Thankful Thursday

"Each day offers us the gift of being a special occasion, if we can simply learn that as well as giving, it is blessed to receive with grace and a grateful heart" - Sarah Ban Breathnach

I so often see "Thankful Thursday" posts and have yet to partake in one.
I think it's about time.

This morning, I find myself looking through photos, both old and new.
And I'm feeling, quite simply...thankful.

The past few weeks have been rough on my heart.
But with saying that, I almost feel guilty.
Because my heart aches with so much more than hurt on a daily basis. It aches with pure love.

And I have pictures to prove it.

A rainy Tuesday afternoon last week, was spent with 3 lovely "K's".
I was thankful to see my friend, Kelly, living her dream...at home and happy with her children.

Karina and Kelly...this pictures makes for happy tears.

A lil' birthday love for my sweet birthday twin

What is going on here? Not quite sure...but I love it.
Kristopher Me and Karina, all totally ready for this picture!

Karina and I...forever representin' September 18th

"It fits guys, now let me down!"

Kelly had a smorgasbord of healthy lunch selections...I had to balance it out with these 3lb. cupcakes.

Is there chocolate in my teeth?


I'm thankful for friends who live doors away. Thankful for walks on a gloomy day, that instantly turn bright when you see these smiling faces...

Kim and Noah...aren't they adorable!?

walking their awesome doggies, Sketchy and Rory...or are they walking me?!


I'm thankful for birthday celebrations, after my birthday. It means I get to see these ladies.

Kelly and Jessica

I'm thankful for super thoughtful, clever gifts that make my heart smile.

Does Kelly know me or what?! A crazy cat lady cup and coffee all in one! AHH!

KellyAddison was sweet enough to think of my split ends. After all, she didn't have the best time playing hairdresser last month.
Remember this photo?

Poor girl.

And who can forget this one?!

Yikes!!

My gift from Addison

Conditioner!! And the good stuff...not the 77cent kind that my jagged ends are used to! :)

Why does time have to go by so quickly...always. Why can't dinner go til' midnight? These ladies made my night.

Me and Kelly

Jessica and I

I <3 this photo.

and I <3 them. I'm thankful for Thursday nights that end with friends. And Fridays that begin with friends. Friends who you just saw less than 12 hours ago.

Jessica...the hostess with the mostess

She asked if she could "continue romancing me for my birthday"...
How could I turn her down? After all, the girl makes a mean homemade pizza.
She invited me over for the afternoon. One that turned into an all day affair.
So, I got ready for the romancing, packed up my Peter Cetera cd and headed right on over.
There were beautiful gifts. And when I say beautiful, I mean from the inside out.

Me and my pretty pretty presents

Exchanging birthday presents with Jessica and I is like an art. We open slowly. We explain why we may or may not like each gift beforehand (when we really know the other one is gonna love it) We cry. We oohh and ahhh over every detail. Then, we cry some more. And if Jessica is lucky, I dance to Peter Cetera's, "Forever Tonight" and she "feels my breath on her shoulder"
(I owe ya one, Jess)

I spot a kitty.

My AMAZING handmade card...can't wait to find the perfect frame for this beauty!

"Crazy Faith"...two words that are dear to me. I'm crazy. I'm faithful. And "Crazy Faith" was my very first blog post. *tear

*more tears...a photo of Kelly Me and Jessica from almost 10 years ago.

Yes, that is me...with no eyes and apparently no teeth, wearing all my beautiful gift decorations...I'm thankful I don't really look like that.  Scary!!

However, the gift inside was far from scary. It was a gorgeous, touching, very special book, that deserves its own post. It made me...can you guess? I bet you can't. Okay, of course, it made me cry. But I didn't even read it while there. Jessica's beautiful message got the tears going.

I could cry now, because my freezer doesn't have any of this in it. Try it. You won't be sorry. "Late Night Snack" by Ben n' Jerry's. Vanilla Ice Cream with caramel and chocolate covered potato chips. Ugh huh. A dream come true. Like, totally!

Jessica and I after a much needed "quality time" day.

I read the book when I got home. I bawled.
So thankful...

:*)


I'm thankful for date nights at home with my husband. Nights spent in pj's. Nights where we order Chinese, snuggle (awww, I said snuggle) on the couch and watch movies all night. Nights when it doesn't matter they forgot my eggroll because they gave us 5 extra fortune cookies.(seriously, take-out people never get my order right!!! Never!)

"Uhh, yea, I'd like to order a quart of Chicken Lo Mein topped with the BBQ boneless spare ribs, with a pint of won ton soup, 59 egg rolls and while you're at it, might as well throw in a few extra fortune cookies"
Oh, Mr. Twinkie, you glutton.


I'm thankful for the day after THIS ONE.
A day where a dear friend makes it all better. A day Kelly and her girls that has have a way of erasing so much of the hurt. 

We started a band. Addison took the stage. Front and center.

She performed her new hit single "Yea Yea Yea Yea Baby you're a firework B1011111 Yea Yea Yea Yea"

Her Mama entertained the crowd with her amazing faces.

Miss Chloe charmed em' with her pretty dress and sparkling blue eyes.

I rocked out on the kitty cat keyboard (um, how appropriate) to my new smash hit, "Bite Me, Aunt Flow"

The girls took a nap while Kelly and I lounged on the couch, eating ice cream and reminiscing. Thankful for girl time. Girl time rocks!


I was thankful and so very touched, when I came home to birthday packages and loving words written inside ice cream and homemade kitty cards. From friends I met in lovely little blogland.  Thank you so much, Diana and Julia!!!

I'm thankful for...
Remember the birthday card from my Mom?...the one she told me to play when I needed to stop thinking so much...the one that meows "Happy Birthday" to Me. Yea, that's been getting a lot of play lately. AND, the kitties are kinda mega obsessed with it.  It makes them bat at each other, give each other kisses and always ends with butt sniffs. See for yourself.  (a quick preview of the crazy cat lady in all her glory, surrounded by the fluffies)
 p.s.- excuse the horrible clicking sound from the cheapo video cam on my camera. 

P.P.S. - I'm VERY thankful for my Mama and for my fluffies.

I'm thankful for today. 

Those are just a few of my "Thankful Thursdays"...
What are you thankful for this Thursday?


Sending out lots of Thursday Lovin',