A Simple Woman's Daybook~February 8, 2015

Our lives pass swiftly by! I want to do something to remember

the everyday moments and my thoughts about them.  

That is what this Daybook is all about.

Focusing on the little things that become my life.

One entry at a time.

Just for today~Sunday, February 8, 2015

Outside my window...The sun is up but covered up with the gray clouds.  It's early yet and the forecast is it is to be raining throughout the day.    The groundhog definitely saw his shadow here, so more winter with some rain for us. This is a huge gift.  It has been a mild winter most of the time but we've had some super cold days too, but very little rain.  The things I like least about winter are the short days and viruses. Spring will be coming soon, right?

Jim has had that respiratory thing going on for the past 8+ weeks.  Our friend had it from July to December.  It comes and goes but never quite goes away and the coughing is horrendous.  Of course the minute it goes away, he jumps back on his horse full speed ahead, and then he wears himself out and it comes back. So crazy. I have been fearing I'd get it this whole month as I had two big projects that needed to be done.  I completed them on Friday so now I am free to plan my trip to Utah.  

However, I have been having vertigo for over a week now but I am seeing a lot of improvement finally.  This is always my big fear when I get colds.  They always go into my ears and cause such dizziness. Vertigo is so hard because you feel so helpless.  Also it is so exhausting because you have to use all your energy just to move between point A and B.  The weird part is I never did not get the cold. Thank goodness. I'm good with that.

I am thankful for...prayer.  It is such a mighty force in our lives.  I am praying now to be recovered by the 11th when I am planning to go on a great little trip with my friend, Carol.  This is the dangling carrot that has kept me going all year.  Rootstech in SLC.  So we pray and wait and hope and believe and move forward as if.  But in the back of our mind is always, "Thy will be done."  He knows better than we do what is best for us.

From the learning room...There are 168 hours in a week.  It is astonishing to comprehend how some people can get so much accomplished.  These really high powered movers and shakers really amaze me.  Sometimes I think we work very hard, probably as hard as those people..the over achievers.  They must just work supper fast and much smarter is all I can think.

I am reading...mostly online articles and blogs about genealogy.  Since I have been teaching a lot this past month that has been right there on my mind more than usual.

From the kitchen...Ugh...this one always throws me for a loop.  I wish we had a cook.  There is nothing new I can say about this.  Not my favorite thing to do anymore.  Period.

Some spiritual thoughts I have been having...Well, I have been thinking about love since Valentine's Day is just around the corner. On the spiritual side of that is God's unconditional love for us,  It is something that seems hard to comprehend sometimes.  No matter what we do or how many mistakes we make He is there for us, loving us in spite of ourselves.  I was thinking about how much better the world would be if we could do that more.  If we could just love more and unconditionally when people we love and care for do things that hurt and disappoint us.  

We should be able to rise above a lot of that and not take things so personally. We should take ourselves and our feelings out of the equation, so that we can more readily focus on our gift of love to another...not the other way around.  The 'if you do this or that, then I'll love you'  isn't quite how we are loved.  God doesn't love us that way.  We should work harder at not loving that way either.   Boy, is is hard to do.  But He first loved us so we could learn His way.  I am guessing it takes a life time but I think being more aware is a step forward.

Someone I am praying for this week... Hazie as her little body struggles to heal from the last surgery.  The biggest problems is the way the bars fit inside put pressure on certain spots that are having trouble healing on the outside.  Her skin is very delicate.  All of our family and friends as we all face the everyday trials.  Ben as he struggles with his side effects of his bone marrow transplant to fight his leukemia.  He turned 12 a few days ago.  The bravest little guy.  He has been battling this now for months.  I pray for his parents, grandparents and siblings, family and friends.  This has been very hard to watch and very exhausting, yet they stay strong, faithful and full of hope.

I am hearing...rain falling on the roof and the fireplace.  I need to turn on some music I suppose but the quiet is especially nice in the early morning.  It is Sunday morning so maybe I'll listen to The Spoken Word in a little bit.  But for now..raindrops!  Going out in it seems a little daunting. Right now it is pouring. Even the music would not cover this up.

Quote of the week from Pinterest..."Happy Valentine's Day!

https://www.pinterest.com/onedesigner/hearts-valentines/

One of my pleasures...going to Utah to see the family.  I have missed them over the past six months.  It seems like feast or famine with our traveling.  The girls will have changed and grown more. Bittersweet.  Hazel has had three surgeries since I saw her.  They have a new dog, Leo, to keep their Lucy company.  They are cute together. I am eager to see them all.

Pet Peeves...the fact that it seems to take as much work to get ready to go on a trip for a week as it does for a month. But it is all good really.  I am so excited about the Rootstech conference and being with Carol for five whole days.  I'll miss Jim Bob but he'll be fine and busy while I am gone.   He is going to Utah next month and we are saving our time away together for our trip to England and Wales.

Past Remembrance...thinking about all the great things I learned last year and the fun I had at Rootstech.  Have been looking forward to the biggest genealogy conference in the world for a year now.  I am so thankful to be almost over the vertigo.  Carol and I reserved our room at the hotel nearly a year ago now.  Gotta plan way ahead with that many people flooding into SLC.  The weather looks like it will be mostly sunny and cold.  Yay!  No snow in the forecast!

If I could change one thing it would be...more happiness for all.  Less war and strife, better leadership in all the countries of the world.  Less corruption and graft.  You know me, just a better Pollyanna world would be super.

An enjoyable movie/ TV show we have watched lately...5th season of Downton Abbey.  We have loved it.  Watched the Christmas episode last night. We never can wait to see what happens so bought the DVD when it came out. Fabulous.  We have been pretty happy that there is yet another season to look forward to next year.

I am curious about...Wales and how we will navigate around there driving on the other side of the road.  Ugh,  Not my favorite.  I am also curious about when I can get started on getting that all together with some concrete plans. 

Plans for the rest of the week...church at 11:00, Monday getting last minute things done, Tuesday working, Wednesday leaving for SLC, rest of the week with Carol, Jen and family and the conference. Home Sunday.  It will be quick so will be consciously savoring the experience and learning a lot.

One of my favorite things...answers to prayers.

One thing that made me so happy this past week...Getting some photos from my cousin Jim of his grandfather and my grandmother and 30 others that we know or know of at a picnic back in the 30s.  It was so special to see his Grampa and my Grandma standing next to each other in the large group.  Our fathers who are cousins are also in the photo!  That made our cyber relationship feel very real.  It was exciting.  I enjoy working with my newfound cousins who also have an interest in family history.  

The most surprising thing this past week...A really long and sweet letter was received from our granddaughter, Aynslee.  She is so homesick while living in England this year but the wonderful side of that is there are lots of letters home.

Here is a photo I'm sharing this week....

At Stonehenge
Aynslee with her Daddy, our son Chris!

UNTIL THE NEXT DAYBOOK,

BE HAPPY AND CARRY ON!
Take Care Of You For Me!