from the floor of a bedroom, part two.

Good morning from Lake Norman. 

Yesterday, Justin, the boys, & I went out for Saturday morning coffee. When it was time to return home, we decided to just keep driving, & this is where we ended up. It has afforded us an impromptu visit with family, as well as a respite from daily life in our own little bubble. 

Life lately has consisted of adhering to nap times, drinking inordinate amounts of coffee, having hummus & crackers with my two-and-a-half-year-old, & trying to squeeze in some sleep here & there. We are currently making our way through the four month sleep regression. I phrase it in that way because I truly believe that this particular developmental milestone demands that you simply survive. Sure, I've read the books, I follow the sleep experts on Instagram (and watch their stories religiously)... but somehow, we are still met with a bit of a challenge in this department right now. 

I won't sugar coat it - it's hard. And unfortunately, I am one of those particular individuals who are grumpy when they lack sleep. 

But, it won't last forever, and we will persevere. 

I'm making it sound far too dramatic, but that's what happens on little sleep & a lot of coffee. 

I was chatting with a friend yesterday via text, and she remarked that maybe, one day, we would look back on this time in our lives and miss it. 

I replied that I thought we certainly would. After all, despite the challenges of our daily lives, there is an overarching tone of joy, of purpose. From moment to moment, hour to hour, I find myself already missing it. The whole-face smile of a four month old baby, the stories told by a nearly-three-year-old, punctuated by the question, "Ee-mem-er?" On two hours' sleep or twelve, nothing could be sweeter, nothing could be more significant. 

on consistency & self discipline.

hastily tapped out in my phone notes while en route from Denver to Raleigh last week - 

I'll never understand why I stop doing things that I like.

Working out. Eating healthfully. Writing on this blog. 

Human nature seems to dictate this weird need to depart from routines and activities and tasks, even if those things are beloved to us. Do we need a break from the monotony? Do we secretly need to rebel? Are we all just that wishy washy? 

Maybe it's just me. But really, drawing from conversations with friends, I'm quite sure that it is not just me. Many of us seem to have to struggle inwardly against ourselves to make sure we are doing - consistently - the things that we love. 

I know people who don't seem to struggle in this way. And a character trait that I observe in them, alongside this faithful, relentless, and unfailing consistency? Self discipline. 

A long time ago, in what was probably 2006 or 2007, there was this feature you were able to install on Facebook that allowed individuals to write anonymous messages to you, that only you could view. I'll never forget one of the messages I got one night (in fact, it's the only message from that feature I even remember at all). It read, 

"I wish you weren't such a flake." 

Even now, I am not sure who of my friends wrote that message to me, though I have an idea or two that would certainly make sense*. At that time in my life, I will admit that I was flaky. I was flighty and anxious and always trying to fit in and please people and be viewed as fun. And now, I can recognize that life - and living a happy one at that - is not about pleasing everyone with what a lively and vivacious person you are, with how many stories you have to tell, with how new and exciting your life is - and remains - day after day. Your real friends and family will love you, even when you're dull, even when you don't know what to say, even when you're in a dark place. 

I wish I would have known that back then, so that I could have been the kind of friend to whomever wrote that message, that I try to emulate now. I wish I would have known how to look deep inside myself and recognize all that I truly love and hold dear. And I wish I would have had the courage then, to be true to myself. I wish I would have had more self discipline, to stick beside plans, to stick beside my friends, to stick beside myself. 

And now, I hope and pray for the kind of self discipline that yields consistency. Consistency with exercise, healthful eating, sharing by way of this blog, connecting with dear friends. 

I hope and pray for that magical, unyielding consistency. 

*If you wrote that message to me, and you are reading this, please know that I am truly sorry that I was not there for you. I sincerely wish I would have been. 

small kindnesses.

Last night, Luke and I met Justin for dinner at a little Italian restaurant around the corner from our house. We had only been there once before, but I had really loved it and had anticipated going back. 

When we walked in, I was struck again with the little joys of this place: green and white penny tile flooring, the glow of tea lights, and these white and pink roses, dotted with cranberries. 

As we sat down and got settled, I took my phone out and snapped a quick photo, as you see above. As I was doing so, the waitress swept over and greeted us, began asking what we would like to drink. Slightly embarrassed at being caught doing something so vaguely rude and touristy as photographing flowers in a restaurant, I quickly slipped my phone away and stammered an awkward hello (it's true - and I have the "live photo" evidence to prove it). 

Rather than be annoyed at yet another person tinkering with their phone at the dinner table, the waitress smiled and asked, "Are you taking photos of my flowers?" Relieved that I wasn't being quietly chided for this minor faux pas, I admitted that yes, I was, and that they were beautiful, launching us into a polite, light-hearted discussion about flowers. Frivolous? Yes. Refreshing? Also yes.

The night was punctuated by a lady who had been dining with her husband, approaching our table to tell us the following: "What a good baby. He was a delight to watch at dinner. Was that him singing?" 

Anyone who has dined out with a toddler knows that things aren't always predictable. Sometimes there's shrieking. Sometimes there's crying. Sometimes there are loud outbursts of talking. Sometimes there is the throwing of any number of table-top objects. Luke is, usually, relatively good at the dinner table, since he loves to eat and socialize. He hadn't been perfect at this dinner (really, what child ever is?), but I had counted it as a success, because he had devoured the manicotti, drunk plenty of water, and had, in fact, been singing (at a polite volume). 

But for a stranger to approach your dinner table, simply to sing your child's well-mannered praises? Well, that is something very special indeed. A small act of kindness, which definitely does not go unnoticed. 

And as the lady walked away, I smiled and said to Justin, "Really, there is no higher praise than that." I am thankful for the kind of dinner we had last night, because to me, it's the small kindnesses that sometimes make the biggest difference.  

hello again.

I miss this space.

I created a new blog, have written on it spottily over the last few months, and still, I am drawn back here.

That means something, right?

There's something about blogging that makes me value and celebrate and experience joyfully all that goes on in my life. Why should I stop?

It's kind of like exercising. Every time I start, I can't believe how amazing it feels and why I ever stopped doing it. But, it takes time and effort, and when those commodities are running low, I feel forced to cut "non-essentials," and that is how I get to the point of not blogging, and, similarly, not exercising.

Since becoming a mother, I have read a lot about continuing "self care" and everything associated with that. I'd be lying if I said that this isn't something I've struggled with. However, a quote that really resonates with me is the following: "You can't pour from an empty cup. Take care of yourself first."  A quick Google search did not produce the author of this quote, but I find myself thinking of these words often.

Luke is 5 months old now, but I am still struggling to adhere to any kind of routine for myself. Showering, fixing my hair, getting dressed, and putting on makeup, among other self care activities, often fall to the wayside as I attend to his needs. I know that there has to be a way to have both, but I haven't found the magic time management recipe yet.

I figure I've just got to keep trying. If I keep these things at the forefront of my mind, eventually I will figure it out, right? I will say that the experience of becoming a parent has led me to respect parents who have it all together so much (and parents that don't have it all together). This is a big job, taking care of a human being. And right now, all I'm doing is the best I can. And that is enough.

joyful shreveport.

Well, our Christmas vacation in Shreveport was over in a flash. 

We ate lots of delicious food, spent lots of time with family, went shopping, and saw a couple of our friends. As always happens on these visits, we didn't get to see everyone that we would have hoped to have seen, but that always seems to be the way of it when we're in for less than a week.

This trip was a joyful one, however, filled with memories I know we will never want to forget. And while I'm glad to be settling back into my home routine, I am already missing Shreveport and all that place means to me.

You may have noticed, too, that I didn't blog one bit while there either - I know, slacker. Sometimes you just have to "unplug," right? I am happy to be blogging again, happy to be home, happy to be settling in to see what twenty-sixteen will bring.

home for the holidays.

before the trimmings

There's nothing quite like the time leading up to when we get to travel home to be with family for the holidays. There's a spark in the air, an energy. Everything looks brighter and more festive. 

In the time we've lived over here in North Carolina, I've grown very fond of travel. There's something magical about starting out in one place and ending up in another. Add to that the little details - the wool carry-on bag that I've grown to love even more than when we picked it up in a shop on a sleepy Saturday; the buzz of the airport, with hundreds - or is it thousands? I've never been good with numbers - of people, all going to different, interesting places; watching the planes take off and land in a peaceful, amazing little dance... There is so much about travel to love. 

There's also something so renewing about this time of year. Of course, there is the New Year right around the corner, getting ready to usher in twenty sixteen. But there's just something special about feeling like everything is a little celebration. Nothing is too small to indulge in, nothing is too mundane to be exciting. What a truly wonderful time of year. 

And when we arrive in our beloved hometown, I'm hoping for lots of things, but especially long talks sitting on the cold, comforting wood floors of the Ontario House; the click-click-click of my DSLR and phone cameras, paving the way for memories made and kept; endless cups of coffee enjoyed; long, long talks about the future and where that may take us; but most of all, just love. Love of family - is there anything more fulfilling in this world?

Here's to the holiday season.

the sunday currently, volume 117.

christmas season is here

CURRENTLY

reading - Sarah Morgan: The Civil War Diary of a Southern Woman. I've long been wanting to read this book that my mother picked up during a visit to Destrehan Plantation in August of 1996, & it felt fitting to start it up over Thanksgiving break.   

writing - Christmas lists! Soon it will be time to start up my Christmas shopping, & I want to be prepared. Also writing? In my journal. And in my planner, writing and crossing off to-do lists as we wrap up the rest of this semester. 

listening - to my Christmas playlist on Spotify this morning was just what the doctor ordered. I woke early and was downstairs before 7. I turned on the Christmas tree, brewed a pot of coffee, & got some work done before anyone else woke up. It was a morning well-spent!

thinking - that it's time to get in check with diet & exercise. I have greatly enjoyed my very indulgent Thanksgiving week, but I'm ready to be healthy and get in shape before the end of the year.

smelling - my Christmas tree. We got it yesterday, & every time I come down the stairs, I get a whiff of fresh pine needles. There's nothing quite like that, is there?

wishing - to stay calm for the remainder of the semester. I always get stressed right at the end, as everything wraps up and becomes final. I have never done well with endings, & school is no different.

hoping - to soak in the indulgences of the holiday season. Christmas music, Christmas movies, Christmas spirit. It's so easy to let it sweep by in a blur. It's my goal this year to really take time to enjoy it.

wearing - stretchy pants, stretchy sweater, scarf, vest, and jewelry. And not a stitch of makeup.

loving - visits with family. And, weirdly enough, the first trip up to the library after a break. There's something about getting back into the swing of things that really speaks to me. I think it's my love of routines & schedules & daily life.

wanting - consistent workouts, the drinking of lots of water, & the taking of personal time this week. 

needing - see "wanting" above. 

feeling - happy, blessed, content, relieved, & all the other good emotions right now. I'm very thankful for everything and everyone in my life. 

clicking - to see if there are any good Cyber Monday deals. What are you planning to scoop up? I can think of a few things that are on my list.

What are you doing? Link up & share below.

three years married | dinner at on the square.

three years married
early celebration dinner
on the square in tarboro
dessert & coffee at plum tree 
a perfect friday night
celebrating today from chapel hill

inspiration: found. searching for discipline.

serendipitous photographs  

My mom and I ran into a friend while out shopping today. 

We talked about so many things, and it felt so great to reconnect, but it struck me [as it always does when this topic comes up in real life conversations] when we talked about blogging.

She shared that she herself was interested in getting into blogging.

"My blog has been paid for for a few months now," she said. "But it's blank - there's no content."

I want her to start blogging. She's witty, she's funny - she has the BEST kind of dry humor. 

And it made me think. Maybe if I want her to blog so badly, I also want me to blog just as much. And I do. I want to be here. I miss sharing. I miss connecting. 

With the rebirth of The Sunday Currently, I've felt so much joy. That means something, doesn't it? Yes, it does.

Long live blogging. Long live the written word. Long live siddathornton.

around here lately.

Hello. Happy two thousand fifteen! It's been quite a while since my last around here lately post, so I thought I would share some images from the last month or so with you all today. It's been a whirlwind holiday season, and I feel nostalgic poring over these particular images. Enjoy!

my family, arriving in raleigh for christmas at RDU

festive decorations in downtown greenville

the road from smithfield to new bern

shopping in raleigh

breakfast at big ed's city market restaurant in raleigh

roaming duke's campus

lounging at the starbucks in chapel hill

our christmas tree stays up until the new year

two thousand fifteen: the year of lipstick and bangs

christmas at the ontario house

drinks at bird cafe in sundance square in fort worth with justin, jesse, & brian

slumber party with austen jane and jordan in frisco

january's book: a moveable feast, by ernest hemingway

a west shreveport sunset

remembering justin's grandma with this north monroe sunset

we started friends from the beginning

lunch at dawg house in ruston with justin's mom

the obligatory travel strawberry cream tea latte while on layover at ATL

Today marks the beginning of spring semester, and with that new beginning, I will also be launching into my new years resolutions/goals for the year. I hope to share them soon! What are your resolutions and goals for this year?

photos via my instagram

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!

wilmington snapshot: fort fisher aquarium.

During Justin's mom's visit to Wilmington at the end of June, we finally managed to make it over to the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher. As we perused the halls, the rain was pouring outside. It was a steamy, humid summer day, & it was nice to escape into the air conditioned bliss among the fish. I do hope that you enjoyed what I shared of our visit. Looking back makes me want to go back. Maybe one day, we will.

Want to see more photos from the afternoon? They're all here.

thoughts in memphis.

Greetings from Memphis! We have now traversed the distance between Wilmington & Birmingham [yesterday], & between Birmingham & Memphis [this morning]. We are posted up in our hotel room with Justin's mom & Tahoe, Justin's dog, just relaxing, because tomorrow we trek to Greenville, SC [not to be confused with Greenville, NC, which is where we are moving].

I haven't been able to keep up with the blogging rhythm I set up for myself a few weeks ago, but I'm ok with that, because it means I'm learning what I AM able to keep up with. And, to be quite honest, right now, with being busy with our move & Justin starting a new job & me starting grad school soon & us adding Tahoe back into our family, my best blogging rhythm is the one that comes naturally. I'd still like to write about certain topics on certain days, like organization on Tuesdays, but I also want to leave days blank sometimes, & sometimes I just want to come on here & let words flow out of my fingertips, like I'm doing right now. So, that's where I am with that.

We are set to arrive back in Wilmington on Wednesday afternoon, & I would like to have my 2014 Organizational Suite post up on Thursday. And then, my healthy living update on Friday. So, that's what you can expect to find in this space in the next few days. 

Well, folks, I guess it's time for me to get back to viewing Jurassic Park, which is what is currently playing in our hotel room. To tell you the truth, this movie terrified me as a child. And, in truth, it still kind of does. Maybe I can talk everyone into a viewing of The Firm. 

We are in Memphis, after all.

life update: ot school & moving to greenville.

Well, here we are, at 3:40 p.m. on a Monday, & I am finally sitting down to write about a couple of things that I've been wanting to & meaning to write about since MARCH here in this space. Let's skip the small talk & get to it.

I AM GOING TO OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SCHOOL THIS FALL.

And in conjunction with the statement above, comes another.

JUSTIN & I ARE MOVING TO GREENVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, ON JULY 28.

Obviously, because that is where I will be attending school.

I haven't been especially forthcoming here on my blog concerning either of these bits of news, mainly because Justin has been working here in the Wilmington area, & for professional reasons, I needed to keep our plans private until arrangements could be made & notices could be given. However, with this being Justin's last week of work at his current job, I thought this was the perfect time to become fully transparent about our future plans!

Let's start at the beginning, shall we?

Back around the end of 2012 & the beginning of 2013, I was really struggling in which direction to take my professional life. I had been job searching in Wilmington for a few months, & the search was turning up dry, to put it nicely. I was in crisis mode. I even considered opening my own business. I considered law school. I wrote this post. Lots of tears were shed, & many dreams felt unattainable. 

Justin was at my side for all of this struggle. He got behind my ideas, even when they changed daily, & he supported me no matter what. Having a stronghold in those rough seas was a God-send. I'll never be able to thank him adequately for putting up with my hemming & hawing & wondering aloud & crying. 

And it was him who just said it one day. We were sitting in one of the hospital corridors during one of his lunch breaks. We were talking about what I should do with my life. You know, just regular small talk. 

"Why don't you just go back to school?" he asked. "Why don't you just do it?"

This wasn't the first time those words had been uttered by him. Nor was it the first time I had thought of it. Nor would this have been the first time I went back to school. I had done the same thing, in 2010, my sights set on Physician Assistant school. Life got in the way that time, I thought to myself. But maybe, this time, things would be different.

Things certainly felt different this time around, when I heard those words. It felt like this was it. 

And it was.

In May, I started taking prerequisites so that I could apply to Occupational Therapy schools around North Carolina. And in June, I wrote this post. And through all the time that I was enrolled at Cape Fear Community College, I shared bits & pieces of my school journey here, especially about my conquering of the beast that was Statistics. From June to December, I talked about tests, midterms, finals, papers, & classes. I even think I mentioned things about applying to schools. But I never said it aloud: I never said, "I am doing everything I can to get into Occupational Therapy school."

But that's what I was doing. Rising early to study for anatomy tests. Staying late to work on Statistics homework in the Math Lab. Spending my free time shadowing at various OT practices around town. 

In December, I submitted applications to three schools. Two in North Carolina, & one in South Carolina. And in the end, by March of this year, I was accepted to two out of those three, one school in North Carolina & one school in South Carolina, which is a fact that brings me extreme pride & joy. I am proud of myself, & I am so very happy that all the hours & hard work that I put in, paid off. Because there were times when I wondered to myself, & other times when I wondered aloud to Justin, "Will all of this be worth it?" [Keep in mind these thoughts usually occurred as I sat in front of Statistics homework with tears streaming down my face. Ha. I can laugh about it now.]

As you may have gathered, I chose the school in North Carolina. And on the twenty-eighth day of this seventh month of two thousand fourteen, we are packing our bags & hitting the road to Greenville, which is a town about two & a half hours northeast of here. We are leaving Wilmington, forever. And as I've mentioned in my last few posts, I am getting pretty wrapped up in nostalgia & sentimentality over the whole thing. I am going to miss this place. We are going to miss this place.

In fact, we may even look into purchasing a place here one day, so we will always have a place to stay, so we will come visit often. We are cherishing our last few weeks in this city. Because although they've been a bit of a struggle at times, they were our struggle. And we have gotten through this together. 

And now, it's time for us to tackle a new adventure together. Justin will be starting a new job in August, & I will be starting Graduate School. And we will work & study & live life to our fullest together in this new journey. And we are excited.

But for now, in the stillness that is the rest of our time here in Wilmington, we are going to soak in every last little joy from this place that we can. We will eat at our favorite restaurants, go to our favorite shops, I will run at my park as much as humanly possible. And when we drive away on July 28, we will do so knowing that a road will always connect us back to this place in our hearts. All we have to do is get in the car, watch the beautiful Carolina country scenery for a couple of hours & some change, & then we'll be back here, ready for more Dixie Grill, or Sawmill, or Hugh MacRae Park.

Here's to the future.

jackson snapshot: mother's day.

oh, we definitely got the glasses memo

Living far from home [1,020 miles, to be exact] is hard sometimes. I'm sure any who have trekked out of their hometown for any prolonged period of time can relate: you miss birthdays, weddings, baby showers... the list goes on. That's why Mother's Day this year was so special: I got to spend it with my mother. 

The day after Kara's graduation, we rose early & scooted over to her house, because for her, it was moving day. We carried boxes & mattresses downstairs, we fanned ourselves in the Mississippi heat & humidity, & sadly, not one photo was taken. Not even when we presented mom with her Mother's Day gift from Justin & me: a Japanese Maple for the yard back home at The Ontario House.

Luckily, though, we did think to snap a quick photo when we chowed down at Broad Street [our second visit of the trip - it's yummy] for Mother's Day lunch. Shortly after we ate, it was off to the airport & back to Wilmington, but the memories of this weekend stayed with me for long after.

Want to see more from Graduation Weekend?

the journey there

friday day time

baccalaureate

graduation

fondren & happy hour

Today wraps coverage of our weekend in Jackson, Mississippi for Kara's graduation. I hope you enjoyed coming along. Next week, we will be revisiting Kara's trip to Wilmington, which came right after graduation weekend! She flew out the day after Mother's Day & spent a week with us. I'm looking forward to sharing our adventures here.

the sunday currently, volume 94.

here we are, on the beach

Greetings from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina! We are wrapping up a little family visit with some ocean-front quality time. The photo you see above is from last night, when we went for a sunset walk - the kind where the ocean felt like bath water on our toes & the sky was pink & then orange & then navy & then black. Today, after we make a couple of deposits at the airport, we'll be headed back to Wilmington for a day of lying on the couch & watching One Tree Hill. Oh, & maybe some laundry, too. And definitely some Chipotle for dinner. Because, Chipotle Sunday. Obviously. 

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

R E A D I N G  has been put on hold recently. So much LIFE has been happening. We've had visitors since the last week of June, & I've been trying to give my undivided attention, to be really present. It has been wonderful.

W R I T I N G  has been an afterthought, too. And it's the writing that I've really missed the most. Thoughts have been bouncing around in my head, though, of course. And I hope to soon turn them into blog posts. Or perhaps diary entries. Or perhaps both.

L I S T E N I N G  to fireworks echoing off the ocean last night was a treat. Especially from our room on the sixteenth floor.  

T H I N K I N G  that things often turn out much better than you think they will. If only I could stop worrying. If only I could just relax & enjoy & savor. 

S M E L L I N G  perfumes at Banana Republic yielded a new obsession of mine: Rosewood . I must have it. I must. Hopefully soon.

W I S H I N G  I only needed about four hours of sleep per night. 

H O P I N G  for safe, smooth travels back to Wilmington today for us, as well as safe travels back to Shreveport today for our guests.

W E A R I N G  my new duds soon, I hope. I got two striped sleeveless blouses from Nautica, a striped dress from Banana Republic, & a pair of green flats. School clothes, but also clothes that can be worn anytime.

L O V I N G  family. And that my mom liked her birthday gift from us. And life.

W A N T I N G  the most relaxing day today.

N E E D I N G  to do laundry & to clean the house this week. 

F E E L I N G  very sleepy. Surprise, surprise. I'll have a different answer next week, I hope. 

this week's posts:

happy birthday, mom!

cozy thursday: july fourth frolicking 

jackson snapshot: fondren & happy hour

mornings: fluffy light & endless potential

posting schedule: summer 2014

the sunday currently, volume 93

What are you doing? Link up & share below!

happy birthday, mom!

Enjoy your weekend in Dallas!

I hope you have the best day ever.

jackson snapshot: fondren & happy hour.

a rainy glimpse of fondren

video footage can be found here

After Kara's graduation, the guys headed out to do guy things, & the girls headed over to Fondren for a spot of shopping. We had grand plans to walk around to all the shops, but a sudden & torrential downpour cut those plans in half. We did, however, get to stop in to some lovely little boutiques, most of them boasting the best smelling hand lotion on the planet. We were going to stop in for a little afternoon sweets fix at Campbells, but they were closing up shop just as we were heading over. 

That's ok, though, because that led us to partake of the afternoon happy hour in the Cabot's lobby. And we ended up feasting on the leftover cake from this event. 

I've been trying to figure out how to put in words the experience of this stormy afternoon, but I find myself stuck. I can usually express my feelings through writing pretty well, but every once in  a while, a moment's words will evade me. I guess I'll just say that the comfort of sitting in the rustic lodge's lobby, with the dim, warm light filtering & reflecting off of the greenish-gray clouds of an afternoon storm in the Mississippi spring-time goes unmatched. Wine was poured, cake was eaten, words were said. I don't really know where else to go looking for the kind of coziness that comes from just being, in the presence of beloved family.

The boys were able to join up with us & catch the tail-end of the happy hour, as well as steal a bite or two of the demolished cake. We sat for as long as we could, talking, laughing, & sharing. 

And moments like that, that I can never get back, live fresh in my memory. I hold them close to my heart, because something about them glows. 

Want to see more from Graduation Weekend?

the journey there

friday day time

baccalaureate

graduation

the sunday currently, volume 93.

scenes from yesterday: a trip to the aquarium

& a beautiful, rainy, relaxing carolina afternoon

The rain has been coming down intermittently for the past couple of days, & I really do love it. It's been a long time since we've gotten this much rain in Wilmington, & when I'm able to stay indoors & watch movies from the comfort of my couch, it really is one of my favorite things. 

Since my MIL arrived in town on Tuesday, we've been keeping busy. And today, I am off early to take care of some errands, as well as to have my beloved Sunday biscuit. I do believe we intend to spend an afternoon downtown, eating lunch & perusing the shops. 

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

R E A D I N G  Emma, by Jane Austen, though I have read very little this week. My MIL & I have been keeping busy, & Justin is off for a four-day weekend, so we have been exploring Wilmington. I'm looking forward to getting back into reading again, starting today.

W R I T I N G  about my June Blogs experience yesterday made me happy. I'm so glad that it went better than Blaugust... & truthfully, even better than Blog Every Day In May. I'm even happier about the new blogging schedule that has been born out of this experience, as well as the creative release I've experienced by putting out a post I'm proud of every single day of the month. And, of course, I'll be putting one more up tomorrow.

L I S T E N I N G  to Frank Sinatra radio on Pandora a lot lately, especially while getting ready in the morning. Nothing is more soothing than the voices of Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Buble, &, of course, Frank Sinatra himself. 

T H I N K I N G  that I loved our movie marathon yesterday: Rush, Match Point, & Argo, which we watched after our visit to the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher yesterday afternoon. With all the rain that's been happening in Wilmington this week, the only logical choice of activity is a movie marathon, obviously.

S M E L L I N G  like Oahu Coconut Sunset, from Bath & Body Works, ever since my French Lavender & Honey ran out [I MISS IT]. Since I have three coupons for a free signature product starting in July, I think I know what I'll be getting [three large FL & H body sprays].

W I S H I N G  I was a naturally more talkative person. Sometimes I'm just quiet, & I wish it came naturally to me to talk a lot. Also wishing I hadn't had a headache for the past few days. Also wishing my hair didn't turn into a giant pile of frizz every time it's a rainy day. 

H O P I N G  my Sunday biscuit is as delicious as I've made it out to be for the past few days. My healthy living changes have been a little difficult for me for the past few days, though I haven't wavered from my resolve. In fact, I haven't had bread or sweets since May 31. I'm proud of myself, but I've been craving donuts, Oreo Blizzards, & pizza almost daily... & I don't even like pizza that much. Soon I will be writing about the changes I've implemented to my diet & fitness routines, & how those changes have made me feel.

W E A R I N G  the clothes in my closet a lot more lately. I know that sounds silly,  but I've been trying to really utilize all the pieces I've collected over the years to create fresh, new outfits. It's making me feel better about myself - more put together - & I am loving it!

L O V I N G  that my very first OT School semester schedule has been finalized! I will be taking five classes, & the academic nerd in me is anxious to begin. I've already been playing around with daily routine scheduling & such. Yes, I am that person. And as sad as I am to be leaving Wilmington, I'm also excited to get settled in our new town.

W A N T I N G  to up my DSLR skills. We've been having a little bit of trouble with the auto-focus on our Nikon, & I think it's because I played around with the settings & messed them up. I guess I'm just going to have to add that to my list of things to research.

N E E D I N G  to get a little delivery ready to go in the mail tomorrow, as well as to do the dishes. And probably vacuum, though I am thinking that's going to be put off until a couple of days from now. 

F E E L I N G  tired... again this week. How many times do I answer this question in this manner? I need to start going to bed a little earlier. I have been pushing myself to wake up early, but I haven't moved my bed time up at all. That makes for some sleepy afternoons.

C L I C K I N G  this amazing piece of writing by Laken.

this week's posts:

thoughts on blogging every day in june

a few things

on my nails: pastel beach hues

jackson snapshot: graduation

early rising: the joyful truth

weekly wishes three

the sunday currently, volume 92

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Want to join me in blogging every day in June? The more the merrier. I even made a button to celebrate the occasion. Feel free to use it in your blog sidebar or in the body of your posts. Let's encourage one another to get back to our blogging roots. Happy blogging!