The Journey of 1000 Gifts

I'm sitting on the grass in Coronado overlooking the city I live in. {I really need to do this more often.} 

In this moment, I choose to be thankful.

- Thankful for the two puppies happily lying on the grass in front of me.

- Thankful for the cool green blanket of grass I'm sitting on.

- Thankful for the crisp blue water, calm in front of me.

- Thankful for cultural music playing in the distance.

- Thankful for the people working hard in the buildings high in front of me.

- Thankful for a couple hours on a Thursday afternoon to sit and be.

- Thankful for black and white frappuccinos and hot dogs with pineapple relish.

- Thankful for the vastness of the ocean to remind me how small I am and how big God is.

- Thankful for what God showed Ann Voskamp and her vulnerability to share with the rest of us through her book, One Thousand Gifts.

- Thankful for the scattered clouds in the sky and the tweets of the birds soaring high through them.

- Thankful for a thankful heart.

- Thankful for the freedom to trust Jesus.

- Thankful for grace when I forget.

- Thankful God's vision is far more perfect than mine.

- Thankful my Savior is not trapped by time. And thankful He knew I needed to be.

In One Thousand Gifts, Ann Voskamp shares about her journey to a heart of gratitude through the initial simple concept of keeping a list of 1000 gifts, great and small, good and bad. In doing this, she learns the concept of thankfulness, among other things. I highly recommend this book. I've started my own list of 1000 gifts. I'm on #70. I keep waiting for the moment my mind will change and I will suddenly be thankful for everything and trust The Lord in each moment.

Then I remember I'm human and my tendency is to doubt and to stress and to be less than thankful for circumstances. 

But moment by moment, I will choose thanks. I will choose gratitude. I will choose to remember the gift of salvation my God has given me so completely.

I don't understand why bad things happen. I make mistakes. I sin and I doubt and I am anything but perfect. And I have a less-than-thankful heart too often. 

But in this moment, I will choose gratitude. I will choose to be thankful. I will choose to trust The Lord and I will choose to remember His gift. 

{ps: I'm blogging from my phone for the first time, using an app called BlogGo, so I have no idea how this will look on a computer or how long this will take to publish!
update: It published kinda weird looking, and it published twice, and it needed wireless to publish, which I didn't have... all that to say, I'm trying to make it look a little better. I'll have to practice with the app more before giving it a good or bad review.}

Headed on a Jet Plane

J and I are heading out early tomorrow morning to celebrate life, love and each other 

on the beautiful island of Maui! 

We're pretty much stoked and cannot wait for 

lying on the beach, 

shaved ice, 

our first luau, 

seeing friends, 

and falling in love all over again.

Aloha!

So ... yeah

I'm kinda struggling. I don't know what to blog. I'm lacking creative inspiration and also motivation. And it's frustrating! I want to be cute and creative, inspiring and funny... but sometimes, it just doesn't work. I think it's when I try too hard. Not that I'm trying too hard, really. But when I think about what to write, then I can't come up with anything. This is why journaling never worked for me. Oh well.

The other thing that has kept my mind and body incredibly busy this week is work. It was my first week of work. It's quite a new experience for me, but I am so thankful for a nursing job and believe that this is where the Lord has me for now. And so, I am content in that. At least, trying to be. But working is hard work. Most people know that already. But I forgot about the mental exhaustion that goes with figuring things out for the first time, trying to remember all new information, chart everything. Starting a new job is kinda overwhelming. Anyway, I'm enjoying my few days off before I begin an eight-day work cycle, bringing me right up to Thanksgiving, before three days off and then right back at it. Hard work I tell ya. But I'm not complaining. There are so many people who don't have jobs and I am blessed to be one of the ones that does.

This weekend has been so nice. Well, besides the fact I got sick this week. I know, right?! Right when I have to start working. [please pray I get better by Tuesday!!] But let me just say, my hubby has been amazingly sweet. The sweetest hugs, tucking me in, and lots and lots of love. I love him. I love being married. I mean, don't get me wrong. Marriage is hard work! But then there are really good days, and I know it is so worth it. :) I went to bed at 7:30 Thursday night, in time for my 4:15am wakeup call (early work!). And yesterday, in bed close to that. This is verrrrry early for me. But I'm realizing how fun it is to have J tuck me in. Like I'm five again when Mom tucked me in and said prayers every night (oh wait, I was 15.. :). Anyway. Today I'm thankful for marriage.

We went to this hip little place called Wine Steals tonight to celebrate J's friend's birthday. Man that place is hip! I did not feel cool enough to be there - sipping my water, trying to identify the pretty little cheese squares, grabbing squares of pizza and literally climbing into my chair because people were standing against it. So graceful. Right as we're meeting this really neat couple. Brie, of the fun new couple, is going to school to be a marriage and family therapist! I think that is such a cool job. So that was fun.

Tomorrow we have snack for YMC. I've been creative a couple times. But I couldn't do it today, so tomorrow, everyone is getting donuts. Hopefully no one will mind too much :).

Well, it's bed time for me. "whew" you say. I know, blah blah blah :). I hope this finds you well. Are you up to anything fun this weekend?

Camping Adventures: Back at Camp

After our nature walk, we returned to camp and just hung out a bit.

Funny thing - time goes really slow in the middle of nowhere with no distractions.

Bring conversation topics, games, and a picnic blanket. :) hehe....

No, but we had a great afternoon relaxing and chatting about life. 

J was totally kidding... he wasn't actually on his phone during our camping chats ;)

he's so cute!

i seriously love these guys.

The pups enjoyed relaxing also.

Frankie

Emma (she was a mess!!)

Baker

Mark wanted to climb this cool tree, so Katie was a good sport and climbed too. 

Then John handed up poor Frankie to join in the fun :)

J decided it would be cute to put poor Emma on a log to take a picture :)

 So then Katie and I jumped on another big log and grabbed the pups for yet another photo op!

(yes, we basically used our dogs for pictures. but they loved it!)

after which I made J come on the log... he's such a good sport!

The puppies ran...

dug...

and chilled.

 We admired our pinecones we collected.

 And Katie made us amazing food. She is a professional camper, let me tell you! 

Snacks, chicken wraps, drinks, hamburgers and hotdogs, pancakes, smores... mmm!!

Next up... building the fire and after dark!