treasured moments

treasured moments

treasured moments
and memories
stored in my heart

i sit here,
very early this morning;
after just returning from
visiting our family in
austria.
yes, the time change
has made me wide awake

at 3 am!
eek!

i quietly woke and grabbed
a very long, hot shower.
washing away the dregs from
a thirteen hour flight.

now i sit
and take time to
reminisce;
all the wonderful
sights,
sounds,
foods,
laughter,
giggles,
nightly bedtime book reading,
zoo trips,
museum excursions,
river boat rides,
parks,
long scenic walks,
good talks,
new tattoos,
our grandson's dedication,
first birthday celebrations
and more love
than i can ever, ever measure...
all stored up
to treasure
in my heart!

this trip
meant more to me
than anyone really knows!

i had desperately wanted
to go visit
as soon as my daughter
announced she was pregnant with
their second child.

oh, the yearning
and desire in my heart;

it couldn't be quelled by
anything but,
hopping on an airplane
and seeing this sweet family.

it took almost a WHOLE year to do it
but, oh how happy it made me!

pure tears of joy!

the beauty of the city of vienna...
was absolutely breathtaking!

but, more than any 'THING'
in the world,
more than any one 'THING'
that mere money
can buy, (other than a plane ticket!)
was just spending time
with two of my favorite boys
and their parents!

i plan to savor these moments.

i plan to go through my photos of the last
two weeks
revisiting the time spent.
storing as much as i can
in my heart.

savoring these treasured moments.
these treasured memories,

that made my heart

soar.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


We do not remember days; we remember moments. ~Cesare Pavese


What greater blessing to give thanks for at a family gathering than the family and the gathering. ~Robert Brault

The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family. ~Thomas Jefferson

step out of that mud puddle and look up!

today as i went on a mid-morning walk
i began by looking down as i walked.
so caught up in things that are burdening me;

my dear friend whose family received an ugly diagnosis
and who are treasuring each and every day they have together.
my knee which is causing me pain when i walk/run
making it harder for me to get out and exercise like i want to.
yesterday was our first easter without my mom in law...
and the general ugliness of the world and the news.

yes, i was thinking on these things when a took off for my walk.

and then, and then...i looked up!

the sun was shining on me!
i had a silly shadow that mimicked my every move. :)

the sky? Oh my goodness!
the sky was this brilliant blue,
the color was so intense it looked
like it had been hand-painted!
the clouds so fluffy
it was as if God had placed cotton balls
in the sky. it was so lovely!
Genesis 1:1

while i was looking UP,
i noticed an eagle soaring above me.
floating on the air & circling overhead.
when out of what seemed no where..

appeared a hawk.

he flew a few hundred yards away from the eagle...
and as i watched these two,
they began to circle in unison!
it was as if they were doing a synchronized dance
just for me!
how amazing!
Isaiah 40:31

i thought to myself...
look what i would've missed
if i would have continued to walk with my head down!?
i would have missed this wonderful dance
and this beautiful sky above me!

it is so, so easy to look down.

to crawl into that hole,
to sit in that mud puddle.
to let all the ugliness just cover you
& to wallow in it all.

but, if you will only pull yourself out.
i mean, drag yourself if you have to!
but, just get out of that mud puddle
and look UP!

see the beauty around you!

maybe it is just something little
like seeing the blue sky above you,
or feeling the sunshine on your back.

beauty is there, if you take the time
to notice.

but, if you are looking down,
you might miss that stranger
who just smiled at you.
the gorgeous snow covered mountain in the distance.
blue skies, puffy clouds and eagles floating above.
or wild flowers growing along side the road

beauty is there.

it's in the everyday and the mundane.

it is, if we will only look.

my wish for you and i both...
is that we see the good in something today!

look in that mirror and smile at yourself!
you are an amazing, beautiful person.

and above all. you are loved!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

have a shiny day my friends.
be blessed!

memories made

our daughter and family were here
from california for the holidays.

we were able to do many wonderful
activities and make fun memories!

one of the things that will stick in my mind:
sledding and snowshoeing at mt. baker :)

it was cold and it was fun!

i also participated in 'dressember'

committing to wear a dress every day in december

to raise money and awareness for human sex traffickling.

partering with 

international justice mission

so, i actually wore a sweater DRESS

up to snow shoe! :)

the holidays are over;

the kids all back to their homes & work

my hubbie and i are back to our routine...

but, memories were made

memories are stored away 

to be pulled up and remembered for 

years to come.

happy new year

just a simple wish.
that you would have a wonderful and blessed new year.
that 2015 would be good to you.

my word of the year: compassion.

with the family moving my mom in law
into a rest home---
my word was easy this year: compassion.

to show more compassion and love.

my mom in law doesn't recognize me a lot of the time
but, she knows i love her.
i tell her every time we visit.

she might not remember who i am
but, she knows she is loved.

i want to show more compassion
to her and to her sons/daughters
who are going through this scary and sad time.

just loving on her
so she knows she is cared about.
spending time with her.
cherishing sweet moments
with her.

that is what my goal is for this year.

compassion.
shining my light.
loving others.
smiling.

there is hope & a future. -jer. 29:11


peace and blessing to you and yours
this 2015.

simple things.

this time of year
sometimes it's a bit hard to see the sweet moments.

with the hectic shoppers in the stores,
crazy traffic on the roads
the all around busyness & stress:
the cost of gifts, the food to bring, clothes to wear,
which parties to attend...
attempting to make everyone happy
it get's a bit exhausting! :(

sometimes it's a bit hard to see those sweet moments.
but, i know they are there.
in the simple things.

a hot cup of tea.
candy canes on the tree.
attending our grandson's christmas preschool program
an evening at home
relaxing by the glow of twinkle lights.
new christmas scented candles and room fresheners.
the arrival of family who live far away.
satsumas and chocolate in the house.
witnessing christmas through the eyes of a child.
christmas music. all. day. long.
baking. eating. baking. eating.
thank goodness there is a new treadmill in the house too! ;)

in all this and more i feel/see
love. love. love.
family. family. family.
joy. joy. joy.
and i am more than thankful.
more than blessed.

there is joy in the simple things.
in the small things.
in the little things.

maybe it was one single moment this week?
did you see it?

just maybe in the hustle and bustle,
you stopped and took notice of
something beautiful.
something lovely.
something sweet and simple.

i hope you took the time!

be still and know.
you are loved.


will you join me?
will you share your sweet moment with us
by linking to: SWEET SATURDAYS!!

and last but, not least---
i wish you the merriest
and the most magical christmas ever!

that you can feel the love, hope and wonder
this time of year brings.

be blessed.

finding sweetness

last weekend started out wonderful.

i met with a bunch of high school friends
(old friends Ha!)
we did an ugly sweater 5k in seattle.

it was so much fun, we laughed until we cried.
what a journey we have had through all these years.
we have all had good and bad and our friendship remains
stronger than ever.

i am so very thankful for these ladies and for their
friendship.

a few pictures from the ugly sweater 5k. 12/6/14

i also did a jingle bell 5k with my eldest daughter this past saturday, 12/13/14

to benefit arthritis.

we had a great time. 

they had a great turn out with many from our community who came to run.

we wore antlers and red and white striped knee high socks. :) which made the 5k
all the more fun!

but, the biggest and most blessed thing that happend this week...
i am changed forever because of it.

i mean a giant sweet moment indeed. one i will never forget:
you see, i live in the community that  i went to school in.
so consequently there are many 'old' classmates still around this area.

last friday, i was contacted by an upperclassman of mine from high school.
she wanted to know if i would co-chair with her a project. a simple competition
between her classmates and mine. to give back to our community!

i contacted the district office at the high school and found out that
the school district had a giving tree!

we sponsored that tree and with some fun competition between the
two classes we have fullfilled the WHOLE giving tree. over 35 gifts!

when i found out that twin girls were wearing shoes with duct tape
and then that two of my classmates stepped up to buy these
girls some new boots, well....
i was over-come with emotion.
no other words. just tears of thankfullness.
i could not stop the tears from flowing.

what these two classees accomplished in one short week
is unbelievable.

there are children who are going to have a wonderful christmas!
their wishes are going to come true.

but, when all is said and done,
i am the one who was really, truly
blessed.

this is a christmas
i will never forget!
the loving and giving of a community.
how team work came together and got it done.

my friend said, her heart felt like the grinches at the end of the book/film,
when his heart grows three times bigger.
i agree. totally.

these were sweet moments indeed.

i am thankful.
i am blessed.

may you find something good
something beautiful in
each and every day.

i challenge you to take the time
to find something lovely.
even in the smallest of things.

there is SOMETHING good about each day.

take the time to be still and know.

linking up to sweet saturdays

                                           sweet saturdays

six years?

where in the world 

did the time go?

i remember the day

so very clearly.

my first grandson

was born six years ago

and celebrated his birthday

saturday.

i clearly remember

waiting in the waiting room

to hear the news 

that my grandson 

had arrived.

it wound up being 

an emergency c-section

and the little guy 

was only a little 4 pound 12 oz 

itty bitty peanut.

six years later

you would never

believe

that my grandson

this

sweet, handsome, loving, intelligent, kind and

tender-hearted

boy

started out so tiny!

happy birthday to my

 sweet jack!

your granny loves you 

so very much!!!!

~~~~~~~~

other sweet moments this week:

visiting my mom in law in the health care center.

she had just had her hair freshly done

and i told her she looked beautiful

and could i take a picture with her?

and then last but not least:

i did another 5k.

this one was an ugly sweater 5k in seattle

i ran it with some of my very dearest

friends from high school.

 yes...

that was a VERY long time ago.

some of us

 have been friends since we were

in elementary school!

we call ourselves the YAYAs

i love them and their friendship!

before the race.

and after the 5k!

~~~~~~~~

have a blessed week

may you always find

something in your week that you can treasure
because,

there are sweet moments in each and every day!

join me will you as i link up

my blog post 

HERE

any pictures or a few words

or a sweet moment.

i invite you to join us

and link up to:

SWEET SATURDAYS!

the day before

i am thankful.

so many blessings

in my life.

more than enough

to last a lifetime

&

i am grateful.

for them all.

~~~~

i sit today....

the day before

 thanksgiving.

and think of the

families that are getting their 

homes ready;

cooking and cleaning

 and so much

 excitement filling the air!

some families will be

reunited with loved ones

they haven't seen all year!

some will be hosting small

intimate gatherings

with their closest of friends...

but, let us not forget the families

who will be missing loved ones.

empty places at the table.

families

who have loved ones

 who are gone

and those who have family

that live far away...

for a hole is there.

laughter is missing.

the emptiness is real.

many families

with an ache

this time of year

i pray for them.

these families

who are missing someone

this thanksgiving.

i lift you up

as i remember

 my own family

who live so far away...

and also families

 whom have family members

celebrating thanksgiving in the

presence of our heavenly

Father.

blessings

be upon you all

this year.

there is much to be thankful for.

even in the smallest of moments

there is beauty and wonder.

thankful.
grateful.
yes, indeed.

may your home be filled with love

this thankgiving.

it's the little things.

life like time

is changing fast.

looking forward to tomorrow

while not forgetting the past.

life like time

just keeps on turning.

accomplishments and failures

turned into learning.

life like time

the big and small.

each day, month and year

i am grateful for them all!

melody-mae. 2014

some sweet moments:

my husband, daughter and grandson visiting my mom in law

in the care center.

receiving pictures of my sweet new grandson

who lives overseas.

drinking coffee by the fire

while it rains outside.

a morning walk.

signing up to run an ugly sweater 5k 

with 5 of my most sweetest 

and long time friends!

my view of beautiful Mt. Baker

it starts to look and feel like the holidays

once the satsumas come out!

&

we eat them like candy around here. :)

a few moments of my past week
caught on film.
the big and small.
yes, i am so very thankful
for them all!!

i am linking up to  SWEET SATURDAYS!!

will you join us?
link up a photo or some sweet moments
that you recognized this week.
the big or the small.
they are all lovely!

link up here: SWEET SATURDAYS!!

sparkle and shine!

oh, yes.

may we to never, ever

 be

afraid to

sparkle

&

shine!

surrounded

sweet moments surround me;
yes, every single day.

sweet moments
are everywhere,
in the little things
and
the big things.

sweet moments
 are there
if we only take time
to see them.

*the colors in the evening sky

as the sun slowly goes down-

*crunchy fall leaves piled along the curbs, sidewalks and roads-

*an eagle soaring in the wind

above the fields-

*listening to the wind gust and blow

while sitting in front of a warm fireplace-

*starting a new book!

*grace

*skype dates. (yes, i am allowed to mention this each week...
since my family lives overseas and i have two- yes, TWO grandsons living there!)

*sunshine glistening on snow-covered mt. baker

*the smell of coffee brewing

*a kitty who loves to sleep in my lap

*friday nights at home watching dvr'd shows

*fleece jammies. need i say more? fleece jammies.


i am linking up my post to:

SWEET SATURDAYS 

will you join me?

what sweet moments did you 

take the time to see this week?

link up and share with me!

and don't forget to

shine.

my friends.

shine.

SWEET SATURDAYS

moments

as i sit here thinking about the sweet moments of the past week
i am amazed at how fast the days have flown by!

the family has been in a whirl-wind, as we adjust
to mom living in the care center.
my husband and i have only missed three days out of almost
three weeks of visiting her! (she lives only ten min away)

among the busy stuff...there were so many, many
sweet moments to savor.
truly there are always sweet moments
even amidst the craziness of the day;
beauty can be found.

here are just a few sweet moments this week:

my grandson trick or treating at the Care Center. (seeing his Great Grandma)
a road trip with my bestie. we ate pink sugar cookies and shopped.
seeing amazing colorful trees. (oh, how i love autumn in the PNW)
watching my husband just LOVE on his mom. his kindness is like no other.
lots of coffee dates.
on a whim LATE last night my hubbie and i jumped in the car for icecream!
skype dates with my daughter/family overseas.
baby pictures of my sweet new little grandson.
shopping with my eldest daughter.
texting with my baby girl who lives in CA.
long wonderful evenings in front of the fireplace.
walking on crisp, cool mornings.
music! singing on the worship team and pouring it out.

yes. life is full of sweet, beautiful moments
and i am ever so thankful for them ALL.

how about you?
what are you thankful for?
what sweet moments did you savor this week?

share them will you?
join me as i link up to: SWEET SATURDAYS!

sweet saturdays!

and also joining:

katherines corner for her favorite things!

simply sweet

it has been busy around our house.
a time for adjustments and new normals.

we recently moved my mother-in-law into a care center.
she has alzheimers and the whole family (as a united unit)
made the decision that it was time, to get more help with her care.
the center is amazing, the staff are all wonderful and i am growing attached
to these sweet elderly people, who all smile when i walk down the hallways!

this week,  a few of the sweet moments that i
collected. noticed. treasured. soaked in and savored:

1. field trip to the pumpkin patch with the grandson (cider doughnuts!)
yum! sweet!
2. coffee date with my husband. we sat side by side in the coffee shop
i had a book in my lap and he was on his ipad. no words were needed. 
sweet moments.
3. a skype date with my 5yo grandson who lives overseas, hearing his laughter &
meeting his newborn baby brother (via skype) who was born last week!
these skype dates are so sweet and i treasure each one of them!
4. at the care center, we were sitting around with mom and a few residents;
my 4yo grandson broke into song-entertaining many of the staff and the elderly!
simply adorable.
5. living in the beautiful pnw means sometimes it is hard to walk
outside but, this week i was able to get outside and
go on a few wonderful walks. seeing trees with their orange and yellow leaves
seeing beauty all around me.
6. laughter. yes. sometimes that is all you can do. either laugh or cry.
i choose laughter and joy.
7. i entered a giveaway on instagram and won! i will be receiving it soon!
whoohoo!

life is made up of a lot of little things, that is what makes it special.
sometimes with all the hustle and bustle of life though, it is hard to
recognize those small sweet moments.
to take the time to see these moments for what they are: sweet.

it is my prayer that this week you are blessed with
many wonderful, sweet moments.
that you can stop and take a moment to soak them in.
may you be filled with joy as you remember to savor them!


join me will you?
sweet moments are all around us if we take the time to see them.
i am linking up to:

                                                       SWEET SATURDAYS

new life

sweet saturdays

one sweet moment

that

made it a bit hard to 

collect 

anything sweeter than this 

ONE

perfectly 

sweet moment---

a brand new grandson!

although we live so far apart

(our daughter and her family live overseas)

we are overjoyed by the birth

of our brand new baby 

grandson!

born on tues. the 21st in Vienna, Austria

his name is

liam gabriel---

we are already deeply,

in love 

with this precious gift from

God.

sweet moment?

oh yes, indeed.

join me as i link up 
with
sweet saturdays
while we share our
sweet moments.


click here to join!!!

smile.

the power of a simple

smile.

have you ever thought about

the simple act of smiling

at someone

and 

what it can mean to the

receiver?

this week

i concentrated on offering a

smile;

in the crosswalks, the coffee shop,

 the grocery store, church,

while on my daily walks

 & to my own family! 

the simple act

 of turning UP the sides of your mouth

i believe,

can actually have

 an impact!

we never know

what kind of day

someone may have had

and that simple smile

could really lift their spirits!

i try to look at things with the glass-half full.

it is just easier for me to do.

to not dwell.

i do NOT like to dwell on the ugly---

i just don't.

so i try to see the good.

the good 

in the small things.

the good

in the little things.

the good

in the simple things.

most days it is pretty easy

for me to see at least

 a little something

that is

beautiful.

to savor 

 sweet moments--

soaking in the 

simple little things

that make me happy-

and

 to just disregard the uglies!

it is how i get through the day;

really it is!!

~~~~

now,  let's be honest,

some days

when the world seems 

dark & the uglies

feel so BIG 

well, let's be honest

it is a lot harder to do!

but, i try to remember to

look around me.

to see the beauty

that i know

is in every single day!

and. i. smile.

so how about it friends.

did you share a simple

smile with anyone?

did you notice

something sweet

as you went about your day?

did you take time

to soak in a sweet moment?

did you laugh?

share a kind word?

maybe it was something small

or 

something simple 

that made 

you stop and smile.

as for me?

here are a few of my sweet moments

this past week:

salted caramel mochas. (with whip!)

completing a super-hero 5k. (costume and all)

 scarf weather!

colorful pumpkins in my yard.

coffee dates.

dinner dates.

worship music.

scented candles.

laughter.

starting a new book.

a warm fireplace.

 smiles shared

&

for daughters and son in laws who are 

raising their children to know & love Jesus!

yes.

i. am. grateful.

yes.

there are reasons to smile.

yes.

sweet moments,

indeed.

i am linking up to:

 SWEET SATURDAYS

Please join us
link up
your sweet moments

by

clicking on the link underneath the button!!!

http://tawnimarie.wordpress.com/sweet-saturdays/