what helps me pray.

My feet hit the edge of the driveway and my pace quickens, inhaling cold air. My breathing steadies, matching the rhythm of my feet. I turn right and look at the house next to me as I jog past. Over the past few months I have come to be familiar with its shape, the driveway, the trees that line it...

I look to my left to the house flanking the opposite side of the street, now familiar to me as well. I continue through the neighborhood in similar fashion...taking note of every detail. The gravel patches, dips and bends, hills and cul-de-sachs. I take in familiar sounds... dogs barking, children laughing, old men muttering under their breath... the hum of leaf blowers and lawn mowers. I catalogue these visual and audible cues...placing them with their origin in my mind. I draw a picture in my minds eye... a blueprint of the area, a framework, which I add to with each new day. I list what I know about my neighbors with the things that remind me of them.

Then I pray for them, one by one.

The shy old lady to the right, check. The bachelor on the left with the BMW and girlfriend, check. the family with the angry rottweiler and soft spoken mom, check. The old man with the walker and golden retriever, check. The house that looks abandon save for the black smoke curling out of the chimney and the glow of a flatscreen, check.

Then there is the family with two teenage boys and chainlink fence, the mom with twins and the artist with lymes disease. The family behind us with two toddlers, and the one down the street with a little girl. I jog past the church in the center of the neighborhood and pray for the congregation. Past the middleschool and highschool and pray for the administration.

I continually have to rein in my thoughts, to focus my mind on prayer... it wanders so easily, but I have a job to do. I asked God to give me a heart for my neighborhood, to help me to love them more and this was His response, "If you want to love them, pray for them."

And so I pray for them every day, and I care about them more than I thought possible, considering many of them are still strangers to me. God reminds me to lift them up in prayer as I go throughout my day, through the cues all around me. When I am loading my kiddos in the car and I hear the roar of the chainsaw from the next yard over... I pray for them. When I hear the voices of little people from the other side of the trees out back... I pray for them. When I see the old lady in her yard as I drive past... I pray for her.

It works for me. It's quick and easy, and has produced so much fruit in my life. As an introvert who would be so content to spend every day, all day at home, and only invite over the same few friends for the occasional meal or cup of coffee, this gets me thinking about others, and allows room for God to work in my heart. It also gives me the sense of connection I need to actually reach out and introduce myself to the people around me. I want to know them now.

That is what I love about the Lord... when we ask Him for something, He answers. He builds bridges where there were none, and makes strangers into friends...

In the corner booth...

This afternoon knocked the wind out of me. We got home late from visiting a family member and the kids were restless and overdue for naps. One was teething and one had just been given four cookies before getting in the car, so he was tired and wired. As I laid little girl in bed for a nap, I heard the car alarm going off and rushed downstairs to see Hunter clutching the car key clicker, a satisfied grin on his lips. Of course the alarm made the dog start to howl and run frantically around, which of course made the baby wail from her crib where I had abruptly left her.

A few minutes later, with Hunter in bed as well, I decided to take a quick nap...recharge my battery a little. A minute later the deafening sound of a hammer-drill echoed through our duct work, reminding me that the repair men in our basement were diligently installing a new HVAC system. The drill was followed by the sound of a sledge hammer (perhaps just a hammer? who can tell?) banging the metallic surface of the duct work directly below Brooke's room. Baby cried, dog barked, and the rest is history.

An hour later finds me in the booth of a nearby coffee shop, clutching a steaming cup of decaf and a folded over edition of a parenting book from the 80s. My sweet husband saw the look of desperation (and exhaustion?) in my eyes the moment he walked in the door and promptly herded me to my car, Bible, computer, and books in hand. He knows me. He knows what I need, and the fact that sometimes I don't.

I poured over the pages of my book, looking for nuggets of wisdom and truth. I heard my head tell my heart that it was time to rest, regroup, refocus. "You have two hours so hurry up and chill out."

The irony of my good fortune- the opportunity to be alone, the husband who cares about my sanity, the free pastry on my frequent buyer card at the coffee shop- contrasted to my frantic spirit, is not lost on me. I feel guilty for even daring to say the words "bad day". I am blessed beyond compare and I know it... but lets just put it out there... being a mom is a tough gig.

I realized a few months ago that it was going to take a lot more than my good intentions to raise my kiddos. More than food, clothing, and a warm place to sleep. More than snacks and naps at the appropriate times. More than the perfect blend of outings and days at home, socialization and independent play. More than studying growth charts and mapping out milestones. More than education and verbalizing expectations. More, more, more.

What my mothering needed, needs, and will always need is the living, breathing spirit of the omnipotent God blowing fresh life into my soul every day. I need it like a cool breeze on a hot day. It is the only thing that will satisfy, clarify, and sanctify my efforts. I know this and yet my conversations with God sometimes go this way...

God: What is frustrating you, my dear?
Me: Uh, take your pick God, things are crazy right now...don't you see? Can't  you make my kids behave???
God: (Chuckles like a kind grandpa) I will take care of them, but right now we are talking about you.
Me: What about me? I am tired. exhausted. please make the dog stop barking so I can sleep.
God: You don't need sleep, you need Me.
Me: Great, I will get right on that, after I take a nap.
God: Sleep will restore your body, but I will restore your soul...

And then I give in, and then He does.

Sitting in a corner booth, at a coffee shop, with the One who has been waiting patiently all week for me to come, sit, and be with Him...

Why do I always make Him wait?

b.

To my little girl,

If someone had told me a few short months ago that I would have a daughter right now, I would not have believed them. Throughout the time I was pregnant with you, I kept repeating,"I think it's a girl" over and over, but never really let my imagination run wild with what that actually meant. I had an inkling that you were in fact a girl, but had the expectation that you wouldn't be...and so when you came, my dear, you rocked my world.

Suddenly I held in my arms your precious little life with dark hair that swept across your forehead and arms that clung to me and eyes that implored me to love you. And I did... with a kind of love that I had never felt before... a fiercely protective and loyal love, a complex love that had me playing your future like a black and white film in my head. Your first steps, first bike ride, first date with your daddy, your prom night, your graduation, your wedding day... All of these things that I hope for your future, all of these things that I pray I will get to be in the passenger seat to experience with you. These thoughts filled my mind in the early morning hours that I spent nursing and rocking you. I was your momma, you were my daughter.

I learned from the first weeks after your brother was born, that there are few things more precious than the hours spent sitting in the darkness, rocking, singing, and praying for our family. And so that is exactly what I did when you came. During those late nights and early mornings, I prayed for you...thanking God for the sweet baby that you are and for the little girl you will grow to be.

I prayed for your childhood, that God would protect your innocence and fill your days with joy. I prayed for your adolescence, that you would feel the love of your family and the love of your creator and that His love would fill you with contentment. I prayed for your years as a young woman, that you would grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord and that His peace would fill your heart, and I prayed for your adult years, that your would have a gracious heart, a joyful countenance, and a love for people.

I prayed for your future husband...wherever he is right now. I prayed for the hands that are caring for him, for his mom and dad, for his spirit. I prayed that God would instill in him every good thing that he will need to love you and lead you. I prayed that your path to meeting him would be easy and that you will never know the pain of rejection, loss, or a broken heart.

I prayed for myself, that I would be a good mom to you. That I would be kind and loving, sweet and full of compassion. I prayed that I would be a good example to you of a godly woman, and that I would have wisdom in knowing how to raise you to have confidence and joy. I prayed that I would be full of discernment in the years ahead when we go through life's many seasons and our relationship takes on new forms. I prayed that I would know how to best love you when you are sad, happy, angry, and hurt. I prayed that you would let me be your best friend.

I prayed for your dad...thanking God for the wonderful man that he is. I prayed that he would know how to treat you, his little girl, how to fill up those places in your heart that only a father's love can reach. I prayed that he would show you what it means to be cared for, protected, and nurtured, and that your relationship with him would be one of your most valued.

I prayed for you and your brother, that God would fill your hearts with a special love for one another, and give you a friendship that you will both cherish throughout your lives. I prayed that you will be one another's greatest fans and closest companions...that you will be kind to each other and learn from one another. I prayed that all of your best childhood memories would contain the two of you together.

Most importantly, I prayed for your spirit. I prayed that in the marrow of your soul, and the depth of your heart, that you would love the Lord. I prayed that your relationship with Him would be second to none, and that you would seek Him first and always. That you would have wisdom and insight into spiritual things, and that your eyes would be open to the greatness of God from an early age. I prayed that you would love and serve Him all the days of your life...

These have been and continue to be my prayers for you, sweet one. I am so grateful that our great God saw fit to let us raise you...

I love you more than you will ever know...

love,
your momma

What happiness looks like...

Two weeks ago we welcomed the most precious little gift into our lives, a sweet baby girl. She came as quick as can be...a few short hours of labor and she was ready to meet us. At first, we didn't really believe it, it seemed like a wonderful dream that we were bound to wake up from..."Can you believe it? We have a daughter!" we repeated over and over to each other. Then reality set in, like a warm blanket surrounding us that, yes, it was true, she was ours and it wasn't a dream... and we were smitten.

The days following her arrival have been full of all kinds of goodness... afternoon naps, big brother kisses, dimpled baby cheeks, and visits with friends and family. We have been blessed beyond measure with these two little ones of ours, and we cannot help but fall more in love with each new day...

Brooke Adeline, born May 4th 2013 at 3:38am, 7lb 9oz, 20 inches

To my little boy with chubby cheeks.

I never grow tired of watching you...you inspire and motivate me every single day.

Yesterday your tiny little feet motored across the hardwood floor of the living room without any help. After months of toying with the idea of walking, you decided it was time. Your happy grin and delighted little giggles told us that you were just as proud of yourself as we were.

When dad came home, you were quick to show him your skills, and I think I saw a tear in his eye as he whispered in my ear, "Can you believe he is ours?"

You are a little taste of heaven my love, and I cannot believe we get to raise you. God is so good.

Four little words.

Hello Friends.
I hope that this first week of the new year find everyone happy and healthy.

The last two months have been a bust as far as blogging goes, but I am really hoping to change that in the coming months. I have had so many wonderfully memorable moments with my family that I should have posted, as well as lots of handmade goodness that I wanted to share and never got around to. I blame it on two things really...

One is that we are moving soon!! It has been over a year since we began planning to move into a larger home a few towns over...and now we are literally only a month and a half away! I am so excited. Knowing that there is a move in our future has put me in a total state of distraction. My mind is constantly swirling with so many thoughts...paint colors, floor samples, moving dates, etc...

Also, little boy has become quite the mover and my days are literally flying by as I chase him around from one activity to the next... the stage we are in now is by far the most challenging and most rewarding phase we have encountered as parents so far. Lots and lots of hugs and kisses are getting doled out, along with lots of, "No, don't touch that", and "get that out of your mouth!"... ahh the fun has just begun:)

As I have struggled to mentally juggle all these changes in the past few weeks, I have found myself lying awake at night for hours, mulling over all the things I "need" to do. I write to-do lists as long as my arm and obsess over every detail of what I hope to complete before our baby arrives this spring.

One night last week I read a few words in a daily devotional that stopped me in my tracks. I had been tossing and turning for a few hours prior to reading them...

"You will not find my Peace by engaging in excessive planning; attempting to control what will happen to you in the future. This is a commonly practiced form of unbelief."

(Sarah Young, Jesus Calling)

I know that my need to control the future is what leads me to excessive planning, list making, and worrying. I often fail to see it for what it truly is...a form of unbelief. Unbelief that God will take care of the future, unbelief that He will cause everything to work together for good if I trust Him...the list continues.

My heart's desire is to experience Christ's peace and joy, and to be a conduit of His love to my family, and yet I choose to worry and over-plan instead. His peace will only come if I surrender my list making and worrying to Him. So in this new year, I have four little words I want to accomplish...



It is my prayer that God will give me the grace to enter into this new season without worry or fear, and that my heart would be so steadied in Him that my plans would loose their importance in the wonder of who He is and what He has done for us.

"For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."
2 Timothy 1:7

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
1 Peter 5:6-7

"Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord guards the city,
The watchman keeps awake in vain.
It is vain for you to rise up early,
To retire late,
To eat the bread of painful labors;
For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep. "
Psalms 127:1-2
 

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.
A man’s heart plans his way,
But the Lord directs his steps."

Proverbs 16:3, 9

Happy New Year Everyone! May you experience the peace and grace of the Lord in your life this year!

Sharing hope.

Every year around this time, a magical little catalog arrives on our doorstep. It is usually sandwiched between colorful Toys-R-Us leaflets, K-mart adds, and Target flyer's boasting beautiful new toys. As soon as I see it, I make myself a cup of tea and peel open its cover.

I immediately find half a dozen things I want to buy...

It's the World Vision Gift Catalog, and it is splendid. Its pages are full of gifts you can purchase for people who you will never meet on this side of eternity. Life sustaining animals for a family in Uganda, education for a child in Ghana, clean water for a village in Niger... an orphanage for children or a safe place for exploited young women...

These things seem so far removed from our cozy little world here in the US. It is as if human suffering is just a bad dream that only exists in our imaginations...We hurry our days with shopping and wrapping and decorating and sometimes it is easy to pretend that that is what everyone everywhere is doing...sadly, it isn't.

Now that I am a momma, I am more determined then ever for my family to grow up knowing that Christmas is a time of giving, not just receiving. And that the hope that lies within us, the birth of our Savior two-thousand years ago, needs to shine brighter than the twinkle lights on our Christmas tree. Its beams have got to cross oceans, climb mountains, and descend valleys...and they need to come hand in hand with a hot meal, warm blanket, and drink of water.

That is why I love the opportunity that World Vision gives to us at Christmastime. With the simple click of a mouse, we can fill our virtual baskets with life-changing gifts and know that somewhere across the world someone is feeling the love of Christ.

This Christmas morning as we open gifts as a family, there will be a few little mementos that represent our world vision gifts, thing like...

This little wooden ornament that represents a "New Mother & Baby Kit" for a momma living in poverty...a gift I bought with our little one in mind. As I deliver our baby in a few months, I want to know that somewhere there is another mom holding a new baby, wrapped in a blanket that our gift provided and covered in prayers from our family.

And this little felt goat which represents the "Goat and 2 Chickens" we bought for a family on Hunter's behalf... I am excited to add to his collection as the years go by, and explain to him how important it is to give to others, even when we can't see them:)

 

Merry Christmas Season Everyone!

Now go "buy" some hope and say a prayer for the ones who will receive it!

On Turning One.

Growing up our family had a birthday tradition that my mom began when we were young. The night before your birthday, you would go to bed with excitement and anticipation, knowing that in the morning there would be a little birthday package waiting by your bedroom door. I remember waking up in the early morning hours and straining my eyes in the dark to see if there was a little bundle in my doorway. They were usually small token gifts...books, cds, or trinkets...in and of themselves they were nothing special, but given their presentation, they were magical.

I knew when I had children one day, this tradition would continue. Last night Mike and I scoured the isles of the local walmart, looking for a little something special to wrap up. After choosing and replacing numerous toys, trucks, and trinkets, we settled on a new box of crayons. 64 perfectly chiseled Crayolas. It may sound anti-climatic, but we are really hoping to teach our children to delight in the little things... So we took them home and wrapped them up. I made a card and we both wrote a note inside. Then I forgot to put it by his door. haha. Good thing he is only one!

This morning when he woke up, he got in bed with me. I presented him with the package and he gingerly tore back the paper and the ribbon to reveal the gift inside...after a brief moment of staring at the contents of his gift, he grabbed the card I made and took off crawling to the other side of the bed. He clutched the little note in both his hands and squeezed it tightly. He couldn't read what we had written, but he clung to our words, and my heart beamed. My mama, who had been staying with us since the storm hit and took her power, read his little card aloud, 

"Happy Birthday Buddy. I'm so lucky to be your dad. I love you. Love, Daddy."

"Hunter Jacob, We have loved every minute of the last year with you...you have enriched our lives with your cheerfulness and smiles...We love you so much and are blessed to call you ours. Love, Momma".

Coming back.

The day after your baby is born, when you are holding that snugly little bundle in your arms, you start to forget all the tough that got you there. The forgetting begins with labor...that goes first...you know it was painful, long, soul-stretching, and back-breaking, but beyond that knowledge, the rest is history. Give it a few weeks and those nine long months of pregnancy seem like figment of your imagination. Fast forward 8 months and your love tank is so full that only the great and none of the tough even remains in your memory.

 

It's the middle of the summer and you are feeling alive with the arrival of things like vacation, ice cream cones, trips to the beach, and sunshine. You look lovingly at your little boy and husband and think, "I am so ready for another one". Hubby is feeling the same way so you take the plunge. You grab hold of the big present labeled "Pregnancy" and tear the paper off. You are elated that the gift is yours. You fail to read, or even notice the fine print that reads, "Excessive sleepiness and insomnia may ensue upon the opening of this gift. You will feel like getting out of bed in the morning requires Everest-climbing strength, and changing a dirty diaper will make you weak in the knees. You will be so thrilled to be carrying life and yet all you will be able to think about is the warm comfort of your bed and when is naptime anyway?"

A few weeks go by and the fine print proves more than accurate. Laundry piles up, dinner comes from the freezer or better yet from the Chinese restaurant down the street, and dust bunnies grow so big they blow across your living room like tumbleweeds. You become a "napper", that dreaded thing you swore you would never be.

Somethings don't change during this time...that little boy of yours? still makes your heart smile so big you think it will burst...and that hubby of yours? he takes little boy with him to go pick up the Chinese food, which makes you swoon because you can stay on the couch 10 more minutes.

Then something glorious happens. You open your inbox and get an email titled, "Week 13 of your Pregnancy". You read about how baby is growing and how he/she now has fingerprints and weighs an ounce. You read that you are entering your second trimester and you should start to feel better soon. You think to yourself, "Yeah, I do feel a little better today." And whether it is real or the placebo affect you do not know, nor do you care...because you skip your nap that afternoon and make dinner. You can't explain it but you just feel whole again. Your head descends gracefully out of the clouds where it has been hiding for the last few months, and you re-secure it tightly onto your body, because lets face it, you need your head back.

All the while the world has been changing outside your window. The leaves on the trees glow orange, yellow, and red, and the cool air that greets you at the door holds the crisp scent of Autumn. Pumpkin pie cans have been added to the end caps at your grocery store, and pretty fall decorations grace the homes of the people you love.

The fog lifts and you are left in a wonderful season called "fall". You venture out for the first time in weeks with one goal, to buy a pumpkin scented candle. You quickly bring it home and light it. You squeeze your squishy little boy and tell him you love him. You greet your husband with a smile and a kiss when he comes home from work, and tell him, "I'm back babe, I'm back!"

And he smiles and gives a sign of relief because he has missed you.

to my almost ten month old...

(written Saturday morning, posted Saturday night;)

Hi Sweetie,
Your dad and I decided to take a trip this weekend, leaving you with your Aunt Jordy for the night...I know you are having a blast with her, because you didn't even reach for me when I said goodbye...you just smiled.

As I sit in this hotel room, all stretched out on the king size bed, savoring the quiet...I miss you terribly. I have come to realize that being a mom means your attention will never be undivided, for the rest of your life, whether your little person is there with you or not. And that's ok, because honestly, I cannot think of a better place to let my mind wander than to your sweet face.

The last few months have been filled with crazy changes for you...so many milestones, experiences, and challenges. You have transformed into an "almost-little boy" before our eyes. I know I should have kept better track of these things, but I was too busy chasing you and Sadie around (you guys are quite the duo these days;).

Here's what I do remember: right before you reached eight months, you caught the crawling bug and you were off like a little rocket, traipsing your way around the house, exploring like it was the first time you had seen everything. When you crawl, you smack your hands of the floor with so much vigor, you act like a little godzilla...which is humorous considering your tiny size. Yes, you are still a mini boy, tipping the scales at just shy of 16 lbs. and hanging out in your beloved 3rd percentile. hehe.

You also began to pull yourself up on things pretty much immediately after the crawling began, no doubt motivated by your desire to see what was on top of that table you just bumped into. You stand next to things now, holding on loosely with one hand...and sometimes do a little dancing jig. With all this new found freedom comes lots of bumps, bruises, scratches, and head bangs, leaving you briefly in tears at least once each day. I am anticipating a whole lot more of that in the coming years as we raise such a curious little boy.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner? you love them all. You eat like a champ and have very few things you dislike...favorites include: bananas, cheerios, waffles, veggie stir-fry, chicken, cheese sticks, applesauce, chick-peas, and bread and butter;) You still nurse in the morning and evening, but have started taking a bottle with organic cows milk sometimes as well. You have 4 big teeth and two that just broke through, making for an adorable toothy grin which you love to sport.

Like I mentioned earlier, you and Sadie are wonderful buddies these days...you actually spend a lot of time playing with each other throughout the day. You pass toys back and forth between you, follow each other around the house, and try (sometimes successfully) to share your snacks with one another. This past week, two puzzle pieces became casualties of your time spent together...you "fed" them to her and she promptly chomped them into tiny bits!

You are a very vocal little boy, always singing and babbling. My hope is that you will have a sincere love for music and that you will never be afraid to belt it out the way you do now. You say "Dada" all the time, and are working on making "mama" a more regular part of your vocab;) you know how too say it, but feel that most of the time "Dada" is the appropriate word for just about everything!

We love you more than ever, and talk about your sweet cheeks, chubby legs, and little fingers long into the night, usually ending with the phrase, "I just love him sooo much."
And really that is all there is to it...we do just love you sooo much, more than you will ever know. Thanks for being our special little guy...for blessing our hearts and hugging our necks. You have us wrapped in the best possible way.

love,
momma

car keys.

Today, as I swung Hunter into his car seat to runs some errands, he reached out and grasped the car keys looped around my pinkie. "Babe, Mommy needs those", I explained as I gently reached for them back. I quickly rummaged through my bag and produced a similar set, made just for him, with a bright plastic ring and different colored plastic keys. His eyes lit up. We made the exchange and stood there for a moment, each jingling our keys and smiling at one another.
And the thought hit me. These little people of ours are downright magical. They watch our every move, and mimic our behavior until it becomes their own. They learn from observation, and if you look closely enough, you can actually see their little wheels turning as they process information and form ideas about things. They delight in the simplest of pleasures.
We all learned in gradeschool about the laws of physics, and science...how our world moves from order to chaos, how things deteriorate with time. But children defy those laws. Their minds are shaped, molded, and formed with each new day. They gain insight and understanding and confusion turns to clarity in their little minds. It is as if God has given us a little slice of heaven, supernatural little beings to hold and cuddle and learn from. When I look at Hunter, I see the fingerprints of his Creator all over him. It sends goosebumps up my arms to know that these little ones entrusted to us are reflections of the Almighty in the most uncorrupted form we will see on this side of eternity. And when I look into my boy's big blue eyes, it is unmistakable...there is a God, and He is so good.

Sharing with: Bits of Splendor

four Julys ago.

Four years ago this month, I met my husband. We akwardly shook hands for the first time, knowing that our friends ( who had just introduced us) were grinning at us both, eager to see our initial glances at one another...hopeful we would hit it off. We did hit it off, and by the end of the night, our one friend grabbed one of our cell phones and said, "Hey kids, get around Mike and A for a picture!".  I had their baby in my arms, and their three other kiddos pressed in around us. Jody snapped the picture and excitedly turned the phone around to show us the shot...he said, "You guys look perfect together, I can just see it now...give it a few years and you will be a family, and the kids around you will be yours." We smiled shyly at each other, both silently hoping he was right.

The following July we were the epitome of "young and in love". The one after that we were sharing our first dance under a big white tent containing all our friends and family. The one after that, we were doting over our little puppy, Sadie, gently rubbing my growing belly and dreaming about our sweet baby growing inside.

This July, we coax giggles out of our little boy, and cheer for him as he crawls across the living room, and hold him high over our heads to make him smile. We grin at each other from across the room when our eyes meet, and I know our thoughts are the same...we love this life we share together, built together. What were once two individuals, became one, and resulted in three.

Happy Anniversary, My Love....God has blessed me immensely by giving me you.

(the pictures above were from the day after we got engaged, in October 2009...they are some of my all time favorites...Mike used carved pumpkins as part of his proposal...=)


(To read more about our love story, click here, here, here, and here)

Sharing with: Bits of Splendor

wednesday's love

I have a few recent loves that I thought I would share with you today...

1. Sneakers on pavement, as the sun goes down...

Running. I never thought this would make it to a "what I love" list, but I can honestly say that motherhood has changed the running game for me. Pre baby, the thought of running any distance, especially in the summer was dreadful and exhausting. I used to force myself to do it, but would constantly have to will my feet to keep moving. I would usually end up walking the last leg of the "run".
Now after Hunter is in bed, I hit the pavement and tour around the neighborhood, anywhere from 1-3 miles. It affords me time to clear my head, pray, think or not think...whichever I chose.  I can honestly say I am enjoying the challenge of running, and my feet carry me with vigor I've never experienced before. The rythmic drum of my feet on the asphalt, and my arms swaying back and forth is so calming. I get so lost in thought that a half hour flies by, and I finally understand what runners mean when they say they can't get enough!

 

 

2. 25 cent special occasion cards...
A whole smear of them. These little beauties, originally from Target, were only a quarter at the goodwill today. As an avid note sender, and life celebrator, I knew I had to get my hands on some. Twelve to be exact. They are adorable, and make me grin=)

3. The perfect shade of coral...

You know how it is so hard to pick the right color polish for toes...one is too orange, another too red, and another too pink...and most make your feet look pale and chubby? (please don't tell me I'm the only one!)

Well, I found the solution, via my friend's pretty toes last weekend. The perfect summer shade of orangy/pink/coral polish. They make your little piggies look long, lean, and tan. Am I exaggerating? of course not ;)

Want to know the best part? It is only a buck at five below=) Three cheers for cheap/pretty polish and having my very own bottle so I don't need to keep borrowing hers;)

What is making you smile today? Do you have a new hobby that has captured you lately? Or a favorite polish color for summer?

Sharing with: What I'm loving Wednesdays