The Sounds Of The South

My favorite sounds in the whole world are cicadas and rain. And lucky me, since I live in the south and it's summer time, every night is one or the other. Hmmmm..... Sometimes I really love where I live and I feel privileged to be from here.

When Someone Is Your Heart

When someone is your heart, what will you do?
~show them how much you love them everyday, even if they don't see it
~let them follow their passion regardless of your opinion
~do anything to allow them to be happy
~be your best for them
~unconditionally love them
~if you are lucky enough,as I am, kiss them and hold them as much as you can
~Love them love them love them, the best that you can

Violets

Forgiveness. One of the biggest aspects of Christianity. One of the hardest feats I can think of when I'm truly hurt.
It's a trial that you face every day. Everybody's been hurt.... sometimes deservedly, sometimes not. But regardless of that, being hurt is hard to get over. I recently read a quote from a good christian woman:

"Forgiveness is the fragrance the violet sheds on the heel that crushed it."

Wow, I don't ever think I'll forget that one. I want to be that graceful.

I have been in situations where I have had to forgive in my life.... one particularly big one. I now find myself with smaller instances, but forgiveness is called for just the same.
I will focus on this.... I will pray for the patience and understanding. I will only be forgiven myself, if truly I forgive others. I will do the work that this will take over and over again to maintain relationships in my life. (Not to say I am wronged often.... forgiveness is just a thought that I've been pondering lately after some discussions with very insightful people). I have some really amazing people in my life and I am so fortunate to have the friends and family that I do. But we can always do better. They are so amazing that I want to be the best person that I can possibly be for them, for myself, and most of all for God.
Also, I want to experience the true grace that this will give me. I want to be strong and truly forgive. I always want what's best for people. My mother taught me that kind of character.
I will make it a point to pray today, tomorrow, and every day for those who have hurt me. That's the fragrance that this violet will leave.

My Other Blog

I just thought I'd post about my other blog: Southern Mamalogue.  That one is more about my family and daily life. It was originally intended to keep our long distance family in touch, but I would love to share it with everyone.  I would love to read any comments ya'll might have.

Winter Wonderland

Yet another cold snap.... it has me reminiscing of my real winter experience.  When Colin and I were falling head over heals in love with each other, I moved to Canada for a year.  What an experience!  I wouldn't trade it for the world.  It was a leap of faith that showed my love, it was a way to understand Colin's Canadian background, to experience the world he lived in, it was an experience of living in a different country and making lots of new friends.  Although we've ended up down south, I can completely relate to him and where he comes from because I've experienced it and met the people behind the stories.  We really lived it up that year and packed in so much fun in such and amazing place and such a short time.  
Taking a walk around his parent's land. It was a beautiful day and we trekked for about 2 to 3 hours.

Skating (with my own ice skates... who would have thunk it.... this little southern girl has her very own ice skates) on a pond at the ski resort after a day on the slopes.

At the top of the hill. This was the coldest I've ever experienced. It was -45 at the top that day. The snow was up to our hips... you sure didn't want to step out of your skiis. The next day they closed the hill because it was -61!!!

Colin and I after a wonderful Scandinavian spa treatment. We actually jumped into a river that evening as part of the treatment. Our friend who went with us had to break a layer of ice that had formed on top of the river. Now remember, rivers run... do you know how cold it has to be to freeze running water!?! I guess that makes us kin to the Polar Bear Club.

Skating on the Ottawa Canal, the longest outdoor skating in the world. I had never skated on natural, ungroomed ice before. It certainly has its own challenges. This is what I would do for exercise some days when Colin went to work.

Right Now...

I am sitting "Indian Style" in the corner of my couch...all of my pillows and my favorite blanket around me.

I am aching to hold one of my babies... Drew is napping and Emma is too. I want so badly to pick her up, but I know I shouldn't because she is already so spoiled.

My cookies are cooling and I am about to decorate them and then take pictures of them (because I love to do that)

I am thinking of how quickly maternity leave is flying by and how I want it to last forever

I am wearing jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt... something I wouldn't be able to wear if I were at work

I am enjoying the silence

I am thinking about my mother and how she is now with my dad, my aunt, and my grandmother

I am thankful for this day, just the way that it is. I am also thankful for my family's health and happiness.

I feel blessed

Gifts

 

"Your talent is God's gift to you.  What you do with it is your gift back to God"

  ~anonymous

I just thought of this which I read years ago as I was looking around at other blogs and all of the amazing talent that is floating around out there. I have been so fascinated by these blogs and I just get lost in them. There is so much out there. I love the creative, whimsical, and spunky personalities....

....which reminds me of another quote:

"What lies behind us and what lies in front of us pales in comparison to what lies within us." ~Emerson

What a world I could get lost in! Well done bloggers!