Finding It

I wrote a couple of weeks ago about the realization that I needed to allow myself to fall in love with God.  I don't fall in love easily.  I've been hurt.  I keep walls up.  I prefer to keep emotion in check rather than allow it to consume me like it sometimes threatens to do.  I started keeping a little journal of the things I saw each day that reminded me how amazing God really is.  Nothing poignant or deep - just broken sentences and jumbled thoughts.  It helps turn my usual cynical outlook toward what God sees.  There's a line in Veggie Tales Sweetpea Beauty that says "It's God who sees beauty in everything.  I just choose to agree with Him.".  I'm working toward that.

This week I found a new blog called Surprised By Life.  The author, Brooke, challenged her readers to take pictures of the beauty they discovered in their lives.  I love this idea, and I decided this was the perfect time to play with the Instagram app I had downloaded and never used.  Every day I've taken a picture or two.  Here's a glimpse into the beauty in my life.

Marigolds stink.  Have you noticed?  I don't particularly care for them.  BUT one pot of marigolds has cleared my back patio of annoying insects without the need for chemicals.  

Not even two years ago we were trying to wrap our brains around the fact that we would never have our own biological children.  Now I spend considerable time each day making sure that the toys end up back in this box instead of being strewn about the house.  And most of these toys were thoughtful gifts that didn't cost us one cent!

Two peppers!  Not only have my brown thumb and I managed to keep the plant alive - it's actually growing things!  I'm stupid-excited about this!

My first basil harvest.  Something else I haven't killed!  

Five years ago this month a scruffy, scrawny, bug-covered mutt showed up in our front yard at just the perfect time.  Today we can't imagine our life without him.  PS...He's not so scrawny anymore.

Sweet sleepy face snuggled with his "Rawr" and his blanket.  A rare moment of peace in a week full of teething issues.