Another Friday is upon us. This week has felt long to me but I won’t complain – Friday is here!

Favorite Reunion: Josh spent the weekend away with our church’s senior high youth group and Cali and I were so happy to see him come home on Sunday evening. He’s a (volunteer) small group leader there and was with on their winter retreat, so let’s just say he came home plenty exhausted. Good thing for him, Cali is always willing to take a nap! Like father like daughter! :)

Favorite Dessert: Monday night ushered in a work event with our medical staff and lucky for me, the dessert on the menu was a piece of gluten free cheesecake – the size of my head. I mean, whenever someone offers you free cheesecake …. you eat it. (And take home the leftovers). YUM!

Favorite Quote: “Trust is a golden pathway to Heaven. When you walk on this path, you live above your circumstances.” –Jesus Calling –

Oh how I long to be someone who routinely lives a life of trust, living above my circumstances. Isn’t it easy to get so wrapped up in the worry and wonderment of it though? But as this devotional pointed out, circumstance-based living often gets us on a path of agonizing turns and knots, with heavy air and dark, ominous clouds. I want to live in the air above the heaviness, in the air where I trust that because God loves me, everything really will be okay. Everything. That doesn’t mean everything I want will come true and I will never suffer, no, we all know that the realities of life makes those dreams impractical No, God promises that He is directing our paths in such a manner that we don’t have to live in the world of doubting every agonizing turn, but instead, trusting that IN THOSE TURNS, He is present and working and faithful. The thought of this brings peace to my heart.

Favorite Goodbye: Parenthood ended its series on NBC last night and while I don’t want to say anything that would ruin it for anyone yet to watch, I will say it’s been a wonderful run and that it was truly the best finale I’ve seen. I basically was a puddle on the floor for an hour. This show is one of the best and will be so greatly missed. (I probably will need therapy from my grief with this being over.)

Favorite Cali Picture: Cali loves to try to sit on my lap while I am getting ready in the morning and this week proved no exception. I love this picture of her patiently waiting at the bottom of my stool for me to pick her up. Oh and yes, her sitting on my lap is the most inconvenient thing ever – and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Favorite Healer: I had a week where I haven’t been feeling great and was particularly struggling on Wednesday night with a mild tummy ache and an awful headache. My desperation to feel better after a long day made me willing to try a new remedy – Peppermint Young Living Oil! This peppermint oil rubbed on the back of my neck took my headache away so quickly and a tiny drop mixed in my water settled my stomach. I was impressed!

Favorite Post: I am hoping by now you have seen the beautiful Guest Post featured earlier this week, written by one of my best friends Jana. I still have goosebumps over the beauty of her writing and the way that it has connected with so many of you in a variety of ways. As a friend, I am so proud of her bravery in sharing her struggles on such an open and public forum, many of you can understand how vulnerable that can be, and as a PCOS-cyster and infertility-struggler, am so touched by the encouragement of her ability to turn a tough battle into something that points to Him. Her reminder that “the loss of an envisioned dream is still loss.” but that “pain can often bring purpose… if we allow it to.” struck a chord with many of you and I am so thankful for her wise words. It doesn’t matter what you are going through – waiting for “The One”, dealing with a painful marital separation, mourning the loss of a child, stressing about a financial situation or praying that you find a new job before you lose your mind – take comfort in these words: ‘He is the one guiding us in each and every step and He has never failed us.’ Keep trusting!

Favorite Funnies:

And with that, another Friday Favorites comes to a close. If you haven’t already sent in your question to be answered in February’s Q&A series, consider this your last reminder! I am SO excited to tackle this list, there have been some awesome questions asked! February also will feature a few fun giveaways and should (hopefully, God-willing) usher us into our next IUI cycle. Let’s make this a great weekend! See you soon!