My new Contigo mug. I LOVE it! After losing one in a Christmas swap game, and not winning enough on the lotto tickets I ended up with to buy my own, I waited until after Christmas. And it was worth the wait. Perfection!
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
5 January 2015
I've had a lot of friends in my life. I've gone through stages of bigger is better (aka, how many Facebook friends do YOU have?). I've gone through periods where I worked so hard to change myself, mold myself into someone that other people thought I should be. I've given up on dreams, doubted my abilities, and let other people dictate my worth.
As I grow older, I have a tiny piece of the wisdom that I hope to have in another 10, 20, 30, or 40 years. I've learned friends are like a fine wine, they take time to develop to their full potential, you always look forward to seeing them, and time spent in their presence leaves you feeling happier, warmer, and better about your life and the world you live in. Friends support each other. They are each other's cheerleaders, and when a friend stumbles a true friend stops, turns around, and offers a hand up.
I am blessed to have been sent true friends in all stages of my life. From Edna & Michelle, to Sarah & Julie, to Candace & Erin, to Sarah (again ;)), Maggi, Kathy, and more. At this point in my life I want to grow the true friendships. I want to get to know Christina & Deann more. I want to walk alongside Beth & Vanessa. I want to get to know my best friend, Michael, even better than I do today. To all the people who are special in my life, even if you don't see your name, thank you. Thank you for being authentic & vulnerable. For giving a piece of yourself to me, in the hopes that I would love you and not break you. Thank you for being patient with me as I do the same, sometimes reluctantly, but taking that chance in the end, the chance to open up and be opened up to.
And if you find yourself on the other end of that dark tunnel, looking down a rabbit hole of fear and doubt about being the true you. Close your eyes and walk inside. Yes, some people won't follow you in your journey. You will learn that the people who you thought were closest, are actually farthest away. But you will also find that others you may not have noticed have the capacity to love you more than you could imagine. You will find freedom in the joy of being...just being. You, authentically. You'll see that there are people in this world who love you just as you are, even if you're not exactly what they had imagined. Give them, and yourself, a chance. You'll be glad you did.
Here's a photo of two of my amazing friends at lunch today.
Tuesday, January 6, 2015
4 January 2015
Oh this face. Silly, sweet, smart, sassy. I got the privilege of being Clara's date to a skating party. Holding her little sweaty hand in mine, picking her up when she fell down, and watching her grin from ear to ear as she "skated." So glad God sent her to us, there couldn't be a more perfect Clara than the one we have.
3 January 2015
"There are few things in life more valuable than a friend who is always true. In fact the only thing that tops it is a true friend bearing pie. Made of nuts...."
Monday, January 5, 2015
2 January 2015
Finding their gifts from Grandpa Deeter. And a Frozen umbrella, because I mean, why not?
Friday, January 2, 2015
June-December 2014
Yay for blog a day! It worked out quite well until June. You can see from my posts that I blogged through the 12th, I was always a little behind with COMPLETING posts, and I have the posts from June 12-June 30, but as soon as I read our Bible study chapter for July I realized, no blogging! July was, as you can guess, media. It was an eye opening month for me. After July, it almost felt gluttonous to be on Facebook. And to my shock, no one died if I didn't check Facebook from my phone every 30 minutes. From then on, I kinda went rouge, and spent a lot more time offline. That means no blogs every day, but I do have some pretty fun photos. I'll share those. I also don't have some really fun photos, because for a lot of time I just chose to exist in the moment without documenting it for posterity. Either way, it has been a GREAT few months. Hope you enjoy the photos :)
Our indoor swim hole! When it was cold, hot, storming, ANYTHING, we could still swim. Lots of fun times at the pool.
Moms night out
Father's Day, every dad needs a new tie :)
Moser's Austrian Café
A great meal with a wonderful family before they moved
Great memories here, but I sure miss them
BAB
Olivia, the world's WORST photobomber
We had SO much rain this summer. There was nowhere for water to go, and we had a wet basement so many days this year, glad the rainy season is done!
Maddie's bday party
Our trip to the Chocolate Factory
VBS
Springhill Camp
Three of the best goofballs in the world!
Grant is slightly OCD. Slightly....
Clara is da' boss
My favorite post race photo with Ms. Awesome 2014
Brew & Woo
Yep, he's mine, and I'm keeping him. Back off ladies!
Trip to the Fort Wayne Zoo
What girl doesn't love to twirl?
My triathlete
Finished!!
Brew & Woo #2- We didn't end up eating here, even though it was $1 hot dog night ;)
Blueberries!
Swim lessons at Penn
Olivia was Grumpy in an original production of Snow White
This is what I get when I have Clara try on clothes. Diva to the core
Grumpy in the park!
Beach Trip!
I had to include this, because of the creepy photo bomber in the back.
Evan looks super excited to be hanging out with us
Our teacher letter! Olivia was super excited to have Mrs. DeLaurelle
Last day of summer!
School year 2014-2015
Olivia 3rd Grade
Clara Pre-K
Clara's First Trip to the Dentist
Football 2014
Olivia's New Apron From Grandma
Clara likes to pose with props. It's a fact
Fall Bible Study Group
Olivia gets her first Bible from church
Party Face!
My goofballs :)
Clara's first day in Ms. Beth's class. THIS IS HER LAST CLASS AT EASTBANK. I...DIE...
Clara & Mr. Steve. Love that guy!
Apples :)
The measuring scarecrow is on a hill? Weirdness
Last day at the zoo
Pumpkins
Daddy-Daughter Dance
Lunch with Santa
Dropping off Olivia's lunch, and Clara's outfit goes so well in this landscape!
Here she is with the top up. It's a skirt...it's a dress..it's a skress!!
And proof that all four year olds are crazy. Also that Clara gets way too many suckers ;)
Clara's last ballet class
All bundled up and ready for snow
Our family Advent creation
Anyone else not able to pass Sandy without a ride?
Best cake decoration by an 8 year old ever
Anyone else have Ronda reindeer from McDonalds? She's a Christmas staple in our house
Now for the tree!
Ladies night to reveal our surprise MJC bags. We ordered sight unseen, and just got what we got
Surprise! They're all the same (ish) Erin's is just turned inside out
Advent candle lighting
This has been an awesome year! Here's two more boxes that arrived from an eBay client, all the way from sunny California
Olivia's Christmas concert
Clara and the great bloody nose. Aka-mom watches Clara hold a tissue over her nose for 5 minutes at her last Eastbank concert. Wah!
Let me take a break and get another tissue. I'll be right back guys :)
Celtic Santa, my favorite Santa ever!
And Mike snaps a photo of Clara licking me. There were about 5 more, guess I smelled good
Olivia's Last Day of Dance
The ratio of chocolate to peanut butter in this has to be totally off!
And....Sandy....again....
Winter break starts with a bang, getting my oil changed
Olivia plays Mary
Clara as Clara
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