Happy Easter!!
Grateful to have my dad here to spend this holiday with...grateful to be able to talk to Matt for the first time in 4 days...grateful for an amazing service at Qwest field this morning, grateful for friends & family to eat Easter dinner with, grateful for sunshine and beautiful weather this weekend, and most importantly...Grateful for Jesus who died for our sins and rose from the grave!
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Counting Down...
...the hours until graduation that is!
Tomorrow is Wednesday which marks halfway through the LAST week of graduate school. I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am about this. As I sit and try to write my final paper, I cannot even think. I am confident to say that it is going to be one of the worst academic papers that I think I have ever written and the sad part is that I could not care less!
On Monday, Brianne asked me what was next in my life? I guess that was the first time I realized I was closing yet another life chapter and moving on to something new. I really felt the pressure of knowing where I was going after my undergraduate graduation but this time is different. I am completely content without a job and/or plan. This could be because I have a working husband but I also think it is much more than that...I don't feel pressured to have the right answer this time. I know that whatever happens next in my life is all part of a perfect plan and I can rest in just that.
So, for this weekend, I'm husband-less until Monday as Matt is spending the weekend fishing the Smith River in Montana with all his besties! I'm a little jealous but feel refreshed for him that he gets to do this. I'm so grateful to have a husband that has a love for the outdoors and adventure. You should've seen him packing, he was like a 5-year-old getting ready to go to Disneyland! He is cuddling up with the one and only Erik Haagenson all weekend so at least Brianne and I can text back and forth about how dumb it is that her and I aren't together. We totally got the shaft this time!
But the trade-off is pretty great...my dad will be arriving tomorrow night for work so we get to spend Easter together! That is nice...it's tough being literally across the country from him. He may have a stressful job but I'm grateful that it shoots him to the west coast from time to time. It'll be sad without Matt but I won't have to worry about him not having just as much fun!
K...better get to bed...as you can also see, I'm totally slacking on my book. We are far past the 31 day mark but I still want to blog about it when I get the chance... (post Friday probably :))
Goodnight!
Tomorrow is Wednesday which marks halfway through the LAST week of graduate school. I cannot even begin to tell you how excited I am about this. As I sit and try to write my final paper, I cannot even think. I am confident to say that it is going to be one of the worst academic papers that I think I have ever written and the sad part is that I could not care less!
On Monday, Brianne asked me what was next in my life? I guess that was the first time I realized I was closing yet another life chapter and moving on to something new. I really felt the pressure of knowing where I was going after my undergraduate graduation but this time is different. I am completely content without a job and/or plan. This could be because I have a working husband but I also think it is much more than that...I don't feel pressured to have the right answer this time. I know that whatever happens next in my life is all part of a perfect plan and I can rest in just that.
So, for this weekend, I'm husband-less until Monday as Matt is spending the weekend fishing the Smith River in Montana with all his besties! I'm a little jealous but feel refreshed for him that he gets to do this. I'm so grateful to have a husband that has a love for the outdoors and adventure. You should've seen him packing, he was like a 5-year-old getting ready to go to Disneyland! He is cuddling up with the one and only Erik Haagenson all weekend so at least Brianne and I can text back and forth about how dumb it is that her and I aren't together. We totally got the shaft this time!
But the trade-off is pretty great...my dad will be arriving tomorrow night for work so we get to spend Easter together! That is nice...it's tough being literally across the country from him. He may have a stressful job but I'm grateful that it shoots him to the west coast from time to time. It'll be sad without Matt but I won't have to worry about him not having just as much fun!
K...better get to bed...as you can also see, I'm totally slacking on my book. We are far past the 31 day mark but I still want to blog about it when I get the chance... (post Friday probably :))
Goodnight!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Day 24...giving thanks for having enough
Do you ever confuse your needs with your wants? I know I do every single day. I often "need" a latte, extra sleep, a new shirt EVERY time I step into Target, a vacation, a new computer, new dishes, more photography equipment, the list goes on and on. In all honestly though, I could get rid of 95% of what I own and have everything that I actually need in life. We live surrounded by ads, TV commercials, magazine articles, and other people telling us that we need this and what we need that...which makes it really hard to ever feel satisfied. It also makes it extremely difficult to be grateful for what we do have.
I encourage you to take time to be grateful for our NEEDS that have been beyond fulfilled...as well as being grateful for the things we have in this lifetime that are purely wants. Simple as that...but easier said than done!
I encourage you to take time to be grateful for our NEEDS that have been beyond fulfilled...as well as being grateful for the things we have in this lifetime that are purely wants. Simple as that...but easier said than done!
Friday, April 8, 2011
up too early
I am loving spring break! I think I could seriously sit at home listening to Frank Sinatra & Marvin Gaye radio while I cook/blog/drink red wine/read Real Simple mags all day, every day. Next project added to my portfolio for future home...
Ain't that cute? Did I share this already? Can't remember...sorry if I did. Believe it or not, Matt does love our new kitchen table regardless of whether it's girly or not :) That's why I love him! I keep telling him if he continues to listen to my advice, he'll be in pretty good shape!
Unfortunately, this is my last day of vaca before I tackle one last paper and two more weeks of student teaching. The biggest disappointment thus far on this day is that I woke up at 4:45 and could NOT go back to sleep...maybe my body is preparing itself for next week. I mean, really though? I guess there is always nap time! So, I sit here blogging, reading Erin Rasmussen's cute new blog (which just makes me want to bake sugar cookies), and watching Eat Pray Love. Not a bad morning. I just remembered that a hot pot of coffee is waiting for me in the kitchen...
I'm really looking forward to being done and not ever touching a lick of homework again. Teachers always have homework I guess but not grown up homework. I will miss these little munchkins so much. I really do have a passion for education and am so grateful to find a profession that I love. Those of you who know me know that I am not truly career-oriented. I could love life as a wife and mother without ever pursuing a career but when I do work in this lifetime, I want to teach. I love teaching. So, here's to hoping that I get a job for the next school year!
This summer...hmm...summer? Whatever that means around here. Our summer really does not begin until July sadly. I need to (as I tell my students) lose the 'tude! It's time I starting embracing the fact that I live in Seattle where it rains a lot. I should start focusing on the constant green, flowers, and lack of snow.
Our summer in a nutshell: graduation in Montana, visiting Granny in South Dakota, Vanessa living with us, San Diego w/ the Haagensons, three bachelorette weekends, Ridgeway wedding, Violett wedding, Ithurbure wedding, Costello wedding, & Briede wedding, Mexico in June, and well...that's about it? Tis the wedding season!
Now...I'm going to finish my movie and drink my coffee. Happy Friday!
Ain't that cute? Did I share this already? Can't remember...sorry if I did. Believe it or not, Matt does love our new kitchen table regardless of whether it's girly or not :) That's why I love him! I keep telling him if he continues to listen to my advice, he'll be in pretty good shape!
Unfortunately, this is my last day of vaca before I tackle one last paper and two more weeks of student teaching. The biggest disappointment thus far on this day is that I woke up at 4:45 and could NOT go back to sleep...maybe my body is preparing itself for next week. I mean, really though? I guess there is always nap time! So, I sit here blogging, reading Erin Rasmussen's cute new blog (which just makes me want to bake sugar cookies), and watching Eat Pray Love. Not a bad morning. I just remembered that a hot pot of coffee is waiting for me in the kitchen...
I'm really looking forward to being done and not ever touching a lick of homework again. Teachers always have homework I guess but not grown up homework. I will miss these little munchkins so much. I really do have a passion for education and am so grateful to find a profession that I love. Those of you who know me know that I am not truly career-oriented. I could love life as a wife and mother without ever pursuing a career but when I do work in this lifetime, I want to teach. I love teaching. So, here's to hoping that I get a job for the next school year!
This summer...hmm...summer? Whatever that means around here. Our summer really does not begin until July sadly. I need to (as I tell my students) lose the 'tude! It's time I starting embracing the fact that I live in Seattle where it rains a lot. I should start focusing on the constant green, flowers, and lack of snow.
Our summer in a nutshell: graduation in Montana, visiting Granny in South Dakota, Vanessa living with us, San Diego w/ the Haagensons, three bachelorette weekends, Ridgeway wedding, Violett wedding, Ithurbure wedding, Costello wedding, & Briede wedding, Mexico in June, and well...that's about it? Tis the wedding season!
Now...I'm going to finish my movie and drink my coffee. Happy Friday!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Love
Karen says it better...
Nowhere is the giving and receiving of love more evident than in our closest relationships. Those who truly love us stand by us. They teach us that love is patient. They don't blow up if we're late for a dinner date or if we have to work overtime once in a while. And they continue to love us even when we disagree or disappoint them.
They show by example that love is kind. They remember we're human, still learning and growing, and that we make mistakes sometimes. And they seem to know that criticizing us doesn't help us change for the better.
They teach us that love is not jealous. They give us room to develop at our own pace. They don't object if we want to take a class or take a nap. We sense that they respect us and trust our decisions.
We learn by their example that love does not take into account a wrong suffered. They don't blame us or burden us with their hurts. They don't wear their pain like a badge of honor or get stuck in criticism or complaint. They show by their own lives that it's healthier to live in the present than to linger in the past.
These special people show us that love never fails. They don't withhold their love until we shape up, measure up, or live up to their standards. We've learned through them that love is faithful and honest and loyal, no matter what.
"Without love, as Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians, we become
"a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal". Nothing else matters if we don't
have love. Even gratitude is a clanging cymbal if love is not
driving its force. Love is much more than a feeling
that comes and goes like a morning breeze.
Love is a decision.
Love requires discipline. We know from our own experience
that healing power of God's love. Without His love
we wouldn't be able to put the past to rest, start fresh
in the present, and hope for what is yet to come. No lasting
transformation can occur in our lives without God's love.
The decision to love also challenges us to express love according
to God's will, not our whims. And when we love with His guidance and counsel,
He will give us the means to remain faithful as spouses, parents,
and friends. He will free us to see and experience the love others have for us."
_______________________________________
Day 18:
How has being love affected your gratitude?
Write out a list of ways you give and receive love and then add it to your Jar of Blessings.
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