Saturday, September 21, 2013

"Today is a gift"

I must admit that while I enjoy having a blog, at times I feel that my life is not so much blog-worthy. I do not have one negative thing to say about my life - I love this life I've been blessed with!! But when I sit down to write a blog entry that other people may or may not read, sometimes I get that "what the heck do I write about" feeling.

Recently, my bible study group just wrapped up our second book. This lovely read was "Cold Tangerines" by Shauna Niequist. It's the most darling collection of short stories and the perfect read when you lead a busy life. It allows you to read for 5 minutes if that's all the time you have. Since each story is its own, you'll never forget where you left off or feel the need to "just get one more chapter in" and find yourself at 2AM.. been there, done that. 

This book captivated me. It's all about finding the little moments in life and learning to love and appreciate the things you may not take the time to acknowledge. Like that feeling when you hug someone and neither person lets go for a while...it's as if you're letting someone see straight through you in that moment and he/she's saying "I see you- all that you are - the good, the bad and wow, you really do have some ugly parts. But I don't care, I love you anyway." Life is about those moments. 

Here's an excerpt from one of the last chapters: 
"Today is a gift. And if we have tomorrow, tomorrow will be a gift....We could just live our normal, day-to-day lives, saving all the good living up for someday, but I think today, just plain today, is worth it. I think it's or job, each of us, to live each day like it's a special occasion, because we've been given a gift. We get to live in this beautiful world." 

So, to anyone reading this, I say the same thing that a Dunkin' Donuts employee said to me a few weeks ago, "Enjoy your day." Not the obligatory "have a good day", but she told me to enjoy it. I walked away, coffee in hand, thinking about that phrase. It's a charge to get the most out of the day - this day that you and I have been blessed with. It doesn't matter if it's a regular Tuesday or a particular Saturday you've been looking forward to for weeks, we woke up this morning, thanks be to God. We got out of bed on two feet, thanks be to God. We opened our sleepy eyes to see the world around us, thanks be to God. So let's not waste this blessing of a day - let's not spend it thinking about tomorrow or  dwelling on yesterday, let's dive deep in whatever today will bring and live in this moment. 

Enjoy your day!


Sunday, September 8, 2013

The Start of September

Ahh, September. It's here. The best time of the year, in my opinion. Sweater weather, boots, colored leaves,  scarves worn dozens of ways, pumpkin cookies, chilly nights and our anniversary. I just love Fall and everything about it.

This year, the first few days of September were incredibly eventful. I passed my real estate exam (!!!!), Brian and I each attended a wedding in the same weekend and my family celebrated my Dad's 50th birthday with a well-planned surprise party. My Mom did an awesome job. I don't think there are too many things better than surprise parties. All the thought, all the work, all the hushed words and hard-to-keep secrets just to show someone how much you care about them. My Dad was genuinely surprised and it was wonderful seeing so many family members and friends spending their Labor Day Sunday toasting to my Dad. The day after the party, we went to see Mumford & Sons in concert which was quite possibly one of the best concerts I have ever been to. Perhaps our 7th row center seats contributed to that.

Check out my happy parents at the concert. And doesn't 50 look awesome? 

In other news, I've officially given notice at my company and have told everyone that I'll be practicing real estate full time come mid-December. You may be wondering why on earth I told my work that I'm leaving months in advance. Well, you don't work with the people I work with. I knew it was the right thing to do. Plus, I'm not a big fan of the "two weeks notice" thing - I feel it can be inconsiderate when you work for a good company and with a good team of thoughtful people. Well, my co-workers reacted even better than I could have hoped. Completely supportive, excited for me and willing to work through the timing. I tell you what, I am truly blessed. And that God of ours? He provides.

With the start of a new season, I'm trying out some new recipes - like pumpkin scones with a maple glaze. They're actually pretty healthy too! 215 calories a scone. You know what isn't so healthy? the cheesy bacon potato bites I made tonight. They were to die for, as you would expect. Oh, and I found a fabulous homemade macaroni & cheese dish that's anything but healthy. However, it doesn't use velveeta or any type of fake cheese, so that's gotta count for something... Right? If you're interested, all of these recipes can be found on my "Yum" Pinterest board. A couple of pictures I snapped are below.

Pumpkin Scones with a Maple Glaze

Cheesy Bacon Potato Bites

This week, I'll officially become licensed to practice real estate in the state of Indiana. I absolutely cannot wait to start this chapter of my life. Also, I'm headed to Carmel next weekend to bridesmaid dress shop with my two oldest and dearest friends. I get to see the bride-to-be in her wedding gown and I just cannot wait!

September, welcome back.