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#buildingthegrayhouse/Baby Gray/build/camp house/patience/Purpose Box/season/seasons

Transition Times

Posted on June 17, 2015 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

I keep sitting down to write and coming away with nothing. I miss this space. I miss consistency. I miss having a place to put something when I come home with groceries, fold laundry, or want to create. When we started this transition period (the time in the camp house), I promised myself I would not get impatient, put pressure on making the move to the new house, or otherwise get irritated with this season.

I have done amazingly well with this. Until this morning. This morning I was so done with the fact that I couldn’t find anything I needed to leave the house in the rain. I was so over the fact that I didn’t want to unpack from the past two weekends because I don’t have a “real” place to put anything. I was just over it. I scrunched up my face, started to get frustrated, and remembered my promise to myself. As excited as I am to get to the new house, I want to treasure this time.

Things are simple. Life is good. It’s not all related to the size or location of our home, but some of it is. I don’t have the space to be up and reading or working out before Baby Gray, so many mornings, he climbs in bed with me when he gets up. We linger far too long and enjoy talking, imagining, or playing hide and seek. I don’t have to wash dishes because we eat on paper plates. This season will come to an end soon, and the routine I crave will creep in in a new way. There will be places for everything, and I’ll spend my time getting everything in its place. I might even cook again–with real dishes, real cookware, and real forks!

Our new home is coming together. It will be so much fun transforming into everything we have been dreaming and scheming about in the past few years. The boy is excited about filling his room with Legos. (Me? Not so much.) I’m ready to have a place for my bike to live that isn’t the back of my car. I think everyone is ready for Purpose Box to be housed–and packed–in the guest room/office instead of the living room.

All of these things so trivial when they’re spelled out this way. I know there is so much that could be worse. I am so grateful for this place we have been able to call home for the last 14 months. I don’t want to wish our days away waiting on the new house. I want to live life just as we are able from where we are now.

honeymoon/memories/wedding

Funny Friday

Posted on June 12, 2015 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

Funny memories are kind of my jam. This was definitely less funny at the time, but it’s hilarious now (especially my reaction).

While we were on our honeymoon, we went on a snorkeling excursion. Mr. Gray insisted I take my wedding set off and leave it in the room. I locked it up in the room safe (with our cell phones; international plans were ridiculous back in the day) and off we went.

As we cruised around, they took us to some snorkeling spots and then out to the beach near the Arch (we were in Cabo). The “sand” was more like smooth, tumbled pebbles. We threw it, ran our hands through it, and thought it was amazing. It was so different from any Texas sand.

We hopped back on the boat to cruise back to the marina. Mr. Gray started moving his hands strangely, patting his pockets, and looking all around. I couldn’t figure out what he was doing. Finally, I noticed it: his hands were bare. That’s right. It was Tuesday, his wedding band was less than three days old, and it was gone. I’ve never been more grateful I didn’t buy diamonds.

Being my usual non-dramatic self, I burst into tears. He tried endlessly to get me to stop, he promised we’d shop on our way back to the resort and get a new one. I cried. I finally got it together. We arrived in the marina and went walking through the jewelry stores in the area. All the rings looked cheap. I finally decided to wait until we got home to replace it.

When we got back to the room, we checked out the photos on the camera from the day. We found this:

Mr. Gray took it as we cruised over to the beach area where he lost it. So this is the last photo of the original wedding band that lasted only a few days.

For what it’s worth, the second one has done pretty well. I mean it’s had a trip down the sink, but it was retrieved.

anniversary/love/marriage/Mr. Gray/wedding

Cheers to Nine Years!

Posted on June 10, 2015 by Mrs Gray / 2 Comments

Nine years ago, I walked down the aisle to become Mrs. Gray.

Some days it seems like it’s been a lifetime, and others it seems like it’s been a blink. No matter how long it’s been, there is no one I’d rather spend my days with.

I’d like to think I’ve learned a few things in the past nine years:

1. Marry the kind of man whose friends would work 100+ hours, secretly get measured for a tux, and travel across the country to surprise you for the wedding. If your husband is the kind of friend someone would do that for, imagine the husband he’ll be. (Thanks for being there, Uncle Clay!)

2. Surround yourself with people who are for your marriage. Your girl friends, your couple friends, your family, everyone you come into contact with. If they’re not for your marriage, limit their access.

3. Make date night a priority. We have technically always done this. We enjoy spending time together. However, when we became intentional about treating date nights as date nights, there was a definite shift in our marriage. We went from grabbing dinner to going on a date, and it was all roses and sugarplums from there!

4. When your husband is leading you toward Christ, follow. Even if you don’t get it yet. Even if you don’t like where he’s going. If he is in Christ, and he is following where he has been led, follow.

5. Dance with each other. In the living room, on the porch, out cuttin’ a rug, where ever. Dance. Have a little fun!

6. Just because your husband lets you have first pick of everything doesn’t always mean you have to take it. Watch his movie sometimes, eat at his favorite restaurant on occasion, don’t give him your hand-me-down iPhone every time, those kinds of things.

7. Hunger is not an excuse to be mean. Your blood sugar might be reaching dangerously low levels, but he’s probably trying to get you to some food–eventually. Hang in there.

8. Marry someone who doesn’t count your shoes. Granted, I mean this less in the literal sense and more figurative, ~~but really, Mr. Gray shouldn’t count my shoes~~. Work together on your finances. Set up realistic spending plans and then work together to reach your finance goals. Don’t second guess each other and break trust here. Finances are huge–they make or break couples. Do them together, not against each other and definitely not in secret.

9. Enjoy each other. Find joy in the little things. Remember why you liked each other to begin with. Ask questions, dream about the future, go for a walk. Just take it all in.

Mr. Gray, thanks for choosing me. I’m so grateful I get to do life with you. Here’s to 99 more!

#fridayintroductions/Friday Five/purchase with purpose/Purpose Box

Friday Five: Vacation Edition

Posted on June 5, 2015 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

We’re on a little getaway for the weekend. We kicked it off in Oklahoma for a work meeting Mr. Gray had going on. You can follow us around on Facebook or Instagram, if you’re so inclined. (Also, I post lots more on Snapchat these days, if you’re into that: the_graymatters.)

1. I won $20 on a penny slot this morning. No, that wasn’t my net, but it’s better than nothing!

2. Purpose Box is almost to 900 followers on Instagram (which is almost 1000 followers–eek!). Please hop over and give us a follow.

3. I ate a “muffin” for breakfast that was easily a cupcake. Is frosting the only difference?

It’s Friday, y’all! Which, of course, means #fridayintroductions with @lindsay_hellohue and @moriahsunde!  We’re off…
Posted by The Gray Matters on Friday, June 5, 2015

4. Yesterday, the boy went to a friend’s house before heading to Nonna’s for the weekend. He was offered a popsicle, and he told her, “No, thank you, I’ve had enough sweets this week.” HAHA! Whose kid is this?

5. I love little trips away with Mr. Gray. Even when we’re doing nothing, we’re having fun.

bible/community/faith/scripture

Faith Like a Child

Posted on June 4, 2015 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

A little over a year ago, in the airport on the way to Las Vegas, I found a book I knew Baby Gray had to have. It was the Jesus Calling Storybook Bible by Sarah Young (shop my affiliate link here). I didn’t want to lug it around for the rest of the trip, so I sent a photo to my mom and asked her to get it for part of the boy’s Christmas. We have loved it. It breaks everything down into an age-appropriate story for the boy, AND it’s also taught me a lot.

Several things I have known on the surface or a had a brief idea about have been clarified and refocused for me through this storybook Bible. It’s not your run of the mill cutesy, story-only children’s Bible. It’s got the meat and potatoes of the Bible stories while also including important details (God turning away when Jesus became sin, for example).

I attended a Bible study Wednesday morning, and the author of Seamless mentioned in the introduction video that she used a children’s Bible when she first started seeking the Lord. She used it to piece together the stories and understand them in a tangible way. That’s how I have felt with ours. I don’t know that I ever would have been smart enough to figure that out on my own, but God has sure used it to teach me. It has been a breath of fresh air for me to read it and study it with the boy–especially as our space constraints have cramped my usual “quiet time” style a little.

Another thing Angie Smith mentioned in the intro video that I feel is worth noting was how she felt when she first went to a Bible study in college. To paraphrase a little, when she went to the first meeting, she was not a believer; she had not grown up in church; she was not familiar with the order of the books of the Bible. As she watched others in the study turn, in unison, to the called book and chapter, she felt alienated and alone.

A couple of things about that jumped out at me. How often do we just assume that everyone is where we are? How easy is it to be in your comfortable groove, following Christ, and forget that there are those who don’t know Him? There are those who don’t know how to read His word, how to dive it and experience the living, breathing Word of God. My other thought? I don’t know where all of them are, either, and I’ve been in church pretty much all my life (thank you, YouVersion). Let’s be seekers of those who are seeking Him. You don’t have to be a Bible scholar to help someone feel less alone.

“And He said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” –Matthew 18:3

I’m in no way affiliated with any of these folks; I just like to share what’s working for us. Thanks and gig ’em!

#buildingthegrayhouse/anniversary/iPhone/library/Purpose Box/Tuesday 10/Tuesday ten

It’s Tuesday… I Think!

Posted on June 2, 2015 by Mrs Gray / 1 Comment

Oh, it’s Tuesday? Now that we don’t have school keeping our routine afloat, I’m having trouble with keeping my days straight. Anyone else?

1. I tried a new workout class at the gym today. It wasn’t quite as intense as I’d like. Maybe I’ll give it another go sometime, but if I’m going to go all the way to town to workout, I want it to be harder than what I’d do at home.

2. The house is moving right along. They tore our yard up all day yesterday, which translates to electricity and water being hooked up now. It’s all about to come together; it seems so surreal.

3. We have our anniversary trip coming up this weekend. It now contains a work trip, a triathlon, a Rolling Stones concert, and some Aggie Baseball. It’s evolved from our simple getaway quite quickly. (Two weekends in a row with Aggie Baseball; that’s some sort of record. Also, be forewarned, there will probably be lots of photos on social media of all this gallivanting around.)

4. I may or may not have already used one of my items out of the next Purpose Box. It was too cute to wait for. I guess that’s what happens when you’re the one who’s housing the goods. (Also, my goal was for them to sell out Sunday, and they sold out Saturday. Hooray!)

5. My phone screen is messed up, so the proximity sensor doesn’t work correctly. Now I wear my Bluetooth anytime I’m going to talk on the phone (even in the house). You don’t have to tell me how cool I am.

6. We signed the boy up for the summer reading program at the library this morning. Maybe we’ll actually remember to go fill it out this year; last year I don’t think we added a single book to the list.

7. I am ready for a beach trip. Where’s your favorite beach? (See also: I really want to check out the “beach” at Lake Tahoe sometime and do some hiking while we’re there.)

8. Where does one go to procure the little plastic zipper baggies like jewelry comes in sometimes?

9. We saw baby ducks when we went to the Pitch Perfect Quote-A-Long at Alamo Drafthouse a few weeks ago. They waddled across in the street and into the pond. It was the cutest thing. When we came back for Pitch Perfect 2, they were teenager ducks. I’ve never seen such a thing! I loved it.

10. Graduation was last weekend, and my second of four nephews graduated. It always makes me feel old when they move to new milestones.

Also, graduation always makes me think of this photo.

#buildingthegrayhouse/faith/move/quiet time/settle/transition

Just a Season

Posted on May 27, 2015 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

In so many ways, I feel so behind in this space. I feel like I am not giving it the attention I always have. In the past five years (FIVE YEARS next month), I have used this place to record life events, thoughts, feelings, and everything in between. I don’t want to give that up. If I’m being really honest, though, I feel like that about a lot of things in this season. And that’s just what it is–a season. It’s a time where were are little bit up in the air and still a lot in transition.

As the new house moves along, decisions must be made faster, and we are spending more time on that side of town. Sometimes we’re meeting people, sometimes we’re talking and discussing amongst our family, sometimes we’re just walking through, but the fact is, we are working toward being back in a permanent place with a real schedule and real dishes.

I told Mr. Gray the other day that my quiet time with the Lord has been lacking. I pray and read. I listen to podcasts or sermons. But it’s not a focused, directed quiet time like I usually do. I am longing for a chair–a space to call mine to read, listen, write, and just cling to the quiet while I soak it all in. And it’s coming; all of that is coming. This is our season for now. Not forever.

My word for the year is settle, and as much as I am trying, I know that getting to the new house will be a huge part in actually accomplishing more of a feeling of being settled here. Putting down some roots. We’ll move out of this season of transition and into one of more permanence. We’ll settle into routines, schedules, bedrooms, and chairs. I’ll cook again. We’ll have pots, pans, and dishes that all fit in designated spaces. We’ll have some order. I won’t office out of my car. It’s a season. And it’s almost over.

I haven’t come to a place of restlessness yet. I am still even-keeled and taking it one day at a time. For as much as I long to settle, more of me wants to do it right. I want the entire house to be finished before we move into it. I want to start off on with our best foot forward as we begin a new season. I want to feel like me again–with a place for everything and everything in its place. I want to see God use our new home for His glory. I want to invite, to share, to love, and to live in this home He has called us to.

Adoption/Friday/Friday Five/Legos/marriage/Marriage Matters/prom/purchase with purpose/Purpose Box/TV/vacations

Five on Friday: Link Edition

Posted on May 22, 2015 by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

1. I really want to take the boy to this hotel. Even if we just hang in the hotel the whole trip.

2. When I wrote the post But I’m Not Pregnant last week, I was really touched by one response in particular:

“… I have been praying for your adoption since you first mentioned it, and I know God has great things in store for you. You have stepped out in obedience to His calling, and while it can be uncomfortable, vulnerable, and tough, you will be rewarded for your faithfulness. Your yearning and longing for your next child is proof that you are a woman after God’s own heart who loves His children as your own. I see no selfishness or greed out of that, just a huge heart for His little people…”

It has been incredible to watch God use His people to lift us up as we wait through this process.

3. I was on a local morning show last week talking with some other moms about hot topics. Have your kids had a prom-posal? That was before our time, I think. Also, I’m pretty sure people just assumed Mr. Gray and I were going together by that time.

4. Sometimes things just speak to your heart. This was one of those things. We stayed in Sunday for “TV church,” and it did not disappoint. Give it a listen.

5. If you’re not on the email list for Purpose Box, now’s a good time to get there. The next round of boxes goes on sale {very, very} soon, and you don’t want to miss a box full of goodies that give back!

2015/Happy House/interview/video/YouTube

Sweet Summertime and Beyond

Posted on May 18, 2015 by Mrs Gray / 1 Comment

Thanks to Timehop, I remembered that I interviewed Baby Gray on his first and last day of school last year. I have no recollection of whether or not a first day video got made this year (ask me when Timehop brings it up again), but we wrapped our year with a quick interview this morning.

Find out more about Baby Gray’s future plans–his college of choice might surprise you, his love (or not) of dinosaurs, and what he learned this year!

Such a fun year with–again! I can’t believe we only have one more year before kindergarten!

Happy summer everyone!