Five Minute Friday: Laundry

There are so many things undone at the end of the day, like a mountain of laundry that never goes away.  A daughter waiting to be taken to the MVD to get her driver's permit.  Her bedroom walls are begging for a coat of paint to cover the primer.  The empty room left behind by a son who has moved out, waiting to become a sanctuary for writing.  A flower bed that has turned into a weed bed. There are the unfinished Pinterest projects and the box of Fall decorations, untouched.  Thoughts and ideas left unwritten and then forgotten, like a sock that's fallen behind the dresser.  There's the garden that never got started and a stack of books on the night stand, unread.  The Christmas shoebox that is to be filled with gifts for a needy child is empty and the bags of clothing for Goodwill sit in the corner.  The list of things undone leave a cluttered trail, like articles of clothing dropping from a bulging basket. 

Then, there's the small dent in the mountain - a stack of folded towels, soft and still warm from the dryer.  Their scent clean and fresh, like the scent of her hair when you hugged your sweet girl at the end of the day.  There are fresh apples in the fruit bowl from the Farmer's Market where you sat under a tree during your lunch break with a friend you don't get to spend enough time with.  An empty Starbucks cup reminds you of the dear friend who dropped by the office for a few minutes to  tell you how her recent trip went.  Sitting with the love of your life, talking about the day, as he rubs your sore shoulders.  You smile.  Yes, there is much undone.  But when taking inventory at day's end, isn't it great to know that you didn't miss out on the important over the urgent?

 

Happy Friday!  Click on over to Lisa-Jo's to find out how you can participate in Five Minute Friday!

I'm still here!

I've missed you!  I sure have been thinking about you a lot, even though it's been quiet on here. 

So this is what I've been up to:

Being a mom to this awesome girl.  It's been a busy school year so far with practices and club meetings and high school football games on cool Thursday evenings. 

Work.  Some of you don't know that I am a church secretary.  I couldn't ask for a better job!

Training for our upcoming 1/2 marathon.  I'm enjoying this too much to be considered normal!  Haha!  We're also preparing for the Bisbee 1000 this weekend.  Yay!  Also, a shout out to Justin and Amber from Sierra Vista Crossfit!  Love them!



I'm leaving out a lot of boring daily details, but there are many things left undone by the time I crawl into bed at night.  There are a lot of thoughts that are left unwritten and things I want to say to you that I haven't had the courage to pour out yet.  I've been thinking and praying much about which direction to go with this blog.  You all have been so supportive and have kept on reading, even though my writing has been sporadic.  You're the best!  I want for this space to always be a place where you can curl up with a warm cup of something and be encouraged! 

 

What kind of things have you been up to? 

When Pigs Fly...

You guys.  I think pigs really may fly!  I never thought this would happen!

Scotty signed us both up for a 1/2 marathon!!!!

This is his first one.  I ran my first in 2009.  It was an amazing experience and I always knew I would do it again, but I never dreamed that we would do one together!  And so soon!  In November.  Like, in five weeks.  Eek!  I trained for four months for the first one.  Dear Jesus, please help us to be ready!  I'm thinking we have a good start since we already run ... right?  

I will do my best to not bore you too much with marathon-y stuff, but if you knew how much of a miracle this is you wouldn't be too hard on me! 

Ok. That is all.  I'll let you get back to your Monday.

 

-Liv

Five Minute Friday: True

Five minutes.  Forgetting about perfect.  No back spacing.  No spell check.  Just writing. 



She wanted to believe it was true.  She wanted to know it in her heart, in a way that she could live it. She just could not seem to grasp that she was completely accepted and that she did not have to do one thing to earn God's approval.  It didn't make sense to her.  She faced failure everyday.  I didn't pray long enough.  I was selfish.  I lost my patience.  My home isn't clean enough.  I'm a bad Christian, friend, sister, daughter, mother, wife.  It played over and over in her head.  Her journal was full of I'm sorrys, please forgive me, and promises to do better.  It's the way she grew up.  Behave the right way, say the right thing and you will be loved.  It's hard to unlearn some things.  Her greatest fear was rejection so she worked hard to please and never to disappoint.  She didn't know even know what it was like to be real.  Then somebody told her that God was not disappointed in her because He never had illusions about her in the first place.  Light snuck through the cracks of her weary heart and she discovered that the truth really does make free.  Indeed.  Hope began to rise in her heart that she was loved more than she knew.  She began to learn that she had value, not because of how she behaved, but because of Who she belonged to.  Because simply behaving had nothing to do with love.  When those old thoughts tried to resurface, she saw them as they were - a lie.  She knew she was completely accepted.  And finally she began to live.

- Liv

Click here to read what other writers wrote on today's prompt.  While we're on the subject of truth - I might have gone over five minutes.  I'm just going to be ok with that.  Who's trying to be perfect anyway? *smile*

Five Minute Friday: SHE

I'm joining other writers for Five Minute Friday over at Lisa-Jo's.  Lisa Jo thinks that motherhood should come with a super hero cape.  I agree!  No matter what season of motherhood you find yourself in, this one's for you!  As your read, put your name in there.  Don't just believe it for someone else - believe it for you!   

Photo Credit: Rachel Duran

 

She's tired.

She wakes up early and goes to bed late - sometimes having to get up a few times in between.

The days run into each other.  It seems to be the same thing every day - is it even making a difference?

The laundry. The dishes.  The melt downs. 

And the guilt.

Late for another appointment.  Forgot to pay a bill.  Let them watch too much TV.  Cereal for dinner.  Again. 

Shoulda been more intentional.  Was I too hard on them?  Yelled again.  Need to get in shape.  Really should shaved my legs.  Need a date night   Who is that man in my bed, anyway?  Haven't talked to him in a while. 

She's tired.

She wakes up early so she can have a few minutes to pray for those precious kids before they go off to school.  And to prepare lunches and kiss those faces.

She keeps up with doctor appointments and teeth cleanings and parent/teacher conferences.  She takes the kids to tutoring and soccer and dance practices. 

Between throwing another load in the washing machine and scrounging for a clean sippy cup, she breaks up a fight, wipes a nose and kisses an owie. 

She helps a child with homework, signs a permission slip and reminds someone to hang up a wet towel and to brush those teeth.  Three stories, bedtime prayers and another drink of water later, she crawls into bed.  She attempts to read, but barely makes it through a paragraph before her heavy eyes start to close.  Sighing, she marks her page, turns off the light and kisses the handsome stranger next to her. 

She is strong.  She is beautiful.  She makes all the difference in the world.  My hero.  You.

What Running Has Taught Me About Life

The right shoes make all the difference!

 

Take in the scenery

Bad days are the exception, not the rule
Enjoying every minute is not the point
Music makes it better

Drink lots of water

I can do hard things
Pace yourself
When you don't feel like it - do it anyway
Breathe
Set a goal
I am strong
Your second wind is coming
Training pays off

Watching the sun rise never gets old
Cool breezes are a gift
Food is energy
Eating bad makes me feel bad
One foot in front of the other
I'm not a quitter
Keep going, even when it's hard

Rest

Right now it sucks, but it's going to get better
The pain reminds me that I have worked hard
When the pain subsides, I find I am stronger
Give yourself time to cool down
A little sweat never hurt anybody
It's an adventure
Just keep moving

Having a partner keeps me motivated

Head up, shoulders squared and tummy tucked
Attitude is everything
It's great to be outside
It's always a good time to pray
Just lean forward and push through the hills
You tend to try to hurry over the hills to get them over with...
Don't.  You'll only wear yourself out
...Unless you've been on that hill a hundred times before...
In that case - get over it and find a new course, for crying out loud!

 

Enjoy the easy parts...
but stay humble because another hill may be around the corner!
Keep your core strong - it'll give you a strong back bone
Finishing feels amazing!

 

Five Minute Friday: Mercy

Photo Credit

Yesterday wasn't perfect.  I wasn't perfect.  I didn't get everything done that I would have liked to.  I had too many cookies.  I may or may not have allowed a certain situation to make me angry.  A friend lost a loved one.  Another friend is going through an unthinkable trial.  There's flooding in Colorado.  There is a lot of uncertainty in our country - in the world.  It looks like a big mess.

But then.  I woke up this morning. 

Photo Credit

There was a beautiful fog outside my window. 
I looked over and there was Scotty.  And I love him.
A good morning hug from my girl.
A hot cup of strong coffee.
I woke up to a brand new day without any mistakes in it.  Yet.
I have a God who loves me and delights in me.  What an incredible thought!  Yesterday wasn't perfect.  Today won't be either. But every little thing is going to be ok.

"Your kindness and your mercies pursue me all the days of my life ..." - Psalm 23:6 

 

- Liv

Join other writer's here for Five Minute Friday

Our Thing

Saturday mornings are ours.  We get up way too early for a weekend, lace up our running shoes and go for a run before the sun gets high.  After a few miles and a good stretch, we go home to sit on the patio and sip on a cup or two of French-pressed coffee.  Sometimes we talk.  Sometimes we just sit - no need for words. I find myself being most thankful on these days, because it hasn't always been this way.  I can't believe we found our thing.  I can't believe running is our thing!   I tried to get Scotty to run with me for years and he wouldn't budge.  He had absolutely no desire nor inclination to run unless he was being chased...by zombies.  You can understand why I gave up hope that he would ever become my running partner! 

The real miracle here is that we found our thing after all these years.  More accurately, the things we thought were our things turned out to not really be our things.  We are not the same people we were when we got married.  Things have changed.  We have changed.  More on that in another post, but I will say that we weren't sure if we would make it long enough to ever find our thing.

We haven't just found our thing - we grew into it.  Without having survived some hard times, running together would be no big deal - it would just be running.  It hasn't been graceful, in fact, it has been quite messy.  But our story is full of grace.  We sort of clumsily muddled through, unsteady and unsure.  When we looked up, we found ourselves shaken up, but still together.  Surprised by grace.

Here's to many more miles. 

- Liv

I'd love to hear what your thing is!



Five Minute Friday: Red



She looked for us in the crowd.  She has done it every time since she was a little girl.  From church Christmas plays, to school recitals, to award ceremonies - she would look for us and wave.  Our eyes met, she smiled, and bounded over to where we were.  She was red-faced, breathless and giddy.  The long practices, blisters and sore toes, all worth it for one glorious night under the stage lights.  All of the dancers were beautiful, but our eyes were fixed on our girl - her captive audience.  Scott handed her a bunch of roses, just as he has done after every ballet performance for the past 10 years.

  

This past May she hung up her pointe shoes and picked up a set of blue and white poms.  Bittersweet.  The first football game of the season brought nervous excitement.  A summer of practices and sore muscles and anticipation for nights like this, beneath the stadium lights.  She looked for us in the crowd and smiled when our eyes met.  Don't ask me about the game - I wasn't watching it!  After, we met her on the field.  She was red-faced and breathless and giddy.

 

  

Baby, no matter where God takes you in this life, no matter what you are doing - big or small - look for us in the crowd.  I hope you find lots of moments that leave you red-faced, breathless and giddy.  Daddy and I will be there, clapping and cheering you on, with silly grins on our faces.

Five Minute Friday: Small

Photo credit: Rachel Duran



It's easy for a momma to disappear.  Does anybody know underneath 'mom' there is a real person with feelings and hopes and dreams and talents?  And we wonder if we are making a difference.  Because really, all we want to know is that we are significant.  We shrink beneath the piles of laundry and taxi-ing kids to their activities and trying to figure out what's for dinner tonight.  And we feel as if we will never have a clean home and we have to wipe another nose and wash another load of dishes.  And the baby won't stop crying and the toddler throws another tantrum and a teenager breaks your heart.  We trade in our hobbies and exercising and restful nights for parent/teacher meetings and stretch marks and chasing away the boogey man.  And the carpet needs cleaning and the weeds need to be pulled and the car is a mess.  We wake up early and go to bed too late and kiss boos and give baths and say prayers.  We struggle through homework and argue about curfew and discipline even when it's hard.  And we pray.  We are driven to our knees because sometimes we don't know what to do and we feel so small.  We wake up the next day and do it all over again.  We give and we give and we give.  When we feel like we have nothing left - we give some more.

We are mommas.  We pray hard. We work hard.  We love hard.

And that is no small thing.

                             

 

Want to know more about Five Minute Friday?  Click here.

And the Winner Is...

 

Congratulations, Ashley, from This Southern Girl's Heart!!

 

Ashley will be receiving a copy of the book, Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist!

You can order a copy here!

Wishing you all a lovely day and if it gets sorta rough: 

 

  

 

:)  - Liv

Unwired

Okay, so this is getting ridiculous! 

Please say I'm not the only one ... I HAVE GOT TO FIND A WAY TO MANAGE MY TIME BETTER!  I often go through my days distracted, finding it hard to focus on completing a single thought.  One cannot be fully present when constantly feeling the need to stop for every Facebook notification or to respond to every tweet!  I find myself spending whole evenings online while I fall further behind on my ever-growing to-do list.  If I truly believe what I read and write, about WAKING UP and SLOWING to live this one life well, then something has got to give. 

Today I am joining other women in The Unwired Mom Challenge, to put the Internet back into its proper place - as a tool.  The Internet has given me a wonderful outlet to write through blogging.  I love keeping in touch with you through Facebook and Instagram; I am not giving up on Pinterest or Youtube.  But none of that compares to spending time with my family and engaging in real life. This challenge is not to stay off of the computer, but to be intentional about the way I spend my time on it.  I love that, since I'm not one to set up unrealistic rules and expectations to break and beat myself up over.

Also, I am loving what the Hands Free Momma has to say about what really matters and the day she stopped saying 'hurry up'.  

How about you?  Do you struggle with slowing down and being present?  What are some of the things you do to manage your time better?

Win This Book!

I just finished reading Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist.   It is "a love letter to life around the table..."  And it has recipes!

This drawing has expired

This book is too good not to share, so I am going to give away ONE copy!  To enter, email me here and put your email address in the subject line.  Invite your friends to enter!  Place your entry by Monday, August 12th!  Or, you can order the book here!   
  

Shauna's love for food and people pours out from the pages of this food memoir.  It feels as if you are sitting across the table from a  dear friend, listening to her stories of travels and tastes and lessons learned.  You will fall in love with food all over again as she describes the sizzles and the smells and the joy of cooking a dish and creating a space where friends can come in, put their feet up and have more than just their stomachs filled.  Shauna makes me want to love cooking!

I tried the blueberry crisp recipe, using peaches from a friend's peach tree instead...


 

 

Yumminess!  The plan was to have this topped with vanilla ice cream, but I sacrificed that idea to three hungry girls with a sugar craving during a sleepover.  Who knew they could finish off a whole tub of ice cream by themselves??

 

It was still delicious!  Wishing we could chat over a cup of coffee and a warm slice ... with ice cream! 



82 Things I Want To Tell My Daughter Before Tomorrow

 



The long days of summer break are over and a new school year starts tomorrow!  My daughter will enter the halls of her high school in her new cheer uniform; her sophomore year a blank page, waiting to be filled with homework and new teachers and friends and football games.  No doubt there will be exciting new opportunities as well as challenges and alas ... boys.  What I want her to remember for this year (and for always):

1) Every day you wake up is a day you are loved
2) Every day you wake up is a day you have been prayed for
3) CLING to what you know about God - it will get you through the confusion
4) Beauty from the inside is more beautiful than beauty from the outside
5) If you don't like how you feel, change how you think
6) Or...have some chocolate
7) Just because a boy shows interest doesn't mean he deserves your attention
8) Boys are stinky anyway...
9) ...and you aren't allowed to date until you are 30
10) Grades matter
11) Good girls are not boring
12) Keep your air of mystery
13) Don't confuse a bad day with feeling you have a bad life (see #6)
14) Always, always, always find something to be thankful for - especially on the bad days
15) Never stop dancing

16) Never make fun of anyone
17) Stick up for the kid everyone is hating on
18) Do what is right
19) Be fair
20) Love kindness
21) Be humble
22) Choose to have fun
23) Music is a gift
24) Cherish your friendships
25) Choose your friends wisely - you will act like the people you spend your time with
26) Don't be afraid to say "hi" first
27) Don't be ashamed to say "I don't understand"
28) Don't be afraid to ask a question
29) Anything worth having is going to take a lot of work
30) Do your best
31) Smile

 32) You will make mistakes

33) It's ok
34) What matters is what you do after
35) What you have to say is important
36) Drink water, drink water, and drink more water
37) Your body is strong
38) Take care of it - feed it - listen to it
39) You can do hard things
40) It's ok to rest when you are tired
41) You are the boss of your mind
42) Think about what is honest
43) Think about what is true
44) Think about what is lovely
45) Think about what is pure
46) Books are a gift (smile)
47) I am on your side - even when it doesn't feel that way
48) Sometimes all you need is a hug from your mom
49) It's ok to cry
50) It's ok to laugh out loud
51) It's ok to laugh at yourself
52) It's ok to have emotions
53) ... but they're tricky - don't always believe them (see #3)
54) You don't have to make everybody happy - their happiness is not your job
55) What people think of you is their business, not yours
56) Trust your gut - if it makes you uncomfortable don't do it...
57) ...don't say it ...
58) ...don't wear it
59) The truth is always the correct answer - a lie will make you look and feel foolish
60) Perfect doesn't exist
61) The movies lie
62) You will never be too old for my kisses
63) We will always need each other
64) You can't do anything to make me love you more
65) You can't do anything to make me stop loving you
66) You are important to me
67) I am proud of you
68) You make me smile
69) I love your dad
70) Your dad loves me
71) Daddy loves you - you are his treasure
72) Your dad is a good man
73) Boys should be afraid of your dad - very afraid
74) If a boy doesn't treat you the way daddy treats you or me - RUN!
75) I am thankful for you
76) Never forget who you are and Who you belong to
77) Never trade in your faith for temporary things
78) Remember you have a hope and a future
79) Love is always the right answer
 80) One day at a time - do your best
81) We will make better mistakes tomorrow
82)  When all else fails, call your mom!

I know, I know.  There are a thousand things to tell her and I only listed 82!  How do we fit a lifetime of lessons into the short amount of time we have before we kiss the baby days goodbye? 

Praying for all of our littles and not-so-littles as they begin the new school year!  And if your baby is starting kindergarten - hang in there, momma!  I will say an extra prayer for you!  I promise - it is going to be ok.  ((hugs))

Pinteresting Things

Look what popped up in my neighborhood recently! 


 

It's a Little Free Library!  What a great way to share and exchange books!  I had seen it before on Pinterest, and thought it was a cool idea. You can imagine how excited I was to see one on the corner of my street!  I took a walk to the little wooden box this afternoon and peeked through the plexiglass window.  Behind the door was a goulash of children's stories, novels and self-help books.  A note invites you to take or leave a book.  This library allows you to borrow or keep what you like.  I browsed a bit, not finding anything I was interested in this time.  Before leaving, I placed a book in the front, just so.  I wanted it to be the first seen by the next visitor.  LOL.  Silly, the things we do!

 

Speaking of Pinterest: how many things that we 'pin' do we actually get around to doing?  So many great ideas and so little time to do them all!  A few girlfriends and myself have been having Pinterest parties throughout the year to try some of our favorites.  We have a blast!  The next one is coming up soon.  I'll post pictures! 

What are some of your favorite things to 'pin'?

Five Minute Friday: Story

Learn more about Five Minute Friday here!

 

So, what's your story?

We are all story tellers in some way or another.  It's in your walk, when the stress aches across your shoulders like a fraying rope pulled taut, promising to snap at the next tug.  It's in your eyes as they light up when a loved one enters a room.  It's in the words you speak - the way you speak them.

I have been challenged to live honestly.  To tell my story truthfully.  To not be afraid to laugh or cry; to not be afraid of being less than perfect.  It's a dull life to live, being afraid to express too much emotion or not allowing others to see your weaknesses.  When we live truthfully, we give others permission to do the same.  And when we share a little of ourselves we learn that we are not alone in our trials and imperfections.

My struggles and victories; my faith and my hopes - they are part of me.  They are my story.  I want to live my one life well, so that in the end it will be told as a love story that was full of tears and laughter and messiness and mistakes and forgiveness and redemption.  Those are the best kind.

 

- Liv



Filling Up On Happy (plus a recipe and a book giveaway!)



 

I am fascinated by people who read through recipe books the way I read through design books!  Being in the kitchen is like an art to them, mixing flavors the way a painter mixes colors; swirling pans and sprinkling spices until their masterpiece is just right.  They know things like how to emulsify liquids and oils and the correct way to hold a knife.  I love watching how creating a meal is a labor of love to them.  I wish I had that.  For me, cooking is labor, period.

I do love the eating part, though!  Even more than that, there is something about sharing a meal around a table with loved ones or new acquaintances that just sits right with me.  It's a happy place.

We recently had one such evening.  Scotty and I invited three couples over for dinner.  We decided on an Italian theme and everybody brought a little something.  The eight of us gathered around our table for six, pulling up a folding chair that was too short and a wobbly stool. We had the best time! 

With Bocelli playing in the background, we had Toscana soup (recipe here), salad and homemade ciabatta bread.  Then we took a break from the eating and told stories and talked about current events.  Next was lasagna and garlic zucchini.  We pulled out Catch Phrase and laughed until our cheeks were sore.

And then ...

Sea salt and caramel cheesecake.  Creamy, smooth, heavenly yumminess.  That's all I have to say about that! 

We laughed and talked late into the night.  It was the kind of evening that still lingered with a smile the next day.  We did so much more than just fill empty stomachs that night.  We built friendship and filled ourselves up with happy. 

I am no artist in the kitchen and my home does not look like the beautiful homes from the design books I drool over.  In fact, my bathroom has been in the middle of a ceiling repair for the past few (ahem) ... years.  The carpet needs a cleaning and the couch ... well, let's not go there.  But that night it was a lovely place.  The flaws were hidden by the richness of communion. 

I have just finished reading the book, Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist.  She describes what I am talking about so wonderfully!  Read this book!  And what are you waiting for?  Don't wait for your home to look perfect!  Order pizza, pop open some soda, and invite your people over to enjoy life around the table!  Unless, of course, you're one of those.  In that case, create your culinary masterpiece!   Here's to food and friendship!  Bon appetit!

- Liv

 

 

 

 

This drawing has expired.
This book is too good not to share, so I am going to give away ONE copy!  To enter, email me here and put your email address in the subject line.  Place your entry by Monday, August 12th!  Or, you can order the book here!  



For when you can't find the words



Photo Credit: Mara Borrego

"Sometimes we can’t find the words to pray and we’re so desperate, so frantic, that elaborate prayers and words just fail us.  All I’d had was please and even if I’d not had that, my spirit would have cried out and doesn’t Jesus hear and feel that?  Doesn’t he know how we’re crumbling and tell it to the Father?...You’re frantic, but He’s already working on it and you haven’t even asked, but He‘s heard." - Ruth Povey

Guys, I know I haven't written much lately, but I sure do think of you a lot.  It's quite frustrating to me, actually.  I have started several posts, but the words to finish have been just out of my reach.  I'm  taking it as a que that during this season, I need to soak in words from those who have them to give.  Here is one from today that I wanted to share with you. Click on over to (in)courage to read more from Ruth Povey.

 

 

Love ya, Liv

Five Minute Friday: Present

 

I can smell the French-pressed coffee sitting on the counter.  Scotty's car is backing out of the drive.  The house is still.  The only sounds are the buzzing of my laptap and the c-l-i-c-k-i-n-g of the keys as I type.  With a busy day ahead, I may not have a moment of quiet like this until I crawl into bed tonight.

How to stay present in the busyness?  How does one keep herself from becoming intoxicated in this media-drunk world?  We have become numb to the ear-splitting cacophony of work and whining kids and tv and Twitter and sprinting from one task to another.  We feel the need to fill an empty moment with something productive.  Like a factory run by the unrelenting task master of time, mass-producing a commercially wrapped product of success in the form of  a clean home, beautiful pictures on Facebook, well-behaved, talented kids, a nice body, or ______ (fill in the blank).

How do we hear that still, small voice over the roar of it all?  The voice that offers us peace.  Peace. 

How do we remain present in our own lives?  To hear our loved ones and see their needs?

How do we put down the yoke of the urgent to be present and available for the important?

Somehow, I don't think the answer is more time...

- Liv 



New to Five Minute Friday?   Click here for the details.

Five Minute Friday: Beautiful

How about a little bit of Friday for your Tuesday morning?  I linked up for FMF at www.lisajobaker.com.  If you like to write, why not join the fun?  Set your timer for five minutes and write, using the prompt. No need to edit.  Just write for the love of writing.  Want to see what others wrote?  Click here. 

 

Tired, weathered hand holding a new baby.  Family gathered through tears to celebrate a life lived. Clothing scattered after watching my daughter dance graceful.  The aftermath of Christmas morning.  A kiss to make up after a fight.  Dark skies watering a cracked, thirsty ground, and the cool freshness after.   Dishes piles high after fresh baked yumminess.  The easy laughter of a friendship that has walked the hard times together.  Dirt beneath the nails after planting.   This life, well lived - it's a beautiful mess.