Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my sweet, wonderful B and his upcoming weekend off
• my family and friends, who love me all the time
• a wonderful Mother's Day lunch last Sunday, and the chance to celebrate with my loved ones
• Grandad's birthday tomorrow, and a celebration planned for his sweet self this weekend :)
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• my job, my wonderful schoolbabies, and my coworkers
• 5 more days of school
• a roof over my head, food in my fridge, clean running water, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, appliances that make my life convenient, a comfortable bed, my phone, a dependable and very fuel-efficient car
• the total exhaustion that comes from wrapping up another school year...I'm happy to be able to give my 27 darlings my best, even with 5 days left!
• the fun group of folks that I do lunch and recess with...I love laughing with them
• a fun date night to see "The Great Gatsby" on Monday with B...I loved it, while he dubbed it "The Pretty Good Gatsby" :)
• being literate, and the opportunity to teach a hard-working fella every week
• good books...just finished this one, currently reading this one, and have this one on deck
• discovering a great show that's filling my "Downton Abbey" void quite nicely
• 5 more days of school
• patience
• laughter
• contentment
• being able to chug through the seemingly endless to-do lists I've got going on these days
• answered and unanswered prayers
• warm but not-yet-hot temperatures
• sunscreen
• bananas that are the perfect ripeness...bright yellow without a speck of brown
• the hope of having enough money saved at the end of this month to buy a washer and dryer...I'll never take in-home laundry appliances for granted again!
• 5 more days of school
• what a blessing this school year and these students and their parents have been to me...love, love, love them
• getting my classroom cleaned up and cleaned out
• NOT having to show the puberty video to the 5th graders today...very thankful that Renita, Emily, Tim, and Reese took that one for the team
• the gorgeous view from my living room
• a fun baby shower yesterday for Holleigh, and good belly laughs over cupcakes that leave your teeth bright blue...can't wait to meet Baby Seth!
• The Golden Girls
• quiet time
• 5 more days of school

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my precious, wonderful B...I just can't get enough of that fella and I'm so glad he's mine
• my sweet, fun family and friends
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• a roof over my head, food in my fridge, clean running water, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, electricity, a dependable car, my phone, my computer, appliances that make my life more convenient, enough money to take care of my needs
• 15 more days of school
• my job, my coworkers, and my absolutely wonderful schoolbabies...I'm excited for summer but I'm going to miss those sweet students SO much
• getting my latest birthday banner finished and sent off
• my little $99 sewing machine that has helped me churn out quite a few projects in the last 3 years
• being really close to saving enough money to buy myself a washer and dryer...oh, how I've missed being able to do laundry without leaving home!
• a sweet boyfriend who lets me do laundry at his house and who even changes loads over for me so I don't have to go down to the basement by myself
• a fun, safe, successful trip to D.C. last week...one of these days I'll get around to sharing pictures!
• my camera
• a fun lunch date with Manda while we were at Michie Tavern in Charlottesville, VA...getting to catch up with her was definitely a highlight of my trip
• 15 more days of school
• patience, patience, patience
• starting to feel better, even though I'm still coughing and congested...3 weeks of sinus woes is very, very little fun
• not-so-warm temperatures these days...trying to enjoy it before summertime shows up!
• good sleep
• a yummy salad for lunch
• getting to do some fun activities with my students these days...I love seeing them excited about learning
• the gorgeous, green view from my living room
• a fun double date with Angie and Jeremy on Monday...I'm a huge fan of the Jarrells, and spending time with them and B started my week off right
• Mumford and Sons
• contentment

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my dear B, and his plans to come eat lunch at school with me tomorrow...can't wait for a visit from "Mr. Brian" :)
• my sweet, sweet family and friends
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• much better news than expected today in regards to the health of a loved one...praise the Lord
• medicine which is helping my sinuses get back on track...it's nice to breathe through my nose again, and I'm still excitedly awaiting the moment when my ear gets back to normal
• the ability to speak, and the fact that my voice has almost returned to normal
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, a comfortable bed, a fuel-efficient car, warm showers and being able to feel clean, enough money to pay for my needs, electricity, all the appliances and doodads and gadgets which make my life easier
• my job, my darling schoolbabies, and my coworkers
• a fun trip to our nation's wonderful capital coming up
• a special delivery of chicken noodle soup last weekend...it made me feel very special that my sweet parents drove 80 miles round trip just to bring me soup :)
• being literate and the opportunity to tutor my adult learner friend every week
• answered and unanswered prayers
• my Neti pot and cough syrup
• FriendshipFest'13 in the works! 
• getting to make another birthday banner...such a fun project
• new tubes of toothpaste
• having almost enough money saved to buy a washer and dryer
• reminders, especially after this very sad and tough week, that there is still so much good in our world
• my very pretty drive to and from work...tons of trees...all that green makes me happy
• good sleep
• getting to deliver a book of "happies" to our counselor today...I have such precious students
• a fun presentation by our 4th grade counselor this morning...the kids LOVED it
• perspective checks
• my summer reading list being in the works...any suggestions?
• a chat with Sash today
• funny emails from friends
• laughter
• contentment

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday, Friday-style

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my sweet, handsome B and the way he took care of me yesterday since I wasn't feeling well...fixed me supper, scratched my head, watched "The Walking Dead" with me, wouldn't let me help with the dishes...he's amazing
• my darling family and friends
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• a roof over my head, food in my fridge, clean running water, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, a dependable car, a paycheck that pays for all of my needs, electricity, electronic doodads that make my life easier
• my job, my eager-to-please schoolbabies, hilarious coworkers
• my sinuses, although they aren't even sorta pulling their weight these days
• all those times when my ear didn't feel like it was going to explode...I woke up at 3:30 this morning because my ear had popped and I couldn't get it to pop back...I am tremendously uncomfortable and long for the moment when it pops itself back
• all those times when I had a voice, because I've currently lost it
• beautiful spring days, even though pollen and I are sworn enemies
• a good rain yesterday and no tornadoes in our neck of the woods
• an early dismissal yesterday...my favorite kind of early dismissals are the ones where we get credit for a full day but the weather never gets bad...woohoo!
• a wonderful boyfriend who let me hang out at his basement-ed house yesterday just in case the weather did get bad
• long chats this week with some of my people
• opportunities to show a little patience and grace
• a trip to D.C. coming up soon!
• medicine and vitamins that are easily accessible and affordable
• a new birthday banner to work on
• a week full of fun science experiments...physical science is so much fun to teach!
• the beautiful view from my new abode
• contentment
• hot tea
• cooler temperatures today...high 80s in April is a little much for me, so I'm glad we're closer to normal today
• a good night's sleep...hoping to snag one tonight since I sure didn't get one last night!
• getting next week's lesson plans done before leaving school today...always such a happy feeling
• my new exercise ball
• a fun lunch with B, Mama, and Daddy at Chuy's last Saturday...and getting to run into some old friends while we were there
• a high school reunion to plan...can't believe it's been TEN years!
• FriendshipFest'13 in the works...so, so, so excited :)
• a weekend to rest, recoup, and hopefully regain full function of my sinuses and the ability to hear out of my left ear

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my sweet, handsome B
• my family and friends
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• a successful, uncomplicated Lasik surgery for B today
• my job, 27 darling schoolbabies who make sure I stay on top of my game, and coworkers who keep me laughing
• my paycheck, which is enough to take care of all my needs
• a roof over my head, food in my fridge, clean running water, electricity, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, a comfortable bed, my dependable little car, all the electronic doodads that make my life convenient and easy
• a good rain which washed away lots of that hideous pollen
• experiences that humble me...as unpleasant as they are sometimes, I welcome any opportunity that helps me to grow and learn
• feeling a little more settled in my new home
• the beyond-gorgeous cherry tree right outside my window
• our trip to D.C. coming up soon!
• two really good, really long talks with Sash today and yesterday
• having my lesson plans for next week done today...on Thursday...to say I'm tickled with myself is a wild understatement
• a wonderful Easter spent with the family last weekend...I just love celebrating Easter
• getting to see two longtime friends and their sweet baby girl on Easter Sunday
• many, many, many opportunities to grow my patience and show grace
• finding the library book that I thought I had lost
• getting back to tutoring my very hardworking gentleman this week
• a cute and funny card in my mailbox...thanks for being my first fun mail in the new casa, Mama!
• getting to see one of my favorite former parents today...I still miss teaching her sweet kiddo
• Publix
• hot water
• a special delivery at school yesterday, and the very generous donation that made it possible...SO excited:
• 

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

I can barely put into words how much has happened over the last two weeks, but I'll try. Spring break. Pack. Clean. Throw away. Pack. Clean. Throw away. Pack. Pack. Pack. 10 hour road trip in one day. Pack. Pack. Throw away. B's birthday bonanza. Pack. Move. Unpack. Sort. Unpack. Back to work.

I've moved, and I just LOVE my new home. Love, love, LOVE it! The time had come for me to part ways with my sweet little 550 square foot apartment. Although I have some very sweet memories of my 5.5 years spent there, I do not even sorta regret leaving. My new place is so pretty. And 300 square feet bigger. And everything in it works. And boy, it's pretty...although I may have already mentioned that :)

My new goal is to live life with way, WAY less stuff than I had in my old apartment. I'm pretty sure it's against the laws of...physics? nature? common sense?...to cram that much stuff into 550 square feet. I was beyond embarrassed that I was able to give away 135 articles of clothing and 13 pairs of shoes. I lost count of how many bags of junk I hauled up to the dumpster. Yikes. Between now and the end of summer, my plan is to go through every item I currently possess and decide if it deserves to live here with me. I'm very excited about simplifying my life and am sharing here so that anybody who reads this will be able to hold me accountable. I'm serious...stay on me about it!

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord and some great opportunities for reflection this Holy Week
• my sweet, wonderful B...he tells me very often how beautiful, funny, and talented he thinks I am, and I don't think he has any idea how happy that makes me!
• my family and friends
• the chance to celebrate my sweet Bubba's birthday on Tuesday...LOVE get-togethers with the fam. Happy birthday, Bub!
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• the chance to celebrate Easter this weekend with most of my favorite people
• a fun birthday celebration for B at Firebirds with Angie and her JJ...the food and company were both delightful
• my job, my darling schoolbabies, my coworkers, my paycheck
• payday right around the corner
• a roof over my head, food in my fridge, clean running water, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, vitamins, allergy medicine, electricity, internet, my phone, a dependable car, a salary that provides for my needs
• the 5.5 years I had a washer and dryer provided for me...I'm now saving to buy my own and am realizing how thankful I should've been when I had a washer and dryer at my disposal!
• the gorgeous cherry tree right outside my new living room windows
• my Brita pitcher
• great new lotion
• patience and deep breaths
• a mama who never makes me feel guilty when I vent to her
• a daddy who remembers to fix me chicken when the rest of the family feasts on something disgusting (like shrimp)
• two sweet grandparents who just dote on their grandbabies...love you, Mimi and Grandad!
• starting to feel settled in my new casa
• good sleep
• contentment
• the weekend!
• a trip to Virginia and D.C. that will be here in less than a month
• a really fun date night with B yesterday...pork & grits and sangria at Jim 'N Nick's (way, way yum), lots and lots and lots of laughs...that fella is good for me
• fun plans over the next few weeks
• Pepper Place market opening up soooooon...so excited!
• the unseasonably, unnecessarily cold weather we've had this week, because it'll make me appreciate warmer weather even more
• fun mail
• a life filled with loved ones and opportunities

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my sweet, handsome, patient B...he has been so sweet to put up with a stressed out girlfriend the last couple of weeks...I just lurv him
• my wonderful family and friends
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• a couple of long chats with my mama this week
• my job, my absolutely precious schoolbabies, and my coworkers
• a very successful, very fun Pi Day celebration yesterday
• excellent behavior from my students on our field trip today
• spring break starting at 3:15 tomorrow!
• choosing a job that allows me to still have a spring break
•  a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, enough money to take care of my needs, a dependable and totally paid-off car
• my appliances...they make my life so much more convenient
• my Brita pitcher
• vitamins
• patience, and opportunities to show grace multiple times every day...I need the practice!
• a gorgeously gorgeous early spring day today...spectacularly pretty
• blooming Bradford pear trees
• warm, pretty weather forecasted for this weekend
• sunscreen
• one last weekend to spend in my little home...granted, I'll spend it packing everything up, but it'll be a nice chance to say goodbye
• moving day coming up next week...SO excited!!!!
• being able to time my move with spring break...not necessarily the most relaxing way to celebrate a week off of work, but it'll be so much easier to get it all done without having to worry about work
• spring break
• B's birthday next week...excited to celebrate him!
• sunshine
• the sweet, very smart new student Carrie got this week...I only get to teach him for an hour and a half every day, but I'm happy he's joined our "team"
• getting to spend the day with darling Melynda on our field trip...she's so fun!
• being back in my regular tutoring schedule this week...I've missed it these last 3 weeks and was so happy to get back to normal
• our D.C. trip being planned and ready, for the most part
• spring break
• getting to see Daddy's pictures...I'm so happy we got him that fancy-schmancy camera for Christmas, and it's exciting to see his skills improve
• arms and legs that are strong enough to allow me to do the things I want to do
• laughter and contentment
• sweet memories
• spring break

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my sweet, handsome B and all the fun he brings to my world
• my lovely family and friends
• one week until spring break
• my job, my incredible schoolbabies who keep me on my toes, my coworkers
• a roof over my head, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, clean running water, food in my fridge, a comfortable bed, a jacket to keep me warm on these unnecessarily cold days, my phone, my computer, a paid-off and dependable car
• enough money to cover my needs
• my sewing machine
• experiences that keep me humble, like B having to tell me that, while I did a BEAUTIFUL job sewing his patches on, my placement was off...and the only way to fix that was to completely pull the patches off and start over...awesome...color me humbled :)
• my seam ripper
• my Brita pitcher
• prayers
• reminders to keep in touch with my family and friends and to tell them often how much I love them...you just never know, folks...
• The Bible miniseries on History Channel...I'm hooked after one episode and can't wait to see the rest
• laughter
• some nice warm sunshine today!
• springing forward an hour this weekend...will miss that extra sleep fo sho, but can't WAIT to have more sunshine in my life
• one week until spring break
• vitamins
• lotion...winter and my skin hate each other
• a successful D.C. parent meeting Tuesday night...while staying at school from 7:00 AM to 8:30 PM is never on my short list of favorite things, it went well and now I feel like the hardest part is over
• being literate and getting back to my regular tutoring schedule next week
• comfortable shoes
• Pinterest
• the chance to see a sweet friend (and her babes) this weekend!
• a weekend OFF for B and a chance to spend some time with him
• gorgeous weather forecasted for this weekend
• seeing this letter on my door today....basically, I have to have my bedroom closet and my laundry "nook" and my entire bathroom completely empty by next Wednesday so that they can replace the pipes...a crew will be working in every, single apartment to replace the water pipes...looks like they'll still be here when I get home after work...awesome...just the latest in a LONG list of reasons why I'm thankful to be moving out and moving on in 2 weeks
• one week until spring break

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall! Get out there and do something fun!

Thankful Thursday...better late than never

This week has been mind-blowingly busy. I can't remember the last time I was this drained and worn out. VERY much in need of a weekend and so thankful it's finally here!

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my handsome, wonderful B and the new things I learn about him nearly every day
• my silly, precious family and friends
• the realization that, not only can B cheer me up out of a serious funk, but he can be really honest with me in the sweetest, most supportive way possible...LOVE that about him
• 6 months next week :)
• my job and my wonderfully go-with-the-flow schoolbabies...I don't even want to think about them leaving me in May :(
• the tremendous effort that has gone into planning our D.C. trip...we've been pouring all our energy into it, and I know it'll pay off
• springing forward an hour next weekend...I'll miss the hour of sleep but am SO ready for extra daylight
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, my phone, my computer, the dishwasher, a place to get in out of the cold, a soft place to lay my head at night
• the cold snap we're having this weekend...SURELY this is winter's last gasp and springtime is around the corner, right???
• deciding to pray for grace this week, and many opportunities to practice showing it
• the arrival of March, because it's the birthday month of some of my favorite people!
• no more night shifts for B until May...woohoo!!!!
• my sewing skills, which allowed me to sew new patches onto B's shirts...makes me feel useful, which is one of my favorite ways to feel
• vitamins
• lotion...winter and my skin are not friends
• spring break in TWO weeks!
• paying my last rent today for my current little home...this time next month, I'll be in my new abode and I'm SO looking forward to it!
• long walks
• sunshine
• getting to catch up on Justified with B last night
• getting back into my lesson planning/paper grading groove
• a very fun science experiment with my students yesterday, and a ready-made opportunity to show a little grace
• being literate and being able to get back to my regular tutoring schedule after next week
• contentment
• laughter
• spring break in TWO weeks!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my wonderful, handsome B
• my sweet, goofy family and friends
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• my job, my sweet schoolbabies, my coworkers, and my income
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, a comfortable bed, a budget and the ability to stick to it, enough money to take care of my needs, a fuel-efficient car
• the fact that I am literate, and the opportunity to work with a gentleman every week to help make his literacy dreams take shape
• spring break in 3 weeks...thanks for the reminder, Carrie!
• a couple of good, long walks this week
• the ability to sew
• vitamins
• grapes and apples, which I have been eating with wild abandon lately
• feeling left out, because it reminds me that there's more to life than being like everyone else
• my phone and computer, because they keep me connected
• the sun shining later into the evenings
• the enthusiasm my students have for the American Revolution these days...makes my history-loving heart happy
• a duty-free lunch tomorrow
• all the boxes that have come my way lately...I love things that make packing easier, and for free :)
• Downton Abbey, even though the season finale made me oh so sad
• getting to catch up on Justified with B this weekend
• silly, sarcastic senses of humor
• Pinterest
• answered and unanswered prayers
• contentment
• a fun weekend to look forward to
• spring break in 3 weeks...I'm pretty sure it bears repeating :)

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday, now that it's Friday and all

When Thursday involves an ice cream sundae party for 27 fifth graders, your first Valentine's Day with your handsome boyfriend, cooking up a homemade feast for said boyfriend, and trying to track down your social butterfly grandmother to wish her a happy 29th birthday, it's okay to do Thankful Thursday on Friday, right?

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my handsome, thoughtful, wonderful B
• my sweet family and friends
• another birthday for my sweet Mimi yesterday, and the fact that I was finally able to get her on the phone about 9:30 last night...I adore her and I hope she plans on having many, many more birthdays
• a roof over my head, clean running water, food in my fridge, clothes in my closet, shoes on my feet, hot showers, soap, a comfy bed, a paid-off car, enough money to take care of my needs, my computer, my phone
• being literate and an opportunity every week to help a hard-working, upbeat gentleman improve his reading skills
• my job, my sweet (and very active) schoolbabies, coworkers who make me laugh every day
• the fact that my Valentine's Day supper turned out well...braised beef short ribs (fall-off-the-bone deliciousness), homemade mashed potatoes (lumpy perfection), corn (B loves it), and Oreo balls (um, yum)
• the swoon-worthy handwritten message in my card from B last night...he made sure the message in my card was nice and long and heartfelt because he knew it was exactly what I wanted...he couldn't have gotten me anything I would've loved more! 
• a wide-open weekend to look forward to
• finally feeling well and back to normal...praise the Lord!
• moving day in one month!
• my tiny little home and the memories I've made here over the last 5 years...I know I'll be a little sad to leave, but sometimes change is a very good thing
• vitamins
• long walks
• great music
• a new issue of Food Network magazine in my mailbox yesterday...awesome idea for a Christmas present, Maw and Paw!
• the incredibly fun tax game I played with my students last week and this week...they hated having to give their Skittles to Queen Johnston, but I know they enjoyed the game (especially when they finally got to eat their Skittles today)...hoping they learned something from the experience!
• the sweet, sweet Valentine's Day cards and goodies I got from my schoolbabies yesterday
• pretty daffodils and tulips and chirpy birds that remind me that spring is just around the corner
• a bit of beautiful weather to end the week after days of rain
• the COLD weather forecasted for this weekend...I'm determined to enjoy it even though I'm so ready for sunshine and 60 degrees 
• Downton Abbey
• inspiration to re-read Redeeming Love...Nicole, thanks for reminding me how awesome that book is
• a birthday lunch for Mimi and Mama planned Sunday
• the chance to rest and relax and read and clean and catch up on life this weekend

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

I'm still under the weather. I'm tired. I'm tired of functioning at just 70 %. I'm ready for the weekend. Still, I'm so blessed. I'm officially done complaining. To quote the Lumineers, it's better to feel pain [sinus or otherwise] than nothing at all. Well said, guys.

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• my handsome B and the way he makes me laugh every. single. day.
• my dear family and friends
• a roof over my head, shoes on my feet, clean clothes in my closet, food in my fridge, clean running water, a comfortable bed, a dishwasher, hot showers, soap, a fuel-efficient car, enough money to cover my needs, a new budget that reminds me how unnecessary most of my "wants" are
• my job, my sweet little schoolbabies, the supportive parents of my schoolbabies, and my precious coworkers
• the fact that my "colonists" haven't yet staged a revolt, even though evil Queen Johnston has been taxing them Skittles all week long
• Career Day coming up tomorrow...one of my favorite days of the whole school year!
• a nice, long chat with Sash last night
• getting to catch up with Mimi and Grandad over the phone...love those two crazy kids
• a phone call from my darling Bub the other day...he makes me prouder of him every time we talk
• my phone and the way it helps me stay in touch with my people
• a visit to the ol' Johnston homestead (and a visit with sweet Mr. Steele) last Saturday
• a weekend off for B and a couch date planned to catch up on Justified...the perfect evening :)
• vitamins and Advil
• the memories of all those times when I felt really great...still waiting for this sinus pain to pack up and leave me the heck alone
• my fuzzy slippers
• the EXCITING news that I'm moving to a brand new little home next month!!!!!!! Well, it's certainly not brand new, but it's new to me. I'm so excited!
• orders for a birthday banner and some burp cloths this week...I better get to sewing. Extra moolah? Yes, please!
• lotion and Cetaphil face wash
• a gorgeous, sunshiney day yesterday
• a long walk yesterday afternoon...I enjoyed it even though it led to a coughing fit that only lasted, you know, all night
• the opportunity to tutor a very hard-working gentleman every week...his reading skills are getting better and better, and I just love getting to see his confidence level increase every session. What a blessing!
• getting to take some pictures last weekend
• the delectable treat I made this afternoon...it sounds so simple that you wonder how it could be anything special, but trust me...it is. Way, way yum. Simple and tasty is my kinda food. Thanks, Pinterest!
• my Brita pitcher
• contentment
• great music...the Lumineers are currently making my musical world go 'round...I think they're just about the coolest (after Mumford and Sons, of course)

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord
• answered prayers and unanswered prayers
• my handsome B, who wants to spend time with me even when I'm under the weather
• my darling family and friends
• a roof over my head, food in my fridge, clean running water, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, a cozy bed, a place to go to get out of the cold
• payday today...woohoo!
• sunshine, even though the temperature hasn't quite gotten the message
• vitamins, Mucinex, Airborne, my Neti pot, and Breathe Right strips
• my sinuses, even though they're currently not pulling their weight...makes me appreciate all those times when they actually do
• my job, my sweet little schoolbabies, my fun coworkers, and our lovely building
• a nice little dinner date with Sash tonight
• a wide-open weekend just around the corner
• fun lessons and new ideas to teach my students
• my camera, although I'm sure it's feeling quite neglected these days
• emails and phone calls from sweet friends
• finding something other than junk mail in my mailbox...I love fun snail mail!
• my XM radio
• blue skies after all the rain we've had lately
• the start of a brand new month tomorrow
• happy news today
• getting to hold sweet Baby Cole this afternoon
• laughter
• contentment
• the pretty daffodils I saw Teri carrying this morning...they always make me think of Mama and springtime

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall!

Thankful Thursday, Sunday-style

An inexcusable amount of time has passed since my last post. I won't even try to catch up in words. Instead, for your viewing pleasure, here ya go.

{Bub gave me a beautiful, precious sister-in-law.}

{Most of the members of the Johnston clan came to celebrate the first Johnston grandkid nuptials.}

{This handsome fella made a girlfriend out of me.}

{Bub and O brought sweet baby Molly home.}

{This happened.}

{We made it to Auburn for one of the 3 wins this season. Still love them Tigers.}

{We gave thanks.}

{I bought a new dress and got to wear a pretty corsage and got to show off my pretty parents.}

{B spent 5 days in the hospital slaying a blood clot. I spent 3 nights with him, the last of which was a very stressful, completely sleepless one in the ICU. The nurses fell in love with him and made him a crown.}

{We Christmased.}

{We celebrated the end of one year and the start of another.}

Life is good. Busy, and often less than perfect, but always good.

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord and second (and 5 billionth) chances
• my sweet, handsome B
• my goofy, supportive, lovely family and friends
• all of B's family members, on both sides, who make me feel welcome and loved and like I'm part of the gang
• my job, my ridiculously sweet 27 schoolbabies, coworkers that light up my days, and our wonderful building
• a roof over my head, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, clean running water, food in my fridge, enough money to cover my needs, a warm and cozy bed
• my newly-implemented budget...while it has cut out nearly all of my fun money, it's for the greater good (or so I keep telling myself!)
• our upcoming school trip to D.C.
• vitamins and Mucinex-D
• Downton Abbey
• good, long phone conversations this week that helped me stay connected to my people
• a fun day out on the town with the parents last Saturday...they make me happy
• our FriendshipFest Lite in Montgomery last Sunday...I love my friends!
• green smoothies
• a potential new home in the works...crossing my fingers but trying to be content with what I have while I have it!
• a nice warm-up this weekend...it's becoming clearer to me every winter that seriously cold weather ain't my thang (I enjoy a good, cozy fire, scarves, hot chocolate, and all that jazz, but I'm never sad to see the 50s return.)
• 8-hours-of-sleep kinda nights
• lotion
• laughter
• contentment
• learning something new each and every day

Happy new week, yall!

Thankful Thursday

Dear merciful heavens. I just realized it's been nearly a month since I posted, and that makes me a bit sad. Life is unrelentingly busy right now, and while it's mostly a good busy, it's still just a busy busy. I'm working every single day to keep my head above water, some days more successfully than others. Life is so good, but I'm just trying to hang on right now. Maybe things will slow down soon, and then I'll get to complain about being bored. :)

Today I am thankful for...

• the good Lord and His tremendous patience with me...maybe someday I won't test it so much!
• my precious family and too-good-to-me friends
• my sweet, sweet Daddy and the fact that he decided to be born today some years ago...I think you hung the moon, Paw, and I can't wait to celebrate you this weekend! Happy birthday and I love you bunches!
• my health, and the health of my loved ones
• some good news from Mom yesterday
• my job, my absolutely wonderful students (I seriously mean that...they're incredible), coworkers that keep me laughing, and our lovely building
• a new MARRIAGE to celebrate in exactly one month...I am so excited for Bub and Olivia I can hardly stand it!!!!
• my (currently...ha) tidy little home
• a roof over my head, shoes on my feet, clothes in my closet, food in my fridge, clean running water, a paid-off and very dependable car, enough money to take care of my needs
• eyes that see, ears that hear, a nose that smells, hands and feet and arms and legs that work the way they're supposed to, a brain that thinks like it should
• words of wisdom from Mimi and Grandad...I love them more than they'll ever know
• Tuesday afternoon tutoring sessions...they very often make the rest of my week sunshiney 
• the arrival of glorious fall weather this week...this lifts my spirits like very little else this time of year
• a fun day planned at school tomorrow...Fun Run...Staff vs. Students volleyball game...water balloon over the head for yours truly
• the excitement my students have over being able to pop a water balloon over their teacher's head...they have been waiting for this for weeks :)
• my students wanting to call Daddy today and sing "Happy Birthday" to him...they loved it, and I think he loved it even more
• the Monday morning prayer group that Renita leads...what a great way to start off the week!
• being able to open my windows and turn off the AC
• laughter
• fun plans over the next handful of weeks
• peace and contentment
• grace
• fun plans this weekend

HAPPY WEEKEND, yall! Get out there and do something fun with it!