Monday, September 30, 2024
weekending
Saturday, September 28, 2024
Share 4 Somethings (September 2024)
Happy Saturday, friends! Today we're talking about the things we loved or disliked, accomplished, improved upon/needs improvement, and noticed this month. I'll jump in!
Loved/Disliked
I loved seeing my Noah last weekend and spending the weekend with him last week in Dallas.
Accomplished
I accomplished my first solo home project last week and got rid of a hutch to bring in this different one from my dad's house. I still love it every time I walk into the dining room, and it feels great knowing that I decluttered the things that had been stored inside the old one. I tossed all of the things that had chips/cracks in them, so I got rid of several coffee mugs/cups, and plates that I had.
Improved upon/Needs improvement
In some ways this month, I've improved upon my outlook and attitude. I'm trying more to see the good in everything, and when I'm feeling sorry for myself, I ask God to help me with my thoughts and to help me pull myself together. In other ways, though, my attitude still needs lots of improvement. I know it's normal to have all the emotions I'm having because of my life situation, but I hate feeling sad or angry. Given the choice between the two, I'll choose angry any day over feeling sad and weepy. He doesn't deserve the tears I've cried! And honestly, it's not tears over him, but over the dreams of what I thought my life would look like at this stage of life.
Noticed
I've noticed that the there is a slight hint of change in the color of the leaves in my neighborhood. And also, more leaves are on the ground now than last week! I love this time of year, and I'm thankful that no matter what I'm going through, some things will never change.
I'm excited to read your posts today! Thanks for reading my blog and for linking up with me today, friends. Love to all!
Jenn 🖤
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Click here to enterFriday, September 27, 2024
Friday Favorites, 9.27.2024.
Happy Friday, friends! I'm linking up with Andrea and Erika for today's blog post. How has your week been? Mine was good for the most part, which I'm taking as a win! I have some favorite moments from this week, and I bet you do too! Here are mine:
On a completely unrelated note, this kitchen is my favorite and I want mine to look just like it, including the dog.
This song was a favorite that we sang in church last Sunday. There's a line in the song that says, "Even when you don't see it, He's working; Even when you don't feel it, He's working. He never stops, He never stops working." I was worshiping as we sang this last week, but when it came to that stanza, I just hung my head and wept. I don't always feel or sense God near, or that He's working on my behalf, but I know that He is. I know that I can trust Him, because He is trustworthy. I know that He is with me, and I know that even though the person I loved most abandoned me, and let me down, God never will do that to me. He loves me, He will never leave me, and His love unconditional. I don't know what it was about singing this song last week that hit me, but it's been a while since I was moved to tears like that during worship.
And because I don't want to end on a sad note, I'll share that these memories are one of my favorites from the week.
Seeing Noah and spending time with friends is always a favorite thing, especially when it involves a sleepover! What was something that was a favorite for you this week? I'd love to hear from you! Also, tomorrow is the last Saturday of September, which means it's time for Share Four Somethings; the prompts are things we loved or disliked, accomplished, improved upon/needs improvement, and noticed this month. I hope you make plans to join me tomorrow!
Thanks for reading my blog, friends. Love to all!
Thursday, September 26, 2024
Thankful Thursday
Happy Thursday, friends! It's been a minute since I've shared a gratitude list type of blog post, so I thought I'd talk about some things I'm thankful for this week. I hope you're encouraged to start your own list somewhere; being grateful in all circumstances really shifts your perspective on life and it's hard to complain when you try to see the good amidst all the junk around us.
This week I am thankful for:
- hugs to sustain me through the week
- cooler days
- friends calling and stopping by work to check on me
- sleepovers with my besties
- being able to have overnight guests in my home again
- my mom and amazing dad (I'm not even calling him "stepdad" anymore; he's now my only dad)
- an unexpected lunch with them and Jonah yesterday
- fajita bowls from a new favorite Mexican place
- leftovers for my dinner this weekend
- kind encouragement from blog readers like you
- boldness to speak up about my current life
- the gift of prayer and the power of it
- my church family
- my siblings who are the best ever
- plans for the weekend
- people who take the time to text and call me
- my job that I love so much
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Wednesday hodgepodge
Happy Wednesday, friends! I'm linking up with Joyce today with her Wednesday hodgepodge link party.
1. It's officially fall, y'all...in the Northern Hemisphere, anyway. What are three of your favorite things about this particular season?
- the weather
- the decor that I pull out each year that seriously rivals Christmas
- the shorter, cozier days
2. Your favorite fall fabric—denim, flannel, tweed, corduroy, tartan, polar fleece, leather? Do you own something made with your favorite fabric? I think that out of all of these choices, my favorite fabrics to wear on cooler mornings and nights are flannel and polar fleece.
Here are some examples that I found of those fabrics.
3. According to Everyday Health, here are ten healthy fall foods: apples, pears, cranberries, winter squash, pumpkin, leeks, Brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes, parsnips and broccoli. How many of these do you eat on a regular basis? Which is your favorite? Which one gets a big no thanks from you? I don't really eat any of these on a regular basis, per se, but I do love sweet potatoes the most and will eat any of the others mentioned. I don't dislike any of these super foods, but pears are not my favorite. They're always too mushy for my taste and remind me of an apple that is past it's best date.
4. Tell us about the last time (or a recent time) you experienced a wave of nostalgia? Everyday of my life would be an acceptable answer! I have to stay off the memories app on Facebook and Timehop, because my life is so drastically different than this time last year. It makes me cry all the time! Don't get me wrong; part of me loves this new independent life that I'm living, but the other part of me desperately misses the old life I had as one half of a couple. I miss the person he was, but I do not like the person he is now; he's someone who is unrecognizable to me. I started to post a picture here, but he honestly doesn't deserve the space he once took up on my blog. I'll share one of just me instead.
5. September 22nd was National Daughter's day. Like mother, like daughter...does this idiom ring true for you? You may answer in terms of your own role as a daughter, or if you have daughters, then your role as a mother of daughters. This idiom definitely rings true for me! People tell me all the time how I am just like my mom; I am and I consider that a great compliment. I also get told often how much we favor. I'll let you be the judge.
6. Insert your own thought.
My Jonah doesn't get a lot of picture space here on the old blog, but I cannot imagine my life without him. He is the only person I live with now, and months ago he told me because of all that I had gone through this summer, that leaving me anytime soon was nowhere on his radar. He is my son, of course, but he is my friend, my roommate, my helper, and someone who makes me laugh. I greatly admire and respect him and the fact that he talks to me about everything and anything. He speaks his mind very freely, and he has had the worst summer of his entire life: his twin brother moved to Texas, his best friend moved to Chattanooga, his pappaw died, his dad moved out of our home, and he broke up with his girlfriend. It's been wave after wave of sadness, devastation, and heartbreak, but those dimples you see in his cheeks are still there each and everyday. His friends have been his lifeline, and he has been one of mine. All of my sons have, honestly, but Jonah is often the unsung hero in my eyes. He never lets me take his picture, but he's one of the most kind human beings I've ever had the privilege of knowing. Just look at him and his brothers holding my Dad's hands before he died.
And now I need to go cry a little over my dad. I miss him.
Thanks for reading my blog today, friends. Love to all.
Jenn 🖤
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
out with the old and in with the older
Happy Tuesday, friends! I made a change in my home this weekend, and I wanted to share it here, since it feels significant because of the fact that I made the decision completely on my own. When I moved into this house twenty one years ago, most of the furniture came from my family. My mom had given me her dining room table and hutch when I got married, and I am so grateful to her for doing that! Truth be told, I was ready to change it up after all the years I've had it. Here's what it looked like before...
I decided to try to sell it on Facebook marketplace. Someone came to pick it up on Sunday, and I couldn't be happier! I cleaned everything out and found new homes for things, weeding out what needed to be recycled because of chipped sides (coffee mugs mostly), and waited for Jonah to come home to help me with bringing in what I was going to be put back in its place.
This is the hutch that sat in my dad's house. I love it so much! I love that we're all about keeping things in the family, you know? This was something he purchased from an antique store, and I think it's beautiful. On the bottom shelf are all the Christmas dishes that I use, and the other shelves hold the pottery that I've had for twenty-eight years, glasses that are never used, and some decorative plates that also came from Dad's. Yesterday I added my grandmother's China as well, and I have a few pieces propped up on the back for display.
I love how it turned out! Even more than that, I love having another piece of my dad's belongings here with me. I love how cleaned out and organized it looks with things prettily displayed, and I loved that this was a big change that I made on my own for the first time. I didn't run it by anyone, I just did it by myself. Well, also thanks to Jonah and his friends who got this thing inside and put together again. It brings me great joy to change things up in my home to make it more of what I love and what works for my current (new) life.
Thanks for reading my blog today, friends! I'm linking up with Joanne for this post. Love to all!
Jenn 🖤
Friday Favorites, 12.6.2024.
Happy Friday, friends! I'm linking up with Andrea and Erika for today's blog post. I hope you've had a good week! Mine has...
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Happy Friday, friends! I'm linking up with Andrea and Erika for today's blog post. How has your week been? Mine has been good,...
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Happy Friday, friends! I'm linking up with Andrea and Erika for today's blog post. How has your week been? Mine has been good,...
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Happy Thursday, friends! I'm so glad you're here today to link up with Joanne, Marilyn, Tanya, and me. I also hope that all of you...