In the interest of full disclosure I feel I should tell you that I have had at least one and a half margaritas. And also, I'm a total light weight drinker so one and half margaritas for me is like a fifth of vodka for regular people. ;) Don't let that statement influence your opinion on this post. Everything I have to say tonight is 100% true, the margaritas are just the impetus behind my having the nerve to hit publish.
We are coming off of a hard week which has been the tail end of a very hard month which is wrapping up a very hard year. The take away for me is this...I love my life. Truly and completely. I love my marriage and my family and this life I am living every day. In that exact order. This isn't to say that it is perfect or everything I wish it was. I wish we had less debt. I wish I was 20 pounds lighter. I wish we could travel more. I wish there was more time in the day. I wish my calendar wasn't so full. I wish my Sweet Man wasn't so tired when he comes home from work. I wish, I wish, I wish. Sometimes we let what we wish was reality affect the way we feel about today. About this moment. Or maybe that's just me.
But here's the thing. Love the life you have right now! And if that is just not possible then make some changes so that it is. Love yourself where you are right now. We are all a work in progress! We started this day watching the sunrise on the stone wall behind our house and ended it tonight with a little date night. We dropped our girl at a friends house and picked up the makings for dinner at our Village market. We came home and cooked together and had a romantic dinner on the front porch. I couldn't help but feel completely and utterly content. Despite all the unperfectness. Focusing on the good always makes all the difference for me.
I also couldn't help but play a little game of what if. Our entire life, all of our today, is built on making brave, difficult choices. This life did not just magically fall into place for us but I cannot even imagine what our lives would be if we had not done the work that was required to get us where we are right now. The hard stuff makes me appreciate the good stuff. The hard choices and work make this life that much sweeter. And if you look around, really look, there is so much good stuff to be thankful for.
So that's enough of my tipsy ramblings. I just want to leave you with this thought, I totally called first peony to bloom! Now go live and love your life!
Even though you think you may be tipsy, your words are so true and honest. You get nothing without hard work. And no one will do the work for you. Have a most wonderful weekend Jen!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is just a lovely truthful, post. i always love reading what you write and those peonies are wow
ReplyDeleteVery well spoken. :)
ReplyDeleteI had my once a quarter margarita and a half last night. I understand.
So cute, and so true! Even when things get a bit rough, keep a goin'. :) Kit
ReplyDeleteDear Jen, your peonies are beyond beautiful, especially in the aqua blue glass jar it's the perfect colour combination. I have always loved your positivity on here even when things aren't that great. After all life is a roller-coaster and when you can keep the focus on the beauty in your life then that is a gift not to be underestimated ....tipsy on margaritas or not. Thanks for your sweet words on my little space the other day it's so lovely to have you visit.
ReplyDeleteAnna xx
This was a beautiful post. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteFlowerLady
A beautiful post, Jen. I'm sorry you've had a difficult year, but good for you for looking on the bright side of things. This is a pretty good life!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the rest of your weekend.
Beth.
What's that little blue flower in the second to last pic.... I love a life with blue flowers in it!
ReplyDeleteThat is woodland phlox
DeleteFunny...I wish for the same things you do! But it's a learning process (and growth process?) to accept how things are sometimes. Enjoy your weekend - and fun times on the porch! (Including those margaritas.)
ReplyDeleteIn the last year I lost my entire family to cancer , had serious financial challenges, had to close out my long term family home in 60 days and place my mentally ill Brother in housing that cost a fortune and came down with 2 serious diseases. Some years are more challenging then others. It's how we rise that shows us who we are.
ReplyDeleteLove this post and your lovely peonies! Take care!
ReplyDeleteYou're better at tipsy writing than I am ;)
ReplyDeleteThe hard stuff makes me enjoy the good stuff more too. I would do it all again to get where I am now, even though there was a lot of pain involved. I'm glad you're happy where you are, Jen. You deserve it :)
xo,
rue
What a beautiful post! I am loving life as well, though we are in the midst of trying to settle into this new house, lol.
ReplyDeleteSo often the blog world is an imaginary world of pretty things and perfect people. Thanks for being real & honest.
ReplyDeletegreat post!
ReplyDeletem ^..^
Such an inspiring post! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteLovely post! Beautiful photos! Love your honesty! So inspirational!
ReplyDeleteA Beautiful post Jen. Really inspiring to see how you view life, even through all its adversities. I think it is so true.....none of us has the perfect life. The older we get, the more tales we have, and the more we go through whether good or bad. But it's what we make of it and how we live it that's the real key. You can let the bad stuff take hold and keep you down, or you can choose to see what can be learned and how you can grow because of it. There is beauty in the everyday, and the older I am getting, the more I am seeing it.
ReplyDeleteTake care
Vanessa xxxx
reat words to live by! Life really is wonderful - sometimes you have to look for the best parts, but they are always there! Beautiful pictures, as usual - and I'd love to join you for a margarita sometime!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful words. So very true. All your flowers are so pretty!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful words. So very true. All your flowers are so pretty!!
ReplyDeleteYou have it exactly right - love the life you are living now, not the future or the past.
ReplyDeleteIt's the simple things in life that make our lives wonderful.
Leslie of Gwen Moss wrote a beautiful post titled The Sacredness of Ordinary Days. There is a link in my most recent post.
Thank you, I needed to read this tonight. I have been feeling overwhelmed with life, and can't shake the feeling that I am not "enough" in any aspect of my life. I need to remember that "we are all a work in progress" (including myself).
ReplyDeletegorgeous peonies! thank you for sharing these words, friend! in our post-adoption fog, i've missed keeping up with you on your blog. glad to be back reading. and as always, makes me wish we were real neighbors!
ReplyDeletei love a good cocktail post :)!! yours has inspired me to replace wishing and wanting with doing and enjoying. thank you!
ReplyDeletenow get back out on your porch, mix up some more summer drinks & give us another lovely, real and inspiring post !