Day 3 of 30: My Beautiful Girl

A few months after Chad and I got hitched, we drove to Medina and picked up our newest family member - a boxer puppy we named Lexus. I would never have imagined the joy that little butterball would bring to my life.

For the past 7 years, Lex has been my best friend, my confidant, my shoulder to cry on.

"I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive." ~Gilda Radner

Life can get lonely, no matter how many people we have in our lives. I'm thankful that I've had Lex by my side through all the trials and celebrations of the past seven years. It doesn't take much more than looking at that face to make me smile!

Day 2 of 30 - Beautiful Books

What I am thankful for today: Books!

Books have always been an important part of my life. The things I've read have helped shape the person I am today.



My mom really encouraged my love of reading. We didn't have a lot of money and I didn't get all the toys I wanted, but I don't ever remember her denying me a book I wanted to buy. I have boxes of my childhood books in the basement and they still mean so much to me.



When I got a little older, I fell in love with old books. The first one I bought at an antique store was Irving's Sketchbook. The first Christmas Chad and I were together for, he gave me this huge box full of old books. I knew he was a keeper then :)



Some books I buy for the title, but for many books, I buy them because they are gorgeous. They just don't make them like this anymore!

I love the character and mystery of old books.

It's interesting to think about all the other people that have owned these books before me. I love looking at their drawings and the things they've written.

My love of books is not limited to old books though. I am a voracious reader and I'm so thankful for the impact that books have made on my life. I've learned a lot of life lessons from books. They've allowed me to travel to different places and times, opening my eyes and mind to things I've never experienced. They provide an escape from bad days and worries.

Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers. ~Charles W. Eliot

And sometimes they surprise you!

1:30 - 30 Days of Gratitude in Pictures

I am pretty much obsessed with Pinterest. That's where I came across the idea to do a 30 day challenge: for 30 days I will take pictures of all the things I'm grateful for and post on one subject a day. Many of the challenges I looked at came with a list of things to photograph. Being creative (or averse to rules?), that didn't work for me. So I made up my own list.

It might have made more sense to do this in November, but I like the idea of doing it in December. For so many people, the Christmas season revolves around materialistic pursuits. It's easy to get caught up in the giving and getting of the season. It's nice to think that this Christmas I'll wake up knowing just how many gifts I've been given in my life.

Dirk Bogarde said that the camera "can photograph thoughts." Here are mine for the day:

I am thankful to wake up each and every morning.

I wasn't sure which item on my gratitude list to photograph today. The pink glow of the sunrise solved that problem for me. I am not a morning person at all but it is good to be alive. Because, really, waking up everyday allows me to enjoy all the other things I'm grateful for.


Like two of my favorite people in the world - Chad and Lex (yes, animals are people too!).



And my bed. I'm a big fan of sleep. I'm thankful that we're given a time of rest, a time to let our daily worries go. Until they appear as nightmares, but we won't talk about that.




Since Chad is a firefighter, I don't get to sleep next to him every night. So I'm really thankful for the nights he's home. I sleep easier knowing he's there, and Lex snuggles under the covers with us.


I often find myself jealous of my dog. What a life it would be to sleep so peacefully, without a care in the world. She'll be showing up in many more of my gratitude photos, I'm sure!