facing the day with a smile…sort of…#1000 Gifts…

The lovely Kristin @ Vine of Plenty started a new Monday meme called “In My Cup” and I really liked her topics. So I thought I would join in giving my #1000 Gifts post a new little twist. Let’s se how you like it.


In my cup::
…a lovely hot cup of coffee, brimming with half & half and two raw sugars. It’s just what this Mama needs after a night of up and down with the Princess Courtney. 


Sitting in::
…the living room with my girl. She is currently on her tummy trying to roll over. We call it PT 101. The more time she spends on her tummy working out, the stronger she gets. While she is working I write and then it’s time for the daily folding laundry hour. Yeah! 



Listening to the sounds of::
My daughter humming, the dishwasher running and the washing machine doing it’s thing. Yep, it’s a Monday. 


The sun is::
…shining. It is hot today here in No VA. Hot and muggy. I think it will be even hotter tomorrow. Not complaining mind you, just trying to stay cool inside. 


Courtney is currently::
…not happy with her mother making her work. Other than that, she is still fighting daily seizures. I stopped counting the days/hours in between them. It was getting downright depressing. She is also struggling with her weight. Being honest, she is always struggling with her weight. It’s a continuous battle that is extremely challenging. Avocados and sweet potatoes are helping. One day at a time.  


Something beautiful::
I recently got to visit a lovely flower garden in Leesburg with my friend Sharon. It was stunning. SO many different colors and types of roses and peonies and billions of other blooms. Just beautiful. I think this is my favorite shot from that day…

Seriously beautiful peonies. Can’t wait to go back later this summer. 


Something stylish::
…today I began the Get your Pretty On Summer Style Challenge. 21 pieces of clothing and 30 days. I am looking forward to figuring out what to keep in my closet and what to give away. I have gotten into a little bit of a rut and was hoping to find some new inspiration. Well look no further than Allison @ Get Your Pretty On. Mom, blogger, fashionista and life coach. I will be adding my daily outfit photos to my Sunday “What I Wore” posts. 


What’s on my mind::
…oh so many things. It’s kind of scary actually. My mind is usually racing 24/7 about anything and everything. It is crazytown up there. Truly. 


Right now I am re-doing the household budget yet again trying to make sure we will be able to take care of Courtney’s rising medical costs as well as the wheelchair co-pay. I was able to get a few new pieces of clothing for myself this Spring (in a smaller size…SCORE!) due to some fabulous sales. However, there will be no shopping in the near future, or books, or lattes for that matter. 


I know we are not alone with the belt tightening. Thankfully I do love to cook and bake which makes saving money on the groceries the easiest change to make. We don’t have Netflix but we do have Amazon Prime, which was thankfully renewed but a family member for a Christmas gift. We watch a lot of DVD’s that we already own so entertainment is not an issue either. We also check them out of the library as well. 


So I will have to watch my gas consumption, as well as taking shortcuts for dinner which usually means take out every once in awhile. No more of that. I have also decided to just get Jerry’s work shirts dry cleaned. I will be pressing my things and Courtney’s. That will help a bit. 


Other than that, I know that the Good Lord always provides what we need and I trust that His care will continue. One day at a time my friends. One day at a time. 




Adventuring in the kitchen::
This past weekend, I made tow new recipes that my friend Christine gave me. One for a fabulous teriyaki grilled chicken and one for a grilled corn with tomatoes and avocados salad. I will be posting photos and the recipes tomorrow. They were delish. SO good!


Tonight we have company for dinner, so I went with something that is always a winner, spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread and salad. It’s an oldie but goodie. 

Sewing with my Bernina::
I was working on a dress for Miss Courtney and then I did a bit of rearranging in the house which means my sewing space is a bit disorganized right now. Well actually it’s kind of a disaster, so nothing is being worked on right now. Hopefully I will get a chance to work on it this weekend and get some things knocked out.
 

This week will bring::
…a doctor’s appointment every single day. UGH! Thursday we have three appointments but Friday is the big day at Kennedy-Krieger at Hopkins in Baltimore. Miss Courtney will get a mold made of her back for her new wheelchair seat. It’s exciting but it will be one expensive day. I don’t think we have to pay anything that day but we will when the chair is delivered in a few weeks. The fun just keeps coming. The last hospital bills are rolling in now, but so far we have been able to handle them one at a time, thank you Jesus. Insurance changes begin July 1st, so we will see how that all shakes down. One day at a time as always.

:: giving thanks for
#2118 ~ #2134 
** a beautiful weekend spent with family
** a surprise visit from my Mama
** yummy new recipes perfect for the summer grill
** my wonderful husband who works so very hard for his family, making sure we have what we need
** friends celebrating a 50th Birthday
** friends celebrating a 28th Wedding Anniversary
** my son who gave up his Saturday night to stay home with his sister, so his Dad and I could have some time together.
** for Courtney breathing through each of the seizures she is experiencing right now. Such a relief not to have to call the EMT’s.
** having the skills and desire to provide nutritious meals for my family
** hot garlic bread right out of the oven
** homemade spaghetti sauce
** friends who walk through the darkness with you
** a young vibrant Youth Ministry program
** iced tea, slightly sweetened with a squeeze of lemon.
** cookbooks
** fresh strawberries over frozen yogurt
** lemon scented hand lotion