Morning

Good morning,

Happy Thanksgiving.

I'm sitting here smelling the warm cinnamon rolls

on top of the oven just waiting for husband to wake and eat them

while I mull over pinterest and curate places I dream of visiting some day.

I am thinking over this past year and how incredibly painful and joyful it has been.

It seems like each year just increases in both pain and joy.

The pain becomes sharper and deeper, deeper than I ever thought it would go,

but the joy always matches and supersedes the pain in a gentle quiet way.

I don't mean this to be melancholy, really I don't,

but sometimes gratitude and thanksgiving is a bit melancholy isn't it?

I know that sounds odd and maybe I'm wrong,

but when we express gratitude for what is here and what we have

aren't we quietly aware of what isn't?

And doesn't that make thanksgiving all the sweeter?

Thanksgiving is an expression of gratitude, especially to God,

so says Webster's dictionary, and I know that most of the time

I think of gratitude as very joyful but maybe it isn't always.

The pilgrims had lost many many of their people in fact MOST of their people.

They had lost babies, husbands, wives, and friends, and at the end of that season

is when they decided to have a dinner of thanksgiving.

 I'm sure they were very aware of who and what wasn't there

as the celebrated and gave thanks for who and what was there.

This morning as I look over beautiful images and mentally

make a list of places to mention to husband to add to our dream travel list,

it is strangely calming to look over this past year

and the expected joys that never came and the unexpected joys

that bring such wonder and gratitude.

Today will be quiet for us.
We are both sick with colds and feel the need for rest and simplicity.
I will finish cooking and baking all sorts of yummy things,
then we will dress up and enjoy our meal together just us,
 then we will most likely change back into
our pajamas and watch Fiddle On The Roof
(husband has never seen it!!)

We are so grateful.
So very very grateful.
For God's excessive love and grace towards us
and this day set aside to quietly express our gratitude for Him.


Happy Thanksgiving


xoxo,
Lyss & Josh 

Oops

From a trip to the Garfield Conservatory

Oops.

Well there went my blogger of the year award :P

Lets see what have you missed...

a stomach bug,

the coming of October (Hi!)

lots of picnics outside 

lots and lots of Josh studying

and that's about it (:

We're having some issues with our computer

and so its taking me 3x longer to do a blog post

than usual. So combine that with the time constraint of a 

student husband and blogging just gets bumped a lot.....

well that and when I'm sick I'd much

rather sleep (:

So Happy Friday 

and here's to the hope of consistent blogging in the future!

xoxo,

lyss

P.S. Stomach bug is not code for pregnant.

This week and coffee induced ramblings

This week has consisted of lots of little sleep nights,

lots of early mornings,

and lots and lots of coffee to try and stay awake

and pleasant (;

Although I should note that the heatwave

ended Friday morning and the weekend was such a delightful beginning of fall!

Bring out the sweaters and pumpkin soup!

 I got a wicked blister on Friday 

from wearing boots that I forgot I hadn't completely broken in last year,

So we kept pretty close to home all weekend.

(seriously! I was limping the whole weekend and there was slight concern of infection.

And I wore socks! Promise! I was not an idiot this time)

but it was wonderful all the same (:

Husband kept tsking over me with concern and we got lots and lots done

in lieu of fall cleaning at home.

This week and the not sleeping much has just done me in,

although in thinking about it its really just the not sleeping much.

This week standing on its own has been delightful.

Yesterday I texted Husband and invited him to go to the zoo

with my boys and I after school.

When I told the boys Josh was coming to the zoo with us

you would have thought I had told them we were going to 

Disney land. Squeals and fist pumps and "oh yeah!" all around (:

those boys LOVE Josh.

It was one of my favorite afternoons.

We had SUCH fun 

and had so many little adventures.

Playing tag with Otters, high fiving Beavers (No really! It was the coolest thing!)

climbing through a massive maze jungle gym, and singing 

Taylor Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble" at the top of our lungs.

I am so grateful for the honor of getting to love 

and take care of these little boys

and so humbled when Josh comes along side

and loves them too.

We are so blessed.

And with that sappiness....

I hope you have a wonderful weekend

filled with long naps 

and autumn picnics!

We're hoping for sleep without nightmares

(please. please. please)

and to go record hunting (:

xoxo,

lyss

Thinking About...

~Its the end of summer beginning of fall but you wouldn't know

it looking at our yard. Everything is so green and new flowers popping

up every day. Um hey pretty flowers, where were you in spring?

~Oops to not blogging for a week....

I always forget the adjustment period to Josh being back in school 

and needing the computer back, because school trumps blogging.

~ little boys poop a lot.

~Its fall cleaning time,

but didn't I just spring clean like last week?

~Hello September! 

~I think our email acccount is losing emails...

~I could listen to Nat King Cole all day

~I'm waiting till the first cool day to watch

"You've Got Mail".

Its my favorite fall movie, last year I watched it 11 times.

I have no shame...

or self control apparently.

~I need to write more handwritten letters.

~Maybe I should work on responding in a timely manner

to phone calls, texts, and emails first.

Small steps, small steps.

~Nickel Creek has been playing constantly in our home.

It will keep playing (along with the civil wars and allison krauss)

until Christmas music takes its place

~We got measured the other day,

we're both really short.

~We also got x-rayed the other day

and our xrays were remarkably similar.

I guess this whole pursuit of unity

thing is really working.

~pumpkin latte's!

Have a good weekend!

xoxo,

lyss

P.S. We did do stuff last weekend and this week

AND I have pictures to prove it.

Proof will be shown soon.

The last colors of fall are falling away,

the sun sets in the middle of afternoon,

and grey of winter is becoming more and more prevalent.

I'm so grateful for this odd week of warmth and sunshine

and little bursts of color along our street.

xoxo,

lyss

Jon is here!

and I'm quickly learning that the relationship between brothers is always interesting...

so glad you're here Jon (:

xoxo,

lyss

Today

I'm Grateful For......

~surprise sunny days

~fall's farewell colors

~warm Clothing

~snack Time

~"L" drivers who wait

~pictures portraying life

~little ones smiles and cuddles

~lots of work (exhausting as it is :))

~unexpected moments with Husband

~the warmth and ease of the Jeep

~shrinking to do lists

 silly, but true.

As Thanksgiving is coming up (next week! I CANNOT believe it!)

I've been more conscious of counting my blessings and writing them down.

And I think this should become a habit as I've been enjoying it so much!

xoxo,

lyss

P.S. I should add "when Husband makes dinner" on this list

as I am now sitting here with a delicious dinner on my lap

after a long day of work courtesy of that wonderful man.

I am going to go give him a thank you kiss now.

October

It seemed like September would never come and then next thing I 

know October is almost gone!

Everywhere I look trees are almost bare and the color is slowing seeping away as the

cold blows in and settles in our bones.

I've been waiting to pull out my winter coat in denial of the coming frigid cold as 

each morning when I get dressed I find myself reaching for my thickest sweaters.

Oh boy oh boy, I am not ready for months of frigid winds and sunless days.

But I am definitely enjoying how much more delightful coffee is when its cold outside,

the feeling of warmth when I first walk in the door, and how cozy it is sitting

under blankets with husband while he studies. 

Maybe I'll learn to like this whole endless winter thing after all (;

Oh yeah,

Happy Reformation Day!

xoxo,

lyss

I often forget to document the beauty of our transit life,

honestly because we're usually hurrying (:

Hurrying to get to work, hurrying to get home, hurrying to escape the cold,

or we're together and deep in conversation about theology

or my little E's antics of the day.

But our daily journey from here to there is truly beautiful

and I don't want to miss the sweet moments of the supposedly 

in between in the rush to get

there.

xoxo,

lyss

P.S. I love this city. 

When the family came to the city and lots of adventures were had

So many memories made!

From buses that weren't where they were supposed to be, lots of laughs over Chicago style food (especially when the waitress thought Josh was your son and I was the girlfriend!)

picking apples in the cold rain, sweet conversations while walking all over the city,

to Eric getting compliments on his fuzzy hat wherever we went, 

it was wonderful.

Although I wish it didn't include the not so fun parts like Mama twisting her ankle and me almost making you miss your flight.......

Ahhh, memories. 

Right?

xoxo,

lyss

P.S. Dear Family, please come back soon, okay? 

Belmont ave just isn't the same without you being there.