sharing thoughts, dreams, realities
pausing together to enjoy the stillness of the night
and to create a ‘still’ moment in our full week
birthday celebrations for a 20-year old
flower deliveries, cards, gifts, visits & phone calls
all of us around the table enjoying the requested birthday dinner :: fajitas!
creating!
enjoying the wide-eyed wonder of a little one {Isaiah at 3 weeks}
participating in Multitude Mondays over at A Holy Experience
I am in a major ‘getting ready for the fall’ and organization mode around here! My husband often comments that I’m usually organizing something in our home. Ha. Ha. And I usually don’t laugh with him. But seeing that May and June were spent vacationing for a week, camping for a weekend, attending a high school reunion out of state, and welcoming a new little one….well, by last week I felt completely out of sorts. All I’ve basically done so far this summer is pack and unpack as we traveled around.
We start school in two weeks, our daughter and grandson just moved in {bringing us to a total of 8 people}, there are three children’s birthdays to celebrate in the next 6 weeks, and the fall is our busiest time of year. I desperately needed a plan! And so I made a h-u-g-e list, a long list {I do love a good list!} that is being carried around the house, to stores and outside as to-do tasks are accomplished and crossed off. Much progress is being made…yes.
Right now there is fullness, but a good kind! I leave you with a few photos from our days ::
Yesterday I couldn’t decide which fruit dessert to indulge in :: blueberry crisp or strawberry shortcake?
Decisions, decisions! So I made them both. But only the blueberry was eaten since our sweet tooth was satisfied after that; we’ll have the other tonight. Summer fruit is in plenty around here and we’re putting away and eating as much as possible.
Hope you’re enjoying a bit of summer goodness too?
And may your weekend be full of grace….enjoy!
I think I’ve found it.
My grandma name :: one that fits me and one that my children’s offspring will hopefully enjoy calling me.
But before that grand announcement {no pun intended!}, I have to tell you that I’ve completely obsessed about this. Even in the middle of tossing emotions, as the thought of becoming ‘grandmother’ to some little person hit me, I would starting thinking of a name. What are they all going to call me?
I thought of just allowing little Isaiah to name me and set the tone for future grandchildren :: but then my husband went ahead and chose his own name.
Papa.
Great. Now I felt the need to choose one too! So I obsessed a bit more…{by this I mean that Google became a near & dear friend for several days; alright, that is a slight exaggeration}
Then one morning out of the blue, a name popped into my head. Nia. Nia (pronounced nee-ah).
Ooooh, I liked it. Short, cute, sweet and yet I can imagine it growing with me. I wrote it out, whispered it often and matched it up with grandpa’s choice. Papa and Nia. Nia and Papa. Yep, this was a keeper.
True to my personality, knowing it was a choice for a girl’s name (though I’ve never met anyone with the name), I looked it up to be sure it didn’t have an odd meaning. And that discovery sealed the deal ~
Origin and Meaning of the Name Nia :: radiance, brightness; also from a Swahili word meaning purpose.
Yes.
Oh, I seriously hope Isaiah likes it too.
In the middle of everything {I’ll just let that word cover all from minor to major stuff}, I try to always be aware of the everyday, the common things to be grateful for. Instead of listing out my own gifts today, I encourage the community of readers here to consider starting their own gratitude list. Maybe you’ll blog it. Or just a notebook that is written in as time allows. Maybe you’ll just make a list for today. Whatever the avenue, pause and look for the gifts around you. Why? I offer a short list~
Gratitude rejects negativity. It will literally push away the small talk of complaining! This is not a practice of denying the realities we face, but rather allowing gratefulness to also fall from our lips.
Gratitude focuses on God’s goodness, not the lack of it. Whining and grumbling foster an attitude of telling God what He has not done, but gratitude has the opposite effect.
Gratitude reduces stress. Simply Google that phrase and find a wealth of information on the topic. Not only in Christian circles, but health magazines, workplace websites, etc. Give yourself a break and express gratefulness today!
And remember always that gratitude is a choice; it will not just happen, we must make it happen and be intentional in the pursuit.
So, as we enter a weekend full of what ever life holds for you :: can we pause a moment and write out a few thanksgivings? Be blessed friends…
