Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Settling into new space...

This time 2 years ago, I had just finished up hanging words on my walls and feeling like I was settled in after 18 months of living on the road, with family and friends and the majority of my life packed away in storage. Routine quickly followed and when I changed jobs, I was back and forth every day for 6 months thinking "move" "don't move" multiple times a day with good argument to both cases....I honestly loved where I lived, but the commute was taking a lot of my time and I knew I would be able to do other things with 1.5 hours every day (and often times more than that) not spent on the busiest freeway in the US!
So, I decided to move, and now I'm just about settled in to my new place and routine is finding it's way...

My Aunt gave me these two dishtowels for Christmas, both perfect for my new place in the City and yes, I was raised on sweet tea, pretty sure it was in my bottle because I didn't drink milk, and Jesus.
I love the new place, and one of my favorite things is the natural light streaming in...my least favorite, is my little side kick missing on that couch, but like I said routine is coming, though it's a new routine and an adjustment. Here's a view showing the light, and real life...tv tray, blanket on the couch and life happening...
And, here's the "fluffed" view and yes, I have a partridge in a pear tree pillow out year round. The sign above "Friends and Family Gather Here" is one of  my favorites and shows off well in this space, as opposed to previously in my dining room. I've already had my family here a few times and several friends too. Sharing my home with friends and family gathered is one of my favorite things!
As seen in previous post, I love words and walls full of words. This space has a different configuration, so I have gallery wall of words, pictures and books and I love every bit of it. One of my besties was over the other day and we were laughing, our homes will never be modern/minimalist/utility/gray...we love color and memories and cozy and stories to be told from our homes. If these walls and bookshelves could talk...
Most importantly it's my space, or your own space, so decorate and live in it the way that makes you happy! There is another built in bookshelf, filled with books which makes me very happy!
The same bedding made the move from my summer bedroom update project, but I did add the new "A" pillow, a recent Nordstrom find, but I bought it on sale and I'm sure it will be marked down again, so hold out.
This print now hangs above my dining display, which is also one of the first lettered art pieces I did. It is another piece that shows off really well in the new space vs where it was in my old place. Also a reminder of a hard season and the constant love of Jesus which knows no end. Of all the fleeting things in life, the highs, the lows and all the in betweens, I'm thankful I was raised on Jesus and know His love to be constant. Of course my dining table also doubles as the "lettering studio" and I've already been back to painting. 

My old place had a built in desk that I really loved and knew I wanted a desk in the new space as well. I searched around online and found an idea of a console table I liked, then adapted a bit, drew my Dad a simple sketch and he built it for me. We put it together in my garage and he left it to me to finish with stain and paint, while he "got out of the way"...aka napped. However, in the temporary the saw horses definitely came in handy again!  Also, those aren't my new puppies, they are my parents but they have come to visit and also stayed with Gigi while Meme was away. 
And, here's the finished product, so if you're wondering where I'm sitting and blogging...it's right here. Most everything on this desk and is from Marshall's and the chair is from TJ Maxx. I still have a shelf to stain and hang, plus a few other things, so this little corner is still a work in progress...
Of course with new space comes all kinds of  other adjustments, like the dishwasher arrangement and how to load it...yes, I'm that person who organizes the dishwasher. After many hilarious conversations on this topic, I know it to be true...you either are or you aren't a dishwasher organizer. :)
On the other side of those light filled windows is a great patio and I picked up a couple of hibiscus plants since the patio will get direct sun and they are low maintenance, need lots of sun plants. One of them has been showing off this week... 
Of course there's still a bit of work to do, but it will come together and despite going back and forth so much, I'm loving and settling in right where I am and know I'm right where I need to be...this space felt like home immediately. 

Blessings, 

Thursday, February 18, 2016

10 Years...and a lifetime of memories

...today my little Barney would have been 10.  Hard to believe just 2 weeks have gone by, when it seems like a lifetime and a blink of an eye at the same time.  Tears still sting most every day, and today seems especially sad thinking back on nearly 10 great years for him!

From just a puppy he was such a personality...getting on the coffee table, playing with his sister, showing off his smile, getting dirty at the 4G and acting just like a little person looking in the door...
 
He had lots of puppy friends, Kirby was one of his first friends, lots of Bachelor nights with Cooper who wasn't sure why B was allowed on the couch, Bentley was another favorite and lots of dogs we babysat for Mama's who were away for a weekend.  
The Littles loved him, and he loved the Littles, always so patient and tolerating. He kept a close watch for anything to be dropped from a plate, shared morning cheerios, supervised outside play and played a lot of chase. All 3 would say when they were first learning to talk "Gigi Bar-ey likes me" when he would run and play with them! The recliner was a favorite at the 4G and he would always squeeze in, no matter how many of us were already in it! One thing is for certain, he didn't want to be left out. 
 
 
 
The 4G was always a favorite, aside from the first time I dropped him off with my parents and Mom calling me to let me hear him crying on the way home, he was always happy there.  Most days outside were a flash of streaking in the yard, running back from the pasture, streaking around the house, sitting on the porch swing, soaking up the sunshine on the driveway, hanging out with the big dogs. If he wasn't outside with us, he was keeping a close eye at the door for the next chance to head out to play. He was a helper and got into the middle of things when Mom was working around the house. When he was tired, he always got up from the recliner, rolled around on the rug, stretched, got a drink and often put himself to bed in his crate, or stood in the doorway waiting for someone to come put him to bed. But, I think he would have slept in the bed, if Meme and Papa had let him, though he did get some early morning "naps" after waking Mom up to go out at 5am and getting back into the bed with her...he was smart if he was anything!
 
Mom and Dad loved him so much, and he was definitely one of the family. My Mom told me losing him was doubly hard, watching me grieve and also because he had spent so much time with them and they loved their granddog!
2012 was a hard year for me, but he was along side every step. He knew when I was sad, or when I didn't feel good, we conquered the road together in 2012-2013, and he was the best road warrior. Making friends with every hotel we stayed in, but never far from being ready to pack up and go, making sure he didn't get left behind. He rode shotgun from Huntsville to Fort Worth countless times, across the country to Ohio and Oklahoma and of course too many trips to ever count with me and so many times with the littles in tow.  He always propped his head up on the console or arm rest, and never gave up his shotgun seat, even when Cole was big enough to ride in the front. I would tell him to load up and get in his seat, then get down to get out, it was such a routine. He always perked up when we turned off the highway to the 4G, he knew we were close.
 
Birthdays and Christmas were always a highlight, he dug right into presents and knew what was his. I always gave him a new bed for his crate, but had to keep it put away until time to open presents. His toy box is still full, he never tore up a toy, and often went to dig one out, usually something specific he was looking for. His toys would "get him down" and he always turned on his back to play with them. Anytime I came in with bags, he sniffed them out in case something was for him. He loved a new collar and would stand and jump until I could get the tags switched and put the new collar on.
We rode out a hurricane together, he kept a close watch after I had surgery. But, the everyday and ordinary is what I miss the most. Almost every day I would ask him "do you love your Mama?" and he would always lick my nose, every morning and evening going for walks, pawing his bowl for treats after finishing his supper, coming back for cheerios when I was making my lunch, a spot on my bed he would pull my pj's to and lay on during the day while I was gone, rearranging all the pillows on the bed to get it just right, getting excited when I packed his bag, waiting by the door when I came home, glowing reports always from the groomer and vet, little whine from his crate to wake me up and being my backup alarm clock, his love for his house and going to lay down when he needed his space, a persistent bark when he needed me, his pose for photos and expressions that were almost as if he was talking. 
 
 
He added so much color to my life, and filled it to the brim...a million little things, make up one giant piece of my heart for all of these years... 
 I hope there were lots of treats and squeaky toys today in heaven, Happy Birthday little B!