What a Monday "Off" Looked Like for Me

In the last two months, we've had two Monday's off - first for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in January, and then yesterday for President's Day.  Public school is, of course, closed.  Both of these Monday's off have been a nice change of pace for me, although I wouldn't actually call them days off, because I still did quite a bit. 

Last month, for MLK Day, I pretty much spent the entire day cleaning and organizing.  I needed to move things out of the nursery's closet and into the office's closet, as well as do some serious organizing and sorting in the office.  I had hoped to get to the storage closets in the basement, too, but I just didn't make it.  I'm pretty sure I also had breakfast or lunch with either my mom or my sister, but I just can't remember at this point.  I felt pretty productive and, although I wanted to do more, was proud of what I'd accomplished. 

The newly "organized" office closet - three quarters of those clothes and all the shoes had been in the other closet before (yes, we were using three closets for our clothes).  I got rid of tons of shoes and clothes we don't wear anymore.  This closet also doubles as our "linen" closet, as we don't have one, so in those bags up top are comforters, etc., and in the bins below, sheets and towels.  It's actually much more organized than it looks.



The leftover stuff to do in the office - a trash bag to take out, some bins for Husband to take down to the other storage closets, and some now-empty bins thanks to some serious purging of crap we didn't need anymore.



The stuff for Goodwill.  A TV, printer, bags of clothes and knicknacks and other such stuff that we'd pack-ratted over the last several years.

The trash - things that were broken (including a leaky air mattress), yucky, or un-usable.



Yesterday, also, was not a typical "day off," at least in my opinion.

I did get to sleep in.  You know, until 7 am.  That's the lastest I've slept in a while, actually, so I was proud.  I drank coffee in bed (that was lovely) before heading into the shower.

At 8:15, I was out the door and headed to school.  Yes, to school, yes, on a day when school was closed.  I met several of my StuCo kids who wanted to get a head start on making decorations for our big Sadie's Dance that's coming up soon.  We were there until about 12:30.  Normally I help with the work, but something about sitting on the floor and painting didn't seem appealing to me this time, so I encouraged, advised, and did some grading.

Hard at work!  More to come soon on Sadie's Week, which is next week!

I then headed over to my mom and dad's house, to hang out with the family in town.  We ended up not quite having the afternoon we expected.  Trips to the pharmacy took Sister and Meg away, the kiddos took naps, and Dad was out getting Grandpa to bring him over to hang out.  So I used that time to grade some more tests.  At least I got them all done!  Everyone got home around the same time, and that's when things really started to get interesting.  Poor Grandpa (who is 96 years old) ended up being sick - let's just say it resulted in him needing a shower and Mom cleaning the Powder Room bathroom ... three times.  Walls, door, everywhere.  It was awful.  That pretty much sent us into a tizzy for a while, trying to figure out if he was sick, to take care of him, to help Mom (who, by the way, is the absolute best).  Finally it was taken care of, Dad took him back home to assisted living (where he's just moved recently), and my uncle and sister went to pick us up take-out Olive Garden.  We had a lovely dinner at that point, truly, but the whole afternoon and experience was a bit crazy and surreal.

I did remember to take a couple of quick shots of the cousins - they are so cute - before I left, and thanked my cousin Meg for bringing them here now, as the timing let me see how fun and adorable little boys can be, having grown up with all girls pretty much.  It was so fun to hang out with them.

I'm not sure why this came out blurry, but it did.  Alex, age 4 and a half, Sister, and Husband were all cuddled onto the couch watching WordWorld.  We watched a few episodes this week - it's cute - and Alex loves it!  When we left last night, Alex made sure to give Husband and I hugs AND kisses and was very adament that we see each other again soon.

This little man, Gabe, is 18 months, and oh-my-goodness the cutest thing ever.  So friendly, so sweet, so baby-talk talkative, and with THE best smile ever. 

Husband and I had to leave after dinner to head to our last birth class at the hospital before we go for real, so we said our goodbyes (they leave today) and got our hugs and kisses. 

At birth class, we reviewed about types of medications and made a pro-con list for epidurals (what a hot topic!).  We practiced some different labor positions and breathing (a little awkward with people that are strangers, even though we were in class together for a month - I laughed a lot).  We practiced different types of breathing for pushing, but, as the nurse said, did NOT push at all as we wanted no babies born there last night.  At the end, she asked if there were any more questions, so I of course, was myself.

Me: Yeah, I have one.  Can we skip the labor and delivery part and just get straight to the baby?" 

Nurse: Um... No.

Well, it was worth a shot. :)

After doing our evaluation of the class, we headed home, tidied up the house, and got ready for bed.

Pretty sure I was alseep by 10.  Another great Monday off, even if it wasn't really off.

Probably the best part about a Monday off, I think, is the fact that it makes Tuesday feel like Monday, but it's really Tuesday, so you're a whole day ahead of where you think you are.  Which makes Friday come all the more quickly.  Lovely.





Looking Back: 2011

As a teacher, I live my life by school years more often than calendar years.  I'm always caught off-guard by student's jokes in December of "I'll see you next year," because I just can't get my brain to operate on the calendar year when I'm in the middle of school.  For me, the year runs from August to August, and I accept that.
Still, the coming of a new calendar year is something kind of special, isn't it?  New years, new days, new mornings.  New chances.  The closing of a calendar year gives us the opportunity to reflect on what was, and to dream of what comes next.

2011 proved me to be an unfaithful blogger and photographer, so I can't do one of those month-by-month, best posts or photos reviews, but I have picked out a few things to share as I reflect on 2011.

On Babies:

In April I shared my thoughts on Husband and I finally deciding that we were "ready" to have children - or to start trying.  Still, that "decision" brought very little chage in my life.

In August, Husband and I were in Lincoln, NE, for a wedding when we discovered that we were, in fact, pregnant.   After taking a couple of pregnancy tests over the course of a couple of days (which, yes, I have pictures of, but no, I will not post here), we sent/gave our parents these homemade mugs to share the news with them.

In October, we shared the news with the world.  The first non-family, non-close friends people to find out?  My Student Council.  They were so cute and excited for us!

I had my first and total meltdown about worrying if my baby was okay - I was sure the baby was dead and I just didn't know it.    I was a sniveling mess for a couple of days until I finally let my rational self and God take over.

In November, at our second ultrasound, we learned that not only was Baby C alive and healthy, but he was also a HE.  A boy.  A son.  Whoa!  I kind of knew it, I think.

In November, I gave in and finally bought maternity clothes (a tramautic experience at first, but I'm feeling more comfortable in my expanding body these days.... comfortable as in more accepting, not as in physically comfortable). 

Most excitingly, the end of November and December have brought amazing feeling movements and kicks that both Husband and I can feel, and the mushy mom-to-be side of me has finally started to come out.  I'm nervous, excited, and realizing, holy moly, I am going to be a mom.  Soon.

On God and Deeper Things:

At a few points throughout the year, I acknolwedged that I needed to dig deeper.  I pondered having Margin in life, God's faithfulness, and a need to spend more time with the One, but little came of it until November, when a friend finally kicked me in the butt and told me to just do it.
December brought nearly daily quiet times (some long, some short), where I've begun to learn more and more about faith, belief, and a new level of relationship.  The Advent season helped me to process that it's about that relationship. 

Photo Credit: My wonderful blog friend, Southern Gal.

I'm on a journey, but it's beautiful.  And hard.  Beautifully hard, but worth it, and I know I'm getting something I didn't get before. 

On Family, Friends, and Life in General:

January brought a visit from my friend Brooke for a weekend.  She's moving to Korea in a few weeks with her husband.  Brooke is the type of friend you know you can always count on.  I mentioned that I would be alone for the weekend and I was super upset about it, because Husband was going to be on the youth retreat, the first I had missed in years.  On a whim, she and her dog Charlie drove out to hang with Ginny and me. 

Husband and I just had the chance to spend another weekend with Brooke and her husband as they drove from Arizona to Michigan, phase one of their move to Korea.  I don't know when I'll get to see her again, but thank goodness for Skype, and for friends that you know are always going to be there and get you, no matter where they live.

Summer yielded two trips to Nebraska on my part and three for Husband (who loved it, since that's his hometown).  In June, we spent a long weekend at John's mom's and attended Husband's cousin's wedding.    There was an incident with a harmless snake in a park that resulted in my crying like an idiot, and Husband explaining to his sister that I am like Indiana Jones - able to conquer everything but snakes.  In July, Husband went back to Lincoln for his 10 year high school reunion, where he got to drive a Mustang and catch up with some old friends.  And in August, we went back again for Laura's (MIL's) birthday and went to another wedding.  (And found out about the Peanut.)  Sadly, I have no pictures of any of this - I was a terrible photographer.

In July, my grandpa turned 96 years old, we moved him from one retirement home to another, and we took him to Estes Park.  He's pretty much the coolest old man I know.  My sister and I had lunch with him yesterday at his place, and just laughed with him.  He's great.

My sister graduated from college in May and, in August, started her first year of teaching (1st Grade!).  She's doing an amazing job, from what I can tell.  She's also the Peanut's biggest fan, and has already bought him a couple of cute little outfits and is super excited to be an aunt.  Hanging out with her is always fun, even when I'm freezing to death at a football game.

I

 also have found that, more and more over the last year, I just absolutely love and respect my husband.  He's an amazing man, who continues to amaze me more every day.  He graduated from a 4 year schooling program with honors and took his Journeyman's license test and passed on the first try.  He tore out our rotting deck and put in the cutest little patio and yard in our teeny-tiny townhouse space.  He's been reading up on babies and is actively involved in this pregnancy, and is so excited to be a dad.  And he's grown, in lots of amazing ways, that I couldn't even begin to share here.  He's just wonderful, and I am blessed to be his wife.  I can't even begin to imagine what this next adventure we're about to go on together will be like, but I'm so excited to be on this road with him.

There are about a billion other things I could tell you about 2011, but as this post has already taken way longer than I thought, I'll be finished.  

Looking back, I am in awe.  I pondered.  I taught some great students.  I made some mistakes, but I tried to do right.  I spent time with people I love and who love me.  I learned to spend more time with my family, to create some margin, to leave work at school more often.  I'm growing in my faith, in my relationships, and, of course, in my belly.
I know that 2012 is going to be a year full of life I cannot even begin to imagine, and I am thrilled to begin looking forward.   I have some hopes for this blog, but more importantly, I have hopes for myself, for my husband, for my son. 

For my life.


Blessings, and I'll see you again next year.

Coming Soon to Like a Day Off

1. A hopefully fresh, simple blog design.  I can't actually afford to get someone to re-do my blog for me, and I don't really know how to do much on my own, so expect a simple template.  I want a few more days of Christmas blog (just like I want a few more days of Christmas house), and then I want simple and fresh.

2. A post on 30 before 30.  I started that list a bazillion years ago.  (Okay, like a year ago.)  Now, with less than a year to go before 30, I want to cross some things off my list.  Excited to share it with you - maybe they will actually happen.

3. A request for your most-important, non-annoying advice on how to prioritize what actually needs to get done before Baby C arrives.  With less than 15 weeks to go and the terrifying knowledge that I was born nearly 4 weeks early, I have a serious need to get my rear end in gear and figure out what's most important and what can wait.  Any words of advice from high school teachers who are over-committed to their students on how to do long-term sub plans will be appreciated.

4. Hopefully more regular posts that show a better balance of who I am as a person - teacher, wife, homemaker, mom-to-be, Jesus-follower, funny and serious woman.  I like a lot of my early blog posts, but feel like for the last year I was in a blog-rut.

5.   More pictures.  I just have to replace my camera first.  Remember how I lost it a while ago, and then found it?  Well, I tripped and dropped it the other day when I was about to document my epic fail at Spritz cookies, and it's broken.  Lame.  It barely bounced on the floor.    So.... let me save my Christmas gift cards and see if I can get a new camera soon.



Potentially I'll do a "looking back" post before the new year, but if I don't (I really enjoy not being on the computer on breaks), know I'm looking forward to spending 2012 and all it holds with you all!

30 Thankful Days - Day 25

On this Friday, often called "Black," I take the opportunity to be thankful for all the things that are wonderful and worth pausing to remember.  Join me as I link up with my friend Dawn on the final stretch of 30 Thankful Days.

Pictures to be added when I get batteries for my camera or get pictures from my sister. :)

Thankful Thing #22:
A Week Where I Don't Have to Be on the Computer
This is the longest I haven't posted during these 30 Thankful Days, but it's because I haven't been on my computer.  During the regular school week, I'm online every day.  A lot of my lesson plans are on my computer, I get about a bazillion work emails a day, and when I come home, I have to do some work for online class.  So I'm on the computer often.  I check Facebook (I don't FB stalk much, though), I email some, and I read blogs or blog (in addition to all the other "real work" stuff I do on the computer).
But this week, I haven't turned on the computer at all.  Today, in fact, was the first day I did so.  Monday I did school work, but I graded physical papers.  Tuesday I cleaned the house.  Wednesday I hung out with a friend and helped my mom do some pre-cooking.  And yesterday we celebrated friends and family with delicious food.   And while I do have online work to do this weekend, there wasn't a routine that required me to get on the computer.

And I love it.  (Back to reality coming soon, sigh.)

Thankful Thing #23:
A Clean House.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE a clean and organized house.  My camera batteries are dead, and I have no others, or else I would show you how almost every room in my house was deep cleaned this week.  It's awesome.  I dusted on and around and under.  I cleaned tubs and toilets and mirrors.  I did the laundry AND put it all away.  I scrubbed and scraped and vacuumed everywhere.  I put all "the stuff" where it goes, instead of somewhere "convenient." 

It's lovely.

It brings me peace of mind, joy, happiness.  A place to feel comfortable, safe, and as if, indeed, it is my sanctuary.  I was just thinking the other day that it's been a while since I thought about home as a sanctuary, and I want to be mindful of that, especially as we think about bringing the peanut home in less than 5 months. 

I will soon (within a few days, if not today) be putting up my Christmas decorations, which I will surely post, because those make me happy happy happy.  Those PLUS a clean house - well, I may take next week off, too, just to bask in my delight at my home.

Thankful Thing # 24:
Traditions and Thanksgiving Itself.
I LOVE Thanksgiving.

Years ago I was laughed at by some friends when I said I consider Thanksgiving to be the beginning of Christmas.  I mean, isn't it?  It's a day marked be set aside for choosing thankfulness, and Christmas is the season for the same thing, to remember and choose thankfulness and joy as we celebrate the miracle of God's love for us. 
As long as I can remember, my grandparents came over and my mom and grandma would cook, while my grandpa, dad, sister and I would set up the tree and decorate.  I've started to help Mom do some of the cooking, and Sister has taken over the outside lights with Dad, but Sister, Husband, Grandpa, and I still do the tree.

This year we did the tree and decorations on Wednesday, since there were going to be 12 of us over for dinner on Thursday.  Husband has officially taken over as the tree man.  He set it up, did the lights, and "fluffed" the branches so well that our fake Christmas tree looks the absolute best it ever has.  I helped Mom a lot with the food ,and then Sister and I did the ornaments - Grandpa helped a bit.  He's old (96) - it's good for him to do a few ornaments, but we'd rather him not be reaching up high on the tree.

I spent half the morning at the house helping with the final details, and then our "famiy" all came over.    My immediate family - Husband, Mom, Dad, Sister, and Grandpa.  Husband's mom and mom's friend from Nebraska, Husband's sister.  Our close family friends Christina and her son Christian, and Christina's sister Bev.  They pretty much belong to us.

We ate.  Turkey.  Mashed Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Asparagus Casserole, Vegetable Casserole, two kind of Stuffing, Broccoli with yummy sauce, Cranberries.  Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Pie, Apple Pie.  Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.  There was Pumpkin Ale, Moscato, Pinot Noir, Coffee... (and water for me).  It was a delicous feast - we were belly-full and laughter-full.

And then we did my favorite Thanksgiving tradition.

Thankful Thing #25:
A Muppet Christmas Carol

If you haven't seen this movie, you should.  It's probably one of the best versions of the Christmas Carol out there, complete with the added bonus of Muppet humor.  Michael Caine as Scrooge is AMAZING.  We have every song memorized.  We know almost all the lines.  Husband has the uncanny ability to quote the Muppets and sound JUST like them. 
It makes us QUITE happy.  And it fits the sentiment of Thanksgiving and Christmas just perfectly, I think.

I'll leave you with the lyrics to my favorite song, sung by my favorite Ghost - the Ghost of Christmas Present.

With a thankful heart, with an endless joyWith a growing family, every girl and boy
Will be nephew and niece to me (Nephew and niece to me)
Will bring love, hope and peace to me (Love, hope and peace to me)
Yes and every night will end, and every day will start

With a greatful prayer and a thankful heart

With an open smile and with open doorsI will bid you welcome, what is mine is yours

With a glass raised to toast your health (With a glass raised to toast your health)

And a promise to share the wealth (Promise to share the wealth)

I will sail a friendly course, file a friendly chart

On A sea of love and a thankful heart

Life is like a jouney, who knows when it ends?

Yes and if you need to know the measure of a man

You simply count his friends

Stop and look around you, the glory that you see

Is born again each day, don't let is slip away

How precious life can be

With a thankful heart that is wide awake

I do make this promise, every breath I take

Will be used now to sing your praise (Used now to sing your praise)

And to beg you to share my days (Beg you to share my days)

With a loving guarantee that even if we part

I will hold you close in a thankful heart

I will hold you close in a thankful heart

30 Thankful Days - Day 18

Here we are, over half way through the month, less than a week away from Thanksgiving.  (woohoo!)  Celebrate all that you have to be thankful about with my friend Dawn and others over at Dawn's Good Life. 

Thankful Thing #16:
Friday.

Okay, I know I posted that I was thankful for Fridays last Friday, but really, my thankfulness for Fridays is a renewable source each week.  And this Friday is different.  This Friday is special.

This Friday means we get a week off from school for Thanksgiving Break.  Hallelujiah, can I get an Amen?

We don't get many days off first semester.  We get Labor Day - but we were only in school for a few weeks at that point.  We get a day off in October - but we had to work the two previous evenings for parent-teacher conferences.  We get any snow days that might occur (one this year!).

And then finally the week of Thanksgiving comes around, and there is a whole week, just for us.  Afterwards, we have a mad rush to the end - two weeks of classes and one week of final exams - and then another break. 

But this break, this break is necessary.  We're all tired, we're a bit cranky, but more importantly, we're ready for a break.  We need that break.

And I'm excited - I LOVE Thanksgiving.  But I will tell you about that another day soon.

So thank you thank you thank you, Friday.

Thankful Things #17 & #18:
Opportunity and Husband's Perseverance.

Husband loves his Peppermint Mocha almost as much as I love the GBL... but not quite.



Today Husband takes the exam to receive his license as a Journeyman Electrician.  This has been a long road, and I'm praying that he passes today on the first shot.  He needs the boost, I think.  Husband has been in the field for 7 or 8 years, but is not licensed yet.  He started in Residential, took the Wireman's test a few times, but could never quite pass.  School was never easy for Husband - he just didn't learn how to learn or study, and we're pretty sure he has ADD and never learned the tools to work with that. 

A little over 4 years ago, the best thing ever happened to Husband - he got laid off from the residential job.  And then got hired at a commercial company, which immediately enrolled him into a four year trade school. 

Husband went to class once a week for four hours nearly every week for four years.  He's switched companies a couple of times due to lay-offs and economic struggles, but he stayed at that school, learned to study, learned to take tests, learned to be a student.  And in May, he graduated with Honors.  We were quite proud.

Today he takes the BIG test.  It's hard.  Full of code, calculations, and other stuff I don't understand.  He's been studying for weeks.  Taking practice exams online.  Working on the things he doesn't do as well.

Either way, this test marks an opportunity for us. 

A chance for Husband to see his hard work pay off (I hope!!), or a chance for him to learn that sometimes failure is a way to grow even more.  A chance for him to remember that he isn't doing this to get more money, to provide for his family, or to move up in the ranks (although those are all good things), but that for now, God has called him to be an electrician and serve Him in that way, and a license gives Husband more opportunity to do that, whenever he earns it.

I'm really proud of my husband.  If he fails today, I'm still going to be super proud, because the man I met more than 6 years ago would never have spent quiet, solitary hours in a room alone studying and practice tests for the last two weeks.  He's worked so hard.  He's persevered.  

And of course, if (when, he would say) he passes today, we're going to have a BIG celebration.  Nevermind budget concerns - this deserves a party! 

I'm thankful, truly thankful, for the opportunity this test brings to us, but mostly, I'm thankful for the man I married, for the ways he's grown and changed even in the last couple of years, and for his perseverance. 

He's amazing.

A Day Off

Good morning!  Can you just wait a moment while I run to the kitchen and get my cup of coffee?  I turned the pot on about 20 minutes ago, but haven't gotten up yet to actually enjoy my morning beverage.  I'll be right back.

That's better.  I've got my favorite brew in hand - a homemade cup of Einstein's Hazelnut Coffee..... mmmmm delicious.  I've been drinking cup after cup of tea recentely (I have a nasty cough), but I just needed a cup of goodness this morning.

Today I have a day off. 

It's not like a day off, it is a day off. 

We worked parent-teacher conferences the last two nights, and since they can't pay us for it, we get the next day off.  Hence, no going to school for me today.  However, I apparently don't know how to take a day off.  I made my to-do list for this weekend, at least half of which I hope to accomplish today.... it includes grading all the work for my online class I got behind on when I was grading all the work for my IRL classes before PT conferences (I don't have any more abbreviations, or I'd throw them in just to be funny), grading workbooks, planning the next week of online curriculum and getting it uploaded, doing laundry and putting away the piles that are still out in the basket from last week, cleaning the living room, kitchen, dining room, birdcage, master bathroom, master bedroom, guestroom (and, in all that cleaning, hoping to freshen up the house from the "dog" smell we have now), walk the dog and walk the horse. 

But I'm also drinking my favorite coffee, wearing my favorite sweatpants.  And later, I'm going to spend the evening with some of my favorite friends at small group.  And walking the dog and horse (not simultaneously, of course), is fun for me and fun for them.  And I hope to see my parents and sister sometime this weekend.

And having the chance to stay home instead of go into work truly makes it, regardless of what I am doing here, a day off.

Love it.

Here are a few pictures I'm dying to show you!

A double rainbow (the top is very faint) we saw on our drive to Wyoming to see Husband's family.

The first leg of Grandma Harriett's retirement / birthday party - she's the one dressed like a prisoner.  The theme of the party was her parole, as she retired from working at the Wyoming State Penn.  It was quite a fun night - after this stage, the party continued with close family friends and their kids and kids' friends (all now in their 20s) talking, laughing, singing (oh yes, singing), and more.



Here's a picture of our little snuggle bug - she seriously loves to cuddle, although she still wants to play a lot of the time!  We decided to name her Ginger, but call her Ginny for short.

And I'm in love with fall (although it's a little warm again today) and wrote a post about it here, but wanted to show you my mantle.  I love it.  It's a little busy, I know, but it's beautiful to me.

Happy Friday!  May your day be like a day off, too.

Catching up on a Friday

Hello, Company Girls. Today is a good day for company, don't you think?

Sometimes I think it would be easy to get sucked into wishing that I had as many real-life company girls as we do coffee company girls, but since I'm on a positivity kick, I realize I want to be thankful for both my real-life company girls, though they be few in number (but big in heart) and you all, my other Company girls. Love it.

Anyway, last week I wasn't feeling very bloggy. I was in a funk. Fortunately, having a day off on Monday (a perk of being a teacher) was just the ticket and I was inspired by how awesome new days are and how much I love them.

This week, as a result of the positivity and the new day attitude, then, has been pretty good. Life is busy, as usual, but it's good.

Since I was in a funk and didn't chat with you all last week, let me just catch you up on the week.

Some of you have been following my kitchen remodelling progress. We haven't made too much more recently, because Husband has been working full days (despite the mess in the kitchen, it's a beautiful thing for him to have full time work). Still, he's slowly but surely getting cabinets painted and hardware put on. Perhaps this weekend he'll finish that and I'll get to do a thorough cleaning before we start tearing up the floor.

I made ice cream cone cupcakes for the first time in my life. They were pretty delicious, even though they were still a little gooey despite my over-baking them. My Seminar LOVED them.

I just looked up and out the window and it's snowing. I live in a state known for snowfall, but yet we've been just having flurries and no accumulation while others of you have been seeing unusual snow piled high. I've been jealous for snow, so while I'm sure it won't stick, it still brought a little leap of joy into my heart.

I've been having really good quiet times this week. I am doing a Bible study on Ruth with a high school student from church and then have been prayer journaling and just spending time reading the Message and praying through what I read. It's amazing how God always meets you when you seek Him.

Lastly, as I was going through the grocery store this afternoon to get some Risotto (I made crispy oven chicken, parmesan risotto, and green beans with almonds for dinner), I saw something that made me smile instantly. Just like I wait for Gingerbread Lattes in the fall, I wait for these little treats in the Easter candy aisle. You better believe I bought a bag. In fact, I bought two.
I'm looking forward to this weekend, too, because first, I'm going to spend tonight hanging out with Husband, who has not been home one night this week before I was already in bed (he had youth group Sunday night, work Monday night, guys meeting Tuesday night, class Wednesday night, and worship team Thursday night). I don't know what we'll be doing- perhaps watching a movie, but it will be wonderful just to be together. Saturday I'll do some things I need to get done, and then I'll most likely be going out with some women from my small group for a Ladie's Night Out. Hopefully it will be just what I need to feel more connected. And Sunday will be a family dinner with my parents, sister, and 94 year old grandpa.

I love the weekend.

Oh, and one last thought. The other night I was reading a Psalm (100) in the Message version, and this short chapter jumped out at me.

On your feet now- Applaud God
Bring a gift of laughter,

Sing yourselves into his presence.

Know this: God is God, and God, GOD.

He made us, we didn't make him.

We're his people, his well-tended sheep.

Enter with the password "thank you!"

Make yourselves at home, talking praise.

Thank him. Worship him.

For God is sheer beauty,

all generous in love,

Loyal always and ever.

I think what struck me the most (among lots of other things I like in this Psalm) is that we're to make ourselves at home, talking praise. To me, that means that praising God should be as natural as putting your feet up on the coffee table and chatting with your best friend. I'm digging that thought.

Anyway, here's to the weekend!

Loving the New Day Thing

I'm joining up with others over at Chatting At the Sky for Tuesdays Unwrapped today. Pop on over and check out what people are thinking.

Truly, I am. I'm just loving the new day thing. The way God takes every morning and makes it a new one. There's no leftover mornings from yesterday. I mean, sometimes we have to deal with stuff from yesterday, but each morning is in and of itself a new morning. What a beautiful thing.


Last week I was very un-bloggy feeling. I just didn't feel like I had much to share and I was a little bit grumpy off and on for no explicable reason. Instead of being revitalized by hanging out with friends on Friday I was bothered. Sunday service left me wanting to cry - like a real cry, too- but I couldn't have begun to tell you why. Husband and I spent the afternoon on the couch eating grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup while he watched tv and I read a book. That part, although very uninteresting sounding, was restful. And then I woke up to a new Monday morning.

Yesterday gave me a glimpse of what it would be like to not have to have a full time job. We had the day off as teachers, but Husband had to go to work. I had coffee with my mom and then later with a high school friend from the youth group whom I am doing a Bible study with. I cleaned, did laundry, and just felt better about myself. I didn't eat crap, and I went grocery shopping and actually had real food on the table for dinner (nevermind that the table is buried under all the stuff from the kitchen remodeling, so by table I mean bed). I actually did my Bible study. It was beautiful. (Disclaimer- regarding the initial statement about glimpsing the idea of not having a full time job outside the home- I liked it, I did- but I think after a while I'd go a little crazy, but that's good, since not working is not a financial option.)

Anyway, today is another beautiful new day. Because I was productive yesterday, I woke up to the coffee already brewing, a clean bedroom and bathroom, and only had to straighten my hair from last night's shower. Lunch was easy to make because I'd already planned it out as a result of going grocery shopping. And I had a nice chat with God in the car this morning on my morning drive to work.

I don't know why I was in such a funk last week, and particularly this weekend, but I'm rocking the new day feeling, and loving it.

1...2...3... Jump!

Obviously this isn't us (we don't live near water, it's currently snowy and cold at our house, and we look nothing like that), but this is how Husband and I feel because...

I'm D.O.N.E. with Grad school!

I just sumbitted my portfolio of everything important I've done for the program for the last year and a half and now ...

I'm DONE!

Now I can really take a day off and finish Christmas presents that I'm making and just breathe.

(Just thought I'd share.)

A Literal Day Off

So I've spent some time considering ways to make each day have moments that seem like a day off. And today? Well, today the Lord actually gave me a day off. And even better? He gave Husband the day off, too. In our whole first year of marriage, that's never happened!

Our state is known for being one where it snows at odd times of the year, and although many people are surprised that we're having a snow day in October, to me, it's quite normal. A year without a snow day in October just isn't right! This picture isn't actually from today or from my house, but it is from my parents house (who live a few miles away) during a different October snow day a few years ago.

Anyway, like I said, Husband and I have never had a snow day off together, but today we do! This morning he was slipping and sliding his way up the interstate to work while I was catching a few extra minutes of sleep since I had a two-hour delay. Soon after I got the phone call saying school was canceled, I heard him walk in the front door- the interstate was so bad where he was headed that his boss called and told him to go home. So of course, we giggled excitedly about how it is our first married snow day, just like a couple of newlyweds, even though technically, we're past the newlywed cut-off date.

And today's day off has been just lovely. We ate a yummy homemade breakfast together while drinking yummy Spanish coffee (have I mentioned that I love love love coffee yet?). I made my first ever batch of homemade applesauce- my grandma, who was one of the most incredible women I have ever known- would have been quite proud. I finished the last paper for a course I'm taking, which means I am now down to my last eight weeks of graduate school. Husband and I have been doing laundry- him putting away last week's clean clothes that never made it to their proper places and me washing more clothes that hopefully we'll put away before very long. I've been reading inspiring thoughts by other lovely bloggers and Husband and I have been watching the extended version of the first Lord of the Rings. And it's not even dinner time yet! Lovely!

Okay, before I go, a quick thought I learned from another blogger. She's writing about trusting and loving people, with God's love, agape love, and she concludes,

"Do I give people the benefit of the doubt? And when I can’t…do I truly hope the best for them, through Christ? Or do I dwell on the assumed, or even obvious shortcomings or someone…holding my own agenda close so that I, in my own power, can protect it?

Love believes all things.

Maybe it’s time that I started to believe in that kind of love."

You can read all about it over at (In)Courage, where a bunch of bloggers get together and do just that, enourage one another.

Personally, I know that I need to let Christ's eyes and heart transform the way I see and love others, because there are days that I know I just look at them with my own very-biased, very-judgemental ones. I'm thankful for the reminder that Christ's love is quite different than my own, but that, as I learn to love Him more, I can learn to love others like He does. And doesn't that rock!?!

Like a Day Off

Dove Dark Chocolate Promises. Almost enough said. Dove Dark Chocolate with Almonds Promises? Oh, a little piece of heaven melting in my mouth.

Sometimes the "promise" inside the wrapper makes me giggle, sometimes it makes me a little mad, and sometimes, well, sometimes I find a little inspiration.

Recently I came across one that read, "Find little ways to make each day like a day off." And, in this season of life, where I find myself wishing desperately for a day off, but know I can't afford to take one, I found that "promise" to be worth more than the writer probably intended. I NEED to figure out how to make each day have at least a moment that reminds me of a day off.

And then, because I am an external processer married to an incredible man (but an internal processer), I decided I would join my other external processing friends and blog about my journey towards living my life fully, with moments that remind me of a day off.