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. What does patriotism mean to you? When I think of patriotism, I think of freedom. If not for the brave men and women who fought for our freedom, we wouldn't enjoy all that we get to today. It's because of them that we live in the type of country we do; it's one that is nowhere near perfect, but even on our worst day, we are still so fortunate to have all that we do. I attribute all of this to the soldiers who risked or gave their lives so that we could have ours. I'll forever be grateful. 

We always loved to spend Veteran's day with Dad; we went downtown every year for the annual parade, and this was one such day. They all spontaneously made posters for the veterans and made the local evening news this year! 

2. September-October-November...what's your favorite fall month? Tell us why. If you live in the Southern Hemisphere use these months but sub in the word spring for fall. My favorite fall month is November, because it's finally fully fall, and the leaves are changing for us here in West Tennessee by that time. 

I cannot get enough of the beautiful leaves and colors! 

3. A song you love with the word thanks (or some form of that word) in the title or lyrics? Hands down, my answer to this is the song Gratitude by Brandon Lake. Here's a few of the lyrics:

all my words fall short

I've got nothing new

how could I express

all my gratitude?

4. November is National Peanut Butter month. Are you a fan? What's the last peanut butter bite you had? Fill in the blank: peanut butter and ______________. Oh, and you can't say jelly. I love peanut butter! I sometimes eat it on a spoon when I'm craving something and I don't know what. My favorite combination with peanut butter is chocolate. It's so good! 

5. This week's gratitude question: what event from this past year are you most grateful for? I'm grateful for the event that led me to today...so this sounds weird, but that would mean that I'm grateful for my divorce. I don't know how that's possible when I look back at where I started, but I've healed, and I feel like I'm in a healthy mind space. I don't give a lot of thought to the person or events that took place leading to today anymore, but when I do, I can honestly look back and be thankful for the life that we shared up to that day in June of 2024. I'm so grateful to be here today, on my own for the most part, but also getting to know someone new. I put in the work to be here today, and I feel like I've come a long way. 

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Guess what, friends? I'm finally to the point where I'm starting to love being at home again. After a year and a half, you have no idea how good this feels! I'm never bored anymore, and I never dread nights that I stay in. It's possible that it has to do with the time of year, or being tired after my work each day. Whatever it is, I'll take what it took to get me here. I loved both of these images I recently found on socials; they remind me of what I'm saying here. The first image above reminds me of what took place Monday night; I came home and made a pot of chicken tortilla soup. It was so much that I texted my friend Kendra and invited her over for dinner. I was thrilled that she took me up on my offer! We ate, then we talked for a couple of hours before she left to go home to grade papers. It was a nice, unexpected night! 

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

Jenn xoxo

a heart of gratitude--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. 

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Lately I've been thinking about how easy it is to rush through life—chasing the next thing, fixing the last thing—and miss the soft miracles happening right in front of me. Gratitude slows me down. It's the deep breath before the coffee, the warmth of a hug that lingers, the sound of laughter drifting through a quiet room.

Gratitude isn't loud. It doesn't need grand gestures. It's found in the small ordinary moments that remind me that I'm alive and loved—the way sunlight spills across a floor, the familiar voice that feels like home, the peace that comes from knowing I've weathered storms and still found beauty.

This season, I'm learning that gratitude is not about what I have, but how I see. It's an openness—a soft place in the heart that says, "Thank you for this day, this breath, this love, this chance of a new beginning."

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I hope you enjoyed this today, friends. Thanks for always being around to be my loudest cheerleaders. Your kindness and support means more to me than you'll ever know. I'm grateful for all of you! Love to all. 

Jenn 

 

Hello Monday

 

Happy Monday, friends! I hope you had a great weekend! I can't wait to hear from you at the end of today's post. I'm linking up with Holly and Sarah for today's blog post. 

I'm backing up to Friday; look at the leaves showing off! I have spotty service when I drive to work, so every morning I park here in my church parking lot and talk to Marilyn and then my Mom. I don't like to rush each morning, so I leave my house around 7:35 and then do this; I leave the parking lot at eight and then sit out front of my school in my car until 8:15. I am a creature of habit! This lets me ease into my mornings each day. Are you like this? 

I ran out of protein drinks by Friday, so all I had was iced coffee that morning. Imagine my surprise when I got to work and saw that it was a faculty breakfast! This was delicious. 

As usual, I drove to Chris' immediately after work. Look at the leaves on the drive there! I love a country road, especially in the throes of Fall when the leaves are this pretty. We had a good dinner; well, I had a good dinner, he didn't love what he ordered. We drove around the small town that he lives near since he was late getting home because of really bad traffic. It was a fun night! 

I had a lazy Saturday; I watched movies, I did laundry, I cleaned the house minimally. It was glorious! This was after sleeping late and staying in bed until almost 9:45. He ended up coming to me Saturday night since I was dog sitting for my son Graham. Baby Jack is adorable!

Yes, he got onto my new coffee table to hide from Stella. 🤣 We went to eat dinner and then came back to my house for a fire in the fire pit. It was a fun night.

We got drinks from Dutch Brothers and brought them back to my house. The baby dogs all got in some trouble that night; my deck is about eight inches off the ground, and all three dogs weaseled their way underneath into the mud and muck that lives under there. The more we looked at them, the muddier they appeared to get. It took us at least thirty minutes to get them all clean enough to be brought inside again! I had church on Sunday, lunch after with Graham, Mom, and Bill, then I went to Marilyn's for the afternoon to help her. It was a great weekend, one that went way too quickly. I'm excited about the week, though; my niece, her husband, and my four great nieces will be here visiting! I'll be so glad to see them all, and for the big family dinner that will take place next Sunday night before they leave town again. 

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

Jenn 

Friday Favorites, 11.7.2025.

 

Happy Friday, friends! I'm so glad it's this day of the week; Mama's tired, except that it's not Mama, it's Ms. Loyal (as most of my students call me) who's beat. I'm going to jump right in with my favorites from the week. Buckle up! 

Back country roads are my favorite! I'll be driving this again later today after work when I go see Chris. It's the prettiest drive to his house! We're going into the next town over tonight for dinner and to do something after, in the (not so) big town of New Albany. 

It's my favorite thing in the world to be like this in public. It's his favorite, too; if I'm in front, he's holding onto me. This feels so good after months of very little affection in my life. 

These were my favorite November related things I saw on socials this week. It definitely does not snow where I live in November, though! 

This was my favorite night last weekend; I went to The Orpheum to see The Notebook with Chris, then later on he asked if we could make us "official". Of course I said yes to that. 

Dressing for church/work each day is still a favorite! Do you have a favorite outfit from my week? 

One thing we do at the school I work it is hand out these Eagle Bucks to each other; it's usually over something worth recognizing. My sweet friend Rachel gave me this a few weeks ago, and I just found it in my box at work this week. How sweet is she? The bucks can be collected and spent on something, but I can't remember exactly what can be "bought".

These little Boo Bites have been a favorite snack at work this week!

Have you ever participated in #onedayhh with Laura Tremaine on Instagram? This is always one of my favorite days of the year on social media; I plan on sharing a bunch of stories that day on Instagram and then I'll probably turn it into a blog post at some point. 

My sweet little first grade friend's hair was my favorite this week! Look at all the tiny little butterflies in her hair. 

Cleerly Stated on Instagram is one of my favorite follows; I love what she said there this week, about gratitude. 

Monday night at Marilyn's was my favorite! We haven't taken a picture together in a while and were overdue. 

I have free time built into all of my mornings at work; my favorite way to spend it is to do this. Sometimes I read the Bible when I'm at work, other times I listen in the mornings. I also write something everyday in my journal! 

I bought a new coffee table last week! It's my newest favorite thing in my living room, and I love decorating its surface. 

What was something that was a favorite from your week? I'd love to hear from you! Thanks for reading my blog today, friends. I hope you have a great weekend! I'll see you back here on Monday. Love to all! 

Jenn 

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