Soooo.

So, I had grand plans of blogging every week during 2016.  I so didn't follow through with that plan.  However I do plan on changing that in 2017.  So once again I'm going to do the 52 weeks of gratitude challenge.   

Gratitude week 2 - spouse/significant other

Why am I thankful for my boyfriend??   So many reasons!

- he loves me even with all the quirks 

- he is supportive of my goals and dreams

- he encourages my independence 

- he is my best friend - we can tell each other everything. 

- he makes me laugh

- he is a gentleman- opens the doors and holds them for me, etc. 

I could go on and on - in fact for Christmas I gave him a gift called 52 reasons why I love you!!  

Love you cowboy!!!

52 weeks of gratitude challenge week 1

Why start this challenge?

I am starting this challenge for many reasons.  The easiest way for me to explain why I am doing this will be in a list format (my friends know I love my lists). 

So the reasons I am doing this are: 

~to blog regularly 

~as a reminder to be thankful for the small things

~gratitude is such a big thing in a positive outlook and such an easy way to start 

~to focus on all of the positive things in my life

A long time ago

A long time ago I blogged.  Haha.  Well I am setting a goal for the new year to blog once a week.  

I'm going to use this as a guide. I think this will be a good start to get back into the world of blogging. 

Florida

So begins my summer vacation adventure with the girls.  So far we've driven for far too many hours, swam with manatees, driven four more hours to our destination, visited the most beautiful beach ever, saw more manatees, and managed to laugh, laugh, and laugh lots more.  AND vacation is only half way over.  

Our adventure began by leaving North Carolina and driving thru South Carolina into Georgia where we made a pit stop at...

Best BBQ around. Yummy.  It's been featured on diners, drive-ins, and dives.  It was so yummy and a ton of food at a good price.  You eat outside by the smoker at picnic tables with all of your new friends who are also dining at the same time.  I SSSOOOO recommend this place in your travels through Georgia. 

Next we began our drive to Crystal River, Florida the home of our manatee adventure.  Oh my goodness gracious what an adventure that was.  We lucked out and got to swim for over an hour with a baby manatee and it's mother.  Mind you that baby was not tiny, nor was its mother.  Our captain estimated the mother at around 2,000 pounds!!!  The baby manatee reminded me of a puppy - playful, wanting attention, rolling over so we could pet it's tummy, swimming with us - what an experience.  I do have to admit that I was swimming minding my own business and looked down and saw this MASSIVE creature under me - I about hit the panic button!!  I was sure she was going to surface and take me with her.  Haha. I know that wouldn't have happened but whew my heart was racing.   They are HUGE!!  Even the baby at 3 months was huge.  

The one bad thing about the manatee adventure - the wetsuit!!  Oh good grief - words can not even express the feeling of getting into that wetsuit.  A pact was made of absolutely not a single pic was to be taken of us in our wetsuits.  NONE.  ALTHOUGH considering I am a complete chicken regarding water temperature, I was thankful for the wetsuit as the water was very cold on my feet - I opted out of using the fins - I am so not coordinated enough to use the fins - I can't even walk without tripping, I don't need something that is at least 12 inches longer than my own foot on my feet!!  Here is proof of my uncoordinated entry into the water from the boat...

That is my arm. Trust me when I say that the pic does not do it justice.  3 put of the 4 of us have a bruise.  The fourth doesn't because she didn't follow directions and jumped in the water.  Hmmm...

Now on to Lehigh Acres - then to Sanibel Island.  An amazingly beautiful beach.  I could've stayed there all day!!! And we did. Hahaha. 

We even saw a manatee swimming by while we were sunning ourselves.  It was only out in waist deep water.  Of course I freaked out when I saw it.  For someone who loves the beach, I have a slight aversion to the creatures that live there.  I immediately see an animal and think shark, once I realize it isn't I'm ok, yes I know very irrational.  I blame it on jaws.  

I also had a super time visiting with the Reed family.  These kisses are super.  I loved hearing about what is going on in their lives. My only wish is that the visit could have been longer!!!

The last day of our trip resulted in rain....yes I know should I be surprised?  Me and an outdoor adventure = rain.  

Then we began the journey home.  One stop was made. Another Diners, Drive ins, and Dives stop - this time in Jacksonville.  Food was yummy.  I had a breakfast pie with eggs, potatoes, bacon, and cheese.  The other ladies had a stuffed French toast that was humongous. 

So thankful for a trip to the beach.  

November 11

November 11 will always hold a special place in my heart.  

First of all it is Veterans Day.  The day where we as a nation honor those who've sacrificed so much do that we can have the freedom of speech, of religion, and so much more.  Some gave the ultimate sacrifice of their life.  Some sacrificed time with their loved ones while on tour.  To each I say THANK YOU for allowing me to be the person that I am. Without your sacrifices we would not be the land of the free!!  I honor you each day when I see the flag and pledge allegiance reflecting on all my freedoms.  

Second of all it is the day that my Papa Boo was born.  Of course growing up we were constantly told that a holiday had been created to honor his birthday.  Oh the stories we could tell about this man!!  We all learned to play (well cheat) at cards from him.  Some of us better than others.  :).  Happy birthday Papa Boo - love you and miss you!!!

The last special place in my heart goes out to the doctors who kept my dad safe and operated on him 2 years ago while removing the cancer from his body.  I THANK GOD everyday that this nasty disease was able to be taken care of in one surgery.  Love you bunches dad!!!

It's been a while

So it's been a while since I've blogged!!   I can't believe that it is November already and that 2014 is just right around the corner.  I'm anxious to see what the rest of 2013 has in store for me and what 2014 will bring. 

So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: They kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one. None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. (Romans 8:31-39 MSG)

These verses are some of my favorite in the bible.  Without faith in God and what he is doing in my life I would have nothing.  I know that he will stand up for me.