God is Good All the Time

God is good all the time. Period. The end.

I knew this blog was special, but I never realized how special until just two weeks ago. Nearly three months into unemployment and almost to the end of my rope, I received a phone call. A phone call that I'm pretty sure changed my life. A fellow blogger, Jamie, called. She had read my blog about losing my job.

She then proceeded to tell me that she had begun working for her wedding planner and that they were starting a new Mississippi Wedding themed blog and magazine... And that I had been on her heart... And they wanted me to write for them. Excuse?? Hold the phone?

Me? Callie Collins? Help plan weddings and write about them for a living? 

So, why me? Turns out that the glitter Mississippi up there in my blog header was the golden ticket. Kidding.. Kind of.

Day 3 of being on Team Inspire and my first post goes live on the blog. It is our first of many fabulous "Wedding Wednesdays." If you are looking for wedding inspiration, creative inspiration or just inspiration in general, INSPIRE is the place to be!!

HE FILLS MY LIFE WITH GOOD THINGS. Psalm 103:5

Peace

"When you don't know what to do, wait while I open the way before you. Trust that I know what I'm doing, and be ready to follow my lead. I will give strength to you, and I will bless you with peace." 

Those are the words for November 4th in Jesus Calling. I don't think they could be any more perfect. I don't think that there is anything else that I needed to hear more on this specific day of my life than that.

Maybe you needed to hear it to.

He fills my life with good things.

Psalm 103:5

Blessings All Around

As I quickly approach the two month mark, my spirit has been down. Way down. I have prayed continually for patience in God's amazing plan bc I know it will be amazing in His time (not mine). And I've prayed for guidance, guidance as to what I'm supposed to be doing while His amazing plan falls into place. I have had plenty of great days and I have had a few very bad days. But the truth is, there are way too many blessings all around me to spend my days saddened by my current situation.

Just over this past weekend..

My sister and her husband celebrated five years of marriage and their daughter Hayes will be celebrating her 3rd birthday on Saturday.

Two of our very best friends welcomed the most beautiful and healthy baby boy, Charlie, just months after coping with the loss of their first born.

Another great friend welcomed their first beautiful, healthy baby girl, Emma Reece.

A special friend from high school celebrated her wedding.

A special friend, of Kendol's from high school and friend of mine from college, celebrated her engagement.

A very special blogger friend of mine is celebrating her first day back to work today after 10 months of unemployment and has a precious little baby on the way.

And I spent the weekend with the love of my life and my best friends celebrating the marriage of one of my very closest friends.

And celebrating all of the blessings above.

What more could I ask for, really? The last few days have been filled with more joy than I've seen in a long time. Literally, there are blessings all around.

God is so good.

He fills my life with good things. Psalm 103:5

Let's Play A Little Game..

A little game of catch up.

It's been a hot minute since I filled y'all in on my life a little bit. Don't fool yourself into thinking I have had any free time. That could not be further from the truth. 

First and foremost, one of the most stressful weeks of my life is over... and Eleanor is now a Phi Mu at Mississippi State. Well not technically til October, but you get what I'm sayin..

Eleanor and our Aunt Patricia on Bid Day!!

Football season has officially kicked off and we have been to Starkville a few times to root on the bulldogs. 

 We had some pretty severe storms here in Mississippi this past weekend, like lots of the U.S. We contemplated not making the trip to Starkville for the Troy game, but I sure am glad that we did. We knew parking would be an issue since there would be no parking allowed on any grassy areas so we decided to head on over so that we wouldn't get stuck parking miles away. When we got there, we were some of the first, so we took the opportunity to walk around and check out all of the construction going on with our stadium expansion and see what all else has changed lately. 

This is the Dawg Walk that runs through the middle of The Junction (the tailgating area) leading to the stadium.
That's the back of the Jumbotron from the picture above.
Yes, that's a giant cowbell over there on the right...

 While I was waiting on Kendol to park and make it back, I headed to Barnes and Noble to browse around and scope out my next sweatshirt purchase. (it's seriously a problem)This was the view I was greeted with when I was walking back. I had never seen our tailgating area from the back of the amphitheater before and it looked so awesome! I just wish that I had had my good camera with me.

Last weekend, we had Kendol's ten year high school reunion. On Friday night, we went to the homecoming game (against my high school.. they slaughtered us) and had a bit of tailgate with some great BBQ by Pig & Pint and took a little tour of the school. On Saturday, they had a pool party followed by a dinner. It's only fitting that the night end at Shuckers.

And last but not least....

looky who I found at Shuckers!!!!

RACHEL!!!!!!

And there you go... I think we're caught up.

Home

I cannot even describe the feeling I felt on Sunday morning when I made my way around the town square in Lexington. I was so close. Only about twenty minutes separated me from being home with my family. A place I have been longing for for what seems like ages. 

I spent the day surrounded by family celebrating another year in my precious Grandmother's life over some chicken spaghetti and chocolate cake. The birthday party was followed by a cruise around deer camp with my Daddy, so that we could see the new stands that they've built in preparation for deer season in a few weeks. I believe the cooler weather over the weekend got him excited for the months to come because as soon as we got home, it was to the back porch for some target practice. The night ended over some football and of course, some HGTV.

I had not been home since work ended, so it was just the normalcy that I had been needing. I don't know what it is about being home, but it just does something to ya!

He fills my life with good things.

Psalm 103:5

One Month

One month ago today, I went to work on a Friday morning, a morning that I thought would be just like any other Friday morning. Little did I know what was about to be in store for me.

I got to work, unlocked the doors, turned all of the lights on, made a "welcome" sign for our client coming in that morning, checked for voice mails, checked my email and was ready for the day. The day that never came. Shortly after completing all of this, my boss sat down by my desk for one of his little chats. Next thing I know I am headed out the door with all of my personal belongings, jobless. Humiliated.

That's still hard to even type, much less say out loud, which is why most of you (close friends and family included) are hearing about this for the first time.

Part of my former boss' job is to help people find the one thing they are great at and love to do, their "sweet spot," if you will. That one thing that can separate them from others in their same profession/situation. Well, that day my boss got real with me. He knew I was not happy behind that desk all day filling out insurance applications and he was right. (Who would be?) But, insurance is all I know. It's what my degree is in. It's what I have seven years of experience in. I thought I was stuck with it for life... until one month ago, today.

The night before, I prayed a very specific prayer. I prayed that something would give. I prayed for a new job and for some direction as to where to focus my job searches bc I knew this was not what I was meant to do with my life. I wanted something I could be involved in, something I could be passionate about. I realized that God answers prayers and He answers them rather quickly, whether we are ready or not. Not even ten hours later, I was without a job. My boss realized the same things about me that I realized about myself. He knew I was not in my "sweet spot" there. He knew it wasn't where I was meant to be.

Yes, I was angry at him. But was it the push I needed? And the opportunity I had been looking for to finally HAVE to find something that I actually enjoy? Absolutely. But jobs these days don't come easy, especially when you're starting from scratch. And even though I have FULL faith that God has something fantastic in store for me, prayers aren't always answered over night.

Here I am, one month later and still without a job, but happier than I've been in years. Money is tight and I pray constantly for patience for God's plan to unfold, but I have learned a lot about myself these last few weeks and my relationship with God has grown exponentially.

I have good days. I have bad days. I have times when I try and feel sorry for myself because I don't understand why I am the only one who doesn't have that one special talent that they are getting to take advantage of daily. Why I'm the only one who doesn't seem to have it all figured out? Then I remember that God is in control of my situation. He is the one who put this whole grand plan in motion just hours after I told Him how unhappy I was. What more could I ask for?

Remember Who You Are

Thursday, September 5: Pass on some useful advice or information you learned and always remembered.

Via

Every time I left the house to go out when I was young, my Daddy would say "Remember who you are. What you do tonight reflects us all in the morning." 

Those simple words have meant more to me than anything 

I still say them to myself all of the time.  

From the Land of the Delta Blues

Day 1:Tuesday, Sept. 3: Describe where or what you come from. The people, the places, and/or the factors that make up who you are.

"Cause where I come from
It's cornbread and chicken
Where I come from a lotta front porch pickin'
Where I come from tryin' to make a livin'
And workin' hard to get to heaven"

While my life can be summed up in a country song, such a ZBB's "Chicken Fried" or Alan Jackson's "Where I Come From," there's a lot more to it. I know I am a day behind with this, but I was so excited when I saw this topic to write about. It brought back  one of my very favorite blog posts that I've ever written...all the way back to August 2011.

I am from the Mississippi Delta. I am from miles and miles of gorgeous flatlands filled with cotton and corn.   I am from the birthplace of the blues. I am from a place with deep, rich history. I am from a place where you can see every star in the sky. I am from a small town where everybody knows everybody, and their business. I am from a place where you speak to everyone, not just pass them by. I am from a town where everyone talks with a strong southern accent. I am from a place where all boys drive trucks, most of which are white. I am from a place where everyone wears cowboy boots. I am from a place where the girls are gorgeous and the boys are most handsome. I am from a town where it takes 2 minutes to get anywhere you might need to go.  I am from a town that, in my eyes, is picture perfect. I am from the country. Specifically, I am from the Cotton Capital of the World. I am from the home of Viking Range.I am from a place that I am so proud of and love, Greenwood, MS.

I am from two parents that have gone above and beyond their call of duty as parents. I am from a mother, who is teacher. I am from a daddy (or diddy as we say it down here), who works 12 hours days in the 100+ Mississippi heat on farms all across the delta, as an entomologist. I am from a farming family. I am from family dedicated to God and North Greenwood Baptist Church. I am from parents who rarely miss a Sunday of church. I am from a family who celebrates Christmas like no other. I am from a family who eats chocolate gravy. I am from parents who are my best friends. I am from a family that eats supper at the table together every night. I am from parents that can't wait for us to come home to visit, as much as possible. I am from a mother who I talk to on the phone every single day. I am from a mother who has never missed a ball game or event  EVER! I am from a daddy who loves the outdoors. I am from a daddy who loves to take me hunting. I am from a daddy who can do or fix anything. I am from a parents who taught the value of respect, the value of a dollar, the importance of always being on time and the value of your family name. I am from a family full of love and support. I am from a family named Pittman that I am proud of and that's (hopefully) proud of me.

I am from two sisters, Ann-Hamilton who is a teacher and Eleanor, who is a freshman at Mississippi State. I am from my older sister,who has always acted like my mother and kept me in line, who, during college, I renamed "Momma Ham." I am from an older sister who has been the best role model a little sister could ask for. I am from an older sister that lives right down the street and I see nearly every single day. I am from an older sister who inspired my love for fashion and from a little sister, who could really care less. I am from an older sister who is the best mother, to my niece, Hayes. I am from a hilarious brother-in-law, Ryan, who I can also call a good friend. I am from a little sister who will talk to and make friends with anyone, something I wish I could do. I am from a little sister who has the biggest love from God that I've ever seen. I am from a little sister who tries her best to be the best teenager she can be, in these crazy times to grow up in. I am from two sisters that are both blonde, while I look like the odd one out. I am from two sisters that are awesome dancers and cheerleaders. I am from two sisters that I love so much. I am from two sisters that make me want to be a better person. I am from two sisters that really are my best friends. I am from two sisters that I couldn't be more proud of.

I am from the Bankston Bobcats (elementary). I am from the Pillow Academy Mustangs. (Jr. High and Highschool). I am from a Highschool with a huge love for sports. I am from gymnastics, dancing and cheerleading. I am from a place where football is just about everything. I am from riding backroads. I am from nights on Money Road. I am from parties in fields. I am from, my second home, Itta Bena. I am from my Itta Bena boys. I am from days and days on Roebuck Lake. I am from a love of country music and ice cold beer. I am from Centennial. I am from the "Community." I am from Twin Rivers. I am from where your days were spent outside playing kickball, baseball and hotbox. I am from where you ran around barefoot and played spotlight until all hours of the night. I am from "The Jazzy Reindeer." I am from the best friends a girl could ask for. I am from a place where having 13 bridesmaids is acceptable. I am from a place where you still have your best friends from pre-school. I am from best friends, who are more like sisters.

I am from Starkville, MS, home of the Mississippi State Bulldogs. I am from a family who is born, raised and proud of Mississippi State University. I am from Starkvegas. I am from Tri Delta Sorority. I am from my Tri Delta Sisters. I am from the home of the beloved cowbell. I am from the home of the Dawgpound Rock. I am from the home of the MAAARRROOOOOON and WWWHHHHIIIIIIIIITTTEEE. I am from 408 Old West Point Road. I am from where girls wear dresses, heels and pearls to football games. I am from where girls can drink just as much whiskey as the boys and know just about as much about football. I am from the home of The Junction, The Hump, Davis Wade Stadium and Dudy Noble Field. I am from Oby's and Cappe's Restaurants, where I worked everyday of college. I am from from McCool Hall, home of the business school. I am from the best conference in all of college, the SEC, where sports are everything!!!

I am from Kendol, my husband. I am from a husband who bought me that perfect little house on a hill. I am from someone who supports me, no matter how crazy I might be. I am from a husband who is crazy and will say anything... to anyone! I am from a husband with a HUGE love for football and Mississippi State. I am from a husband who loves the New Orleans Saints and always has. I am from a husband who is a boyscout leader and president of the Home Owners Assocation. I am from a husband that is passionate about his job and everything/everyone in his life. I am from a husband who makes me laugh and spends more time with me than any other most husbands I know. I am from a husband who loves to cook and loves to entertain, as do I. I am from a husband who still takes me on dates. I am from a husband, whose family has taken me in like I'm one of their own. I am from husband who is very family oriented. I am from a husband who is my best friend. I am from a husband who loves me more than anything in the world!

Most importantly I am from God and he has blessed me more than I deserve!!!

He fills my life with good things.

Psalm 103:5

Just Because..

VIA

Just because..

I needed to hear this... And I thought someone else out there might need to hear it too. My patience has been running thin in every aspect of my life. I have always been a very patient, easy-going person, but these days, there's very little of either going on in my life. In other words... I am Captain of the Struggle Bus!

Throw Some Glitter.. Make It RAIN

On Thursday Mallory and I headed down to Santa Rosa, FL for our friend Meagan Rae's bachelorette party!! It was not your typical long weekend at the beach, but hey... a rainy weekend at the beach is better than not being there at all. And by rainy, I mean we were in the middle of a tropical storm.

Rain or shine, we had a fabulous time and shared lots of laughs!!!

..and champagne!!
..and dancing!!
..and cupcakes!!
Lots of cupcakes!!

Movin' On Up

Well, the day has come and gone. Eleanor is officially a resident at Moseley Hall and Hayes officially loves her Bulldogs. As soon as we pulled on to campus, she spotted this blown up Bully and squealed!

We spent our day walking around campus seeing what all has changed, pointing out different buildings and our memories there, eating at two of our favorite restaurants and of course, making a few trips up and down the stairs moving everything in the dorm. It seems crazy to think I haven't noticed all of the changes since we go for every game, but on game day you park and walk strait to your tailgate. There's no cruising around campus or town, for that matter. 

What a difference ten years makes!!! The dorms these days make ours seem like we lived in the projects. They now have room for a living area and no longer have community showers and bathrooms. That would have made my dorm experience much, much more enjoyable.... 

Seriously.. could these two be any cuter??

And today rush recruitment begins...

I have a feeling this will be worse than cheerleader try out day... 

Come on bid day!

The Great Debate

It's that time again... 

Fantasy Football time, of course.

When this whole girl's league began, we all had girly names. I started out as Touchdowns and Tiaras (taken from Toddlers & Tiaras) and I won my rookie season. So the name stayed through season 2, but I shortened it to "TnT" because I couldn't handle the girly-ness. Well, season 2 didn't pan out like season 1, so I can give up the name. It is no longer the ole' good luck charm. 

This is where the great debate comes into play. 

I need your opinions.

Here are my new name options:

1. Boobie Trap 

(after Anthony "Boobie" Dixon of MSU now in SF)

2. Off the Chaney 

(after Jamar Chaney of MSU now in Philly)

3. Stop, Drop and Sproles
(after Darren Sproles of the Saints)

4. Jimmy Thing 

(after Jimmy Graham of the Saints)
(a little shout out to DMB)

5. Marvinitas 

(Kendol's nickname is Marve.. He is the Marvinators in all of his leagues)

6. Calliente 

(after my own name, obvi)

And now you know what keeps me up at night.

And how much of a loser I really am.

You're Welcome.

And don't even think about stealing my ideas.. 

(Kidding...)

(Kinda)

(Not really..)

Letting Go

Tri Delta Bid Day 2003
Pig Tails for Everyone

On my way home from work last Thursday, Suzy Bogguss' "Letting Go" came through loud and clear on my radio and I was taken back a few years. It hit me like a ton of bricks and I sang every word as loud as I could sing. Thousands of memories flashed through my mind. I was taken back to the Tri Delta house in Starkville. I was taken back to rush. I was taken back to the night where I made the final decision to become a DDD and my life changed forever, Pref Night. I had no idea what the next four years had in store or the life long friends that I had just made. 

The Life-Longs!!

Then it hit me. The time has come. We leave in three short days to move Eleanor into her dorm at Mississippi State. My whole life, I thought this day was so far away and I honestly still can't grasp that it's really happening this week. Her life will be changed forever and changed in ways she could never imagine. I could not be more excited for her. 

She will begin rush in a few short days and my main prayer is that she will find a perfect home, like I did. I hope she finds the best group of life-long friends, like I did. That she will forget all of the dramas of high school and start this new and much better phase of life, like I did. 

I hope she never misses a football game and that she goes to some away games (one of my biggest regrets). I hope she spends many a nights in the Left Field Lounge at Dudy Noble and spends many a early morning in line for basketball tickets. I hope she spends lots of time dancing the night away with her girlfriends and I hope she takes advantage of every concert that comes to town. (I could still kick myself for missing Snoop Dog and Dwight Yoakam) I hope she cranks her country music up and takes many drives around the refuge. I hope she spends many afternoons with her friends on a patio somewhere, figuring out life. I hope she truly appreciates the deliciousness of a bar bq sandwich from Petty's, a plate lunch from Cappe's, a pizza from Stromboli's and everything on the menu at Oby's... Yes, everything. (I still crave them,often.) Speaking of restaurants, I hope she works in one. Everyone needs to. And I really hope she takes a little more advantage of the Sanderson Center than I did. (Note to self: A few leisurely laps around the track, once a semester, does not count as a work out.) I hope she throws random themed parties for no good reason at all. Those made for the best of nights. 

Camo Night... Why not?
We had to "delta-fy" all of our friends, duh.

I surely hope she makes some mistakes and I hope she learns from them. I hope she lives in her sorority house and I hope she takes advantage of every opportunity that comes her way. I hope that she finds a major that she loves and is passionate about. I hope she is very involved on campus and that her love for the Lord will show in all she does. I hope she finds a church home and that as many times as it may be tested, that she never loses her christian spirit. And last but not least, I hope she loves being a bulldog as much as I do and I hope she soaks up every single moment of those few short years, like I did.

O, and of course, I hope she attends a few more classes and studies a little harder than I did. And doesn't miss an exam.. (your planner is only your friend if you write down everything correctly...) Yea.. that doesn't go over well with the parents. But if it does happen, call them when you're crying hysterically. They feel a little more sorry for you that way. 

Refreshed

Sunday, I spent the afternoon starting to clean out our house. Yes, clean out our house. That seems so unreal, but it has to begin at some point. I organized the linen closet and did away with a few things. I straitened up the back bedroom and organized the closet as best I could. Then it was on to the kitchen. I cleaned out all of the drawers and started on a few cabinets. Before I knew it, I had thrown out 6 garbage bags full of junk.

Now it's Monday, and so far today I have... woken up about 15 minutes early, actually put my make up on at home instead of in the car, actually eaten breakfast... fruit to be exact.. and currently have a water in hand instead of a coke... What is the deal, y'all?? Have I turned over a new leaf? I sure hope so.

It's so sad that I'm proud of the above, but I am chalking it all up to being refreshed. We spent the weekend at home with my parents. It's the first full weekend in a while that I've spent up there with them where there weren't 30 things to be done and a reason to rush back home. We literally went on Friday afternoon and hung out all weekend. We had a little fish fry on Friday night, an engagement party on Saturday night, followed by a little sister time til 2:30 am.and a huge family lunch on Sunday, to top it all off. (homemade fried chicken, lima beans, purple hull peas, cornbread, fried corn, slaw, tomato slices... etc.. Whoa) I may have gained 5 lbs but it was just what I needed.

and the Sky Proclaims His Handiwork!!!

..The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork.

~ Psalm 19:1

Well, the sky really showed out with God's handiwork last night. This is just a little snap shot of the views I had on my run/walk last night. Lately, I have been getting my exercise in around 4 or so, so I miss these little moments. But last night Eleanor was in town spending the night, so I waited until they went to the movies to go for my run. Boy am I glad I waited. I had a full hour of this beauty.. 

Lately, I have been so anxious about our new house and all of the details involved, that I was beginning to  miss out on the present moments in my life. Last night was no different. I was running around the neighborhood, over-analyzing every different brick color and pattern that I passed, trying to come up with the perfect one for our new house, and God sent me this view. It was breath-taking. I believe it was God's little way of calming me down and taking my mind of everything, even if it was just for an hour. To help me actually relax and take in the present moments instead of stress over details that won't even come to fruition for months.

And in the grand scheme of things, do bricks really even matter?

Crazy Cute Cards

Anyone else out there love getting a good card in the mail from a friend as much as I do? I am terrible at this, but my friend Katie is the best. She sends me a card for everything and I get just as excited every time. 

If there was one thing I could improve on, it would be to send cards on the regular to my friends and family. It's such a simple thing, but can bring about the biggest of smiles. 

Well this morning as I was checking my emails, I had the cutest little email from a lady from CardStore. What is CardStore, you ask? Only the cutest little website for stationary, thank you cards, invitations and more. You can personalize all of the cards with your own message, your own signature and even send them strait to your recipient from the website. I have fallen in love with a few already!!

Inside says "I hope you know how serious that makes me."
This one is my favorite so far. Mine of course would say "Sonic Coke."

Fresh

There's not much that I love more than some good ole' fresh veggies in the summertime. And boy, have we been eating our fair share. With an abundance coming from my parents and bosses gardens and a farmer's market less than a half of a mile from our house, we are always looking for new ways to cook things. Thankfully Pinterest is almost always spot on with it's recipes of goodness. Here are the two new recipes I found this past week, that made the perfect healthy + fresh sides.

Fresh Green Beans + Vidalia Onions
1 lb of fresh green beans
1 Vidalia Onion
Olive Oil
Shredded Parmasan
Salt + Pepper + Onion Powder

Wash the green beans and snap off the ends.
Boil for 10 minutes.
Chop Onion into Medium Slices
Drain green beans and combine beans and onion slices in a baking dish.
Drizzle with Olive Oil and top with salt + pepper + onion powder.
Bake for 25 minutes on 375.
Remove from Oven and sprinkle with Shredded Parmesan.
Bake for a few more minutes if you would like your cheese completely melted.


Zucchini + Tomato Sammies
Zucchini
Tomato
Mozzarella Cheese
Red Pepper Flakes

Slice Zucchini and Tomatoes.
Bake Zucchini Slices for 20 minutes.
Remove from Oven and Top each Zucchini slice with Tomato, a sprinkle of Mozzarella + a little Red Pepper.
Broil for a few minutes, to your liking.

1,460

1,460. 

The number of days I'm celebrating with this cutie today!!

I cannot believe we have already been married for four years. I don't think I could be any more excited about where our lives are headed, right this moment. There are so many great things to look forward to in this next year and more fun memories to be made. I cannot wait.

Cheers!!

Corn Country

One of my very favorite things about living in Mississippi is it's views. Everywhere you look, there's history. There's art. There's beauty in everything, especially the farmlands. There's nothing I love more than driving home towards the end of the summer and seeing all of the fields come to life. Usually it's the cotton that I love, but this past weekend, the corn stole the show.

Beach Babes

Last week, my family headed down to Florida for our annual trip to Seaside, but this year was different. Being that my Daddy works on the farm, we've never had a boy on our little beach trip. But this year, Eleanor's boyfriend, Justin, joined us and Kendol came for the last few days!!! 

Lots of sun. 

Lots of good food. 

Lots of family time. 

And lots of laughs.

See ya in a few weeks, beach!!!!