Life 2020: In Sickness

Tags

family, free-writing, health, illness, life, marriage, my darling love, pain, sickness, treatment, wife-of-the-year

LIFE – This was the one-word prompt provided for the Five Minute Friday link-up a couple of weeks ago. LIFE got in the way and prevented me from turning in my homework on time. But our LIFE has been a bit crazy these past 6 weeks, and I wanted a chance to unload my brain a bit.

The dominos fell slowly. Camp Fradd came down with the flu just after Christmas. Jay got sick on Friday, by Sunday he had given it to me. For Jay, pneumonia followed closely behind.

Only God Knows

Tags

family, running, scripture

Despite never being one for exercise, my Papaw Delmer has always been on the move. He grew up on a family farm in Appalachia, walking the hills as he completed his chores. Farming helped feed his family.

When Papaw hit retirement age, he stopped working at the factory and found more time to spend working with his cattle and garden. He never set out to exercise, yet still logged miles and miles walking the hills of our East Tennessee home.

January – Four Somethings

Tags

books, family, illness, january

January has been a tough year, but we made it!
Just kidding, but seriously.

At the end of each month, Heather Gerwing hosts the Share Four Somethings link-up. While January felt heavy and smelled strongly of Lysol, I wanted to challenge myself to do a monthly recap. By writing about something I loved, read, treasured, and something ahead, I can remember this month for more than just “Camp Fradd got the flu – and then some.”

After all, I turn 40 this year. I’m determined to squeeze every bit of happiness I can out of 2020.

Direction – Looking Back to Move Forward

Tags

2019 lists, adventures, bullet journal, concerts, family, hiking, journaling, my darling love, project, scotland, storytelling, west highland way, writing

In reviewing 2019 and looking forward to 2020 (the year of my 40th birthday!), I’ve considered what direction I want to take my writing. Seasonal fatigue mixed with stress about moving to a new house (if just up the street), has left me with not much energy to devote to writing. Then I got the flu, which I’m still recovering from.

Gratitude, Revisited

Tags

blessings, family, gratitude, holiday

I’ve kept a gratitude journal for several years now. Originally, I took Ann Voskamp’s challenge from her book 1,000 Gifts, never dreaming I could reach that number. I reached that goal in 2013 and decided to just keep going.

Here’s to October

Tags

books, concerts, fun, halloween, holiday, learning, monthiversaries, my darling love, reading

The leaves are finally starting to turn here in my corner of the Smoky Mountains. As we wrap up the month of October, I wanted to share a few of my favorites this month.

The Confident Woman in My Photos

Tags

10 things to tell you, body image, my darling love, scotland, travel, west highland way

When I look at the pictures from that vacation I don’t see me, not really. Sure, the woman in the photos looks like me and is creating memories I currently possess. But she seems far more joyful and confident than I consider myself to be.

On our dateversary

Tags

endurance, fandom, feelings, goals, marriage, story

Me and this guy. 156 months.

This past week at the Thomas Rhett concert

Going Deep & Back to Basics

Tags

free-writing, goals, learning, perfectionism, weights, writing

Joining the Five Minute Friday free writing link-up. The prompt is DEEP, and as seems to be a trend with me, I’m finding life metaphors in exercise and physical activity.

Learning to Redefine Failure on the West Highland Way

Tags

failure, hiking, inspiration, marriage, scotland, west highland way

While walking the West Highland Way, I made a wrong turn and got us lost. Isn’t that just about the worst-case scenario on a hiking trip? Horror movies are made of such.

I’d like to tell you that instead of freaking out, I reviewed the map, appreciated what the wrong turn had given us, and continued on our trek, better for the experience. Instead, I pouted, sulked, cried, and lashed out. After none of those things helped, I stood up, wiped my eyes, and just kept moving.