1000 gifts

raleigh, wilmington and virginia beach

my family - Matthew and Sevilla

best friends

For today’s post and for a little challenge for the rest of 2012, I am teaming up with Sarah from Fairy Tales Are True to try and list 1,000 gifts in my life by the end of the year.  Her post was inspired by the book, One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are by Ann Voskamp.  The title itself says it all.  It is a challenge, a call to action – to not just live right where you are but to live fully where you are – be present.  When I started this blog I hoped to document and journal the things of which I am grateful for and the 1000 gift challenge seems to go alongside with that perfectly.  I think one of the most important things in life is to be aware of what you have and not of what you don’t have.  If you are always concentrating on what you want, you will miss the blessings and gifts in front of you now.

So without further ado, here is the beginning of my list.  Check the side button often because it will be continually growing….

1.    My husband’s smile

2.    My puppy’s sleepy eyes

3.    The fact that no matter how old Sevilla is she will always be a “puppy”

4.    Cooking dinner with Matt

5.    Daily chats with my mom

6.    My favorite nightgown

7.    Red Wine

8.    All Reese Witherspoon movies

9.    My oldest nephew, Chase’s phone calls

10. Dark chocolate popsicles with raspberry filling (I know right – Weight Watchers from Harris Teeter)

11. My blue heels

12. My blue tennis sweatpants from high school

13. My husband’s text message every morning when he gets to work

14. My husband’s persistence

15. My pink satin pillowcase

16. E News

17. Finishing our first study as a small group

18.  Walks with Sevilla

19. My new bike

20. Bike rides with Matt

21.  Daily emails with old friends

22. Support of my parents

23. Fantasy Football (yes babe, I said it.  It is a gift in my life too – because you love it)

24. College Football – Pack, Deacs and Hokies

25.  My first year of marriage in Winston-Salem