2013: A Time for Simple

We live in a small space. Our little home is perfect for us, but sometimes it irks me to see a mountain bike always propped up against our kitchen table or the 3 inches of kitchen counterspace we have. Even so, we have more than we could have ever asked for, and we need nothing. Need nothing.

This year, I'm longing for a more simplified life. We need nothing, but the wants run rampant in our hearts. We want so much, so the blessings cloud over. The precious home becomes a cold, cramped place. The abundance of clothing becomes a nasty pile of dirty laundry needing washing. The little red car, a valuable means of transportation, becomes annoying because the trunk doesn't close. And suddenly, we're pitying people who have birthdays close to Christmas and complaining about the price of a storage unit to put away our extra stuff. This consumerism thing... it doesn't bring peace or satisfaction.

When we constantly consume, we overlook our blessings and forget about beauty. Blessings abound in talents, relationships, and Creation itself, yet the cost of convenience is stifling any beauty that can be found in these things! After consuming for so long, I am ready to clear the air and let beauty blossom; creating beautiful things while appreciating beauty made by the Creator. Instead of constantly taking things that have been made by a machine, I want to hone in on the skills God has given me to create things with my hands. Rather than sitting with the TV on or my phone lit up, I want to cherish the beauty outside my home in Creation and the beauty instilled in relationships with friends and family. There truly is God-ordained beauty in genuine, unhindered conversation.... and I hope to find it.

As a means of de-cluttering and counting my blessings, this year I want to rid myself of the things only society says I need, and I will share my blessings with others... unhindered. My list of blessings is manifold, and I hope to never hoard them. Perhaps this aim will serve to teach me further detachment from my earthly things, so that I truly believe I was not made for this world.

Beauty has been stifled for long enough. Will you join me in de-cluttering and simplifying life so that we can fix our eyes on what life was meant to be lived for?

Our 2012 Christmas Card

I'll admit I'm not on the top of my game for Christmas. I decorated our apartment in a frenzy upon returning to the States 15 days before Christmas, but you won't be receiving a Christmas card from the Dahls for their first married Christmas and you definitely won't be seeing us hosting a Christmas party. But it's okay because I'm back in America and I'm soaking up a lot of relaxing time at home with my husband and close friends. In my home. Eating a lot of cookies. So here is our own Christmas card of sorts, with a recap of my/our 2012:

2012 has been perfect in so many ways, yet I have never been so s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-d as I was this year. And there were LOTS of big milestones hit!! Shall we look at the highlights?

1. Foot surgery happened at the end of 2011, but I kicked off the first few minutes of 2012 by attempting to play Just Dance in my parents' living room in my awesome post-op shoes. It was interesting. My new walking skills were compared to those of a stork, baby fawn, and a one-year-old child. Needless to say, we grew as a soon-to-be-married couple when he carried me to the bathroom and washed my hair for me. How cute. One year later, I have beautifully scarred and bunion-less feet!

2. With the wedding coming up, I spent all of my free time creating wedding things and attending bridal showers. I have sweet friends! When I wasn't doing schoolwork, my days were consumed with creating boutonnieres and finding the right clothes for the bridal party. David helped eat shower food and nod his head in approval of every item we registered for. Actually, that last part isn't 100% true. Woohoo for wedding planning!

3. Big Milestone #1: Renting our first home. One week before the wedding, we moved into the most PRECIOUS townhouse apartment in Louisville. I love love love our first home; it has been a huge joy to spend our first year of marriage in this area!

4. Big Milestone #2: Marriage. On May 19, I married my best friend and promised to love him forever. It has only gotten better since then, and I'm oh-so-thankful for a husband who has grown and matured in 7 months SO much more than I ever could have anticipated. The love fern we planted on that first day of marriage is still thriving in our living room, even though D didn't water it for the entire month I was out of the country... even so, the fern thrives!!! What does that tell you about our AWESOME marriage?! We also went on a honeymoon to Jamaica, where we stuffed ourselves with good food and slept like there was no tomorrow. Weddings are exhausting.

5. With our wedding over, it was time to get ready for another family matrimony! David's sister Jamie got married to sweet Blake in August. We went to lots of weddings for friends this year, but this one was definitely the most special. I loved getting to meet many of David's family members and spend some time getting to know them. And now, even more exciting news... we will be aunt and uncle to sweet little Brantley in May!! We're so excited for the Harwoods!!!

7. Big Milestone #3: Student teaching. D worked full-time (and usually overtime) at his job so that I would be able to do student teaching without worrying about working. That man is a GEM. Student teaching was a precious experience that confirmed for me what the Lord has created me to do. I loved teaching those 1st and 3rd graders, but it certainly kept me busy! Through my students, I learned to see the gifts that God truly has placed in each individual person that could uniquely give Him glory. I learned to embrace the gifts He has given me so that I can serve Him in the best way I know how. One artistically-gifted child chose to depict me on a unicorn, riding on a rainbow, as a departing gift for me... how ironic.

8. The last month of my student teaching was spent in Quito, Ecuador. I worked with a kinder class and a wonderful teacher in a K-12 bilingual (ish) school. D was such a trooper for letting me go on this trip that I had planned for since sophomore year of college, and I am so thankful!! This month was a strengthener in our marriage and an affirmation that we definitely work better together than apart.

9. Big Milestone #4: Graduation! Less than a week after returning to the States, we graduated from college! This is a photo of the other student teacher at my elementary school. It was so sweet to graduate with each of the people who worked so hard with me to complete each semester. I'm thankful for WKU and all that it has meant to me over the past 4 1/2 years. I've got prospects for teaching jobs in the future, but I'll share more when things are more definite!

That's our 2012 in review. It was a big year for us with a LOT of changes... but we are looking forward to 2013 with big expectations and lots of hope! Merry Christmas :)

Love,

The Dahls

Confessions of a "Well-Planned Hoarder"

One of the biggest obstacles in our first few weeks (months?) of marriage was determining the standard for organization and cleanliness. I knew I was somewhat organized and liked to keep mold from growing in my living space, but there's something about sharing a bathroom and kitchen sink with a boy that seems to spotlight my high standards for a well-kept home. Since I am Mrs. Organization and am studying to be the facilitator of 20-something students under the age of 12 (also known as an elementary teacher), the battle with my new husband for an organized home was a bit more of a challenge. For example:

He said: "Where's the computer charger?"
She said: "In the box under the coffee table. It'll always be there, so you will always know where to find it."
He said: "Why would you do that? Just leave it plugged in the wall!"

I just can't handle something as ugly as a charger not having a "place" out of sight. Hence the box under the coffee table. But my manly husband doesn't understand why the plug has to be out of sight!

I've been dwelling a lot lately on the true importance of organization in my season of life and what it truly accomplishes. I like being organized because it helps me feel like my life is under control and running efficiently. But how much of our lives are dedicated to organizing?

This minimalist blog struck my heart in a freshly sharp way. Could organization become "well-planned hoarding"? Are we constantly in the business of getting our clutter together and out of sight? I'm not talking about a time organizer (like an agenda or calendar), I'm talking stuff. I had a breakdown last weekend because I couldn't find "a thing to wear" in the massive mounds of clothes that had stacked up inside my closet. Sound familiar? I dedicate at least 45 minutes each week to finding a place for all those clothes in our little apartment and single dresser. Perhaps what I need is less organizing skills and simply less.

I could use the time I spend re-organizing my messy and crammed clothes drawers doing much more productive things like serving my husband. Or doing my never-ending homework. And being content with just a few quality items in my closet, because all I need is less.

Do you agree? This is a difficult concept to adopt in a consumerist, there-is-never-enough era. I'm learning, and I'm mostly just tired of re-organizing my super-crammed closet all. the. time. The lesson learned is contentment and uprooting of the stuff I don't really need so I can spend my hours on the things that really mean a whole lot more. What is most worth your precious and fleeting time?