It's the Simple Things (Gratitude Photojournal):

In December 2010, I told the Lord about my desire for more travel. By that point, I hadn't been on a vacation in over 5 years. Crazy, uh? Over the years, I figured out different ways to be resourceful and  unwind since I didn't have enough money to go on a dream vacation. For example, sometimes when I've had a long day, I have a YouTube clip of beach waves hitting the shore and it does an excellent job of helping me drift off to la la land. It's not quite the same as actually being on a beach though. 

So, my love for the beach/water is a little apparent in this post :) I like getting messy in the sand (sand scrubs are the BEST exfoliators), relaxing in the water, swimming, pretending I know how to float, etc. The first vacation I went on this year was a group vacation. I think I spent more time in the water than every person on that trip. I just LOVE the water. If I had a waterproof case for my iPod, I think I would've let the ship leave me in one of the ports (ok, not really but you get what I mean). I'm someone who really soaks in my alone time. I actually need it more than the average person. It's not that I don't like people but some people get their energy from being around people all the time. I get my energy from being alone for (what may seem to some) a long time. I'm not quite sure how that will balance out once I'm married with kids but we'll see. So, all of these pictures were taken this year and the pictures include me and a body of water. I had the opportunity to visit Honduras, Belize, Costa Maya & Cozumel, Mexico. God truly blessed and answered a prayer that I had. On top of that, He gave me another special mini-vacation treat. I got to visit friends in Miami, FL two weeks ago and experienced more beach, palm trees, sand, and sunny weather. It was a welcomed treat since Maryland, at the time, had a temperature of 34 degrees the day I left for Miami. Blessings!!

God knows the desires of our hearts and while we need to be sure to share them with Him, don't get caught up in them. Instead of looking at God as tyrant in the sky who constantly wants to punish us and/or  a Santa Claus who is supposed to give us everything we want, look at Him as a really really awesome dad. That's what He is. He'll give correction when necessary but more than anything, He loves us and really wants to see that we get to spend eternity with Him. After all, He's prepared a place so special just for US! God delights in spoiling me. I'm his little princess :) I take joy in that and I also am extremely grateful and thankful! God, you're amazing! Thank you.

It's the Simple Things (Gratitude PhotoJournal):

1. Okay, so I totally borrowed this idea from my local Anthropologie but who hasn't? :) Actually, I've seen a lot of Anthropologie stores with this same "candle in the sand" concept. I loved this Soap and Paper Factory candle so much! It's called Bella and it's a mix of bergamot, grapefruit and black pepper. It's very exotic!  But, there's just something about seeing a candle burning and smelling the sweet scents that puts me in relaxation mode.

2. Ever since I can remember, I've been a magazine fanatic. I even considered getting a Master's in Magazine Journalism at NYU at one point. I love editorial content. I love reading the different articles and seeing how diverse and layered a monthly issue can be. For the majority of this year, work has been all I've had energy for. So I literally had stacks of magazines still in their plastic packages. I finally carved out some time to work through them. Now I have two more (that I know of) at the top of the stack to go through. Yay!!! It's so important to make time for those simple pleasures like perusing through favorite magazines!

3. These gladiator sandals are the most beautiful cobalt blue AND *drumroll please*.....they are SCENTED!!!! I've never heard of scented sandals until I purchased these earlier in the spring. **Warning! I'm about to get sentimental. The scent is reminiscent of the many baby dolls I played with as a little kid. It's so weird but my sensory memory transported me straight to the early 90s when I played with dolls. It made me appreciate the blessings I had as a child. I didn't have to worry about where my next meal was coming from. I had sisters and dolls to have fun with. I had an innocent childhood. I hope to give the same to kids of my own someday.

4. "If you use what little you may have to serve the Lord with all your heart, you will find that He can do great things when you begin to do your part." -Sper.  That's what my handwriting says just in case you can't read it :) I got some news two days ago that was a little upsetting but I decided to actively let God handle it. I felt Him saying that He would take care of it but there were some things I could do to. The next morning, I read  this devotion which further confirmed what I believed the Lord was saying to me. I'm so grateful for God and His lovely way of giving me confirmation.

It's the Simple Things (Gratitude PhotoJournal):

Since this is my first gratitude journal since I've been back from vacation, be prepared to see many photos from my trip. My gratitude is through the roof with that blessing! :) One of my best friends and I hung out in Isla Roatan, Honduras for the day and at one point, we got hungry (makes sense, right?). A lot of the locals suggested we go to Lighthouse Cafe. It was on the water. The view was impeccable. My blackened red snapper burger was delectable. More importantly, I was really appreciative of the owner/chef's story. He came over and shared his story with us. Originally from Isla Roatan, he moved to Seattle, Washington over 20 years ago. He worked in business but always knew that his passion was cooking and he'd want to own a restaurant in Honduras. He came back and did (a man of his word). No matter how long it takes, keep pushing toward your dreams. A lot of those dreams that are worthwhile don't usually come to fruition instantaneously. Whatever that dream is, commit it to God and be faithful. 

We've gone from Honduras straight to Washington, DC. There's something about the food and drinks at Pret that tastes so fresh. I absolutely love anything I get from there. I also appreciate the extra effort to make things more fresh. The more I read books like Food Rules or watch interviews with vegans and raw foodies on YouTube, the more I realize a lot of what we're eating is not real food. It's not an easy road but we've got to make a change as a country before everyone dies of obesity!!

Today is the first day of fall so it's time to hang up my summer playlist and make a new one for fall. One of my favorite pastimes is getting in my car, plugging up my usually dying ipod, and singing the stress away. I don't have to sound good or hit the right notes. I can just be free. This song is one of my favorites from my summer playlist. I just might carry it over into fall. We'll see. I usually can't keep up with Kim but I'm a shoe-in for the background gig :)

I'm losing weight! :) That's something I'm grateful for. I've been steadily gaining for the past couple years. The reason was because of hormones but now that my hormone levels are steadily getting back to normal, the weight is coming off without exercising for 2 hours and eating nothing but oatmeal and protein all day. I'm VERY grateful for that. BUT, I think that the meds I'm on are changing my taste buds. Me eating lettuce by choice? That's a miracle to be documented. I normally only buy spinach and will eat lettuce if I'm at a potluck or something but not by choice. I'm grateful for an increased desire for lettuce. Maybe one day I'll like beets *shrugs*

 No matter WHAT you're dealing with, take comfort in a God who really does care: 

It's the Simple Things (Gratitude PhotoJournal):

God knows how much I adore Anthropologie. I saw this vase in their store a couple months back and fell in love with it but opted not to get it. I don't remember why. By the time I made it back home, I regretted not buying the vase. My birthday weekend rolled around and I went back to Anthro to spend some bday cash. While waiting to be rung up, I saw this very vase behind the register (as if it was being held for someone). I asked if it was being held for someone and the cashier said no. Deep down, I knew God was holding it for me as an extra special birthday gift ( as if turning 25 wasn't enough). I love seeing it when I wake up. It's a reminder that God delights in giving us the simple things we often forget about.

I have a really good sense of smell and my sensory memory is on point. Everytime I smell this air freshener, it reminds of one of my "big sisters" and how much I loved hanging with her. She was just so cool (still is, of course) but she used to have this in her car so of course, I now love the scent and keep it in my car too. When I get a whiff of it, I think of her!

After a long day of work and if the sun is still up by the time I leave my office, I come here to clear my head, listen to soothing music, and get in touch with God. Nature has a really calming effect on me. You can't really tell from the picture but the scenery goes on for miles and miles. This is just a snippet of God's beauty. I appreciate the work He's put in so that I can feel some peace and quiet.

I'm extremely grateful for one of my best friends encouraging me to figure out how to do my own mani/pedis. I've saved so much money thanks to her! Plus, picking out colors that you get to keep is fun!

It's so important to keep a reminder of God's Word somewhere around you. I wrote this in my planner as encouragement to get through a never-ending week of work, work, work!