BABY//GLORY

There are few things on Earth as perfect as my niece Glory... except maybe my nephew James. I have been massively blessed to get to see Glory tons this summer, including a three week stay at her home in Kentucky this month. I came across these photos from earlier in the summer and thought the internet would be a better place with them here. 

NATALIE//JEHN

natalie[nicole]jehn

the story: natalie is a beloved cousin, best friend, and cinematic muse (please refer to this jewel). she's also a sister to this delightful person.

your [soundtrack]: "give me love" by ed sheeran. "love lust" by king charles. "blood" by the middle east. "awake my soul" mumford and sons. "blue skies" by noah and the whale. "your ex-lover is dead" by stars. "some nights" by fun.

your [script]: arrested development, new girl, friday night lights, how i met your mother.

your [library]: books that make my heart burst: the bible, redeeming love by francine rivers, love does by bob goff. books that i absolutely can't put down: the hunger games by suzanne collins, feed by m.t. anderson, maze runner by james dashner, the girl with the dragon tattoo by steig larsson, never let me go by kazuo ishiguro, divergent by veronica roth. guilty pleasures: twilight by stephenie meyer, delerium by lauren oliver, matched by ally conde.

your [shade]: red!! it's exciting and passionate, bold and abrasive. you really can't ignore red. it holds its own in the spectrum. and i love red lipstick!

your [inspiration]: oh my goodness, anything, everything. my family. my three favorite girls: shannon, alex, and mary (i would be lost without them and life would be a little less magical), music (mostly when driving), words that are well chosen, love letters, my students. they inspire me to be better. to be someone who shapes them, loves them, and fights for them. a nice note just because. a smile. a child understanding something for the first time. someone telling you they love you. trials. growing, learning, loving.

your [mantra]: "God defiers are always in trouble. God affirms find themselves loved every time they turn around." psalm 32:10

you [love]: jesus, family reunions, road trips, airports,rainstorms, rummage sales, target, cookies, hydrangeas, people, paris, photographs, teaching, kids, iphone 4s, a hard run, crafts, pinterest, buying a new song on itunes, meeting a cute boy for the first time, reading, keeping busy, laughing, doing weird things to make other people laugh.

you [hate]: snakes, sharks, and slow walkers.

your [purpose]: to make every child i teach feel important, special, loved, challenged, and inspired.

you [believe]: in love.

you [admire]: physical: eyes. personality: zest, self-control, and grit.

your [escape]: NETFLIX! or a really good book.

your [perfection]: something we will strive towards and fall short of until we die.

your [challenge]: remembering everyday that God's way is better than my own.

you'd [meet]:  sean farris and we could live happily ever after.

your [shining] moment: finishing my first year of teaching.

your [humblest] moment: when i was at a science museum with mary austin, my skirt blew up in a glass cased hurricane simulator, and i flashed a group of schoolchildren on a field trip.

your [aspiration]: to be someone who made a difference. someone who loved radically.

your [wildest] dream: to move to paris and own a boutique that mostly sells antique jewelry and handmade greeting cards.

your [childhood ambition]: to be a teacher. or a movie star.

your [destination]: PARIS. HANDS DOWN.

your [pet peeve]: long lines, traffic, intentionally rude people, internet failure, people who park their car in two spaces.

your [vice]: chocolate. watching ten episodes in a row of a really great tv series. jelly bellies. pinterest.

your [last purchase]: a really amazing pair of maroon skinny jeans.

your [surprise]: i have dressed up like a man on multiple occasions.

your [origin]: wisconsin. i don't love it, that's why i moved.

your [location]: houston, texas. 7th grade writing teacher at YES prep eat end, serving low income children. population: 99% hispanic. our policy is that students cannot graduate until they have been accepted to a 4 year university. this school changes lives.

you [like]: my ability to laugh things off. i don't take myself too seriously, which allows me to really learn from other people.

you [are]: ready.

natalie (or, as i prefer to call you: zan), to borrow a sentiment from the incomparable katy perry, you are a firework. but, unlike the momentary spark of a firework, your glow is continuous and constant. you don't believe in wasting a second of precious time. you are always learning, thinking, creating, doing, and laughing. in fact, laughter is the first word i associate with you because you have brought so much laughter to my life. you will do anything to make others smile, and you know nothing of embarrassment. not a moment of your life is lived half-heartedly, but instead with incredible passion and zeal. you are adventurous, bold, and bright, and have showered me with your vibrancy each day. i love you more than you could know. stay ignited, brilliant girl.

you are [delightful].

CHALK//ART

Have I mentioned that my sister got married this summer? Yes? Are you sure? Well, the wedding gave me a chance to spend some quality time with chalk lettering. I've been interested in chalking for a few months now, so I was really excited to experiment with it for Mary's reception. I did about 12 or 13 large pieces that were hung around the building. I think they turned out so well and really appreciated Mary trusting me with the job! What a girl!

I'm pretty sure I'll have chalk dust in my lungs for the rest of time, but that's a small price to pay in the name of love and aesthetic. 

Thanks to my brother for the photos! 

RAINBOW//CONNECTION

I've lighted in Lexington, Kentucky, this month for some quality time with my sister Sarah, her husband Jeremiah, and my spectacular niece Glory! Glory's room needed some livening up, so Sarah and I took on the task of dyeing a plain white rug. Dyeing was a new frontier for the two of us, so here's a look at our brave journey into the unknown.  

We love it! And Glory keeps trying to lick it, so we think she loves it, too! Turns out, dyeing stuff is fun, easy, and rewarding! I want to try the wall-to-wall carpeting next. Good idea?

ASHLEY//DAVIS

ashley[elizabeth]davis

the story: ashley was my real sister's big sister in their sorority in college... that was a confusing sentence. when i came to school, i met ashley and felt like i'd known her for years. we claim her as not only a sorority sister, but also a real sister because we look so much alike! this causes a lot of confusion for the good people at moe's, which we proudly call our second home.   

your [soundtrack]: "the great adventure" by steven curtis chapman. "feels like the first time" by foreigner. "early morning riser" by ben rector. "avalanche" by hillsong. "can't help falling in love" by elvis presley. "never going to give you up" by rick astley. "carolina on my mind" by james taylor. "miss grace" by the tymes.

your [script]: she's the man (duh, amanda bynes stole my role in that movie). sabrina (with harrison ford, not the teenage witch). any of the marvel movies. overboard. the indiana jones saga. mulan. the little giants.

your [library]: redeeming love by francine rivers (typical girl, i know). the redemption series by karen kingsbury. the mark of the lion series by francine rivers. passion and purity by elisabeth elliot. something borrowed and something blue by emily giffin (i hate that i love them so much).

your [inspiration]: a beautiful sunset. people being patriotic. and someone who is broken and without hope finding a savior in Jesus Christ.

your [mantra]: "if sinners will be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. and if they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees, imploring them to stay. if hell must be filled, at least let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go there unwarned and unprayed for." [charles spurgeon]

you [love]: peanut butter, puppies, compassion, ice cream, christmas, soccer, NC state, the south.

you [hate]: olives, dark chocolate, arrogance, hang nails, stubbing my toe, red wine. 

your [purpose]: i'm still trying to figure that out.

you [believe]: in Jesus Christ, america, and chuck norris

your [influence]: my parents, my friends, and the marketing geniuses at anthropologie.

you [admire]: loyalty. also people who have the ability to make others feel at ease just by being around them.

your [escape]: swinging on the swing by my apartment overlooking the summit. going for a drive. getting lost in a good book. blasting '80s rock music in my car.

your [origin]: raleigh, north carolina. it's the perfect southern town. until a few years ago, it was totally off the radar, and now i feel like people are finally realizing what a gem it is. and, duh, because of NC state. 

your [fondest] memory: living in europe with my family when i was a little girl.

your [challenge]: comparing myself to others and the devastation that comes with knowing i'll never be an olympic gold medalist in trampoline (yes, that is an actual olympic sport).

you'd [meet]: tim tebow, because in my heart of hearts i know it would only take one meeting for him to realize we are soul mates.

your [shining] moment: graduating from nursing school.

your [humblest] moment: that is my life in a nutshell. 

you [aspiration]: to be someone who can make people laugh, someone who loves intentionally, someone who defies what the world says in order to follow Jesus.

your [childhood ambition]: to become an actress, although i'm still holding out hope for that one. or being a professional snowboarder.

your [dream]: to travel the world for one year. there would be no agenda. just get on a plane and go.

your [dream destination]: greece.

your [vice]: '90s movies, ice cream, cheesy christian fiction books, hallmark movies.

your [latest] purchase: a gluten-free cookbook. don't be fooled. i have no idea how to cook.

your [location]: i am a surgical intensive care nurse at princeton hospital in birmingham, alabama. on my time off i love to travel.

my [surprise]: i still sleep with my stuffed dalmation named raisinbread, who i've had since i was seven years old. and i am a world class burper. embarrassing? i know.

you [like]: my amazing humility. i'm completely positive i'm the most humble person i know.

you [are]: a gypsy. 

ashley, you are quality. i don't know exactly what you're made out of, but it is something incredibly precious and rare. i know very few people that possess humor, intelligence, style, wit, joy, confidence, and compassion in the heaping amounts that you do. you know how to truly listen, how to deeply care, and (most importantly) you know how to go do. you are brimming with life and action and spirit and enthusiasm. you never let an opportunity to love or serve someone pass you by, and that is exactly why you look like jesus. you are deeply loved and cherished. my life would be much dimmer without your shining face. keep twinkling, you precious treasure.

you are [delightful].

NEW//YORK

My family took a little trip up to New York in May to take a bite out of the Big Apple (or so my dad kept saying loudly on the subway). In keeping with Wolf tradition, we saw every monument, museum, attraction, and site open to the public (and sometimes saw those not open to the public) in the short time we had. Jay Wolf invented YOLO, you guys. You don't sleep if you're traveling with that man.  Here are a few photos from our wonderful trip.

 The 9/11 Memorial. Really touching and triumphant. 

 Times Square. Nightmare of the misanthrope, to be sure. 

 Empire State. Cue the song! IT WILL BE STUCK IN YOUR HEAD FOR DAYS. I'm not sorry!

 Statue of Liberty. Sort of mandatory. 

 Ellis Island, which I really loved.

THE DECONSTRUCTION PROJECT NEVER DIES. Shout out to Richard Dendy. 

30 Rock. No Liz Lemon sightings. Blurg! 

 The beautiful Saint Patrck's Cathedral during morning mass.

Grand Central Station. 

 Happy happy lunch at the incredible River Cafe, which was located in a boat beneath the Brooklyn Bridge. Such stunning views. Thanks, Dad!

Little walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, which was one of the best things we did. 

 Magnolia Bakery. More mandatory than the Statue of Liberty, tbh.

A farewell picnic in Central Park. Had to stop by and say hello to Alice, naturally.

Such a great week. But it's not hard to beat our last trip to New York, during which my brother pulled my dress over my head in Times Square.