Thanksgiving Recap

Thanksgiving came twice for us this year. On Thursday we hosted husband's family at our house, which was a complete success! Our turkeys turned out perfectly {I will probably never use another recipe since this one is so good.}, the nephews had fun feeding the horses behind our property, the pumpkin pie was topped with homemade whipped cream, and everyone enjoyed catching up and making plans for the little one on the way. 

On Sunday, husband and I headed over to my parent's house to have Thanksgiving with my family. Spending time over there during the holidays is always so special. It just doesn't feel like the holiday season without the smell of mom's apple cinnamon candles and fresh greenery on the mantle. Her decorations fill every room, with no corner left bare. There are gently flickering lights on the mantles, vintage trees and twinkle lights in all the rooms. It's perfect, really.

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and were surrounded by those you love. I certainly was!
xoxo

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Gratitudes

One of the things that I struggle with at times is the ability to remain positive in the face of negativity. Unfortunately, it's easy to be pulled down into someone else's negative outlook and complaints and lose sight of the abundant blessings in my life. In an effort to combat the negativity, I've started keeping a gratitude journal. Each day I write down one thing I am thankful for, from french roast coffee to my amazing husband. I also record one moment from the day that touched me, moved me, or simply one that I want to remember. And after just a few weeks of this new practice, I find myself choosing joy and happiness over the sometimes {fleeting} dismal nature of my circumstances. 

  {recent gratitudes: amazing friends, the most incredible husband, experiencing God's glory through nature, camping adventures with husband, the mystery of love}

Don't let your circumstances define your attitude

Here's to gratitude and living thankful, loving lives.
xoxo

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Thanksgiving

{My masterpiece pumpkin pie}

This year Thanksgiving was especially important in my family as we recently experienced the loss of a very precious loved one. It's difficult to think about last year's celebration, when we were blissfully unaware that our time together was coming to a close. But if I have learned anything throughout this season of grief, it's that we must truly treasure each and every moment of our time together. And that is exactly what this year's Thanksgiving weekend was about.

{My nephew "driving" the truck... I love the little tongue sticking out in concentration.}

{My mom's breakfast casserole - to die for.}

{Cuddling with this little guy. He's so grown up now!}

I'm already looking forward to Christmas Eve.
xoxo


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Days 19 & 20

Last week was by no means a bad week, but it was long. Filled with early mornings {hello 4:30 am wake up call}, long hours at the hospital, and quite a lot of reading, the week felt much longer than it actually was. By Friday afternoon I was completely spent {I contemplated a nap when I got home on Friday but luckily realized that a nap would easily turn into me sleeping until Saturday morning}, and I was so very grateful for the weekend....

For not setting my alarm and for sleeping past 7am.
For scrambled eggs with balsamic salsa, turkey bacon, & spiced apples.
For curling up on the couch and watching a movie.
For the fact that my husband makes me laugh uncontrollably.
For time to meet deadlines, work on projects, and catch up on blog reading {clearly a priority}.

{more gratitudes}
What are you thankful for today?
xoxo

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Day 18

Today I am thankful for food & tastebuds & ....

Delicious recipes, like this and this that I plan to make very soon.

Homemade {sugar-free, gluten-free} sweet potato fries - made from scratch & fried in coconut oil.

The combination of red wine, dark chocolate & a good movie.

Green smoothies that start my day off right.

Chips and salsa - not paleo, but one of my favorite cheats.

Strong coffee & the man that makes it for me every morning.

What are you thankful for today?

 xoxo

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Day 17

Dear accessories living in my closet,

Don't tell the clothes, but you may very well be my favorite part of dressing. Glitzy jewels, fun nail colors, chic clutches, and wedge heels, oh my! I enjoy the daily quest for the perfect combination of accents equally as much as the simplicity of a pair of pearls.

Dear squirrels living in the oak trees in our yard,

I love watching you hunt around in the trees for acorns and chase each other when someone steals your stash. Your mannerisms are really quite amusing. Just don't hide any acorns in my potted plants... that might be awkward when I find you digging up my mums.

Dear little MacBook,

Thanks for keeping up with my ridiculous amount of presentations, projects, and papers over the last six months. You've really earned your keep lately. Not to mention housing all my pictures and blogging! I am thankful for you. Please don't quit.

Dear Christmas season,

I am so very thankful for you. The months of November and December are among my favorite - the cold weather, the sparkly decorations. But most of all I enjoy the time with my family, the warmth of great company, laughing and crying as old stories are told, and the promise of the birth of a holy child, my Lord & Savior.

What are you thankful for today?

xoxo

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Days 15 & 16

I am back on rotations at the hospital after five weeks off* and it's already slammed. My days are jam-packed with patient counseling, reading treatment guidelines, decompensated heart failure & hypertensive emergency. Holy. Goodness. It's definitely a bit overwhelming, but a great learning experience.

{*I use this term lightly, considering that I worked, moved, and went to a conference in Pittsburgh during my break.}

So today I am thankful for...

The opportunity to see a CABG first-hand.

Sleeping in on Saturdays.

A spicy chai latte made with almond milk.

My health.

The promise of lasik surgery after graduation.

A couple days off next week.

Trail runs and new {minimalist} running shoes.

What are you thankful for today?

xoxo

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Days 12, 13 & 14

This weekend passed all to quickly as we spent most of our time surrounded by family. We woke up to a big breakfast on Saturday {courtesy of my parents}, and spent the afternoon in the city with husband's family, watching the game

and munching on tasty pizza. Sunday was gorgeous and perfect for a trail run in our new running shoes, and the cold evening had us curled up on the couch with a bit of television. Throughout the weekend, I was acutely aware of how precious these  times are and how blessed I am to have such a wonderful family.

Today {and this weekend} I am thankful for...

A warm fire in the fireplace.

Everything cozy, from fleece blankets to snug socks to plush pillows.

This season of thanksgiving and togetherness.

Woodsy scents, like my favorite fall candle.

My health and the ability to run, shape & challenge my body.

Hot water in the shower.

Crunching leaves with my nephew.

Clean foods that make me feel healthier and stronger.

What are you thankful for today?

xoxo

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Day 11

Today I am thankful for...
Simplicity ~ something I am striving to center my life around.
The smell of chocolate chip cookies baking in my oven and the ability to bake them on a whim.
Flannel sheets and the coziness of an over-sized blanket.
The love of sweet girlfriends whom I know are always there for me, even though we don't see each other often enough {here's looking at you l, e, a & s}.
Our water filter and the ability to have clean water whenever I want.
My education and the promise of graduation in the near future.
The love of an honorable, godly man.

What are you thankful for today?
xoxo

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Day 10

Last night as I was catching up on some blog reading {hello, no internet for two weeks}, I stumbled across this. What a sweet reminder how much in life we have to be thankful for. And this coming on the heels of a very humbling moment I had last week...

Since we moved into our new home, I have been stressed out and overwhelmed by the fact that all of our stuff doesn't fit into this house. It's actually smaller than our two bedroom apartment, and from furniture to bikes to books and office files, we simply don't have enough storage space. I was irritable and grumpy because we have too much, sighing as I unloaded boxes, and I was taking out my irritation on my sweet husband. It was like a slap in the face when the Lord opened my eyes to how selfish and ungrateful I was being. In essence, I was complaining about how blessed we are. Talk about a humbling experience.


So I have decided to choose every day to be thankful. To wake up remembering that my hope is not in this world or in its material possessions, but instead, my hope is in the one and only, all-powerful creator of this universe and his intense love for me.

Today I am thankful for:
God's incredible grace that renews every morning.
Our new {rental} home where husband and I can be together every day and not just on weekends, where we can sleep next to each other every night, and where our camping equipment is "stored" openly in the living room.
Sweet times with our families ~ you truly never know how valuable that time is until it's gone.
Rose flavored hot tea for these cold fall mornings {and afternoons... and evenings...}
The beautiful colors of fall & being able to view them directly outside my kitchen windows.
The tiny space heater that warms my feet while I study.


Here's to being thankful.
Won't you join me on this journey? What are you thankful for today?

xoxo

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