the mile high city

(forgive the amount of pictures in this post. I am on a "document every second on my life" kick.)

Oh, Denver. How I love thee. 

With your gorgeous views, NO humidity in August (my hair thanks you), and your expansive coffee and food selection

-- how could I not love you?

Months ago when we found out Brian's cousin would be getting married in Boulder in August, I decided that I would head out to CO early and spend some time with awesome friends that live in Denver. I have a whole group of college friends that moved out to Denver to plant a church in the heart of the city. It was so awesome to get to see their every day life, watch them live intentionally, and hear about how God is moving through their new city 

that they now call home. 

These friends are the real deal. Doing ministry in their every day lives, living out the life that God has called them to. None of them are on staff with the church-- just moved out here to work real world jobs. To meet people and bring them around the body of Christ and advance the kingdom of God. Nothing fancy or flashy, just working hard to make their life rhythm one of intentionality and influence. It's an honor to know people like them. During my time in Denver, I felt challenged and inspired and spurred on to live out what I feel like

 God is calling me to in my every day life. 

I love Starbees as much as the next person, but it was so fun to visit any and every local and unique 

coffee shop I found in Denver. Each one with different character and a totally different vibe. 

Oh, the food. I. Ate. So. Much. Honestly, I think I ate every meal and drank every cup of coffee with a different friend. It was so fun, and delicious. I didn't have a single bite of bad food. 

This would be the day that my sweet friend, Teresa, and I set out to hike for a little bit. However, the sky looked pretty threatening and dark-- so we settled for margarita's instead. 

Coffee date with my newly married friend Natalie. So fun to talk about and encourage each other in our marriages. I felt challenged to love Brian better through our time together, Nat. I love you!

 I got to have lunch with my LONG time childhood friend, Kristen! It was a spur of the moment decision to meet up and I'm so glad we did. Always fun to reminisce with friends that knew me before I was mature.. wait, I'm still not that mature. // Found my fave restaurant in Denver, for obvious reasons. Okinawa!

Teresa and our UNC friend, Lyndsey, took me to my first Colorado Rockies game. Honestly, the game was pretty boring, but I got a hot dog,  awesome sunset, and lots of good laughs with these girls out of it, so it was worth it! 

Took a good, long walk around Sloan's Lake with Stephanie on my last day in Denver. It was a perfect day, with an awesome view of the Rockies, and even better conversation with this gorgeous girl. 

Lunch date with Stew-- always a good time with this girl. Obviously, we love each other. More now than we did that summer that we lived together and fought a lot. But look at us now! Stew, you are a treasure. One of the most generous and loving people I know. I'm so thankful to know you!

And laaaaastly, Sydney. Sydney actually lives in NC, but in true Syd fashion called us all and was like, "hey, i'm in Denver, wanna get lunch?" Love you Syd, so glad you were randomly driving through CO.

//

Well, congrats on making it to the end of this epically long post. Long story short-- I am now begging my husband to move to Colorado when we get back from Japan. It's such a great place, with even better people. 

Denver friends-- thank you for making time for me, taking me to lunch, taking me to dinner, taking me to coffee, showing me your favorite places, letting me sleep in your bed and on your couches, driving me all around your great state, etc. etc. I love you all! 

the little things: hotel living

So I guess I'm finding that hotel living is not real conducive to blogging because welllll, it's been two weeks since I posted. My B. I don't know if it's that my hotel lifestyle is not interesting enough to write about or if it's that we have cable for the first time and House Hunters plays ALL day, EVERY day.

Anyways, my life still feels in transition mode and I'm starting to get a little stir crazy living in 300 square feet. It's always helpful and refreshing and really healthy for me to look back over my week and see the little blessings that keep me sane. I can be real quick to throw myself a pity party about how chaotic and misplaced everything in my life feels right now, but in reality, the Lord has provided for us so much and in so many ways throughout this season. I think we will look back on this time fondly, when we got to live so simply and spend such quality time together.

1. Seeing Brian in the middle of the day? YES.

2. Ice cream cones right down the street for $1.50. It's almost a nightly thing for us now.

3. We have dinner in bed every night. Why? Because our kitchen table is a bed tray. 

4. My favorite afternoon snack. Quinoa, coconut milk, fruit, walnuts, honey. Delish. 

5. Again, he came home for lunch, but this time he brought Chick Fil A with him. Double YES. 

 1. I got to spend 1 on 1 time with my mama last week at the beach. Just me and her. What a sweet time that I will cherish forever. She is truly one of a kind.

2. A walk by the inlet with my love. I could get used to living on the water with sights like this. 

3. I got blessed with a free membership to Curves. And yes, I am the youngest person by 25 years there. I love all the sweet old ladies. It's awesome.

4. Date night at the beach with my mama. Enjoying me a nice glass o' wine. 

I truly have so much to be thankful for. What a sweet little life we get to live. God is good to us.

if you care to follow along, instagram: mckenzieharding

Linking up with Lindsay!

weddings, moving, vacay, and life.

Ya know, I didn't promise much from this blog until I get to Japan-- so no guilt trips for not writing for almost a month. 

What have we been doing? Where are we living? Who even really knows.

Here is the last month in a nutshell.

I traveled to Mississippi for the wedding of a DEAR childhood friend, Bethany. The wedding was so sweet and simple and just lovely. Yall, Mississippi is another world. No joke. I was referred to as the girl from up north (north carolina, really?) and I found myself trying to talk with a country accent. 

Mississippi eatin', ya I could get used to that.

Pretty, pretty bride!

While I was in the dirty, dirty south Brian was busy packing up our life in Virginia to ship half of it to Japan, and bring the other half to Jacksonville with us. 

We will always remember our first home together. It was nothing special to look at-- but it was ours and we got to make a life together there and bring people into our home and it was real sweet.

Then somewhere in the middle of all the craziness, we got to spend a WONDERFUL week at the beach with Brian's family (missed you Kirk!). It was easy and comfortable and oh so refreshing to be with family. Vacation is key. 

Ivie.

 Max. 

After the beach, we literally threw our stuff into a hotel room and I hit the road to Charlotte to spend a few nights with some of my favorite kids. 

Then, I spent the fourth of July celebrating one of my high school, college, and Ghana besties, Carly. She married her best friend this past weekend and it was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. It was such a fun weekend of reunion and celebration and so much love. 

Happy 4th!

 The GORGEOUS bride at the rehearsal.

 Yay for high school friend reunions! 

Did I mention the wedding was fun? SO fun.

Now, I'm here. In Jacksonville. Back with my husband and feeling somewhat normal after traveling all over the place. We are living in a hotel for the next 10 weeks and I might go stir crazy. But I'm trying hard to enjoy down time and make the most of it and really be where the Lord has me. 

 Hanging out in the bedroom, while the guys study in the living room. It's all the same.

Aaaaaand, we are caught up!

the little things.

It's a little hectic around here. Living out of suitcases, packing our lives away. Moving across the globe will make you want to simplify your life REAL quick, I promise. 

In spite of all of this... 

.

..there have definitely been some sweet little blessings from the Lord that have gotten me through this week.

1. Getting to look at this face everyday. This no working, in between duty stations thing is pretty sweet. I could live like this for a while. 

(so stoic, so suave)

2. This book. It's rocking my world. And making me want to love the man pictured above better.

(are you married? do you desire to be a good wife? Good. Read this.)

3. Just going through all of our possessions and earthly goods reminds me of how TRULY blessed we are. We are in want for nothing. And that right there shuts up my complaining spirit real fast. 

4. CRAIGSLIST. You never disappoint. Sold some stuff this week to cleanse our load, and then bought ourselves a new (to us) couch! Perfect condition, cozy as could be, neutral, etc etc. See you in 5 months on the other side of the world little couch..

5. We spent most of the day inside packing yesterday and got a little bit stir crazy. We decided to get out for a bit and BAM. This sky was awaiting us.

(is it a blogging faux pas to combine real cam pics with instagram pics? oh well, it's happening)

See there? I've got nothing to complain about. This life we live is GOOD. 

Linking up with Lindsay for the first time today! 

showing up.

Feels like we've been driving nonstop for the past month. Ever since Brian finished up at TBS we have just been going, going, going. I love it. I really do. It's physically exhausting, yes, but emotionally, SO refreshing. 

Since finding out about our move to Japan, Brian and I have been trying hard to take in every opportunity to get around the people that we love one last time. We are strong believers in the idea of showing up. Making that extra effort to be at events that are important to people that are important to us. Actions speak louder than words and we are trying hard to live that out over our last few months here in the states.
Yes, it takes work and planning and time; but we never, ever regret investing in relationships. 

And there really is nothing like being with family and people that you love. 

We spent the past week in Raleigh and in Charlotte, just spending time with family and our Charlotte friends. It was so wonderful and rejuvenating. Many, many memories made. 

And now, picture overload. Here we go. 

First up, we got to celebrate the soon to be newlyweds, Erica and Tyler! So excited for this marriage and what these two are going to do for the Kingdom of God.

(poor quality pictures, but high quality people..)

Then, my cousin got married, and it was beautiful and lovely.

Glass Cheerwine bottles? YES! 

Our sweet niece, Ivie Lu, had her first ever dance recital. Obviously, she is the cutie pliéing on the left. 

I got some good QT in with Ivie's baby brother Max, aka my new favorite person. 

Those CHEEKS. Seriously?

He was begging me to let him wear this shirt, I swear.

Hammocking. 

This is where I spent lots of my days. My parents back porch is glorious. 

I could read out there all. day. long. 

And sometimes, I do.

My family was all together! This may not happen for a long, long time and we enjoyed every sweet minute of it. Except for the minute in which this picture was taken. I was complaining because my arms felt awkward and I kept making everyone take more pictures. 

My awesome, handsome cousin Myles graduated high school! We are so proud of you, Myles!

And of course, an insta collage.

Bear with me for the next... 4 months. We are going to be all over the place. Living in a hotel for 2 1/2 months. Back in Charlotte for a month. And then onto Japan. I'm not making any promises about this blog, except that I WILL be more consistent once we settle down in Japan. So really, stick with me.

And pray for us, as this is the current state of our lives.. 

the getaway.

In honor of our first year of marriage and due to a lot of generosity from some special people in our lives, we got to take a quick beach trip over our anniversary to celebrate. 

It was so sweet to get away, lay on a beach, eat good food, and be with my man. 

We spent a lot of time reflecting on how undeniably blessed we have been throughout this past year. 

Just a few things from our long, long list that we made..

A free to us wedding. That was perfect. And such a celebration.

A free place to stay for the first 6 months of being married. 

Getting to spend the first 6 months of marriage around our families, whom we adore. 

Perfect jobs that were provided for us during our time in Charlotte.

The overwhelming generosity we have experienced from so many people that love us well. 

Immediate genuine community upon moving up to Virginia.

A job that Brian truly feels called to. A place where we can use our marriage for ministry. 

This time was such a breath of fresh air, and such a reminder of the promise that our Lord truly desires good for those who serve Him and are called according to His purposes. Have we been perfect this year in serving Him? No. Has He been perfect in fulfilling His promises? Yes.
That is the God we serve, people. Grace. Mercy. Abounding love. Never ending. Amen. 

Never ending coffee and the most delish breakfast at the quaint little Bed & Breakfast we stayed at. 

Homemade pasta salad and halfsies on a $5 footlong. Just keeping it real and in the budget.

Solo shots. That's how we do when we are on our anniversary trip and don't feel like talking to people.

We were so thankful for this time together, even though it was a quick trip. I never, ever regret taking time to get out of the everyday routine and get intentional with my better half.  It makes me better, it makes him better, it makes our marriage better.