over the past few years, i have followed various friends projects, documenting 365 days of pictures or the first year of baby's life, or maybe a month of songs. i have questioned doing such things, and have thought about what a commitment it would take and of course how it would be hard without say an iphone to document them. but i have been doing some thinking lately, and more than memories or songs, i want my life to be marked by certain qualities. as i was thinking about this, the word gratitude came to mind. as i was beginning to write this, i flipped over to webster.com for a dictionary definition of the word, and my heart jumped for joy: "gratitude: the state of being thankful" wow. so for the next year (in addition to many other things) i want to strive for this quality. i want to live in a way of gratitude.

31 August 2011

45. My ipad

Ok so I'm not going to lie or pretend, I am quite thankful for my iPad. I have been using it quite a bit the last few days, and I am grateful for it's easiness, it's quick start, and all my apps.

30 August 2011

44. Sunrises

I was up way early this morning and quite thankful for a beautiful sunrise. How great is our god!

29 August 2011

43. cell phones

while traveling and being busy and getting things done, i often find myself reaching for the small flippy device in my purse/pocket/wherever it is. i am so grateful for cell phones, and how with just a few clicks, i can reach anyone i want/need. i am grateful for this technology.

28 August 2011

42. fresh georgia peaches

today, i am thankful for the amazingly yummy goodness that each year grows on the trees of south georgia. i am so thankful for my georgia heritage, and for my appreciation of juicy, soft, flavorful georgia peaches. mimi gave us a huge basket of them, and i am quite grateful.

27 August 2011

41. Our police force

After attending a special screening for the new movie courageous, I am quite thankful for our police force. I am quite thankful for how they so boldly and sacrificially serve and protect and keep our communitites safe.

26 August 2011

40. my dad

tonight, i went to the screening of the new movie courageous, which is a challenge to fathers everywhere to step up to the plate and become dads that make an impact. it made me so thankful for my dad and all that he has done, has been, and continues to be to me. i have a great dad, and i am so very grateful for him.

25 August 2011

39. ultrasounds

today, i am thankful for technology & ultrasounds. we got to find out the gender of little baby cash today thanks to this great goodness! i am so thankful for how we have progressed and the chance to celebrate a baby boy with ash & charlie!

24 August 2011

38. back to school

today, i am grateful that colleges and schools are finally back in, as it means it is time to start back up with my agnes girls. i have been so thankful to get to be a part of their BCM the last two years, and am grateful for another year of fun, fellowship, and fostering spritual growth. i am grateful to see them all, with their new notebooks and hairdos, returned at last to grand old decatur for another year. its hard to believe that my first year mentees are now juniors, leading and growing in awesome ways. i am so thankful for these women- and this time of year.

23 August 2011

37. pumpkin spice lattes

they aren't here yet, but all the hype on facebook has me looking forward with great anticipation & thanksgiving to the come back of the pumpkin spice latte at starbucks :)

22 August 2011

36. pinterest

on nights were i am just chilling or when i'm trying to pass some time, or sometimes even when i'm just trying to get "inspired", i am so thankful for pinterest. what a nifty little site.

21 August 2011

35. swiffers

today, after cleaning & vacuuming, i swiffered our floors and i decided that i am quite grateful for swiffers. so much more effective and easier to use than a mop, swiffers are great- especially for our small space. i am grateful for tools that help make my home a little cleaner and my life a little easier.

20 August 2011

34. big storms

you know, normally, i HATE storms, but today, as we sat inside a frozen yogurt place with some good friends, a huge stormed blew in and it rained like crazy and the wind was sideways it was so strong, and for once, i was grateful. watching the water come down, and knowing that we were safe inside, made me quite thankful for this summer storm. and, walking outside afterwards, when it had cooled and the humidity was gone, made me thankful for the sweet relief a storm can bring.

19 August 2011

33. alarm clocks

after getting up late this morning, i became more thankful for my alarm clock. funny how you aren't grateful for something until you need it.

18 August 2011

32. thursday night date nights

nathan and i have committed to try to have at least 1 date night a week. we try to make them the same night for a while, then sometimes have to switch them up to suit our schedule. i am so thankful for these nights, as it gives me something to look forward to in a busy, hectic week. i am thankful for time spent together doing whatever we choose. tonight, we cashed in a vudu free credit and watch the new jane eyre, and it made me so thankful that we carve out the time to be together.

17 August 2011

31. bertolli frozen meals

ok so i know they are nothing much, but on nights like tonight, when i want to serve up a good dinner but also have 5 loads of laundry to do, i am thankful for small conveniences like these meals.

16 August 2011

30. sweet little babies

tonight, i joined up with our lifegroup for a little ice cream social, and two of the babies that have been born since our group has been together were there. teague- who is now 13 months old, and lincoln, who is 10 weeks. it has been so cool to watch how these little guys develop and grow- and so quickly! it made me thankful for the honor of getting to be in their lives-even if just for a few years that they might never remember- and how thankful i am for life.

15 August 2011

29. warm showers in the morning

so often, one of the few things that get me out of bed early in the morning is the comforting thought of the warm shower that is ahead. it is so nice to allow my muscles to soak in the warm, hard, downpour of water from the faucet. i am so thankful to be able to not only take a shower on a daily basis, but a warm one at that.

14 August 2011

28. windshield wipers

yesterday, while driving home from chattanooga, i was thankful for windshield wipers. as we drove in the rain, i was thankful for the swish-swashing way they brush the rain off & allow me to see clearly. i was thankful for the feeling of safety they offer as they came the view clear even when the downpour is torrential.

13 August 2011

27. picnics

on saturday, i was thankful for a picnic lunch with friends. sometimes the simplest meals can be so sweet, and on saturday, i was thankful for such sweetness.

12 August 2011

26. good times with great friends

tonight, we joined several couples in our lifegroup for a braves game and had a great time. funnel cakes, fire works, 5 homeruns- great night! it made me so thankful for sweet times like these, and thankful to have a community i am a part of that is not only encouraging and inspiring my spiritual growth, but also fun to be with. i am so thankful for time spent with these folks.

11 August 2011

25. early morning sunrises

this morning, while driving into work groggy and sleepy and wanting to go back to bed, my breath was taken out of my chest by the view of the beautiful sunrise. wow! i am so thankful that we serve such a creative God who, for no other reason than to display his glory, paints such a beautiful sunrise for us to behold. i am so thankful for how even just the sight of something so magnificent can change the rest of my day. i'm still tired, i'd still love to go climb in bed, but i am so thankful that God is so big, and even today is part of his story. i am thankful for beautiful morning sunrises that but my mind, and my heart, back in the right place.

10 August 2011

24. friends that live close by

we love where we live- love living in the city- but the one thing we miss sometimes is living near our friends for little reasons like spontaneously having folks over for dinner. not many people just up and drive to the city for dinner, especially on a "school night." but tonight, we were thankful to entertain & feed our friends ty & molly. i am so grateful for friends with history- memories from college and now memories as married couples living in the city. i am grateful for friends to discuss c.s.lewis and cognitive development and tv shows with. i am grateful for friends close by. :)

09 August 2011

23. God my exceeding joy

read this in my quiet time this morning, and for this i am abundantly thankful:


Send out your light and your truth;
let them lead me;
let them bring me to your holy hill
and to your dwelling!
Then I will go to the altar of God,
to God my exceeding joy,
and I will praise you with the lyre,
O God, my God.
(psalm 43:3-4)

08 August 2011

22. dailymile

i am so thankful for this site because its the encouragement & accountability i need in my running journey. i look forward to posting a new run, seeing how far i've come, and getting to encourage the community on there. i am thankful for a tool that allows me to get better, run harder, and keep a visual check of what i have accomplished.

07 August 2011

21. my sister hannah

today, after church, nathan and i headed to my family's lake house for lunch, a visit, and some home-smoked ribs for dinner. due to the overcastness outside, mom, han, & i decided to leave the boys behind and head to the outlet mall close by. we had a great time shopping, but one of the things i realized and thought about the whole time was how thankful i am to have a little sister. she is so cool, and it is so exciting to have her join me in "grown up" world. i have had a little sister for 14 years now, but its exciting to make a new friend in her. i am so thankful for her, and the beautiful young woman she is becoming.

06 August 2011

20. starbucks shaken iced green tea

its kind of my new thing, and i love it. today, after sitting in the park all morning in the sunshine, i was quite thankful for a venti glass of this goodness at a local starbucks with nathan. i like it so much. i like mine with 1/2 pump of sweetener (they look at me like i'm crazy as it normally comes with 4), and i like how it is a little minty, a little sugary, and so refreshing. i am so thankful for the sweet & cool relief it offers to thirsty & hot me.

05 August 2011

19. the internet

when i got home from work today, i flipped open the ipad and switched on the tv to watch some hulu when i was greeted with the dreaded screen of "cannot connect to internet" great, i thought, and called nathan. after talking with him and doing some looking around, i realized it was no big deal (just some wires unplugged) and that as soon as he got home to fix it, we would be good to go. after we hung up and i settled back on the couch, i realized how thankful i am for the internet. isn't it funny how you don't realize how thankful you are for little things like that until they don't work? anyways, today, i am thankful for the technology that allows me to not only blog, check my email, and send a Facebook message, but also allows me to be connected to the world, to understand and immediately read the report on the us's credit rating, and look up a place to eat dinner. i am thankful for the internet.

18. hair cuts

didnt get a chance to post this last night, but yesterday (and today even!) i am thankful for a hair cut. i apperciate the clean & straight ends, and the way it feels so clean and crisp.

03 August 2011

17. excedrin pm

after a night of no sleep (thanks to my medicine), i am quite thankful for excedrin pm. hopefully tonight, it will offer relief and rest, both of which i need. i am thankful for these little man made creations, that aid the body & help the head.

02 August 2011

16.early morning time with God

lately, nathan and i have been trying to get up an hour early to spend time with the Lord. i'm not going to lie- its hard. its required us to make some changes- like going to bed early and dealing with being a little tired during the day. but its mornings like this morning that make me so thankful that, with the Lords help, we get up when that very annoying alarm goes off very early. i am thankful for the presence of the holy spirit in me throughout the day, and it is amazing how, when i start my day in scripture, my mind stays there throughout the day. i am thankful that i have a God who hears me, who forgives me, who speaks, who is alive, and who wants to include me and use me in His plan.

01 August 2011

15. the dvr

nathan and i have chosen to not get cable due to the outrageous prices and the fact that in our small place we only have one t.v., but i am quite thankful and appreciative of my parent's dvr. almost everyday, after work, i head over to moms to run on her treadmill, which is in her bedroom, and get to run to an assortment of shows that i get to tivo. i am so thankful for the dvr because it allows me to see shows (like dc cupcakes, 19 kids and counting, cupcake wars...can you figure out which channel i record?!) that i otherwise wouldn't get to..AND i get to fast forward through the commercials! double win! i am so thankful for this technology, and i cant imagine running on the treadmill without it.

haha, this gratitude post reminds me of a quote from youve got mail:
"Technologically speaking, the world's out of hand. Take the VCR. The whole idea of a VCR is that it makes it possible for you to tape what's on television while you're out of the house. But the whole point of being out of the house is so you can miss what's on television."