{gratitude in february}

1. for sharing our stories. and hoping that it helps another.
2. for love. a whole month of it!
3. for morning messages from the Lord.
4. for being able to cheer my favorite when he's down.
5. for warm jackets. and leggings.
6. for thursdays.
7. for friday night bubble baths.
8. for dine-in theaters. with recliners.
9. for clarity. and books that I can't put down.
10. for determination.
11. for clear roads. and safe driving. others aren't so lucky this morning.
12. for precious, tiny 2.5 lb baby Lewis. I adore him already.
13. for waking up to a new day.
14. for a day devoted to love.
15. for hours spent with my husband...even if it's because we are car shopping :/
16. for the smell of clean laundry.
17. for new routines.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23. for minimalism. and less junk.
24. for bosses that respect me enough to ask my opinion.
25.
26.
27.
28.

{gratitude in january}

1. for a new year. 365 blank pages.
2. for good tunes. played loud.
3. for my David. Happy birthday love.
4. for no-work-saturdays. time to just veg.
5. for little "roadtrips". Ikea is so fun.
6. for recipe victory. finally got a favorite dish just right.
7. for inspiration. wherever it may be.
8. for laundry rooms. i really should use mine more.
9. for foggy days. they are too rare.
10. for bourbon. sometimes, you just need a glass.
11. for hindsight. and clarity. and memories.
12. for the excitement of a vacation. soon.
13. for Mondays. trying not to greet them with a bad mood.
14. for an end to a losing streak. and a hubby that folds laundry.
15. for phone calls with sister. even when they aren't for good news.
16. for nephews that need us.
17. for V
18. A
19. C
20. A
21. T
22. I
23. O
24. N
25. for a safe and smooth flight home.
26. for a long day of loving on the pups. they were soooo missed.
27. for a job that I'm happy to return to and coworkers excited that I'm back.
28. for being happy.
29. for tissues with aloe.
30. for income tax W2s. a little bonus.
31. for a lovely beginning to 2014.

{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.

{giving thanks}

The unthankful heart... discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!  ~Henry Ward Beecher

• for employment that more than pays the bills.
• for weekend getaways spent in the company of family.
• for waking to refreshing summer thunderstorms.
• for safe travels and good conversation.
• for delicious meals (and peach pie! and birthday cake!) prepared from scratch.
• for the sweet kisses of puppies excited to have you home.
• for these things I am so very thankful.

{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?