I have a lot of clothes.   I also have way too many articles of clothing that don't fit or that just don't "look good." And--quick now   holdyourbritchesbecauseI'mgoingtoadmitsomethingthatmakesmefeelawfullyguilty -- some of those non-fitting items hanging so beautifully in our closet I haven't worn in AGES.   Like months.  Or even years. Why on earth do I keep ill-fitting shirts, skirts, shorts, jeans, and dresses? Because I feel so sinful for getting rid of them.  Somewhere in the back (or right there in front) of my closet mind, I have had myself convinced that I will one day wear those things again.   One day. But, since giving my gal-pal Amy ten dresses and six skirts to try to sell for me on the great worldwide web, I believe I've turned over a new leaf.  What's the point of cluttering up our closet with things that never get worn?  Why should I selfishly hang on to something that's in perfectly good shape...

 Through many highs.... and far too many lows.... with lots of laughter  (and a little bit of cake) along the way.... and with much hand-holding prayer to unite us as one.... this year has been a beautiful journey with you,  My Dear,.... and I look forward to the next fifty years of dancing together as husband and wife. Happy first anniversary,  My Love. So glad you are mine and I am yours.

"Who knows how one experience, so singularly horrible, can set in motion a chain of events that will bless future generations?  Loss may appear to be random, but that does not mean it is.  It may fit into a scheme that surpasses even what our imaginations dare to think."  from Jerry Sittser in A Grace Disguised I was given a copy of A Grace Disguised by my sweet friend Ann.  She was one of the first people to come by after we lost Hadley.  That afternoon, as I sat curled up on the couch, she pulled up a chair and held my hand.  She shared her own stories of loss with me, and she has continued to check up on me since then.  We had coffee last week, and she gifted me with the book and shared how meaningful it was and still is to her.  I started reading it on Monday, and each night before bed, I've been reading page after page until my eyes grow heavy.  It's not a book one can fly through.  There's so much wisdom and insight written o...

There were some very close and very yummy-sounding guesses (Jennifer, you were the closest! 10 points to you!) on the   last post !  Good job, y'all! I'm eating the very same breakfast right now, and I just can't tell you how much I enjoy it.  It fills us up  in a healthy, delicious way.  We like it so much that we've even had it for an after-the-gym-before-bedtime snack! The first ingredient (that all who took a guess got right) is two big spoonfuls of Greek yogurt.  We buy the vanilla flavor.  It has lots of protein!   The second (one of you guessed right!) is a handful (though I don't actually pour them into my hand because it's way too messy) frozen blueberries.  Good carbs! Third, I chop up (in my magic bullet blender!) lots of cashews! No one guessed this ingredient, but I would say it's my favorite one.  I love the flavor cashews adds to the mix.   And fourth, I sprinkle in some (a couple of you got this...

...on what The Husband and I have had for breakfast most mornings this past month? 10 bonus points to the closest guess ;) Here's a snapshot to help you out...

**Y'all are all so lovely.  I know I shouldn't have to put a disclaimer at the top of this post, but there are people in this life who don't fully weigh their words before sharing them.  We all fall short; no one is perfect.  I realize my problems aren't nearly what they could be.  I know there are horrible things happening in the world every day, and there's a great deal of suffering going on around us.  But.  I struggle, too.  Because this is my blog, and because I value your friendship and your prayers and good wishes, most of the time I choose to be open with what's pressing on my heart.   I do so love reading your comments, but you and I both know that words have the power to uplift and to tear down.   That being said, if you desire to read further and comment on this post, please be kind.  I appreciate you!** The six months I was pregnant with Hadley were amazing (except the morning sickness hah!).  I loved almost e...

What did y'all do to celebrate the 4th?  The Husband and I celebrated with a few of our friends, and we had such a great time! We went over to Tina and Darryl's house after lunch and were joined by Lesa and her family.   We swam--well I put on a bathing suit...but the sun just wouldn't stay out, so I never actually got in the pool, haha!  It was the coolest (as in temperature ) 4th of July I can ever remember!  We ate delicious food.   We played fun games: Empire --The Husband won!   Quelf --Have y'all ever played that game? It's crazy!! Every time someone drew a card, The Husband and I had to clap our hands, twirl them around, and say, "Abracadabra!" Catch Phrase --The ladies killed it! We won all but one game! We fought the traffic to watch fireworks with thousands of other people and just generally enjoyed one another's company.  Thank you, sweet friends, for inviting us over! We love you guys!  The Husband, Tina, and Lesa ...

*Update (as of this afternoon)* - Hudson was born via c-section and weighed in at 2 pounds 14 ounces.  I don't know that I'll update any more unless something happens that warrants extra prayers, but I do want to thank you all for praying for that sweet baby and his family.  Blessings. *Update (as of yesterday afternoon)* - It looks like she will be having a c-section today or tomorrow.  They are estimating that he'll weigh between 3 and 4 pounds.  Right now, they are trying to stabilize her blood pressure, and they have been giving her steroid shots to strengthen the baby's lungs.  Thanks for praying, and I'll try to update again as information is made available. A gal I went to high school with and am friends with on Facebook is a little over 30 weeks pregnant.  I don't know many details other than these: ~something has gone wrong ~she's in the hospital ~they play on delivering her baby boy soon My heart hurts for her as I sit here crying....

The Husband, my cousin Paige, and I met up with a few of our cousins at their home on Lake Conroe last Friday.  Here's our day. It was a good day.