{From the desk of: Jenna Marie}
Shannon & I thought it would be fun to open up on the blog, by getting personal and inviting you into all the chaos & bliss that makes up our lives. It's so amazing how you can have two individuals who are so close and so alike, yet be in two total different stages in their lives. Mine is complete night & day to hers. But I think that's how we help each other grow. We can be that "outside" person who can try to give advice when it's needed and we can be each other's best friend always.
#Dailfamilyonamove.
The Dail Family consists of a tall dark-hair handsome husband who knows the in's and out's of EVERY sport, a "I try to plan out my life yet God laughs at me & gives me something BIGGER & BETTER" mother, a very active, yet fun loving FULL HEARTED three {almost 4} year old boy, & the happiest, bright eyed baby girl.
We've got it all. Yet we've got nothing at all. I like it that way.
You know the saying, "We may not have it all together, but together we have it all." Yep, that's my motto right now. I'm fully embracing it.
2013 was a whirlwind for us. For me. It consisted of tons of planning, surprises, busy schedules, joys, let downs, endings, beginnings, and a single room filled with four bodies.
As I entered 2014, I focused on the word "Less," and each day I try to remind myself to cling tight to it. After the year we had last year, I {NEED} less in 2014.
In all my years I've found myself focusing on more. More activities to sign myself up for, more square footage in the home that I was living in, more friends, more time, etc. I always failed to focus on being satisfied with what I had at that very moment. I remember a time in college when more just took control of my life, and I began to beg for less. I had an amazing town home with my best friends, my car, & all the freedom I could ever dream of. But I craved less. I remember laying in my bed dreaming of the dorm room I once had. I dreamt of that tiny room all to myself. Visions of walking to class full of "me time" consumed my thoughts. More had gotten the best of me & I wanted out.
Starting 2014, nearly 5 years later, I found myself in that same very dream. Although, add in a handsome husband, a career I love, & two gorgeous babes!
Our family has always been on a move. We are on a move daily. Our family began in 2009, when Nick & I secretly got married in WA state, where he was serving in The Army.
We moved from WA back to Florida, and we moved a few times within Florida until we found a house to rent in October of 2012. This house was beyond perfect for us. Granted it was not "ours," but I should have treated it that way. Once again I got caught up on "more," and I focused on the next place. I focused on the extra room that we did not have, failing to actually see the greatness in the room that we did.
The Leak.
If you are close to me, you know that God speaks to me through leaks. HA, I laugh even while typing this. Last summer, our roof sprang a leak. I was 8 months pregnant. Now, this was a minor leak, and I definitely smiled once I realized it chose to miss my beautiful white couch. {Thank you Lord for that one. Much appreciated.}
They fixed the leak & went on with their day. Reason #1 why I love rentals. Free repairs.
Only a few days or so later I received a call at work. My husband was not a happy camper while telling me that the leak had now moved to the other skylight. Oh joy.
That's when it hit me. God was trying to tell us something. "Wake up Jenna. I'm speaking to you. Take a look at your situation. Take a look at the season you are about to enter."
>>Husband, wife, toddler going on three, & a sweet baby girl due in July. Husband is quitting his job come September, (mind you this was June) to join the Police Academy = no income. Wife is days away from leaving her job to have a baby and then put all her time and expenses into starting a business with her sister, & then two young children to add in the mix.<<
No income = no home.
Whoa. {More} had definitely gotten the best of me. We had planned this for months on end but never sat down and actually calculated what was about to happen.
And yes, it took some rainy days & a few old nails in a skylight to make me realize this.
"Luckily," or however you want to describe it, {I for one like "faithfully"} our landlord offered us out of our lease for free, and on our own time. We prayed & prayed. Going back & forth, holding fast to our "more," while picturing our "less."
In the moment it was hard to see the good in less. Less took away my new baby's nursery. Less took away every little thing we'd worked so hard for.
Less... less brought us together & allowed us to follow our dreams.
#dailfamilyonamove into a single bedroom.
Here are some great ways to look at less as being more that I learned from living in that single bedroom.
Less worry, MORE celebrating.
Less clutter, MORE freedom.
Less "things" to check off "the list," MORE accomplishment.
As I leave you with this tiny excerpt of our mini series of my life, I'd like to give a little encouragement to anyone who may need it. Always remember there are many seasons in our lives. They will change from good to bad or from comfortable to stepping out on the ledge. Don't be afraid to take the jump. Your time for "more" will come and until then just focus on enjoying the less in your life because chances are that's all you need & all that matters in this season. Give more, smile more, celebrate more, & find pure joy in the less.
