{a new day. a new routine.}

It's been said that doing something the same way, at least 7 times, will form a new habit.
There are 7 days in a week... I'm thinking that that is not a coincidence...
Yesterday, I spent the day washing, drying and folding the piles of laundry that can usually be found all over the house. As I folded/hung up each item I considered it carefully before keeping it or adding it to the big, black hefty bag that will make it's way to Goodwill when it's full. If you've read my recent post about embracing a more minimalist lifestyle, then you know that our first step towards that peaceful life is our wardrobe.
We both have jobs that provide us with "uniforms" (David gets full outfits of shirts, shorts and pants that he HAS to wear and I have 6 shirts that I CAN wear, if and when I want to...5 polos w/ company logos and a t-shirt).
I have decided that it is in my best (minimal) interest to put these shirts to good use and wear them daily. Not only will I be better representing my employer, but it will also save me from worrying about what to wear for at least 250 days of the year! Paired with shorts, jeans, capris or even skirts and I'm done.
As for the Mister...I will get back into my newlywed habit of laying his uniforms out for him each night. It's the least I can do. He gets up so early and works so hard all day. I honestly don't know why I ever stopped blessing him with that routine.
So here's how my daily routine has been for far too long:
Wake up at the last minute, wash hair as quickly as possible (without actually bathing myself), throw on some clothes (hoping that I look presentable), rush out the door without eating anything, drive 30 minutes to work (stopping for fruit for the lobby basket and a frozen breakfast bowl), get to work later than I would like, drink coffee, eat "breakfast" and do my job, all at the same time (while still feeling rushed and irritable). Go through my day, ready to be back at home where I can plant myself on the sofa and be as lazy as possible. Head home, usually cruising through a drive-thru for "dinner" and then spending the rest of the evening on the couch in front of the television, making a half-hearted attempt at conversation with my husband, while snapping at the dogs for being annoying (when really, they are just so happy to have us home). The weekends are spent cleaning up our laziness from the week before, or sleeping to avoid it all...usually stuck in the house, never getting out and enjoying ourselves and the world around us.

And here is the new plan:
Wake up the FIRST time that the alarm sounds, enjoy a simple breakfast with coffee or hot tea, have some quiet time with the Lord, dress simply and easily, drive straight to work (without rushing or stopping!), have extra time to get the morning reports done, spend the rest of the day doing what I do and mentally keep myself as relaxed as possible (which really isn't hard since I'm a very laid back, go with the flow type lady), stop at the store for any dinner ingredients we might need, and grab the lobby fruit- if I wasn't able to do so on my lunch break, get home, prepare and completely enjoy dinner, spend quality time together and with our sweet pups, clean up after ourselves, shower and prepare for tomorrow. Do things immediately and efficiently and with purpose. Make the most of the day we have been given, not relying on a second chance to get it right.

Morning #1 is in the books. Let's see how it blesses the rest of my day.

How can you rearrange your routine for maximum bliss?

{gratitude in december}

1. for unexpected gifts. everyone needs a pair of footie pajamas.
2. for nifty phone apps that save us money.
3. for the home depot and all it's treasures.
4. for Glee...it's cheesy and odd sometimes, but I love it.
5. for getting home safely when an ice storm hits.
6. for both of us being able to stay home (safe and warm) during Icemageddon 2013.
7. for a "how i met your mother" netflix marathon.
8. for cabin fever that turns me into a crazy-cleaning-lady. the house thanks you ;)
9. for getting safely too and from work.
10. for sunshine after 5 days of gloom.
11. for an abundance of pillows and blankets.
12. for good deals on goodies.
13. for Fridays.
14. for getting almost all the Christmas shopping done at 1 store. and for saving more $$ than was spent!
15. for ballet. and starbucks. and traditions.
16. for finding my missing keys.
17. for delicious new dishes. never knew brussels sprouts could be so damn good.
18. for laughter on the rough days.
19. for chinese take-away...makes dinner so easy.
20. for Christmas sweaters. Tacky or classy.
21. for my parents. and the love that time has brought to our relationship.
22. for small town diners. and treating my parents to brunch.
23. for romantic evenings by a crackling fire.
24. for family. and the birth of Jesus.
25. for beautiful, meaningful gifts.
26. for today. that is all.
27. for friday nights.
28. for HomeGoods. and Williams-Sonoma.
29. for peaceful morning filled with good music and the smells of breakfast.
30. for the excitement of a New Year.
31. for a quiet New Years Eve at home. just the 2 of us.

{gratitude in November}

day1. for my husband. there really aren't words for what he means to me.
day2. for the ability to do housework.
day3. for my Lord's unfailing grace.
day4. for clear(er) visions of my life's purpose.
day5. for soggy autumn weather. and cozy fires. and homemade soup.
day6. for used-book stores and the treasures they hold.

day7. for warm pjs and dogs that love snuggles.

day8. for a wedding song that is more true today than it was 7 1/2 years ago.

day9. for chilly breezes through open windows, making a sweater and slippers feel just right.

day10. for sleep...and a lazy day full of it.

day11. for a husband that is dedicated to his school work, even when it makes no sense.
day12. for venti sized starbucks treats and the warmth they provide when the temp drops.

day13. for waking up warm and cozy when it's below freezing outside. thank you husband and dogs for the snuggles.

day14. for my work commute. It lets me see both the sunrise and the sunset (almost daily).

day15. for a glass of wine after a long day.

day16. for an afternoon spent with the bestie and her baby boy (aka sister-n-law and nephew).

day17. for another quiet day at home.

day18. for realizing "debt free" is just around the corner!

day19. for a delicious dinner waiting when I got home.

day20. for coworkers that will walk to 7-11 ("next door") to get me stuff.

day21. for being able to come home when I don't feel well.

day22. for a pot of chili and warm blankets and crackling fire and knowing how blessed we are.

day23. for an easy work-morning.

day24. for "2nd" families and early Thanksgiving dinners.

day25. for a winter storm that didn't hit.

day26. for wee little Christmas trees. sometimes less really is more.

day27. for work luncheons. and jobs that encourage celebration...and prayer before meals.

day28. for a day of thanksgiving.

day29. for the official start of Christmastime.

day30. for the common cold...making it okay to spend the day watching netflix between nyquil naps.

...farewell November, you've been lovely.

{soul searching...}

Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light... Psalm 37:4-6

Holy epiphany, Batman!
I'm sure that I've written before of my desire to know God's plan for me...and if you've read that post or heard me wonder aloud about it in real life, disregard everything I have said up until this moment. You see, I was on the right track, but I was oh so wrong. It's not about what I feel I've been denied.
You know how when you are a child and someone asks you what you want to be when you grow up? The answers always seemed to change from week to week, right? Mine didn't. I mean yeah the first answer that I can remember giving was "marine biologist" even before I really knew what that was... Hello, have you seen Free Willy? Have you watched fish swim around aquariums, dazed by their awesomness? I also remember saying "singer" (I went on to sing in choirs for my entire school-life), "teacher" (I went on to spend 6 years teaching at a preschool), "housewife" (I got married in 2006). It's that last one that truly got me excited. It seemed to light a fire deep in my gut. To have a family, and spend my days caring for them and loving them and puttering around my home....that would be bliss. Maybe it's because I never knew my biological father and we moved around a lot and then getting thrown into a mixed family with step-people... my heart yearned for the day when I would be in charge. Even as a child.
I've always been one for simple pleasures. Give me a comfy chair with a good book, a quiet stroll through the park on a sunny day, a pretty skirt or dress that makes me feel like a lady...a marriage full of love and laughter. A child to call me "mom".
Yet, somewhere along the way, I lost all that. I stopped paying attention to what makes my heart overflow with bliss and what kindles that little flame deep inside my gut. I've gotten lost in the grind of work and bills and trying to keep up with the Joneses. (And by Joneses I mean all of my facebook friends filling my wall with photos and cute quips of their adorable little ones.)
And then I started what I call The Proper Lady Project. And, I've started to find myself again.
I'm seeing our modest little house in a whole new light. I'm actually enjoying (and feeling a little excited!) doing the housework that I have been known to let pile up. I'm finally feeling comfortable in my skin when I'm dressed more ladylike and feminine (hello skirts and shoes and accessories!) I'm looking at my husband with a whole new love.You can call me old-fashioned, and maybe even boring or weird... and that's okay, it's a compliment really.
So what if I don't hear a little voice calling me "mom", that'll will happen one day, or maybe it won't...and I truly believe I'll be okay with that. It doesn't mean that I can't take care of myself and my husband and our home with the same dedication and effort that I would give if there were a child involved. It doesn't mean that I have to let work and bills and the Joneses determine what truly makes my light shine.
God has repeatedly shown me the desires of my heart, and I am not going to let Him down again.

{Goodbye, October...}

Wow. I still can't wrap my brain around the fact that it is November 2nd. October was a beautiful month for us Martins. Family time, new babies, old friends...so many blessings. Here is a photographic recap:

...finally, Autumn!

...shelter from the rain.

...warmth.

...beverages.

...dessert.

....awesome kids and fun games.

...king-size headboard + mid-size SUV = hilarious.

...well, hello there.

...eldest niece (17 years), youngest nephew (6 months).

...dear friends. mothers. daughters. sisters.

...my momma and our oma.

 ...home-ish.

 ...magnificent.

...little Eli. 1 week old.

...brand new niece. 

...dinner for brother and bestie.

...dinner for little Eli's parents.

...thank you, October, for being so lovely.

{a new mantra & some gratitude}

counting my blessings: week 1

• watching my big brother be so gentle while handling & feeding his 2 month old son. 
• coworkers that make me feel safe & protected when there are foul-mouthed-and-crazy people around.
• having a job where it is not only okay to laugh and have a good time- it's actually encouraged.
• unexpected "i love you" message written on the fridge before the husband went out-of-town.
• waking up to the husband home way earlier than expected from being out-of-town.
• waking up on a Sunday morning to some very much needed summer rain...and hearing it's supposed to continue all week!
• using the Starbucks gift card that was randomly given by a stranger.
• a bounty of homegrown veggies from a friend's garden.

...how were you blessed this week?