Kindergarten!

There are many moments in time I would love to relive, like being in Hawaii and eating pineapple ice cream for the first time, or going to Disneyland/world. There are also moments that I would hate to relive, like tearing my ACL, losing in soccer, or the loss of grandma. I've been blessed with a beautiful life and wonderful memories and I have no problem reminiscing on some of these glorified moments. So, I'm going to bring you back to a BIG day in the life of my 5 year old self.

The first day of kindergarten. Sounds silly, but it is the day I met my best friend. We sat across from each other on that first day and the rest is history. Her name was Brittany Barton (now Mrs. Johnson).

All sorts of emotions were running through my little body. I was nervous as all get out! Luckily I had a friend from pre-school who was in my class so I took comfort in him being there, but I didn't get to sit by him. We had assigned seating and luck (or God) would have us sitting directly across from each other. Britt was wearing this nice blue, little dress and I was wearing my favorite white cotton, rose patterned dress. I rocked the mushroom cut so I walked into kindergarten with confidence. Our teacher made us introduce ourselves to those around us. We grinned at each other with our toothless smiles and it was then I found my best friend.

I found out later that a 5th grader, friends with my older sister, told Brittany to keep an eye out for me, and I'm glad she did. I was definitely excited to have this new friend. We played hard together, got in trouble together, and best of all lived life together. Looking back now, I would never anticipate having her as a friend for so long. Recently my best friend married the man we've been praying for. I was fortunate enough to stand by her side as her maid of honor, 18 years later, and watch her enter into a God given marriage. I'm so thankful for that first day of kindergarten. God knew what he was doing and what I needed for the rest of my life even at the age of 5.

Kindergarten picture

18 years later

PS. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!


--Holly

Connect through social media

Social media is a network of connecting people. I want individuals to reach our blog, of course, but more than that I want people to feel connected to others personally. Social media is a connection of people looking to find another person who is in the same season of life. One girl looking for a recipe for a dinner party stumbles upon Mekenzie’s famous Thai turkey burgers and immediately feels like she has found her perfect meal. The girl who is struggling with a work out regimen seeking transformation finds encouragement through Lauren's latest work out routine. I love that social media provides an avenue for us to connect with real people experiencing real life situations from miles away. It connects my roommate down the hall to my family in California. It allowed all of girls to stay connected when one of us was in Kansas, one stayed in Fort Collins, another moved home to Colorado Springs and the last moved her newlywed self to Denver. The blog was a key player in keeping our friendships strong and our lives intertwined. 

This was the night we created the Serendipitous Girls Blog,  January 2012

Throw back to celebrating Mekenzie's Graduation, May 2012.

Social Media has connected friends to family, strangers to loved ones- and it has connected me to the journey of my life. As I was writing this post I decided to flip through some of my first articles and I couldn’t stop reading about the wild life I’m living. Serendipitous Girls blog has been a journal of my life over the last 2 years. It’s kept record of my highest highs and lowest lows. I loved reading back on times that I was on cloud 9 after the birth of my sweet niece; my heart could hardly take in how blessed I was feeling at that time. On the flip side, I enjoyed reading back on the rocky roads I’ve been down, the trials I experienced and the amount of growth I have experienced because of the them. I’m not the same person that I was back in January of 2012 when I wrote my very first blog post. I am thankful for the connection the blog created for me so that I reflect on where I have been and the lessons I’ve learned along the way. Looking introspectively into where I’ve been and where I am going is encouraging and enlightening for me.

Connect. Connect with people you love through social media and reconnect with the amazing life you've lived. It’s fun, encouraging and if used properly- social media can change who you are.

Denver Girls. 

Sweet Halle babe! She changed my life. 

My Right hand woman!

XO,

Er

Favorite Online Shops

Just a Few Favorites...

Home Furnishings: West Elm

Clothing Boutique:  Eves Revolution

Kitchen Store: Sur la table

Home Accessories: Ikea

Work Out Clothing & Accessories: Lululemon















Shoes: Steve Madden

Jewelry: Francescas

Clothing: Nordstrom

~ Mekenzie 

A Monumental Moment

Life is always changing so to pin point a specific "life turning" time is hard. I can think of times where life threw me a curve ball and almost every time I’d swing and miss. I can look back now and say that I am thankful for those changes because they have made me into what I am today.

There are many factors that led up to me attending CSU. I tore my ACL's in high school which turned out to be a big reason I played soccer for CSU. I decided to attend CSU only a few months before school started. My reason being, that it was close enough to home but just far enough. Although I was not thrilled about going there at first, I have realized the reason God placed me there.

One of the biggest "life turning" moments was my sophomore year when I was voted captain by my soccer team. It was then that I realized why I was at CSU. It put me into a leadership role that I wasn't sure I was ready for. I started to feel the responsibility for my teammates and the way that they viewed Jesus. I knew that leading up to that moment my life was not always a clear representation of Christ. Eyes were watching me on and off the field. I was meant to be seen as an example, my life was essentially under a microscope.

Before, I could get away with my selfish ways and my world full of "Me." Being captain taught me where my true motivation comes from. Honoring and serving the Lord. 2 Timothy 2:20-21 talks about being used as instruments for the Lord. It hit me, I was being used as a vessel and God was just waiting for my willingness to open up and allow him to do so. I can't say that this was an easy task and that I was ready and willing. However, being in such a role motivated me on all levels to be a servant and truly show Christ's love. I feel like God used me in bigger ways then I could have imagined. I was lead to a ministry called Fellowship of Christian Athletes and was able to use it as a tool for my teammates.

I am not perfect at this and 95% of the time I'm still living in "me" world. I have fallen short of serving him and showing Christs love in so many ways. I'm just thankful for this "life turning" moment and what it has done for my walk. I'm thankful that God can use me as a vessel. Its a daily decision to be open and have that willingness to let him use me. I realized God led me to CSU, as much as I hated it, because he was working on my heart.

--Holly

ESFJ

I sat down Tuesday to take the Jung Typology Test. It is pretty comical that I was awarded this post because for as long as I can remember I have LOVED taking quizzes! I would ask for quiz books for my birthday and then invite friends over and get to know them through how many C's they answered yes to.'

I remember taking this quiz in high school, a time when I was still getting comfortable in my own skin, and at the time I completely resonated with some of the results.. but other areas I thought, "this is so not me!" Little did I know that 6 years later I would again take this test and come to find that those once misplaced & misunderstood descriptions of me were actually quite true. In high school I was an "in-progress" ESFJ, and now 6 years later at almost 25, I am officially an ESFJ. 

Extravert....Sensing...Feeling..Judging. 

With a smile and a nod of confidence I read my results page. The VeRy first words under the category YOU: "Self Awareness & Personal Growth" it states; "Guardians of birthdays, holidays and celebrations, ESFJs are generous entertainers." {giggles} I already knew this about myself but reading it comes to me like a pat on the back or tight squeeze...

I not only LOVE to make my nearest and dearest feel super special on their birthday, but I too LOOOoOoOve to feel special by my closest on my birthday<---true confession. 

And don't even get me started on holidays! In my mind Christmas might be ruined if we don't bundle up in the car on a snowy eve, warm hot cocoa or coffee in hand, and drive around admiring all the beautiful Christmas lights. And if I wake up in the morning and everyone is already awake and downstairs my inner child will weep & weep because I wasn't the one to jump in everyone's bed and wake them up, walk them downstairs hand-in-hand and see what awaits us around the Christmas tree. I like what I like. I like to make every celebration THE event!

"All else being equal, ESFJs enjoy being in charge. They see problems clearly and delegate easily, work hard and play with zest. They willingly provide service (which embodies life's meaning) and expect the same from others..ESFJs are easily wounded, and when wounded their emotions will not be contained; they by nature 'wear their hearts on their sleeves." This paragraph I know all too well. I could go on and on but to keep it to my first reactions here you are: The first sentence in this paragraph really speaks to me as my role as a wife. I am happy to submit to my husband as the head of our home but it gets sticky when, as stated, I like being in charge. It's not that I don't trust Mitch or find him 100% capable, in fact I wish in some ways I wasn't this way because I want him to take charge always. Every time.. I just usually seem to have the "right way" in my mind. Mitch here I am declaring- I will work on giving up this twisted obsession to be in charge! 

The third/fourth sentences speak a lot to the way I am in friendships/relationships. I will give 110% in relationships and love each person so intentionally and so deeply; but I MUST realize that not everyone is me. Not everyone loves the way I do, and not everyone thinks about relationships in the same way I do. Not that I'm right and they're wrong or vice versa, we're just different. I need to not expect so much... but it's so hard.

Now, as for possible careers paths for us ESFJs, it seems we enjoy high involvements of interaction with others. Currently I am a nanny=high involvement of interaction, go figure.. I was surprised though to see that health care professions are a top choice for ESFJs. I don't think I could handle all the poking and prodding and blood. But I could handle the loving on people.

Although, I am happy to announce that a possible career for me to get into and find success is..... Fashion Merchandising!! HA! Thank the Lord I won't be wasting my degree! I was the college student that knew, since forever, that I wanted to be involved in the "fashion world" somehow on some level and I didn't stray to another major once. I am still trying to figure out my niche in this industry but I have a good idea I'm getting very close. 

If when reading this you thought, this sounds a lot like; Martin Luther King, Eleanor Roosevelt, Desi Arnaz, Rachel McAdams, or Monica from Friends, you would be right! These, along with a few more, are my fellow ESFJs... I am now totally curious to see what my husband and girls are!! 

To get to know ESFJs better or if you are a fellow ESFJ check out the links below: 

http://www.personalitypage.com/ESFJ.html

http://typelogic.com/esfj.html

http://www.humanmetrics.com/hr/you/careerchoices.aspx?EI=44&SN=25&TF=-88&JP=11

<3 Gabrielle