My Husband | Thankful

As life trudges on before us and the daily grind takes hold, we often forget to stop and give thanks. At least, I do. But life is about giving thanks- "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" -1 Thessalonians 5:18. I've started a thanksgiving journal (if you haven't yet, read 1000 Gifts. You won't be sorry), and have decided to do a thanksgiving post bi-weekly on this often neglected blog. For now I'm going to try and do this every Monday, but my work hours will be changing soon, so that may change as well. 

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This week (and always) I'm incredibly thankful for my husband. He works so hard and studies so hard. Currently he is taking 6 classes at school, working 1-2 mornings a week at Starbucks, interning at our church where he preaches, teaches, and leads worship, working in the library and as a teaching assistant at the seminary, and working 20 hours a week for an editing company. Just thinking about trying to figure out what his daily schedule is makes me exhausted. Seriously. I just looked at his schedule for this week. He has his days planned out- every hour so that he makes sure he can do everything that he needs to get finished.

I know that he is stressed out because of all that he has to juggle, but he never complains. He never seems to get enough sleep. A lot of nights he crawls into bed with me and stays there until my breaths lengthen and he knows I'm asleep. Then he gets up and goes back to his studies. Often I will wake up in the middle of the night or early in the morning and he's not warming the other side of the bed, but instead he's sitting at the desk across the room, under the glow of the lamplight, prepping to teach Bible Study or editing middle school math lessons. One day last week, he didn't go to bed with me. And when I woke up in the morning to go to work, he was still sitting up, trying to meet a deadline.

And yet, in the midst of all of this, he still finds time for me. He is faithful in studying God's Word with me and praying with me every night. Some nights he's so tired that it's no more than reading a psalm and saying a quick prayer, but he doesn't ever skip it. He encourages me in my running endeavors and runs with me 3-4 times every week. A few times a week he washes, dries, and folds loads of laundry in between doing his schoolwork. He is always willing to help me with whatever it is that I need- dishes, dusting, cleaning the bathrooms. He takes me out on dates. He understands my need for people and is flexible when I decide at the last minute that he has to skip his Sunday afternoon nap so we can get together with friends. And then he still manages to spend time talking with me or making me laugh or just relaxing with me in the evenings. 

He is incredible and I know that I don't tell him that enough. 

I still marvel that he's actually my husband. This man who loves hard and dreams big is actually mine. Forever. I look forward to where God will take us in the future. Whether our life will be to stay here in Charlotte or to move to the other side of the world or something in between, I know that since we will be together and God will go with us, we can expect great things. 

I love you Joshua Grimm, to the moon and back!

10 ON 10 | February

Month 2 - decided to go all black and white for this post. This month's 10 on 10 is from a wonderful weekend full of family, party preparations, birthday celebrations, and a whole lot of fun!

Be sure to check out my dear friend Angela's blog for her 10 on 10!

//1. This beautiful lady turned 100! // 2. Sweet Anna // 3. Birthday roses // 4. These guys have so much fun together // 5. Puppy dog eyes // 6. I think they might like each other ;) // 7. Sweet stuff // 8. Game time // 9. Grandpa and the puppy // 10. Wrestling //

10 ON 10 | January

I am super excited to introduce month one of a new project I'm working on with a some awesome girls! Every month on the tenth, we will each be posting 10 pictures on our blogs taken the day before. 

This month on the 10th, I was out of the country with no access to the internet. So instead of posting 10 pictures on the 10th, here are 10 pictures I took on the 10th. Enjoy!

Oh, and when you're finished here, head over to Hannah's blog to take a look at her's for the month! 

//1.His eyes// 2.Morning light// 3.Ocean foam// 4.Boogie-boarding fun// 5.Walking on the beach with Little Brother// 6. Rain in the mountains// 7. Crazy kiddo// 8. Relaxing// 9. More relaxing// 10. Exploring//

Of Fall Days and Vegetable Soup.

A huge pot of vegetable soup is currently simmering on my stove and I'm curled up on my favorite comfy chair in our living room. It was a long day at work and I'm happy to be out of my scrubs and into some warm, cozy clothes with a book sitting nearby, waiting for stories inside to be discovered.

It's finally beginning to feel like fall here in the south. Cold nights where the heat has kicked on and crunchy leaves beginning to fall to the ground. It makes me smile and look forward to boots and sweaters and nights in front of crackling fires and hot apple cider in steaming mugs. And vegetable soup. 

It makes me nostalgic, really. I keep having flashbacks to harvest parties past and hide-and-seek in the backyard, and roasting marshmallows. It makes me long to go back to Ohio days inside warm houses when the first flakes of snow begin to fall from gray skies. To pumpkin spice lattes warming hands. To chilly shopping trips with mom, and leaves pilled up in backyards. And warm bowls of vegetable soup.

It makes me sad thinking of how many of those things are past. Childhood autumn days won't return. Hot cocoa at the kitchen table while doing schoolwork. Vegetable soup simmering on the stove prepared by a wonderful momma. 

But then I smile because these things will happen all over again, Lord willing. My perspective will be different next time. Then I'll be the momma stirring hot chocolate. I'll be raking leaves and keeping the children away from the fire and making sure that they don't hit each other in the head with their marshmallow sticks. I'll be bundling them up so they can go outside and catch the first snowflakes on their tongues. And I'll be the momma making vegetable soup to warm their bellies when they come inside. Just like my momma did. 

And it'll be wonderful.

Vegetable Soup

1 Can Diced Tomatoes

1 large onion, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 can black beans

1/2 bag frozen corn

1/2 bag frozen green beans

1 lb. ground meat

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp basil

1/2 tsp parsley

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp sugar

ground pepper

3 cups water

Bring all to a boil in a large pot. Reduce heat and simmer on low for 3-4 hours. 

I love this soup because it is SO easy to make and there is SO little cleanup (literally, I used 1 pot and a cutting board and a tsp). It's delicious and you can pretty much put anything in it that you want to. I doubled mine tonight. I didn't have celery so I didn't put it in. I added a can of tomatoes with chiles because we like it a little spicier, and sautéed my meat with 3 cloves of garlic. I also sautéed some spinach and added that plus a bag of frozen sugar snap peas and a small yellow squash that I needed to use. I didn't have this tonight, but sometimes I also add some barley or occasionally a potato or two. Basically any vegetable that sounds good to you. Enjoy with a little cheese sprinkled over top and some crackers crumbled in! 

Wells Family = 4. | Rock Hill Family Photography

Wow, I can't believe how long it's been since my last blog! I have dozens of blog posts in my head, but just haven't had the time to put them down on paper yet. But seriously, when I came on here today and realized that it had been 3 months since I'd last blogged, I was surprised. Maybe because life is flying by so fast? Anyways, on to the real reason I'm posting tonight.

These people. Beautiful momma Ashlee, goofy daddy Daniel, sweet toddling Ralphie, and recently added to their bunch is precious, chubby cheeked baby Simon. 

The many faces of Ralphie...

 

 Love me some baby toes!

Daniel and Ashlee, I am so blessed to know you and photograph your family! I love being Auntie to your sweet boys and can't wait for many more years of sweet friendship. I just know our children will be best friends, too!