• Love It – Purple Heart Necklace

    My Purple Heart Necklace, beautiful reminder of the blessings in my life! Thanks Handsome!

    My husband has known for years the impact the Little Purple Flower had on my life.  We were dating at the time the incident occurred and he was delighted to see God use such a beautiful reminder to encourage me.  Since that time Jake has on numerous occasions surprised me with a gift that had a purple flower or something similar on it as a reminder of how much He loves me.  The gift is also a visual reminder that God daily gives me the many blessings I have in my life.

    On Valentine’s Day my husband and I celebrated together at Winter Jam 2011.  When I got up to go to the restroom before the concert started I came back to a small package on my chair.  He gave me a beautiful purple heart necklace (totally surprised me) as a way to remind me of His love and the many blessings in our lives as a couple.  I had no idea that he was even saving his money to get me such a sweet surprise.

    He had been looking for the perfect necklace for awhile until he found the purple heart which he thought it would be a perfect fit for me.  For those of you who know me personally I am not a glamour and glittery type of person.  I grew up with three brothers on a farm and was more of a tomboy than a princess. I can count on one hand the pieces of jewelry I wear regularly.  Every single piece I wear daily Jake picked out on his own for me (most of them were surprises too).  I wear my watch, engagement & wedding rings, and my heart necklace he gave me for our 7th anniversary every day.  The only other time I wear different or more jewelry is for a special event or Date Night when I an extra necklace, ring, or bracelet.  So needless to say I was shocked to receive a necklace on Valentine’s Day and my heart about burst with love for him when I realized it was a purple heart meant to remind me of the little purple flowers in my life.

    I am surrounded by many blessings in my life.  Some days I have to look harder to find those blessings but they exist no matter how big or small.  I am thankful for a God who extends love and grace to me every day.  A husband whom I adore and kids that bring so much joy and laughter into my life.  The best part is they all love me despite my imperfections and crazy days.  Thank you babe for reminding me of the MANY blessing in my life.  I am thankful for the amazing gifts God has given me!

    “Love It” is a series of posts on items that I use regularly in my household that I love!  There are some items in our daily lives that make life more enjoyable, efficient, or just plain fun.  I will be sharing with you some of the products that have been given to us (or to me) that have made it to the top of my list.  It’s my way of giving a huge thumbs up!

  • Giving Thanks

    I am blessed!  There are so many things in my life to be thankful for today and everyday.  Life may not always go as planned but I do have a lot of blessings in my life.

    I am thankful for…

    • My husband who is my best friend, loves me, makes me laugh, encourages me, cheers me on, lifts me up when I have fallen,  takes care of me and our girls and so much more.  Love him to pieces!!!
    • Our kids bring a lot of laughter and joy to my life.   Each one brings their own dynamics to the family and I am proud of my girls.
    • Fun Memories with my family and friends.  I have blessed with a lot of amazing memories, events, and great times with the people in my laugh.
    • Family is an important part of my life both my immediate and extended family members.  Thankful to have so many family members that love us, pray with us, and are an active part of our lives.
    • Friends who have been with me through the joyous parts of my life as well as some tough times while being an encouragement, blessing and prayer partner. I am thankful for those true blue friends in my life.
    • A Home to live in and provide shelter for my family and a place to host fun events with family, friends, and neighbors.
    • Our Pets have been a blessing in my life, whether it is relaxing on the couch with my hubby watching the fish or taking a walk with Skipper.  They all have left a mark on my heart for which I am thankful.
    • Neighbors because they have become part of my life and provide opportunities for us to help, pray, and encourage others.
    • Food we have never had to go starve or go without a meal.  My husband is an amazing cook and I love it when he cooks for the family.
    • Clothes we have always had plenty of clothes to wear.
    • Hugs & Kisses are a true treasure.  A hug from my girls or friend and a kiss from my husband are a blessing.
    • Snuggles provide the quiet time with my family I enjoy very much, whether it is reading, watching a movie or just sitting on the couch and talking I am thankful for these precious moments.
    • And Most Important God’s Involvement in my life, He has shown me a lot of love, grace, and mercy in the past 30 plus years for which I am very thankful.

    Thanksgiving is a great time to look at all the blessings in our lives.   Let us try to remember all the good things in our lives everyday.  Life is more enjoyable when we have a positive outlook.

    HAPPY THANKSGIVING!


  • What Are You Missing?

    crowds in subway Do you have days that get filled with so many activities and projects that you feel as if you are rushing from one item to the next?  Maybe it is just our schedule…… although I think we all need reminded occasionally of the important things in our lives. It is rather easy to fill your day with appointments, projects, and errands that need to be done both in our personal and professional lives.  Then there are days that unexpected emergencies pop up and demand our attention as well…..finishing an extra project at work with a co-worker that has a deadline, taking a sick child to the Doctor, visiting a friend that needs encouragement, a flat tire on the vehicle you are driving, and so many more.

    During these busy days I want to encourage you to remember those things that you are truly passionate about and the people in your life who are important to you.  We miss out on so many blessings in our lives because we do not pause long enough to notice and appreciate them.  I am blessed beyond measure with a loving husband, two beautiful daughters, amazing friends, a great business that helps others, comfortable home, food to eat, clothes to wear, and so much more.  However, on those rushed days it is harder to relax and be content even with the many blessings in my life because the little issues seem bigger and more stressful.  On those days it is even more critical that I focus any extra energy I have on that which is truly valuable.  It is amazing how quickly a thankful heart can lift your spirits.

    My heart goes out to so many who are going through a tough season in their lives right now.  May you be encouraged and know that no matter what your current circumstance may be we all have something to be thankful for in our lives.  As we go into the weekend think about what you are thankful for and pause for a moment to focus on that instead of all the inconveniences of life.  Relax and enjoy an incredible weekend focusing on your passions and the people in your life.  What are your passions?  Who are you thankful in your life?

  • “Flip the Coin”

    “Heads” orFlip the Coin “Tails”?!  Then….pause….with a moment of excitement before finding out if you are the winner of the toss.  We do not like to admit it, but there are  times when the coin lands in what appears to be our disadvantage.  Unfortunately, our first thoughts in these situations are not always encouraging or positive.

    A few weeks ago on a clear sunny day my husband was in a car accident.  The person that hit his car failed to stop in a timely manner.  My first reaction was of concern for him quickly followed by thoughts of  “we do not have time for this extra inconvenience right now.”   After several days I began trying to figure out ways to “Flip the Coin” and look at the positive side of the situation.

    • Thankfulness – Although the car is totaled my husband is still with us.  The car is much easier to replace!
    • Together Time – More time in the car together for communicating during the busy days.
    • Creativeness – You can creatively coordinate and balance an entire family’s schedule even when you only have one vehicle.
    • Appreciation – For Jake because he is a great Husband, Daddy, Friend and contributes to the family in so many ways.  Also, an appreciation for family and friends who encourage during the challenges of life.

    Find ways to “Flip the Coin” and make even the difficult circumstances a positive experience.  It will not always be easy to change your mindset but by being proactive and taking the time to think of ways to see the good will benefit you both personally and professionally.  We will still face obstacles along the path of life and situations out of our control so let’s remember to encourage one another especially during the tough times.  Do you have an example of how you were able to “Flip the Coin”?