Finding time to pray

Taken at Muir Woods earlier this year

Ender's sick, I have design deadlines to meet, meetings to attend, dinner needs to be served by the time Emil comes home, our room is a complete mess, Jinx needs to be walked, I need to go to the gym, text and email people back... where does time for me even fit? Or better yet, where does time for God even fit? I feel like I'm constantly slammed with things to do that I never have time to just reflect and relax. I seriously need to make this part of my daily schedule. If I don't recharge then I'm bound to burn out. I mean, an hour to myself is not that hard to have right? After all, these blessings in my life would have never been possible without God. I use to go to the Adoration chapel after work on my way home a few years back. Even though it pushed back dinner time by an hour it seriously was worth it. There's nothing like unwinding in front of His presence. I probably won't find that much time out of my day anymore to make a trip to the chapel but I'm sure I can do something. So from here on out I'm dedicating one full hour of prayer and quiet time. Lord knows I need it!

How do you fit prayer in your schedule?

Mom of many hats

Recent Happenings via Instagram

Is it really July already? I swear last week flew by so fast. I was so busy with the Creative Freelancer Conference in San Francisco I fell behind in my everyday tasks (emails, blogging, design work, being a mom etc.). Now I'm back to my daily grind but realizing it's a holiday this week! Another short week again. I swear, being a mom who is also trying to jump start a small business can be quite challenging.  Wearing many hats in life can get overwhelming and hard to manage. But I keep telling myself, nothing good in life comes easy. Hard work will eventually pay off. And yes, this is only the beginning!

Back Into the Swing of Things

Ender is 8 1/2 months now. How did time sneak up on us so fast? I remember it was just yesterday, I was pregnant and we decided to move back with my parents for extra help. I remember being so worried that we wouldn't have enough for us, for Ender. But here we are almost 9 months later and we're finally getting back into the swing of things. I started a new full-time job at a start up in San Francisco, which allows me to work from home every Wednesday. Emil is more than half way done with school. God is so good. When I look at Ender smile, hear him laugh, and feel his hands reach for my embrace, I remember the point of this all. I remember that everything we do is for Love. Love helps us transition out of our old ways and transform into stronger and purposeful people. My dream of owning my own design studio still exists, but for now I'll take it one day at a time. Emil always reminds me that "in time" we'll get there. And so we will. But for now I'm enjoying each day of this crazy adventure.

CATHOLIC UNDERGROUND BAY AREA - IKE NDOLO

This weekend was pretty awesome. Emil and I were able to shoot some stills for our Glorious Day video while meeting and catching up with new and old friends. We attended Catholic Underground Bay Area and enjoyed a night of worship and praise. We even brought Ender along. Ike Ndolo was the main performer for the second half of the night. This guy is incredibly talented. We had a chance to talk to him over lunch and man were we inspired. He reminded us about the importance of bringing back authentic beauty into this world and into the church. His passion and humility is contagious. We are glad to have met him. Check him out!

OUR FIRST MOTHER'S DAY

This Mother's Day weekend was awesome. We celebrated with delicious food and family. Becoming a mother is hitting me more and more each day. At Mass when they had all the mothers stand up for a special blessing, I was a bit shy but honored to stand up for the first time with these women.  I am thankful for all the women and mothers who have been supportive during my pregnancy. It's hard when you're in your first pregnancy and don't know what to expect. Unfortunately I get a couple "debbie downers" here and there, telling me to prepare for the worst. That is not the kind of thing a first time mom should be hearing. But I know for sure God never intended love to be easy. It takes complete selflessness (that's hard!). Through the good and bad, love never fails. My mother is an example of selfless love. She has been the most supportive woman in my entire pregnancy experience. I hope I can one day mirror how sacrificial, loving, and understanding she is. We are truly blessed. Anyway below is a picture of me and the hubby. The other most supportive person in my life. I love you to pieces and can't wait to raise our child together!

Emil's still working on my flowers. I already love them but he's a true perfectionist.

LABOR OF LOVE + TALENT

While perusing the latest trendy blogs do you ever tell yourself, "I want that but can't afford it. Wait a second, I can make it!" Well that's exactly how we feel. Being a young married couple with a little bun in the oven we often times have to rethink our spending and rely on using what we already have. I must admit saving money is not easy. It requires a lot of sacrifice and "do I really need this?" moments. But thank God the outcomes of sacrifice are always more satisfying. Thank God even more for the talents He gives us! Just because we can't buy what we want doesn't mean the road ends here. Being on a budget also brings creative challenges, which also creates opportunities to show off your labor of love and talent. Emil and I recently moved back with my parents. We were living in Oakland in a nice lofty looking flat. Unfortunately we had to let go of it in order to save money and raise the baby closer to family. We're still living in boxes but slowly settling in. We can't wait to DIY-up our room for the baby. Humble beginnings are yes, very humbling. This is going to be fun. This is the start of our newest adventure.