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The only tiny bit that matters

There’s something about summertime that brings out an extra dose of wild sibling shenanigans around our house. It’s the combination of all the extra quality time together, the lack of a structured schedule, and a diet that consists of “whatever we can find around here”. It’s midday nerf wars and late night movies. I remember the days like the ones in this picture when they were smaller and they thought it would be fun to try to learn to braid mom’s hair. I tried to sit back and enjoy it, even though I think I lost half my head of hair. These days, it’s trying to teach mom to shoot her nerf gun correctly and how, at a minimum, to stand up and run away while trying to learn to play Fortnite.

Summertime around our house has been completely different this year.

I used to keep their summer schedules completely full. They’d …

This is Shakari, she was a fangirl for a minute. We met last week while I conducting our first “official” site visit at the new Cut! by Cinemark movie theater, where we’re hosting the Chick Flick GNO. We were there measuring all the spaces, talking to all the people, and of course, taking all the pictures. As soon as we finished a quick video, we noticed Shakari taking our picture like she thought I was someone famous. Instantly seeing what was going on, Vanessa offered to take a photo of us together.

I ran back behind the bar, hugged her, and we had a good laugh before Vanessa snapped this photo.

Shakari is awesome, and I hope she ends up working our event with us. She instigated a good moment for me because we’ve been having a lot of internal conversations of late, about me stepping out to be more “the face” …

by Crystal Gornto Girl's Night Out Inspirational Women Love In Action Loving Others Loving Yourself Roadblocks in Life The Journey Through Life 2 comments chat

“One day you will wake up and you will be so glad you did not settle. You will be so glad you did not give up. You will be so glad you did not sync yourself to someone else’s pace and you chose instead, to anchor yourself in a steady rhythm of grace.” ~ Morgan Harper Nichols

The images came in last night from Jenny Martell of JMar Portraits, our HeartStories GNO 3rd Birthday Party and I don’t think I’ve stopped smiling for one moment since. The album is brimming with photos of women laughing, smiling, hugging, connecting and enjoying life together. It portrays EXACTLY what I’ve spent 6+ years dreaming of, and 3 years building, through this girls night out. It’s happening.

Every single month, we get the privilege of reconnecting busy women to inspire the joy they crave and the courage to pursue their purpose.

At the end of the night …

by Crystal Gornto Community Female Social Entrepreneurs Girl's Night Out Inspirational Women Love in Friendship Our Story Purpose The Journey Through Life Leave a comment chat

Until I broke the silence yesterday, I was in the longest “blogless” stretch since I started blogging consistently in 2015. That January, I joined a 7-day, daily blogging challenge with Seth Godin’s team and I liked it so much, that sort of like Forest Gump, I simply decided to keep going. Since then, I’ve written more than 1000 posts. It hasn’t been easy, of course. It’s been a huge commitment, one that I’ve held myself to pretty intensely. I would blog 5 days a week, no matter what. until this year when I decided to intentionally choose to allow rest into my life as needed.

The last 10 days of silence were glaring evidence of that effort to allow myself to rest.

After our last GNO, we left early Friday morning to head out of town for my niece’s beautiful wedding in Florida. As preparing for travel often is, by the time …

by Crystal Gornto Girl's Night Out Inspiration Love In Action Loving Yourself Motherhood Priorities Roadblocks in Life The Journey Through Life Leave a comment chat

When I was a little girl, this beautiful woman took care of me so well and so often that it’s hard to believe she even speaks to me at all. Seriously. She is the oldest of 4 girls in our family, which made her the built-in babysitter. We all already know that I was more than a handful growing up, so she put in many of her hours towards sainthood in those years.

And as well as I remember it, she did it all with a knowing, loving smile, just like this one.

Well, maybe except that one time, when Mom and Dad told her as they were leaving to make me eat my entire bowl of cantaloupe. She did what they asked because she was always good like that, but it didn’t work out very well for either one of us. Let’s just say I haven’t eaten a bite of cantaloupe …

by Crystal Gornto Community Girl's Night Out Inspirational Women Love in Family Love in Friendship The Journey Through Life Leave a comment chat

Today is a special day for this Princess Smiling Sun! (Or maybe it was Princess Laughs A Lot) I’m not exactly sure, but whichever it was, it was a great representation of who she is. My sister Heather brings a bright light of joy wherever she goes. It doesn’t matter if we’re scrubbing toilets, loading a U-haul or throwing a bridal shower, Heather shows up and brings her laughter and optimism along with her.

She’s always lived up to her name: Heather Joy.

Of course, when we were younger, she was my “little sister” and a was a bossy mean big sister. I hate it to this day. I literally feel so much shame about all the missed opportunities I had to love on her and lead her as a big sister should. How I wish I could go back and be kind to her as a kid. But instead, as much …

by Crystal Gornto Inspirational Women Love In Action Love in Family Love in Friendship Loving Others Roadblocks in Life The Journey Through Life Leave a comment chat

The only tiny bit that matters

Just me, just you

A steady rhythm of grace

Time away

Her love is sweet

Show up with Joy