faith in the small things.

I totally forgot that I even took this photo. This was the view from my bedroom window on one of my last nights and my first apartment. 

I'm finally in a new place! That's why I've been MIA from blogging for a while--I was desperately searching for and then finally moving into my new condo. Can I share that story? Okay, cool. 

First, some background: the Nashville housing market is ridiculous. While I love that Nashville is currently an it city, that status has made the price of living here a bit ridiculous. I'm sure it's nothing like what you all on the east and west coasts deal with, but comparatively, it's getting expensive. (Of course, this could all be my own perception since I grew up in the Ozarks where you could get a really nice house and some land for what you'd pay for a shabby apartment in the bad part of town here.) I started looking for a new place a few months before my lease at my old place was up. It was rent controlled housing, and frankly, I couldn't live there anymore. While the apartment looked decent, there were a lot of issues with it. And while I was close to an okay part of town, I never felt totally safe there. (I stayed at my sister's house when my roommate was out of town because I was so paranoid and uncomfortable.) So, I had to move. I started looking for a place in May, and there was nothing. Nothing. Everything was too expensive, too sketchy, too far from work for my future and me. I started checking my resources obsessively and ended up having a massive panic attack one day in a Ruby Tuesday's parking lot. Not my finest moment. I left for Northern Ireland without a clue where I'd live when I got back. God dealt with my heart a lot while I was there. He had been telling me over and over: Don't worry! I've got this. I finally started to listen. I stopped worrying and stopped looking. I waited for Him to provide. And of course He did. Two weeks before my lease was up, we found the perfect place. The rent was totally reasonable, it was in a good part of town, and it was actually cute inside. We moved all our stuff in last week. Most everything is still in boxes and we have no internet, but it's perfect. 

I say all of this to make this point: why is it easier to trust God with the big things than the little? God has been faithful to me through some truly difficult and life-shattering situations. He's carried me through things I never thought I'd have to go through. And through all of that--despite my anger with Him--He provided, and I learned to trust. Yet, when something much less significant--like the lack of an apartment--happens, I freak out. I don't think He'll come through. I don't trust Him like I should. Perhaps it's because in those truly awful moments, we have no choice but to trust Him. And in the small things, we still think we can and should have control. Sometimes it's harder to trust God with the small things than the big. Sometimes, it takes just as much faith. But He always provides. Sometimes not in the way we'd expect or prefer, but He still provides. And it always ends up being something better than we can ask or imagine. 

Anyway, these are just some of the thoughts that have made tracks in my mind these past few weeks.

xo,

Katy

graduation and future things

 

 Can you guess what I did this weekend? Oh yeah! I graduated magna cum laude with my BA in English and Theological Studies! That's what! This was a day five long years in the making. And it was a great day, indeed. A few highlights of the day:

• I forgot to bring my camera. Hence the sad cell phone photos. 
• We had forty-something graduates this year. Which is a lot when you consider how small my alma mater is.
• I managed not to trip while walking across the stage.
• All of the ladies had to pin their collars into their gowns. Mine was very, very crooked.
• I broke my honor cord and my shoe right before we lined up for the processional. 
• I only cried like...twice.
• My dad gave the invocation, which I amazingly didn't cry at.
• Alberto Gonzales, the former US Attorney General, gave the commencement address. It was fantastic. This also brought the number of Attorneys General I have been in the same room with up to two.
• It doesn't matter what the weather is like leading up to graduation, or what it's like after--it's always insanely hot and humid. This year stayed true to form. Which was fun, considering I was wearing seventeen layers of black.

After the ceremony, my dad took my sister and I out to lunch at a seafood place on the river. My sister got me gluten free cupcakes from Vegan Vee, and they were the best cupcakes I've ever had--no lie. I'm not sure if Vegan Vee is that amazing or if I was just excited to be done with college and eating cake! 

Oh, here's a picture of my dad and mom being all cute after his graduation from our alma mater. 

So what's next? I've been asked that a lot lately. I already have a fantastic job that uses my degree, so I'm doing great in that regard. I am considering grad school, though if I do go, I probably won't enroll for a year or so. I'm looking at local colleges and online programs. I'm trying to decide between an MFA in Creative Writing, or an MA in English. There are pros and cons to each!

My more immediate plans include second shooting for and assisting a wedding photographer here in Nashville. That's going to keep me busy the next several weeks.

Oh, and I'm leaving for Northern Ireland in a month! I'm going on a music mission trip with my church. I'm so incredibly excited! Now, if only I can get all of my funds raised before our deadline in a week. I have faith that God will provide. He always does! :)

I'll be posting around here a lot more, now that life is finally starting to settle down some.

xo,

Katy

House tour --> bedroom

 

I know what you're thinking--"you moved into your apartment nine months ago! How are you just now getting around to doing a house tour?" And my answer for you is, "I know, I know--but I've been working full time, going to class, and trying to keep track of seventeen different hobbies! Give me a break!"

Actually, I have no excuse, except that decorating is hard. Because I'm a perfectionist, and I haven't really wanted to share the inside of my apartment until it was just right. Then, I realized that it's never going to be just right and I may as well share it in its natural state. Because I'm going to look back on this little, imperfect townhouse in five or ten years and feel overcome with nostalgia. That was my first apartment! I'll think. And I'll be proud of what I accomplished and how much I grew while living here.

This room has been like a sanctuary to me. It's so cheery and bright in the afternoons. It's huge, too. There's still plenty of room, even with my massive queen-sized bed. It's also comforting and homey, because every single piece in this room has a story. My giant bed was my great-grandfather's. It's been in my mom's family since the 1800s. It's squeaky and a little unstable, but I rest well at night knowing it's served my family for 100 + years. My mom bought my desk at an estate sale when I was probably eight or so. It's been painted over several times, and the paint is all starting to wear off. But I love it. She also bought me that vintage globe. My dad got me the Galileo thermometer when I was going through my weathergirl phase. He also bought be the blue step-stool so I could easily get in and out of my (very tall) bed. It's since been taken over by books, however. My grandpa gave me the VW model for Christmas, because I'm obsessed with VW vans. 

Oh, and you can't see it in these pictures, but there's a stellar view of downtown Nashville from my windows. That's probably the coolest thing about this whole place!

(And in case anyone was wondering--because I've been asked this several times on Instagram--my quilt is from Urban Outfitters.)

Thanks for letting me share this little slice of my house and my life! I'll be sharing my living room next.

xo,

Katy

 

snow day, snow day

Well, not really. What was supposed to be six inches of powdery, fluffy white snow fell as two inches of disgusting ice and sleet. And, unfortunately, the stellar views of downtown Nashville we have from our little townhouse come at a cost--we live at the very top of a very steep hill, and there's currently no getting up or down it. So, we're stuck. Thankfully, work and class were cancelled for me. I made Johanna walk around the neighborhood with me, because I was about to go stir-crazy. There's only so much crafting and Netflix watching one can do.

And now, I'm craving pizza, which I don't have and can't get. So, I guess it's pasta again for dinner. Do keep Nashville in your thoughts and prayers. We aren't used to this kind of weather, and many people are without power. We've been lucky here at my house so far!

xo,

Katy

Keri | College Senior

 

I can't tell you how awesome this girl is. She was my suitemate my first senior year of college, and she pretty much kept me sane through our British Romantic Lit class. I am so happy with how Keri's senior pictures turned out! It was the perfect day--surprisingly warm and sunny for February. We grabbed lunch at McAllister's (our fave!) then headed out to take pictures. Keri really wanted a spot with a barn, and we actually managed to find one. (Despite what country songs might tell you, there are, in fact, not many barns in Nashville.)

Love you, Ker, and I hope you love your photos!

xo,

Katy

Derreck + Emily | Engagement

 

In this week's installment of pictures-I-took-and-forgot-to-share we have Derreck and Emily! These are two of the kindest souls I know. We had so much fun taking these pictures, even though it was a weird snowy-but-sunny Nashville morning.We took a few pictures on campus, then walked around Hillsboro Village and went to the dragon park. All of this was, of course, followed by chili dogs from Cori's Dog House. Priorities, people! Anyway, I'm so excited for the journey these two are embarking on together!

xo,

Katy

Maddie | College Senior

 

So, it's funny. I blogged constantly when my little photog biz was pretty small and slow...but now that I've steadily had shoots over the past few months, I've just completely stopped blogging. So I'm going to try to get you all caught up on what I've been doing in the photography world. 

This was such a fun shoot! The weather was absolutely perfect! Maddie might be one of the most photogenic people I know.

Be looking for more posts over the next few days!

xo,

Katy