Oh The Things I'm Thankful For

Let me start this off by apologizing for being completely MIA. It was touch and go during the holidays, but now that the holidays are over I'm having a hard time finding my groove again. Possibly because since the start of the year my work schedule has been crazy, my husband's work schedule has changed, and my mind has been filled with so many things that blogging was the last on the list.

I've been struggling the past few...well forever it seems like, I won't lie to you and sometimes it's hard to be thankful for the everyday things. Thats why my sister (aka Ree, aka The Story Of My Life reeeead her blog) and her post today inspired me.

 

I'm linking up with Faith Love And Babies for "Thankful Thursdays"

I'm Thankful For

My job, though right now it's driving me nuts and I want another one. I'm thankful that I have a job and a little bit of income

My kids, even if there rooms are a mess. One day they won't even occupy those rooms so I'm so thankful for my babies right now.

For my conversations with my sister, through im, face to face, or text. I can blow off some steam or we can talk about silly things and I always feel better.

For my hubby. A man who has been looking for a long haired miniature daschund puppy, because thats the only kind of dog that I want, and I think he found one that will be born...sometime this year!

The Power Up Youth Rally. It's a spiritual refreshing that I look forward to every year. I get excited about the meetings, even the fundraisers are enjoyable because I know what a blessing that Rally is.
Praying for an awesome move of God again this year!

For my bed being made now every morning. Laugh if you will, but my husband has been on night shift for a while now up until this week. My bed was NEVER made and it's so nice to come home to a tidy quilt and pillows.

My new Vera Bradley Grand Traveler bag in Ribbons. I love it soooo much! Thanks Memaw!

For my bestest friends, you know who you are. We may not get to see each other much, or even talk on the phone much, but when we are together it's like BAM...we never were apart. Love you guys!


Hope ya'll have a great Thursday. 

Its Ok Thursday

Its Thursday. I wish it was already over and that I was at the end of my work day on Friday, but it's Thursday. The beginning of Thursday. I guess it's better than the beginning of Wednesday, or the beginning of Monday. I'll survive. What makes me kind of bleh on this Thursday morning? Well my im chatting buddy isn't at her desk today, aka my sister Ree (if you haven't met Ree you need to check out her blog here). I'll survive this as well.

 

Today is link-up day with Neely



 

I love this link-up. Love reading whats OK with everyone else, and sharing what's OK with me today. So here goes...

 

 

Its OK

 

...to be completely out of shampoo. So I used the dry shampoo my sis bought me, and I love it BTW

#suavekeratindryshampoo

 

...that I only had a half a cup of coffee this morn because I was too busy getting dressed. They need to put a Starbucks in the town I work in, for real.

 

....To want that Starbucks here, but will rarely have the extra $$ to spend on it.

 

...that the office supplies that were delivered the other day are still sitting in the middle of my office floor in their boxes looking at me. I need a robot to do these little things for me

#bicentennialman

 

...To want more nights with my hubby like we had last night. We don't get to just spend time together and be a bit goofy, and have silly conversations. It was nice.

 

...I am dying for the new Black Dagger Brotherhood book to come out. Please hurry up!!!

#BDB

 

...that I can't get anything done because my tenants keep coming in to sit and chat a while. Love these people, but I really need to work blog lol

 

I hope everyone has a great Thursday!



OHP-Vacation Time

Greetings & Salutations

as one of my elderly tenants would say!

I hope you are all doing very well on this dreary, rainy Wednesday.

 

I'm linking up today with Michelle from The Vintage Apple

  I've been doing a lot of thinking about vacations lately. Honestly the kids, the hubby, and I have never gotten to go on a family vacation and I'm hoping that this year will be different. I've been wanting to take them to Disney World & Islands of Adventure. I mean I live literally like 5 hours from there, but it takes a butt load of money to vaca down there for a few days with three kids.   Anywho   Todays OHP is going to be centered on places that I've been wanting to go, and I'll probably throw in a few random pins, but mostly its about my dream vacation. Not necesarrily a family trip, but a Rachel-time-to-get-away-and-do-nothing-but-what-you-want-to-do trip. So here goes...   Ireland  

 

 

Scotland

 



 

Greece

 



 

 

Alaska
 



 

Bora Bora



 

 

Jamaica
 



Friday? Really?

For some reason it just hasn't really felt like a Friday. I guess it's because my work schedule has changed and instead of being at work 5 days a week I'm only required to be there for 2 days. I'm not used to having free days during the week and the holidays falling on Tuesdays has just seemed to completely throw me this year. Anyways, thank God that the Holidays are over and we can get back to life in all its normal psychotic splendor.

 

Today I'm linking up for the first time with The Sweet Season for Friday's Letters.

 

Dear Car,

 I will clean you I promise, I just won't promise when that will be.

 

Dear Scale,

Our relationship will most definitely improve in the near future. Just get ready for it.

 

Dear Sis & Mom,

I love you guys so much. Thanks for being my ear/shoulder when I need someone to rant at/cry on. And for making me laugh, not judging me, making me feel better about myself on my bad days. Don't know what I would do without you guys!

 

Dear Room,

I am so freaking sick of you being a mess all the time. Why oh why can't you just clean yourself?

 

Dear Broom,

Do you feel used? I'm sure you do, because unfortunately I can't keep my hands off of you for one day or all dirt breaks loose. Three times in one day is ridiculous....and I apologize, but until people learn how to take their boots off outside then you and I will continue this twisted love/hate relationship.

 

Dear Self,

In 2013 you will be happy with yourself, with who you are, and what you do. You will learn to try new things without fear of the unknown. You will cope with the crap that continually plagues your mind. You will let things go that don't want to change, you can't force people to change, so you are going to accept this and move on. You will realize that you don't have to be completely dependent on something or someone. You are you, and you can be proud and content with that.

 

Dear Vacation,

I am going to have so much fun no matter where you are. I've waited long enough to get away for a much needed break, this is my year and Vaca I'm coming for you.

 

 

Story Time with Papaw

Happy New Year, Ya'll. I hope everyone had a wonderful/safe holiday.

For me it was a bit strange, strange that it was already Christmas, though it didn't really feel like it. Strange that it's a new year already, I just felt as if I celebrated the start of 2012 and now we begin 2013. Maybe its because it has been such a rough year, or perhaps its because as I grow older time seems to fly faster and faster. When I was kid things didn't go this fast. When I was a kid summers lasted forever, the days were endless, and you never felt as if you grew fast enough. Now I just wish time could stop. I want my kids to stop changing and maturing before my very eyes. I want to be able to blink without the fear that something I cherish will dissapear. However, time doesn't stop. Things are in constant motion and therefore always change.

 

I heard this loud and clear on the Friday before Christmas. My goal was to go to my grandparents home to pick up my son's Christmas present (I had it hidden in my Memaw's shed), then jump in the car and drive the hour back to my house. However, as I loaded up the Christmas present my Papaw stepped to the front door and I knew I could never leave without spending a few minutes to talk to him. A few minutes turned into 2 hours, and the mundane "how have things been" turned into stories from my Papaw's childhood on up through the years and how he started his business.

 

A few facts about my Papaw:

There are two sides to Robert Adams. There is a soft side; he is giving, caring, sometimes quiet, and adoring of all his grand/great grandchildren. There is a tough side; he's not a push over, he'll tell you what he thinks, he makes the hard choices, and I've been told he was a tough as nails boss (most people won't believe he can be pretty hard, if they don't know him well).

 

He has only a 3rd grade education, but do not make the mistake of thinking that has inhibited his success. He started and ran a very successful painting business for years and made more money than some people make in their lifetime.

 

He loves western movies & shows. Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, those are his favorites. Thanks to Papaw I developed a love of western movies at a young age. At 2pm every weekday  you could find me at papaws house watching the daily western that came on TNT with him.

 

As I sat there, feeling time slip by and knowing that I had a million things to do that night, I couldn't help but let it all go. Those things that had to be done could wait, because I rarely get moments to spend time alone with my Papaw, and I realized that I don't know how many more opportunities I will have in the future. There was a time in 2007 that I didn't think there would be future moments with my Papaw. He had a scheduled open heart surgery, things went well up until the very end where something went very wrong. The doctors still can't really describe what happened, but he died in that operating room only to be brought back. He was in ICU for what felt like a lifetime. God brought him through that tragedy and has given him more time to spend with his family his family more time to have their Papaw/dad/father in law/uncle/brother.

There was a statement he made during the conversation about all the money he'd made and everything he'd done with it. He said that people kept telling him not to spend it so fast (building a swimming pool, taking all the grandkids/kids to Disney for Christmas ect..) that he would need it one day, but he said "You can't take it with you and I don't regret what we did. We enjoyed doing things with and for our kids and you grandkids". I don't think I'll ever forget that.

 

That Friday I was slapped in the face with the fact that years have moved at the speed of light and I am no longer that little girl who used to ride with Papaw up to Ashley's Feed Store to get drinks and candy. That there are no more ice cream sandwiches and pickled sausages that he bought and stored in his huge shed/barn just for us always starving kids. Yes, it does make me sad to think of how I've grown and how things have changed, but it also makes me grateful. Grateful that I've had my Papaw for my entire 28 years, that all three of my kids have grown up knowing and spending time with my Papaw. I'm grateful for my grandparents. Thankful that I was blessed with a loving and caring Memaw and Papaw and that they are still in my life. They don't realize just how much I love, respect, and cherish them.

 

 

 



Below are pins that I found and wanted to share with ya'll...

 



 

Ya'll have a great Wednesday, an amazing start to the new year, and be blessed!