Food for Thought

I said I was going to keep the entries shorter and today I'm going to do just that.

Today as I easily walked into the grocery store, got all my groceries, and came home to make dinner, I realized that it's so easy to forget about the gift of food.  It gathers people together, it gives you a glimpse into different cultures, and fills our stomachs.  It is in our refrigerators and cabinets, it is at restaurants around every corner, and I don't know about you, but I really enjoy it!


But there are people all around our country and world that have no food.  Children who have no idea where they will get their next meals and people who go days on end without any food or water.  I don't write all this to make us feel guilty, because I don't necessarily think we should.  Instead, I write it so that as you sit down to dinner tonight or walk to the cabinet without thinking, you take a moment to appreciate the gift that you have and the nourishment that it provides for your body.  It is truly a gift that many humans don't have and we should just be grateful that we do.

A Haitian child named Shelley,
who changed my life forever.
She came to the church to ask for food.
We filled her bucket with
spaghetti and gave her shoes,
clothes, paper, and crayons.
 It seemed so small to us,
 but meant the world to her.    

If this makes you think and want to do more, then do more.  If it just makes you think how lucky you are, then I'd say I've done my job for today!  :)

Man's Best Friend

(I'm bringing the blog back!  I'm going to make a better effort to add more posts.  They may be shorter, but I am wanting to make sure I do more.)

Just hanging with my friend Duck.
Duck doesn't love the friendship
as much as me! ;)

It's been awhile and I have so many things to be thankful for and appreciate.  I decided to start back with something that was surprisingly rewarding over the last couple of weeks.  Some of you may know that when we moved to Washington, Pat promised to get me a dog.  Well, almost three years later we decided to give it a try.  I wouldn't say that we're huge animal activists, but we do love dogs and feel like they should be part of the family.  We have always had our eyes on a Weimaraner, so when we decided to adopt a dog, it was a very easy choice.  We arranged a meeting with the D.C. Weimaraner Rescue and found a wonderful, friendly dog named Jäger.  His owner had given him up because he was moving and didn't want him anymore.  :(  The lady told us that she was happy to allow us to foster him to make sure that he would adjust well.  So we went to Petsmart, spent hundreds of dollars, and got everything we "needed."

It was the last day of school and I went to pick up the furry guy.  It was a little challenging getting him home by myself, but we made it and we all instantly fell in love.  He was a lover and thought he was a lap dog (a 65 pound lap dog!).  The next couple of days were definitely a learning experience, but his sweetness made it very easy to look past the challenging parts.  Long story short, he had a lot of stomach issues and wasn't adjusting very well.  After a few vet appointments, we found that he had a double ear infection and thought he must have a parasite due to his very lean appearance and stomach issues.  We started a variety of antibiotics and hoped for things to get better.  Over the next week, things didn't really improve as quickly as we wanted.  We tried to still get him to the dog park and take him on long walks, but it was evident that he still wasn't feeling well.  After many more vet calls and another visit, he gave us one more antibiotic and told us that since we were fostering we needed to decide if we were going to be willing to run some expensive blood work if his conditions didn't improve.

Where's my dessert?

There was so much going on with him and we felt like we hadn't really had a nice opportunity to spend time with him without worrying about him being sick, etc.  After lots of deliberation and communication with the rescue leader, we decided it might just not be the best fit for him.  Possibly, he was a dog who needed other dogs around or needed someone who would be home all day.   So we decided to take him back to the rescue.  There were plenty of tears to go around, especially because he was such a wonderful, sweet dog.  I'm sure that some people may not think favorably of us for taking him back, but we thought it was in his best interest to give him a better home.

Yeah, I'm a lap dog... what?!

Anyone want to rub
my belly?

With the disappointment of having to take him back, I did learn a few things.  I learned how nice it is to have something so excited to see you when you come home (besides Pat).  I learned that no matter what, they really do love you unconditionally.  I learned that vets are expensive (totally worth it though).  I learned that a dog's sweet little face can make your heart melt.  I learned, after having him for only 2 1/2 weeks, it was really sad to say goodbye.  Mostly, I learned that I can't wait for a house with a backyard and another opportunity to adopt a Weimaraner.....I just hope he's as great as Jäger.  

Guilty Pleasures

**Again I've been bad about updating my blog, but there have been so many wonderful things happening over the last couple weeks that I haven't had much time to sit and write.  There have been pumpkins, mugs of chai tea, a weekend at home, a baby shower for my new niece, a classroom of respectful, fun students (some days), and a lot of laughter and good times among friends.  I hope you've been appreciating all your favorite things, as much as I have my own, and have been taking some time to sit back and enjoy this beautiful time of the year. **

The leaves have changed and are starting to fall, pumpkin scents have begun to spew out of my oven, and I've been switching my tank tops for warm, woolly sweaters.  The months of October, November, and December, have to be my favorite times in the year!  They are filled with my favorite people, foods, colors, and weather.  It's a beautiful time to really enjoy the beauty of Mother Nature; a time to love God's amazing Earth; a time to be thankful of the beauty that is all around us.


It's also a time of the year when we shouldn't feel bad about indulging in a guilty pleasure (or two.)   
For example, these might be things I should feel guilty about, but absolutely don't:

• I watched "Charlie Brown's The Great Pumpkin" four times.
• I wanted to pick out the perfect pumpkin, but felt bad for the loop-sided one, so got that one instead.
• I hoped my students brought me the "good" Halloween candy instead of tootsie rolls and smarties.
• I bought a bag of candy in case any trick-or-treaters came, but none did, nor have they ever the last two years.
• I decided to put my pajamas on at 5, because that's when it gets dark, and watch movies instead of going to the gym.  
• I giggled like a school-girl when I heard the first Christmas song advertisement on the radio.
• I stared out the window as the first snowflakes fell and thought, "I hope I have a lot of snow days this year."
• I started a countdown in my head (don't tell Patrick) for how many more days I have to wait until I can put the Christmas Tree up.  14 days....

It's a time of the year when you can indulge in all things that make your holiday season cheery and bright; a time to enjoy the people and things that bring you joy.  I hope you get to cherish this time of the year, and all your favorite things, by removing the guilt and replacing it with utter joy and bliss.
As my grandma used to say, "Ice cream for breakfast never hurt anyone!" and I know if she was here, she'd be enjoying all of the holidays' guilty pleasures, as much as me.     

A Weekend Getaway!

Marathon training, busy weekends, and leaving all my energy in my classroom are all the reasons that I'm going to blame not updating my blog for a month!  Not great reasons, but my vow is to try to get back to updating and blogging about my favorite things at least a couple times a week.  Here's to hoping it works out.

Today's favorite was easy considering Patrick and I just got back from a great weekend getaway to Charlottesville, Virginia.  It's a beautiful college town located about 2 1/2 hours from D.C. and it was a well-needed reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the city.  Our weekend was perfect with beautiful fall weather and all the quaintness of this great town.

We went to wineries, a UVA football game, dinner and drinks, an apple orchard, and just enjoyed each other's company.  It's amazing how easy it is to get caught up by the mundane routines during the work week and not actually make the most of your time together as a couple.  This weekend we laughed, acted goofy (with the help of some wine), and reconnected on the things that have been happening in our lives lately.  We made goals and plans for our next adventures.  We just relaxed.

I really hope every couple, married or not, gets a chance to getaway or just vary the normal routine to reconnect with each other.  It was such a beneficial weekend for us to spend time together and fall in love a little bit more.  As my grandma use to say,"Marriage is hard work.  Make sure you're in it with someone who you can have fun, laugh, and continue to fall in love with as you go."  I definitely have to agree with her and say that this weekend and my husband are two of my favorite things.


**Note:  I don't mean for this to be too mushy or gag-me-like, but I felt like it'd be good to refer to Patrick in one of my daily favorites.  ;) **

The Dog Days of Summer

With summer winding down and school starting in one short week, I know my days of freedom will be no longer and "my-summer's-over-depression" will begin to set in.  Today's favorite is enjoying a perfect summer day!  I LOVE a good summer day that is warm and full of sunshine.  Not a blazing hot day.  Not a humid day where my hair turns into a frizzball like Monica on Friends.  A nice warm day with bright blue skies and fluffy white clouds.  I love the way the sun shines down and makes all the colors of our earth seem magnified and beautiful.  Those days are pure perfection and I wished they lasted forever.

                                     

                                               

So, as the school year is about to begin and soon the fall season will be making its appearance (which I can't wait for), I'm soaking up this perfect summer day.  I hope it'll give me the energy I'm going to need, as my days will begin to be filled with summer stories, multiplication, and 25 third graders.  With that said, I'm headed back outside with my book to enjoy the day's beauty and soak up the last of the summer's sun.    

My Hoosier Home

Disclosure (as not to offend any of my east coast friends):  Before I start this post, let me start by saying that we moved to Washington, D.C. two years ago in September.  It was a difficult move at first, but we've met some amazing friends, had wonderful experiences, and grown closer today as a couple.  I can definitely say that I do not regret this opportunity at all, and in fact can say that it has been one of the best adventures we've ever taken (this is a big confession for me.)

With this said, I'm a Midwest girl all the way!  I love everything about the Midwest, and this summer I was able to spend a lot of time in this favorite place.  Many people assume that Indiana doesn't have a lot going on and that it doesn't have much to offer.  Well, according to me, they are very wrong.  Indiana has my family, friends, memories, simplicity, peace, and all the comforts of home.  So after spending two weeks in Indiana, it was very easy to pick this as one of my favorites (I know it'd be one of my grandma's favorites, too).


The first thing I love about Indiana is that it's been my home for 25 out of my 27 years of life.  So, needless to say it's comfortable.  I love the way my parents' house smells as you walk in after my mom has made banana bread; the way the trees hug the road with oranges, reds, and yellows in the light of fall; the beautiful waterfall my dad made in our backyard pond; roasting marshmallows in our fire-pit; the way my brother and I use to rush down the short hallway to see what Santa brought us (we did that last year too).  There are just so many wonderful memories and things that I love about home, that I could go on all day, but who has time to read that much!  :)

The other things that I love about Indiana range from perfectly planted cornfields, the coolness of a drive in the country, the way people wave at you when you let them out in traffic, weekends at the lake, the smiles and "Good Mornings" you receive by everyone you pass on a run, and the way the sky is filled with so many stars on a clear winter night.  The Hoosier state may not have a lot going on according to the average person, but to me, it is a state with filled with compassionate people and simple beauty.  I'm sure my grandma would agree that it was a wonderful place to call home. 



What are your favorites about home?

Friends are a Beautiful Thing!

           My Friends are a Beautiful Thing            
                

It is a beautiful thing to laugh so hard with your friends that you're crying and have a stomachache.

It is a beautiful thing to explore the world together.
It is a beautiful thing to learn new things about each other. 
It is a beautiful thing to be surrounded by people who know you better than anyone else and still accept you for you.

Drinking wine with a friend is a beautiful thing.

Solving the world's problems with a friend is a beautiful thing.
A long phone conversation with a friend is a beautiful thing.
An unexpected card or email from a friend is a beautiful thing.
Sitting and just letting the afternoon turn into evening with a friend is a beautiful thing.

This summer has been full of beautiful things with my friends: traveling, laughs, lunches, fuzzy slippers, candy necklaces, movies, hugs, smiles, and just FUN!   They are beautiful people who make my world a better place.  They are caring, compassionate, hilarious, fun, motivated, wonderful people, and I think they are the BEST friends in the whole world. 

My friendships are truly a beautiful thing and I am very thankful for them!