the unperfected perfectionist

Well, hello spring!   It appears that I survived the countdown to spring!  Today is officially the first day of spring. Hard to believe, right?  If you live in Michigan, you can completely relate to what I am saying.  We woke up to a dusting of fresh snow this morning!  After the never-ending winter that we've had, I, honestly, didn't have high hopes for an early and warm spring.  I was only dreaming about it. Every winter, a little piece of me thinks that I should be living in a more southern part of the country.  I am not a fan of the cold.  I would be perfectly happy if we just had a little bit of snow around Christmas and then when January hits, I would happily welcome spring.  Wishful thinking!! I am smart enough to know that if I want a change, I will need to move to a milder climate.  Maybe someday.   It just so happens to be Thankful Thursday  again today. Today, this very first day of spring,...

It's Thankful Thursday !! As I was thinking about what I was thankful for this week, I decided that the most fitting thing to be thankful for was simply… Today .   I am thankful that I was given yet another day at this thing that we call life.  It is so easy to get caught up in our lives and lose the appreciation for the moments and experiences we have on a particular day. 24 hours seems to slip away so quickly and I know that I, myself, am guilty of letting the entire day and night slip by me and not really considering the things that I may have experienced or the blessings that may have been bestowed upon me in that period of time. One. Single. Day.  This is something that I was reminded of, after a local young man passed away unexpectedly.  A guy who had everything going for him and had a great future ahead of him that was cut short, without warning, because of an enlarged heart that he was never even aware of having. ...

It's Thankful Thursday !!  Today, I am thankful that Spring is only 41 days away!!  February has only just begun but, it feels like I'm living in a frozen tundra!  I am so OVER the snow that seems to be falling every single day!  I do, fully realize, that just because Spring arrives in 41 days, that the weather may still be cold and snowy… I would be happy to see 40 or 50 degrees! I am honestly counting down the days!  I am willing to bet that I am not the only one that is feeling this way.  Its beginning to feel like I'm in that movie, Groundhog Day …where Bill Murray wakes up to the same day over and over and over.  Sounds familiar, doesn't it?  Besides for the warmer weather, green grass, and leaves on the trees, I am looking forward to Spring because I should be feeling much more like myself again.  A couple of months into my gluten-free life should allow my intestines to heal and my body will be able to once again absor...

It's Thankful Thursday !   I have been so out of my blogging routine, and posting so randomly, that I feel awful about missing Thankful Thursday's.   Lately, I have been deep in my thinking, as I shared with you in my last post, and I have been reminding myself quite frequently, how very much I have to be thankful for.  I hear about others misfortune or struggles or see things when I am going about my daily life that remind me how blessed I am with every passing day.  I had a huge reality check about how very short life can be this week.  I learned that a good friend of mine from my boarding school in North Carolina, passed away from complications of MS.  I had not seen her in many years but, had kept in touch through Facebook.  I knew she was not doing well and just a few days before I learned she had passed on to a better life, I was thinking that I should try to get down to see her.  Life is too short.  We are most definitely ...

Is it really Thursday already?? I was just looking at my calendar and realizing that there are only 17 days left before Christmas!  Oh my goodness!  Confession time...I have not even started Christmas shopping yet.  Yes, you heard me correctly!  Not one single item purchased as of today.  This makes my chest feel a bit of tightness as I take a deep breath to calm myself. For some odd reason, I just don't feel all caught up in the Christmas spirit this year.  We have our tree up and decorated beautifully but, sadly enough, nothing else is out besides for some Christmas kitchen towels.  If you know me at all, you may be thinking that this is very odd. It really is.  I usually have decorations all over my house and it is always cozy and festive.  My best explanation as I think about this, seems to be that since we moved, I have felt like nothing is where it should be or I go looking for something and can recall seeing it in our house in O...

Good Morning! Today, as I sit here to write this post, my hands feel like blocks of ice!  It is really chilly this morning and we have even had some snow flurries!  It is the coldest day that we have had yet, this season. Brrr! I often wonder if I would not dislike the cold weather so much if my body wasn't so cold.  I have the hardest time warming up once I am cold.  I would most definitely prefer to be too hot over too cold. It is always easier to cool down than warm up.  Is this true for you? No, I am not complaining.  Simply stating the facts about myself and the cold.  Just not such a good match.  I suppose that the cold winters allow me to rejoice when the first signs of spring appear. And even more so when summer rolls in with its wonderful sun and warmth. Just thinking of summer makes me feel a wee bit warmer. :) As you know, it is Thankful Thursday  again.  Sometimes, I post about more dear to the heart and deep...

It's Thankful Thursday !  I feel bad that I missed it last week. November is a month that I think we tend to try to think of the so many things that we have to be thankful for.  Most definitely, Thanksgiving Day, reminds us to do this. Why do we wait for one day to roll around each year, to give thanks? As I sit here to post today, I feel guilty for not taking the time each and every day to give thanks for being very fortunate.  I have so much to be thankful for each day. Without a doubt, more than I deserve.  As the first of the year arrives, I think that I may begin a notebook or a jar of thanks, in which I take a few minutes each day to write down a few things that I am thankful for.  Just think about how cool it would be to look back on the entire years worth of thanks.  It would be a great reminder of the many blessings we have with every passing day.   Today, on this Thankful Thursday , I am thankful for my husband. This is something that sh...

Good Morning ! Good Afternoon!  Here in my town, it is cold and gray again today!  I don't know why it surprises me since that is pretty typical for fall in Michigan.  Well, this morning, my furnace sounds like it is coming down with a bug.  It is acting out of sorts and I truly hope that it is not going to pass away in the very near future.  I am begging it to, PLEASE just hang in there!  Leave it to Emma, who always looks on the bright side,(I must be doing something right:), she told me this morning that I should, "just be happy that I don't live in a covered wagon...and its winter!"  Oh, how she makes me smile every single day!  She is absolutely right.  I am very happy that I don't live in a covered wagon.   Being Thankful Thursday , I asked, her as she was getting ready for school, what she was thankful for today.  She answered, "I am thankful that I have such a wonderful mom who takes such good care of me when I am si...

Good Morning! Here in Michigan, I woke up to a morning that was dark as night, cold and very rainy.  You know, the type of morning that you would rather pull the covers over your head?  I still was trying to be positive, despite the fact that my sweet dog got wrapped around a tree in the backyard.  Him doing so, required me to go out in the rain and darkness, hoping that I didn't step in a pile of fresh dog poop.  I was so happy, and I am pretty sure that it was lucky for my dog as well, that I did NOT step in a landmine of his. Lord forgive me for the unkind words that I muffled under my breath about my dog. I was simply irritated and in an instant, it got the best of me. He is such a good dog and I love him, he just makes me crazy in times such as these. Yes, this is going to be a great day!   It is Thankful Thursday  today! Today, I am writing the post that I had planned on last Thursday. Last Thursday was the first birthday of my blog. Today,...