Thankful Thursday

 

Happy Thursday, friends! I'm glad you're here to read my thankful Thursday list this week. I'll jump right in!

I'm thankful for the fact that the Lord is always near.

I'm thankful that I can pray and call out to Him at any time; this week has been heavy for a few of my friends who are either about to lose a loved one, or who did lose a loved one. I heard yesterday that a dear friend of my family passed away yesterday afternoon; it was expected as he'd been sick for quite some time. My dad loved this man and wanted him to preach at his funeral, but that's when David had just gotten sick. It makes me sad when people die, but I also know that I can rejoice knowing where he is. I could almost imagine him and Dad hugging when they saw each other.

I'm thankful for the people I've had in my life that I've loved, like this friend and countless others. They've all touched my life deeply in some way. 

I'm thankful for my family, and that I get to see Noah soon. I'm going to McKinney again to see him in a couple of weeks, but this time I'm going alone. 

I'm thankful that I get to work each day, doing something that I love and that makes a difference in young lives.

I'm thankful for the joy that pets bring. 

I'm thankful that I'm able to stay in my home; this time last year I thought it would be my last Christmas in a home that I love.

I'm thankful for the gift of music, and that I get to sing in choir each week. 

I'm thankful for my church family; they are an extension of my real family, and I love them dearly.

I'm thankful for the beautiful Christmas decorations that I get to look at when I'm at home; I'm gazing at my tree as I write this, and it makes my heart happy.

What are you thankful for this week? I'd love to hear from you! Thanks for reading my blog today, friends. Love to all!

Jenn 

the Wednesday hodgepodge

 

Happy Wednesday, friends! I'm here with Joyce again today for the weekly hodgepodge...this is a post that I dearly love; thank you, Joyce, for your inspiring and thought provoking questions each and every week! I'll jump right in. 

1. Besides Thanksgiving, what's something on your November calendar you're looking forward to? I love this month! Something I'm looking forward to in November is coming next week; my niece Erika, her husband Kyle and their four girls are coming to town for a week. I cannot wait to get my hands on them! 

2. Dictionary.com's word of the year is '6-7'. Huh? What do you think of this? (I edited this question.) As an employee at an elementary school, let me be clear about how much I hate this phrase and that I think it's absolutely ridiculous that it's considered the 'word of the year'. That's preposterous since it's not even a word! I don't have a better suggestion for another word, though, so there's that.

3. What's a food, trend, activity, or thing that people love but you think is just so-so? A lot of people I know love to play pickle ball; I can't say that I've ever played it myself, but I've watched, and I honestly don't get the obsession. Part of me wonders if it was the fashion that inspired the love of the sport? I don't really know, honestly. 

4. Are you a tea drinker? Hot or cold? How do you like yours and what time of day? Do you like flavored teas or teas billed as calming, energizing, healing, etc.? I'm not a huge tea drinker, but I have enjoyed it both ways. I used to make sweet tea a lot, and loved it at one point. Now I like it hot more than cold, and my favorite is a chai tea. Make it a latte from Starbucks, and it's even better! I've definitely drank hot teas before in times when I've been sick; I know how to make a medicine ball, and I keep a box of throat coat in my cupboard in the kitchen. 

5. The November hodgepodge has always included a weekly gratitude question. Here's the question for today: what are three things that make your heart sing? This is a great one! I would say that my three things that make my heart sing are my sons, singing, and being with someone I love. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. I love this version of the song Worthy of it All; this one is a mashup of that and Holy Forever. I hope you enjoy this!

Thanks for reading my bonus blog post of the day, friends. I also shared this month's Currently post earlier today, so keep scrolling if you want to read that one. I'll see you back here tomorrow for Thankful Thursday! Love to all. 

Jenn 

Currently, November 2025

 

Happy Wednesday, friends! Welcome to the November edition of Currently, when we talk about what we're currently loving, looking forward to, smelling, preparing for, and thankful for. Next month we'll talk about what we're currently loving, hoping, doing, wearing, and seeing. I want to see and read about all the Christmas things next month! It's hard to believe this is what we're talking about now, right? I'll jump in, but I'm glad you're here today!

I'm loving so many things in life right now, but this one is close to the top for the moment.

This was what greeted me when I walked into the school I work in Monday morning. We have a huge Veteran's day event that someone hung all these flags for, and I just think it's stunning. My dad would have loved this so much! I'll always think of him on this holiday, because we always celebrated it with him by going to a Veteran's day parade downtown. 

This would have been on one such day. Time flies! I feel like I took this picture yesterday, friends. Another thing I'm loving right now is part of our daily greeting with each group of students we see; we all have to name one thing a day that we're grateful for this month. 

I'm looking forward to a week off for Thanksgiving break. I forgot that we get the week off, but it'll be amazing to spend a week off while being at home. I was trying to get to Noah this week, but I'm having a hard time making it work. I don't know if I'll see him before Christmas, but it helps knowing that Graham and Jonah are planning a trip there to see him in the next week or two. 

I'm smelling candles that smell like pine at the moment; I decorated my house for Christmas on Monday after work, and I pulled out the candles I had leftover from last year and lit them. I need some more, but for now, these are working. I love the smell of pine; this is by far my favorite scent to smell! 

I'm preparing for Christmas by buying gifts early again this year. I'd love to be done by Thanksgiving, even if they don't arrive by then. I'll do a lot of that the week I'm off work. I'll use nights and weekend free time to wrap them all. Speaking of that, I need to buy new gift wrap this year! I used a lot of mine up last year and tossed what was left, because I was tired of it after so many years. Where do you buy gift wrap? I like the kind from Hobby Lobby, because it's thick and has lines on the back.

I'm thankful for so many things, but here are my top two: I'm thankful for the love of God that never ends, and for the peace and contentment I feel this year compared to last. In cased you missed it, I wrote a poem of sorts about this yesterday that I'd love for you to read if you haven't already. I didn't think it would be possible to feel this way again after the upheaval of my life in the last year and a half, but here I am eighteen months later feeling things I so glad to be feeling. 

And on that note of being thankful, I am most thankful for the friendship of this dear woman. I literally cannot imagine life without her in it, nor do I want to imagine that. If not for her, I would be a different person. I have many friends who I'm thankful for, but she's at the top since we walked through the same thing together at the same time. How sweet is God to give us each other for the worst years we would have ever imagined? He amazes me, when I think of this and who He is to me. If you ever want to talk more about this, email me or comment! My email is allboys@gmail.com.

Thanks for being here today, friends. I can't wait to read your posts! Love to all!

Jenn 

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changing—inspired writing Tuesdays

Happy Tuesday, friends! I'm doing something new on Tuesdays, starting today. I've been feeling inspired to write lately, so I want to start sharing some of that here. I hope you enjoy today's post, and the ones I have planned to come in the following weeks. Happy reading! Feel free to leave me your thoughts or suggestions at the end of today's post.

Lately I've been thinking about how much

can change quietly. 

How one day you just realize—

you're no longer carrying what used to weigh you down.

There's a steadiness in me now.

A peace I didn't have before.

I'm not chasing love or approval or the next big thing.

I'm learning, simply, to be. 

Some nights I still miss what was. 

Other nights I sit in the quiet and feel grateful for what is—

the laughter of friends, the long talks with a man I'm learning to care for, dogs curled up beside me,

the soft hum of music filling the space that used to ache.

I don't have it all figured out,

but maybe that's the point.

Maybe life isn't about having answers—

maybe it's about learning to live gently inside this new world that the Lord is teaching me to live in.

Thanks for reading my blog today, friends. Love to all!

Jenn 

Hello, Monday

 

Happy Monday, friends! How was your weekend? I'm linking up with Holly and Sarah for today's blog post. 

It was a fun Friday! 

It was so hard to take anyone seriously on this day! Please note my friend's amazing bird costume. We were having a serious conversation, and I literally couldn't stop smiling/laughing. She was burning up in that thing! I was ready to change at the end of the day, so I did that before I went to Chris' after work. 

I'm still loving my Hello Pumpkin sweater! I'll wear this until Thanksgiving. 

I've mentioned it several times, but I love driving a back road in the country! The drive to his town is beautiful, and I love how the road is windy. It's extra beautiful because of the leaves changing. I met him at our favorite Mexican restaurant, and then we went to his house to let his dogs out before leaving again. I started feeling bad again shortly after eating, so we cut the night short on my account. This made me sad, but it couldn't be helped. 

I love a new month, friends! And I love these baby Goldens; they were relaxing with me while I sat in the recliner in an empty room upstairs. Chris came over that afternoon; we went to The Orpheum theater downtown to see The Notebook. It was so good!

We barely managed to get a decent picture of us; there were several fails, but this one was the best of our attempts. He's so tall that I can't ever get a picture at a good angle! It works best if he'd stand behind me. I don't know that Chris loved this play, but I loved it so much more than I thought I would! I cried, and I honestly think I caught him wiping a tear at one point as well.

Sunday was a day full of church and church-related activities. I had to be there by eight that morning for praise team rehearsal, then I went home for a bit for lunch, only to be back by two for a four hour long Christmas music practice. It was a great rehearsal, and Joshua had snacks for us, which was really considerate. He let us go at 5:30, so I grabbed dinner for Jonah and me, then we ate together. Marilyn ended up stopping by for a bit, then I worked on my blog for the week and tried to get a head start. I have a busy week of decorating my house for Christmas after work this week! I'm also getting a new bed for my bedroom (thanks to my Mar!), and I have choir practice as well again on Wednesday. 

What did you do that you loved this weekend? I'd love to hear from you! Thanks for reading my blog today, friends. Love to all!


Jenn 

Friday Favorites, Halloween edition 2025

 

Happy Friday, and Happy Halloween, ghoul-friends! What. A. Week! It was Red Ribbon week at our school, so each day involved dressing up and then being around students who were wildly excited about it amidst state testing. It's been nothing short of crazy, with all of this and people dropping like flies from sickness. One morning this week (Tuesday?), I was walking in at 8:20 and our plant manager Scott was running down the hall; right behind him was Nurse Meg, and my immediate thought was, "Oh, boy." That's how it's been all week. 

Whew!

I was in Colorado one year ago today! I was glad to be away for a first Halloween without a husband in the house. Marilyn told me recently about something she heard about Halloween being the loneliest of holidays, because it's so family oriented. It made sense to me because I remember feeling that way last year; never had I been so glad to not be at home on that day. These little angels were my first stop, then we had Mexican food for dinner that night. 

This was such a fun trip with my favorite ghouls! I loved this day that we spent dressed alike in Salem, Massachusetts. 

Okay, now for my favorites from the week...

This week was all about dressing comfortably! I think it was a favorite for every staff member who participated in Red Ribbon week.

Doodling is my favorite, especially during boring testing. 

Sights like these at school will always be a favorite! I love that the teachers I work with are fun; these witch fingers "help" the students read. And speaking of witches, one was spotted during third grade intervention this week! 

These baby Goldens are my favorites. 

Our town hall is one of my favorite buildings! I love the architecture and the landscape leading up to the stairs. I had a library board meeting there this week. Speaking of this night, it was also a favorite getting to see Chris for an early dinner right before this. I love when we can make it work for a quick get together during our busy weeks!

One on one time with students is always a favorite! I love getting to know them; one of them I take to the sensory room each morning for ten minutes; another one I spend fifteen minutes with each day to help her get ahead with school work. This girl above was close to me as she worked on a fourth grade math problem yesterday involving math properties. It's been a hot minute since I've thought about distributive, communicative, and associative properties. 🤣 Math is not my favorite, in case you didn't know.

Home is my favorite place to sit and unwind; I've been enjoying watching Sweet Magnolias all week when I'm watching TV. 

Choir practice and Rotolo's Wednesday nights are my favorite! We spent a good amount of time practicing Christmas music this week, and we have a looonnnnngggg rehearsal for the same on Sunday afternoon. It's a busy weekend for me! 

Please note how adorable my favorite first grader looked on Wacky Tacky day this week! I have serious combat boots envy. 

I ordered a new pair of my favorite sneakers! Here's a link, if you're interested. 

Coming home sick on Thursday was not a favorite; I'm writing this on Thursday night, so I'm seriously hoping it was just lunch that didn't sit right with me, and that I'm back at work today. I had to leave two hours early! 

This was me when I ventured back downstairs for dinner around six last night; I came home and went straight to bed. 

Chris likes for me to send him pictures of me every morning; every once in a while he'll send one back to me, and it's my favorite. 

What was something that was a favorite of yours this week? I can't wait to hear from you! Thanks for reading my blog today, friends. Love to all!

Jenn 🎃

P.s. The November edition of Currently is taking place this week on Wednesday, November 5th. We'll be talking about what we're currently loving, looking forward to, smelling, preparing for, and thankful for. I hope you make plans now to join us!