October Days

Hey, person. It's so nice to see you here. I was thrilled at the response I received through comments about my homecoming to Blogger, you guys are wonderful.

 I'm happy to be back in the swing of blogging, I've always loved it. The trick is fitting it into everyday. But now, without much further ado, it's time to launch into a list of recent happenings and such things in my life. I think I'll include bits and pieces of news from September as well, since I disappeared after the last day of August.

I hope you enjoy what follows.

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lately...

+ marbling

+ taking pics with my little cutie, Reilly

+ getting an awesome macro lens that functions with phones

(Both taken with my iPhone 4S, using the macro lens. It clips onto almost any phone)

+ feeling overwhelmed by the blessings that surround me, by how much my God has given me
+ hiking the Helderberg, a local mountain, almost to the top

+ waking up at six am EVEN on the weekends when my alarm is switched off because my body doesn't get that I don't have to wake up at the same time the sun rises on a Saturday

+ baking gluten free bread that actually turned out okay

+ driving my siblings insane by calling them 'short stuff' (Hey. It's out of affection, alright. I don't get why they don't seem to think so...do you? Oh, and, number one response: I'm going to be taller than you! Well, I guess I am only something like five foot four myself)

+ falling asleep at 2:30 am after watching like five movies at a sleepover

+ deciding that I want to learn how to dance (I haven't started with that yet)

+ catching up with my french and math (Procrastination leads to no good)

+ looking forward to Christmas, a lot (CHRISTMAS.)

+ swimming, in the pool and at the beach (I am enjoying the warm weather)

+ loving the new addition to our family, a blonde, chocolate eyed lab puppy (I'd tell you more, but I think she deserves her very own post, so look forward to that)

+ drawing (As usual)

+ raiding gardens for photographs, because with flowers that pretty, I can't resist

Live Alive

Looking back now, I kind of wish I'd savored everything more than I did. Late nights playing cards, laughing our heads off, inside jokes that we killed by telling them over and over again, sticky hugs from little brothers, toothless smiles, I love you's, being tucked in, jumping in the pool on a hot summer's day, eating watermelon, sitting by the fire telling stories in the winter, roasting marshmallows, trips to the beach that resulted in a car filled with sand, long drives, picnics and visits to the zoo, playing hide and seek, playing dress up, messing paint all over ourselves when we decided to repaint the walls in our rooms, climbing trees outside, running wild and barefoot, watching sunsets and sunrises. Moments that turned into memories. They haunt me, and after I've thought it through I realize it's in only a good way, if you can believe that. Nostalgia whispers to my soul often, and sometimes it makes me want to go back in time, do it all again, and do some things differently too. I miss 'back then'. Every now and then. But I can't spend my life chasing the past when it's already behind me.

All in all, I am grateful. For what has been, for what is, and for what will be. I've been through sadness and depression, through trials, through golden days that made my heart burst with contentment, experienced amazing experiences and made it out of dark times I thought I'd never survive. I've got to where I am now, a bright future ahead of me no matter what happens as long as I've got Jesus by my side.

You have got to remember, just like I have got to remember, that right now will also be long ago soon. Live in the moment, and live fully. Stop running around trying to get everything right and just breathe. Focus on the one most important thing: God. Let Him be in control, let things happen, let life happen. Take it a step at a time, don't forget to enjoy the company of the people you love and don't forget to eat that slice of chocolate cake once in awhile.

You're alive. It's no small thing. If you're reading this, you are alive. So act like it. Live alive.

Postscript: I'm back, just in case you didn't notice. It feels good. But I know I sort of left you all wondering where I went, since I didn't warn anyone that this blog (Foot. Fifth out of Ten. Oh my word, I just realized that my blog's abbreviation is foot) would be vacant for awhile. I'm sorry about that. I'm praying that I will find time in my busy life to keep my blog alive as well.