet our needs. 

We snagged some kayaks from our favorite outfitter and set out for our favorite river spot. Adventuring at its finest. (Several years ago that was my word for the year.) 

We had a blast, found a great spot, and learned a few lessons. 

Here’s to learning as you go!
Allow me to introduce {our}selves: I’m Jolie. Allow me to introduce {our}selves: 

I’m Jolie. Wife, mama, teacher, friend, daughter, Aggie, writer, encourager, reader, letter writer. 

That’s the boy. LEGO builder, author, advocate, fundraiser, creative, friend, Type One butt-kicker. 

That that’s Mr. Gray. Husband, father, friend, role model, coach, teacher, learner, discerner. 

This is us! (Except now Mr. Gray cut his hair. 😭😭😭) Sometimes we match when we go out. Sometimes we laugh too loud. Sometimes we overreact. We love and forgive each other. We work together to help others and make the world around us better. 

Who are you? How are you? 👇🏻
So, I didn’t tell y’all, but when I posted yes So, I didn’t tell y’all, but when I posted yesterday, I also challenged myself. I challenged myself to show up. For seven days. Or ten. Or twenty-one. Or thirty. I’m not sure how long yet, but I’ll be here. For some consecutive days. 

I want to show up here in laughter or tears in such a way that you can take a little nugget, stick it in your pocket, and save it for a rainy day. 

Sometimes you just have to laugh. Laugh at yourself. Laugh with your spouse. Send your ridiculousness to your friends. Take a moss to dinner. Embarrass your husband. Don’t take it all so seriously. Step back a bit and step out of the deep. Smile. Breathe.
Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, I wro Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, I wrote every single day. If I were going to be gone, I wrote ahead of time and scheduled it to post. In a more recent place in time, I jumped online each Friday and discussed the week via Facebook live. In an even more recent realm, I started a weekly newsletter in an effort to get back to some writing roots and offer up another form of sharing ideas and tips. 

Then I stopped. All of it. 

Everything around me began to just sound like noise, and I didn’t want to contribute to that. I wanted to be sure what I bring to the table has some value (even if sometimes that value is that it’ll show up in my @chatbooks later).

Mostly, though, I want what I share to be thoughtful and representative of a safe space in this big ol’ (sometimes mean) internet world. I want people to peek in—to any of my spaces—and see something that saves them time, a way to give back, a reminder that Jesus loves them, a family working on getting back to the basics and focusing on each other.

I want to be a brand and make an impact and be something bigger, but not in such a way that I blend in with the noise. I want to make you think and challenge you and offer up ways to make your life and systems simpler and work for you. I want to be a resource and an encourager.

So, I’m getting back in the game. And I’m starting with this little space. 

*laces up shoes and jogs onto the court*
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