Around Here

Tonight I am borrowing a bit of inspiration from Ali Edwards. She posted recently about what was going on in her life, and I loved the format. I felt that it fit us very well as of late. Without further adeu...

Around here we try not to take things too seriously. (photo by Anna)


Around here we make wishes and believe they come true.


Around here spending time together is a part of our daily life. It is our mission and our purpose just to love one another.

Around here moments like this are precious few and far between.


Around here I have one child who is 8 and the other who is 4.

Around here I find myself amazed at the difference between my two girls, and see the incredible beauty in each of them, unique in the ways they approach the world around them.

Around here those same two girls teach me everything about what love is and should be.


Around here we play with bubbles and shaving cream in old butter tubs. We use play doh and crayons and markers, and create our very own world with no more than a blanket fort and a bit of imagination.

Around here, we lick the bowl.


Around here, little girls can be princesses and fairies, ruling their stuffed fuzzy subjects with determination and fairness, while dancing their groove thing to the latest tunes on the radio.

Around here, we have our own sense of style.


Around here, adventures can be found around any corner.

Around here our world is small. We don't go on grand adventures or leave the house much. We do find that long rides in the car bring us closer together, and gives us a chance to talk and just be.

Around here, my heart sings for the one who cares most for those I care for. He is the one who makes me laugh and smile, and is the one who, at the end of the day, makes me feel most at home.


Around here you will hear the sounds of laughter, love, forgiveness and fun.

Around here we take small efforts to put a little magic into the mundane.


Around here, gratitude is a staple in our day. It helps us to stay connected to our joy and remember just how blessed we truly are.

Around here, real friendship is a priority. We make a point to treasure those who bring our lives joy, and try to bring joy to theirs in return. Being friends means being able to laugh, cry, confide, and be silly.


Around here I am focusing on my creative interests, and trying new things.

Around here, I am setting new goals and finding new hopes and dreams among them.


Around here when the sun goes down we only use candles and Christmas lights to illuminate our home. The coziness it brings helps us to wind down together and enjoy the evening.

Around here warm kitty snuggles make bedtime more fun.


Around here we choose love.

So this is what 28 feels like.

It feels like hugs from little girls who captured my heart.
It feels like warm mugs of coffee and tea with friends.
It feels like that first kiss at the end of the day when my sweetheart walks in the door.
It feels like quiet cloudy days spent knitting while listening to my favorite music.
It feels like love and peace and joy.


So far... 28 feels pretty marvelous.

Choosing Love

It is a week before Valentine's Day and that got me thinking about something I have been wanting to do more actively in my life: Choosing Love.

I've been doing a lot of thinking on what this means to me, and what my goals would be for this challenge. It means that love will be the little Jiminy Cricket whispering in my ear. It means I am going to make a conscious choice to ask "what would Love have me do in this situation?" Feeling frustrated? Make a conscious choice to let love be the most important thing, and be patient. Can't figure out what to make for dinner? What would be something special to show my family I love them? Can I put little notes on their plates or napkins? Its about finding more ways to love, and letting love be my guide.

I wanted to also apologize for not blogging for so long. The truth is that when big things happen in my life, I tend to need some time to process things. This processing is what led me to the idea of consciously choosing love.

We have had some problems with Abbi being in school, which means she will now be homeschooled. For us, it is a matter of making sure Abbi always feels loved and supported no matter where she is. For Abbi, we're choosing love.

We also found out that we will not be moving home early after all. It has taken me a bit of time to accept and be okay with the changes that come with waiting even longer to get back home. There are a lot of positives to staying here until mid-summer though, and that is what we're focusing on. One of the greatest benefits are the friendships and family relationships that we will get to devote more time to before we're separated by the miles. I'm choosing to focus on the love we can give and share love with our kin here.

How can you Choose Love in new ways in your life?