life. it's purpose.

Life.

Its full of twists and turns, ups and downs.

Sometimes its hard to understand what we are living this life for and why we are going through all of the twists and turns and ups and downs.

And then I look at her.

And him.

And all of them.

I remember that God put me (and them) on this earth to live for Him and all of his creations. To serve him, others, and our family.

Blessings.  Gratitudes.  Those are the fruit of life.  Those are the reasons we are twisting and turning, jumping and crawling.

Five Minute Friday: Grateful

Back in my 'ole blogging days, I used to join in the fun of a link-up called "Five Minute Fridays".  So, of course I had to join in again now that I'm trying blog a bit more.  

The whole idea is to set a timer, write for five minutes about a topic, and then link up over here.  

# # #

Grateful.  Of course I am!  How could I not be?  

For realz.  Look at these two...

Sometimes it is so easy to get lost in the 'everyday-ed-ness' of life. You get stuck in routine.  Crabby because the ever elusive sun won't show it's shining face. 

It's easy to forget all that we have to be grateful for, like for me: 

• a husband who puts up with all my moods
• kids who don't even notice them
• and love spending time with me, giving me hugs and kisses 
• mostly just making me feel like the luckiest mom on earth
• the ability to be close to family and friends
• a beautiful home 
• a fun job
• with great froworkers (& coworkers)
• a full weekend packed with entertaining our most favorite people this weekend
• the promise of days ahead
• the promise of each new day, where I can start again
• the fact that I don't ever have to stop trying...and someday, someday... 
• the knowledge that habits and good changes will stick
• vacation days
• Fridays
• 'stay at home' days = my daughter's name for weekends

# # #

What are you grateful for today? 

fork in the road

I'm at a fork in the road of life.

We are on the crux of a move back to the U.S. after almost three years of living abroad, with two children instead of one, setting a life back up there, and dealing with a health issue that I wasn't expecting.

There is a split in the path, and I have a few different routes to consider.

1. Continue feeling sorry for myself, and wallow in the fact that there are a lot of "hard" parts of life right now. 
2. Work up the courage to start each day with positivity; remembering all the good that can happen instead of fearing the bad. Make a habit of being productive and accomplished instead of being stagnant. 

Being truthful, for about the last month or so, number one seemed to be the path I was taking.  It was easier.  The path well traveled, I guess a person could say.  But where does that path get a person?  

No where I want to be at this point in my life. 

Have you had these moments?  What have you done to send yourself on the narrow path?  The harder, but more beneficial, path of living positively and making your future bright instead of letting it find its own way. 

I like to think of myself as a positive person, but when things get me down... well, I'm down.  I want to be a person that chooses joy no matter the circumstances.  

I have been keeping a list of things to be grateful for since the beginning of the year, along with a photo for each day on the app Gratitude365.  129 days into the year and I have 439 gratitudes.

It's a lot to be grateful for.  And the fact is, each day for the rest of the year I'll find things to be grateful for as well.

So really...why not be positive about what life has left to bring me this year? 

On comparison. & gratefulness.

• The other night, my son sat down in his room at bedtime and told J#1 and I that he (my son) was going to read us a story. And he did.  {well, he didn't read it, but he told us the story}
• Last Wednesday night, my son said "I wuv you mama" in reply to me when I told him that I love him...and he's been doing it ever since.  

If you know me in real life, you know how big of deal these two things are.  And daily, he's saying new words, repeating everything {uh oh} and communicating more. 

Up until recently, I was plagued by comparing.  Comparing him other kids his age.  Reading statuses on Facebook and wondering why HE wasn't telling us the funny stories other kids were.  I was doing that comparing even though he was jumping, running and being altogether fun and goofy without words. 

I've read blog posts by other moms who already had their kids in speech and language therapy to help them talk at J#3's age or even younger.  I wondered what we should be doing.  

I took him to speech and language therapy here in Scotland, and she told me that he was too young for them to work with one on one, and that it was likely he'd develop more communication very soon, likely when he started nursery school.  That was last Spring.

He went to nursery school.

 And his communication?  It exploded.

There are reasons I shouldn't have been comparing in the first place.

As a wee one, I didn't talk until I was three. 

We spent a year in a foreign-speaking country.  While the speech therapist said that didn't have an impact, in my head?  Spending a year where people talk to you in words you've never ever heard before has to have an affect.
  Comparison doesn't solve anything.

  It's not up to us.  It's up to Him.

I did not design the human mind to figure out the future.  That is beyond your capability. I crafted your mind for continual communication with Me. Bring Me all our needs, your hopes and fears.  Commit everything into My care. Turn from the path of planning to the path of Peace.  {Jesus Calling, September 17}

I am SO, so grateful to know that He has it covered. 

I'm grateful for J#3 having become a fountain of words.  I appreciate his {sometimes endless} babbling more because of the time I waited for it.

I'm grateful that I've had this experience so I can ease other mother's similar fears, and be able to tell them "I've been there".

And I'm grateful for "I wuv you mama."

 ~  ~  ~

Being Brave: Progress Made

On January 2, instead of making a new year's resolution I was sure not to keep, I decided on having "one word" for the year.  My word is BRAVE.   


I had no idea at the beginning of the year where that was going to bring me or how it was going to change my life. And to be perfectly honest, up until this past Saturday, I wasn't feeling very brave.  That is a day that I am so thankful for, and has changed my mood, my faith and my attitude.   {For the better, of course.}

So, with a renewed spirit, I wanted to check in and touch base on a few of the ways that I had planned to be brave in 2012.  Today I'll reflect on where I've made progress.  And a part two will come soon on...well, things I haven't.


#4 was to live a purpose driven life.  During Lent {and as my "good habit" in this session of Game On...but more on that to come} I have started reading the book, "The Purpose Driven Life" and it was the nudge that I needed for Saturday to happen.   So check, and check.  I get excited to read the next chapter of this book every day.

#5 was to meet new people.  Sort of an obvious move, since we are living in a new country, right?  Well, this was the first week that I really did it.  Evidently it took me a while to build up the courage.  But with a playgroup today, another coming up on Monday and a girls night tomorrow night?  I will have officially met quite a few Scots {and hopefully friends}.

And I must say {even as much as I told myself I didn't need it} it DOES feel good to get to know some more people.  J#3 & J#4 are fun kids, but they just aren't such great conversationalists, you know?

#9 was all about losing weight and getting healthy.  If you are a regular here, you know I am all over this one.  If you are newer, well then read here for my latest update.  And the next time I mention we have a new session of Game On starting?  You better join us.  It seriously is life changing.

#10 was to discover Scotland {and England and Ireland}.  A plan has been set in place.  Check out my bucket list for a rundown of some of the places we are going to see.  And our plan is to head out and "discover" at least two weekends every month.

So out of the 10 ways I was going to be brave, I wrote about four here.  Which means...I have some work to do.

But unlike a week ago?  I can't even begin to tell you how thankful I am for a renewed faith and spirit that have given me an attitude of "can do" instead of "maybe later".

* * *

Linking up with a punk, a pumpkin and a peanut and The Fontenot Four for Thankful Thursday. 


&



 

"Here Comes the Sun"

That could be my new theme song. 

Springtime is approaching.  I can feel it.  I can almost smell it.  We've had a few days where the sun has been shining big and bright (well today, it just started in the afternoon, but still...).

And we got out and enjoyed it. When it is nearly 50* in February and you have a park a block from your house? There shouldn't be any excuses.  

Sun is good for us. Obviously.  

And living in Scotland, where they evidently suggest everyone {not just infants} take Vitamin D supplements?  It is a commodity. 

Around these parts, we are all taking new steps... 

Tentative steps.  A little girl taking her first steps outside, changing terrains, holding herself up and moving on.

And the big girl {me}.    Coming to the realization that my life is my job right now.  And jobs?  I take those seriously.  So even though I don't love being responsible for all of our housecleaning, all of our cooking and all of our planning...I'm going to love it.

Because it means I get to watch those tentative steps.  I get to make life easier for my husband, my #1.

I get to see this sister with her brother on a see-saw for the first time.  If I love ALL of it, I get to love life.

 Right here.  And now.  How can I not be grateful for that?

*   *   * 

The Big Picture

The other day I was talking with my brother on the phone.  He was talking about all of the excitement in his life--home remodeling, new appliances, kids in sports and more.

And I said, "Well, nothing new here.  Life is pretty boring."

His reply:  "Boring?  You live in Scotland.  Your husband is in the middle of traveling between three different countries."

"Huh," I said.  "Guess you are right.  I don't seem to look at it that way."

"Yeah, you need to look at the big picture."

The big picture.

Huh.  That's a concept.  Perhaps I need to stop getting all caught up in the day to day stuff and remember to live in the moment and look at the big picture.

Now: spending time with family and friends.
In a few weeks: discovering Scotland.

And when I look at the big picture?  I need to be thankful.  Very, very thankful.

That brother of mine?  He's a smart guy.

And a fun Godfather too.

Challenge Wednesday #9: The Why of Gratefulness

Last week, Tracey and I decided that this week, instead of a true challenge {because what we are doing here today is pretty darn easy} we would trade blogs to tell each other and our friends {that'd be you} why we think it is important to be grateful. 


So, without further adieu, here's Tracey of Control the Chaos... 

~  ~  ~


The Why of Gratefulness

Every year at this time Facebook, blogs, and emails are flooded with stories of what we are grateful for(our families, of course), how we plan to celebrate our gratefulness (with food, of course), and any special traditions go along with all this gratefulness (sharing at the table, notes, gifts).

Why do we do it, year after year?  Well, duh, it's important.  But why?  I mean, surely our friends and families know how thankful we feel.  Right?  Right?

Is it coincidental that at the time of year when we feel most grateful (or at least the time of year when we best express it), we often feel most pressured, stressed, and out of time?

Source: pre-schoolplay.blogspot.com via Lally on Pinterest

There are just so many places we need to be, so many things we need to do, and so many people we need to please.  Maybe...maybe they don't know realize where and for whom our gratefulness extends.  Or maybe our actions are speaking too loud for our words to be heard.

Source: etsy.com via Lori on Pinterest

Maybe it's time we make our actions match our words.  Because we have today, but we're not guaranteed tomorrow.  Maybe in so doing we will not just say it, but we. will. know. it.

So, why is it so important to be grateful?  For them.

And then, for us.

Gift of motherhood :: Day 15 [31 days to being a better mama]

15.  Remember that being a mother is a gift.


Easy peasy.  Well...most of the time.

Source: None via Erin on Pinterest

march 6 2009

Source: etsy.com via Erin on Pinterest

february 1 2011

Source: itworksforbobbi.com via Shannon on Pinterest

If you are just joining me, please be sure to check out my 31 days to being a better mama page for previous posts.

Five Minute Friday: Grateful

Alright...so I have been on the sidelines for a few weeks.  A friend of mine (who writes a very inspiring and informative blog, I might add) starting participating in "five minute Fridays" on her blog.  She is linking up with The Gypsy Mama, and now I am too.  The theme this week really struck a chord with me, so I decided to jump in.  

The rules? 

1. Write for 5 minutes flat with no editing, tweaking or self critiquing.

2. Link back to The Gypsy Mama and invite others to join in 

3. Go and tell the person who linked up before you what their words meant to you. Every writer longs to feel heard.

START

Grateful.  Gratefulness.  Such an important part of life. 

Without gratefulness, for me, it would be hard to figure out what is really important in life. Daily gratitude helps me to stay positive.  When I forget to focus on the good things on my life, and truly feel grateful for them, my days get long and I get negative. 

It would seem pretty obvious, I think, all things I have to be grateful for.  A wonderful husband.  Two beautiful children.  An awesome family.  The best friends a girl could ask for. 

Then there is having an opportunity of a lifetime.  To be in another country for a few years.  This is a hard one for me.  I am truly grateful for it, but need to take fuller advantage of it.  I find myself wishing and hoping to be somewhere else, when I need to be grateful for the time we have here.  And make sure that my children know that I am grateful for them.  

To me, being grateful is truly living in the moment and appreciating daily life.  Being grateful for the small things.  And the big things.  Even being grateful for some things that might make you mad (or crazy!).  Because without those things in your life, would there be a life?  

So today, I will be grateful for rude people in the grocery store.

STOP