Photo A Day: January 16 - Two Things

Sometimes I feel like I shouldn't drive at night. Not necessarily because I don't have the skills to do so, but more because I have let my windshield (on the inside) get so dirty that when other cars headlights shine in at a certain angle I can't really see. Add fog and rain like we've had and it's over! However, those same dirty windows and lights revealed this little surprise revealing two things:

1) Somebody loves me
2) I really need to clean my windshield

Photo A Day: January 15 - An Ordinary Moment

Just sitting at my desk, sipping sweet tea (ok, half sweet half unsweet yea) working on stuff for camp. Camp GRACE is my favorite part of my job and tea is my favorite beverage, so an ordinary moment, yes, but a good one.

Photo A Day: January 14 - Something Yellow

Yellow is such a happy color! It reminds me of sunshine which is one of my favorite things. Today's prompt was easy to do as I have little sunshiny trinkets all over the house. Here's a sampling of a few :)

Photo A Day: January 13 - Circle

In terms of decorating my home, I have been quite into blues lately. Mostly shades between light blue and turquoise. Which means, blue glass jars make perfect table top decorations if you ask me :)

Photo A Day: January 12 - Surprise

After a morning conference at church and a drive downtown to walk in the sunshine, Brian told me that next weekend we are going to visit some of my best friends in Rock Hill. He planned it without me knowing. I'm excited! And lucky to have a husband who knows when I'm needing to catch up with old friends :) P.S. Go Eagles!

Photo A Day: January 11 - Water

So, today was an incredibly rainy day and I SHOULD have taken advantage of that to get a fun, water related picture for today. However, I didn't check today's prompt until later, so here it is, a picture of the sticker on my water bottle, representing Camp GRACE and some of my all time favorite people.

Photo A Day: January 10 - One O'Clock

I decided that for today's picture I was going to set an alarm and capture whatever it was I was doing right at 1:00. Well, it just so happens that I was walking down the office supplies aisle of Wal-Mart with a cart full of board games and Clorox wipes (think I work with kids?) AND I had just discovered these tiny clothespins that I am super excited to use at camp!

Photo A Day: January 9 - Paper

Because I hate waking up and because Brian loves me, he has been packing my lunch for me in the mornings. Cutting out the extra step in the morning is great, but being reminded of how much he loves me in all the details is awesome .

Photo A Day: January 8 - Something That Starts With T

Two years ago for my birthday I got one of the best gifts ever, season tickets to the Durham Performing Arts Center with my best friend. And when the first season was over we decided to go in for another round. So basically over the past year and and some months I've been able to enjoy some awesome musicals with the BFF. It's pretty sweet and it just so happens that on the day I need something with a T I get to enjoy a night out at the theatre :)

Photo A Day: January 6 - Mine

Several years ago, while shopping for a birthday gift for a friend, I stumbled across my first little owl (front left). Just something about him said I needed to keep him. Not too long after I found the fella in the back and fell in love with his face. He looked like a sleepy little boy, so I got him too. And that's how collections start. I love my owls, but please don't get me any, ok?

Photo A Day: January 5 - Movement

After having to work all day (which meant waking up at 6:45 on a Saturday), sometimes you just want to have a cozy little night at home.

Photo A Day: January 4 - The View From Here

Four days into the new year and I already missed a day with my photo challenge. Sigh. This is my office and a pretty fair picture of how my life looks most of the time. And that's what I'll be tackling today.

Photo A Day: January 3 - Heart

I am so very well loved, in all the big and little ways. This has become extremely evident to me in light of being newly married. Brian loves me so well. He truly has a servant's heart and is always thinking about me before himself. To be honest, it overwhelms me daily and makes my heart very full. And while he's good at the big things, it's the little things that bring my heart joy...like pouring my sweet tea into a mason jar and having dinner ready when I get home :) Such a great reminder of how God's love is even bigger.

Photo A Day: Jan 2 - Something New

Brian and I have had a Super Mario Bros game for the Wii sitting on our tv stand for months. Over break we finally decided to play it and it's kind of our new obsession :)

Photo A Day: January 1 - Today

I have decided to make a re-entry back into the blogging world via the FMS Photo A Day Challenge. Amongst several New Years Resolutions, Brian and I have both decided to live better, all around. So how did we decide to live it up one last time (for now at least)? Total splurge at Outback. Great first day of the year. And p.s., I just love spending time with the hubs.

Quote of the (Yester)Day

While walking around Target, I overheard this conversation:

Boy: So you have a king sized bed?
Mom: Yes
Boy: Is a king sized bed bigger than a queen sized bed?
Mom: Yes
Boy 2: Duh?!
Boy: I always thought a queen sized bed was bigger because it seems like girls always get whatever they want

I laughed, out loud, and just smiled at the mom, who replied "Teach 'em young."

The Time Has Come...

...the walrus said, to begin a new blog challenge.

Apparently, I have become quite incapable of updating my blog without a very clear goal, so I have decided to join my friend Grace in a 31 day blogging extravaganza. Obviously, the ideal scenario is to blog daily, but for now, we'll just start with Day 1: Something You Are Looking Forward To This Year.

I believe the answer to today's blog has to be two-fold, one personal and one professional.

On a personal note, I am going on a cruise this November and I am pretty stoked about it. Last year over Halloween I went on a cruise for the first time and I fell in love with that kind of vacation. I am fully aware that it is somewhat mindless and not the "ideal" way to travel and experience another culture, but sometimes that is exactly what vacation should be. It's perfect for getting completely away from normal life and I get to spend a week with some of my favorite people--I win.

Professionally, I feel very blessed that I have a job that allows me to pursue my passions, even if those passions came as a surprise to me. This fall I am heading up some new programs at the Y that will continue to serve the children I work with through Camp G.R.A.C.E. and that is super exciting to me. The Lord has really surprised me with how passionate I am about serving children with special needs and even though I know it will be a hot mess and add to my plate, I can't wait to get things started. Let's be real, a run club, run by a girl who hates running? It's bound to be entertaining!

Today, I can say I truly and totally enjoyed ALL of my kids at work. And gleaned this awesome Quote of the Day from one kid, fresh from his first day of 5th grade:

"We're going to have to learn about puberty the second half of the year. I already know about the puberty, my mom talked to me about it."

Perfect Strangers

I love when I have "moments" with complete strangers. It's one of those little reminders that deep down people are all kind of the same.

Today I was driving through a parking lot when I come across a goose. Just sitting. Right in the middle of my lane. With absolutely no intention of moving.

I stop, of course, and to the right of me is a woman and her daughter sitting in a mini van. We are both at a stand still, watching this obstinate bird take a load off, when we just look at each other, both laughing at the situation, throw our hands up, and move along.

Nice to know I'm not the only person who's that easily entertained.

A Long Awaited Finish...

After a good run of consistent posting, I got a little sloppy towards the end of this 30 Day Challenge, but alas, today I finish.

The final challenge: A picture of someone you miss.


Charlotte Culotta. OMG. Senior Year Charlotte and I did EVERYTHING together, but since graduation we haven't seen much of each other. But she is an absolutely wonderful girl who I need much more of in my life.