Thoughts on Thursday~Puppy Addition

Hello friends!  I took a couple days off this week to focus on our new addition.  If you missed the big news you can read about it here. 

Henley is adjusting quite nicely, and is already fast friends with our Cairn Terrier, Kylee.  She does a great job of wearing him out for his nap times!!

Mom and GiGi are adjusting too.  Early mornings call for lots of coffee!

Trust me when I say having a puppy is like having a baby...only difference, no labor pains! Sometimes I think having a baby is easier...I mean, you can put a diaper on them and take them anywhere ;-)

So with that, I thought I'd share a little puppy humor with you today.

Lots and Lots of Coffee!

He hasn't tried it yet, but just yesterday learned we have stairs!  He can go up, but can't get back down.

Potty training is always fun said no parent of a human or canine baby ever!!!

Truth!

That face makes is all worthwhile!

This would be us today...

Happy Thursday Friends!!

Thoughts On Thursday~

Deep, I know.

How many times have you found yourself or someone you love struggling to "fit in" or "succeed" only to feel like a wall flower or failure?

Did it ever occur to either of you that maybe it's not about the "person" but rather the environment or situation they are in?

We are all uniquely created as "individuals", therefore we all serve different purposes in this life. While one is a master in mathematics (not me), others are science oriented (not me either), others have the gift of compassion (I'd like to think so) or are gifted in technology (umm...let's not talk about that)...and the list goes on and on, we all have unique talents gifted to us by our creator.  The world would be a very boring place if we were all in ONE CAMP.  Think of seeing the world all in one color...your favorite or otherwise.  BORING!

So, if you are feeling a bit "out of sorts" or like you "don't quite fit the mold"...change things up, do what makes YOU happy! At the end of the day, feel comfortable in you own skin.

Have a blessed day sweet friends.  And more importantly, BE YOU!

Thoughts on Thursday~

First, I want to say a huge Thank You to all my cheerleaders (either fellow bloggers or IG followers) who have encouraged me the past couple weeks as we tackled some major painting projects in our home.  Both the fireplace surround and the media center are done.  I was advised to let the paint cure for a few days before placing shelves back in and decorating, so that is where we are currently at. I also am editing some decor and making some changes.  I have learned not to rush things over the years because it usually only leads to regret.

I thought I'd share a quote I recently came across while browsing Pinterest.  While waiting for paint to dry one has a bit of extra time. LOL

The older I get the more I find myself thinking about this.  And, my pastor recently preached about leaving a legacy.  What do we want to be remembered for?

I would hope that others remember me for the way I treated them, hopefully with the upmost love, affection and kindness, and that more than anything I was bold enough to share my faith with them and point them to my Heavenly Father. Two of my very favorite songs are Legacy by Nicole Nordeman and I Want to Live Like That (my ringtone) by Sidewalk Prophets.

I honestly believe in the end no one is going to remember what clothes I wore, what latest pair of booties were on my feet, the color of my walls and the list goes on.  At least I hope that isn't the case. Because if I am being honest, I missed the mark if that is the case.

Something to ponder on this Thursday.

Thoughts on Thursday~Late Addition

I've always been of the camp, "better late than never".  Ask my littles I've taught.  We'd be halfway through snack on a crazy day and I'd be reminded by them, "Ms. Lauren, we forgot the blessing!" Oops.  And I'd always say, "better late than never" and we would stop and pray.

So while it's already 6:30 PM here, I thought I'd still get a post out.

This quote seems appropriate given the past couple of days.  I'll share more when I post about our updated fireplace mantle. But, suffice it to say it didn't come off without a couple hiccups.

There may or may not have been times I wanted to quit.  I may have muttered things under my breath I wasn't proud of.  And, it may have taken my #2 to keep me from going into the all out ugly cry yesterday.

But, today is a new day.  And God's mercies are new each and every morning.  And sometimes we see things with fresh eyes, and well...a calmer demeanor.   Not to mention all my sweet sweet IG followers who have been my biggest cheerleaders throughout this entire process. Love y'all.

So with all that said, I want to encourage you to keep at it.  Sometimes it gets worse before it gets better.  But the end result is always worth it.  It may not always turn out the way we hoped or planned, but it does turn out the way He intended it to.

TGIF in less than 6 hours!!

Thoughts on Thursday~Happy Birthday to My Best Friend

Today's thoughts are focused on my best friend, my husband of almost 29 years.  I can't imagine life without you.

30 years ago, I quit nursing school to the dismay of most that knew me.  In the meantime, I took a job as a receptionist for the insurance company my dad was working for at the time.  That position eventually led to another, but not before you stepped off the elevator one day for an interview.

I like to think of it as God intervening.  His plans were greater than mine.  Had I stayed in school, I would not have been the one to greet you that day.  The day God gifted me with my soul mate, the person whom I would share the rest of my life with, the person who would be the best father in the world to my children, the person who would become my best friend for life.

Sometimes we think we have life all planned out. But, the honest truth is He has already set in motion plans for each of us, and sometimes they differ from our plans.

There is not a day that goes by that I am not thankful for His intervention, and for the soul mate he placed in my life.

Happy Birthday to my one and only...God truly blessed me the day I met you.

Thoughts on Thursday~

Hello sweet friends!  While my posts were a bit sporadic the past 6 months, my hope is to post more often now that the holidays are over and we have settled nicely into a routine here at home (for those that do not know, we are no longer empty nesters as baby girl is living at home during her externships and we'll have a surprise next month to share with you, not what you are all thinking).  With that said, I will always stay true to my philosophy of blogging...blog when I have time (time that doesn't take away from my family or my duties to said family), blog when I feel I have something relevant to share, or when God has placed something on my heart.  No apologies.

With the New Year, often comes resolutions.  Not a fan!  Make a list, maybe start working on said list? Only to discard it within a couple weeks, and then feel guilty as all get out. Ummm, no thank you!  For several years I chose a word.  Some years the same word as I still needed to work on said word.  This year I have decided to approach things differently. After reading this question:

Deep right?!!!  What we choose to say and do today effects our every tomorrow.  WOW!  My sweet Core Leader for Bible study and I had this very discussion today.  What do we need to let go of maybe?  What do we need to spend more time doing?  What do we need to quit entirely?

Something to think about.