Thankful Heart

Thanksgiving is already here and we have so much to be thankful (and grateful) for, despite all the hurdles we've had to jump and storms we've had to endure. In some ways I'm glad the year is over, so we can take a break and enjoy our families over the holidays, then make a fresh start in the New Year. This year has gone by faster than any other year of my life, it feels like that anyway, so lets pause a moment and take stock in the good.

:: If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know that we welcomed our nephew, Grayson, into the world in October. And we'll be welcoming our second nephew, Zane, in March. Our families are expanding, and all at once, it seems.

:: Little Grayson has opened up doors for a better relationship with my sister-in-law. Both for me, and for her and Hubs to repair some of the damage done in their childhoods and over the past several years.

:: We were able to purchase a more family sized vehicle. The first real thing we've bought for our future child.

:: After seven months, our bathroom is basically done! Just needs some small cosmetic things now.

:: School is going well, and I'm am very close to having enough credits to graduate!

:: My sweet cousin got married this year, and we were fortunate enough to be able to attend.

:: We got to visit the Biltmore estate on that trip to see my cousin get married. So I can cross that off my bucket list.

:: I got to visit my mom this summer, and while I was there, I got see my Llama for the first time in almost 2 years.

:: Hubs got transferred to day shift back in March and our schedule has been so much more "normal" since then.

:: So many of my blog friends got their prayers answered in the baby department (I'm looking at you Emily and Kathy!)

:: Hubs let me start putting up the Christmas decorations earlier than normal!


What are you thankful (and grateful) for this year?

Grateful Giving

It's no secret that this is my absolute favorite time of year. I mean have you seen my Instagram? One of mine and Hubs' advent activities is to shop for a toy to donate for another day on our calendar and we bought items for the family that my campus adopted for Christmas. On the drive home, I was telling Hubs about the family and the things they had requested. They weren't toys and gadgets. It was clothes, shoes, organizational items for the kids, and everything needed for the new baby they are expecting. And all of a sudden I just started crying. Hubs was so confused.

When I could finally speak again, I explained to him that this is the best part of the holiday season for me. Giving. Especially to those that are in need. I told him that I feel so blessed that we are able to give, that we have enough to help people give a Christmas to their kids who would have otherwise not had one, to make things even the tiniest bit easier for a family that is doing their best to survive.

Giving without receiving anything material in return is a concept that many have forgotten. What people also forget, is that you can get something back. Appreciation. Love. Joy. Kindness. The satisfaction that you have made someone's day just a bit brighter.

Today, and throughout this time of year, I am grateful that we have the means to give back to our community, to help others who need it.

What's your favorite thing about the holidays?

Captured on Film

If you follow me on Instagram, you're probably jealous that I got to hang out with Cassie from Sage and her husband Matt two weekends ago. If you don't follow me (or Cassie or Matt), you should, and after this post you, too, will be jealous of my blate (blogger date) with Cassie and Matt. Just saying.

Let me give you a back story of sorts: when I asked my mom what she wanted and what she thought my grandparents would want for Christmas, she told me they would love some professional photos of me and Hubs. We don't have any because we eloped and that doesn't require a fancy photographer and stuff. So, I started researching photographers in our area. I found a few, but they were on the higher end budget wise and all of them offered prints instead of digital copies.

And then BOOM. I remembered that Cassie's husband is a photographer. I found his website, Matt Boness Photography, and checked out his work. AH-mazing. His prices? Even more AH-mazing. So I reached out to Cassie hoping that she'd tell me he's not all booked up so close to the holidays, and she did! She, Matt, and I chatted about the theme and vision I had for the photos, then we set a date to meet up and make it happen.

We had so much fun! At first, posing is a little awkward, but after a few minutes, and Cassie's creative direction, we felt very comfortable and at ease in front of the camera. Matt took us all over the area surrounding the historic columns on the Mizzou campus, and the day couldn't have been more gorgeous.

Once the shoot was over, we walked to this lovely little tapas place they discovered close to campus. I can't remember what it's called, but everything on the menu looked delicious. The four of us fell into an easy conversation and there was a little bit of a beard bond between the guys. Cause, you know, beards are awesome and manly. I cannot wait to hang out with them again!

We got our photos the following Wednesday, and I literally squealed with delight when Hubs handed me the package. And then I cried because the photos were so wonderful. Matt was able to capture so much feeling in these photos. My parents and grandparents (and the in-laws) are going to LOVE them. I have plans to get one blown up to hang on our wall and our Christmas cards are going to rock this year!

So if you're in the mid-Missouri area and need photos taken, I highly recommend Matt. I've already told him we'll use him for all our future photography needs. Can you blame me?

Gratefulness

Today I am simply grateful that I know what it means to be grateful for something or someone.

I was picking up dog toys the other day when movement caught my eye out the back door window. Instinctively I looked up, instead of a giant bug or a murderous squirrel, I saw the falling leaves from the huge tree that shades our back yard. I stopped what I was doing, and I just stood there. How had I not noticed this yet? I've been so wrapped up in other things to notice the leaves change. So, I stood there, staring out the window. I took that moment to be grateful for the beauty right in front of my face each day. To be grateful for the ability to stop and be grateful for moments like this one. 

There is so much going on in this world that people forget that they have the ability to forgive, the ability to love unconditionally, to be grateful for the small things. I see it every single day. I've seen people close to me lose themselves in jealousy, in envy, in greed, in ambition, in success. They are so focused on what they don't have, they forget to be grateful with what they do have. And I feel sad for them, because I fear that nothing will ever be enough to satisfy their hunger for more things. 

Have you stopped to notice the leaves fall? Not because you want a good picture for a blog posts or this will make the perfect backdrop for my selfie or you'll get tons of likes on Instagram. For me, some of the best moments are the ones undocumented by a picture or tweet. They happen when I'm fully present and not worried about likes and comments. They don't need to be approved by the masses because they are mine, and they make me happy, and that's all that really matters.

What are you grateful for today?

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Weekend Getaway

We spent the weekend in Branson and I didn't take a single picture, except the one you see above. #SorryNotSorry

I enjoyed myself, my time with my husband, my time away from our "real life." It was nice not to have to worry about getting up to let the dogs out, did I forget to buy milk for breakfast, how many dishes are in the sink, and the test I have tomorrow in Spanish. We took our time, we didn't bother getting dressed up, we ate when we wanted to, we slept when we wanted to, we took care of each other. No distractions. We didn't even plan any activities! And it was wonderful.

Taking a few days to focus on yourself and your spouse is a big deal. It lets you reconnect in ways you just can't in every day life. For me, vacations and weekend getaways are so necessary to keep my head straight, keep the peace, and remind myself that my life here is worth all the stress and mess.

As we transition from summer to fall, I encourage you to take some time away from the everyday norms and reconnect with someone special. Your spouse, your bestie, your mom, or even yourself. Disconnect from your normal routine and just focus on what you feel, what you see, what hear. You'll be amazed at what you discover.

I am so grateful that we have the means to do this on a semi-regular basis. It's something we plan to keep doing for as long as possible.

What did you do this weekend?

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Talk Therapy

Last week I called my mom and it started out as just a gossip fest, cause you know we have to keep each other up to date on the goings on of our family. It slowly turned into something deeper.

My relationship with my mom hasn't always been the best. There were times we weren't even on speaking terms with each other. We do much better when we aren't living together, that's for sure, but we've always lived close enough to visit often. That was the hardest part for me when I made the decision to move to Missouri, was leaving my family behind.

As I've gotten older, I've realized that I had a part to play in the relationship issues with my mom as well. It wasn't just her, or the not so great circumstances of my childhood that are to blame. Talking to my mom about these things have been so much help to me, and I'm hoping to her as well. We've been able to explain more in depth about feelings, situations, and intentions that we weren't able to understand when it we were going through it. Hindsight is 20/20 you know.

I am grateful that my mom and I are at a place where we can talk openly about the hard things. I feel like we get closer each time we are able to work things out better. It's not always easy, but in the end we both benefit from these little talks. There's a level of trust and love that we have developed over the past six or so years through talks like these, and I wouldn't have it any other way.


What are you grateful for?

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Count Your Blessings

Yesterday afternoon I got some sad news from a dear friend. My heart aches for her situation and I wish there was something more than I could do to help her through this rough patch. I have no fear that she will come out better and stronger on the other side, she's a remarkable person. The unfortunate news touched me deeply. I took a few moments to reflect on my life, my marriage, my future, and I was suddenly caught off guard by a wave of emotions.

I have so much to be grateful for, and some days I fail to recognize this. Recent events have brought me back down to earth and reminded me that I am so blessed in my life. God has given me so much more than I could have ever asked for and I don't thank him enough. I don't thank my husband enough for being the man that he is, and how wonderful he's been, especially lately. I don't thank my mother enough for giving me the best childhood she could, and for teaching me how to be a strong woman.

I am striving each day to be more grateful for these little things. I may do the 100HappyDays challenge again. Its a great way to keep myself accountable and will remind me to focus on the good things of each day rather than the bad.

When the water starts getting murky, I have to trust that it will clear back up again. I have to trust that God's plan for me, for my life, is greater than mine. Everything will be ok.

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Armadillo Season

Over the weekend, Hubs and I traveled the 30 minutes to get Chipotle and do a little shopping. While we were driving home I counted 14 Armadillo bodies on the side of the highway. I turned to Hubs and said that it must be Armadillo season. That started me thinking about seasons and time, and ultimately the verse you see above from Ecclesiastes came to mind.

The past few weeks have been a bit stressful for me; papers, finals, ongoing craziness at work, and some tough personal decisions that need to be made. I neglected several things, including this blog, and on the one hand I am sorry, but on the other hand, I'm not. I needed to step away bit to keep myself sane and my husband from thinking I'm a hermit. Right now it seems like this phase will never end, like I will never feel at peace with my life again. That's when I go back to Ecclesiastes chapter 3 and I am reminded and reassured that this season of my life will come to an end and a new one will begin.

I've got two weeks until the summer session starts, and I've decided to only take one course. Giving myself a bit of a brain break, especially since the course I chose will be a pretty easy one. Another great thing about this course is that it gives me the right credits to get my Associates Degree. Woot!

Today I am grateful for the reassurance from God that things will get better. I'm grateful to have a supportive husband who's got my back. I'm grateful life gives me options to choose from.

What are you grateful for?

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Being Grateful

Good Morning Monday. It's the start of another week and while it's not everyone's favorite day, we should still be grateful for it.

If you are following me in Instagram, you'll know that I am currently dog sitting this adorable Dachshund named Robbie while my boss, Nadine, is on vacation. I had met him a couple times before when she's brought some of her dogs up to visit with the residents. He's a sweet little thing, full of energy and love. We've loved having him in our little family the past few days, and we've still got a week to go!

Nope, he doesn't like me. Not one little bit.

Come to find out, Nadine is trying to re-home some of her animals, and I don't blame her. Currently, she's got 11 cats and 5 dogs (including Robbie), and I'm pretty sure there are some birds, fish, and rabbits too. A zoo! Well, Robbie is one of the dogs she's looking for a new home for, and you know what? Hubs agree last night that his new home will be with us.

You can imagine my excitement to have a new baby in our house. Hubs really does spoil me, but I'm not complaining. I appreciate and am so grateful for all he does for me and our family. I'm grateful that we can give this sweet little man a good home, and that Nadine's daughters can come a visit Robbie whenever they want. I'm grateful that I can help out a friend.

What are you grateful for?

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F o u r

My weekend was spend working and trying to get myself and Hubs over this sickness that has taken hold in my house. Ugh. At least there were donuts and movie binges yesterday. More importantly I was tagged by Melissa and Sarah to do the FOUR challenge. Twice. I guess that means I really have to do it huh?

Ok. Here we go.

Four Names people call me:
:: Manda- somehow the first A just gets looked over all the time. It doesn't bother me though.
:: Love- Hubs calls me this
:: Manna - my mom has been calling me this since I was little.
:: Mrs. Wood - now that I'm married, I get this a lot when we are out and about.


Four jobs I've had:
:: CMA - this is my current position.
:: Executive Assistant - I've been one of these twice!
:: Call Center Supervisor - this job was fun, but stressful
:: Sever / Hostess - yep. I paid my dues in the restaurant industry for 3 years


Four movies I would / have waged more than once:
:: Pride and Prejudice - this Movie stays in the DVD player in our bedroom.
:: Frozen - probably because I don't have kids that must watch it every day
:: Pitch Perfect - seriously, who doesn't love this movie
:: Gone With The Wind - classic.


Four Books I would recommend:
:: Walking in Circles Before Lying Down - by Merrill Markoe, it's just super insightful when it comes to dogs
:: Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling, um DUH
:: The Rosie Project - Graeme Simsion, if you like Sheldon from Big Bang Theory, you'll like this book
:: Oh! The Places You'll Go - by Dr. Seuss, because we all need a little whimsy in our lives.


Four Places I've Lived:
:: Norcross, GA - Several times
:: Dunwoody, GA - my favorite
:: Statesboro, GA - this is where I get that real southern charm from
:: Middle of Nowhere, Missouri - yep. That's where I live now.


Four Places I've Visited:
:: London, England - I loved it! I want to go back so badly
:: NYC - Only for a day, but it was still such an experience
:: Hilton Head, SC - this vacation spot is so pretty and has a wonderful relaxed atmosphere
:: Eureka Spings, AR - this is where Hubs and I eloped


Four Places I'd Rather Be Right Now:
:: Georgia - with my mommy
:: Ireland - because I'm Irish
:: England - I would live there
:: Italy - because food.


Four Favorite Foods:
:: Chocolate everything ice cream
:: Pizza
:: Waffles
:: Strawberries


Four TV Shows I Watch:
:: Game of Thrones!!!!!
:: Big Bang Theory - so funny

:: The Royals - new show, but really really good
:: Walking Dead - zombies!


Four things I'm Looking Forward to This Year (2015):
:: Having enough credits for an Associates Degree before completing my Bachelors
:: A possible cruise at Christmas
:: Getting some our debt paid off early
:: Seeing how much healthier I can be


Four Things I Say All The Time:
:: Dude! - everyone is a dude when I'm excited or upset
:: Really?! - does this need an explanation?
:: I'm gonna beat you up / knock you out - (always in a playful manner) because sometimes you just gotta put people in their place

:: Everyone doing ok? Anybody need anything? - well, work.


Four People I'm Tagging:
:: Christine - Cause she finally found the Bears
:: Ashley - cause I want to
:: Libby - because we need the input of a pretty pregnant lady
:: Kendra - because she taught me how to do liquid eyeliner over snapchat #talent


You know, doing this list reminds me of how much I have, and how many things I've gotten to experience. My job reminds me that I need to be thankful for each day I've had, and grateful to be able to get out of bed one more day. Each day we get is a blessing, and if you are healthy it's even more so. What will you do to make your day matter today?

Giving

I was browsing Pinterst the other day when I ca,e across the quote above, and I immediately thought, "YES! Why can't people understand this?"

There are few people I got out of my way for, but when I do someone will question me. "Why are you doing that? What have they done for you?" Most of the time I can't really give them a good answer other than "I don't know, it just felt like something I wanted to do for them." And I've always wondered why people thing I need a real reason to do things for people.

I love surprising my friends with cards or a goody box, for no reason other than I was thinking about them. And if I've seen something I know a friend has been looking for, or said they wanted (and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg, sorry guys) I'll buy it for them and mail it out. 

I love buying little things for the residents where I work. They don't get much entertainment or decorations and I want to change that. It makes me sad to just watch them sleep all day or just sit around watching tv because they have nothing to do. Yesterday we made paper chains to decorate the main areas for spring.

What sucks though, is that I can never find anything special to do or buy for my husband. I mean, other than cooking, letting him take up most of the bed, and making sure he has gum to take to work. We buy the things we want  or need (within reason) when we want or need them. And most of the things he really wants are those BIG purchases we have to plan for or that I don't know what I'm looking for (like a new computer for him. I know he wants to build it himself, so how do I "surprise" him with that?). 

Suggestions? (He reads my blog, so maybe he'll give me some suggestions of his own!)

I love this quality about myself. I'm grateful to be a giving person because the joy that I can bring about is awesome and the best gift anyone could give me.


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Reality Check

At my new job I see a range of health issues, physical and mental. It's hard to watch sometimes, but such is life for so many elderly people these days. I am grateful that they have a facility like mine to come to instead of wasting away at home alone, or being shut up in a nursing home setting when it's not necessary. Unfortunately, since my facility is the step between them, we have to make the difficult decision of when to move them to a more skilled facility/nursing home.

We have two residents right now that are on the cusp.

After only being here about a month, I've already grown close to one of them, and I will be so crushed to see her go. She's so sweet and funny, and never gives us trouble when we need to help her do things. Honestly, I want to keep her here as long as we can. I don't think she would last long in a nursing home type facility.

The other resident, however, is a totally different story. At first he was perfectly fine and coherent, but just in the last few days he's done a complete 180. It's hard to see them be a totally different person than you are used to. This man went from gentle, calm, and generally nice to frustrated, angry, and sometimes violent so suddenly due to his cancer. I think the worst part of the situation is that his family was in denial about how bad he had gotten. Last night was the last straw for us, he had an outburst in the middle of the night that was disturbing that entire half of the building. My boss had to call his family, who was not happy about the situation and though we were lying to them, and then call an ambulance for this resident. Needless to say, he can no longer live at our facility. We don't have the man power, nor the resources to care for him like he needs.

It breaks my heart to see people deteriorate like that and there isn't anything I can do to help them or their families.

What do you do? What do you say?

Seeing all of this makes me so grateful for my (relative) health, for Hubs health, and for my family's health. It makes me grateful for the days that I do have, the things I've been able to experience, and the people I've gotten to meet. I can't put into words how much good this job is doing for me, no matter how stressful it gets. This is the Lord's work.

What are you grateful for?

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The Cutest Mug You Ever Did See

Happy Monday! It's the start of another week, and here's hoping I have a good one.

Mondays are my long days; Work from 9 am - 4 pm and school from 5 pm -10 pm. Sounds fun right? Actually, it kinda is even though I probably won't really get to see Hubs, but we decided one day a week won't hurt us too much. I am excited about the start of this new session at school. After the first week of any break, I start to miss it!

I got some awesome mail over the weekend that I want to share with you! Earlier this month I participated in a mug swap hosted by Kallie from But first, coffee. My partner was Jenn, and she was so fun to get to know. I think I have a new email buddy and I am so grateful for her! Jen doesn't blog, but you can find her on Instagram HERE, go and congratulate her on the purchase of her new house!! I sent her the cutest mug that says "Together is the best place to be" and I'm so glad she liked it, cause when I saw it I immediately thought of her and her fiancé.

Oh but she picked the perfect mug for me. I quite literally squealed with delight and excitement when I opened the box. There was also this amazing chocolate from Brookside in the box, but that got devoured on Sunday while I was at work, oops. It's the Dark Chocolate Pomegranate flavor and I need to find a store that sells it here like right now.

I know Emily will appreciate the cuteness that is this mug. I mean, who doesn't love a baby elephant?? I can't decide if this will be a regular use mug or the most adorable decoration in my kitchen. I am slowly acquiring a small collection of elephants, and I'm not sad about it!


What does your normal Monday look like?
Did you participate in the Mug Swap?
And most importantly, what are you feelings about baby elephants?

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Grateful Heart

Sometimes I forget that in all the business of everyday life, God is there looking out for me. The past couple weeks have really proved that. So many wonderful things have happened, some as a response to something negative.

Lets start at the beginning, with the interesting conversation I had with my mom two weeks ago. Something she said really upset me. While she said she didn't have any underlying motives, it still felt like she did. When I recounted that conversation to Hubs, he felt the same way I did about what she said. I tried to let it go, but the seed Mom planted in our heads kept growing and eventually sprouted into a pretty intense argument between Hubs and I. We got a lot of things out on the table, and you know what? It has made our relationship stronger.

I did ask my mom to explain exactly what she was trying to say, and it still came across a little offensive, but knowing her intent and her feelings behind it helped a lot. She apologized and everything is a-ok now. And funny enough, a job kinda fell into my lap as a result as well.

During all of this several great opportunities were offered to me in regards to this little space of mine. I am overjoyed to see it growing and excited to share my new adventures with you over the next few months. So be on the lookout for that!

I'm also excited to announce the latest blog design I just installed for Meghan. She was a doll to work with and I had some much fun bringing her vision to life.

If you don't know, the Blogger Pow Wow was last night and this month's topic was SEO. Christine offered up some great advice, and much to my surprise I was able to help her out with some insight for the Blogger users in our group (Christine is a WordPress blogger). Who knew I was an "expert"? That means you guys will be seeing an "SEO for Blogger blog" post from me in the next week or so. Thank Christine for that.

And finally, my new MacBook Pro is fixed and back in my possession. I am so glad that it was able to be repaired! Poor Mable (my old '07 MacBook White) just can't keep up with all the software updates anymore, and is going to be happily retired once I get all my files transferred over. I'm trying to think of a name for the new MacBook. Suggestions?

Grateful is only one of the emotions flooding me right now, but it's definitely a big one. God really does give us exactly what we need.

What are you grateful for today?


P.S. I'm also offering 25% off with the code SNOWDAY25 on the Mahogany and Chestnut ad spots through the month of March! Click HERE to take advantage of this awesome sale!

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