Day 13 on Day 14

Day 13 is being recorded late because Day 13 of this brand new year is January 13, 2015. The day my oldest child turns
               21!
Oh my gosh. I am now a mother of an adult child!  Some once told me when my kids were little and I was in the throws of infant, baby and toddler that the "days drag , but the years fly."
That statement has never been truer than today.

As I reflect back on all those days before 21 I remember some as precious and fun others frightening and maddening.  I have wished for days back. Some to repeat  the sweet times other so I could have a do-over.  But none of those days are coming back. They now exist only in our memories and of course the fabulous scrapbooks I keep; and if I could re do those days I would savour those moments far slower than I did as a young mom.  But rather than get all days-gone-by on myself I have decided that the best years of our life and our relationship as mother and daughter are yet to come.  

Today is officially the first day of The Best of Our Lives.

Day 12 --Thank a teacher

Today so thankful to be able to read. Thankful for having the choice of what to read and for having so much available to read.  Gather up those good reads and donate to your library. 

Better yet thank a teacher!

A day of rest

So its Sunday.  I am always grateful for Sunday . It is a reminder to slow down, love others and be grateful.  Its the day God wanted us to rest. But more and more I realize that the rest is not only for us-- it is a rest from us.  
We work all week taking care of business, families, parents, schools, cars, bills,  homes, our bodies, etc  etc. This list goes on and on.

So when we rest from all this , we rest from ourselves and the focus we place on tending to our lives.
Worship on this day for God is an expression of gratitude for who He is:

He is the one who loves us.

I encourage everyone to rest in this. Relax in this. Rest form your list, your chores, yourself and enjoy this day being loved. Have fun, laugh play, sing . Its not a call to be a vegetable or lazy.
It's a call to rest from the work, the competition, the betterment of yourself and your life and be loved.

That rest looks different for all of us. For some it's long walks, good movies, cooking together, playing outside, reading a good book or getting a good nap in(my favorite).  For others it is feeding the homeless, making love, visiting old friends, calling your mom, or praying.  However you rest may it be a refreshment and a joy.  Monday is coming and God has planned good works for you. Gratefully let His rest equip you for the coming week.

Day 8 and 9

Umm.. I missed yesterday but I am no less grateful just super busy at work.  I am dog tired  right now and about to get in the bath but as I soak I am going to be grateful for:

•  the full day I had yesterday of employment,
•  the night time b ball game with my youngest and a few friends, 
• the sleeping in (until 11 say B U M ) my man let me have this morning 
• and the aching muscles that I organized the entire kitchen with and then walked 2 miles!!!!!- 

I will accept my bad ass award any day now!

So keep on being grateful even when things are not perfect or they are busy or they just sux.

Look deep, think high and settle into gratefulness.

It is a better place to be 

Day7 -One full new week

So we are one full week into the new year. How are those resolutions going?  I have resolved to take one day at a time and as a result I have resolved NOT to vacuum today.  I really need to. The puppy has taken on a new occupation as paper shredder. Thank goodness we are saved from all those nasty magazines I wanted to read and that dreaded roll of toilet paper!!!  Seriously it is a mess.I picked up what I could by hand and was going to vacuum but its now 6 o clock, I have to pick up the youngest from b ball practice and the temperature is dropping as fast as the wind is blowing.

I am from the south. I can't-- repeat CAN NOT vacuum in sub 50 degree weather.  I am reluctantly picking up the little one as it is. I mean can't she hang at the school over night. She is just going to have to be back there bright and early anyway.  But alas she is my DNA, so like all mamas I will sacrifice ( in this case my toes) and retrieve my  young.  I own two pairs of closed toed shoes . So its those things or double socks with flip flops.  I will layer my 4 various school sport  shirts over my Corona shirt and wear my face washing headband over my ears.  I think I have a pair of gloves left over from a mardi gras ball somewhere.  I'll be fine.

I settled on these fabulous socks.

Okay what was day 7 about? Oh yes I was being grateful that's right.  When I return I am sitting next to a roaring fire that I have instructed my man to get going and downing a hot toddy while wrapped in a blanket.   Tonight to spread the love and the warmth my act of gratitude  will be to outfit the kiddos with a blanket fresh from the dryer just before bed .  I will run upstairs to lay it over them and tuck them in like a bug in a rug.  They in turn will roll their eyes will giggle with glee.

 I am grateful for a warm house, electricity and blankets. I know many across the world, our nation and even our neighborhoods are not so fortunate.  Consider as winter comes on to donate your blankets, pillows, sheets and coats to your local shelter or Red Cross.

Day 6- moving gratefully

Today the sun made a much needed appearance after days of overcast skies nearly made me want to go underground ( did I mention I am a possible  seasonal disorder canidate?)

I walk with two great women in my neighborhood two to three times a week.  Later Friday I twisted the heck out of my ankle while walking in my yard.  I cursed the dog who dug the divot that I fell in with a round of four letter words. FYI they were not love, hope, or darn.

So being not so graceful  and having a giant swollen body part for 3 days I want sure I was walking material today.  But I've been bearing weight and pain free for 24 hours. 

I took my chances and while I was a tad gimpy I managed.  So  I am not a graceful walker but today I am a grateful one! !!   And tomorrow morning  I'm scheduled to walk with another good friend!!!

So here is  to legs that work and friends who go with you side by side! !!

Day 5- happy time

Schools back in session . I loved the down time with my family. Tonight I had a meeting for the non profit water wells my family and I help build.  I saw so many friends at that meeting that I haven't seen in so long! !!
ooh how I have missed them! ! It was so good to hug their  necks and they missed me and made me feel so welcome and loved!

These friends share not only laughter and kindness with me but a mutual love for God and His service.   That love  shows in the way they unconditionally love me and my family.   They give the presence of God tangible manifestation and I'm so grateful and happy! !

Day 4 -common madness

So winding down the holiday break and I for one am ready to get on a schedule !!! So I've soo enjoyed my family. We have fought the crud a bunch over the past few weeks and unfortunately my middle girl is sick with cough and fever.
While I am grateful for modern medicine, warm house and a doctor if neccesarry. I am totally totally excited that tonight is a season premier of OUR show. And since she's sick it's all ice cream for dinner as,we freak/geek out on Downton Abbey!!!!!!

Day 3- First time is a charm

Okay if you made resolutions how are those going?  I can have a goal in the distance but I do better on a day to day resolutions. When done consistently they add up to the finish line.

The garage went great. All done. I will post pics soon (thank you my cousin for the demand of proof)

Today I am going to be grateful for the college chick. She leaves tomorrow to head back for her classes. I have really enjoyed her.  I'm very proud of the young lady she is becoming.

It is really a wonder first children turn out at all. They are the experiment child where we do all the trial and error. But as in everything God takes our circumstances and makes them for good. She is my most forgiving child. I guess she had a lot of practice when she was young!!  Marc and I are not perfect parents and we were quick to correct ourselves and seek forgiveness from each other and our children. Many feel this is a sign of weakness or undermines our authority.  It has not. It has shown our children the aspects of grace and mercy. It has shown that we as parents are also under authority from our loving Father and that our love is yet a poor reflection of His great love for us.

So blessed our we to have 3 beautiful gifts from God. Today we are shopping as a family and will load college girl up with all the necessities for another semester: Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sausages, Toilet Paper and her Favorite Shampoo.  It is a small gesture but for a budget conscious college kid that coconut pricey shampoo is the real deal.

New year - second day

Well here we are at day 2 of the new year. It's starting slow because we,are all on vacation and have no schedule.  It will soon be upon us with school starting next week.  But for now we are still bums.  Plus it was major college football time last night and well it didn't exactly go our way.
Who knew that 2015 would make me a Oregon Duck fan?

Today I am choosing to be grateful for my gift of a husband Marc Hill. That man has loved me through it all.  Good times, ugly times, sick times, prosperous times, and broke times. His love comes in the  reflective form  of Jesus through  sacrifice and service .

Marc's native language is service . Want to know you're loved by him?  Just look at his actions. He always puts his family first from choosing a job, planning his schedule or spending his money the Hill tribe benefits from his every action.

So today an important item on his list will be taken care of by me.  

The garage is as close to a man cave as he will ever get and 

unfortunately it looks like this right now.

stop judging me

What the heck is all this ,as Marc likes to call it , "debris" doing here?  Well some would be Christmas that was taken down and never put up. Some is " crafty" items left over from making gifts. Nothing says "we have been in here daddy " like a  touch of glitter on the work bench   The rest I like to file under " miscellaneous " otherwise known as I -might-totally-need-this-one-day treasures.  Did I mention what a patient and tolerant man he is?

So today the love in action plan is to restore the garage to its former glory. 

Minus a few specks of glitter here and there. Glitter is like  the chlamydia of the craft world,  it just keeps on spreading. At the very least I want to clear it enough that he won't trip over the giant bottle of modge podge on his way to retrieve an allen wrench.

Wish me luck I'm going in.