just a boy & his dog.

Give a boy a dog and you've furnished him a playmate.

Berton Braley

For me a house or an apartment becomes a home when you add one set of four legs, a happy tail, and that indescribable measure of love that we call a dog.

Roger Caras

“He taught us the art of unqualified love. How to give it, how to accept it. Where there is that, most other pieces fall into place.”

John Grogan

No symphony orchestra ever played music like a two-year-old laughing with a puppy.

Bern Williams

The dog of your boyhood teaches you a great deal about friendship, and love, and death: Old Skip was my brother. They had buried him under our elm tree, they said—yet this was totally true.

For he really lay buried in my heart.

Willie Morris, My Dog Skip

Thankful!

i did really good posting a daily FB "thankful" status. for like, two whole weeks. needless to say i've slacked a bit. but certainly not out of lack of thanks.
 
i haven't blogged in a while so i thought this a perfect opportunity to have unlimited space to be thankful--

so, here are my "24 Days of Thankfulness."

1: Kai's stats from 15 month check-up: 32" long and (only!) 23 lbs...looks like somebody's gonna be built like their uncle mikey :) #Thankful for my healthy orange-haired string-bean!

2: Thankful for naps. Even the ones that happen on accident on the couch right before dinner...(referring to Kai, not me, unfortunately). I play this little game with myself to see how much i can get done while there is no little boy "undoing" everything i put away/clean up/fold/etc....and then some days i just lay down with him and sleep :)

3: Thankful for my Honey-dog. For cardio accountability and an ever-watchful eye on my boy :)

4:  thankful for my siblings. i love them.

5: ‎12 freezer meals whipped up in 2 hours...with two toddlers runnin' around. {Thankful} for a kitchen savvy mama (and wine!) 

6: NOT a fan of the early darkness of winter. But *thankful* that with it comes holiday cheer and powder to shred :)

7: borrowed thoughts on thankfulness...

8: {thankful} for my little house. it's no mansion, but it's 1600 sq. feet full of everything i love with a wood stove and roof on top.

9:  thankful that i have a job that i enjoy. i love what i do, who i work with, and who i work for.

10: TGIT! thankful that the Echo School District operates on a four-day work week, which means on most weeks, Thursday = Friday :)

11: thankful for my parents. they have been the greatest examples of love, kindness and faith. i pray that i can set the same example for my son that i have been so very blessed to see them set for me. i don't know where i'd be without them and am thankful for them every. single. day.

12: {thankful} that my joy is not wrapped up in circumstance.

"It's not happy people who are thankful, it's thankful people who are happy."

13: never thought i'd say this but i'm thankful to live in the city i grew up in. i sure never envisioned coming back after leaving for the bright lights of Seattle, but ya know what? i love that my son gets to play and grow up with my friends' kids, that he'll get to go to my same elementary school, and that i often run into people at the grocery store who talk about watching me play high school sports. i love that i live 5 minutes away from my parents and 2-blocks from a couple of my childhood best friends :)

14: tonight i'm thankful for pumpkin spice in the scentsy, bedtime snuggles from my baby, a warm honey-dog on my feet, a hot cup of jasmine green tea and a pile of good books on my bedside table.

15: i'm thankful for the adorably excited way Kai shouts "Mama!" when i pick him up from daycare every afternoon...melts my heart every time :)

16: thankful for my grandparents. they are generous, hard-working, loving, God-fearing, FUN and adorable. i have a deep bank of wonderful memories with each of them and am lucky to have them in my life!

17: i'm thankful for prayer and for parents who taught me how to pray....who said prayers with me when they tucked me into bed at night and prayers before dinner each evening. i look forward to hearing Kai's little bedtime prayers!

18: now-a-days i'm SO thankful when i have a chance to get a workout in. there is no better de-stresser, mood-lifter or energy-booster (in my opinion!). i DEFINITELY took for granted my pre-baby days of getting to workout whenever/wherever i wanted. so it is no understatement to say that i am THANKFUL for gym-time or a pavement pounding session with Honey.

19: thankful my mommy likes to run with me. and for a nice toasty hot tub to de-thaw in post-race!

20: thankful for parents who read to their kids and take the time to talk with them about their day...

21: thankful for my students, who are often the best examples and reminders of resilience.

22: thankful for new days and new seasons. for fresh starts.

 
23: thankful that the niners are having a good year...

24: "and thank you for a house full of people i love. amen."