Girls Night.

Project 365 * 4
Day 576

     Had an awesome night tonight! Spent the evening dining, talking, and laughing with Patty, and my cousin, Jen. It is so good to leave the house for a few hours and spend time talking with girlfriends. And it makes it even better when those girls happen to be your family. Thankful for a really fun night out. Thankful for laughter. Thankful for stories told. About our kids. About our younger years. And about things I can never repeat here or anywhere. Sometimes, a girl just needs to get her girls night on.

Time to rest.

Project 365 * 4
Day 575

   

     Thankful for the end of a good day, for fun play dates with friends, for sangria, and that it's time to rest now. 

Not even for bath time...

Project 365 * 4
Day 574

     Thankful for the most gorgeous summer day ever. This day was so amazingly beautiful. It felt like fall. And that makes me happy. We spent this entire day outside. We played on playgrounds. We had a picnic in a field of green grass by a beautiful tree. We watched the hawks soaring over us. We walked. We played at more playgrounds. We stayed up way past bath and bedtime. Just because it was that beautiful out. It was the kind of day that couldn't be missed. Not even for bath time.

Eleven.

Project 365 * 4
Day 573

Here is a list of things that made me happy today:

1. Bumping into sweet friends at the playground this morning.

2. Roasted carrots. I'm obsessed with them.

3. After the sun went down, it was glorious outside. I mean, glorious. A cool wind blowing...glorious.

4. Turning the volume all the way up and rapping along to Ludacris on my drive home tonight. He's my favorite.

5. Kids rolling down grassy hills.

6. Kids collecting leaves. Leaves that are very confused as to what season it is.

7. It is so amazingly perfect outside right now, I wish I could sleep on the deck. Cool, breezy evenings make me so happy.

8. Skinned knees. That means that summertime is being enjoyed properly.

9. Picnic tables.

10. Amazing clouds.

11. Our favorite hill. And our favorite tree. We love them so.

Why I Love Laura.

Project 365 * 4
Day 572

52 Kind Things

     This week, whenever I was out walking with my kids, I picked up trash. At the playground. On our favorite hill. I hate seeing trash littering beautiful places. I'm proud to say then whenever Adelyn sees trash outside on our walks, she says very sternly, "we DO NOT throw our trash down on the ground."

52 People I Love

     This week, I've been thinking about my friend, Laura. There are two things I think of when I think about her. Bobby pins. And something she said to me after I lost River. 

     About the bobby pins, let me just say that they will remain our little secret. Our little secret, and probably the whole of our 9th grade Biology class who saw us using them in a way that was never intended. I literally think of her every time I use one the correct way. And the incorrect way. 

     The something she said to me after I lost River was this: "No matter how much time passes, I always feel close to you, Christen. Remember when I came over and pulled out a Hurricane 40 and said "it's about to storm at Matt's house?" Well, I do and I cherish the laughter and Mrs. Causby's class, etc. I love you dearly because you are approachable, loving, and familiar. Thanks for being loving to me and being my friend. I'm thinking of you and knowing that you're an amazing mother who can bear great and powerful things. I will think of you but, I know you can survive this. You and your family are amazing."

     Reading those words brought me such hope. They made me laugh. And they made me realize that I was strong during a time when I didn't feel strong at all. Reading the words, "you can survive this," gave me a sense of power. Like I had a choice. To survive. Or not to survive. Out of everything everyone said to me, I hung on Laura's words the most. 

     I'm so thankful for my friend, Laura. My friend who used to pop zits with me in Biology class. (Oops. Guess the cat's out of the bag, huh?) My friend who laughed with me in the most insane Algebra class ever. I never knew what was going on in there. My friend who is amazing and loving and kind. I'm thankful she wrote to me during that very hard time. I'm thankful because her words gave me strength and hope during a time when I felt the weakest and darkest. Thankful to know her. Thankful to call her my friend. 


     Thankful for a lazy day with my babies. Thankful for a good family night. Thankful for spaghetti squash. I felt like I had the most decadent meal ever. When really all I ate was squash with some delicious sauce on top. Thankful for a good week. Thankful that tomorrow is Monday. A new day. A new week. For making new adventures and memories. 

     

The best Saturday night ever!

Project 365 * 4
Day 571

     It is currently, 8:20 pm. The kitchen is clean. The toys are picked up. The kids are in bed. I went to the gym during nap time. And now, I'm writing. I will be in bed tonight by 9 pm. To me, that is literally, a miracle. I haven't gone to bed before at least 1 am every night for the past month or so. I've got my big mug of tea and honey. I've got Lost to watch on Netflix. And I've got a blanket to crochet. I couldn't have wished for a better Saturday night. I am so happy to be home. And to be done.

     Thankful for this most awesome Saturday. Thankful to have time to relax. I desperately need it. Thankful for a good day with my family. We had a rough start, but even so, we had a day for just the four of us. We needed it, and it was good.

Lifting weights at midnight.

Project 365 * 4
Day 570

   

     Thankful for cousins, artichokes, hot tea with honey, my comfy bed, and a hilarious night at the gym with Patty. I literally could not stop laughing the entire time. Makes it really hard to get a good workout in, but it makes it so much more enjoyable to be there at midnight. Lifting weights. Thankful I get to sleep now. 

First Sleepover!

Project 365 * 4
Day 569

     Miss Adelyn Bailey is currently attending her first sleepover at her cousin's house. She was so super excited about it.

     Thankful for sleepovers. Thankful for cousins. They're the best. Thankful for a clean house. Even if it only lasts for the few hours I stay awake at night cleaning it, it feels so good. Thankful for a peacefully sleeping Tobin. Thankful for a cool evening. Makes me think that fall is just around the corner. And that makes me terribly excited. Even though I know we still have much more of summer to get through...it gives me hope that one day, I will open my door, and cold air will hit me. And it will be glorious.