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sharing a bit about home over on sidda snaps today - go here to read 

review | joy to the world, by scott hahn.

Hello, blog. It's been a while. I will soon be posting more regularly, but, in the interim, here's a short snippet of a review on a book I have recently read.

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Not long ago, I stumbled upon a blog post about Blogging For Books. Naturally, I was intrigued.

My first book selection is Joy to the World, by Scott Hahn. I chose this book back in October, because, with the Christmas season quickly approaching,  I wanted a book that really got me into the Christmas spirit, while also taking on the role of educating me a little bit more in the scripture surrounding this time of year.

I couldn't have been more pleased with this book in that regard. I often have turned away from books about Christianity, not having interest in reading them. I am so glad that I read this book, as I feel that is has opened doors for me to enjoy a genre that I have been overlooking.

In all, I was pleased with this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for more knowledge surrounding the birth story of Jesus, a renewal of the Christmas Spirit, and an unexpectedly exciting read.

Have you read Joy to the World? What did you think?

PS - I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.

a pre-thanksgiving pop-in.

It's really a bit mind-boggling, how busy I've found myself in this first semester of OT school. It's been a wild ride, and I wouldn't trade it for anything (despite my somewhat-constant grumbling as of late - stress'll do that to ya). 

I'm sitting here in my dining room. Tahoe is asleep on the first landing of the stairs, and the blustery rain is continuing its incessant beating outside. The ham was picked up earlier today, and I have an 18-item to-do list immediately to my left, none of which includes school tasks. Our first Thanksgiving guest arrives later this evening. 

It's our first Thanksgiving to host with non-family members in attendance - though we will, thankfully, have one family member in attendance! - & to say that I'm thrilled is an understatement. I love the holidays. I love food. I love friends. I love having people over. But I'm a little bit nervous, too. Cooking for these friends that have so quickly become family is a bit intimidating. I'm not known for my cooking skills, but I'm going to put my best foot forward. And, of course, Justin will be contributing his mad kitchen skills. I just can't wait to make holiday memories with these wonderful, hilarious, sweet, awesome people.

I'm rambling, I know. But it's the only way I know how to talk/write right now. 

I just miss this space. I miss sharing. I miss blogging. 

I plan to take photos tomorrow, which will hopefully be shared in this space in a timely manner. I have plans brewing on the horizon for this blog, and it's my great hope that they come to fruition.

There's so much school work to be done, but I think a couple of days off will do my body and mind some good.

So, I guess that's all for right now. Except for the fact that I'm wearing - and rocking, if I do say so myself - red lipstick today. And later, I'm getting bangs. But I guess those are very small things in relation to everything else. So, I will leave you on that note.

Happy Thanksgiving!

four on friday.

a morning walk on the first of november
a gloomy drive on the way to
late breakfast at a hole-in-the-wall
large chunks of time spent on top of the world-
or, at least, the top floor of the library

this is the stuff of our days lately
this, and dinner on the couch
and food network viewing
and just normal, busy things

good morning, november.

I woke up today, and, somehow, it was the eleventh month of 2014, I was an occupational therapy student, and my house was a mess. For a moment, I felt bad about that. You know, the house-being-a-mess part. I also felt bad about the fact that I didn't really make time to work out in October. Or time to blog. Or time to read. Or crochet - something I love doing around this time of year. I also felt a little bit bad about my bare nails - I've been wanting to paint them red for a while now. Because, while red is always a good idea, it's an even better one in the fall.

I felt bad about these things.

And then, I thought, hello November.

It's a brand new month. A month in which we can make ourselves whoever we want to be.

Here's who I want to be in November:

- a person who is busy, but smiling
- a person who makes time to sit down at the kitchen table with coffee & oatmeal every morning, to have a proper breakfast
- a person who reads - even if it is the tiniest little bit - for pleasure every single day
- a person who crochets while watching television or a movie
- a person who doesn't get ragged-feeling when they have a lot to do; rather, a person who simply makes the list and gets it done, however much time it may take

Those are the things that I decided this morning, bright and early at 11:15, while I sat here with my blue laptop and waited for my pecan pie coffee to brew.

And I feel good about it all.

Happy November!

two years married.

Today, Justin & I have been married for two years. This past Friday, we jetted off to to Florida for the LSU-Florida game, one of Justin's favorites to attend. We stayed in Jacksonville & commuted in to Gainesville. We had a wonderful trip! This weekend, plans are still in the works, but I believe we are going to stay in Wilmington, on the water. As we walked out of lunch at The Scullery in downtown Greenville today, the church bells were playing, and we talked about how it feels like we got married a really long time ago. Maybe that's because we've been together for so long. Maybe that's because a lot has happened in our lives between the years of 2012 and 2014. Either way, all I know is that I hope there are many, many more years in store for us. Here's to many, many more anniversaries!

reading and writing, and things in between.

Today, I decided I was going to embark on the journey of reading all of the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, starting with Little House in the Big Woods today.

Today, I decided that I am going to learn to sew.

Yesterday, I color-coded my school email inbox.

Today, I read blogs. I browsed Pinterest. And instead of feeling overwhelmed, I felt inspired.

I’ve been thinking of things and writing pieces in my head. I’ll hopefully soon put them down in ink, and then I will - hopefully, finally - share them here.

Writing means a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but I like what it means to me the most.

the last weekend in september.

When I think back on this weekend, I want to remember a few things. 

I want to remember how foggy and rainy and gray it was the Friday morning of my first Car-fit event as a technician. I want to remember how random clusters of bees kept flying up at us, making us run around like crazy people. I want to remember practicing on each other's cars. I want to remember breakfast at Coffee Shack at 7:30, bright and early, before we set out.

I want to remember rushing home to write a SOAP note, scarfing down an apple and peanut butter, and hurriedly putting together an outfit that I hoped was appropriate for stand up paddle boarding (which is apparently called "SUP"). I want to remember the van ride with our SUP crew, learning the seat belt game and laughing the whole way there. I want to remember how scared I was when I first set foot in the Tar River, how scared I was when I felt the river's current trying to pull me out away from the other paddlers, how scared I was when I finally tried - successfully - to stand up. I was scared, but I still did it, and I am proud of myself. I am especially proud that I never even fell into the water once. That is something I was sure was going to happen. I want to remember the car ride back, when I was quiet and hungry, but then laughing about going as different parts of the homonculus for Halloween.

I want to remember changing at Rebekah's and having lime Perrier. I want to remember dinner at China 10 and having two glasses of cab and laughing as hard as I could. I want to remember the fortunes we grabbed and how one was about friendship. 

I want to remember feeling pretty ragged when I woke up on the couch on Saturday morning, and how I couldn't wait until Justin got home, partly because sleeping on the couch multiple nights in a row isn't fun, and partly because I want someone to share the job of taking Tahoe out, but mostly just because I miss him. I want to remember trudging down the roads outside before the sun came out. I want to remember how it was just a pink and orange streak in the distance. 

I want to remember my first Habitat for Humanity build day. I want to remember the banter and the sore legs and the hammering in linoleum flooring. I want to remember how proud Kalyn and I felt that we had actually learned a new skill that day, and that we had worked together and problem solved and just generally owned our task.

I want to remember breakfast with Rebekah at 1:30 p.m. at the Scullery. I want to remember that delicious veggie scramble, toast and jam, and the CHEESE GRITS. But mostly, I want to remember the conversations over multiple cups of luke-warm and somehow still delicious coffee. I want to remember feeling that comfortable feeling of knowing someone is listening to your stories, laughing with you, and sharing their stories as well. I want to remember how much I needed that, how much it helped me to de-stress and remember that this school thing is something to really experience. Not something to stress over.

I want to remember chatting with Mom on the drive home, telling her all about this weekend that I want to remember. I want to remember my long talk on the phone with Dad when I got home. We talked about wheelchair transfers and SOAP notes and gait belts and other things therapy-related. I want to remember how happy I am that we now have therapy in common, that, by the end of my schooling, we will both be therapists.

I want to remember everything about this weekend. And now, it's down in writing, the best place for it to be. 

The main thing I want to remember tomorrow, though? All of my Foundations information. To not stress. To take things one day at a time. That everything is going to be ok. That school is going to fly by at the blink of an eye, and that now is the time to enjoy it and experience it, not when there are no tests on the horizon. 

Now, I sit at the table, about to make a schedule for this week, in order for it all to work. I sit and wait for Justin to arrive home. I sit and I study. And I clean the house. And I start reading the Bible daily again. That's today. 

on transition.

Lately, the only thing that can get me out of bed is the phrase, "... and then we can go get coffee." Even if it is an internal monologue, prompting me to get up and get ready. Even if it is Justin telling me we need to take Tahoe out. 

It's funny, because every time I sit down to write about life, to write about anything, it feels as if there are at least fifty different ideas and perspectives pulling me in different directions, shouting their opinions in my head, making me hesitate. 

I guess the best way to describe that phenomenon is with one word: overwhelmed. 

We're moving into the fifth week of grad school over here, and I'm still overwhelmed. My routines still aren't back to normal. I'm still not writing daily like I was over the summer. I'm still not reading the Bible like I had been doing almost daily since March. I'm still not acclimated to a good workout routine.

But, on the way to Starbucks to meet a friend to study on Thursday, I had the realization that I am finally settling into the rhythm of my new life, into the pace. And that, my friends, is saying something.

I probably go through at least eight different emotions within the course of a day, but I am making it. 

The ever-present ache for home is still there, even though it feels like home is different every time I go back.

People and places and things are altogether different here, yet altogether the same.

I miss feeling secure, surrounded by friends, but that feeling is slowly seeping into our lives here.

My words feel unfamiliar in this space, but they are making their way back to me.

And the list of feelings goes on and on. Transition is a strange, surreal collection of moments strung together in an awkward fashion. But that is life, and this is my life. And I'll keep going and feeling and wondering and wishing and enjoying and loving.

let's simplify.

For the last few weeks, as I finally launched my brand new career as an Occupational Therapy student, I had a lot to think about. Making new friends among the twenty-five other OT students in my class, figuring out how on earth I was going to stay on top of all of my readings, assignments, quizzes, tests, & meetings, how I was going to eke out some time to work out, & the list goes on & on (and on, further than you could ever imagine).

You always think you’re ready for these life transitions. You daydream. You make “schedule proposals” in your journal. You make plans. You make promises to yourself & others.

And then, you begin the transition. And suddenly, nothing looks at all the way you imagined it. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s a startling, unnerving, un-tethering thing. Suddenly, your proposed schedules are so far off point that you may as well run them through the shredder, along with your sanity. Suddenly, you are busier than you could have ever imagined. Suddenly, you arrive home at five o’clock, & you have no idea where the whole day has gone. Suddenly, one day passing feels like an entire week. Suddenly, you are on a rollercoaster each day: at the peaks, you (figuratively) scream out,

I CAN DO THIS.

And you believe it. In the valleys, you wonder to yourself,

How will I ever accomplish all of this?

And you are genuinely concerned.

Through all of these feelings of excited chaos, there was one thing that kept running through my mind. One thing that had absolutely nothing to do with OT school. Amidst the quizzes stressed about & taken, the homework assignments tapped out in wavering confidence… It was there, probing, annoying, begging to be answered.

How will I blog through all of this?

To most people, I’m sure those closest to me included, this seems a bit of an inane worry.

Who cares about blogging? You are on the cusp of a new career.

They might be saying. And I know it’s true.

But there is something that blogging does for me, that it has been doing for me for over 12 years. It gives me something that is completely my own. A creative outlet. A way to express myself. A way to save my life for all posterity. A way to scrapbook. A way to reflect. A way to make everything feel special.

That is what blogging – at its simplest core – has always meant to me.

But how am I to continue this practice, with the mountainous to-do lists I now have teetering & tottering on my psyche each day? How will I make the time?

The answer: I will simplify this space.

No more “series” in which I will attempt to tell myself what I am to write about that day. No more scheduled monthly favorites or empties. No more scheduled editions of The Sunday Currently. No more telling myself when a post MUST go up into cyberspace. No more being so serious about it. No more attempts to convince myself that I need to make money off of my blog. No more feeling inadequate if I don’t.

No more schedules and pressures, in short.

This blog, from this point forward (well, as far forward as I can see right now, which is about a day & a half, truth be told), will just be… Me. A collection of photos & memories & thoughts & questions.

That’s it.

This way, when I am struck with that feeling to share (which happens a lot), when I am struck by the beauty – sadness – wonder of something, I know I will have somewhere to put it out into the universe, where like-minded or un-like-minded people may take it in & do with it what they will.

For the longest while, I was struggling with where this blog was going to go. I was having a bit of an existential crisis:

Why do we share things on the Internet?

I wondered to myself (and aloud to my closest people).

Why am I sharing that photo on Instagram? What am I trying to prove? Who am I trying to be? Who am I trying to impress? At my core, I realized I didn’t want to do ANY of those things through social media, not really. When I did do it, I got really caught up in it, wanting my life to appear perfect & beautiful & just-so. But the emptiness that ends up consuming you when you go down that road – it’s unbearable, like an ache that simply will not go away.

And the only way I knew how to take myself out of that virtual race was to really cut back on posting anything on the Internet. My Twitter account went silent. Days passed between Instagram posts. Suddenly, I remembered what it felt like to simply be myself. And it felt wonderful.

Slowly, I started sharing again. Slowly, I figured out what I truly, when I was completely honest with myself, wanted to put out into the virtual world. Slowly, I figured out that I could share, without it changing who I was, what my goals were, & what my ideals & morals & wishes were.

So, that brings me back to this space, where I will share exactly what I feel. Exactly what I love. Exactly what makes me sad, excited, melancholy, & overwhelmed. The only thing I know completely is myself, and that is a growing relationship I’m trying to nurture daily.

I’m not trying to sell anything. I’m not trying to make myself appear perfect, wonderful, relevant, or in-the-know. I just can’t do it anymore. I just don’t want to do it anymore.

What I do want to do: provide comfort to anyone who may derive comfort from my images or words. Inspire those who may feel the same way as I do, to live their best lives & to remember that putting their best foot forward each day is enough. Remind everyone that things & life & love & photos & your house don’t have to be perfect at every living moment. We’re all in this big race called life together. And just being is enough. Just sharing is enough. There doesn’t have to be some ulterior motive behind each post. Just sharing the joy you felt – through a photograph and a few words – is enough.

I feel that if I don’t restrain myself, I could sit at this laptop & type for three hours (at the least) on this subject. But I also feel as though I’ve fully expressed myself in these 1096 words (give or take).

The key to blogging through school (and for years after that, hopefully) is simple: it lies in simplifying. Being true to myself. Writing what I know. Writing what is true within me.

And really, didn’t I always know that?  

the centennial sunday currently.

glen iris flowers

Hello & welcome to the one hundredth edition of The Sunday Currently! It's hard for me to believe that I've sat down & tapped out one hundred different Sunday posts. In fact, to someone whose concept of numbers is a little... skewed... it seems like a much bigger number than it really is. 

I grappled with whether or not I was going to continue weekly editions of The Sunday Currently after this 100-post mark, & after careful thought & consideration, it is with slight sadness, but persistent confidence that I announce that this will be the last in the series. I thought it would be a nice way to wrap up this fun little series, to have a complete set of 100 to look back on. I'm not saying I'll never do a currently post again, nor am I implying that I'll never do another edition of specifically The Sunday Currently. I'm simply relinquishing the responsibility to write & post one each week, on Sunday, at noon eastern, on the dot. In fact, as you may have noticed, this post is not going up at noon eastern. Which brings me to my next point...

Lately, I've felt drawn to getting out & really just living my life, without the bonds of social media & constantly capturing every moment & making sure to do blog-worthy things weighing on my mind. It's felt liberating. I know what that means for my blog, really, but I am optimistic that this space will continue to be updated, maybe with a different kind of content, maybe not regularly, & maybe not forever, but for the time being. You know how people usually say they just know when a blog's time has kind of run out? Well, I won't lie to you & say I haven't felt those feelings about this space, because I have. BUT, I am not yet ready to let it go just yet. I don't know what the future holds for siddathornton, but I know that I'm probably one of those people who will always have a blog. 

I'll share more with you all as these thoughts develop & change. But for now, that's where I am. 

Seriousness aside, I'm happy to say that I've been in Shreveport since Wednesday! Completely surprising my parents was a success, & I think that we have all enjoyed our time here together. I am sad to be leaving soon, but I am also ready to get back home to Justin & Tahoe & get school started!

C U R R E N T L Y . . .

R E A D I N G  will resume in full force tomorrow. I haven't been good about keeping up with my reading on this trip, since I've been so busy running around! I've missed my daily Bible readings, & I'm excited to get back into them.

W R I T I N G  has also fallen off a bit.  

L I S T E N I N G  to the Mates of State Pandora station - it's been my Shreveport thing for the past few visits.  

T H I N K I N G  that trips home are a treasure.

S M E L L I N G  the French Lavender & Honey that I sprayed - liberally - on myself while we shopped around in Bath & Body Works just a little while ago.

W I S H I N G  I could have done even more than I did during my Shreveport trip. I'm so glad I finally got to meet Baby Austen, but there is so much more that I always want to do. It's hard to get everything squeezed into one trip! 

W E A R I N G  J. Crew plaid & dark nail polish.

L O V I N G  my family & friends who took time out of their schedules to visit with me while I've been in town - it means the world to me! 

W A N T I N G  Southern Maid donuts later. I'm excited!

N E E D I N G  to wash my hair. And pack my suitcase.

F E E L I N G  bittersweet. The Sunday Currently has been such a labor of love for me. I know I'll miss it, but I also know this is the right choice.

this week's posts:

songs from greenville, volume 1

rain in greenville

three from wilmington

the sunday currently, volume 99

Well, folks, it's been a good run for The Sunday Currently. Thank you to everyone who has linked up & commented & Tweeted & Instagrammed about this link-up. It wouldn't have been what it was without all of you. Thank you for helping me to celebrate the every-day & in commemorating the simple moments. Most of all, just thank you.

What are you doing? Link up & share below.

songs from greenville, volume 1.

One week ago, I set myself to the task of creating a playlist that I hoped to listen to while putting the finishing touches on unpacking & arranging & organizing our house. I wanted it to be the kind of playlist that, whenever listened to in the future, would create feelings of happy nostalgia for the time when we first moved into our place in Greenville. After seven days of listening, I am happy to say that this string of 51 songs is going to be exactly that. 

listen to it here

rain in greenville.

In our first week here in Greenville, sunny days gave way to rainy ones. 

We traversed out into the country to sample some local fare at Yoder's Dutch Pantry. What more is there to say, other than one big, hearty yum? The Grifton scenery was nothing to sneeze at on this lovely day. 

As the week wore on however, we found ourselves wading through torrential, steady downpours. Even so, we made our way out into our new town, set to explore & eat & learn. I can already tell that I'm going to love being back here in East Carolina, with its cozy corners & rainy deluges.

three from wilmington.

all taken during melanie's visit. all steeped in wilmington goodness.

* editor's note 12:39 p.m. - we finished one tree hill last night, 
& i miss it so much. these photos were perfectly timed to that feeling.

the sunday currently, volume 99.

where's tahoe?

Hello out there, from a very rain-soaked & gloomy Greenville, North Carolina. As Justin was telling his Dad on the phone the other day, he cannot remember a day that he was off work, that it hasn't rained. It was hot, humid, & quite sunny all week, & then the weekend hit, & it's all clouds & that constant kind of sprinkling rain that feels like it will never end. 

A very good thing about this weekend is that we acquired a rug for our living room, as well as a runner for the foyer, as well as a round, gold mirror for our room, all from antique shops yesterday. The two rugs we bought at The Loose Goose, which I have a feeling will turn out to be a bit of a treasure trove here in Greenville for us, & the mirror we picked up at Fox & Hound. I'm excited about all of the antiquing avenues here, both the ones we popped into yesterday, as well as the ones that we have yet to explore. There seems to be quite a lot of potential!

Today will be a day for hanging things on the wall. Since we moved in almost two weeks ago, artwork & mirrors have been sitting on the floors, sticky notes holding their places on the walls. It's time to change that. It's time to bring our house a little closer to decor-completion. So today, we will hang things on the walls. And we will also fold towels. Because that's something that needs doing, also.

C U R R E N T L Y . . .

R E A D I N G  the Bible, as well as little sprinkles here & there of Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban. When the cable guy came to hook up our cable & internet this past Tuesday, he saw this particular book sitting on the coffee table, & we launched into a wonderful Harry Potter discussion. As it turns out, Prisoner of Azkaban is his favorite, too.

W R I T I N G  , writing, writing. Even though it hasn't been showcased here as much, I've been writing. And I've been loving it.  

L I S T E N I N G  to Ghost Stories almost every time I'm in the car, & when I'm in the house, I've been listening to a playlist I made on Spotify, which I absolutely love. Maybe soon, I'll share it here. Maybe this week?  

T H I N K I N G  that my method of having a little "office nook" in the kitchen, where I stand while working at the computer, is a good thing. Don't you burn more calories standing? Don't you generally have better posture while standing? I think that I do.

S M E L L I N G  my Dunkin Donuts iced coffee. Justin & I swear by it. What do we get? Well, usually a small iced coffee with skim milk & caramel syrup. Today? We got mediums, because we needed to gear up for all the hanging-things-on-walls we'll be doing today. We also had blueberry donuts, because it's Donut Sunday, & the blueberry cake donuts at Dunkin Donuts are possibly one of the most delicious donuts I've ever eaten.

W I S H I N G  I could get on a better sleep schedule. I was doing so well! Then, we moved. Everything gets thrown a bit off course when you move. I suppose it's just a fact of life. That doesn't make it any easier to deal with, though, does it? This week, I'll really be working on my sleep schedule & rising early. Because I want to, & because I need to. School is starting soon!

H O P I N G  for a lovely week. Prospects are high! 

W E A R I N G  rain jackets again this weekend. Surprise, surprise. I actually didn't wear mine out antiquing yesterday, & I arrived home cold & soggy, with a damp pullover sweatshirt. Needless to say, the rain jacket came with me on our coffee-&-donuts outing this morning. And it will come with me when I walk Tahoe once this post is complete.

L O V I N G  Greenville. And the prospect of starting school. And all of the new places we'll be able to travel to from here. And our new place, which is even cozier with our new rugs. And watching our shows now that we have internet. And having Tahoe here with us. 

W A N T I N G  a productive rest of the day. There is a delicate balance between doing just enough & trying to do too much each day. It's important to seek out that balance! I will continue seeking.

N E E D I N G  to do laundry today, too. And wash my hair. And lay out tomorrow's clothes. And schedule the coffee pot to brew at six sharp.

F E E L I N G  happy. And caffeinated. Also feeling excited to go on a walk in a few short minutes. Also feeling ready to take on the day. Also feeling like I want to be productive. And I want to work out. And I want to eat as healthy as I can. And I want to simply enjoy every moment of today. And I want to blog [which is a change from this morning when I woke up in a blogging funk]. So, let's do this. Let's do it all.

this week's posts:

diary one.

the sunday currently, volume 98.

I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend, & I hope the coming week brings with it productivity, relaxation, & happiness in equal measure. Here's to Monday! Let's make tomorrow, & every day after that, a good one.

What are you doing? Link up & share below.

diary one.

The fan's pulleys are tinkling as it whirs along at full speed, keeping the room cozy and temperate and well-ventilated. Though the coffee pot has finished its brewing cycle, it still steams and pops and splutters every once in a while, as if to remind me that it is on and there is more coffee to be had if I so desire it. Tahoe's languid, rhythmic breathing from her red-sheet-wrapped bed on the floor between  one of the couches and the coffee table soothes me, grounds me, and seems to offer up the simple suggestion: just breathe. Everything is going to be all right. Sunlight streams in through a wall made almost entirely of windows, bathing the room in cheerfulness. it both feels and looks like the color yellow - pale, pastel yellow. Two dog bowls sit in the corner of the dining room to my right, dominating my peripheral vision. They sit as a symbol, reminding me that Tahoe has really settled in with us, settled in to her new home here in Greenville, North Carolina. She eats on a schedule, goes outside for both necessity and walks in equal measure, and she will gently remind us if her water bowl has accidentally gone dry. From the floor above, I can hear the washing machine spinning at full blast. It holds our cleaning rags and old towels used to wipe Tahoe's muddy feet after our rainy jaunts of late. That's why it's spinning so fast and working so hard - there is a lot to be cleaned in that load. The sound of it is equal parts productivity and promise; its noise means I've already gotten a leg up on the chores I hope to accomplish today, while Justin tackles his first day of work. The promise lies in the crisp, clean linens which will emerge after their time in the huge, drummed dryer. They are but a small cog in the production of a functioning, well-run household, but what is a whole without the many parts that make it up? Two beverages sit on the perfect, darkly-stained, wooden, hand-me-down table in front of me. I pause every few minutes to sip cinnamon-infused coffee from my red and celadon floral coffee mug with an "L" on it - a gift from Kara from Anthropologie. The other drink is a full 28 ounces of cold, filtered water, housed in a plastic bottle bearing the logo of Justin's new place of work. The water beckons to me, promising good health, hydration, and happiness. It reminds me of my vow to myself to be as healthy as I possibly can. My mind wanders to the possible smoothie I'll have for lunch, at the gem of a shop that Justin and I discovered together in our first week in this new town of ours. It wanders further, visiting all the different tasks I'll write on my to-do list once these Morning Pages are complete in three more lines. I stop, I look around our new home. In this tiny moment, I am happy.

Monday, August 4, 2014

9:56 a.m. to 10:16 a.m.

20 minutes

the sunday currently, volume 98.

daily walks with t-bear

Greetings from no-internet-land! We moved into our new place here in Greenville on Monday, & the cable company is so backed up with students moving in, that we aren't able to have someone come out to our house until this coming Tuesday. I've missed blogging, & I'm looking forward to writing more posts after we're back to being connected to the rest of the world. As for now, we are posted up in Barnes & Noble, sipping coffee & savoring the free wifi.

C U R R E N T L Y . . .

R E A D I N G  nothing but the Bible. Even with all the moving craziness, I've been able to stay up-to-date on my reading plan. I'm about a quarter of the way into Harry Potter & the Prisoner of Azkaban [my favorite of the series], so I may pick that up this coming week. I miss reading, but with all the unpacking & arranging & organizing that's been going on in the last week, I just haven't made time to sit down & crack open a book.

W R I T I N G  my Morning Pages fairly religiously since we moved in. It's a great way to start the day, getting all of your thoughts & feelings out & down onto paper. Writing can be so therapeutic in its purest, simplest form.  

L I S T E N I N G  to Coldplay's new album, Ghost Stories, on the drive from Wilmington to Greenville on moving day was about as peaceful & relaxing as it gets. I needed that! Also, as I was driving over to our new place for the first time, Home, by Dotan, was playing on the radio. It felt like a nice sign.  

T H I N K I N G  that there really is no place more homey, inviting, & cozy than the Barnes & Noble cafe. When I was in high school, my family would go up to Barnes & Noble every Saturday night to meet up with some family friends for coffee, chatting, & reading. I think that's why it's ingrained in my head as a place of comfort. I'm so glad B&N is more accessible to me here in Greenville. In Wilmington, it was way across town, & I'm pretty sure I only went there twice in a two-year period.

S M E L L I N G  cold, caffeinated air. Isn't that the best thing about coffee shops & cafes? It feels like it is truly freezing in here, though. Oh well, it's just making my hot caramel macchiato that much more inviting. 

W I S H I N G  for an extremely productive week. There is a lot coming up on the horizon [you know, like starting GRAD SCHOOL], & I really want to make the most of this coming week.

H O P I N G  we continue to really explore our town & find delicious local eateries. I keep hearing Greenville being referred to as the "chain restaurant capital of the world," but truth be told, we have really discovered some delectable, local fare in the week that we've been here.

W E A R I N G  our rain jackets has definitely been a thing this week. It started raining on Friday morning, & it hasn't really stopped all weekend. I love rainy weather! Tahoe & I even went for a two-miler Saturday morning, in the mist. See, the rain jacket has really been useful!

L O V I N G  our new place. I'm going to have to share some of it here soon. It is brining me a lot of joy, putting together a house & decorating it to reflect both myself & Justin.

W A N T I N G  a nice, long nap. I guess that's the only down side to all of this rain - it makes me want to curl up on the couch & sleep all day.

N E E D I N G  to make workouts a priority this week as well. I've done a pretty decent job with diet & exercise, but it's time to up the ante a bit, don't you think? I know I'll feel much, much better if I do. 

F E E L I N G  content, happy, & excited.

this week's posts:

the sunday currently, volume 97

Well, folks, hopefully with the welcoming of wifi into our house this coming week, I will be able to be more present in this space. As I said in the introduction, I've been missing it! There's a lot I am looking forward to sharing, especially during this time of change in our lives!

What are you doing? Link up & share below.