Thursday, April 27, 2017

Normal




“Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. 
Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day, I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return.”









It's the normal days.
The ones that I am pushing a mower in the yard...bending over
[in what hubby calls, my Yoga pose]
to pull weeds, and pick up poop.
Or rushing to meet Brandon for lunch, then grocery shopping together
at our favorite market, then making our little loop over to fill
our cars up at the station and our little chats at the pumps.
The days I spend cooped up inside, cleaning closets and sorting through 
stuff...in my unrelenting drive to simplify...
then grabbing a fabulous book, an old blanket to throw on the yard,
to spend some quiet snuggle time with my fur-kids.
It's the sound of hubby's truck stopping at the mailbox as he 
returns home after a long day.
And the way the fur-kids get all excited hearing him come home.
And the sound of the garage door opening...and the way his antenna
brushes against the doors as he pulls in.
It's the moment he walks in the door, painted from head to toe with 
every animal he examined since morning...
while I am busy fixing dinner at the stove...
and hearing him say... " Hey beautiful...how was your day ?"
There is so much good to be grateful for in the daily-ness of life.
It's the quiet, the simple, the real.

XOXO


Monday, April 24, 2017

Friends


" Friendship is born at that moment
when one person says to another,
" What ! You too ? I thought I was the only one. "






Seriously.
there is absolutely.
positively.
without a doubt.
no substitution for
 good friends.
+
 fresh air and sunshine.
=
instant happy. :)

good things...
a beautiful Spring day
long bike rides
gorgeous lake trails
friendly small towns
having a basket for my bike
enjoying the scenery along the way
good friends :)

XOXO


Friday, April 21, 2017

Forgetful


That awkward moment, when you show up to photography class...
and realize you forgot your camera !


my instructor



my instructor lent me his camera for class *sweet


Yeah...that happened this week.
I truly believed I had my camera with me.
I remember loading extra lens cleaners and my camera into the bag.
I had thought about stopping at the camera shop on the way to check out a lens.
[but ran out of time]
I worried about the camera getting too hot in the car,
when I met Brandon for lunch.
[so parked where it might be shaded]
I even arrived at the park early, where class was to meet....
so I could explore, and snap a few pics. on my own.
My instructor had already arrived as well...
so I gathered my notes...my tri-pod and my camera ?
Where's my camera ??
I was truly convinced I had it with me.
I even checked in the trunk.
*PANIC*
Then the realization hit me...
and all I could do was laugh.
I told the instructor.
Then he laughed.
He said that it was the first time someone showed up for class without a camera.
And we laughed some more.
And then I got to thinking... what if I had known I had left my camera behind ?
I probably would have been so mortified, or embarrassed
that I would have skipped class.
So things didn't go exactly how I had planned.
But !! 
Those unexpected things in life ?
The things we painstakingly try so hard to avoid ?
They aren't always so bad.
[I mean...if you know me....you know I rarely leave the house without my camera !]
Everything worked out and it was OK.
Maybe better than OK.  Maybe even great !


good things...
instructors with a sense of humor
grace
my classmates and instructor sharing their own stories of forgetfulness 
and putting me at ease
being able to laugh at myself
being OK with being imperfect
having fun, and learning together
when you see someone...and know you have seen them before...then remember
[one of my classmates used to be leaving as I was arriving to teach fitness class. We always greeted
each other. It's been a few years.]
walking in the park
watching kids play in the park
dogwood trees
waterfalls
friends

XOXO


Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Hero


"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere
 and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. "








Because...this is my Mom, and the the older I get...
the more I can see and appreciate the hero that she is.
I love you Mom !! *kiss*

grateful for....
My mom, and her strength, determination, and sense of humor.
For doing it on her own....
and for her grace.
forgiveness
a kind and caring son
who will teach us snap chat.., then endure the results
time spent with the people I love
 a hero being born everyday
a Heavenly Father that provides us with love...strength...and everything we need...

XOXO








Monday, April 17, 2017

Slow


"Slow down and enjoy life. It's not only the scenery you miss
by going too fast - you also miss
the sense of where you are going and why. "






Because, some times it feels like all I do is go, go, go !
And it is pure *bliss...
when I say "no" to busy,
  and take things slow.

good things...
having a girls day
coffee at the bookstore
stopping for ice-cream
getting a heart rock from my girlfriend
learning how to use my camera in manual mode
wooden bridges
windows all open & a nice gentle rain 
slow days

XOXO







Saturday, April 15, 2017

Grateful


Because the days have been busy,
and my kiddo turned 22 !!





And for his Birthday he
asked for a Didgeridoo.


AND because Oliver gave the wires on the AC a little chew.
I was afraid he'd have to pack his bags and move to the zoo.
The repairman said the wires are all OK.
So my heart is a little lighter today,
that my little buddy gets to stay !!!

good things...
having all the windows open and the breeze blowing through the house
the AC repairman finding something that needed repaired...so it was a good
thing he had to come now, before the sweltering heat.
ordering a gift from Australia...and having it delivered four days later
getting a snap chat of Brandon playing his Didgeridoo.
the mix of joy and pain that comes with love
faith
a problem that can be fixed with fence
seeing the morning glory seeds I planted from back home sprouting up
good news that lightens the heart
That God loves each and every one of us.

Happy Easter !!!
XOXO




Monday, April 10, 2017

Life


“Happiness is letting go of what you think your life is supposed to look like
 and celebrating it for everything that it is.” 

















Because....we never really know what is going to happen.
So instead of worrying about what could be,
choose to truly live the now.

*grateful for...
a lovely night away with my hubby
old fashioned fun
ferris wheels
a cozy country inn
a gorgeous day to take my furkids out to be wild and free
Spring and sunshine
Love

XOXO



Thursday, April 6, 2017

Thankful


" One day it just clicks… you realize what’s important and what isn’t.
 You learn to care less about what other people think of you and more about what you think of yourself. You realize how far you’ve come and you remember when you thought things were such a mess that you would never recover. And you Smile. You smile because you are truly proud of yourself and the person you’ve fought to become. "

the first drawing of my simple girl/ love note left for hubby 5 yrs. ago










flowers from my hubby to help me through a bad day :)
Feeling thankful, aware 
and in love today.

good things...
hubby buying something for himself
old-hole-in-the-wall burger joints
the smell of leather
people being polite
and nice.
PFI Western store 
heart to heart talks with my hubby
holding hands
planting wildflowers
staying light later
photography class
a fresh mowed yard
clean, fresh slip covers off the clothesline
road trip coffee

XOXO

December 20, 2024

I have pushed the hermit mode button. A gift I gladly give and receive for myself on this day. I was worn down yesterday. (update...Mom is s...