Thankful: Day 1

In honor of the upcoming holiday, I am dedicating the next few blog posts to Thanksgiving.

I have often heard that the way to prevent ungratefulness, envy and selfishness is to be thankful. Makes a good point. If you are focused on what you are thankful for, then you don't have time to think about what you don't have or things that you think you want.

So, what am I thankful for today?

I am thankful that it is Monday and that I have a job to go to. I am also thankful that today is my Thursday. And I am thankful for this past weekend.

This is what my weekend consisted of...

1. Coffee out of a mug.
2. Wedding planning.
3. Snuggling with my puppy.
4. Spending quality time with my future Mr.
5. PJs...all day long!
5. Delicious soup and corn muffins.
6. Snuggling up on the couch and watching a comedy/chick flick with the future Mr.
7. Sleep, and lots of it.
8. Church.
9. A big W for the Bears.
10. A great evening with my mom and grandma and wedding dress purchase!

Also, I ended up losing my voice and had a bit of a cough, so this weekend was exactly what my body and soul needed.

Stay tuned for more...

We made it...

Well, we all survived it...it's Friday again! It couldn't come at a better time. This morning I woke up with a cough and froggy voice (think Kermit), so obviously that means it's time for the weekend.
What is even more exciting is that I don't have ANY plans...well minus tonight. But tomorrow I am going to sleep in, snuggle with my puppy and boy, drink coffee from a mug, and enjoy. It has been almost two months since I've had a weekend at home.

I've been thinking a lot about homes this week. The other night I was watching My First Place and House Hunters. I love watching people dissect every details of houses. I usually laugh at most of what they say but I also love to see the different types of houses.

I cannot wait until the day where I can come home to the same house and know that I'm not going to have to move within a year. I'm going to be able to get live in a house that Jake and I own. To decorate and change and make memories in.

I want a porch so we can sit on the swing on summer nights. 

I want a wrap around porch so that I can watch the sun rise on one side

and the watch it set on the other.

I want a nice big kitchen where people spend most of their time. I want to host dinner parties and events. I want lots and lots of good smells coming from here. 

I also want a vacation house on the lake where we can spend our

weekends with friends and family

....someday.

Happy Friday, all!

Can it be Friday, yet?

I am going to be perfectly honest. It's only Tuesday but I really wish that it was Friday. I'm tired and ready for another weekend. This past weekend, I was down in good ole' Nashville celebrating the upcoming wedding of a dear friend.

This is Ashley. I met her during grad school. She was the quiet girl from Nashville who quickly became my survival method for grad school. Although we only spent that year together, we managed to form a friendship that is meaningful to us both.

We had a great time celebrating her last few weeks as a single gal, before she marries her prince, Mr. Charlie. I am so excited for them both. Ashley deserves nothing less than being treated with the utmost love and respect. And I know that Charlie we do all that he can for her.

But this weekend, reminded me of how I have quickly become an what I claim as an "old soul." I consider myself a night owl, but I am just not as quick to rebound after only 3.5 hours of sleep and a 6 hour drive to and from Nashville. Hence, why I am so tired this week.

Anymore, my idea of a great weekend involves conversation, good food, good wine, and good friends. I'm amazed at how my idea of a great weekend has changed. And honestly, I'm grateful for that.

I'm also amazed that Thanksgiving is next week! Where did November go? It just seems to be flying right by. There are already Christmas decorations up and I heard Christmas music the whole time I was at Starbucks today. I love Christmas, more than any holiday, but I am one of those that believes Christmas shouldn't start until the Friday after Thanksgiving. Let's not forget that there is still an important day to be celebrated.

I cannot wait until next week when I am back at the farm, celebrating all that we have with a family that I am so thankful for. And maybe eating some pumpkin pie...

It's getting to be that time of year again

Today I had a moment. One of those humbling kind of moments. It was after work and I was at the store. I needed to pick up a few things since I haven't gone grocery shopping for about a month...it was about time to get some milk and bananas.

Our small group decided to fill a couple shoe boxes for Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child. You can learn more about it here. It's a really great opportunity to give a child a boxed filled with Christmas gifts. The gifts can range from hygiene items, toys, mittens, etc. You pack all the items in a shoe box for a specific gender and age, then you drop it off and it gets delivered to a less fortunate child during the Christmas season. Like I said, it's a great idea. If you haven't ever done it, take some time to do this small task. It's well worth it.

As I was picking items to select for the boxes. I noticed myself watching the price of what I picked up, trying to budget the amount that I was spending. Now,I am no means trying to gain any sort of self righteousness in regards to my generosity. But, it eventually hit me...I was questioning how much I was spending on these children who have next to nothing but not thinking twice about paying $3 for a box of cereal. Does it seem like there is something wrong with that?

It sure seemed like it to me.

I am somewhat embarrassed and disgusted with myself. I felt convicted, guilty, and spoiled. As I was going to my comfortable, heated home to make a warm dinner then sit at my computer and blog, while possibly looking at a few new wedding ideas, there are so many people out there who are so much less fortunate for basic needs to be met. It really shook me. It bothered me how I was evaluating whether or not to spend $5 on a toy for a child who has nothing. Yet, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Christmas present for a sibling which costs much more than $5. I feel like I need to give myself a reality check.

It's getting to be the time of year that generosity is often sought after. We are asked to give and to donate and to volunteer. But I feel like this shouldn't be something that we do just during the holiday season. This should be a way of life.

"Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." ~Matthew 25:40

We are commanded to take care of the less fortunate, the oppressed, the poor. I know I need to do a better job with all of my resources. At least it's something for me to chew on right now...

The value of a heart

It's Friday. Its actually the first week in awhile that I have worked all five days and its been a week. I'm exhausted. So, therefore I am so pumped that it's Friday.

Also, I am pumped because I get to introduce my family to my future-in-laws this weekend. Another first. This will be great. I cannot wait for them to meet. It's like the two pieces of bread coming together with Jake and I being the peanut butter and jelly. We'll all be one big, squishy mess.

When I was little (or at least up until middle school) when my parents would hug, I would run in between them and tell them I wanted to be the peanut butter. So I still stand on the fact that I am the peanut butter.

I am also excited because Jake and I found a reception site and a date. Yay! This is really going to happen! **I promise there will not be many more wedding blogs. I promise there will not be many more wedding blogs**

Something that has been a theme this week has been the concept that people need to know they're valued. People matter, they are important. People are why we are here on this earth. Getting to know people, hearing their stories, loving each other, helping each other, serving each other. This is the reason we're here, right?!?

What determines the value of a person? Is it their material wealth, their work status, how much they volunteer, how many times they go to church?

It's about the heart. It's about what goes on in the heart. One of my favorite sayings that I have to remind myself is "to remember that everyone you meet is fighting their own battle".

You just never know what people are going through. So be the light in their life today.

Try it...see what happens.

Happy Weekend!

25 & Engaged

This may have been the most exciting, exhilarating, emotional, tiring, wonderful, exhausting week of my life.

Engaged and 25. I still can't believe it, either one actually.

Friday was my 25th birthday. I spent the day with my mom and best friend...wedding dress shopping! Yep, one week in and we're already shopping. You see, normally my mom and I go shopping for my birthday. This year we got to do something a little extra....wedding dresses. It was awesome and kind of hard. I never realized how many different options, variations, alterations, styles, prices, and stores there really were. I'm pretty particular as to what I want so we're going to keep on shopping!

I finished the day with my gorgeous fiance at a wonderful restaurant and some time for us to just celebrate life!

Then Saturday morning, we headed off on our next journey to try to find the perfect reception site. I have one in mind (not sharing that detail yet). We're hoping to get a date set soon! We had some other side trips, such as the apple orchard. See our weekend in pictures...

 PS- My side of the engagement story coming soon...

The Engagement Story - His

Fellow readers of the K.I.S.S blog:

My name is Jacob Paul Revere and I will be your celebrity writer for this lovely blog posting. I have never had any interest in “doing” a blog, but since my lovely wife-to-be has encouraged me; I am sitting here writing to you all.

The wonderful engagement story is something that every single woman in America dreams, wishes, and fantasies about upon birth.  Think I am exaggerating, just talk to Shana!  The goal behind me writing to the extensive amount of followers is to simply provide a different perspective on the wonderful and amazing day that Shana said YES! It all began one day back in January of 2011 when I realized that Shana was the one that was meant for me.  At that time, she had given me so much and been an integral part of my life.  I realized that I didn’t want to spend another day without her.  She was the other half of me that I didn’t know I needed (yes Sha I said need!!  Haha inside joke). I began on January 17, 2011 to write in a journal where I could funnel all of my thoughts and aspirations into a place that Shana would not be able to see or hear.  And so began the proposal journey.

I had spent many days thinking about the how and when and where and why, but I didn’t have any true direction until the wonderful Groupon email was sent to me.  The Hot Air Balloon Corp. got my business and that is where I started the foundation of the proposal plans. I knew that I needed to schedule the hot air balloon ride at a time that would allow other activities afterward, because I was defiantly not going to have the day be like a re-run of the Bachelorette where Jason gets in a hot air balloon, gets on a knee and asks some random chick named Moniqua to marry him, even though he has been cheated on the whole 32 days he has known her. Anyway, I began planning for after the balloon ride which is when I involved the lovely friend, Lauren, into the plan. She was brought in to tie-up loose ends, as well as help out with some other thoughts. So, here is what I came up with…

THE PLAN:

• Hot Air Balloon Ride: 8 am – 11:30 am
• Alternative: ???
• Indy Zoo: 12 pm – 3:30 pm
• Alternative: Children’s Museum
• Picnic at Park: 4 pm – 8 pm
• Alternative: Any park in the greater Indy area

THE ACTUAL EVENTS:

• Hot Air Balloon ride was cancelled
• Parked car to watch sun rise
• Car battery died
• Called Uncle Bud and Aunt Sheri for a jump and went with them to breakfast
• Went to Indy Zoo (no problems…great weather)
• Lauren successfully dropped off the warmed food and placed it in the trunk of my car
• Went to park and found the entire Indy Mexican population having a fiesta (250 people total)
• Went to other park (thank you Lauren) ate dinner, dessert, shared the journal, and asked the women of my dreams to marry me.
• Tears of joy, the word “Yes, of course” over and over again, jumping, screaming, kissing, more jumping, laughing, and more crying!

To summarize, I hope you all have enjoyed this celebrity blog posting and that I have enlightened you on the engagement story of J and (future) Sha Revere!