Entryway bench

Since moving into our new home in January, our front entryway had been a gaping hole of nothingness.  Besides an ugly brown carpet, there was simply nothing there--no furniture, no place to hang your coat.  When we'd walk in the door, we'd set our grocery bags right next to our large pile of shoes on the floor.  It wasn't very welcoming and it wasn't a place that we might spend any time lingering in.  

It had been on my list of to-do's to find something fitting for this area for quite some time.  In my mind, I was picturing something like a hall tree (with a bench and coat hangers), but the more I looked at them, the less I liked that particular style for this particular spot in our home.  My idea for the furniture that I was looking for kept morphing to new ideas. For months, I'd been scouring Craigslist and local thrift shops in search of something.  

And, well, persistence pays off.  Last week, this gorgeous antique double-width school bench appeared on Craigslist and I just happened to get in contact with the seller before someone else snatched it up.  I never would have thought to look for something like this but, when it turned up online, it just seemed like the perfect piece for this little corner of our home.  Better than anything that I could have imagined.

I love the character of it--its gorgeous wood and wrought iron legs; the inkwell and pencil holder on the desk portion.  I love that it has a history (even though I don't know what that history actually is)!

There's still not a place to hang up our coats when we walk in the door, but I have a feeling that I can find a solution for that before winter comes.  Assuming something nice pops up somewhere.

And these little details, here.... my mom found the cat artwork somewhere online and printed it out for us (this is just a tiny zoomed-in portion of a much larger piece of art) and then she found a used frame and personalized it with paint!  Don't you just love the little paws?!  HEHE

And the little metal cat (it's a tea light holder) was a gift from our friend Melissa for looking in on her cat Orpheus (above) while she was on vacation a few weeks ago.  Actually, the succulent and the flowers on the other side of the desk were from Melissa too!  She spoiled us with gifts for watching her baby.  Meanwhile we were just so happy to spend a little time with a kitty each day!  It did our hearts a lot of good.

a fall afternoon with some of my favorite girls.

Kelly and I were talking yesterday at brunch and realized that we've been friends for nearly 3 decades already.  And little Lydia is already 2 1/2 years old... and about to be a big sister.  Crazy.

And beyond that, my honey Christopher is turning 30 on Tuesday!  It's a big one!  Looking forward to celebrating over a delicious meal with some family & friends this week.

This afternoon I'm driving down to Baltimore to hear Cuddle Magic.  It's been a while since I've heard them live! Should be nice!

curiosity.

our little family.

I'm so thankful for our little family.  We're not perfect and we're not always sure of ourselves, but we love each other the best we can.

And, Sneak.... well.... she's the princess of our little house.

life with kitty.

Since bringing Sneaker back home (the other two kitties are still in Pittsburgh), she's been like a little shadow--always following one of us around.  Now that Christopher's on tour with the band, I'm never alone....

...on the couch.

...on the floor.

...on the chair.

on the settee.

...in the bathroom.

She's even in the art.

I'm not complaining though.  I'd never complain about this!

where oh where.....

...have the kitties gone?

You know how I said that this summer hasn't been easy?  Last weekend, we drove to Pittsburgh with all 3 kitties in tow.  The kits are taking a holiday with their "grandparents" for a little while until my skin condition clears up.

The house feels so empty without them!  We miss our little family!

morning snooze.

What is it about home?  

You just always want to be there.

bye bye bundt cake.

a 

BIG

"Thank You" 

goes out

to my

mom-in-law,

who recently made

the best bundt cake in the entire world 

for us.  

I'm not even the sweets type, but this..... 

this cake was out of this world.

(blueberries were substituted for raspberries, for those curious)

summer LOVE.

A few weeks ago, Christopher & I marked our third wedding anniversary.  In celebration, we took our first vacation together since our honeymoon and, I must say, the timing of this little "holiday" was a Godsend.

It was much-needed.

This summer has been a time of growth for Christopher & I, both individually and together.  After three years, we've become all-too-aware of our own shortcomings and downfalls, and we've been seeing it within each other as well (marriage's "mirror effect", shall we say).  Instead of running from difficulties, we've been facing them and working through the discomforts.  Individually, together, with family, friends and the church.

We've been learning that marriage isn't easy and it isn't always fun, but it's rewards can be great.  (Though you hear it all the time and--by intuition--you know it's true, it takes a while for it's truth to settle in and become real).

Instead of focusing on and allowing ourselves to become bewildered by the most recent failed marriages that we've witnessed, we're looking towards those strong and God-centered examples of marriage that have surrounded us for our entire lives--our parents, grandparents, aunts & uncles, the Chappell's, the Figleys....

We're banishing our pride (which was telling us "we can figure this marriage thing out all by ourselves") and instead we're reading books and renewing our faith.

I am so thankful to have Christopher by my side as my husband and my closest friend.   Neither of us are perfect--far from it, in fact--but together, we can learn.  Together, we can help each other become the people that we should be.  The people that God wants us to be.

Love (III) - a poem

Love (III)

Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-ey'd Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lack'd anything.
"A guest," I answer'd, "worthy to be here";
Love said, "You shall be he."
"I, the unkind, the ungrateful? ah my dear,
I cannot look on thee."
Love took my hand and smiling did reply,
"Who made the eyes but I?"
"Truth, Lord, but I have marr'd them; let my shame
Go where it doth deserve."
"And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?"
"My dear, then I will serve."
"You must sit down," says Love, "and taste my meat."
So I did sit and eat.


written by George Herbert 

(The above photograph was taken by Christopher.)

small, simple.

Being alone causes you to think more.  To ponder life more voraciously.  To talk out loud to God. 

My grandfather's passing has effected me in such a deep and penetrating way--realizing the frailties of life, appreciating family more than ever, earnestly trying to be less self-centered.  None of this 'stuff' that we crave is lasting.  How apparent it seems right now.  How much more fulfilling to concentrate on--and live, and live again--the things that truly matter.

As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives. 

-Henry David Thoreau

Solitude is perhaps the best teacher.  Solitude, and the death of a loved one.   

the difficulties with beautiful gifts.

Maybe it's just me, but sometimes it's difficult to bring oneself to the point of actually opening and using a gift for the first time.

Upon receiving a gift with such beautiful packaging as this, a common series of events often occurs: it starts with a gasp of excitement, proceeded by a moment or two spent marveling at it's artful packaging, followed by a warm exchanging of hugs with the gift giver.  After all this, you very intentionally place the gift on the dining room table or somewhere centrally located--a place you can pass by and admire it multiple times per day--a place which appropriately reflects and enhances it's visual beauty.

It's so beautifully packaged, in fact, that you forget that it's tea and that it actually has other uses besides looking pretty.

After weeks of looking at it, I've finally enjoyed my first cup this morning.

Thanks to my wonderful Mom-in-law!

fleurs.

Last weekend, my folks came out for a short two-day visit.  It had been almost a year since their last visit out this way and, quite honestly, I think the main reason for their visit was to meet these adorable kittens we have hanging around the house.  :)  

We did manage to take a few breaks from staring at the little darlings to do some sight-seeing around Philadelphia. These pictures are testament to the fact.

However it was only 20 minutes into our visit to Chanticleer Gardens that my camera battery died.  But I managed to get these few.

Thankfully, I think that Mom was able to get some pictures too, but I'm pretty certain her battery died not long after mine.  The women in our family really know how to plan ahead...