Friday's List.

Project 365 * 4
Day 659

     Thankful for:

-a cool, crisp day. 

-a wonderfully pink sunset. 

-crunchy leaves. 

-pink leaves, red leaves...just all the leaves. 

-sleeping babies. 

-a kick ass workout. 

-the weekend. 

-The Office.

-time to sleep. 

The Now.

Project 365 * 4
Day 658

     This weather...this glorious, breezy, cold and windy weather makes me want to get in a limo, put the top down, and drive down the highway while I'm standing with my head sticking out of the sunroof. It makes me want to put my arms wide open and scream, "I can breathe!" at the top of my lungs. The red leaves make me wish I had a swimming pool filled with that glowing red color. I would dive in and swim around for hours in the glow of that red. The sunsets make me happy to be alive. I feel like it's a privilege to even gaze for one minute at the splendor of them. I have to stop and ask myself, "is this even real life?" And because the answer to that question is, yes, I'm overwhelmed with thankfulness and joy and happiness. This is a good time to be alive and have breath in my lungs. The now makes my heart feel full.

Cold wind. Cozy warmth.

Project 365 * 4
Day 657

     Thankful for the cold wind blowing outside. Thankful for the cozy warmth inside. Thankful that my house smells of roasted sweet potatoes. Thankful for my sweet furry friend who follows me around wherever I go. My shadow. It makes the nights when Matt is working much less lonely. Thankful for the sound of the train whistle. As it calls out into the cold night, I'm reminded of the time when I would spend all day at home with my babies. And we counted it a good day if we got to see the train go by. Thankful for a place to call home. Thankful for all the love and joy and good here. It's overflowing here. I'm swimming in it here. Thankful for here.

Rainy Night.

Project 365 * 4
Day 656

     Thankful for a rainy night at home with my babes. Thankful for warm baths. Especially ones that last for an hour and make the bathroom mirror all steamy and the floor sopping wet. Thankful for fuzzy blond hair. Thankful for rosy cheeks. Thankful for books before bed. Thankful for night time. Thankful for hot tea. And for time to unwind.

Just me and her and a song.

Project 365 * 4
Day 655

     Our trash cans sit directly below our deck. When we have to take a bag out, instead of walking it through the house, we go out on the deck and drop it into the trash can from there. I know...we're so classy. But, I must add that in four years, I've never missed. Not even once. Today, I was taking a bag out, and I heard singing. It was coming from the house next door. There was no other noise. It was a quiet late afternoon. The trees were still. There was no wind. Just this beautiful voice. Singing. The beauty of this woman's voice forced me to stand still and listen. It was as if I couldn't move even if I tried.

     Adelyn loves for me to rock her and sing to her. From the time she was a baby, she's always loved it. She loves one song best, "La la lu." It's from, Lady and the Tramp. It goes a little something like this:

La la lu, La la lu,
Oh, my little star sweeper,
I'll sweep the stardust for you.

La la lu, La la lu,
Little soft fluffy sleeper,
Here comes a pink cloud for you.

La la lu, La la lu,
Little wandering angel,
Fold up your wings, close your eyes.

La la lu, La la lu,
And may love be your keeper,
La la lu, la la lu, la la lu.

     Whenever she's in need of some extra love, she asks me to hold her, rock her, and sing, "La la lu," to her. And whenever I do, it's as if time stops. There is no other noise. There is nothing to do. There is nowhere to be. There is no schedule. It's just me and her and a song. Tonight, she asked to sing it to her and after I did, she looked up at me with the most beautiful smile I've ever seen in my entire life and said, "Mama, that was so beautiful. I love you so much."

     Thankful for Adelyn, my lighthouse. Thankful for the light that shines from within her. I'd be lost at sea if it wasn't for her. Thankful that I still get to hold her and sing to her. Thankful for music. Thankful for voices so beautiful you have to stop and listen. Thankful that when I sing to Adelyn, we can forget the world. And it's just me and her.

Addy has been carrying around that woman for days now. She says it is me when I was pregnant with her. She likes to keep it close by :)

Danielle. Compliments. A glorious day.

Project 365 * 4
Day 654

52 People I Love

     My cousin sent me a sweet message the other day, and it got me thinking about her and all the fun times we shared together as kids. I think my love of karaoke comes from a night I spent with her and her family. They showed me the magic of singing karaoke. And I've never looked back. To this day, karaoke is one of my most favorite ways to spend a night out. I loved spending time with her during the summer. I would go stay at her house for a couple of days, and we would spend all day at the pool. Spending all day at the pool is basically the best way to spend any summer day. Especially as a kid. I always thought she was so cool. She had the latest music. The coolest accessories. Lots of magazines. I think Danielle is a beautiful person. Inside and out. I'm blessed and proud to call her my cousin. And I'm thankful for all the fun times I got to spend with her. I'm looking forward to the day when we can hang out again. Maybe at the pool with our kids, and then a girls night out. Karaoke, perhaps? :)

52 Kind Things

     Maybe this is silly...but when I was working at Starbucks, it always made me feel so good when someone would compliment my hair, or my jewelry. Just little compliments made my day. Probably because I was working my butt off, standing behind a counter for eight hours a day. Changing trash bags. Cleaning toilets. Doing dishes. Making about 5,000 drinks. It was fun, but it is harder work than people think. Anyways, it just was always so nice to have a customer say something nice to me.

     I only went to the store once this week, but as I was standing there while a girl was ringing me up, I recognized in her eyes, that look of, "I'm tired, how many hours do I have left on my shift, dear God...why do people come buy lettuce at 10:00 at night!?" So I made polite conversation, and I complimented her. She had really long, pretty, blond hair. So I said, "your hair is so pretty!" She smiled and said thank you. And we had a nice conversation.


     Thankful for this glorious fall day. Crisp. Cool. Breezy. Puffy white clouds. It was the very definition of glorious. My parents had to go to a funeral this afternoon, so we weren't able to have our normal family Sunday meal. So Patty and I decided to take the kids over to my parents house in the morning to play outside. It was wonderful. Thankful for this gorgeous day. Thankful for time spent with my family. Thankful for dogs. And crunchy leaves. And swing sets. And swings hung from trees. Thankful for a delicious dinner. Thankful for time spent with all my great loves.

Happy Birthday, Tobin boy!

Project 365 * 4
Day 653

     Thankful isn't big enough of a word to say how thankful I am for my boy. My boy who taught me that hope can be one of the most powerful forces on this planet. My boy who gives the absolute best hugs of anyone I've ever known. My boy who fits so perfectly in my arms. From the first moment I held him, from the first moment I smelled him, and cuddled him, and nursed him, kissed him, from the first moment I knew of his existence, I was head over heels in love with him. And I'm falling even more in love with him every day. He makes every day beautiful. He makes every day cozy. He makes everything all better.

     Thankful for the best birthday party for him today. Thankful for homemade ice cream cake. Thankful for Buzz Lightyear. Thankful for family. Thankful for so many smiles and hugs. Thankful for the feeling of togetherness. Thankful for so many sweet presents for my boy. Thankful for the loud chaotic hours spent in our home tonight. I wouldn't trade them for quiet hours. Because the loud chaos is so much more peaceful than hours spent in solitude. Ever had one of those days when you feel like everything is absolutely perfect? No...you know everything is absolutely perfect... I had one of those days today. Everything is absolutely perfect. And beautiful. And good. And lovely.

     Just so overwhelmed with thankfulness tonight. I feel it washing over me like giant waves. I can't stop smiling. Thankful for days that make you feel like every breath of air, every leaf blowing in the wind, every hug, every smile, every kiss, every cozy moment, every bit of blue sky, every person you love and every minute you get to spend with them, is a gift from God.