Very Grateful + Link Love

I was very grateful to receive this award from Future Mama at Baby Makin(g) Machine! You all should check out her blog; it's one of my many favorites.

In the interest of this being the "Attitude for Gratitude" award, I thought I'd list 5 things I'm grateful for...

1. Being able to look through old pictures of Wayne and I.
2. Inspirational blogs.
3. God's Word.
4. Care packages.
5. Watching movies with Wayne.
   

... and here are 5 blogs I'm passing the award onto...

1. Whitney @The King and I
2. Miriam @ Anchor and Bird
3. One Anxious Mommy
4. Wayne @ Wayne's Window to the World
5. Morgan @ Somewhere Over the Rainbow
   

Go check out these blogs because they are all great!

PS: For those of you who I chose, don't feel obligated to pass it on if you don't have time, I just wanted to share the link love :)

Thankful

Sometimes when I start to feel sorry for myself, I realize I need a major reality check! I have so much to be thankful for that there is no reason I should ever feel sorry for myself! I'm blessed beyond anything I could ever imagine. Here are a few things that are on my heart to give thanks for tonight...



I'm an unofficial great aunt.



My Californian aunt is expecting for the third time this Thanksgiving.

Spring. You just can't be mad for too long in springtime.

Family and friends.

Plans. Things may not always work out the way you plan, but it's still good to have an idea in mind of where you're going.

Brownies sent by Morgan.

Cuddling with the English teddy.


Watching Lost with Wayne.

Classes are almost over!


The "my day in pictures" project Wayne and I are doing on our private blog.

Mountains.


Blue skies.


Old beautiful houses.


This man.


Grace.

Thankful

Yes, another one. That's when you know I'm not in a very good mood: when I have to try to cheer myself up by writing what I'm thankful for twice in a week! So anyway, here's my list for today.

I'm thankful...
that I have air conditioning/heat.
for Italian food.
that Wayne will be here so SOON!
for good movies to cheer me up.
for the internet.
that I can always talk to God.
for people who want to help me grow in my faith.
for Wayne, because he always wants to make me happy and he will always cheer me up if I need it.

I also want to take the time to write a special thank-you. Morgan, God could not have blessed me with a better best friend. I really am so lucky to have you in my life. I don't need to go into the details of what you did for me, but you know what it was. If everyone in my situation had a friend like you, this world would be a much better place. Thank you so much for putting up with me!

Thankful

I'm thankful
for Springtime,
for Sunshine,
for legs that allow me to walk (and jog!),
for love,
for friends,
for breaks from school,
for happiness,
for walks,
for people who love helping others,
for faith,
for the comfort I have in Wayne,
for promises,
for dreams.

Thankful

I'm thankful for...

...friends.

...hope for a better future.

...faith that everything will turn out the way my Lord knows is best.

...longer days.

...people who are willing and able to help.

...packages in my mailbox.

...good news in my mailbox.

...getting closer to reaching goals.

...knowing spring break is coming soon.

...changing myself for the better.

...people who support me.

*Photo by Morgan*

Dear Weather,

You really do keep things interesting around here.

One week ago, you were snowy and cold, and today you were up into the 70's.

Thank you, for being crazy, and keeping me on my toes.

Love,
Jennifer

Thankful

I'm thankful for...

The grace and mercy my Heavenly Father has shown me.


The crazy weather here.


Knitting for others.


Happy endings.


Wayne's love.

{Photo by Wayne.}

Thankful

Yes, I missed writing a Thankful post this past week. Yes, I felt guilty. Yes, it felt strange. Yes, these posts are really for my own well-being, as selfish as that may sound. They're my therapy. Seriously.

When I began writing these Thankful posts, I was kind of hoping other people would join me. However, once I had written them for a few weeks and no one else really caught onto it except Wayne and Morgan (who definitely aren't "nobodies"-- they're my absolute best friends!), it didn't really matter to me that my initial plan had taken a different turn.

Let me explain. While I'd absolutely love to read what other people are thankful for, I have come to the realization that I can't blog with the intent of getting more readers or "followers." While I cherish every single comment I receive and every single person who takes time out of their own life to delve into mine, if I chose to focus on how many comments each of my posts got, or how many views my blog gets each day, I'd be in for some major disappointment.

With that in mind, I've made a promise to myself that I will blog for myself. Whatever happens after that is in the Lord's capable hands. If God knows of someone who could be encouraged or inspired by something I write, I know He'll make sure they see it. For now, I'll use this little corner of the Blogosphere to get me through my own trials. Which leads me to my Thankful post for this week...

The past several days, I've been sort of down. It's not the kind of sadness where you just need to be cheered up and move on and be happy again, it's the kind where the only thing you can do to get rid of it is to just endure it with the knowledge that the Lord is carrying me through it and I will be happy again soon. Mostly, I just really need more time with Wayne. I've missed him a lot lately. Okay, I'm miss him a lot constantly.

So it's fitting that, for this week, my list of things I'm thankful for is focusing on All Things Wayne.
------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm thankful that Wayne got his Birthday slash Valentine's Day package that I sent him, even though it was late.

I'm thankful he likes his hat and scarf and the pictures I sent him.

I'm thankful he took this picture for me. Even though you can barely see the scarf. Even though he's not wearing the hat. [Can't you tell just how very thankful I am?!] [But seriously, Wayne: Please take a picture where you can actually tell that you are wearing the hat and scarf I knitted every single stitch of. With love!]

I'm also thankful for the pictures he took for me the other day. These are my favorites...

I just love this bridge or whatever it is. It looks so romantic in kind of an old-creepy-romantic kind of way.

And this building looks so British!

Also, I've got a thing for pictures of winding paths. I'm not sure why, I just love them. Maybe that says something about me?

Thank You, Lord, for being such a gracious Father to me.