{love} and {embrace}

i've been thinking...

and asking myself...

thinking some more...

and then asking myself again...

then putting it aside
frustrated

and then I finally realized to quit asking myself
and just stinkin' talk to you know who about it...
Him
{duh}

because I always learn that the third or fourth time after I've asked myself
realizing that I have gotten nowhere asking myself
{a little late to the start sometimes I am}

so what came about it?

guess I should tell you about what first, right?
I don't do resolutions

okay so I did one time {2009}...because it was really needed
an "about time" kind of one
and that was about dresses

want to know more about that?...
then you may read "this is me" back in February of 2010
but other than that
I don't do resolutions
it's too much
and frankly prefer to have some inspiration words to always refer to instead
you know those constant reminders
in the back of your head

that's what works for me

so the conclusion this year

 two words

and they are:

"loving and embracing"

I'll be honest here...

the embracing one freaks me out a little bit

okay, actually a lot

but I'm taking it in the positive 100%

I looked "embrace" up for a little peace at heart and understanding

 embrace goes quite well with loving in its obvious definition of embracing {hugging} someone

but it also includes

"accepting opportunities and challenges eagerly and willingly"

 that made me smile

a big ole' smile

because I am going to embrace my opportunities and challenges

with a renewed spirit and with love

and know that those I didn't achieve last year

are absolutely achievable this year

and isn't this funny...

as I glanced up from writing right now 

I saw on my dream board

my all-time favorite quote

I mean favorite, favorite

 favorite quotes...

You will find as you look back upon your life that the moments when you have really lived are the moments when you have done things in a spirit of love. --- H. Drummond

so as I've found what my inspiration words were this year

I remembered the ones last year

they were

{faith}

{hope}

{belief}

the funny thing is...

I could use those same words again this year

I really could
you don't always need to re-invent the wheel, right?

but instead of tossing those three aside

I will use them again
but add to...kind of thing
 a little modification to that wheel

 my focus with it all is

loving

embracing

when I wrote

"the road underneath me"

last year

I had many hopes and dreams for my family

and for myself

although some hopes, goals, and dreams I didn't achieve

I know I still will
for my journey is not the same journey as anyone else

I am not one that gives up easily
if you didn't know that already
but I'm sure most of you do by now
{chuckle}

either because I'm determined or stubborn
most likely both
okay...definitely both

but stubborn can be good too, right?
that's at least what I tell myself
at least I openly admit it
{laughing again now}

I never knew my 2010 inspiration words
{hope, faith, believe}
would be so meaningful for myself and our family's life last year

as I wrote in "sweet serendipity"

a week or so ago

we had a really great year with a lot of great memories in 2010
and that is what I choose to remember
hands down

but in reality 2010 was quite difficult for us too

I didn't realize when I wrote down those three words on January 2nd of last year
that strength would carry me through some really tough times

my words were very relevant last year

so that horse with the head down I referred to last year 
in "the road underneath me"

was how I felt sometimes throughout the year

but

what I didn't realize then but I do now
is that same horse eventually
raised it's head high
with grace and confidence

and looked up to see all the love
and all the wonderful things to embrace before her eyes

and that's what I am going to continue to do this year
because that is not only what I did at the finish of 2010
but also many times throughout the year

we had so much fun with family and friends...

we saw our two little babies blossom and make us laugh some more
a friend got married
we did some quite embarrassing things
but fun things
we laughed a lot
we sure did

we traveled
for my business conference
we went on a free trip with my husband's work
we strengthened friendships throughout the year
and had some lake trips with family and friends

we spent a lot of quality time not just quantity of time with everyone

I got my noise pierced
thank.you.very.much

I am still wearing more dresses
I took even more pictures of the girls for fun
not great at it
but I did it

we swam a lot during the summer
we did a couple more date nights than usual
thanks to my parents for watching the girls
although I'm sure they had fun too

my sister came to visit with my nephews during the summer
and we practically lived at my parents house that week

we came out loving, having a lot of fun, and standing tall
{I know I've forgotten a lot of great things so please don't be offended if I didn't mention something}

"the road underneath me is a constant
but the journey I take is up to me"
{words I wrote last year}

and this year
I'm going to do what I do best

love

and

embrace

love myself
love on my family
and love on those near and dear to me

family and friends
 those in my business
and everyone in between

I'm going to embrace
every.single.situation
whether it is the time of my life
or
a circumstance that just plain stinks
and even though the "plain stink" ones take a little more effort/time to embrace,
I will and eventually carry on
{not saying immediately because I do have a learning curve of honesty here}

the finish line in 2011
is another journey
that my family and I are taking together
five strong
{yes counting Miss Cadence...absolutely not pregnant...nope}
 we do include our pups as family members
even when she gets her "tude" in the "attitude" and decides to tinkle in the house
{ugh}
to make some sort of point
that she never seems to make

okay that's a little tmi and off-base
Happy New Year to you and your families
xo

yes and no pictures this time around
I've had a sick little girl today