Today I am grateful for:
*the smell of baking bread. L and her friend who is over visiting and I made banana bread, and the smell is filling our house. Yum!
*real fruit popsicles - strawberry is the flavor of the day.
*flip flops. I love wearing flip flops and would wear them year-round if Kansas weather would permit.
*Unseasonably gorgeous summer weather. For some incomprehensible reason, the weather the past few days has topped out around 80 degrees - lows down to 60 at night! It's been such a blessing to open the windows and spend comfortable time outside!
Friday, July 31, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Summer Fun - July 09
Wichita Zoo with cousins
Kansas Cosmosphere - looking into the tip of the SR71 Blackbird
enjoying the lake with her dolphin
Gratitude 7/27/09
Today I am grateful for:
*evening walks with my daughter. Tonight we spent the entire walk discussing the possibility of life on other planets, and the scientific views about that versus the religious views about that. I love having uninterrupted time devoted solely to exploring interesting topics.
*bats - we've seen them flying around the past few nights on our walks. They are L's favorite animal, so she is THRILLED beyond belief.
*having playdates for L - it is such a productive time for me. It forces me to clean my house - I'm always in need of motivation in order for that to happen. And then once the playmate is here, it is still more productive for me, since I am no longer L's playmate, and can focus on chores or homework or cooking, etc. Today I cleaned my house, make rice krispie treats, worked on my scrapbook a bit, and finished a book that I wanted to be able to talk to my class about when school starts. More than my typical lazy summer day lately, that's for sure!
*evening walks with my daughter. Tonight we spent the entire walk discussing the possibility of life on other planets, and the scientific views about that versus the religious views about that. I love having uninterrupted time devoted solely to exploring interesting topics.
*bats - we've seen them flying around the past few nights on our walks. They are L's favorite animal, so she is THRILLED beyond belief.
*having playdates for L - it is such a productive time for me. It forces me to clean my house - I'm always in need of motivation in order for that to happen. And then once the playmate is here, it is still more productive for me, since I am no longer L's playmate, and can focus on chores or homework or cooking, etc. Today I cleaned my house, make rice krispie treats, worked on my scrapbook a bit, and finished a book that I wanted to be able to talk to my class about when school starts. More than my typical lazy summer day lately, that's for sure!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Gratitude 7/18/09
Today I am grateful for:
*geocaching with L. Today, while walking to find one, she told me that she loves when we get to walk and talk together. One of my favorite blessings!
*aspirin - I have a toothache, but I'm trying to hold out until Monday.
*geocaching with L. Today, while walking to find one, she told me that she loves when we get to walk and talk together. One of my favorite blessings!
*aspirin - I have a toothache, but I'm trying to hold out until Monday.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Gratitude 7/15/09
Today I am grateful for:
*friends who have seen what I looked like in high school and are my friends anyhow
*living so close to my job - it's so nice to be able to put in a few hours at a time during the summer as I work towards getting my classroom ready
*my in-laws, who are amazing people, fabulous grandparents and thoughtful role models in every interaction I have with them. I thank God for the relationship that Lauren has with them, and anticipate what a blessing that will be for her in the future, too (I'm thinking the "my parents don't know anything" teenage years) As we left their house today, Lauren was laughing and laughing in the backseat at Grandpa, who was prancing around the flower beds in the front yard, pretending to be Lauren wearing the new dress Grandma had just made her, holding his overalls out like they were a skirt and dancing around!
*friends who have seen what I looked like in high school and are my friends anyhow
*living so close to my job - it's so nice to be able to put in a few hours at a time during the summer as I work towards getting my classroom ready
*my in-laws, who are amazing people, fabulous grandparents and thoughtful role models in every interaction I have with them. I thank God for the relationship that Lauren has with them, and anticipate what a blessing that will be for her in the future, too (I'm thinking the "my parents don't know anything" teenage years) As we left their house today, Lauren was laughing and laughing in the backseat at Grandpa, who was prancing around the flower beds in the front yard, pretending to be Lauren wearing the new dress Grandma had just made her, holding his overalls out like they were a skirt and dancing around!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Gratitude 7/14/09
Today I am grateful for:
*the health of my family - we are so blessed
*cable television - how else would I learn about all of the Dirty Jobs that exist and also see the interior of King Tut's tomb in one day?
*air conditioning on days with 105 degree heat - can't imagine life without it!
*the health of my family - we are so blessed
*cable television - how else would I learn about all of the Dirty Jobs that exist and also see the interior of King Tut's tomb in one day?
*air conditioning on days with 105 degree heat - can't imagine life without it!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Gratitude 7/5/09
Today I am grateful for:
*books - and the time I have in the summer to immerse myself in them.
*chocolate peanut butter brownies
*fleece blankets
*books - and the time I have in the summer to immerse myself in them.
*chocolate peanut butter brownies
*fleece blankets
Friday, July 3, 2009
Gratitude 7/3/09
Today I am grateful for:
*the relationship I have with my husband. After almost 10 years of being married, there is still no one else I would rather spend time with. I love his sense of humor, his moral compass, his sense of community and family.
*living in a community that rallies to support a local family in crisis. Working at the Fire/EMS fireworks stand today to benefit the Ledbetter family, we saw a steady stream of community members coming in to support Charlie's family.
*drives in the countryside. The perfect way to wind down our day today.
*the relationship I have with my husband. After almost 10 years of being married, there is still no one else I would rather spend time with. I love his sense of humor, his moral compass, his sense of community and family.
*living in a community that rallies to support a local family in crisis. Working at the Fire/EMS fireworks stand today to benefit the Ledbetter family, we saw a steady stream of community members coming in to support Charlie's family.
*drives in the countryside. The perfect way to wind down our day today.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Gratitude 7/2/09
Today I am grateful for:
*my sister and her children. We spent the day together today, and it reminds me of how blessed we are to have such a close relationship - to truly be friends as well as sisters.
*the amazing variety of colors available in plants - we spent the day at the Botanica Gardens and I was stunned at the wide variety of flowers - things I had never seen before, had no idea could grow in Kansas, etc. I particularly enjoyed the water lilies and the Butterfly Gardens. Gorgeous!
*the joy of walking with my daughter and dog. One of the simple pleasures in life -to take an evening stroll with someone you love and be able to have meandering conversations about whatever comes to mind. These are some of my favorite times with L.
*my sister and her children. We spent the day together today, and it reminds me of how blessed we are to have such a close relationship - to truly be friends as well as sisters.
*the amazing variety of colors available in plants - we spent the day at the Botanica Gardens and I was stunned at the wide variety of flowers - things I had never seen before, had no idea could grow in Kansas, etc. I particularly enjoyed the water lilies and the Butterfly Gardens. Gorgeous!
*the joy of walking with my daughter and dog. One of the simple pleasures in life -to take an evening stroll with someone you love and be able to have meandering conversations about whatever comes to mind. These are some of my favorite times with L.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Knowing What You Want
I've had a revelation recently regarding what you think you want, and how that can change over time. For years, I've thought that I had a specific desire that seemed as if it weren't going to happen, something that is not entirely in my control, something that for years I have dearly wished for. But in the past week, I believed it was finally happening. And I realized that I was pretty sure I didn't want it any more...I had not examined my desire in quite some time, and as it turns out, I think I have moved past it. It isn't that I didn't want it simply because it was happening - not a case of always wanting the unattainable. It is that I used to want it with my whole heart, but that my life has changed and I am now in a place where I am more content with whatever happens. I have spent so long wanting this particular event that it became more a habit than a true desire. I am so surprised by this turn of events - I would never have predicted it, even a week ago. And it has given me such a measure of peace - as if I can let this go - if it happens, fabulous, and if it doesn't happen, also fabulous. What a blessing.
Gratitude 7/1/09
Things I am grateful for today:
*a window AC just loud enough to mostly mask the incessant popping sounds from small fireworks, which will be the soundtrack of my life for the next 5 days.
*digital cameras that allow you to see your images immediately
*my daughter, who when she sees scary movies, runs to another room to hide and asks me to change the channel - too scary to change it herself!
*a window AC just loud enough to mostly mask the incessant popping sounds from small fireworks, which will be the soundtrack of my life for the next 5 days.
*digital cameras that allow you to see your images immediately
*my daughter, who when she sees scary movies, runs to another room to hide and asks me to change the channel - too scary to change it herself!
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