Thankful ~ Week 4

Day 22:  We had our first snowfall yesterday!  Today, though, I was grateful that there was no snow/ice facing the drive to work.

We had just enough snow that left a sprinkling on our pine bushes.  This is my kind of snow....the kind that doesn't mess with travel or cause one to fall!  However, the dip in temps caused me to pack up my lighter jackets and dig out my winter coats/scarves/hats/gloves.  Brr!

Day 23:  On my busiest day of the week, I am reminded of how grateful I am for my job!

Day 24:  Today was a day of traveling home to my parents' house and one of feeling thankful for my family (both the human and furry members!).

 

The pups got in some extra cuddling time with each other during the five hour drive home.

Day 25:  I had my first blizzard (peanut butter cup) from Dairy Queen in years.  YUM!  One of my favorite foods is ice cream so silly as it sounds, I'm thankful for this sweet indulgence.

Day 26:  With this day being Thanksgiving, I'm most thankful for my favorite holiday finally getting here, and for the people I got to see today (Mark, Liz, Thomas, Benjamin, Joe-a neighbor from my childhood, Nick-an old friend from 7th grade on up, Mom, Dad, Adam, Aunt Maureen, Laura, Brian, Alisha, Mason, Clark, Braden, Nick, and the pups!).  I hope everyone was able to spend time with loved ones or at least connect with them long distance if not in person today.

Day 27:  With this being Black Friday, I was thankful for deals at Kohl's on maternity clothes as Mom and I searched for some school clothes for me to wear using coupons/discounts.  I was thankful for the surprisingly not so crowded shopping as we checked out Kohl's and Hallmark so I could pick up my last and final ornament of the Noelville series.  I am going to miss these ornaments next year as they are ending the series after 10 years.  I've collected this particular ornament since it started due to the fact that I was working part time at Hallmark at the time as I put myself through my Master's program while also teaching full time.  With the ornament series ending, it almost feels like the end of an era!  Here is this year's ornament:  a clock shop.


How fitting...as time will keep on marching on as we seek to make the best of each minute we're given!  How will you make a difference for someone during the minutes you're given?  This question has me thinking and wondering how I can get back into volunteering in 2016.  I hope to not lose the resolve to get back into working with charity in some way as the new year approaches.  I have missed the volunteering activities I participated in down in NC and in York and need to stop letting life get so busy that I forget to try to help others through volunteer work in some way or form.  I guess this day is a two for one as I'm also thankful for second chances to try to make a difference for others.

Day 28:  We enjoyed a family outing to Koziar's Christmas Village tonight.  Aunt Maureen, Laura, Susie, Mom, Dad, Adam, and the 4 NC kiddos joined me as we braved the cold (and the long lines) to take in the music, sights, and sounds of Christmas!  This village is about 45 minutes to an hour from Mom and Dad's house and all seemed to enjoy themselves in spite of the huge crowd that had gathered there.  I'm thankful for holiday memories such as these and to experience events like these through the eyes of my niece and nephews when I can.  I'm also thankful for the clever ornament that Susie bought me that reminds me of the many Christmas Cookie Exchanges (CCEs) over the years and the pizelle cookies Susie made for our wedding reception!

Day 29:  Our return to Ohio took seven hours when it should have taken five hours due to the crazy amount of traffic on the turnpike, a couple accidents, and lots of stop and go driving.  I'm thankful we made it back safely and to be back in our cozy house tonight and can't wait to sleep in our bed!  In addition to that, I'm extra thankful Dad lent us his car due to mine losing its brakes Saturday night!  Hopefully the mechanic will be able to fix it without any problems tomorrow and we'll be able to swap cars at an upcoming holiday party in a couple weeks.  It's always something I tell ya!

Day 30:  We're 28 minutes shy of the last day of this challenge but I'll go ahead and state what I'm most thankful for regarding tomorrow.....it's the LAST Marathon Monday of the semester.  Goodbye 4 classes a day until Monday, January 18th!  It's also the lasssssst day of the dreaded exercise challenge I've been doing for the month of squats, pushups, planks, and crunches.  Granted, I've been doing reverse crunches as of the second week of November or so due to baby's growing so much this past month and have also been doing modified pushups but of all the challenges I've completed, this one is my least favorite.  I will be tremendously grateful to be done with the 250 squats, 50 pushups, 5 minute plank, and 150 crunches tomorrow night!!!


In closing out this 30 Days of Thanks challenge, I also hope to not forget to be thankful each and every day for at least one thing as we move forward into the Advent season in preparing for Christmas.  This photo popped up in my newsfeed from two years ago today with the following caption:

Day 29: Thankful for a relaxing Thanksgiving Day with family at home especially with my niece in our not planned matching outfits.  :)  I wonder if Mason Noelle will continue being the only girl (like me) or if her new cousin from Uncle Mark and Aunt Liz in March will be a girl?!



Well, that new cousin ended up being a beautiful little boy, Benjamin Mark, and now reading this caption makes me wonder if Mason will continue being the only girl or if she will finally have a girl cousin on our side of the family come March!?  Also, I had to giggle as I was reminded of my sister-in-law's comment on my outfit on Thanksgiving night when she said, "Your outfit reminds me of the outfit Mason is going to wear tomorrow".  I guess some things don't change although I'm not sure if it's a good thing I dress like a soon to be eight year old.  ; )  Hehe!

Also, looking back on this picture, I clearly recall how excited I was that night after the kids had gone to bed, the last plate was washed and put away, and I was downstairs in the family room talking to a boy in California on Skype late into the night upon his return to his house after enjoying his own Thanksgiving meal with his family.  It was at this time that he purchased his plane ticket to come see me in NC that January!  Once we hung up, I ran upstairs to finally share with my Mom the news about "this boy in California who helped me with my 3MT speech".  That Thanksgiving night symbolized a change in Adam's and my relationship in realizing that we were actually going to meet in person in a couple of months!  I remember so well the feelings of excitement and hope that were growing up until then with each conversation, each book or article read, each story from our past told, each question that was answered, each smile or joke that was shared but with the purchase of the plane ticket on this night two years ago, I dared to allow myself to think beyond the growing friendship to, "what if", and was overjoyed to think of being able to spend time with this California charmer in person rather than via Skype.  How fun now to reflect on this period of waiting....and hoping.....as at the moment we are waiting and hoping in a different way and also on tonight as this is the first Sunday of Advent which, as a whole, is viewed as a season of tenderness and hope. Let's not forget the reason for the season and try to treat everyone we cross paths just a little bit kinder in the upcoming month.  Season's Greetings to all!

Thankful ~ Week 3

Day 16:  On this Marathon Monday, I was thankful when I went to my third (of four) class and received a hot chocolate from Dunkin Donuts from two of my students.  They had feared they were going to be late to class so they brought me the drink to make up for it.  LOL!

Day 17:  I'm grateful for Adam's ability to be able to come to many of my baby doctor appointments.  This past appt. I especially appreciated his presence as he distracted me from the blood being drawn (I really really really hate needles).

Day 18:  Today I'm so appreciative of God's beauty in nature around us.  I saw the most glorious sunrise this morning!  The sky was a spectacular blend of orange, yellow, and blue.

Day 19:  Just as I was about to go to bed, Adam got a burst of energy and began to put the crib together in the nursery/guest bedroom.  I helped him a little bit but when I saw the clock was approaching 12:30am, I had to beg off and head to bed.  We will finish the crib sometime this weekend!  I'm thankful for this generous gift from Adam's parents and can't wait to see the room start to come together once we get the crib assembled and I can put the sheets on the mattress to see how the colors/theme start to manifest themselves in the room!

Update:  Adam finished assembling the crib on Saturday afternoon as I washed the bedding.  It was so nostalgic smelling the laundry detergent from North Carolina as the memories of those four precious niece and nephews down there and their baby smells flooded over me.  It is surreal to think that the smell of the detergent is now for Adam's and my little one and not someone else's child.  Here is a picture of the put together crib!

Day 20:  Tonight we enjoyed ourselves in Robinson as we got some maternity clothes for me, some clothes for Adam (can't forget about Daddy), and enjoyed dinner out at a new restaurant for us (Joe's Crab Shack).  It was nice spending time with Adam outside the house and going on a dinner date but what I'm most grateful for tonight is the milkshake we picked up from Burgatory on the way home (Pretzel and Caramel which is one of Adam's and my shared addictions....YUM!).

Day 21:  I was able to spend a significant amount of time working on Christmas cards this weekend.  I'm grateful for the family and friends in our lives and love receiving their updates & photos each year. 

The Christmas 2015 cards are almost ready to be written in, stamped, and mailed!  I'm having flashbacks to mailing out wedding invitations earlier this year - - haha.

Day 22:  I'm grateful for this blog and having a place to express myself other than in my journal and talking until kingdom come to Adam, my dad, any of my brothers who will listen....etc. etc.  ; )  Today, I'm thankful for the freedom of speech and the ability to talk in the first place thanks to a lot of help as a toddler from my parents and medical professionals.

Thankful ~ Week 2

Day 9:  I received this thoughtful thank you card from some students after recently helping them with a group project.  The delicious pumpkin chocolate chip cookies that came with the card were much appreciated considering I had forgotten my lunch at home last Marathon Monday!  I'm also thankful for my job and the students I currently work with these days!

 

I love how my students know me well enough to get a card with a pup on the front of it.  ; )

Day 10:  I was thankful for a day away from campus last Tuesday.  After advising season, grant proposal deadline meetings, and various trainings that required me to be on campus during many of my away from campus days, it was nice having some down time this past week.

Day 11:  With it being Veteran's Day, my Dad wasn't far from my thoughts on Wednesday as well as all those in my family and outside of it who have given so much to protect our freedom.  I'm thankful for all those brave and selfless individuals who do what I don't think I could do!!

Day 12:  On Thursday, I enjoyed this yummy homemade drink Adam made for us to drink:  apple juice with cinnamon and cloves!  YUM!  I could drink this everyday and not get sick of it!!  I'm thankful for the sweet honey who made this sweet beverage!

 Day 13:  I'm thankful for these two cuddlebugs.  Need I say more?

Day 14:  On Friday, after work, I treated myself to a mini shopping spree at Kohl's and the Goodwill (thanks to coupons, gift cards, and Kohl's cash!) and picked up some maternity clothing since many of my current clothes are starting to not fit.  The next day, Saturday, I was thankful for these bargains as I did laundry and washed these outfits.  I have clothes to wear to California over the holidays now!  : )

Day 15:  This weekend was devoted to schoolwork (in an attempt to make up for taking time away from grading on Friday when I shopped) but I also printed out our Christmas letter and got the Christmas craft finished for this holiday season!!  Today, I'm thankful for Adam's help in folding the letters tonight and for finding a Christmas craft that will hopefully redeem last year's flop of a Christmas craft!!

Thankful ~ Week 1

I am doing the monthly challenge for November where you are to take pictures and/or write about what you're most thankful each day.  I love doing this type of challenge because it helps one to stop and slow down and appreciate the little things (or big things!) in life.  I definitely could use a reminder to take stock of the blessings each day so am always thankful when a chance to do so arises.  Although we should really embrace this mentality or mindset all year not just during the month when the best holiday ever occurs.  Hehe!

Day 1:  Last weekend, we made a trip home to my parents' house and then to a friend from college.  It was a quick getaway that resulted in unexpected trick or treating with my twin's two boys and then spending the day/evening the next day with my older brother's four kids before heading out for some Halloween fun with Monika in Scranton, PA.  What a fun weekend and I'm thankful for the invitations to join folks at trick or treating, Knoebel's, and Reaper's Revenge!  Reaper's Revenge, a haunted hayride combined with haunted house style attractions was creepy but there were also moments of fun entertainment thrown in there. My favorite part involved a huge disco ball in the woods and the song, "Thriller" by Michael Jackson.  Unfortunately, I only made it halfway through the Pitch Black part of the tour where we literally walked in a pitch black building with walls inches from either side of us and not being able to see in front of us at all.  I would like to say I made it half way through the house but in reality, I was probably only 1/3 of the way through it with Monika and Adam before needing to duck out through an Emergency Exit door. I didn't think I was claustrophobic until that night....!  Anyhow, if you've never been, go check it out next year!  Here is the link to their Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/ReapersRevengeHauntedHayride/?pnref=story.  Thinking back on November 1st last week, one of my favorite moments was seeing my niece, Mason, hold Hershey.  She was so excited to be back with him (and with Dusty but more so with the younger pup) and couldn't stop smiling as she cradled him in her arms.  

I finally got to take Adam to my childhood amusement park!

He is the perfect size for kiddos!  ; )  I'm thankful for adorable nieces and nephews....and puppies.

Day 2:  I'm thankful we have such well behaved dogs in the car for when we take long trips or even just quick trips here and there.  I've heard horror stories from other petowners about how their animals get sick in the car, whine, cry, tear up the upholstery in the seats, and are anxious travelers.  Fortunately, we lucked out with Dusty Shamrock and Hershey Bar who usually just nap and cuddle during road trips.  I snapped this as we returned to Ohio during the five hour trek from PA last weekend.

Day 3:  I'm thankful for Dollar Store finds!  My parents gave us the two new light decorations we placed at the top of the hutch that make our living room even cozier.  These light decorations have me in the mood for Christmas and who knows, maybe we'll leave them up all year round as they change color and simulate candles burning but in a safer way!

Day 4:  I was thankful it was not raining or cold when I discovered my car had died at work due to my not turning the lights off 12 hours prior and that I still had the emergency kit Mark gave me years ago in my trunk...it had been really foggy that morning when I drove to work and I forgot to flick off the lights before entering my building.  Oops.  Fortunately, Adam was able to rescue me, jump the car (twice), and get me home within a half hour so we could still be on time for our 9pm Holy Hour that evening.  I guess that was why I had let my class out an hour early that night...so much for surprising Adam at the house with an early return to the house that night.  ; )

Day 5:  These are "Bath Bombs" Adam gave me as a surprise gift!  When we returned from our trip last weekend, we had a package sitting on our doorstep.  Turns out these Beauty by Earth organic bath salts were inside the box thanks to my thoughtful husband who gave me this "just because".  I used the "Just Relax" and the "Get Well Soon" (my pesky allergies have been acting up as of late) fizzies so far and appreciated the aromas that filled the bathroom, the soft silky skin after the bath, and enjoyed the fizzing in the water as the bath bombs "exploded" in the tub under the running faucet.  I'm thankful for a nice deep tub in which I can get bubble baths (one of my tiny luxuries I like to indulge in) and of course for a hubby who knows me well enough to spoil me with little surprises like these especially since I would probably never indulge in this sort of thing myself!

Day 6:  The other day I was to have a meeting in Christ the King Chapel on campus.  The meeting ended up falling through but I was still grateful for the chance to squeeze in some quiet time and prayer in the beautiful chapel amidst a crazy busy work week (as they all seem to have been as of late).  Since it is November, there is a basket in which you can place prayer intentions for those who have passed so I listed these four people who have been weighing on my heart lately.  Aunt Ollie and Grandma are never too far from my mind and heart so they were the first two I thought of right away....I so wish they both could have met Adam.  I often wonder what a conversation with Grandma and Adam would be like.  I just know that she would have loved the fact that he is Catholic and tall....for her super tall since she was so short in stature.  I would even guess she might compare him to Richie (my dad)!  With Aunt Ollie, I'm not sure much talking would be happening from all the food she would be sure to serve him as we sat in her dining room and looked at the birds out the bay window.  ; )  I think I spelled Eddie's last name wrong but ever since finding out he passed away after a year long battle with cancer recently, I can't stop thinking about his family.  He was only a few years older than I and had moved to Florida with his family in the late 90s or early 2000s so we fell out of touch but it's always unsettling to hear the news of someone within your age group dying so young which leads me to Jess.  I can't believe she has been gone for this long as this past September marked nine years already.  If you could offer up a prayer or kind thoughts for these and others you know who have passed, I would appreciate it! 

Day 7:  Yesterday morning was an early one with meeting up with two friends to carpool to Pittsburgh area by a little after 8am.  We attended a beautiful conference from 9am - noon where we heard inspiring testimony and praise and worship music.  The band just happened to be from our town and I've heard them before at my church every now and then so that was an unexpected surprise!  They even sang the theme song that I absolutely love from my Women of Grace bible study days with Johnette Benkovic.  I'm so thankful for the time spent with friends in fellowship whether it is at the Magnificat Conference or our monthly Good Godly Grub gatherings or just as we walk the neighborhood together.  We don't have a young adults group here that I have been missing from my time in NC and PA but this small group of spiritual and lovely women I am honored to call friends are certainly helping to fill some of the void left by the lack of a YA group.  I'm thankful for the times we have already spent together (a play on Friday night on campus, the morning retreat yesterday, an upcoming Thanksgiving themed GGG) and all that will come in the future too!  However, I'm also thankful for something a bit more domesticated....upon my return to the house, Adam proudly showed me the new kitchen faucet!!  We had waited since late August for the plumber to install the new garbage disposal and our new kitchen faucet that we had in a box on our desk in the dining room for the last couple months.  Our sink looks so much better and a bit more modern with this small update!!  Speaking of which, I need to get back into sharing the before/after pictures of the house on here as well as the Meals as a Mrs. recipes I've been trying out this fall.  One such dish, the Pumpkin Pie Cake, was a hit that I will be sure to repeat next year!!

Day 8:  Today, as we are about to advance to the 24th week mark of pregnancy, I'm even more grateful for this precious life growing inside of me.  At the doctor appointment this past week, the baby appeared to be giving the sonographer and me a high five.  ;)  I have been journaling the experience (including how we shared the news with loved ones, ramblings related to first time pregnancy on my end, and informational facts about where the baby is development-wise) since we found out we were expecting so will probably begin to share some of the thoughts via the blog at some point. Sadly, I was able to write more in the summer than I have been able to do during the school year but even if I don't have the time to write, the baby is never far from my prayers and thoughts.  It's incredible how you can love someone so much you haven't even met yet.  To quote Fr. Vince from North Carolina (and more recently one of the speakers from yesterday morning:  "God is good....all the time.  All the time...God is good!") and we're now under the four month countdown until the expected due date so soon enough we will get to meet the newest little member of our growing family!!

Day by day over the last two years

Today marks two years since Adam and I started "seeing" each other every single day




in spite of



ER visits,
traveling to other states,
the daily busy-ness, moving,
limited Internet access, time zones, and anything else you can name.


Since November 7, 2013, we have only not seen each other during four days in that roughly 730 day time span with the last skipped day occurring over a year ago back on September 16, 2014.

I don't know how we managed to pull this off...it wasn't like we sat down two years ago and said, "Ok, this is what we're going to do..." or said, "Hey, let's try to do this longest consecutive running record of seeing each other every day whether it's via Skype or in person".  It just unfolded and happened of its own accord and now that we've come this far...neither one of us wants to be the first to break the streak.  Of course, it's a lot easier now that we're living in the same house in the same zip code!  Yet, when Adam was sent to Atlanta this past summer for a quick work trip, he took not one but two laptops with him so that he could use the webcam on the one laptop to Skype for a few minutes each day. If that's not love, I don't know what is.  ;)

Here's to two more years of pulling this off and hopefully not getting tired of seeing one another in the process.  ;) Over the last couple years, our lives have changed in ways we could never have predicted all thanks to God but I wouldn't have it any other way as long as this guy is by my side!  I also realized this morning, when talking with some friends, that today is four months from the due date!!  That means, next year, as we take in the beautiful fall foliage like we did last weekend, we'll have not only the pups with us but a little one too.  God is good....all the time!!