i've been in kind of a six month funk....ok, maybe a year, or year and a half. i think it just might be time to come out of it. i'm still kind of tiptoeing around the idea. would like to, but feeling a little timid about letting real joy in again. but Heavenly Father keeps pouring out blessings and it seems just down right wrong of me to not revel in His goodness. so guess i will. it's a new year and i'm always motivated by that. this year i have 2 things i want to stay focused on.
first, as i put on my new planner - to find joy in the moment...to be in the moment and relish the good things that are going on. not only does this mean i have to get out of my funk...but it will help me stay out of it.
second...it's that 'd' word. yep, discipline. i've decided i don't have too much of it anymore, hence more of the funk i'm sure. i've been thinking about discipline and realize that being disciplined only benefits me. i know, duh! but, thinking about it, why wouldn't i want to be more disciplined. i know i'll be so much happier. so there you have it. i'm anxious....i've started....ran 2 miles this morning, got a bunch of things done. and i'm happy. yeah, it's going to be an extraordinary year.
little nathan enoch arrived this week....or i should say big nathan enoch arrived. all 12 pounds 6 oz. of him. unbelieveable! tonya was amazing, as was jared and as was the midwife. she delivered at the midwife's home without any medication. as a woman who delivered 5 babies naturally i am still in awe of anyone who delivers a 12 lb baby WITHOUT DRUGS!! his chubby cheeks are to die for...and he is just the sweetest baby. this is definitely my gratitude of the week. many prayers were answered on this one!
it's another spectacular fall. last week i drove up to revel in this beauty and realized it is definitely one of my happy places. i feel so whole when i'm around this spectacular beauty. the yellows were dazzling. the oranges and reds were out but not completely...but the yellows were on fire with their brightness. it made me realize i have not expressed my gratitude as often as i should. i think that one of the things i loved about taking a picture a day last year, was that i was daily expressing gratitude which made my joy multiply. so i decided to resolve to at least blog once a week on some of the things i am grateful for. so here's just a few drops in my bucket of blessings:
*getting to have a grandma sleepover with bekah. we painted princesses, painted her nails,
snuggled up to watch rio and had waffles with (just picked) raspberries and bananas. she
is my first grandchild and has such a deep special place in my heart.
*listening to conference and hearing the answer to something that i had specifically prayed
for. why am i surprised...the Lord is always soooo good to me.
*hot tubing with a friend one evening who is such a good listener. she will listen to all my
endless school stories and never even seem tired of them. she blesses my life endlessly...
and the jets did wonders on my neck.
*dinner with my daughters and daughter in laws during the priesthood session...a semi-annual
tradition we have that i just love. can't wait for our TOFW weekend all together.
so there are just a few of the drops that make my life so good. i'm a blessed woman for sure.
i love summer. i love getting together with family. i love the BBQ's, and the cherries on my tree (the birds have been much better about sharing this year), i love the serenity and beauty i find just outside my back door, i love getting to take outside morning walks with friends and i am thoroughly loving this summer. each day has been a gift of 24 delicious hours and i've been trying to fill them fully and relishing it as i do. the other day the sunshine wrapped me with such glorious warmth, it was exactly what i had dreamt about in january. summer truly nourishes the soul.
i relearned a lesson the other day...seems like sometimes i have to learn things over and over and over again so that i really get it enough to 'become'. anyway i was driving home and starting to compare what others have and what i don't. dangerous, i know. it only leads to a 'poor me' session. but as i began i was prompted to make a gratitude list instead.
so as i was driving i started telling my Heavenly Father all the things that i was grateful for.
for my wonderful kids,
and a great job,
and the blessing to live around mountains,
and for the chance i'd had to work in my yard that day,
and for the many friends who are so patient with me,
and for my good health,
and adorable grandkids who light up when they see me
and my home, and
all the many wonderful memories i have,
and my warm bed,
and the beautiful strawberries i had just bought,
and good books,
and warm showers with soap that smells so good,
and the blessing to work with incredible women in my church calling,
and all the colors of blue in the sky,
and that i get to get up each day and exercise with friends,
and for the lilacs starting to bloom in the backyard,
and for people who do jobs i wouldn't want to do like garbage men and insurance people,
and for how i feel when i go to the temple,
and for the hugs my school kids give me every day,
and for the chance i have to thank Him everyday in prayer.
well by the time i got home i was soooo amazed at how good my life was that i couldn't imagine ever thinking any but that. i felt warm and happy and elevated.
the wonderful thing is that i can do that anytime i want too. there's always more to be grateful for and joy to be felt each time.
and i'm grateful for that too.
look at these two boys....are they not the cutest things around!!
matthew chance miller arrived 2 1/2 weeks early and weighed 8 pounds and is absolutely adorable!! mom had a pretty rough pregnancy and rough delivery and all i can say is, "celeste, you are one amazing woman!"
it's been fun to see jonathan as a new dad. but it still seems strange that my baby has his own baby!
life moves sooooo quickly. i better keep my eyes open or i might miss something!
