Day 30: Listen

 

“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” ~Shel Silverstein

 

“Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.” 
~Emily Dickinson

 

 

"They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world; someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for."

 

Day 29: Living Gratitude

 

 

Can't say it better than JFK. This is what  I needed to see and remember today.

 

Day 28: Weekend Wrap-Up

I truly believe weekends are for resting. The Hubs and I have been working super long hours recently and by the time the weekend arrives, we are spent and just want to refresh.

 

This weekend was so great because we did a lot of relaxing but were also incredibly productive around the house. As mentioned yesterday, we did the fall swap and laundry tons of laundry and cleaning. We also finally got moving on some painting we've been wanting to do for some time.

 

Painting is one of those projects that we had on the list of things we'd like to do when we had a free weekend, but really never just got around to it. I was having one of those moments where I needed to update/change some things in the house and painting is one of the best ways to do it for the most bang for your buck. It makes a huge difference in the way your house looks but isn't a huge investment, especially if you do it yourself.

 

So, anyways, we painted today and are planning to paint tomorrow, as well. We LOVE the way our living room turned out!

We also went to the Zac Brown Band on Thursday and had a  blast.

 

And, I caught this incredible sunset on the way out of school on Friday. Love.

Hope you had a wonderful weekend, too!

 

 

Day 27: Saturday Happenings

Hello, Friends!

My Saturday posts are pathetic. I can't miss a day of the 31 day challenge so here's what we're up today:

1) Fall closet clean-out and clothes swap. {I dislike this chore in a big way. Anybody else?}

2) Loads, and loads, and more loads of laundry.

3) Fun, relaxing late lunch after said chores.

4) Errands around town.

5) A little painting prep and inspiration below. We are getting ready to paint our living room and dining room and are testing out colors. We already have our eye on the palette we're working with but will have to try some more colors out before we get it right. Exciting stuff!

6) Margherita pizza and a movie with my love.

 

See you tomorrow! :D

 

Day 26: Sustained Joy

 

I love this one. I feel like joy is sometimes seen as a destination, not a journey.So, if we are so focused on how happy we will be when {fill in blank with your hopes here}happens...what are we doing during our journey to that destination? Do we ever really arrive? Are we supposed to just hold on tight and close our eyes until the ride is over?

 

This month, focusing on being intentionally grateful has been really, really good for me. I will be the first to admit that I sometimes wish I could hit the fast-forward button and get on over to the "finish" line where my hubby and I are holding our crying baby or babies in our arms. And, truth be told, if I had the option of not enduring the pain and frustration we have felt along the way, I would choose that. But, I don't have that option so I have to figure something else out.

 

I kind of wished that I could hibernate for a season or two and could just emerge to a new day, new season, new life. I see now that doing that is a waste of my time, literally. I guess the thought initially was to put my head down and charge forward towards our goals. That's all well and good except for one main thing. If your head is down, you lose track of what's in front of you, above you, around you. You don't see the sun's light shining on things you may never otherwise stop and notice.

 

How much have I missed? When I stop and look up, I am always amazed what I see. Sure, we are desperate to rebuild our family. Will do anything and that hasn't changed. But, in the mean time, how I spend my time and energy will drastically impact my daily life.  I cannot live in a bubble. There is not a fast-forward button for me to push. If I can slow my mind down enough to recognize that, I can open my heart up to being grateful for the here and now. The present. The place I subconciously refer to as a pitstop as I make my way do my precious destination.

 

 Being grateful is the antitode. Sustained joy is obtained not by those who are perfect, but those who are grateful for the imperfections.