View From My Window

Barefoot. Blonde. Boy.

In celebration of this gorgeous weather we decided to clean! Windows, closets, bookshelf dust... the whole works. This little darling was standing under my window. Cuteness personified. But I'm biased. Judge for yourself!

Just breath, and look at pictures.

Sometimes right in the middle of life. Right when you think your mind is going to explode with everything that needs to be done. Right when you think that you've gotten yourself into a knot so tight... stop. Just breath. And look at pictures. And remember all the fabuous things that make you smile.

Be grateful. There is waaaayyyy more to be thankful about than you think. Try it.

When I do it, like I am right now...  I wind up pinching myself to make sure it's real. And it is.
It's not a dream. It's my life.

-Just few 'smilers'-

brothers chatting outside my window

yummy suppers cooked by sisters

rainy days that make the inside so cozy

red mango with the friend

those random happy texts from friends

curly hair that drives me crazy

little niece's giggles

green grass -- the result of the rain

I spent a whole weekend with these fabulous people. Yep. For reals.

We jam-packed so much into 72 hours, it's amazing any of us came out alive. Look at pictures. Cuz they're cool. and I like them. Check out our page on FaceBook too. 

I spent 10 days in Honduras. And I miss my "cooker ladies"! I would visit them. And they would make me snacks. and laugh at me. and love me.

These kids took a part of my heart and ripped right out of me. The way they smiled. The way they were enamored with blues eyes... they way they loved without reserve.

I miss them.

And I'm grateful to be sandwiched in the middle of a bunch of boys with this girl. Yes, it was karaoke at our house that night. Too much fun. Honest.

  

And every day after work I come home to this place. 

A wonderful house. 

But more than that... a wonderful family.

I love my life. And I love the ones in it. 

What random things are you grateful for this lovely rainy evening?

A Little Over a Year Ago...

...I was out of breath, my quads were on the brink of giving out, my lungs were exploding and I honestly felt like I was going to die.

I looked up at the rocky mountain I was climbing. I looked down at the snow and rocks, the narrow path that had just cost me everything I had. My brothers gave me some advice "It's optional going up, but going down is mandatory." Then I heard these words "Anna, you didn't come all this way to turn around without reaching the top..."

I gathered every ounce of strength I could muster, and shouted "I'm not giving up! Let's GO!"

Every.step.hurt. I felt like crawling into a crevasse and sleeping. forever. But no. My brothers were waiting, ready to press upward. I couldn't let them down. I didn't sit in a jam-packed car, drive all across the flat Nebraska to Colorado and spend countless dollars on gear and supplies to just turn around.

I willed my body forward.

Every thought concentrated on the next step.

And then it happened. I reached the top. of the WORLD. {or so it felt to me}

All my weariness fled. An unexpressable sense of joy welled within me and escaped my mouth in a shrill scream! And I wasn't the only one. My brother did his victory dance on the top of the mountain. The air resounded with shouts of triumph.

That moment on top of the mountain - it's a moment I will never forget.