Truth // A Trust Without Borders

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders. 
Let me walk upon the waters wherever you would call me.
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander,
And my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior.

My husband shared this song with me recently, and I have been listening to it repeatedly since then. The lyrics resonate with the place I find myself these days. A place where I feel the waters rising, new challenges to face, difficulties ahead, but I feel a sense of rest and peace knowing that I'm not alone when I call upon the name of the Lord. I am so grateful for His renewing grace that I require constantly these days as the anxiety of childbirth, having a newborn and motherhood in general creep into my mind.

My constant prayer these days is for a trust that knows no borders...

Weekend Happiness

This past weekend husband and I took a lover's jaunt over to Athens to see one of our favorite artists - Alison Krauss and Union Station. Their songs remind me of early morning drives to North Georgia -- warming the truck in a pitch black morning, frost on the windshield and steaming coffee in hand, bleary-eyes from just a few hours sleep but so excited about the adventure ahead. They remind me of when we first realized our love for each other, the moment we decided that this was a forever thing, and they way love can be so simple sometimes, and so complicated at other times.

The show was incredible, simply put. There was no opening act, no frills. Just the band, the stage, and the packed theatre. The sound was crisp and pure, and amazingly, their voices sounded exactly like their albums. Had I not been able to see the stage so clearly, I could have been fooled into thinking we were listening to a CD. After the show we wandered around downtown Athens, reminiscing of our days in school there, my recent graduation, and our first 'official' date that occurred on a very similar night, so many years ago. We stopped at our favorite low-key hangout to watch the rest of the opening ceremonies, then made our way over to the inn where we stayed on our wedding night.

 Saturday morning we had breakfast at one of our favorite places {our other favorite didn't open til 10... apparently we're early birds} and made a quick Trader Joe's run before coming home to pick up our sweet pup. Honestly, I think we both missed him a little. It was good to be back home, even after just one night away.

What did you do this weekend that made you happy?

xoxo

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Restless

{Because sometimes a song perfectly embodies the ache of the human heart}

I am the sea on a moonless night, calling, falling, slipping tides
I am the leaky, dripping pipes, the endless aching drops of light
I am the raindrop falling down,
Always longing for the deeper ground
I am the broken, breaking seas, even my blood finds ways to bleed

Even the rivers ways to run , even the rain to reach the sun
Even my thirsty streams, even in my dreams

I am restless, I am restless
I am restless, looking for you
I am restless, I run like the ocean to find your shore
I’m looking for you

I am the one that you left behind,  I am the thorn stuck in your side
I am the bored and clouded eyes looking for the well that won’t run dry

Running hard for the other side , the world that I’ve always been denied
Running hard for the infinite with the tears of the saints and hypocrites 

Oh blood of black and white and gray
Death and life and night and day
One by one by one, we let our rivers run

I am restless, I am restless
I am restless, looking for you
I am restless, I run like the ocean to find your shore
I’m looking for you
........
I’ll be waiting, anticipating
All that I aim for, what I was made for
With every heartbeat all of my blood bleeds
Running inside me, looking for you
Looking for you

~ Restless, Switchfoot

 {image}

oh how i love glee

i have been meaning to post about fox's new show, glee, for quite a while.
perhaps it is because of the ridiculously fun musical segments, or because of jane lynch's dry humor, or because of the adorable preppiness of jayma mays, or because in high school i was part of what would have been considered a glee club,
{we had song/dance routines that we preformed at all the schools within the county and for the public}
but i simply love glee.

i think that jayma mays' character is just the sweetest with her bizarre quirks and cardigans, but i really do love her style.

{image credit}

{image credit}

i love how jayma mays' character, emma, is so blatantly preppy and conservative, yet still manages to look quite fashionable through accessorizing and vibrant color combinations. i think this look is perfect for professional/workplace attire... conservative yet not dull.


what do you think? do you love glee {and emma} as much as i do?
xoxo


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driving tunes

my daily commute totals a bit over two hours each day

along lovely country roads,with no traffic

and plenty of adorable farm animals to look at.

{last week i had to stop and let a group of roosters cross the road. no joke.}

considering that it is usually dark outside when i begin my commute,

i often need some really great music to pick me up.

i like things a bit more upbeat in the morning,

{to prevent me from falling asleep}

and i often use the drive home to unwind a bit.

here's my list of recent favorites....

in the morning:

flyleaf

kate herzig

manchester orchestra

devotchka

in the afternoon:

rilo kiley

william fitzsimmons

a fine frenzy

amos lee

what are your favorite driving tunes?

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happiness {is}

one of my favorite songs by one of my favorite musicians,

drew holcomb and his lovely wife, ellie:

hung the moon uh huh

image credit

i love the song,

i love drew and ellie,

i love how much they are in love,

and i love her voice.

husband and i first saw drew and ellie holcomb a couple years ago

at one of my favorite venues, eddie's attic, in decatur.

i am so sad that i missed their recent show

and definitely plan on seeing them in december.

{i think we'd be friends if we met in person}

they are too precious and so very talented.

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weekend {highlights}

a peek at some of my favorite weekend moments:

finding this book of stories at an antique store
i still have a copy from my childhood,
filled with memories of my mother reading fairy tales and nursery rhymes.
i look forward to sharing it with a dear friend and her daughter.


a trail run with husband in preparation for this race
one+ hour, four puddles, and countless spider webs later,
we emerged from the trails muddy and tired,
but smiling.


a visit to piedmont park to see joe purdy,
a concert series i plan to frequent next summer.
joe {yes. we're on a first name basis now. and no i didn't take him a cupcake.}

was phenomenal,
and the ambiance at park tavern was quite lovely.
white lanterns adorned the tents,
and a cool breeze from the cloudy, rainy day
made the last of the summer heat quite comfortable.



here's looking forward to another weekend
full of wonderful moments.
i wish you all a lovely weekend ahead.

xoxo

for you locals wanting more information
on unplugged in the park, visit the event website

copyright Hiking in Stilettos

happiness {is}

this song {by Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson}



Winter Song - Sara Bareilles

I must have been hiding under a rock...

I stumbled upon indie artist Priscilla Ahn this past week at the Amos Lee show (which was beyond incredible) and immediately bought her album which is on repeat in my car. Based out of Los Angeles, Ahn has a distinctively angelic voice and a folk/modern sound that is uniquely her own. Not to mention that she is adorable. She reminds me of my friends the AsianCajuns in that she is petite, stylish, and has a really great personality. She was telling stories and jokes during her set, and I felt like she really enjoyed being there. Her set also included playing a harmonica, ukulele, and kazoo in addition to her guitar. That's right, a kazoo. And it was awesome! She is talented, funny, and charming, and you should definitely check out her new album. Click here for more info.

image courtesy of Priscilla Ahn

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Indie Artist: Matthew Mayfield

image credit: Matthew Mayfield

If you are a fan of low-key, acoustic indie artists, you will definitely want to check out Matthew Mayfield. I have been listening to his album "The Fire EP" for the last week. With the cold, rainy weather, it is perfect background music for a long drive or a night at home. Among my favorite songs are "As Long as You're not Leaving," "Element," and "By Your Side." His sound is upbeat, but relaxing, and I love his voice. You can look him up on Myspace, iTunes, or NoiseTrade. Enjoy!

Melting Point + Gabriel Kelley and The Reins

Melting Point is a restaurant/music venue here in Athens that I drive past daily on my way home. I am always enticed by the oversized Christmas lights on the brick patio, and I can just imagine sitting at one of the outside tables in the fall with a seasonal ale in my hand... 

Happily, one of my favorite bands, Gabriel Kelley and The Reins, played a CD release show at Melting Point the weekend before last, so K and I finally had an excuse to see what the hubbub was all about.We were definitely impressed. The burgers and sweet potato fries were yummy, as were the drinks. 

Not to mention that Gabriel Kelley puts on a great show. Based out of Nashville, the band has a great folk rock sound that feels like driving with the windows down in the fall. Gabriel's voice is incredible, and the laid back feel of the music and the band members makes you feel right at home... like the scene in Almost Famous where all the musicians are sitting around singing and playing acoustic guitar. (Ok, so I'm a bit of a hippie. You can't tell me that you don't know that feeling.) K bought the EP, and I have been listening to it on repeat for the last week. It is real, honest music played by some really talented guys. Check out their MySpace page or travel blog to keep up with them! 

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The Reeds

Please note, whenever I find an artist or band that really catches my attention (and keeps my attention) I like to support them, so forgive me if I get carried away... 

image copyright The Reeds band

I discovered the fantastic, bluesy duo, The Reeds, about two years ago, and I have loved their music ever since. The first time I heard them live was at Hot Corner Coffee in Athens (for you Atlanta/Decatur natives, think Java Monkey-esque). These Athens-based gentlemen have captured my heart with their genuine acoustic soul guitar lines, violin harmonies, and incredible lyrics that produce a sound that is all their own. I was introduced to The Reeds with their album "Something for Sarah" which drew me in completely with songs like Heavy and #143. Their new album "Bleed Lust" has proven to continue the trend of amazing artistry. The intertwining of the blues guitar and the violin is absolutely beautiful, and the lyrics capture emotions so completely human, that one can't help but relate. Although I love every song on the album, Cold Georgia Night, Whiskey Eyes, and When We Touch have been on constant iPod replay lately. Still, no matter how many times I have heard the songs, old or new, I never get tired of them, and that says a lot to me. 

Another really cool thing about The Reeds is that they have their songs on their website available for free download. Some unsigned/independent artists do this because they need people to listen to their songs or in an effort to attract fans; I believe that The Reeds do it because its really about the music for them. That's why I decided to purchase "Bleed Lust" on iTunes and support them financially. I look forward to seeing these gentleman play sometime soon, and I will keep you posted for the date of their next show.

image copyright The Reeds band

We are in this for the music, and in that spirit you can download our songs here for free.  All we ask is that you support us by coming to shows. If you would like to support us financially, our music is available on cdbaby.com and iTunes. 

*excerpt from The Reeds official website