What a Gift, Your Friendship & Bread

So much sweetness in this life...

 

Family.

Friends.

Faith.

Food.

Yep, I am a foodie.

I love it.

My hubby and I love trying new recipes,

and 10 days ago

we received a new one,

Amish Friendship Bread.

I had never heard of this bread before,

 so I was pretty excited to receive it,

but also a little nervous to try it.

Ooh, the pressure...

My friend gave me a bag of dough,

that came with 10 days of instructions.

What if I mess up the recipe and my friend asks me how it turns out?!

What if I tell people about the bread, then ruin it and

I don't get to give any out?

Can you believe I was nervous about bread?

Well, I was!

I'm a “what if” girl.

I have a tendency to let fears get to me.

I'm an often quiet, shy girl,

who sometimes worries about mistakes

before

I even make them!

I'm a lot of other things too.

I just have to

to remind

myself sometimes.

I'm a creative type.

I'm a wife, mother, step-mother, and friend.

 I’m a personal chef, chauffeur and a baker.

I’m a college grad and homemaker.

A former school teacher, a scrapbooker and a maid.

I’m a freelance/blog writer and avid reader.

I’m a child care coordinator, and personal events planner.

I’m responsible, compassionate,

careful, and loyal.

I’m a nifty, thrifty, crafty girl,

And a savvy problem solver might I add.

I wear many hats.

I try lots of things.

I have experience.

Yet, even after

knowing

all of the things that

I know,

I still

at times

spend time

worrying

About the things

that  

I don’t.

I am smart

enough to know,

some things just don’t matter.

Who cares if I make a mistake,

life will go on.

And as I have gotten older,

 I have learned to worry

(a little) less

and to say

who cares

(a little) more.

The days goes by so fast,

 and

I shouldn't stress about silly things.

Sometimes I get it right.

Sometimes I don’t.  

I don’t have to

worry about everything

and care so much

because I know that

God

cares enough for the both of us.

Yet, still,

I have my moments

and on occasion

I'll find myself nervous,

only to discover

that I worried for no reason at all.

Everything turned out better than expected.

Just like ~ this bread ~ last night.

And

even if it wouldn't have turned out perfectly,

I would have been just fine,

after all...

making mistakes is part of the growing process…

in the kitchen,

and

in life.

And I do realize that the best part of this bread,

Wasn't the  bread itself,

but the

friendship

that came with it!

30 – 3 things old seen new…dinner trays repainted, journals retyped, new blossoms on our old bush   

31 – a gift on a paper, in a person, in a picture…a card I found while cleaning that was given to my hubby a few years ago, my mother-in-law’s call (who’s bday was today), a drawing along with a hole in the wall, because my niece unexpectedly tacked a picture up for me in my office

1 – a visit from a friend, his time and love, putting together a puzzle with the kids

2 - hubby won a trip, she’s happy to go because she loves him, the power is in believing

3 – clarity, expression, revelation

4 - invitations made with my little one, a newly hatched bird in her cage, crumbs she left… because she was home

5 – a blouse from my friend, the bench that my hubby made with me, her red heart blanket

The Best Relationships

The best relationships aren't perfect.
They are messy.
They aren't conservative.
They are vulnerable.
They aren't judgemental.
They are compassionate.

The best relationship aren't hesistant to speak the truth.
They are honest, because they love you.

They are freeing, because they allow you 

to be you.

The best relationships are when you can share
the good, the bad, and the ugly
and know that
even when you know you are at your worst,
your friend still loves you

and thinks of you

as 

the best.

Your Presence is Invaluable

Today was beautiful.

We found an opportunity to sit,

To visit,

To catch up.

We don’t do it often,

And that’s okay.

Life happens.

We are busy.

We have families.

Daily chores.

Things to do.

And so many other people in our lives to make the time for.

But,

Today,

We found the time for each other.

It was wonderful.

I walked away feeling happy.

That’s how ((you)) make me feel.

Happy.

In case you didn’t know, that is how you make everyone feel.

Your personality shines.

It always has.

When we were kids, I looked up to you.

Now, as an adult, nothing has changed.

I look up to you.

Life is not perfect,

But oh, how I enjoy sharing our imperfections with each other.

I have a secret,

In my eyes,

You ARE magnificent.

Your imperfections make you unique.

Your struggles make you human.

Your ability to persevere,

To take each day as it comes,

Makes you admirable.

Your successes,

(& you have many) 

They make you irreplaceable!

But, the best part,

Has always been,

Your presence.

Your presence is invaluable.

Perhaps our time together happens only a few times out of each year,

But that’s okay.

A few times is all it takes

To remind me

Just how special you are.

A few times is all it takes

To fill my heart up with enough love to last

Until we meet again!

<3

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