August Gratitude

August is halfway over and I've blogged four times [not including today!] Life has been busy, yes, but instead of forcing myself to stay up late every night to make sure a blog gets posted each weekday, I've just been stopping to observe life instead. If I'm tired, I go to bed early. If I don't feel like writing, I don't. As simple as that sounds, I think more often than not, it can be a struggle for many of us.

Through my stopping and observing this month, I was feeling gratitude in the least expected of moments. You know, that deep, out-of-this-world feeling in your heart that comes out of nowhere. The one that makes you hum while you walk through the store. Or makes you just want to hold the door open for everyone, or let every car over in front of you no matter how much longer it will make your trip. Here are some of those moments of gratitude:

+ For the ocean in front of my own eyes. Everyday.

+ For the people who wave when I pull over in my neighborhood so they can pass me and for the people who pull over so I can get by. [The streets here are pretty narrow.]

+ For the memories I have of my mom and for how strongly I felt those memories and moments this week.

+ For the freedom I have to work toward my dreams.

+ For a wonderful family I get to see in 5 days.

+ For the love of people who've known me and loved me through my many stages and phases of life.

+ For the smell of eucalyptus mint.

+ For the vitality I feel from the raw foods I've been eating.

+ For the tenderness in my shoulders as new muscles develop.

+ For the chance I have each morning to make that day better than the last.

+ For the view as I drive over the 8 and look out at the sun setting over the valley with all the palm trees and the ocean out in the distance.

--

And that's just this week :)

As Friday wraps up, I'm preparing to leave for Las Vegas and less than 12 hours after arriving back in SD, off to DC I fly! Life is about to get even busier but I have a feeling that might mean more opportunities for gratitude!

What are you grateful for this week?

Feeling the Holiday Friend-Love

After my super successful day in Old Town San Diego that I talked about yesterday, I was almost set to get on a plane to venture back to DC. However, before I left for the East Coast, I got to experience a little West Coast Navidad as well :)

Sweet Brianna from Heart of Life is a total doll and sends me goodies JUST when I need them. Let's talk about the candle first. It's a Mara Mi candle in Woodland and smells like Winter perfection. Brianna says she got it at Target :)

She also gave me some coral and glitter e.l.f. nail polish! One of my biggest weaknesses [Coconut M&M's], recipe cards that were perfect because I wanted to write down some of my mom's recipes while visiting home, and that gorgeous hand-painted LEOPARD ornament! A girl after my own heart, yes? She is just the sweetest and it was such a nice surprise to see this package on my doorstep!

Later that week, I met up one evening for sushi with Hollie, Tammy, Cara-Mia, and Jessica! These ladies are great and I'm so glad to have a little community here already! We caught up and chowed down on a TON of sushi! [Like, a lot.] Jessica also passed my Christmas scarf order off to me because she is a scarf-designing-genius!

They are gorgeous, right? I gifted one and bought the other for myself ;)

I had one more sweet package arrive on my doorstep. Santa delivered it early before I left!

My blog bestie, Holly from Running in Stilettos, is a doll and sent me this home warming/Christmas care package. [I mean, Santa sent it!] She sent me the yummy Slatkin & Co. "Snowed In" candle to remind me of Wintery Virginia in California. She gave me a little journal, my chocolate of choice [you know you have a chocolate problem when BOTH care packages contain this same item] ;), and this beautiful, custom-made ornament from Morgann Hill Designs.

The ornament shows my heart in Virginia and how it swept all the way across the country and landed in San Diego :) Is that something or what? So meaningful and so thoughtful!!

I feel so blessed to have friends all over the country who I haven't even met yet [and some that I have!] who are giving and loving and caring enough to think of little me and send me such wonderful house warming gifts and cards! I have the cards displayed in my living room to put a smile on my face during the more lonely days :)

I love you all! Each and every one of you have a spot in my heart and I am so grateful for the friendships we've made!

Bloggy Care Packages

You know those certain times in life when you feel extremely humbled and grateful? This has been one of those times for me. Smiles have been brought to my face countless times within the past few weeks thanks to many of you - my readers! I am constantly amazed at the support of the blogging community. So many of you, people I have yet to "meet" in real life, are SO gracious and giving. Through emails, comments, tweets, texts, etc. you have reached out to me to offer your thoughts and prayers whether I'm having a lousy day or just to let me know you're there.

I truly can't thank you all enough.

Earlier, I wrote about the sweetest card I received all the way from Norway. Megan was so thoughtful to send me something from halfway around the world. You can read about it here :)

Then, I received a package in the mail from sweet Torie. I started off by reading the letter that was inside where she described each of the items that were included:

1. The Book of Prayers for the times when I can't find words or even the strength to find words.
2. The Cookie Mix is for my soul because nothing patches a hole like a warm chocolate chip cookie. She knows me too well :)
3. A turquoise bracelet with this tag attached to it - "For every woman who has struggled, questioned, realized, believed, accomplished and triumphed." It also says, "Give one and keep one. There is no greater comfort than sharing the journey with others." She told me that she will wear hers as long as I need her to :) Again, she knows me too well. Turquoise bracelet = perfect and I wear it everyday!

Each of these items has brought me comfort. Torie put so much thought into this cute little care package and made each item so meaningful to me :) What a SWEET girl!

Shortly after, I received another package in the mail. If you follow Ashley from Adventures of Newlyweds, then you may know about her little Etsy shop she opened called Fetch & Co. when she was raising money for her dog, Bella’s surgery. Well, I had my eye on those bracelets from the moment she announced her shop’s opening months ago. Unfortunately, I was on a very strict budget at the time so I knew I’d have to wait to buy a cute bracelet of hers. I remember telling my Mom about her shop, the awesome cause, and she and I both browsed through the cute items she had listed.

Now that my budget has some “wiggle” room, I just had to get one of Ashley’s last items before she puts up her new inventory. Luckily, she STILL had the orange bracelet I had my eye on before!

If you haven’t already, head over to Ashley’s shop here and pick up one of her last bracelets! Can’t wait to see what’s to come! She has been SUCH an amazing support system for me throughout this whole experience. She has brought a huge smile to my face, as did this bracelet :)

This weekend, I received another package, this one was from Brianna, and I’m pretty sure I gasped when I opened the box! It was filled with all sorts of goodies that were wrapped in adorable paper!

I saw the Essie nail polishes and Cadbury eggs and gasped again! What a fun surprise and great way to welcome in the Spring! As I opened up the other two gifts, I just started feeling more and more emotion flow through me. I was SO blessed. Someone who’s never met me before felt inclined to send me ALL of this just to let me know they were there for me and cared.

I saw these cute little journals, each with a different motivating quote on them, and just smiled. They were perfect.

The last thing I opened was so beautiful. It was a Mother/Daughter Memory Box. I can finally have somewhere to put all my little mementos that make me think of my Mom!

Here’s everything all together!

I was at a loss for words. Not to mention, I want Brianna’s handwriting! Her card was so genuine and sweet.

I just can’t believe someone would do all of this for me! I’m so humbled and grateful. I truly, truly am. While the time has started to pass, the shock has started to wear off, and my emotions start to kick in more, it has helped more than you all know to see packages, cards, and thoughts still trickle in. They have brought countless smiles to my face and happy tears to my eyes. I am so touched by the selflessness of the blogging community. I wish I could hug every single one of you all!

So, here’s a huge hug and THANK YOU to each of you! I appreciate your love and support more than you know :)

[If you haven’t already, go check out the blogs of the ladies above!] :)

xoxo