We are excited to celebrate our fourth blogiversary of the Unexpected Ever Afters! As a way to mark this blog milestone, we decided to venture outside of our comfort zone and record our first video post!
The Little Things: Fall Edition
I have found some peace when I am intentional about changing my mindset to focus on gratitude. As Thanksgiving nears and I continue with this busy fall season, a shift to gratitude seems especially important. I will share some of the things on my current list and encourage you to consider your own list. What is saving your life right now?
Pursuing the Opportunity of Time
I’ve been thinking a lot about time the past few months, especially how I spend my time and if I’m making the most of the time given in each day. Life cycles through seasons of excessive time and never enough time. It seems strange to acknowledge, but too much time, where I wonder how in …
Writer’s Block
It’s interesting how challenging it is to start writing again after a blogging break. For me, the experience feels similar to starting an old car on a winter day: My writing gears appear stuck, my words are frozen, I type and delete in a sputtering way, just hoping my writing engine will soon turn over. …
Life’s in the Details
Some details are fleeting. Life’s in the details. Details overflow each day and, oftentimes, it’s the unexpected ones that can grow to enormous importance if given a chance to be noticed. At times I get caught up in seemingly inconsequential details, like a perpetual awareness for when the entryway rug needs to be vacuumed; however, …
Fall Break
The Unexpected Ever Afters will be taking a fall break and look forward to returning in October. Happy Fall! ~Jessica & Wendi
Throwback: a collection of Jessica’s posts
As I re-read previous posts that Jessica has shared on The Unexpected Ever Afters, I was struck by the wide variety of topics and full range of emotions that she has written about. Her ability to articulate experiences and perspectives with clarity, authenticity, and insight has provided tremendous help and comfort in my own journey. …
Throwback: Candid Moments of Inspiration
This post is such a beautiful reminder that sometimes the best lessons in life are found right in front of us. I loved re-reading about joy, kindness, laughter, and praise through the eyes of a child.
Be in the Now: Another Piece of the Puzzle
As I thought about this, I wondered what was pulling me away from enjoying the moment. I realized it often wasn’t the “What’s next?” question, as I had expected and wrote about in my last post. Although, my emotions were still focused on the ingrained future-thinking, there was a key difference: “What’s NOT next?” What is part of this moment that won’t be the same in the future?
The Self-Care of Sleep
The other night, in the midst of fighting off a miserable head cold, the second bug to hit in less than ten days, I willingly went to bed at 8:30. This is not a normal routine but I was so tired I could hardly move. I fell asleep unusually fast and awoke the next morning …
the unexpected ever afters 