Good List Monday & Challenges

Hey hey, friends! Happy Monday to you!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. As always, mine was way too short, but very nice. Jon's best-friend-since-forever friend Ben was in town, and on top of visiting with him we spend a good chunk of time with family. ...Oh yeah, and I ran 16 miles somewhere in there, too ;)

Anyway, I didn't get a chance to put up my Friday Good List at the end of last week, so I thought it would be a nice way to start the week off (it's looking like this week is going to be chock full of good stuff, so I'm not at all worried about having enough to pull together another list this Friday.) Sometimes life is too good to be confined to one list, you know?

So, tonight I am going to give you a good list to sum up my last week+ weekend+ today (whew), but before I do that, I want to tell you about a new challenge I am giving myself.

I'm bringing back the 21 day challenge.

Last year I challenged myself to take one picture a day and blog about it, and I thought it was a lot of fun. So this summer I am bringing it back, with a little twist: this year it's going to be more of a 21 day writing challenge! I want to work on developing my blogging skills to write short sweet anecdotal posts that I can take from brain --> publish in about an hour. If you haven't noticed, I tend to be a bit... uhm, verbose... and I think it will be freeing to challenge myself to get a little something out there every day. If at any time I feel like I might be starting to sacrifice quality for quantity, I'm going to stop... or maybe just take a day or so off to freshen up ;) So, in a nutshell: I'm going to blog every day for the next 21 days, in the process taking more pictures and (I hope) maybe finally resurrecting some of my writing from the "post graveyard."

I'm really looking forward to this, and I hope you'll come join me!
... Tune in tomorrow :)

And for tonight,

Good List:
1. Jon. We had some amazing heart-to-hearts this weekend. I swear, I cannot talk to anyone quite the same way I talk to my husband. He speaks right to my heart.
2. LAURIE PASSED THE NCLEX! Baby sister is a bona-fide RN :) I am absolutely glowing with happiness for her ♥


3. My 16 mile run on Saturday went wonderfully. And now there is absolutely no doubt that "Oh my gosh, I am actually going to do this thing." I am going to run a marathon, Woohoo!
4. Today's weather was absolutely gorgeous. Sunny and in the mid-70's. Perfection. Thank you, God!
5. Lunchtime walks (the picture at the very beginning of this post was taken during my 20 minute stroll at noon today!)


6. Retail therapy with Laurie. On Saturday, while Laurie was in town to take her exam, she and I met up to go shopping. I bought a book (The Help!) for my upcoming vacation, and amiably tagged along to clothing stores while Laurie searched for a new dress. At H&M I had to try on this little number-- it was just calling me from the hanger. And it fit like a glove! ...A very tight glove. I put the dress back without any regrets, but not before I happily snapped a picture to memorialize the moment.


7. I think that perhaps one of my greatest lessons in life is that almost anyting can be enjoyable if you allow yourself plenty of time to go slowly and enjoy it stress-free. Case in point: grocery shopping. Tonight Jon had the boys over for games, and so I took myself on a date to Trader Joe's. I spent a good hour and a half wandering the aisles and swooning over colorful produce & exotic sounding cheeses (Honey goat gouda?! Yes, please!) I emerged with 4 full bags, and one very full & happy heart :)
8. "Old favorites". Books, jeans, movies & childhood comfort foods-- they're all good.


9. I hate to get all "fallfallfallfall" on you, but the cool bite in the air and the lingering scents of wood fires in our neighborhood, coupled with the early sunsets and changing leaves has me pining for my favorite season. I. Can't. Wait. The newest potterybarn catalog has a multiple page spread devoted to all things fall, and you can bet it sets this heart a-flutter :)
10.

"Faith is taking the first step even when you can't see the whole staircase."
— Martin Luther King Jr.

Great words spoken by a great man :)

Your Turn: What tops your Good List for last week/this past weekend? Are you an 'Autumn Addict" like me? What's your favorite season & why?

Wrangling:{Here Comes the Sun}

Happy Friday Weekend, friends! I've got so much to tell you about this week -- let the wrangling begin!

(A weekly round up. Each week I am going to “wrangle” my life's happenings into a post filled with pictures, lists & general tidbits about the past 7 days.)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

First things first: JON IS HOME!

My husband spent his week in Las Vegas living it up attending a “Developer’s conference” at Caeser’s Palace. (I know... tough break, huh?)

And while there were some *nice* things about playing bachelorette for the week (sleeping in the middle of the bed, watching ‘Gilmore Girls’ marathons & cooking meat-less meals).... and I did enjoy the pictures he sent me:



...well, quite frankly, Jon & I belong together, and it felt like half my heart was across the country this week, too. It’s the first time he’s been the one who was gone, and I missed him like crazy.

Now that he’s home, everything just feels right again.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Now, to play a little catch-up:
I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you about our Memorial Day weekend. I always enjoy our family’s Memorial Day celebration, because it involves a huge spread a delicious summery (picnic-y!) foods and lots of outside time. But this year was an especially good time.



This year, we got the BEST SURPRISE EVER, when April drove down from Wisconsin for the long weekend, with sweet baby Aurora (6 weeks) in tow. What a treat! (I had resigned myself to the fact that I would have to make-do with pictures until Thanksgiving or Christmas...)

Aren't they beautiful?

True to form, Christy coordinated a little celebration for her girls. It was a wonderful, love filled family celebration.

Welcome to the family, Aurora!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(A few thoughts from the week straight from my heart, uncensored, but hopefully spell-checked:)

It hit me suddenly, and I wasn't prepared for it. I was washing dishes the other night, alternately daydreaming as I looked out the window and talking to the cats, who were "mrrowww-ing" and winding around my ankles (we keep the kitty treats in the cabinet under the kitchen sink.)

... Minding my own business, really.

And it snuck up on me, surprised me, and left me utterly breathless: all of a sudden, I caught myself thinking, "I am really, really happy right now."

For the rest of this week, as I think back on that moment of clarity, I immediately want to discount it. I mean, really? I've spent at least half a year now focusing in on the good, searching and polishing and celebrating each shining moment of each day-- highlighting the little things that make all the difference in my good lists. It seems incredible that one might be stunned with the realization of joy.

But there it is.

If I am completely honest with you & myself, I must admit that I’ve been working really hard to be happy lately. There have been one or two lingering desires on my heart that just haven’t given me peace. For the most part, I’ve been able to trick the ache into hiding because I recognize how I’ve been blessed. But when I allowed myself to be quiet and really listen to my heart I found that in fact I hadn’t gotten past it at all—which frustrated me and added insult to injury. There have been a lot of long, lonely nights over the past few months.

Now, I’m not saying that I’m completely over it. If I was perfect, I would have put this behind me a loooooong (got it? Hehe.) time ago. But I’m not... and it’s still a part of me, no matter how hard I try. For example: along with all the good, this past week also brought some news that felt like a punch in the gut. I felt sorry for myself for a few hours, and then pulled up my big-girl panties, forgave myself for my moments of selfishness, and moved forward.

But now somehow, in the grand scheme of things, it just doesn’t seem so important anymore. Someday, when these yearnings and dreams of my heart become a reality I will rejoice and feel doubly blessed, because I’ll know how long I waited. But for now? Well, now is pretty damn good, too.

And you know what’s even better? ... After months of reminding myself to look for good stuff and live it the moment ... I’m there. I am happy. ...And I want to shout it from the rooftops.

And I’m not going to apologize for being a little more hearts-and-flowery in the weeks to come. This is a sweet season in my life and I’m going to ride it out with gusto.... “sucking the marrow out of life”, as one of my favorite bloggers Kelle Hampton likes to say.

Amen.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

via

Marathon Update

It’s been several weeks now since I proclaimed to the blog world that I was actually going to do it this year. ... I am actually going to run a marathon. I think it’s time for me to give you an update!

About a week after signing up, I made another pivotal and life changing move: I joined Marathoners in Training (MiT). MiT is a central Ohio based group dedicated to training, encouraging and preparing runners for their first marathon (& half marathon!) I had known of the group's existence for some time, but it took my friend Amy to give me the push to do it.

...And I’m SO glad I did.

Last Saturday morning was my first training run with the group. We gathered at a track behind a local high school, and then divided into pace groups for our runs. I had been more than a little nervous when I received my weekly training plan and saw that I had 7 miles penciled in for Saturday, but I tried to be brave, and told myself that if I couldn’t go the whole 7 I could either cut it short, or walk. Each step I take is a step toward my goal.

Friends? Someone was looking out for me that day (...and when I say “Someone”, all eyes are on you, God ;)... I ended up in the perfect group for me (a run/walk group! Seriously, how perfect?!)... and I completed the 7 miles no problem*. The people in my group were incredible—they really cared for me: checking in periodically to make sure I was doing okay, and asking me all about my life. Having been a solo runner for quite some time now, it blew me away ... I say with 100% certainty that having the wonderful group I do made all the difference for me achieving full mileage.

I feel so good about this... I’m so confident & happy! ...And I’m definitely excited for our next run, tomorrow morning :)


*Now, I’m not superwoman. I was hurting badly in the last mile. Heck, my hamstrings were sore for the next couple days... But I was so happy I could have cried... and I haven’t felt that good about myself in a long time :)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Finally, a little list to round out the post:

Good List

1. Jon ♥
2. I have been humbled and overwhelmed by the hospitality others have shown me while my husband was out of town for the week. I hardly ate dinner alone! Thank you so much everyone. I felt so loved.
3. We got a new vacuum cleaner this week!!!!!! (Very needed, as evidenced by the exclamation points.) It’s a lovely, lovely tool. (Mama loves the vacuum, kitties love the box it came in, hehe.)
4. Retail Therapy ;)


5. (To go along with item 2) Jon’s family invited me over dinner & mudslides on Wednesday night. For those who are not familiar, a mudslide = coffee +milkshake +chocolate. In other words, perfection.
6. ...And the Wednesday night “Lucas Snuggling” was pretty much perfection, as well.
7. Carpet cleaner. (Don’t ask.)
8. Fresh fruit. Hellooo, summer!
9. Hope.
10.“Running improves my relationships with my family, my friends, everyone around me. And while my running is personal, it’s also something I give. Running can be given. –Tony Sandoval, M.D.


Your Turn!
How has your week been? Any good weekend plans?

Wrangling: {Writing my story}

NOTE: You are not seeing things. I posted this last Wednesday... but blogger deleted it, and I got discouraged... so I'm just now getting around to re-posting :) ...But it's a good one! Enjoy!

(A weekly round up. Each week I am going to “wrangle” my life's happenings into a post filled with pictures, lists & general tidbits about the past 7 days.)

What a glorious 2 weeks it has been :) Mays are always chock-full of good stuff for our family, leaving us, on June 1, exhausted but filled joy; reminiscing on the beautiful memories we were privileged to be a part of.We're in the midst of a mid-week lull, right about at the point where we are able to take a step back from the beautiful chaos and realize how tired we actually are. But even in the midst of the rush, the stress, the giving 100% and then giving 100% above & beyond... we are writing our stories. The memories that we are going to look back on in 60 years and sigh, "Oh, those were the sweet days..."

Some sweetness:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Last Friday my heart swelled to 3x its normal size with pride. My baby sister Laurie graduated from Nursing School.



I had been excited for the 'big day' all week, but the emotions didn't really hit me until I was seated in the arena surrounded by my relatives, and 'Pomp & Circumstance' started playing. I turned to Jon with a lump in my throat & whispered, "I can't believe she's graduating all ready." It's the end of an era for sure. Now there is absolutely no pretending & no looking back. We're adults now. It's the end of an era.

But it's only the beginning of so much good that is to come.



Friday was such a blessing for me, not only to be able to witness Laurie taking a huge step in her life; but also to celebrate with my relatives. We're a pretty spread out bunch (OH, VA, NY), so we don't get to see each other nearly as much as we would like. It was a wonderful day (Heidi, we missed you bunches ... you were in our thoughts & hearts!)

Laurie & her boyfriend, Nick. Seriously, how cute are they?!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was also fun on Friday to return to the college campus where I spent 4.5 years of my life. I took pictures with shameless abandon, as I am no longer a student there and am allowed to "play tourist".

Here are some highlights:

Towers Hall

tour group

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

About 2x a year, a couple from my work brings in and slices a whole pineapple for us to enjoy. Heaven is taking a huge bite of fresh pineapple & having the sweet juice run down your chin. YUM does not even begin to describe it.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It's been kind of a busy & stressful week couple weeks month for me at work, and I find myself returning, time and again, to the solace of my kitchen. Seriously, chopping & peeling does wonders for the soul at the end of a long day.

Tonight's labor of love: Veggie tacos (a la Jenna, of Eat, Live, Run)!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I am also very thankful this week for my early morning devotion time.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This may be the happiest corner of my kitchen: it houses the coffee pot (my lifeblood, heh) and pictures of these sweet babies. I cannot resist smiling when I am standing here.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Do you see what I see?! Yesterday the sunny temperatures exceeded what was predicted! Way to overachieve, Ohio! Weather gods, I humbly thank you for hearing my plea...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On Sunday, we celebrated our mothers.

Mommy & Amy, circa 1992

A special moment with my mother on my wedding day.

To my mother, who gave me curly hair, a profound love of reading, a firm foundation of love and taught me the beauty of independence; I thank you. I don't know how I got so lucky to get you, but I am forever grateful that I did.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

And on Monday, we celebrated Jon's 27th birthday with Chinese take-out & video games.

Here's to another year of joy, for the man who can always make me laugh.


Jon & Laurie's friend Josh, holding bags while the 'paparazzi' clicked cameras last Friday.

Your Turn: How's your week going? Have you ever had freshly cut pineapple?

Good Things

"Begin today. Declare outloud to the universe that you are willing to let go of struggle and eager to learn through joy."
~Sarah Ban Breathnach

Happy Sunday, Friends!

It's been such a good weekend for me :) One of those where I felt absolutely present & in love with every moment. I'm loving being home again after spending most of the week across the country; working on homey things and getting things back in order for another week.

Friday evening I brewed up a pot of coffee and stayed up late with Jon as he worked an install. Jon is a software developer and has to work installs (from 11pm-??) periodically. Sometimes I'm able to hang with him, and other times I throw in the towel after about 15 minutes ;) This time, I was able to stay up with him, no problem (blame it on the Denver --> Columbus time change?): he worked, I wrote, and the cats supervised.

Saturday morning we took our time getting up, and spent the majority of the day doing yard work. The weather was absolutely delicious, which made the copious weeding much more bearable. Today was spent worshipping, dreaming, talking to friends & tying up some loose ends in anticipation of the week to come.

To provide you with a full weekend wrap-up, as well as to start the new week on the right foot, I think it's the perfect time for a good list.


Weekend Wrap-Up Good List!

1. Jon. On Saturday, as I was grumbling & sweating in the flower beds, I sat back for a moment to watch my husband working on our lawn. And it occurred to me: 'Here we are, working side-by-side to build our dream home.' All of a sudden, yard work wasn't quite as tedious.
2. Gracie. I really missed my little girl while I was in Colorado. This weekend she's been extra snuggly (heh. and underfoot), which I think means that she missed me, too.
3. Homemaking.
4. Steak on the grill. A perfect treat after a long day of work.

5. Leisurely Sunday brunches.

6. Prompted by the impending expiration date on a groupon, I got my first manicure on Friday. Glorious.
7. Surprises.
8. ^ Okay, I'll spill :) You may remember that I told you Jon & I were planning to go to Las Vegas for this year's vacation. Well, our plans have changed, and couldn't be more excited. Instead of going to "sin city", we're headed out to California: 3 days in Sonoma, and 3 days in San Francisco. Woah… SO excited!
9. Fresh air. We've had our windows open all weekend!
10. "It’s a helluva start, being able to recognize what makes you happy."
~Lucille Ball


Your Turn: How was your weekend? Any exciting adventures coming up for you this week? Do tell!

via

P.S.: My lovely friend Hannah is hosting a giveaway over on her blog, for this gorgeous Emile Henry Pie Dish. Head here to check it out!

Wrangling: {Welcoming the Dawn}

photo credit

(A weekly round up. Each week I am going to “wrangle” my life's happenings into a post filled with pictures, lists & general tidbits about the past 7 days.)

Hi friends, happy Friday!

(Oy. How on earth did it get to be Friday all ready?)

I feel like lately the weeks have been spinning by faster and faster, but this week has been in a league all its own. I've been busy at work, trying to get about a bazillion projects wrapped up in anticipation of my trip to Denver next week.

With the exception of yesterday, it's been a rainy week, perfect for nesting & getting the 'homey affairs' in order. We've spent our evenings in the kitchen, and snuggled under blankets on the couch. It's been chaotic, it's been frustrating and it's been emotional, with a bit of heady euphoria, joy and laughter. In short, it's been a beautiful, life filled, normal week.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(First off, a Love Letter.)

(photo from April & TJ, the proud parents)

Baby Aurora,

On Sunday April 17 our worlds, hearts and lives were changed for good.

Welcome to the world, sweet girl.

Love,
Aunt Amy

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Have I ever told you about Thursday nights? For pretty much as long as I can remember, when I was growing up, Thursday night were the busiest nights of the week for us. When we were little, we had children's choir practice on Thursday nights; by the time I reached high school it had shifted to cross country practice followed by guitar lessons. For at least 2 semesters when I was in college, Thursdays consisted of a day in the lab, followed by tedious organizational meetings.

And at some point, I promised myself that someday I would LOVE Thursdays.

Last night, as I sat wrapped in a blanket, drinking a well deserved glass of wine and blasting AC/DC through my headphones while Jon watches Fam.ily Guy... I realized, I'm here. I love Thursday nights and their promise of relaxation before the final push. Just knowing that Friday-- and perhaps more importantly, the weekend is on the horizon -- sustains and comforts me. I look forward to Thursdays now.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

(shower photos courtesy of Kaitie)

(Coffee bar: take a mug, fill it with whatever suits your fancy. It was a hit!)

Sunday was a rush. The whole weekend was, really. I've discovered that I absolutely live for entertaining. I love the planning and cleaning & anticipation of welcoming others into my home. I think that hosting a dinner party a month for the rest of my life would be heaven to me.... (Anyone in the Columbus area want to take me up on that?)

Sunday morning I woke early and lay in bed excitedly rolling through the details in my mind. At 10:30 am, my friend and co-host Kaitie arrived, and we spent the next several hours prepping decorations and favors.

(My other favorite "finishing touch" was the pillar candles in hurricane vases, surrounded by coffee beans. Looked cute, smelled amazing.)

We wrapped silvery wrapping paper around water bottles and tied ribbon around the handles of coffee mugs, we brewed countless cups of coffee and twirled crepe paper.

Although the invitations said 2pm -4pm, once Saundra, her mother and sister arrived, the party started. I think we laughed for 3.5 straight hours. It was wonderful. Being surrounded by a group of warm, witty women who were gathered to celebrate my best friend was truly uplifting.

And after everyone left & it was just the three of us: Kaitie, Saundra & me? That was awesome. The only thing better than sharing 1 super fun sophomore year of college living together has been gathering together 5 (wow) years later and catching up; reconnecting.

Being Saundra's bridesmaid (and more importantly, her friend) has blessed me in so many ways, and I am honored to be a part of her special day. ... Looking forward to June 25!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A couple weeks ago, when Jon & I were attending a family birthday party, I got a chance to sit and talk with my brother-in-law. (Read: I had relegated myself to the basement with the boys because the windows were open upstairs and I was hot; and I think Dan took pity on me because I was pretty much oblivious when it came to the gaming conversations. Truthfully, I wasn't phased. I'm used to being clueless about that stuff, haha. I was just enjoying my cake & ice cream and spacing out, content & comfortable with the company :) And while we were talking, he said something to me that totally caught me off guard. "I almost envy you, Amy," he said (I paraphrase.) "I mean, you run all the time ... and you like it."

I am absolutely floored that this is one of the ways others might see me & define me. Because in real life? This is something I struggle with on an everyday basis. I want to be a runner with every fiber of my being. But I struggle with the idea of calling myself a runner-- I feel that I'm falling short in so many ways. For example, I don't run every day. I never have... But some weeks? Some weeks I run once. I've pledged to myself that I am going to run a marathon in October, but I have a lot of anxiety about that. Quite frankly, I'm worried that I am going to slack too much on training and sabotage myself.

I know that I need to love myself in my imperfections, and to believe in my own abilities. I know that I need to push forward and not let the fears and the what-ifs hold me back.

...But sometimes that's easier said than done. I'm a work in progress, and this is definitely at the top of my "work on it" list. Between the rain & the fatigue, this has not been a "follow the plan running week" at all. But I am looking forward to a fresh start.

It's never too late for redemption.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As you might have picked up on, this week has been kind of a dark & contemplative one for me. I think it's the natural "ebb" (ya know, versus "flow") that comes at the tail end of a bunch of good stuff.... where all of a sudden you realize that your world has stopped turning upside down and you are left seated in the quiet emptiness thinking, "hey. what on earth do I do now?"

...Add that to a whalloping dose of hormones, and I had Jon throwing his hands up in the air saying, "I just. don't. understand. women." (Yes, my love, I know. That won't keep me from trying to explain to you to get you to empathize :)

So, there were some tears, there was dark chocolate consumption and there commenced some 10+ spiral notebook pages worth of soul-pouring. But even in the midst of the dark days, even as I ached & yearned for more, I could not be oblivious to the good. I've found that life is never exclusively black or white. The good has a way of creeping in and coloring the bad; blurring and softening the edges-- painting lifetimes out of days and moments; the shadows beautifully contrasting the vibrant colors and light.

Even in the darkest night, I believe light will return. And when the sun begins to rise, I welcome it with open arms.

Today, I celebrate & welcome the dawn.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Good List

1. Jon. He is my anchor.
2. 100 watt light bulbs
3. Head phones, and dancing around the kitchen during dinner prep.
4. Digging through the archives for a sure-fire pick me up: Wedding Memories

5. Spending some quality time gardening this past weekend.
6. this post
7. Spiral notebooks. I appreciate technology, but sometimes there's nothing like putting a pen to paper. Spiral notebooks & legal pads are my favorite :)
8. Double sided tape
9. Lighting candles to chase away the gloom of a rainy evening.
10. "Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again." --Sarah Ban Breathnach

Your Turn: Any good weekend plans -- or special Easter traditions? How are you welcoming the good in your week?

Wrangling: {Rain & Red Wine}

source

(A weekly round up. Each Wednesday I am going to “wrangle” the past weeks’ happenings into a post filled with pictures, lists & general tidbits about the past 7 days.)

Whew. I cannot believe that it’s Wednesday all ready. We’re getting to the part of the year where things are starting to pick up a little bit, with increased church activities, family birthdays, and just general “holy goodness it’s so delicious outside I want to spend every spare minute out there ...”

..Er... I may have to rethink that last part. For the past couple days it has been doing a whole lot of 40 degree temps & raining. Yick. But the weekend and Monday were absolutely lovely. It’s that enchanting in-between time that only comes once a year, right before the 'spring forward' time change, when the sun starts to rise early again after a long dark winter. I’ve got to say, doing my devotions as the first rays of sun gently usher in the morning adds new sparkle to the tradition.

via

Spring? Bring. It. On.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This weekend was an especially nice one, filled with leisurely french toast brunches, serious life altering & encouraging discussions, and heart moving worship. Saturday morning Jon & I lingered together over cups of coffee, discussing our future... our 10 year plan (& actually 50 year plan!) for our family. Our main focus was budgeting (taking cue from this lovely lady & her husband), but we talked about other important things too, including babies (not yet, but we're both really excited for the ‘someday’ :) and Vegas (Fall, 2011. … no details yet... just a basic idea in the works... but I’ll fill you in later as plans unfold!)

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

via

On dreams:

I’ve got a dream to share with you. I’ve been sitting on it for a little while, but … ‘year of honesty’, people... And this is super honest, a glimpse straight into my heart. I wrote this a couple months ago, when I discovered the Lululemon Goaltender tool. (Quick side note: I do not, in fact, own anything ‘lulu’.... but I experience serious clothes lust for it. They just put a store in at Easton mall... so chances of me owning some killer crop pants someday have gone up exponentially :) Anyway, this tool allowed me to focus in on and put on paper some of my deepest, sweetest dreams. You would think that as a writer, this stuff would have been poured out in volumes all ready... but my deepest dreams, the ones I long for the most, have remained quiet, barely dared to be spoken. But this is a year for taking chances, I believe that is some magic in voicing these dreams ...that this is the first step toward me seeing those dreams come to fruition.

So here you go. My prompt was, “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?”

"10 years from now I will have two little boys with blond curly heads. I love my job. It's a perfect fit for me, allowing me to be creative & providing a comfortable salary for our family. My days at home are beautiful chaos: soaking up every spare second with my boys, and writing as I can, sometimes well into the night. I have finally fallen in love with running, and I wake every morning at 4:45 to hit the streets. I just run for me. I return home every morning while the house is still quiet make myself a cup of coffee and sit down with my spiral notebook and devotions. I treasure those quiet moments every morning. Jon and I are into our 12th year of marriage, and, true to the cliche, every day I love him more. I love the time we get to spend together every evening after our boys are in bed. I love snuggling in bed with him on Saturday morning, as wait in quiet anticipation for the boys to wake. I love the way he kisses me goodbye every morning. I love watching him love my sons and teach them about life."

Honestly, as soon as I c&p’d this into the blog, my mind immediately jumped to writing a ‘Disclaimer ‘paragraph to follow. But you know what? These are my dreams. They reserve the right to go uncensored, undiluted and unabridged.

And with that, I’m kind of written out for the night. But I’ll leave you with a good list, for good measure ;)

Good List

1. Jon, my wonderful husband. I am so excited for our life together. Enjoying it as it unfolds, one chapter at a time.
2. My sister April & her sweet baby girl (ETA: 4/2011) are healthy. Thank you, God :)
3. Breathtaking, word-painting posts from one of my favorite bloggers
4. Red wine
5. From my i*Google homepage today: “We should be taught not to wait for inspiration to start a thing. Action always generates inspiration. Inspiration seldom generates action.” -- Frank Tibolt
… Amen.
6. ‘Chasing down the dream....’ How sweet it is!
7. I would be a terrible friend if I didn’t send you here, to a recipe for some of the best (easy, yummy & healthy to boot!) cookies I’ve ever made....
8. Laughing until tears roll down my cheeks
9. Spiral notebooks
10. The soft, clean scent of spring rain

Your Turn:
How is your week going so far, friends?
Do you have a 10 year dream?

Because

Because it's a Monday morning and I need to focus in on what is good and true....

Because it was a whirlwind weekend...

Because I'm tired but inspired....

Because I find peace and clarity in writing ....

Because there is way too much good in my life not to ...

Today is a perfect day for a...

Good List:

1. Jon. And date nights. We went out for dinner together on Saturday evening, and, due to a 50 minute wait time (eek.) we had a lot of time to talk. I love being reminded of how much I love to talk to my husband. ... And how much I enjoy his company.
2. Coffeeeeeee...
3. Fluffy new pillows and soft warm sheets. Honest-to-goodness, I think our bed has never felt more comfortable than it did last night. ... Getting out of it this morning was really rough.
4. Last week's delightful and unexpected "taste of spring": sunshine & 50 degree days. It was glorious & I soaked up every ray of sun that I possibly could. This gives me the hope I needed to make it another month or so until the official arrival of Spring.
5. Reminding myself "this too, shall pass".
6. Snuggling in bed with Gracie & a good book on a snowy, gray Sunday afternoon. The perfect way to wrap up a weekend, if you ask me.
7. Friendships. The comfort of the old, and the giddy rush of the new.
8. Discovering a wonderfully warm & intimate coffee shop close to home. It's cozy atmosphere screams inspiration to me. I am all ready dreaming of when I can go back next :)
9. Silky purple ballpoint pens (!! The older I get, the more I love the color purple. ... Which is a little surprising to me, but I'll go with it :)
10. New challenges for myself. I am striving to de-clutter all aspects of my life, because clean, organized quiet brings me so much peace. I'm working to minimize the outside "noise" so that I can light my creativity on fire.

Your Turn: What tops your Good List on this Monday morning?

Stand Out

This morning came too quickly.

I woke at 5:12 am to find that Baron had finally vacated his spot at the bottom of the bed, so I could finally pull up the extra cover that I had been longing for all night. I pulled up the comforter and snuggled in ... for 2 minutes until my alarm clock beeped.

... or, more accurately, "until my alarm clock drummed" ... I use my phone as my alarm, and it has some of the most eclectic alarm noises (ring tones, I suppose) that I've ever heard. Currently, I am awakened by bongo drums. ... Anyhoo.

I lay in bed for a while, listening to Jon's even breathing, thanking God for a new day, and mentally rolling down the list of things that I had on my agenda for the next 16 hours. After a few minutes of this quiet, half-awake contemplation, Gracie spoke up ("brrrrrreeep, brrrrreep") and hopped onto my chest, reminding me, For goodness sake, Mama... some of us have been awake all night... and we're hungry!

I obliged, fumbling for my glasses & slippers in the dark, slipping out of bed in the cool quiet of the morning. I replenished the cats' food supply, poured a cup of coffee, stroked two silken heads (not necessarily in that order), and then, coffee cup & Gracie in tow, I headed upstairs for what has become a treasured morning routine.

Since the new year began, I have been waking early on weekdays so that I can take time in the morning for quiet reflection & journaling. I crawl into the guest bed (flannel sheets! down comforter! Yes, please!) with my spiral notebook, colored pens & Simple Abundance, and embark on a short but sweet 30 minutes of pure "me time". It has made all the difference in the world. Corny as it sounds, it really helps me to start my day off on the right foot, and it gives me the peace to make a graceful transition from "home-time" to "work-time".

And you know what's cool? One place where I can tangibly see this difference is in my Good Lists. I've found that taking time for morning devotions not only gives me strength for the rest of my day, it really allows the good stuff to stand out. Proof:

Good List:

1. Jon, my wonderful husband. Even as we maneuver through the everyday "mundane-ities" and idiosyncrasies ...
2. New beginnings.
3. Sweet dreams of old friends.
4. Surpassing my own expectations.
5. Joe-Joes have returned to my life :)
6. Lying in bed, staring at the ceiling & the moldings around the windows, blessing the house & it's structure... remembering the magic of our first night here, when I lay awake praying, giving thanks for all the life that will fill these walls in the next 50 years ...
7. Sunshine & Star*bucks coffee. Unplugging & withdrawing from the world so that I may draw closer to my Creator & bask in the creativity he has gifted me with.
8. Date nights!
9. Taking back my life :) This will be the year of dreaming and doing.
10. "There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you.... In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself." ~Ruth Stout
    

Your turn: What are you thankful for today? What tops your list of good things?

Catch Up

Goood Friday morning, bloggies! (*yawns*)

I hope your week has been treating you well, and that you have a beautiful Friday with exciting weekend plans to look forward to.

... A great tragedy befell us Westervillians this morning, as the local Starbucks (which just so happens to be the one on my way to work) is closed for remodeling-- which means that all the good folks (including me, of course) who look forward to their "Fall Friday Pumpkin Spice Latte fix" either had to (a) get up a little earlier and track down the next closest S-bux, or (b) go without. Seeing as I am a chronically late riser (but only on work week days! As you know, I get up early on weekends to seize the day and experience every blissful moment of my days off ;)... I fell into category (b), and am now slurping a warm-ish cup of office coffee and thinking 'nutmeg-gy thoughts'. Sigh. Note to self, find a fantastic local coffee shop to frequent (like this lovely lady).

Anyhoo... the important thing is that this coffee does contain caffeine-- and I have lots to tell you. It's been a really inspired week for me, which means I'm practically bursting at the seams with ideas, and I'm composing and compiling blog entries in my head more often than not ... but it's also been a really busy week for me (How does that happen?! It seems to me that 4 day weeks are paradoxically short & long .... each day feels like it lasts forever because of all that needs to be packed in...)-- case in point-- I was up at 11 pm last evening mopping my kitchen floor. Seriously.

And now (predictably) I'm having a little bit of deciding where to start... But really, isn't it only fair that I start where I left off? ... And how better to catch you up than with a good list & some pictures?!

Good List:

1. J. He will always be first in my heart and on my "good list".
2. WE OWN A GRILL! (Sorry for the all caps, but this is exciting, friends! I mean... I've only been dreaming about having a grill since... oh, April, when we moved into our house... Heh.) For J & I, our Saturday excitement centered around buying this grill (and for J-- the set up, as well. With furry supervision, naturally....) We may not have gotten around to dinner until after 8pm, but the waiting was sweet: It was a perfect fall evening for us to sit together outside and bask in the scent of our new charcoal grill warming up. Heaven. ... And those burgers? I think they were some of the best I've ever had ;)
3. Beautiful, race courses, friendly volunteers and small races. My parents and I did the inaugural (btw: I definitely had to look up how to spell that word...) Emerald City Quarter Marathon on Sunday, and I think it may have been one of my favorite races. {Side note: at some point, I'd like to really think back each and every one of the races I've done in the past couple years... I'm not sure I really have any that I flat out didn't like... but there are definitely some races that stand out as The Best.) The course wound through Glacier Ridge Metro Park, and, the weather was perfect (and I know I've been saying that a lot lately... but it's true. Clear blue skies, sunshine, and just the slightest bit chilly.) Here we all are after the race:

Photo courtesy of my father

4. ...And after the race, I went apple picking. Mmmm. Macintosh. I love eating apples "straight up", but I also have all sorts of other delightful recipes in mind for these beauties. Good thing I bought the half bushel bag!

Hello, Lovely

5. And then after lunch (which was, for me, a tomato sandwich on an asiago cheese bagel... bagel courtesy of the race. ... I think that sandwich may have been the definition of perfection... Yum;), Gracie & I snuggled in bed with a book.
6. ... And after that, we headed over to J's parent's for the Labor Day celebration. I always feel so blessed at these events because (honest to goodness) everyone just really enjoys each others' company. Summertime gatherings are always the most fun, because the kids ("kids" being a relative term ... Aiden is 14 mos old, but the rest of us are in our 20s and 30s.... pending the newest addition, coming in December :) are able to eat outside, and sometimes (Sunday included) we walk to the neighborhood playground between dinner & dessert. This year was especially fun, because Aiden was big enough to sit in the baby swings. He squealed with delight every time he swung past his father, and the rest of us had a wonderful time watching his serious "assessment of swing safety": he couldn't quite decide if he had enough courage to let go of the front of the swing to wave & blow kisses to his mother.
(With that, I'm done with beginning my good things "...And then..."-- I promise! But really? Sunday was pretty much a perfect day :)
7. Cinnamon & Spice. I made Savvy Julie's Peach Butter on Monday, and the house smelled heavenly all day.
8. A perfect run (or, several of them). Wednesday and Thursday evening of this week I went for a run (now go ahead and pick yourselves up off the floor. ... or maybe some of you predicted that my break from running would be short-lived?) Ahh, and it was, dare I say?, nice. I didn't take any music with me,but rather I just focused on breathing in the perfect fall air. The weekdays have (as a whole) been pretty stressful-- and this was exactly what I needed. 15 lovely minutes of solitude, gratitude, and peace.
9. Now to the other end of the spectrum from peace (but in the best way possible) -- I love the joyful anticipation of having company -- even the 11 pm mopping was cheery. J & I are having our 'Friday night Friends' over this evening... and I have been "bouncing off the walls excited" about it all week. The fact that I didn't start cleaning until... um... last night... is completely irrelevant :) Even better?-- tonight I'll have my camera!-- that way the memories can live on.
10. "Courage is fear that has said its prayers." - Dorothy Bernard
(This quote actually popped up on my facebook feed as a friend's status. I thought it was a wonderful thought for the day-- fear is real; God is bigger.)


Okay... That's all for now... must go be productive :)

Your Turn: What are your weekend plans? Do you have any good apple recipes to share with me? Do tell :)

Quick "Hello"

source

Why, hello, little blog (& lovely bloggies!) I've missed you this week!

It's been good but crazy over here (read: this week has been wearing me into the ground... thank goodness we're coming up on a 3-day Labor Day weekend!!)... so tonight's post is going to be a quick one... but I'll be back tomorrow with some more for you-- including pictures (I will tell you this... I miss the 21 day challenge... I am definitely going to look for excuses to take pictures every day & post them... I miss blogging every day, too... I'm back on schedule as of tonight :)

But, even a quick post can be meaningful if it includes good stuff :

Good List:

1. J. Every once in a while I am reminded that my husband may be my biggest fan... and, to me, that is everything. It meant so much to me to have him at the finish line of Sunday's race-- cheering me on, and catching up with me at the end. It lightened my step to know that he'd be there ...

2. Happy September! Bring it on, fall... bring it on :)

3. J & I went on a double date last night, with some really good friends, who we haven't seen in way too long. We laughed and told stories for hours!

4. Pumpkin Spice.... Oh. Yes. Please. I've all ready gotten out the "sweet cinnamon pumpkin" candles-- and I'm looking forward to a pumpkin spice latte tomorrow morning :)

5. I FINISHED PAINTING!!! (Ahhhhh! ...and the angels sang :)

6. Snuggly kitties (named Gracie) , who prance around on your chest in the middle of the night before finally curling up on your shoulder.

7. It's football season again! GO BUCKS! (I have more thoughts on this -- I'll share with you tomorrow :)

8. It's also race season... I have something going every single weekend this month... and I'm so excited (again... will fill you in later...)

9. Family. Celebrating joyous blessings together, praying & dreaming together, and realizing how lucky we truly are to have each other.

10. "Autumn is a second spring where every leaf is a flower." - Albert Camus

Have a fantastic Thursday night, friends :)