we're gettin' there

why is that the day before thanksgiving

is simply

the day before Thanksgiving

a relaxing day just making sure i have all the fixin's for the feast

then

somehow

the day after Thanksgiving arrives

&

bam!

i wake up & realize

that despite my best intentions

i feel a little bit of panic start to creep in

all the things that must be done

in the next 20ish days or so

start flooding my mind

usually the weekend of Thanksgiving

i'm finishing up all the decorating

several packages are already wrapped

& hanging out beneath the tree

but this year

i've only bought 2 gifts

which are not wrapped by the way

i worked a double shift this past weekend

we were out of town for the funeral of a precious relative

whose military funeral was nothing short of breathtaking

& we celebrated my sweet Dan's birthday

but

this morning when i awoke

{early--the new me, thankyouverymuch}

& walked downstairs

the wonderful fragrance of a live frasier fir filled the air

& gently reminded me

its all good

it'll all get done

& my focus isn't on "all of it" anyway

this week marks the first week of advent

~hope~

& my desire is to truly focus on just that & be reminded of

how much the Lord has blessed me & my sweet girls

i'm hoping to get an entry about hope up before the week is out...

but if not...( get the entry done that is)

the tree is up

the lights are on

just waiting for the girls to arrive home

& decorate it

&

all is well

my decorating is intentionally simplified this year

goodness...if i had to chose my word for 2009

it would certainly be simplify

so in keeping with that theme

i left multiple boxes unpacked

i pulled out simply what i wanted to use this season

& without any guilt

put the rest

all away

even the dozens of dept 56 Christmas Village homes

much to caroline's dismay

i'm using creamy whites

mercury glass

some burlap

greenery

& vintage paper shred here & there

this antique silver platter is filled with a few vintage sheet music pieces

an old key & crystal from an old chandilier

vanilla candles

they're there...just realized you don't see them in the pic

& in the evening looks simply lovely

when the light flickers

each year i really change things up

& each year i like the final effect

but this year

might just be

my most favorite

& just in case you were wondering

everyone loved the ginormous bowl of vintage ornaments

in fact

its probably my favorite decoration in our home!

hope to share some pictures soon

xo

these last couple pictures are not of christmas decorating...

but just a few things i added that will blend well with the neutral wintry look i'm going for

some silvery white spray painted branches from the back yard

that i thought i'd just use during the fall , but love 'em so much

they're staying for Christmas!

thankful

{these images are not from 1996 ...but made the post nonetheless}

thanksgiving 1996

one of the most memorable thanksgiving holidays ever

let me explain~

my husband gregg had passed away just two weeks prior

the girls were all tiny

& honestly

might have not even realized it was a holiday

but the Lord had blessed us with a precious family

the Lewis's

Joyce had stood beside me the night he passed away from me

& basically was beside me

well

anytime i needed her

she had lost her best friend to cancer a few years prior

she was a kindred spirit to me

a friend who had walked this road with another loved one

she was strong for me

& she was joy for me

anyway

that holiday

they invited me & the girls

plus my parents

to join them as they celebrated

i don't remember if their home was spotless
or if the leaves were blown off the driveway

i don't remember what dishes were used

( you know...the things we all worry about)

i don't remember alot from that day

but what i do remember

is the amazing feeling of love

of being protected & cared for

by a precious family

who made me & mine feel like one of theirs

i have much to be grateful for

an endless list of things i don't deserve

many things i know i take for granted

but i pray i am cultivating a grateful heart

in me

&

in my girls

i want them to know that even during the darkest days

the Lord provided for us

that thursday in november

1996

the Lord loved on us through the generosity of others

i pray i can do the same

i plan to write a note to my friend this week

& remind her how much i treasure her

how grateful i am for her

a handwritten note

not an email

or a facebook message

not even a phone call

but a note

a stamp

a walk to the mail box

i encourage you to do the same

think of someone

maybe someone you don't touch base with on a regular basis

that has blessed you

take a moment

write them a note

& thank them

i wish each of you a very very Happy Thanksgiving

a risky move

this is the first thing my family will see as they arrive home today from school
i'm bettin' you just might hear the collective groans ringing through blogland

honestly
i just pulled out a few boxes
i'm using very little this year
i use less & less each year
this year is no exception

i'm keeping it clutterfree
yet festive
mostly white
{shocking}
with some silver , gold & burlap of course

but i love my colorful vintage ornaments
lovelovelove
& i just placed a bunch in this funky bowl thingie picked up in Seaside this summer
placed it on the table
just to get an idea of how it would look
because
its huge
H.U.G.E.
really huge

& by golly
i thought it looked so fun
that i'm leaving it there
was planning on waiting until thanksgiving evening
but i'm living on the wild side

the first should arrive home within the hour
wish me luck

well hello poor neglected blog.....

we officially kissed savannah's cheer season goodbye this weekend.

after advancing to the sweet 16 ,

they finished 11th in the state!!!

it brings me so much joy to see my child in her element with this great group of girls!

i'm usually up to my elbows unpacking Christmas decor by mid november

(much to the dismay of my children)

but this year i've had several project deadlines to meet

& have hardly put any thought into decorating.

plus, its been in the high 70's for a week which makes me feel more like laying out in the sun vs. putting up a tree!

but have no fear....this weekend all the fun will begin.

i love to have it all up & twinkling by Thanksgiving day.

usually this "behind" feeling would have me all anxious & flustered

but i'll be honest

my goal is for the next several weeks to be a

peaceful

focused

purposeful

season

free from self imposed business

some things can't be avoided

i'm well aware of this

but i'm praying the Lord will help me prioritize

& have a home that is grateful for so much

~~

i'd love to share with you a few things that i had ordered from Kasey & Ruth

that arrived last week!!

both packages were filled with wonderful fragrance
& beautifully packaged

what a treat~

this french postal bag is exactly what i've been looking for

& even my girls gave me a thumbs up

I could fill an entire sofa with these gorgeous pillows....

few fall glimpses around the house~


primative dough bowl filled with silvered (huge) pinecones

a blurry picture of my pheasant tureen

one of my fave little pieces from rebecca sower

who i would give anything

to have 1/smidge of her talent

my fragile antique turkey salt & pepper shakers

& this image doesn't have anything to do with fall decor

but i have loved this little shade from anthro

& never could find the perfect place for it

(if i only had a few wall sconces....sigh)

until this morning when i just plopped it right on top of an empty candlestick

tada

state finals

I'm so proud of the girls. Parkview's competition squad came in 2nd place in their region & are headed to the state finals this weekend.

Here is their routine from last year which earned them top 10 in the state!

Let's go Jungle Cats!!!

{{pause the playlist}}

ps--just in case you wonder....

SMK is one of the bases in the first basket toss at the beginning of the video...

you can follow her from there!

bittersweet

she's one of my favorite people
ever

she moved a couple of years ago & i miss her terribly

we hadn't touched base in a while
but i had heard through the grape vine that her daughter's "kate" had finally arrived from china
following years & years of praying & eagerly awaiting her arrival

her reply was bittersweet

she was overjoyed that precious kate was here indeed & adapting beautifully
&
her own precious hubby
had been diagnosed only days before with cancer

& i quote my precious friend
"He ( the Lord) was not surprised.....He ( the Lord) is going to use this for His glory"

katie is one of the women in my life who i have been blessed beyond measure to call my mentor
she is a precious woman who selflessly lays down her life
each day
for others, for the precious ones she calls family
some born from her best friend that has gone on to heaven

she has taught me to love my girls in many many tangible ways

i quote her again
"I have found it freeing to drop off every commitment I have and just love and care for my family. That is my primary job and my delight."

that took my breath away
honestly , is there any greater calling?
i think not

in that one email i could just hear her precious little voice giggle with delight as she shared about her new grandbaby
& yet i could also see the tears form in her warm eyes as she told me about her beloved.

i do not take it for granted that i have been blessed to be surrounded by many women who have mentored me over the years.
some in a weekly discipleship
some in kindred friendship
some just by witnessing their lives from the sidelines of daily living

all of whom i could call today with a burden on my heart
& i know
beyond a shadow of a doubt
would lift me up in prayer
would rally around me & utter words i may be unable to even speak

katie
kitti
elaine
fran
jeanine
carol
regina
nancy
kay
joyce
susan

almost every one of them has faced some form of:
cancer
divorce
financial devastation
infidelity
abuse
a prodigal child
depression

i attended her funeral
& i also attended her funeral too
i have been discipled while her son was in a drug rehab
i have seen her start her life over
i have seen her build her dream home
i have seen her lift her hands in praise to the lord despite recurrent breast cancer
i have heard her prayers for her husband to heal
i have hugged her after her double mastectomy
i have cried with her as she talked about what her girl's life might be like once she was gone
i have seen the face of Jesus in EACH of them
& i am forever changed
they have molded who I am today


i encourage you to find your "katie"
the woman who has gone before you in life
who parents the way you hope to parent
who loves her children despite their public mistakes & failures
who stands beside her husband
who loves others
who is never too busy to pray for you

& i encourage you to be someone's "katie"
even for those of us who question what we could offer a younger mama
the Lord will use YOU
come along side & build her up
tell her you're praying for her

& remember sweet katie
its my turn to pray for you today
i love you

~~the glorious leaves~~

That night was the turning point in the season
we had gone to be in summer
& we awoke in autumn;
for summer passes into autumn
in some imaginable point of time
like the turning of a leaf



Thoreau