Back.

Oh hey there.

I'm a little in awe that it's basically been THREE weeks since I've blogged.  I mean...sheesh, where did the time go?

I think it feels like time is FLYING partly because of this crazy little kid that I'm chasing around everywhere.  He all of a sudden is just making huge leaps and bounds.  He's communicating with us...well, in his baby way.  He plays at the park basically by himself.  He loves to do anything that we do...brush his teeth, brush his hair (hello potty that is SO being bought this week).   :)  I just feel like he is really and truly NOT a baby anymore.  He's a 13 month old toddler.  And it makes me happy and a little sad all at the same time.  :)

I just gleeked all over my computer screen.  fyi.
Also, I'm ignoring the sink full of dishes and sitting here with a half cup of coffee and a handful of mini-chocolate chips.  Hello nap time.

Anyways, not too much happened while on my blogging hiatus.  A lot of mom's group, park time, visits to the zoo, road trips here and there, gardening, sewing, coffee and every day life.  Also in that mix I finally cracked open a book that was a gift from my mother in law...like 2 years ago.  It's called One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  I think it was pretty popular a while back.  I'm not sure that I would have even opened it (at least at the moment) except for the fact that a fellow mom in my mom's group just published a book called Found (by Micha Boyett ) which I highly recommend btw.  Anywho the author from 1000 Gifts wrote the forward for Mica's book and so upon finding it on my shelf I gave it a go.

SO GOSH DARN GOOD.
I just loved it.
Really.

It is such a simple concept...communing with God through thankfulness and yet I feel like I was just missing this in my life.  One of my favorite things that she said is that you can only feel one emotion at a time.  So those annoyed, irritated, discontent emotions that seem to rear their ugly head CAN be overcome through communing with God...through basically counting your blessings, through immediately going to Him and thanking him for this life...for what you have.


One of the things that she does in the book is keep a constant list of things big and small that she is thankful for.  Such a good practice. So, wanna see a bit of my list?  Course you do.  ;)

1. Pajama clad legs
2. Chubby feet slapping the tile
3. A whistling tea kettle
4. Old grandma chairs
5. Cheerio breath
6. Strong man arms around my shoulders
7. The feeling of "home"
8. Hot coffee in my mug (of course ;) )
9. Little hands turning cardboard pages
10. Enough material goods to make our house messy
11. Enough clothes to feel like the laundry never ends
12. God's Word
13. Quiet moments to call my own
14. Whipped cream
15. A husband who hums hymns

That's just the first 15.  I have about 180.  :)  I just add to it as they come.  Sometimes they are obvious things.  Sometimes they are efforts I make to see the positive and good when something is frustrating me.

So I am giving thanks a bit more lately.  Or at least trying to. 

And I'm glad I'm back.