10 Things that Keep my Heart Hopeful

From January 16, 2021

Hi, my friends. Happy glorious winter Saturday. It can be glorious regardless of almost everything, ya know. Remember, your finding beauty is subversive. Anyway. I hereby present to you a list of 10 random things that are keeping my heart hopeful in these days. I’d also LOVE to know something that’s keeping you hopeful... eh? What say you? If you post a list, please tag me so I can see!! 😍

1. Fog. Oh, NC has the BEST fog these winter mornings. It is mysterious and wet and thick and beautifully dismal. I adore it. (#saidthe4)

2. Rain falling over fields. (See Reasons I Love Fog⬆️.)

3. Our kids’ growing senses of humor. Their security in my love that allows me to gently laugh at and enjoy them, teaching them not to take themselves so seriously.

4. Green things still grow in mud during the NC winter. Who’da thunk? Life even through the winter! It’s practically tropical! And also profound-ish.

5. My girls. My few. My precious, breathtaking soul friends. Y’all are witnesses to my interior life like no one else knows how to be. Grateful is not even the word.

6. Our trampoline. It brings me such joy to watch our kids feelin’ like they can fly.

7. Stan’s heart for our family. He prefers us, serves us, is unendingly kind. So very grateful for him. What a rare find.

8. Each night, when kids are slumbering, he and I end up on the huge sectional couch in the living room, fire roaring. I get a snack and a stack of books and journals no shorter than a foot high, and he listens to something with his headphones, and we occasionally stop to chat, and we are together. Bliss.

9. My dog’s personality. Or... dog-ality. Rocky is a furry, clumsy, playful, kissing, nibbling glob of love.

10. My online friends. Y’all are a gift. You encourage my soul like I cannot tell you. You expand my thinking, challenge, inspire, provoke, and comfort me. Mostly, you help me stay in touch with who I most deeply am. Thank you for your presence in my life.