Early morning

Woke up at 6 a.m. this morning.  It's Saturday.  This stinks...was my first thought.  I remember my parents saying they "couldn't sleep past such and such time".  I used to think....WHY not?  Y'all are weird.  I'd say they were in their 40's at that time.  Ah....now I'm in my 40's.  This is just cruel.  So tired, but wide awake.  It's funny how little pieces of your parents habits, mannerisms, thought processes become a reality to you and unfold before your eyes as you age.  It is only until those things actually happen to you that you fully understand them.  I think about this sometimes when the girls look at me as though I am an alien, for one thing or another.  I think - and sometimes say - you'll understand one day.  The same line my parents used on me.  Full circle.  Interesting.

So, wide awake, I head for the kitchen and the coffee maker.  I am fairly type A (or really type A).  Actually, a better way to describe me is a type A want-to-be with little time or ability to carry it out most days.  That is most accurate.  This leaves me with a kind of permanent anxiety about all the things that need to be done, should be done, should have already been done.  Some days I wake up with that feeling.  It's not the way to start your day or even go through it.  I know this.  I am always trying to take myself down a notch.  But today, in the quiet of my kitchen at 6 a.m., I looked around and felt thankful instead of "behind".  Not on purpose.  I'm stubborn.  It's nearly impossible for someone to talk me into something and even harder for me to talk myself into something.  It was just all those little reminders of some very wonderful people in my life.  Everywhere I turned in the kitchen, something caught my eye and I thought - I love that.  Then, I thought, I sure do love them.

Here are a few of those things that made me smile this morning......



Owl - painted by Claire.  I love this little guy. 

Family rules - created by Kate.  Sometimes I think these are more for me.

 

Family dinner game - gift from G'ma and G'pa.  We

use it almost every night.  If you don't have one, get one. 

 

Gift from Fr. Shelby and Becky honoring our dog, Missy

Hanging on my front porch, where you could

find her most days. 

 

 

Love this tea towel from my dear, dear friend

Tiffanie.  From one Southern gal to another. 

We met within months of my move to Tulsa in 1996. 

Instant friendship.  Southern girls know how to find each other.

 

 

Another tea towel from another sweet friend, Laura.

This sums it up.  She is always good

for a hefty dose of sunshine.  If you don't have a Laura,

you should get one!

 

Valentines card - by Claire

 

 

Valentine craft - by Will!

 

 

And these three sit right by my coffee maker.