New Years Streaming

Getting started is the hardest part. So let's just skip the length intro and I'll start my timer, mkay?

My mother's favorite department store is a steeply discounted south-eastern chain located on the drive up to my sister's house. A significant portion of her shopping was done on the way to (or from) my niece and nephew's soccer games.

The week of Thanksgiving, I carpooled with my parents to see the kiddos' Grandparents day celebration. On the way home we stopped in to browse the deals-of-the-day.

In the juniors section, I found a rack of cute ladies style tees with NFL logos. My mom tried to distract my attention, but I found an Arizona Cardinals logo. She shot me the Its Christmas, don't ask questions look, then carted me off to a different part of the store.

Imagine my surprise come the 25th when my sister opened a New Orleans Saints tee, my niece a New England Patriots shirt, but I had nada in the way of sports paraphernalia. When I asked my mother about it, she seemed confused. Apparently she only thought she had bought me a shirt.

Thankfully Jay and I were able to stop into the store during our New Year's excursion and they still had the shirt available. He expressed his confidence that the shirt would be in stock over a month later. His reasoning? Who the BEEP in Tennessee wants an Arizona shirt?

His darling love, of course. But the answer as to why will have to save for another day. My time here is up. Who are you rooting for in the NFL playoffs this year?

To 5,000 and Beyond!

To finish out 2014 on a note of gratitude, I want to share some of my entries leading up to my 5,000th thankful item. Hopefully 2015 will be a new year of journaling as well as consistently sharing my blessings via this blog.

4882) Beautifully played instruments offered as worship

4893) Sunday evening foot rubs

4906) Finishing Christmas cards

4912) Work Christmas bowling party

4921) Clean borders (Daddy)

4936) Visiting with Mamaw & Papaw

4947) Fun white elephant/dirty Santa w/family

4952) Candles, flickering

4960) not-so traditional Christmas eve {hard thanks}

4975) Sausage toss

4987) Gifts hand picked by the Princess & Little Man

4993) Funny movie with the family

5000) Jay sleeping normal hours through the holiday

5016) Small group Bible study discussion

 

For what have you been thankful this holiday season? 
Hope you have a blessed new year!!

Maine 2014 - The Drive Up {Day 1}

I'm more than 2 months removed from this trip, and regret not blogging about it sooner. I hope readers will enjoy the pictures and my commentary, but I mostly want these to jog my memory about the order of the trip. Using the blog as a digital scrapbook of the vacation, better late than never right??

 I have no clue what this picture is suppose to be. So we'll also agree better soon than later, right??

 

Just for giggles.

The drive was just over 20 hours long, so we decided to leave immediately after I got off work on Thursday and drive until we couldn't any longer. And by we, I mean Jay. Especially on the road, I have difficulty staying awake after 9PM. We over-nighted on the other side of West Virginia then hit the road again.

Jay's magic box (aka his cell phone) worked overtime for our vacation needs. We stopped at every brewery/pub we could find along the way. Our first stop was just outside New York City, a bit out of the way, but what's a road trip without a bit of randomness?

Captain Lawrence was difficult to find, tucked back behind a warehouse. In true southern fashion, I was quick to strike up a conversation with a stranger. A member of FDNY, he was on his way to visit his grandmother and stopped in the brewery for the first time that day.

Jay bought a sampler, and I enjoyed a "Golden Delicious" beer - flavored in apple brandy barrels. Yes, it was as good as it sounds.

We got lost getting back on the interstate, and passed this guy twice - costing us double in tolls. After driving up the road a bit, we settle in for dinner. The first place we stopped was rated high on trip advisor, but we arrived 30 minutes before the fancy restaurant opened. Another would-be patron dismissed the locked door "Only in Waterbury!" I'm still not sure what that means, but Jay and I break out into giggles whenever the other randomly tosses the saying out.

We ended up at an Irish pub, a bit more our speed. I had some delicious stew and a local beer. We hit the road again, Jay determined to make it to the southern tip of Maine before calling it. Once again we used the magic box, this time securing a hotel before pulling into York after dark.

SOC Saturday

Its been a while since I've joined Jaime for Stream of Consciousness Saturday and today I'm fixing that.

Confessions:
Cause you know how much I love typing it all dramatic like

• I'm writing this a few days before Christmas. Because I've been neglectful of doing these posts, despite the fact that I really enjoy them.
• My But Seriously post started out as a SOCS post, but then I went over my 5 minute and didn't have everything out I wanted to say.
• I'm ready for Christmas - early as always - and now wondering why I finish so early. It seems like the longer I drag out the season the more I sit, twiddling my thumbs a few days in advance

For the new year:
I want to do all those trite "resolution" type things

• Lose 10 pounds
• Be more organized around the house
• Take time to date my husband
• Find outlets to serve others
• Put down the phone/iPad and be present and available with those I love.

Now to find a way to actually do those things, not just talk/write about them. Do you have goals for the new year? Resolutions? Sure fire tips for staying on task?

about them.

But Seriously...

I guess I just couldn't bring myself to write this blog, now that I (sorta) know the end of the story, I'm ready.

Last month, before Jay and I went to Maine I received an ominous phone call from my dad. His doctor found something suspicious and wanted him to come in for a biopsy. They performed the procedure while we were gone and got the results back the week following.

Sitting just beside my driveway, while getting the mail, my daddy told me over the phone he had cancer.

For a while, I clammed up about it. I didn't want to talk about it. I didn't want to think about it. I told a few friends, but asked them not to mention it to me. I even told Jay I didn't want to talk about it.

During a run one Sunday, I had my breakdown. Scared and upset, I ran the first 6 miles doing all the worrying I'd pent up in my head. My daddy has cancer. I even said it aloud. All the not talking/thinking about it had left me numb. Something about the words made it real.

Along the route, I saw a dead bird on the ground. Not sure why I found that dead bird comforting, but I starting humming His Eye is on the Sparrow. Life is hard, all too often. But.

At the turn around, I abandoned my concerns to the Lord. No matter what happened, He is in charge. He has a plan. My daddy has cancer. BUT. My daddy has Jesus.

After a month of waiting, last week he had surgery to remove the disease. He'd been told radiation might be necessary afterward, depending on margins and what not.

This time, after only a week and a half of waiting, he learned his margins looked good and no further treatments are needed. He's still got some recovering to do from the surgery, but the scary part is over.

From where I'm sitting, its easy to say cancer sucks, but God is good. He wouldn't be any less good had the outcome been different. However I'd be lying if I tried to pretend I'm anything but thrilled with the news.  Praise the Lord. Not because He did what makes me happy, but because no matter the storm, no matter the damage, He is worthy of our praise.

Twas a week before Christmas

What a better time to pause and give thanks? Hopefully I'll be caught up on my sharing by the new year. I have super awesome news to share, but I'm leaving that for SOC Saturday. No, I'm not preggers, moving, or getting a promotion. Its nothing to do with me, directly at least. But it truly thrills my soul.

And now, the list:

4744) Daddy's perfectly cooked burgers

4753) Extra day with the in-laws

4760) Christmas in a candle

4772) Green Bay Packers on TV

4789) Library full of options

4792) 2 parents

4793) a bike

4794) a non-leaky roof

4804) Bible study Christmas party

4819) Beautiful Star song at church

4822) Family who cares enough to visit

4839) Throwback Thursday - happy memories

4845) New running kicks

4851) FREE books!

4864) Comfy new outfit

4873) Run plans with friends

I've at least caught up to last week. For what have you been thankful for this Christmas season?

Stones to Remember

When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, ² “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, ³ and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests' feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’” ⁴ Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe. ⁵ And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the Lord your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, ⁶ that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ ⁷ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever. Joshua 4:1-7

The perfectionist in me cringes at the thought of being so far behind posting my thankful list. However I truly do need these reminders right now. Holidays are changing for my family, partly do to family members with health issues.

While my winter blues always come for a visit when the time changes and the days get shorter, this year I have some life stress to accompany it. I am so thankful for the journal itself  - both forcing me to pause to consider my blessings and giving me an opportunity to remember them.

4554) Audiobooks from library

4562) Scruffy beard kisses

4578) Clear direction from God (at auction on our anniversary)

4581) Sleeping on the couch like an old married couple

4592) Clear, crisp view from Mt. Cammerer

4608) Money for groceries

4616) "Ain't Nothin wrong with dat!"

4622) Sense of tidiness at home

4635) Snow!

4646) C.A.R.E. card writing with ladies from Bible study class

4655) Sunset reflecting off the river

4663) Melissa - understanding what I need and acting accordingly

4677) Sharing books with family (Mama, Aunt Karen, Aunt Caroline)

4682) His eye is on the sparrow

4693) Trying something new - cooking asparagus

4701)The little man's funny story about his dad

4716) Seeing Mocking Jay Part 1, with my sister and BIL

4725) Early Christmas gifts

4731) Card/board games

For what have you been thankful this past week?