DON'T FORGET

Just a friendly little reminder that my new site and shop launch tomorrow!! New Found Love will not disappear immediately but all posting will be moved to www.morganalexandra.com, which will go live on Friday May 2, 2014... YAY! Below is a sneak peek at some of the beautiful prizes you could win in the giveaway featuring some of my favorite designers!! Including Rifle Paper Co., Emily Ley, Lara Casey and so many more!

Emily | NCSU Senior Portraits

I can't say enough about this girl. Emily has appeared on my blog numerous times as she is one of my roommates and best friends. She is the sweetest, smartest, weirdest, prettiest, funniest, happiest person I know and I am so lucky to have been able to call her my best friend since my sophomore year at NC State. We have been on so many adventures together from random beach trips to the best NYC trip everrrr. She is graduating from NCSU with a degree in environmental engineering (see told y'all she was smart!) and has the biggest heart. I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for her life! When Emily asked me to take a few senior portraits for her I jumped at the opportunity. Em, so thankful for you and your heart for others...Love you!

These two are hysterical together! Emily and Jack have been dating since high school #loveyoulongtime

Official Brand Launch Date!

I am so excited to officially announce the launch date for my new brand, website and shop!! May 2 is the day when morganalexandra.com will go live. I have been working on this little business for quite some time now and I can't wait to share all my hard work with y'all! Launch day will include a HUGE giveaway (with multiple winners!) including products from Rifle Paper Co., Val Marie Paper and so many more... You don't want to miss it! 

Yesterday, I shared a sneak peek of my new branding, business cards and thank you notes on Instagram. Be sure to follow along on Instagram @morgannalexandra for more sneak peeks and updates!

Let's Be Real

Y'all, I have been struggling lately. I have been struggling with fear. Fear is something that seems to sneak up on me and make me question  e v e r y  s i n g l e  t h i n g  I do or want to do. I wish I could say that isn't true but I know fear is a part of most of our lives. It is an irrational emotion because we are SO LOVED by a God who is SO MUCH bigger than fear. But, I'm human and I still feel it. I still question decisions I make and I still want to know what I am supposed to do with my life!

Time to be real... The other night after getting my seventh "Sorry we did not pick you for this position," I just lost it. I lost it and was crying out to Him to give me peace that it's all going to be OK. I want to "laugh without fear of the future." I want to spend my last (36!) days of college enjoying my friends, my community and my university. But it's so easy for me to feel lost and confused about what I'm supposed to be our do when I grow up (in 36 days).  I have been questioning myself so much lately between finding a job, making products for my shop and starting a business. When I do this, I doubt my education and my creative instincts continually wondering if they are enough. But you know what friends? God is good and He knows the plans He has for me and it sometimes takes a good hard (ugly) cry to realize that I do not want talents like anyone else has... I want to use the ones I have to the best of my abilities to bring glory to Him! But with all that said, I am so thankful for the journey of life that has brought me here and I am excited for the next chapter whatever it may be!

Apparently There Is A Day for Manatees!

I found out today that it's Manatee Appreciation Day!! So in honor of the sweetest marine mammals ever... Happy Manatee day :) You can read more (and see more cute pictures) about my love of these gentle giants here!

A Week of Pictures

Two weeks ago was my LAST spring break! I never went on a wild spring break that the movies and TV shows depict because that just is not me. I spent all of my spring breaks at home with my family sleeping in and catching up. This year I had the best time exploring three cities! While I am a girl who loves to sit in the sand and listen to the waves roll while reading a good book... I also love strolling city blocks. 

My break started with a weekend in the city I have lived in for four years, Raleigh! My mom and little brother came up for a weekend of flea and farmers markets, exploring the city and goooddd food. They tried to take the train up (multiple times in a two day span) but due to North Carolina's crazy weather of freezing rain to 70s and sunny... they ended up driving!

After exploring Raleigh, we headed home and later in the week went up to Asheville! If you have never been to this North Carolina mountain city I recommend it. It is such an interesting fun city, you never really know what you will see around the next corner!

Our first stop was White Duck Taco Shop. Any Mexican food has my name  A L L  O V E R  I T! It's a great little lunch place on the river and they have very unique tacos. I chose the Jamaican Jerk and BBQ tacos... DELICIOUS!

We then headed to the beautiful Grove Park Inn to sit in rocking chairs in front of huge fireplaces and enjoy the beautiful views!

We headed to another grand building after leaving the Grove Park... Biltmore Estates. Every time I see this house (mansion) it takes my breath away. I also like to pretend I am a part of Downton Abbey strolling the grounds dressed to the nines! :)

The Biltmore is the largest privately owned house in the United States and was completed in 1895 by George Washington Vanderbilt.

For the third city visit on my spring break, we headed to Charlotte for the St. Patrick's Day Festival! Charlotte is such a neat city and I loved seeing so many people out and about enjoying the sunshine and Irish brews. And in classic Morgan style... I found the largest fluffiest dog in Uptown, meet Avalanche a 160lb Great Pyrenees!

Goodness I am SO ready for the warm weather to be back... Bring on Spring!

3-21 | Trisomy 21 | World Down Syndrome Awareness Day

Today is a very special day, it's a day that is near and dear to my heart... World Down Syndrome Awareness Day. I'll be the first to admit that growing up I was uncomfortable with special needs. I never knew exactly what to say or do, or how to act. I did not understand.

I began reading blogs when I started college in 2010. The first blog I read daily was Enjoying the Small Things by Kelle Hampton. I read this post and my heart was forever changed. Each and every time I read that post the tears just keep flowin'. Kelle writes about the birth of her daughter Nella, who she didn't know had Down syndrome until the moment she saw her. It's her story of coming to terms with what that means and learning how to love fully through watching her older daughter love her baby sister without judgement... You should read it.

And God knew... God knew my heart for Down syndrome had changed and He placed a little girl into my life, Mia.

For countless summers I was a swim coach. In summer of 2011, I was given the privilege of coaching a little 5-year-old with Down syndrome. Mia was my biggest challenge and greatest joy. She changed my heart with her determination, frustration and radiant smiles. I'll never forget her blatant NOs and she ecstatic joy when she accomplished a goal. I have been able to coach Mia for three summers but last summer definitely stands out.

The day she swam a whole lap in a swim meet in front of over a hundred people... I sobbed. I was standing there at the end of the lane with her parents cheering her on, keeping her looking and swimming forward and sobbing. When she climbed out at the end, I will never forget this moment, Mia looked up at me and asked, "Did I do good?" I just smiled and laughed through my tears and said, "You did amazing sweet girl and I am SO proud of you."

My sister works at a special needs preschool here in Raleigh and I love being able to go and volunteer in her class one day a week. The little girl above is Ella and she also has three copies of the 21st chromosome. I must say, she has captured my heart (and Taylor's) as well!

Working with children with special needs is truly a gift. I am so thankful that by finding a blog God changed my heart and taught me how to love regardless of differences.

A Friend for Life

There is not much that can make me cry barely a second into a video! If you have every loved a dog you know the bond that is there. The bond that is loyal, loving and unbreakable. I love how a dog loves you regardless of the day you have had and how they just seem to know what is on your heart. This is one of the sweetest dog commercials I have ever seen. Be sure to grab some tissues!

Chevrolet Commercial 2014 - "Maddie" from The Herd on Vimeo

A New Lane

I have been a summer swim league coach for seven years. Yes, you read that right. For seven years, I have taught two-year-olds to 18-year-olds how to swim and how to swim correctly. I have been around water my entire life so it only seemed natural to have a job in the summer involving a pool, the sun and getting tan.

But coaching has always been so much more than a job to me. Coaching swimming is teaching a life saving skill that often falls to the wayside. Teaching kids how to swim or how to safely get out of the water is something I have always taken very seriously and am honored to have taught so many kids this life lesson. I love to see the pride in kids faces when they learn something new or when they make a best time in an event. 

My entire family has been involved in the swimming world for at least a decade, probably longer. The Lake Norman Swim League has had a Jones coach on every team except one! My brother, sister and I were all breaststroke swimmers. This is funny because my parents never wanted us to compete against each other in the same sport... andddd then we all chose the same event. Every summer at the league championship meet there is a coaches relay. Since Taylor, Casey and I coached on different teams and all swam breaststroke, we naturally always got to race each other! :)

With coaching and teaching swim lessons all throughout the summer, I practically lived in a one piece. But  I can't imagine having spent my summers any other way. Memories like seeing one of my sweet little girls who has Downs Syndrome swim her first lap or seeing another conquer fear of letting go, are memories I will cherish forever.

The older girls on the team also have a special place in my heart. I have loved seeing them grow in their confidence and step up into the role of leaders for the younger kids. 

This summer will be the first summer in seven years that I will not be a summer swim league coach. Goodness, that was harder to say than I thought. Coaching has been such an amazing opportunity for me to learn so many life skills that I will now put towards a career. It is scary not having the "safety net" of coaching but I am trusting in the Lord because I know that His plans are better than any I could make up on my own. 

I am thankful to all the families I have met through coaching and will forever cherish the memories. And I love that many of the kids I have taught still call me Coach Morgan.