Two Cute/Too Cute!

Can we just take a moment to enjoy all the cuteness!?!

Don't you just want to eat this little pumpkin up?

I wanna take this monkey home with me!!!

Yay for cuteness!

I may be biased, but I don't know if I have ever seen a cuter monkey or pumpkin!
Much Love Amelia and Penelope
Aunt Michelle
*You are welcome for the adorableness of this post!

Ahhh....Saturdays!

"Middle age is when you are sitting at home on a Saturday night and the telephone rings and you hope it isn't for you." ~Ogden Nash

Ahhhh...Saturdays are my favorite days! I love getting to sleep in later, and relax with a nice cup of coffee. Lately, I have really enjoyed taking my coffee onto the back porch of the apartment. I sip and enjoy crisp cool air and views similar to the picture above. The leaves changing in VA have been a beautiful thing to behold, but I will have to save my ponderings (which I have many) about seasons and fall and beauty for my post about Autumn!

I did not think that Saturdays would matter as much since I don't have a job, but I find that I look forward to them just as much as when I was employed. Saturdays are usually days when my dear sister, bro-in-law, and niece will pack up their car and head out on a Discover Virginia Trip! I LOVE these people dearly, but I must say that I am never very tempted to join them-ha! I choose instead to stay at home, where I linger over coffee on the back porch, spend a few hours doing laundry and cleaning-not having to worry about intruding on others as I do this, and then cleaning myself and enjoying the fruits of my labor with a good book or movie (is that the worst run on sentence!). It is heaven!

I could say this hermit crab tendency is a result of moving to VA where I don't know many people, and my desire to have some alone time in the apartment. This, though, would not me true. I must admit that given a choice I would probably always choose a low key Saturday with no makeup then going out and about. I think the cool weather outside and coziness of inside just adds to the appeal for me. My dream Saturday would be to wake up, go for a long walk or hike, hit up a local coffee shop for coffee and something sweet and yummy, come home and CLEAN my house and then myself, and then pick up something delicious to eat (don't want to dirty up my kitchen cooking-ha), and enjoy it while watching a good movie or reading a good book! Sounds like heaven to me (though not really middle age, I totally relate to the above quote-ha).

I lived in Athens,GA before I moved to Virginia, and there were Saturdays where this is exactly what I did. There was a coffee shop in walking distance to the condo I lived in, and my roommate and I would go for a walk and then sit and talk the morning away over coffee (this didn't happen as much as it should have , though!). I am SO thankful today for the time to enjoy those things. Now in Virginia is a very different time. Many days are spent looking for a job and helping with my niece and just wondering around trying to figure out what to do with myself-ha! I know I drive my sister, Jen, CRAZY! It is only a three bedroom apartment, so there is not a lot of room to wonder around!! I am thankful for this time as well, though. Whereas before every moment (in my mind) was mine to do with what I wanted, I now am needing to take others into consideration-and that is a very GOOD thing to be required of me-I tend to be selfish! But, it is still always with great anticipation that I look forward to the semblance of normalcy and well being that a cozy Saturday brings! All those colorful leaves right now are just a bonus!!

Why a Blog?

This is a very good question- I believe- to start this thing off with! Let me see...I think there are several answers for me. One of the reasons is to keep in touch with friends and family. I wrote in my "about me" that I have recently relocated to VA, and I love the idea of keeping in touch this way! Another reason to blog is I believe God has really been teaching me a lot, and I think/HOPE as I stumble my way through it it could be encouraging to others out there. My last reason for blogging would be that people keep telling me that I should do it-ha! Seriously, I do enjoy sharing what God is doing in my life with others. Plus, I seem to have an affinity for finding myself in unusual/potentially embarrassing situations that others seem to find entertaining-ha. What can I say...awkwardness is my gift!

So, my hope for any who read is to encourage, humor, confide, and hopefully through my MANY mistakes maybe have a little wisdom! I warn you now that I have NEVER baked bread, cooked a full dinner without using a microwave, crafted anything particularly beautiful, or used a coupon (although I dearly LOVE all blogs that do this....I like to live vicariously through these women-ha). I have however fallen on my face on a first date, walked very loudly straight into a wall, introduced my male boss by his wife's name to friends, locked my keys in my car so many times I should own a locksmith company, broken an engagement, had a broken heart, had many jobs, made LOTS of mistakes, hated God, believed God hated me, been legalistic, been judgemental of legalistic people, been rebellious, been perfectionist, been condemned, and THANKFULLY been saved by a loving and patient LORD!

Thanks for patience as I find my rhythm in the writing! Should be fun!