day 30: my God

Finally, today I am thankful for God.  I'm so thankful for His grace, mercy and forgiveness in my life.  He is the core of everything I am and everything I choose to do.

Thank You!

day 29: clementines

cuties

Today I am thankful for clementines.  They are juicy, delicious, healthy, and just plain yummy.  I only wish they were available all year long and not just in the winter.  This time of year they are my favorite snack.  yum yum yum!

day 28: the in-laws

the Waldon fam

Today I'm thankful for my in-laws.  David has a huge family and I love them all.  He has step-siblings, wonderful parents, and Aunts and Uncles, and cousins whom are all great.

I love that his mom's whole family are in Austin, so we get to see them all the time.  They do dinners for every birthday, holiday, anniversary, and just because sometimes.

His family, well my family now, is full of love and they know how to have fun.  I'm so thankful to have 2 families so close.  I know David and I will be taken care of if anything happens.

day 27: Christmas lights

our balcony

I love and am thankful for Christmas lights.  The day my dad starts putting up his Christmas lights has always been exciting for me.  The twinkly ones are my favorite and I prefer multicolor over all white.

Luckily, though David isn't into decorating all that much, he does like lights so he was excited about buying our first lights for our home.  He picked out the blue LED lights in the picture.  I love the glow they give off outside and in our dining area.

When I was younger we would always drive around looking at lights.  I haven't done this in years but David and I plan to some night soon, probably closer to Christmas.

day 26: my dear friends

some of our dearest friends

Today I am thankful for my dear friends.  It would take too long to write about each one individually so I'll give a general blanket thanks for all of them.

David and I have been blessed with some amazing people throughout our lives.  We were lucky enough to have all of them in our wedding earlier this year.  They are a fun bunch as you can see in the picture.  They are all so special to me in different ways.  Some are childhood friends of David, who I am thankful to for making sure he didn't blow himself up before I could meet him :)  Some are my high school choir girls who helped me survive high school and college.  Some are more recent friends who I love just as much.  One up there is a sister, and well, I already told you about her :)

Our friends are all silly and amazing all at the same times, which is probably why we keep them around...or maybe they keep us around?  I am so thankful that, for whatever reason, our bonds have stayed strong and we have them to go to whenever we need them or just want to hang out, and we can be there for them if they ever need it.

day 25: Christmas

Christmas tree @ Fiesta Texas 2009

Today I am thankful for Christmas.  It's one month away and I'm so excited!  I absolutely love this time of the year (minus the mall and crazy drivers).  The lights, music, colors, weather, cheer, jingle bells, pretty wrapping paper, sparkly everything, family, and of course the reason for it all...God's son.

I know this holiday has become commercialized but to me it's a great time to remember what God sent us so many years ago and I'm so very thankful that He did.  I know theologians have decided Jesus was most likely born in the summer, and I'm thankful during the summer as well, but I love to have a special day just to celebrate Christ.  I also love that everyone knows that's what that day is for, whether they believe or not.

For me there is just nothing like Christmas, I love it!

day 24: holidays

Today I am thankful for holidays.  I love a chance to get together and just enjoy family and friends.  They usually involve yummy food as well, which is always a plus in my book.

Short post, it's Thanksgiving :)

day 23: days off

Today I am thankful for days off.  Since I work at a college ministry, I get school vacations, it's pretty awesome.  Today I got to sleep in a little, take Chuy to get his bear claws trimmed (he did so well!) and then just chill around the apartment with Miriah, watching movies and waiting for David to get home.  Once he's home it's off to Mason for Thanksgiving.

I love that I still get a few days to myself to just relax, play with Chuy, and enjoy being out of a building or our apartment in the sunshine.  It's a good time for me to take life slow and appreciate God and everything He's done for me and in my life.

day 22: pinterest

my inspiration board

Today I am thankful for Pinterest!  My friend Sophie told me I had to get it a few months ago and it is just awesome.  I'm a big craft blog reader and I used to bookmark tutorials a lot but I never went back to them.  Being a visual person I hated looking at my bookmark list and seeing those ugly long links.  Pinterest is just my cup of tea.

I also like that I can see what craft projects my friends are pinning.  I've even started a board made of just meals I want to cook which I'm sure David appreciates :)  I love that I can organize as much as I want.  For example, I have a board just for felt.  I've found it especially helpful in keeping everything I want to make organized and easy to go look back and remember.

Thanks for being you, pinterest :)

day 21: Miriah

sisters

Today I am thankful for my sister, Miriah.  She's been around for nearly 23 years (what?!) and she's pretty cool, if I have to admit it :)

When we were younger we didn't always get along, but what else can you expect when you put two stubborn girls together in one house.  I think we finally became friends once I left for college and wasn't always having to share a bathroom with her, haha.

Being 4 years apart we were never in the same school after I got out of elementary school.  Then when I transferred to Texas State she began there my second year.  It was actually fun having family so close and knowing we could have lunch together once or twice a week.

My sister is a very special person and I love her dearly.  She has a great eye for art and lights, is so very determined, and has an extremely sensitive heart for those around her.  If you count her as a friend you are a very lucky person.  She will go to bat for anyone she cares for, even if you may not be willing to do so for her.

She's a little weird, but who in our family isn't?  She knew from the start that David was someone important to me and has fully embraced him as her big brother, which I love.  I know we'll be friends for the rest of our lives and someday she'll make an amazing fun aunt.

Love you, Squirt!

day 20: netflix

Today I am thankful for netflix.  Now, I know a lot of people don't like them so much anymore but I think the concept of instant streaming is fantastic. 

David and I are very much homebodies.  We really enjoy staying home and hanging out on the couch together.  Having something we like to watch whenever we want is so nice!  I'm not big on planning my schedule around a tv show, and I don't want to allow tv to have that kind of control over my life ever.  Netflix totally lets us stay out as long as we want and just watch whatever tv show we've become addicted to whenever we have time or feel like being lazy.

We discovered Doctor Who and Battlestar Galactica because of this.  I also get to watch cheesey movies I would never actually buy on here.  David watched all the old X-men cartoons from his childhood one week.  Lately they've been making more and more documentaries available so we can even get educated a bit, who'd have thunk!

I'm thankful that we have something to watch together when David gets tired of the movies I own and there's nothing on KLRU (we don't have cable). 

day 19: color

Today I am simply thankful for color in my life.  I love being surrounded with wonderful colors in my home, work, and anywhere else.  You can see some of my work with fun colors above. 

I have lived with walls colored magenta, deep turquoise, aqua, purple, red, and gray.  Gray may not seem like much of a color, but for decorating it is one of my favorites.  You can add any color to it and it looks great!  All our furniture is black too, but it makes the other colors in our home pop even more. 

Basically, color makes me happy and I love that I make things so I can make more colorful items for the world :)

day 18: GoNow missions

I am thankful for Go Now Missions today.  This is the organization I went on 3 mission trips through; Norden, Germany - Kila, Montana - and Prince Rupert, BC, Canada.  Each one was a very unique experience and i loved them all, though there were some very hard and emotional times in some of them.

I was totally going to write a little blurb about each trip I did through go now, but right now I'm honestly too tired to delve into those emotional pits.  I loved each place I went and I truly hope to visit them again with David in the future. 

Every place I went was cold and beautiful and nothing like my Austin home.  I have a special connection in my heart to the Pacific Northwest because of my two summers spent up there.  Watching any of the Twilight movies (I know, I know) makes me nostalgic for those places.  This is partly why we chose Vancouver as our honeymoon destination, I just had to be able to share the beauty of that area with David.  Lucky for me he loves cold rainy places.

I love how Go Now encourages college students to be faithful to God's calling and to go, now!  Go to their site and see all the amazing places students are taking the gospel to, it's so great.  I love that the BSM helps raise money to support go now and I get to be a part of an organization I loved to much in my college years even now. 

day 17: music

Today I am thankful for music and every role it has played in my life.  I grew up in a music-filled home and that spilled over to my school life. 

Music was my favorite special area class in elementary school, and I even stayed after school on Mondays to participate in a special music program.  My orchestra and choir classes helped me survive the awkward middle school years.  Choir made the rest of high school have a purpose.  I spent every minute I could in the choir room and I loved it.  I even started out my college career studying music. 

Though I ended up going in a different direction in school, music still plays just as important a role in my life.  Singing led me to a deeper friendship with my now husband and is ultimately what sealed the deal for us in the beginning. 

Music is also my main way to worship.  I just love singing praises to my God, and even more when I can be seated at a piano at the same time.  I was also blessed with a husband who loves to worship in the same way I do, so we get to do that together, it's pretty special to me.

Basically, who I am is shaped in a big part because of the involvement music has had in my life.

day 16: my job

baptist student ministry

I am so so so thankful for my job.  I work at the Baptist Student Ministry on the University of Texas campus as the office manager.  I love being here.  My co-workers are amazing people of God and encourage me daily.  It's also fun being around college kids all day, they can be pretty funny.

I felt a little lost when I quit my last job with no leads to a new one, but I knew I needed to leave when I did.  It was just the right time for me to pursue something new and focus on where my heart really was.  I was able to put more focus on our wedding for a few weeks, and then enjoy just being married for a few months.  The four months I was unemployed were freeing and relaxing for me but I know they totally freaked out David.  Those months were definitely a bonding time for us and we both have a better understanding and stronger faithfulness in God. 

I was sure God would provide, and He did!  This job fell out the sky and right into my lap.  It was a big change going from a corporate office of 60 people to a small ministry of 4 regular staff members.  I've had ministry and church jobs before and they have always been my favorite, so I knew I would love it here.

Not only am I thankful for this job but I'm so thankful for God's faithfulness and that He always has us in His hands.

day 15: felt

wedding flowers

Today I am thankful for felt.  It's just so good!  You can manipulate it to be so many things.  My favorite thing to make with it is flowers.  With Whitney's help we made all the bridesmaid bouquets from yellow, gold, white, and gray felt.  I made my bouquet out of white, gray and aqua felt with buttons and tulle to accent it.  They were all just so fun and cheery.  Since felt doesn't wither and die I still have mine sitting in our room.

I use felt in all my hair clips, little key chain animals and even in ornaments.  The best feature is it doesn't fray so you don't have to sew any of the edges. 

Felt, you are amazing and I'm thankful for you every time I sit down to craft :)

day 14: my momma

opening a card from my mom

Today I am thankful for the other half of the dynamic duo known as my parents...my mom.  My momma has been my biggest fan in everything I do but is also always there to help me be better.  

She taught me how to sew.  I don't remember one particular day of learning, but more a combination of just watching her create for years and absorbing it.  I'm very much a learn on my own type, but I knew I could always go ask for her expert advice at any time.  I would say this is the biggest skill I've gained from my mom.  I love that she made my prom dresses and customized my wedding dress to be exactly what I wanted.  She also made her dress above.

Another obvious gain from my mom would be my looks.  When I was younger everyone used to call me a little Mollie and I think anyone from her hometown could take one look at me and know where I come from.  I inherited her freckles, blue eyes, sway back, and red tinted hair.  I'm very excited to know that my mom is almost 55 in that picture above and that is her natural hair color and smooth skin.  Looking like a teenager now can be bothersome but it will be awesome when I'm older!

I gained my mom's logic, sarcasm, organizational skills, will, and stubbornness.  All these combined have made a strong woman, and I'm so very thankful that I had her as my female role-model in life.

I'm blessed to have a mom who trusts my opinions in life.  I get to help her with decorating decisions around the house and I know she respects my eye and taste.

I love my mother more than a post could possibly encompass, but I hope this gave a good idea :)

day 13: the big fuzzy blanket

blanket thief

Another silly one.  Today I'm thankful for our huge fluffy gray blanket.  We bought it with a wedding gift card to Target and it is awesome!  King size, fuzzy goodness that both David and I can snuggle under and not be fighting for more blanket.  Even Chuy can snuggle, thought he likes to steal the whole thing. 

day 12: my church

sanctuary before our wedding

Today I'm so very thankful for my church.  For over 7 years my church has been a place for me to grow, learn, and worship.  I've loved spending so much time there and with the amazing people that make it a church and not just a building in South Austin. 

This is the place I realized missions would be a part of my life, and then they financially supported and helped me go on numerous trips to New Orleans, Germany, Montana, and Northern British Columbia.

This is also where I met my husband.  Where we first sang together, became friends, had a serious talk before our first date, and where we finally got married.  I love that my family goes here too.  My blood family and my brothers and sisters in Christ.  The are all so much a part of who I am.

day 11: marrying a musician

photo by Whitney Carlson

I am so so thankful to be married to a musician.  I love that we can sing together and make music at a level I never could with anyone else.  There's just something about singing with David that it so special.  Our minds synch up and the harmonies lock in.  When we first started dating he would always try to steal my harmonies (he claims I stole his, but I'm older, they were mine first).  Nearly 6 years later we've grown so much musically and keep finding new harmonies and sounds to add to our repertoire. 

I think one of the reasons singing with him is so important to me is because I started falling in love with him when we prepared and sang together for Mani Marathon 2005.  It would be a little over a month before we would start dating, but part of me just knew.

I just found out we might get to sing together for our Christmas Eve service, I'm so excited!

day 10: knitting

knit blanket

Today I am so thankful for knitting.  It's such an old craft and I love it!  I taught myself during winter finals of my sophomore year at Baylor, back in 2004.  My best friend was trying to learn and had some trouble starting so I looked at it and tried to figure it out.  From then on I was hooked.  I finished my first scarf and thought it was just the coolest thing ever to wear something I made. 

Since then I have branched out and knit everything but socks and sweaters...well I knit a sweater once, but there's no way it fits now, nor does it have it's second sleeve.  Toys are my favorite to knit.  Living in Texas doesn't exactly leave many days of the year to wear knit items, but you can play with toys all year long!  In the toy realm I knit monsters most.  You can knit them in any color and size. 

For me, knitting is very therapeutic.  It keeps my mind focused but also lets it relax from other things going on in life.  Plus, having something tangible in my hands after knitting for hours is just so rewarding.  I usually knit all my gifts for Christmas.  Luckily my family appreciates home-made :)

If you ever visit our home you will most likely see balls of yarn stashed all over the place.  David always laughs when he's cleaning up and finds one tucked away somewhere. 

The mathematics of knitting is one of the big draws for me I think.  I've always loved math and numbers and that goes hand in hand with knitting.  You have to count everything.  It's perfect for my way of thinking.

Knitting is a huge blessing for me and I'm so thankful I put off studying to learn it.

day 9: nail polish

grape escape

Today I am thankful for nail polish.  These can't all be deep and serious.  I love how nail polish gives the ability to wear some crazy color for a few days/weeks.  I used to wear crazy glitter and color combos back in middle school, then rarely painted my nails in high school.  In college I usually just wore black.  Now I'm really into the dark almost black colors.

Keeping my nails painted really just helps me remember to keep my nails clean and short.  I can't stand long nails, they bug me so much, which is unfortunate because my nails grow extremely fast. 

Anyways, nail polish is awesome, thanks to whoever originally thought it was a good idea!

day 8: sewing

hand-stitched brooch for my MeMaw

Finally made it to a craft.  Today I am thankful for sewing and every role it has played in my life.  My MeMaw (mom's mom) was a professional seamstress and my mom continued that legacy by making all my prom dresses and sewing many of my costumes when I was younger.  I was so blessed to grow up in a home where sewing played such a huge role.

I didn't get the sewing bug until I got to college, but when I did I got it hard.  I started making all my purses and pillows.  I've stayed away from sewing garments, too stressful for me, but I love making bags.  It's gotten to the point where I feel guilty buying a purse from the store, since I know I can make it just as well.

Hand sewing is a craft I've come to appreciate more in the last few years.  I have 3 sewing machines but I still love sewing with my hands and just a needle and thread.  It's so cool to start with materials and then watch them become something beautiful just because I manipulated them with my hands. 

Sewing enabled me to make my wedding exactly what I wanted it to be.  My mom altered a store bought dress with a brand new skirt exactly to my liking.  It was beautiful and polka dotted!  I was also able to sew a glittery, feathery, felty, sparkly, belt embellishment because I knew how to harness my sewing skills.  I was also able to make my entire wedding bouquet by sewing felt, buttons, and tulle. (I realized I never did a wedding picture post, I need to do that soon!)

It saddens me to see how much sewing has fallen out of our culture today.  I'm always surprised when someone doesn't know how to sew a button or even thread a needle.  This used to be something every girl knew.  It's such a basic skill to me an I can't imagine not knowing it.  I fully intend on passing the sewing legacy down to my children, boys or girls and I hope it sparks something in them that it did in me.

Thanks mom for teaching me!

day 7: my daddy

pinning on my dad's boutonniere

Today I am thankful for my daddy.  I will try my best to keep this post from getting insanely long, it's going to be difficult though.

My dad is one of my favorite people in my life.  Naturally I love him, he was one half of the amazing duo that raised and shaped me into the person I am today.  I know the relationship I have with my dad is special though.  It goes far beyond him just being that guy who raised me.  I wish every girl could have a father like I have, but I know of only one who was as lucky as I, and that's my sister. 

My dad is the original inspiration for all things musical in my life.  I can remember him playing his guitar when I was very little and singing me Puff the Magic Dragon.  He would sing me to sleep at night to the tune of John Denver's Today.  I'm not sure if I've ever heard Denver's version, but I know the song very well.  As I grew my dad was very involved in my choir and orchestra activities.  He loved watching musicals with me and wandered our house singing goofy songs (does this sound like my post about David? ha!)

I am extremely blessed to not only have a present father in my life but also one who shares my faith.  My dad has a huge heart for service and I've seen him work to the point of exhaustion while serving our Lord.  If there is anything he can do to help someone else, he'll do it...gladly!  That inspires me daily.

I love talking to my dad now that I'm older and have my own very strong opinions.  I find he usually shares them with me or if not he respects them anyways.  He tells me when he's proud of the way I'm living but still also reminds me to drive carefully right after a light rain, always a daddy for sure.  I think one reason I enjoy talking to him is we share a very similar sense of humor.  I love being able to make him laugh as he has done my entire life.

Some traits my dad has passed down to me are a love for ketchup, appreciation for good music, my sense of humor, a laid back personality, general goofiness, and a tall stature so I can tower over all my tiny friends.  Okay that last one is just to be funny, though I do tend to be taller than many of my girl friends.

Like I said, I could write so much more but I think I'll keep this brief for now.  I think you get the point that my dad is awesome and could beat up your dad :)

day 6: lazy Sunday evenings

nap time

Our weekends have been pretty busy lately.  By the time lunch rolls around after church I'm ready for a 3 day nap usually.  Today we ate with my parents, ran by Old Navy, then picked up Chuy from my parent's house and headed home.  I took a nap to the tune of whatever video game David played then woke up and read a little bit.  Chuy passed out on the floor by his toy (see the above proof).  It was so nice to just be there at home with my little family.  There was no schedule, no one to entertain or be entertained by, and I could be in my comfy pants.  I made spaghetti and we watched a new tv show we like.

Later I pulled down all our Halloween decorations and started prepping for Christmas(!)  David did some work and I got our tree all set up.  We watched a documentary about Conan O'Brien's tour and how he really felt about NBC, so many funny moments.  By the time it was over our tree was fully decorated, minus a topper, and my bowl of sweet potato tots was empty (I needed a tree decorating snack).

I'm so thankful for days like these with David and Chuy.  I enjoy going out and enjoying time with friends very much, but there's just something about being in your home and making it yours with the ones you love and share that home with.  I know I'm blessed to even have a place that I can call home when so many don't have that simple luxury.  I'm blessed because of who I share it with and who we can share it with temporarily for movie nights and dinners.  I'm so excited to get the rest of the place decorated for my favorite holiday and have many friends over throughout the season.

Most of all, I'm thankful that the Lord knew we needed a day of rest.  He knew that we would overextend ourselves and, if not commanded to, would forget to rest and just be in Him.

day 5: the ladies

the young young ladies

I just got home from our annual church ladies retreat.  We spent the night in Fredericksburg discussing empowered women from the Bible.  It was such a great time spent with women of all generations from my church.  I'm so thankful for all these ladies that I have surrounding me.  Each one is such a great inspiration and encouragement for me.  I know no matter what stage of life I'm in I will always have them there to help me and give advice.

Sophie, Angie and I all showed up at the retreat in jeans, purple tops, black pea coats, and converse.  Love these girls!

day 4: Chuy

sitting on his perch

Today I am thankful for my snugly little pup, Chuy.  He is a character.  I'm pretty sure he thinks he's human and runs our household.  He's not a fan of other people getting too close if he doesn't know them but if he does know you he's a big ball of love.  He loves giving kisses and laying across my lap, especially when I'm on my laptop.  Sometimes he acts like a cat in that way. 

Because of Chuy, I managed to not get fired from my last job for oversleeping.  He woke me up early every morning for the first few months to take him out.  Thanks Chuy, you kept money in my wallet!  Now that he's older he snuggles with me as long as I stay in bed.  Sometimes he gets a bit anxious and crawls all over me to wake me up.  Last night he squeezed between David and I to keep warm.  In doing so he also kept me warm. 

He kept me sane when I stayed home for 4 months and gave me a reason to get up and get dressed every morning (don't want to take him out looking like a bum). 

I love that he's a poodle and has real hair instead of fur.  He can get super poofy and look like a little bear.  He's working on his winter coat right now.  I'm thankful he doesn't shed because my asthma just can't handle that, neither can all our black furniture.

Chuy completes our little family and it doesn't quite feel like home unless he's there.  Best dog ever!

day 3: cold weather

my new coat

Tomorrow morning is our first potential freeze of the season.  I love when it's cold outside.  I'm thankful for the snuggles it brings, the winter-wear, and the chance to wear all the fun stuff I knit.  It also reminds me of the times I spent up north in Montana and Northwestern Canada.

Those were very special times in my life and times when I felt very close to God.  Living in a church in the middle of the mountains in northern Montana and going through emotional warfare allowed me to pull closer to God than I had ever been before.  I'm so thankful for that summer, and the following cold summer spent in Canada.  God worked in my heart and my confidence.  The cold air reminds me of everything He's promised me and revealed to me. 

I'm so thankful for those summers, and I'll probably write a post on them later.  Keep reading!

day 2: my praise team

Wednesdays are crazy for me so those posts might come on Thursday mornings :)

2 year old picture of us singing

Today I'm thankful for my church's praise team.  I've been blessed to be a part of the team for three years now and I love it!  It started out with a band and me singing along with our interim music minister.  Soon this new couple I didn't know was added, the Willinghams.  Since then they have become one of my favorite couples at the church.  David and I find it rare to find couples as goofy and laid back as we are, and the Wills fit the bill! (ha!..sorry, it's early, my mind is still in sleep mode so excuse my silliness)

The praise team is also something I get to share with David and my dad.  Both play guitar, so it's fun to play with them, especially since both have influenced me musically throughout my life.

The best part is I get to worship on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings with this small group.  Sure we have silly moments when my mic is twice as loud as the entire group, or when David Willingham (2 David W's...so confusing sometimes) just throws Lydia's shoe, but at the heart of these times together we are preparing to lead our church family in a time of praising, thanking, and loving our Lord.  I love it!

a month of thanks: day 1

I decided in an effort to post more and to thank God more I would do a daily blog post about something I'm thankful for.  This shouldn't be too hard considering I have so much in my life to be thankful for.  Seriously, I love my life and all those in it.  On that note...here is day 1.

my little penguin santa

To kick off this month on thankfulness I will start with one of the biggest blessings God has sent me.  My husband, David.  We have been friends for over 6 years, together nearly as long and married for 8 months.  He sings goofy songs about everything, makes me laugh, loves my knitting, and is my best friend in the world.  He understands my weird mind and appreciates my sometimes inappropriate humor.....ok, a bit more than sometimes.  I found someone I can make music with and who is as big a believer in DIY as I am.  David tolerates my ridiculous love of Christmas decorations and teenage girl movies.  He even bought us our first Christmas tree 3 weeks before Halloween!  We've been through so much together and I'm so excited to see what adventures we will trek through together in the coming months, years, and decades.  Most importantly he loves Jesus more than he loves me.  I think that is awesome and I love having such a strong leader in our household when it comes to our faith.

David, I love you and am so thankful for everything you are to me!