Thirty Eight Things.

             

Today was my birthday.

In keeping with my birthday blogging tradition, I made a list.

...Thirty eight of my favorite things. 

1. Slow mornings waiting for the sun

2. Turmeric for all the aches and pains (because, getting older...)

3. Owl coffee mugs. Well, owl anything, really.

4. When my big boys read to me or to each other

5.  Home, sweet home

6. Thrift store shopping

7. Date nights with my man

8. Living in a world where there are Octobers

9. My mom

10. Time at the ocean

11. Homeschooling; getting schooled

12. Love notes from all my guys

13. Taco nights

14. Groovebook (get your first book free using code SCALES66)

15. Amazon Prime

16. A man who can cook well (because sadly, I do not)

17. A sweet little kitty named Bb

18. Raising chickens

19. Country living

20. Family that shows up 

21. Lattes and TimTams

22. Christmas morning with excited little boys

23. Music

24. Essential oils for everything else

25. Writing

26. Reading the Bible with my boys

27. Our church family

28. Hand vacs and steam mops

29. Hand-me-downs

30. Home brewed sweet tea 

31. A man who shows his love always

32. Farm markets

33. Talks with my Grandma

34. Bubble baths

35. Little boys' wild and free

36. Freshly sharpened pencils with erasers still in tact (seriously, what's up with kids chewing up erasers?!) 

37. Books, everywhere!

38. Celebrating another year!

 

Thirty Seven Things.

In honor of my birthday, I give you,
   
    In no particular order,

       Thirty Seven Things.

1. Coffee, give me all the coffee.

2. Thieves essential oil. 

3. Homeschooling [is awesome. And hard. But mostly awesome.]

4. My three sons. All kinds of special wrapped up in all kinds of cuteness.

5. Being his wife. My man is super and gets more amazing with time. Marriage is hard. Like serious hard. But he makes it so sweet and quite enjoyable.

6. Mornings. At the pond. (With coffee, of course.)

7. YouVersion Bible App.

8. Momma friends. Essential for sanity.

9. Houseplants. Give me all the plant babies!

10. Pumpkin spice EVERYTHING.

11. When kiddos pray.

12. Sleeping through the night. Priceless.

13. Farm fresh food.

14. Autumn. Coffee in autumn. 

15. Music. Silence is good, but music changes everything.

16. My momma. She's the best!

17. A good book, a cozy blanket and a candle. And coffee. Time well spent.

18. Lattes and country drives. Alone or while littles snooze in the back seat.

19. Family luncheons. Every month.

20. Thrift stores, in the country.

21. A good dentist.

22. Fluffy slipper socks.

23. When littles help with housework.

24. White Twinkle lights. All year long.

25. Trampoline. At night. (Preferably sans kiddos.)

26. Kittens. (But, allergies, booooo.)

27. Cake. 

28. Family game night.

29. Coming home.

30. Vacation planning.

31. Amazon Prime.

32. Naps. Rare, but lovely occurrences.

33. Peppermint patties. 

34. Target. Throw in a Starbucks and you have an instant momma getaway.

35. Toilet paper auto-shipped every month.

36. Bubble baths.

37. Call the Midwife. Commercial-free. (Thank you, Netflix!)

Of all the amazing gifts I have received in my life, the gift of SALVATION has been by far the best and most rewarding!

Thirty Six Things.

1. Today is my birthday.  
2. I was born 36 years ago, on a Saturday afternoon.
3. I don't think much in terms of age, so I always have to stop and think when asked my age.
4. I'm a chicken farmer.

5. I'll never buy store eggs again.
6. These days, I cannot sit down without wanting to close my eyes.
7. More often than not, I am up before the sun rises. Coffee, quiet and Jesus. The best days start this way.

8. Chai-Tea Lattes. 

9. Home-brewed sweet tea.

10. For the love of Fall.

11. I like to visit the city, but I love living in the country. 

12. Personal space.
13. Constant physical presence of those I trust and love.

14. Coconut oil. For everything. 
15. My heart aches to think of my babies growing up. I just cannot stand it.

16. I love to dance. Dancing makes me happy. 
17. I have the most amazing husband in.the.world.

18. We sponsor a child in Mozambique; it's been fun and humbling to communicate with him for the past five years.
19. I live with four guys.

20. I am a homeschooling mom. 
21. I'm a total introvert, but love talking to strangers.
22. I hate shopping.
23. This past year has been the most pivotal in my life so far. Lots of embracing, lots of letting go. Humbling. Hard. But important.
24. My mom and dad are the most inspiring people in my life. Proof that: 1) You cannot give too much of yourself and 2) You can overcome anything.

25. I miss "the old days".

26. I clean to relieve stress.
27. I like warm hugs.
28. I love handwriting notes and cards. And mailing them.
29. I'm still working on that perfect homemade chocolate chip cookie. Getting closer.

30. Essential oils. Diffusing and applying. Life changing.
31. My children inspire and challenge me. The world through their eyes. Their questions. Their intelligence.  Their fierceness and bravery. I want to be like them.

32. Clutter gives me anxiety.
33. Piles of books. I could live happily in a library.
34. My thinker is always thinking so when you ask me a question, I need a moment to answer. 
35. I don't "collect" things, but if I did, it would be quilts, owls and quirky containers filled with succulents.
36. Yoga pants, v-neck tees and bare feet.

Thirty Five Things.

"Every breath is a gift and if life is a gift, there is a Giver, and if there is a Giver -- all's grace.

When all's grace -- we give, because a gift never stops being a gift to be given."

A.Voskamp

1. Tomorrow is my birthday.

2. I will be thirty five.

3. I feel more like thirty so that's cool.

4. Recently, I traveled in a plane for the first time EVER. (5 of them to be exact.)

5. I can't wait to fly again.

6. This is the first year in a string of years that I haven't been breast-feeding or pregnant.

7. I got another tattoo this year. And I love it.

8. I already want another one.

9. I love that my grandma is 92, but giggles like a 20 year old.

10. I want to write a book someday.

11. I love watching the sunrise. I think it's the best way to start your day.

12. But sometimes, I think sleeping in is great too.

13. Sometimes, I brew coffee just for the smell of it.

14. I found out last year that I am allergic to horses.

15. We live next door to a horse farm.

16. I am currently searching for the perfect homemade chocolate chip cookie recipe. I've tried about 5 and none come close.

17. I hate cooking.

18. But I love feeding my family. I love gathering around the dinner table with my guys each evening.

19. I try to buy as much "American made" products as I can. Even if it means spending more. I still pray big prayers for our country.

20. I think they should sell Pumpkin Spice creamer all year long.

21. My most favorite movies of all time are When Harry Met Sally and You've Got Mail. Sometimes, I rewind halfway through because I don't want the movie to end.

22. I'm not a "southern gal" (that I know of) but I still say "y'all" because I think it sounds so friendly and sweet.

23. I love Fall, y'all.

24. I have the best husband in the world. (I need to tell him more often.)

25. I prefer lattes over flowers from my husband.

26. Though, I do love Tulips and Sunflowers when he does bring me flowers.

27. I currently have a slight obsession with owls and succulents.

28. I have the sweetest friends. And even though we don't see much of each other, their words, their momentary presence and their lives of faith and love are so inspirational and uplifting to me.

29. I love to smile at people. Especially strangers. Smiles don't cost a thing, yet they are priceless little bundles of happy that we can share with each other.

30. I try to burn a candle every day, most of the day. Each flame flicker that catches my eye, I say a quick prayer for someone or give up a note of thanks to God.

31. I'm still working on my second written list of 1000 Gifts. I'm currently at number 835.

32. I think my boys are super cool little dudes. ....Their voices, their laughter, their thought processes, and their love for life both intrigue and bless me beyond measure.

33. Mommahood has revealed how weak I really am. But God.

34. I love family gatherings. It makes me sad that there are fewer and fewer of them these days.

35. I love that my birthday seems an opener to the most wonderful holiday season.



Thirty Four Things.

1.    Tomorrow is my birthday.

2.    I will be 34.

3.    I’m totally cool with that.

4.    I am the baby of my family.

5.    I think Fall is the MOST amazingly beautiful time of the year.

6.    I have one brother and one sister.

7.    My sister is the oldest.

8.    I always wanted to be just like her.

9.    But in all my effort, I was exactly the opposite.

10. My brother, the middle child, was a typical brother; some days, my buddy, other days, not so much.

11. I was totally momma’s girl.

12. Still am.

13. I played the bass drum in marching band one year.

14. I ran track for 4 years. Because there was this boy…

15. In the 8th grade I fell in love with this lanky, mysterious, curly haired brown boy who sat next to me in American History class.

16. Lucky for me, I married that boy.

17. My very best girlfriend moved away the summer before our sophomore year. I so desperately wanted to go with her.

18. I still miss her.

19. I survived high school.

20. I spent ten years working in the corporate world.

21. I’ve met some really super amazing people in my life.

22. I was ecstatic when I was laid off.

23. I love drinking coffee. Especially lattes. Even at night.

24. I thought my heart would explode from joy when we finally got pregnant.

25. It nearly did me in when I found out we were expecting twin boys.

26. Having babies changes EVERYTHING. As if birthing them birthed new people in my husband and I.

27. We are still getting to know those people.

28. Being a mom to three boys fills me with great joy and breaks my heart all at the same time.  

29. I’m a speed-reader and oftentimes need to reread a book two or three times to really “get it”.

30. I have no interest in “trying for a girl”.

31. Whenever I am having a bad day, I stop and work on my “Giving Thanks” list. 

32. I think everyone should have a Giving Thanks list. It can chase away the bluest of days. I promise.

33. Here’s to another year.

34. It’s going to be amazing.