It's the Weekly Recap!

* Last Sunday I kicked off the new year by driving to Ft. Wayne to attend a service at The Pointe Church. My friend Doug met me there, because one of his friends preached there that morning. Really good sermon and time of worship! I spent the rest of the day with Doug and his friend's family, and they just welcomed me right in as one of their own. We ate lunch at Smokey Bones and went back to their house to hang out, talk, look at pictures, watch TV, and watch The Help, which I had never seen before. Thanks Doug, Mitch, Kim, and Ben for making my first day of 2012 so much fun!

* Monday was SUPPOSED to be a very busy work day at home. In reality - I was a total bum! I did spend quite a bit of time with the Lord, which was good, and I finished my Pinterest inspiration piece for the week. Here's the before picture:
I was grateful to have the day at home, though, because apparently we got some black ice overnight and my work route was full of slide-offs. I was thrilled to be comfy in my bed instead of shivering in a ditch!

* And speaking of that, my commute on Tuesday took an hour and a half (and I was late - ICK!) after I slid on a bridge on the interstate. Got right off of THAT thing and took a back way from that point forward. But from there, the day vastly improved, with the most exciting moment being the chance to participate in the interview with Ann Voskamp. I think that will always be one of my most treasured memories. And when I came home, I assembled (with great wrestling and calorie-burning) this storage unit as part of my new organizational calendar commitment!
* Wednesday was a combination of a test of trust...and a feast of beauty. The perfect mix for my 1000 gifts challenge! Among other things...this gorgeous sight on the way home from work. (Focus on the sky, not the house, although it's a cool house!)

* Thursday hailed the return of Grey's, so it also meant...time for Rachel to come back over for our standing TV date! Since she had a birthday this week, we had a little party...cupcakes (with candles of course)...and we exchanged Christmas gifts a little late...and she got her birthday gift. And then I cried over Grey's because that's what I do.
* Friday afternoon, on my commute home, I drove past about 5 miles of cars (literally) backed up on the interstate (opposite direction of my traveling path) who were stuck behind a pileup from a car hitting a semi carrying cows...and the cows got out. I yelled at the cars as I drove past, "Hope y'all didn't just drink a large iced tea! You're gonna be here a while!"


* Saturday was SUCH a fun day. I trekked north to the Goshen Fire and Ice festival, which I'd planned to attend the last two years and we had ice storms both times. Not this year! Gorgeous outside - and I had a total blast the entire day. Here's something that's NOT a blast. Seeing this at 1:30 a.m. when all you really want is bed:
One Thousand Gifts: In the first week I totaled 38 gifts...a long way from 1000, but 38 moments of seeing God actively working in my life...I'll take! Wanted to share this one this week. I got an email signed "hugs" and as I read the word, I imagined myself being hugged (because they are one of my favorite things in life). It occurred to me that there are people who don't know what it's like to be hugged. No one hugs them. I can't imagine a life without hugs. The comfort of being held...is a gift.

Organization Confessions: Love my newly assembled donation station! And it already has some donations in it...courtesy of the day my assignment was to clean off the top shelf of one cabinet. Given that I'd not used those things in about two years...I decided to evict them.

Pinterest Inspiration: I found this wreath on Pinterest courtesy of Whitney Scarborough and thought it was JUST darling.
I knew I had one grapevine wreath in my garage, left over from not selling at the yard sale this summer. So I went to Hobby Lobby to buy two more wreaths, a can of spray paint, a hat, some sparkly felt to make a ribbon on the hat, and some faux fur for a scarf. Found the "button" ornament on sale at the Gaither store - though it is hard to see against a red door - and made this myself!
Loved it! And that's been the week!