Little Blessings (Pt. 18)

January 14, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

:) Full-on laughing with (at?) the girl when we caught her in the bathroom looking in her hand mirror and pretending to put on powder, just like mommy.

We LOL’d…totally.

:) A creative streak that produced three new pieces of jewelry this afternoon, one of which I am going to have a very hard time selling. Perhaps I will wear it tomorrow…just once to “try it out”!

:) Snow…and the pretty that comes from looking at it from inside the house.

(Looking on the bright side here…)

:) A fun night out last night with friends.

:) Returning boots today that I don’t need…only to be told that I could rebuy them for 70% off. I totally did.

$15 for a brand spankin’ new pair of too-cute boots that I’ll wear next year? Yes, please!

:) A hubby who is finally not in so much pain.

Thankful for meds but even more thankful that he doesn’ t need

them anymore.

:) Neighbor boys who shovel sidewalks for us just because they’ re cool like that.

(Have I mentioned how much I love my neighborhood?)

:) A bathroom scale that forgave me this morning for the piece of cheesecake I ate last night.

That one’s worthy of two smileys. 😉

:) W atching my d

aughter grow and change a little more every day.

She truly is the sunshine of my day.

:) Sunday tomorrow. I love Sundays.

(And the naps that usually come with them!)

What’s your blessing today?

Sig

Filed Under: being mommy, blessings, friends, just life, Maelie

Tonight

January 8, 2012 by · 2 Comments

Daddy’s Little Helper

Mommy’s Little Snuggler

Yes, indeed, it w as

a good night.

:)

Sig

Filed Under: being mommy, blessings, just life, Maelie, Tobin

Little Blessings (Pt. 17)

January 3, 2012 by · 4 Comments

:) A day off last week. (I’m still feeling pretty good from that

one!!!)

:) A new year…I just signed 2012 for the first time a few minutes ago…CRAZY! And awesome friends to ring it in with.

:) Reunions with friends who never change…love that. Love them.

:) Two days of pajamas, a fantastic daughter,  and a cold that is almost gone.

:) Christmas lights that are still twinkling…can we just keep ’em up all year?!?!

:) An Irish Cream Americano and a quick chat with a friend tonight.

:) Anniversary trip plans that are actually happening…and probably happening much quicker than we thought they would.

Um, hello March

? (More details later… ;))

:) Surprise phone calls from friends who just want to say hi.

I like that.

:) Maelie said “coffee” today…such a brilliant, educated-in-the-important-things-in-life, daughter I have!

:) An impending Scrabble game in about five minutes…I totally plan to kick his butt… we shall see.

😉

Sig

Filed Under: blessings, friends, just life

Pajama Monday and a Recap of Last Week

January 2, 2012 by · Leave a Comment

So I managed to get sick…I guess flu shots don’t make a person immune from everything floating around during the season, huh? I had decided on Saturday that my scratchy throat was nothing more than that and figured mind over matter was more important.

It didn’t work this time.

Bummer.

But only a little bummer…definitely choosing to count my blessings today.

For one thing, Maelie slept in until 8:30, which was very much appreciated by her mama!

Then when she got up, all she wanted to do was play with her kitchen and doll and new alphabet toy, which was just fine with me!

We turned on the Rose Parade, played with lots of toys, and spent the morning (ahem…the whole day…ahem) in our pj’s. Well, one of us did.

😉 (Haven’t done that in a long time!)

I think we both needed a down day after the busyness of last week.

We had a wonderful time in Minnesota with family. I especially enjoyed seeing Maelie finally able to play with her cousins. She’s definitely smaller and can’t keep up as well, but that didn’t stop her from trying and getting so excited to be around them. It was a fun memory, and I’m so glad everyone was able to make the trip to be together.

While we were in Minnesota, we were also able to see a few friends.

I had lunch with my good friend, Sara, and we also visited a family from a church we used to attend when we lived there. Christen was in the youth group we helped with, and she has a daughter just a few weeks older than Mae.

I had been wanting the two of them to play together and was happy to see them hit it off.

Mae LOVED her Cozy Coupe…guess what we’ll be watching for on Craigslist?!

We came home on Thursday and Friday and the weekend were busy with different get-togethers.  We spent New Year’s Eve with Jonny and Kris eating Chinese and playing cards and we actually made it to almost 1 a.m., which I think could be my personal record.

Yes, friends, contrary to what you believe about this party girl, I love my sleep.

😉

Then last night, our friends from Indonesia, David and Tiff, came over for dinner.

We got to meet their sweet baby girl, Luisa, and it was so good to catch up with them.

But today? We’re tired.

Definitely a good day for the pj’s.

But also a day to count blessings…because there are so many of them.

So thankful. :)

Sig

Filed Under: blessings, family, friends, just life

11 from 2011

December 31, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

Wowsers, it seems like 2011 flew!

Today is a brief (or not?) recap of 11 highlights of the year. (In really no particular order. Promise.)

#11: barefootmel.com is born. Truly this one has been an adventure. You have no idea the things I have learned as I’ve
splashed my life out every day for you all to read. It’s been fun, it’s been frustrating, it’s been time consuming, it’s been healing. I am so thankful for words and how God gives each of us different abilities to use them.

#10: One more hole. This year I did something I’ve wanted to do for years…pierce my nose. Yes, it hurt. But I’m so glad I did it…and I love it.

Really. But in case you are nervous for whatever reason, know two things: 1) there was zero rebellion attached to the decision; and 2) there will be no more piercings for Mel. :)

#9: Four more wheels. We got by for sixteen months with one car, and I think it taught us a lot about not needing everything we always thought we did.

However, with Maelie getting bigger and busier and me often feeling trapped, we knew we needed to buy another one eventually. That happened on a Sunday morning (before church!) in October. We’re really thankful for that silver Mitsubishi in our driveway.

#8: Road trip fun.

In September we took our first true “family” vacation, visiting Green Bay, St. Louis, and Southaven, MS in the span of ten days. We had a wonderful time with family and friends and discovered that traveling with a one year old can be done…and can even be fun!

#7: Guestwriting: In May a short piece I wrote was published on one of my favorite blogs. And in October I started writing (very sporadically) for an online newspaper in our area. It’s good, and I’ve enjoyed getting my feet wet in the writing arena. (Now I just need more time!)

#6: Coffee love: Yeah, I love coffee, and that’s not news to anyone here! In August I started working at Café Firefly, a (somewhat) local coffee shop. It was a fun job and I loved meeting some new friends there, but sadly, it just didn’t work for my family’s schedule, and my last day was a couple weeks ago. I’ll miss it and am thankful it’s a short hop away so I can still say hi. :) (And caffeinate myself.)

#5: Immanuel: In June we joined Immanuel Lutheran Church and have loved getting involved there through Bible studies and praise team and volunteering. When we think back to previous years and how we’d talk about what we were looking for in a church, we realize that Immanuel fits those things. The people there are becoming our family, and we love them…and love worshiping our God with them.

#4: Home: In July, just one day shy of a year after we moved to 127 N.

Wisconsin, it officially became ours.

I’ve gone on and on about that enough on this blog, but it doesn’t mean that it’s any less important to us.

We’re home…in a neighborhood we love and a community we’re slowly becoming a part of.

It is so good to be home.

#3: Holy cow, we have a ONE YEAR OLD!

In June, our sweet Mae turned one. We celebrated by throwing a big bash for her and inviting our new friends and neighbors over for a BBQ. Over 50 guests, 100 hamburgers and hotdogs, and the cake to end all cakes made up of 86(?) cupcakes. It was a memory we will always cherish. :)

#2: Milestones: Along with a growing and changing daughter come those milestones…some sad, some happy, some
in-between. There were first steps that all too quickly turned to running, first words that soon turned to constant chatter, first haircuts, new things discovered each and every day. And while there’s a twinge of sadness that Maelie is growing up so quickly, we are learning to love and cherish each moment spent with our daughter.

She is an amazing person, and being her mommy
has without a doubt been the highlight of my year.

#1: Where I am: It’s a category on my blog that I post about often. Truly, it’s been an upside-down, rightside-up year.

There have been joys, sorrows, times of growing, times of struggling, gains, losses…but in all of those things, my Father has never left
me, and each day I am learning to love Him just a little more.

I pray that will continue in 2012.

And I hope you are as blessed as I was this year. :)

Th anks to

all of you for being

a part of my life. I love you.

Sig

Filed Under: blessings, just life, where I am

Sing Noel

December 24, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

One of my favorite Christmas songs.

Enjoy. :)

(But as a side note, I’ m not a huge f

an of the video.

Just sayin’. ;))

Sig

Filed Under: blessings

Christmas Blessings

December 23, 2011 by · 1 Comment

Maybe yesterday’s heart spillage was healing for me.

I went to bed and woke up feeling like I actually slept…which is something I haven’t felt for weeks.

And?

It was a good day.

Like, a really good one.

There were smiles and laughter.

The laughter began early when we discovered that our gymnast-of-a-daughter was turning somersaults in her crib. I kid you not. We’ve seen her do it once before but thought it was a fluke…apparently not. Seriously?!?!

There were reflections on the season

and moments of rejoicing. Mostly due to the fact that I took some time to truly think about what I wrote about Mary yesterday. I decided she’s definitely one of my heroes.

There was a 3-mile run spent singing along to my favorite Christmas songs. (Sorry if you were driving by and happened to hear me…it is very hard to sound good when you’re out of breath and wearing earbuds. But I SANG. And it was really good.) And to make you laugh…I know all the words to You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch. I blame Newsong for putting it on their Christmas CD.

😉

Maybe the biggest blessing of the day was being able to encourage a friend. You know how when you are hurting and feel like you are the one needing the encouragement? This opportunity fell into my lap…and it made my heart happy.

Sometimes my favorite thing in the world is making someone else’s day a little brighter.

I’ve talked about JOY over and over…knowing full well that it’s often a choice.

But at the same time, making that choice to find JOY in my days has become almost habit. I think that’s a good thing.

I’m really looking forward to celebrating the next few days with family and friends.

I hope you are feeling blessed this season.

If you’re not, take some time and count those blessings…you’ ll be surprised how much JOY is in a day.

:)

Love to you…and thanks for praying.

Sig

Filed Under: blessings, just life, what I'm learning, where I am

Little Blessings (Pt. 16)

December 21, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

If I’m being honest, I don’ t wan

t to count my blessings today.

I also think that on days like today, the best thing I can do is count them.

So here we go…

:) My daughter’s cuddles.

:) A precious reminder of the very first Christmas tonight.

(Great job, ILS students!)

:) Starbucks coffee with peppermint.

:) Jeans on clearance.

:) A “talk” earlier this week on Skype with our beloved pembantu in Indonesia. The language barrier and internet connection made it challenging, but just having the chance for her to “meet” Maelie…was precious. Mae even blew her a kiss goodbye. I hope for more moments like that.

:) Opportunities to show love

to others.

:) Running in snowflakes.

:) The chance to trust when I can’t see.

:) My Father, Who loves me and holds me each

and every moment.

:) The most precious gift of all, a tiny baby, sent so many years ago.

Sig

Filed Under: blessings, Indonesia, just life

Holiday Cheer…

December 18, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

… and some cookies to go with it!

(I can’t believe I didn’t get a picture of the neighbors…you know, the ones who ate

the cookies! Rats.)

Sig

Filed Under: blessings, friends, just life

Under My Feet

December 14, 2011 by · Leave a Comment

So this week I’ ve been crazy-busy with baking cookies.

(And trying not to eat them! ;)) We’re having some neighbors over on Sunday… and wh

at better way to celebrate than with a dozen different kinds of cookies

?

Oh, yeah. (And I’m still forcing myself to work out every day.) :)

This morning I was trying to get a batch of a new kind done…and to preface this, I was kind of making up the recipe as I went.

(Thankfully, they turned out amazing.

;))

But since I was making it up and guessing with a few ingredients, I was also all over the kitchen a hundred times, looking for the right things.

And somewhere in the middle of the gooey, chocolatey creation and the peppermint buttercream…

Are you drooling yet??? 😉

I noticed something.

Everywhere I went, I h ad

a little person under my feet.

I was annoyed. I couldn’t move two feet without her following me…and it began to frustrate me that I couldn’t reason with her and tell her that sitting on the floor near me was just as good.

Eventually she gave me a break and resorted to hanging on to the back of my jeans while I created my fabulous concoction.

It made me impatient, and I caught myself raising my voice at her…

And then I stopped.

Thank You, God, that I have a beautiful little girl who wants to be close to me…

Thank You, God, that she is there…that she is this amazing, wonderful blessing in my life…

Thank You, God, that I am so incredibly blessed…

To have the sweetest little girl in the world constantly under my feet.

Just a blessing I thought I’d share.

What blessed your heart today

?

Sig

Filed Under: adventures, being mommy, blessings, just life, Maelie
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