thankful thursday #213

The Parenthood series finale was tonight. You guys. My friends and I've been dreading it.

We know it's not real life.

But the Bravermans! They're worthy of a thoughtful sendoff.

Their family is known for frequent pancake or waffle breakfasts. We honored them like this:

So good. Worth the work.

Then I got a wicked toe cramp, and I was deeply grateful for true friendship:

Gracious, that hurt. I just wanted to eat my pancakes in peace. For the Bravermans.

We had Puffs for party gifts.

Some wore their gear.

We documented the before faces:

Here we are in not-so-happy times (that is, after the finale):

Thankful for the Puffs.

Did you say farewell to the Bravermans? May you stay forever young. And be grateful!

to the littlest one

Dear Littlest,

Two things happened today: Your mom turned 36, and your dad circulated the 4-D photo of your ultrasound taken this morning. There is so much to celebrate.

You are due to debut in about ten weeks. I doubt you'll make it that far, if your big brother's timeline is any indicator. He came barreling into the world two weeks early at nine-and-a-half pounds, so, do with that what you will.

When we found out about you, Kaki and Audie and Pat and I were all together in Athens, huddled around a computer Skyping with your mom, dad, and brother. Your dad nudged Little Man and said, Carter, tell them what you wanted to say.

While he played intently with his trucks, he mumbled Gonna be a big brudder. No one understood him -- not so out of the ordinary -- and when he repeated it, I got it. We cheered. It was a treasured moment to share all together.

Speaking of your big brother, Little Man knows he has a baby brother growing in his mom's tummy, and he'll give you a kiss when prompted. He stays up late feeding the practice baby that your Emme gave him for Christmas. As best as we can expect, his own little preparations have begun.

Your mom and dad are in a very different place than when they welcomed No. 1. They are several states northward; your dad is out of school and into residency; your mom is working hard in and out of the home; and together they lead a family of three now, not just make up a family of two.

I've thought so much about what your world will be like, and truth be told, I don't know. I'm the eldest sibling, so I know only the anticipation and thrill of (twice) receiving a baby brother, not being the new baby.

So I can tell you this, Littlest:

You will not disrupt your family; you will enhance it.

Your brother will adore you at times and envy you at times; but brothers you will always be.

You might wear a lot of hand-me-downs; but so did your brother, because your mom has great girlfriends who share all things. (On a side note, your mom has great girlfriends because she is one herself. You'll be wise one day to take notes.)

Your dad anticipates a wild and crazy and stressful season when you arrive; that will become a new normal that they will quickly and joyfully embrace.

You may always feel like a comparison, but you'll know no different. You'll be fine.

Your mom and dad have done this before; but you'll never be less important or unique.

You'll not have your mom and dad to yourself; but once you're here, they'll forget what their lives were like before you.

Your grandparents are making plans to be there to greet you, just like they did the first time around.

You're being ushered into a broken world, just like Little Man was; that'll never change. Neither will our worries and cares for you.

You are a delight to our family already, and we are wild with excitement over meeting you.

Stay comfy until the time is right. We'll see you very soon!

thankful thursday #212

I hate to be the girl who wishes away time. I really do.

But mercy, I thought January 13th might never come.

The all-consuming work project is complete, and I am sleeping in my own bed again after eight days on the road. It is a relief to have it all behind us.

It's a little like crossing a mountain. You get to the other side, and when you look back, you see the majesty of the mountain, but not so much what you went through to cross it.

You remember that you were weary, and thought more than once you might not make it, but you do, and in retrospect, glimmers of gratitude begin to peek over that mountain.

For example, can we get an amen that these statues fit back into their crates and through the doors of their warehouse?

That was a moment of relief gratitude.

Or how about that we met a celeb or two?

I don't watch commercials, but I've heard this guy is quite the phenom. Whatever.

We listened in on the Lady Antebellum sound check next door.

Appreciative for the chance to do something I don't do every day.

I loved watching our work family FaceTime with real family back home.

Made me grateful that we value the important things.

And then really in the end, despite all that goodness, I was darn thankful to head home.

On this side of the mountain, it's nice to look back at the view, but it's also exciting to look ahead at the 2015 landscape.

Do you have a mountain behind you, too? Go on, be grateful!

how i ended 2014 (an iPhone photo purge)

December was a blur for me. But the iPhone comes through for me on occasion, so I can look back and know that it did, in fact, happen.

I visited the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville for the first time. Isn't it pretty?

Lori and I were there for the Behold the Lamb of God concert. It's a favorite Christmas tradition, but to live it this year with her in Nashville was especially memorable.

One day when I was needing some retail therapy -- for probably no reason other than I needed to get out of my office -- I bought this candle on sale. It's called "Winter," and it's a new favorite thing.

 I love Friday Night Lights. I really love this t-shirt. Texas Forever.

These are some of my running buddies. They see me regularly at 6:00 a.m., God bless them, after I've rolled straight out of bed and into my running shoes. It was fun to celebrate the holidays together having showered and dressed in non-spandex.

On New Year's Eve, Bethany and I staged this pic with our firemen neighbors. It's about how we're feeling at work these days. That is, in need of medical attention.

So those things happened. It was a better December than I thought!

thankful thursday #211

My New Year's Eve celebration involved working late, writing my annual recap, watching Mississippi State crumble in the Orange Bowl, indulging in a little Netflix, and falling asleep by 11:00 (do I get points for making it to midnight EST?).

Not remarkable.

But I couldn't be more thankful to start 2015 here.

These trails on crisp winter mornings are peaceful and grounding.

Remarkable.

I'm expectant for a boatload of these moments in the coming year, and hopeful you have them too. Go on, be grateful!