happy list.
i was getting ready to write what a beautiful day it is, everything i like about
today & just share...and i hesitated. i hate that. trust me, i love encouraging comments as
much as the next person, but i definitely don't 'have it all together.' our house isn't 'all fun.'
i'm not 'a saint' or 'supermom.'
i'm not trying to appear like our life is some fairy tale. it isn't.
our kids are downright mean to each other sometimes--
and heck, so are matt & i.
i forget to return library books & sometimes have matt run out to
pick up dinner simply because i don't want to cook.
our beds are almost always unmade &
i.am.always.behind.on.something.
[aren't we all?]
i guess, to me, this is just how i am.
i'm not putting on a facade.
the day could have been terrible, but
i just cherish what was good. what we do have.
of course i have bad days. of course i'm sad, frustrated & mad sometimes.
i guess what i'm trying to say is that i just try to do what i ask my kids to do:
choose joy. choose contentment.
now, i hope i can get back on to this great day stuff because
it is a great day.
top of today's joy list?
clay [with his sister's eye mask] obsessed with baby Jesus:
white chocolate raspberry creamer!
a fountain Pepsi with 3 squirt of vanilla & crushed ice in a syrofoam cup.
day 5 of excerise.
[i haven't consistently exercised in 7 years. eek!]
grocery shopping by myself.
holding hands with ellie & running through the cold parking lot.
finding our memorial box at a little antique store after searching for one for months.
[post to come on what a memorial box is & what color is in that can!]
and finally?
this.
please visit the link above to view our family pictures for 2010.
our photographer has done our photos for a few years and has
become a dear friend. her heart is beautiful.
she has been in quite a battle this year.
with cancer.
she has fought well...with such strength & so very much grace.
i'm so proud of her & so thankful for her gift with photography.
she captured our family as we are & these photos will be treasured always.
go take a peek & feel free to leave her words of encouragment
& prayers as she soon prepares to hear whether or not she's beat the cancer
or if she needs to keep on her mighty fight.
i adore you, samantha and am praying for you all the way.
thank you for these.
wow. those photos are gorgeous. and her story is phenomenal. what an inspiration. i LOVE that she saw that space on the bed that's waiting to be filled. and the picture of the babies is just too much. <3
ReplyDeletewhat a beautiful day. you inspire me with every post. i am a perpetual pessimist (argh) but you bring out the optimist in me. thank you.
What beautiful pictures and keeping her in prayer!
ReplyDeleteI saw her post earlier today and it brought me to tears. I've been praying so hard for her to beat this!! The photos of your family are precious! What wonderful moments...captured forever.
ReplyDeletethanks for reminding us that it's not about perfection or having it all together...it's about choosing happiness and making peace with yourself and your life.
ReplyDeleteThose pictures are absolutely fabulous!! Such a wonderful idea, and great use of color!! Perhaps you can fill your empty frames now!
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm absolutely in love with your nativity set, may I ask where you found it?
I raise my glass overflowing to you!
ReplyDeleteAlso, what a buff baby Jesus!
Steph
We don't make out bed's either... in fact my kids often sleep on top of their comforters in warmer weather. It seems like a big stupid waste of time. :-)
ReplyDeleteMy happy list:
- Tea, most any kind
- My red boots with ruffles
- How my 3 yo talks and tells me I am his precious mom.
- Crying at children's books.
- Definately grocery shopping by myself too!!!
And seriously I keep coming back to your blog to see your boy's crazy happy faces... they totally make me laugh! I am glad other people's kids look so goofy and out of this world happy about little stuff too! I just don't manage to get it on the camera. :-D
Those pictures are amazing! Your family is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAmazing Pics! Who cares if your beds are made, creative people never make their beds!
ReplyDeleteIt is all about those smiles & giggles and holding on to Baby Jesus, you have more important things to do than make the bed!
Oh, and thank you for always bringing a smile to my heart!
Blessings & Peace!
That picture of Clay is just the sweetest.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks to you, I'm now super thirsty for fountain pepsi, vanilla, and crushed ice. And I'm glad you appreciate the importance of the styrofoam cup.
These are really great. I love that your youngest daughter is concentrating on her book in the bed. So sweet! :-) Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThat pic of Clay and Baby J., and the sequin eye mask may be my favorite photograph. Ever.
ReplyDeleteThank you for loving me, and I'm so thankful to get to love y'all.
I don't think of you as perfect or as supermom, you are human just like the rest of us. I just love your outlook on life. The moments that you chose to share here, the smiles, the laughs, the memories. I think that you already chose joy and contentment. You have inspired me so much this past year.
ReplyDeleteSo thank you.
Oh, you and your family are so beautiful. In more ways than one.
ReplyDeleteHonestly? I never thought you were pretending to be perfect. I think I kind of got, all along, that the joy that oozes out of your blog comes from choices you are making. I know you're all human. That's the most encouraing thing of all to me. We're all just people, but we can make great choices. I'm learning to choose joy, choose contentment, choose trust and love, and YOU, Love, have been a big part of that. So keep doing what you're doing. God is using you in more ways than you can count.
I love this post. It's so true huh...when we choose to look at the positive, to find joy, it feels like we are being fake or giving off the impression of a "perfect" existence. But really it's following the instructions of the Lord--to count everything joy, to give thanks in all. Thanks for putting words to things swirling in my heart these days.
ReplyDeleteI had to comment again :) I just went and looked that the photos. Incredible. The beauty of your family--inside and out, brought tears to my eyes...and I'm not a crier!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post! I love your "confession" of being real, and I love your gratefulness list.
ReplyDeleteI rarely make beds, either. It is a super big surprise to my husband if our bed is made! :)
Those photos in the field are BEAUTIFUL!
Love that shelf! Cannot wait to see it painted.
ReplyDeleteJoy inspite of the mess...I love that way of life...not always easy but worth it.
Your family photos....smashing!
this post made me so happy, and that photo of clay is utter delight.
ReplyDelete[and you and i are extra-vanilla-coke/pepsi twins. yum.]
beautiful pictures
ReplyDeleteand you're right - life may not be perfect and we have our downs during the day
but embracing the happy
I need to remember that.
OK, so I am in love with EVERY post.
ReplyDeleteReally.
And who DOES have it all together? No need for the Jesus then, right? ;)
And the photos? Gorgeous.
You are a blessing!
xxoo
You have a beautiful way of living life. :)
ReplyDeletehi friends! thank you for visiting me & leaving such kind words. seriously. you are fun.
ReplyDeletecourtney--we got it as a wedding gift--i'm not sure where it's from!
Wow! She is an amazing photographer! I don't "know" you that well, but from reading on here, she captured your family perfectly. I'll be praying for her!
ReplyDeleteGood call. Bad stuff happens all the time, but we can always choose joy! Thank you for reminding me! Can't wait to see your pictures. I will pray for your friend.
ReplyDelete