Photo flip of our move to New Jersey

Hi everyone! :) After saying goodbye to so many dear ones, here are a few random pics of our goodbyes and travels to a quaint little town called Cranford. 

 Double Date with our cousins, Joel & Joanna :)

 Hugs with Bestie, Fiona

Sweet sweet little ones

Oh moving from all of these dear people is so hard... 

 Hugs

 Baby Evan demanded that we leave one day later because she miraculously was born on the morn we had scheduled to leave. What a blessing to meet this sweet baby face to face. A precious goodbye and more hugs with the dear Ducommuns, Adamses, and Laura Reich! :) Go Evan... you rock.

Took a stop along our drive in Amarillo, TX, to view the cross that Mike Adams had helped raise. This cross can be seen from miles around.  

:)  

Moving is tough, but it draws our hearts to lean on each other.

Here we are on our trek - van packed to the brim with only necessities. All else has been graciously sent via Momma Priestley and Dad Burtch.

Got to see Grandpa Priestley on our way out. We visited in Kentucky together at Matthew's dear Grandma Jane's house.  

Made it by October 1st, and Cranford welcomed us with open arms.

Here's our wonderful house. Matthew did such an amazing job finding our family a home. We live on the top floor. We have wonderful neighbors living on the bottom floor. A single dad with a couple great kiddos around Norah's and Maryn's age. 

Trees!!!! and Fall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Local Coffee shop in downtown Cranford that we've claimed as our new go to dive - Rockn' Joe. (pic not my own) Oh my.... SOOOOO good! AAAND cheaper than Starbucks ;) Not to mention... it's a 5 min walk from our front door. The downtown here is so great! It's riddled with individually owned businesses just like this one. 

Far away from loved ones, we are thankful for strong family bonds.

 SOOOO thankful for visitors like my Mom and Dad who came to visit for Thanksgiving!!!! Oh what a grand time!

Aaaaaand Genevieve and Pam came to visit us for Christmas!!! :D It was soooo wonderful to have some home delivered to our front door for both holidays.

 Odd.

Our favorite Park - "The Dinosaur Park!" 

Doing each other's hair :) - a favorite past time.

Visiting a mall trying to find our new places to frequent. So far, our favorite mall is called Menlo. 

 Our town sent out flyers to vote on our family's favorite scarecrows of the town. Apparently it's a tradition here... we LOVE this sweet city. 

Mommy's and Maryn's Fave 

Norah's Fave

 Daddy's Fave

We got to visit Daddy's studio in Brooklyn for the first time!!! :D  

SO thankful for the Malloys who live in PA. We've been blessed to visit with that sweet family of 6 at least once a month. Such dear dear friends.  

We love just driving around and discovering new parks/places to frequent. What a gorgeous state!

So there's a little catch up with a few random photos and such. We're so thankful for the love we've felt from those from home whether thru skype, email, calls, visits, or whathaveyou. Not to mention the amazing support we received from you all through prayer and especially physical help with our move! Thank you all! We could never thank you enough. We're thankful for how God's provided thus far and are looking forward to what the future will hold. 

We will run and scream, You will dance with me, They'll fulfill our dreams and we'll be free

On glorious overcast and drizzly Monday, Matthew and I had the wonderful opportunity to go on a LONG awaited date in the big apple.  Our good friend, Jennifer Malloy, watched the kids at our place. She arrived early with her kiddos so I could catch an early train to meet my hubby after his shoot in Brooklyn. It was my first time braving the trains here on my own, and quite frankly, it was a grand adventure. I love public transportation and it was very similar to past travel experiences. 

SOOOO excited to see my man, I thought I'd miss the first train, but I made it just in time. I found my Beau and we grabbed a Naked Juice for me and a Red Bull for him and strolled to Central Park. It was my first time venturing in, ever. 100 feet in we decided it was a bit too icy for me especially being this far in the pregnancy and all.  So we decided to come back in the spring, after snapping a photo ;) It was gorgeous. The bare barks of trees mixed with the whites of snow and winding paths and bridges made my longing to experience Home Alone 2 satisfied. *Sorry that the pic doesn't give much context, but you can tell we were there, right? :)  

Soon after, we realized we needed to head to the fashion show. Matthew and I had been invited to DL1961's Spring Collection Runway show after he landed and shot the campaign for their Fall collection. If you're wondering what they are here's their link: http://www.dl1961.com/. You can see his photography streaming on the first page. 

Here's the rad invite we received (photo borrowed from DL1961's website):

What an awesome experience to witness this honor for my hard working hubby!

So proud of this man!!! 

Matthew had this surreal moment when he realized that people around us were flipping through a magazine that he'd shot the photos for. Here's my terrible attempt to snap a shot incognito: 

There he is!, both represented in photography as well as his blurb below:

It was wonderful to be a part of the denim show, witnessing live what we've only seen in film. Beautiful people, and beautiful clothing: 

There was a live pop&lock/r&b/soul dance performance introducing and ending the show that was full of fun and pizzaz! It made me wanna up and join them. Every group needs a pregger right? ;)

A couple of the models in the show were part of the campaign Matthew shot and others were highly recognizable faces within the fashion industry. It was incredible to witness in action!

This is where the show took place. It was on the bottom floor of the Alice Tully Hall at the Lincoln Center: 

After the show, I had a chance to meet several coworkers and people within Matthew's industry, one of which was a lovely lady named Gina - his agent at Ford Agency. She's great; and it's wonderful to have a face for the name now. 

We then decided it was time for a bite to eat. Jennifer graciously gave the ok to stay out and enjoy, so naturally...we did :). We didn't have a clue of where to go, so I followed Matthew to Soho to see what we could find. Wandering the streets, we turned a corner and serendipitously happened upon a beautiful little hole in the wall called Pepolino Ristorante. Dimly lit and calling us back to streets of Europe, this quiet nook seized our interest. Needless to say, we were romantically whisked away to Tuscan Italy on a fine dining journey:

Me and my Love enjoying what we decided was our Valentines celebration:

Delicious breads were served as our complimentary appetizer with a garlic tomato flan spread...I'm craving more:

Per recommendation of our hospitable, passionate, and yet quiet and reserved waiter, Matthew had the homemade house lasagne (fabulous!), and I had the ravioli of the day: homemade spinach and ricotta stuffed with a gorgonzola cream sauce....... absolute HEAVEN. :) 

I forgot to load a shot of the shared ricotta cheesecake that came with high recommendation off of yelp, but honestly, it was basically gone by the time I remembered to take a pic. It was wonderful though - almost a creme brule version of a shortbread crusted cheesecake. MMM. 

Even though we felt a little out of place, it being so long since we've been out without the children, and honestly feeling a tad awkward since we're not used to the attention to detail they offered, their service was impeccable, foods - delectable, and overall experience -exquisite. We felt utterly pampered, and we dream to go back again one day.

On our way back to the station, what better to end the night with a craving satisfied only offered by a shop in NY Penn Station: Krispy Kreme. Yes, delicious glazed donuts from there make the ever so popular Duncan Donuts seem like sugared stale bread.

On our way to the train, Mumford and Sons filled the air with a local street performer. Love that band!

"So as we walked through fields of green

Was the fairest sun I'd ever seen
And I was broke, I was on my knees
And you said yes as I said please"

What a wonderful time with my Matthew! Here we are on the train ride home, thankful for our long awaited time together:

To Believe or Not to Believe? That is the question.

Recently we were blessed with a wonderful book called Classic Christianity by Bob George.  Though you may question the validity of the book merely by the name of the author, (I actually put it off for that very reason), I decided to give it a try. It's an easy read and so far it's been one of the most encouraging books I've read in a long time. 

George tapped into an area that I feel is not addressed often enough within the Christian realm: guilt. Not just guilt, mind you, but this book aims to kill it, by stabbing that wild defiant beast in place, and beheading it once and for all with logical thinking that more often than not deters most from relief.  

Musing over thoughts of relief from guilt is just a dream at times. Some carry grief as if it was their role to play for the entirety of their life, convinced that self flagellation is the only way to redeem.  It also has a sly way of becoming a routine that the brain naturally becomes akin to, comfortable and almost scarily safe. Sadness overwhelms and chokes, wasting my time focused on what was supposed to be done away with for the sake of the familiar weight of grief. Yeah sure, God "forgives me," but what I've done, I'm so ashamed of and I'm used to the burden. I've heard the verses, yet still, I can't let go. 

Bob clearly states that "If truth sets you free, then it is error that binds you." So, what's the truth. Truth is: I'm forgiven. What's the error? I don't believe I'm fully forgiven because I can't forgive myself. Shame holds me down without giving me the ability to lift my eyes. Too weary of the weight, guilt crumbles opportunities of letting go into shambled hope. It snowballs rolling into the most massive avalanche. Desperately flailing my arms around to dig some sort of larger hole, I end up creating a space that gets crushed over and over again by the snow above. Trapped underneath and never able to dig out, it feels like there's no possible way to improve especially if I look around at other humans' failed attempts.  I become a form of muddled joy yet I continue to choose to remain in the trap because I can't forgive myself. I remain crippled. Frozen. Lifeless.

Bob goes on to say: "Until you rest in the finality of the cross, you will never experience the reality of the resurrection." Now living in a colder climate I've come to realize the value of salt in a snowy situation. It not only melts the snow away, but it better preps you for future snow or freezing temperatures if enough salt is left on your pathway. I need to allow the healing power of God's forgiveness to melt my guilt away as salt does snow. I need to rest in His freedom enough to keep trusting that He is enough to dissipate not only the judgement from sin but the guilt that specifically crumbles me. My Heavenly Father forgave me once and for all with the perfection of Christ alone. If I focus on what wrong I've done, that's been paid for in blood, I've missed the mark completely.  

The meaning of the Gospel is what again? "Good news." It's GOOD news. He Forgave, Forgives, and will continue to FORGIVE. HE let it go. Why won't I let it go? Do I believe in the finality of the Cross? Is it Final? Done? OVER? Have I let the salt melt it all?  If not, I'm in bondage. I will slip again on the hardened ice of my guilt.  If I do believe, I have to forgive myself. I have to rest and ADMIT - It's not of me. It's ALL of Him. NONE of me. Meaning, I have to admit that I CAN'T. That He CAN. He HAS. AND is continually redeeming me till the day I see His amazing face.  I am unworthy in and of myself, but made worthy by Jesus' blood. ALONE. I've got to believe my belief. It seems so ridiculous otherwise. Silly human.

I was so encouraged by the example George mentioned in placing yourself in the Father's shoes. If When Norah does something wrong for instance, and later genuinely asks forgiveness for it, would I forgive her? I would hope so. But to think of Norah coming back to me repeatedly for years, begging me to forgive her of that same wrong that happened yeeeeeears ago, ...it would shatter my heart. To think she had been bearing an unnecessary weight for so long, that I've since long forgotten... Why wouldn't she believe that I've forgiven her? That I love her? Why won't she choose to forgive herself? The very reason a mother or father forgives their child and desires the child to believe their forgiven is so that they can be FREE of that guilt.  Not to bear it anymore, but to LIVE. 

I hope these thoughts will encourage you, friend. I don't pretend to assume I have it all together. In fact, it's a daily struggle to admit that I can't and to willingly breathe the breath of freedom once more, but that's who we are, right? Sinful beings made whole being renewed daily by His grace, ALONE. 

I have yet to read the rest of the book, but I look forward to it, and would encourage you to pick it up as well. 

If you've never read the lyrics of By your Side by 10th Avenue North, I'd encourage you to do so as well. They seem to hit the nail on the head: 

Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away 

Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching
As if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

'Cause I'll be by your side wherever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
And please don't fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands at my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life 
I want to give you life

And I'll be by your side wherever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
And please don't fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Here at my side wherever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
And please don't fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you 

'Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, yeah I'll love you
I'll never let you go, no, no

And I'll be by your side wherever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
And please don't fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Here at my side wherever you fall
In the dead of night whenever you call
And please don't fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you 
Here at my side, my hands are holding you
Ohhh...

"The slave does not remain in the house forever; the Son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." - John 8:35,36 

Attempt to Jumpstart our Blog Again :)

Hello all :)
Mrs. Beasley signing in for the first time in years. A lot has happened between now and the Bath time of 2009 post. I'll spare you the fill-ins and just let you know that I'm not promising anything, but I would like to dabble with writing again. 

Have a great night! 
- Feather



PS - Bare with us as the revamp of our blog may have a few glitches to work out ;)