Penny Lane

That's the name of my new car!!!

Not your typical guy.

Mom and I are sitting at the kitchen counter struggling over how to work this new video camera my sister got. I look up, and my dad has the instruction manual open to the exact page we needed thus saving us twenty minutes of further frustration.

Contrary to most, he's always been the guy to read the instructions before attempting to assemble something, and the one to stop and get directions at the first sign of being lost.

He likes things done right.

Something old, something new, something borrowed...

Something Blue.

Her bridal shower was themed around her favorite color, and oh did we have a sweet time. The girls of her closest friends, family, and family to be joined to shower her with love and gifts just a couple days before her big day. (The army negligee is from her sister-in-laws. Classic)

In just a couple days she was to be an absolutely glowing bride.

You know you love someone when...

... you will give them a sponge bath, floss their teeth, get up at the crack of dawn to get them to the doctor, and put and tuck them in bed.

After all, he is my dad (and had to change my diapers).

My afternoon into evening.

Took the dog in to the vet not knowing why her owner wanted her to go in. Picked her up to have her poop in my car. Had a door slammed in my face resulting in my tumbling down the stairs backwards. In place of an apology, received accusation of always making her feel like she does everything wrong. This turns in to my being yelled at for fifteen minutes by a thirteen year old girl. 

Hear that there is more to be fixed in dad's surgery than initially expected.

Go hang out and watch basketball with the guys, have guacamole and sopapillas for dinner, eat chocolate, and go home to relax on the sofa.

Thanks to my sweet friend for the reminder that the good in my life is so much greater than the little bumps.

The Green House Effect

That's what they call the house. It's my Boulder haven. I come, relax, and enjoy every minute. The guys are my family and I rest under their wings. What a beautiful town and amazing feeling of peace. 

Oh Holy NIght

My middle school choir had their Christmas concert last night. It was -2 degrees outside, they were rowdy as usual, and they sang wonderfully. The audience of parents loved them, naturally, and once my hands and knees stopped shaking I took a deep breath as pride overtook me.

Maybe it's the coffee

So I have the house to myself over our winter break. It stays clean, but feels empty. I've been talking to myself all morning, and just now realized it. Haha. (I think it's the caffine.) 

I'm really starting to miss my girls and their sweet, enthusiastic personalities. It's not quite home without them. 

I'm not that old...

We played pictionary in my fourth and fifth grade class today. One student was assigned to draw a telephone. Once he began drawing the guesses started flying: Cricket! Blackberry! Verizon! At&t! Cell Phone! Wireless! iPhone! Etc.

Seriously!! They were nearly out of time before someone guessed just a telephone. These kids are nine, and this world is changing quickly. 

kuh-myoo-ni-key-shuhn

com⋅mu⋅ni⋅ca⋅tion: the imparting or interchange of thoughts, opinions, or information by speech, writing, or signs

I'm forever attempting to perfect my skills in this area. Thank you for your patience.

Back to reality...

I was up at the crack of dawn desperately watching the news, hoping for a snow day. I felt like I was eight again. 

We do have a delayed start, but unfortunately I have no idea what that means for my teaching schedule. Haha.

For now, however, I have to strap on the old boots and get the sidewalk shoveled. I'm thinking a hot cup of cider will follow that exquisitely. 

On the street where you live.

My sweet little home all covered in snow. What a beautiful, snowy, Colorado morning!

What does grief look like?

Last night, it looked like me muttering to myself with bloodshot eyes that were constantly welled with tears, while my friends sat by me wondering what was wrong with me and what they could or should do. I was unrecognizable to myself.

Death hurts. Excrutiatingly. Thank God for His peace. 

Grief

by Gwen Flowers

I had my own notion of grief.

I thought it was the sad time

That followed the death of someone you love.

And you had to push through it

To get to the other side.

But I'm learning there is no other side.

There is no pushing through.

But rather,

There is absorption.

Adjustment.

Acceptance.

And grief is not something you complete,

But rather, you endure.

Grief is not a task to finish

And move on,

But an element of yourself-

An alteration of your being.

A new way of seeing.

A new definition of self.

Splash

I dropped a cookie in my glass of milk and ended up covered in milk. Oops. 

Okay, that's enough of the play by play of my evening with my cookies. Hee.

Almost Burnt

Whoops...I almost burned the cookies. Luckily, though, I realized in time. Now I have them on a plate next to me and a glass of milk. I'd better ski hard tomorrow if I'm planning on eating these ;-).

Let it Snow!

Sitting on my couch, cookies baking in the oven, houses lit all down the street with Christmas lights, and the most beautiful snowfall out the window. 

This truly is an amazing time of year. 

Welcome to my gingerbread house!! Eat up :-)