Simple Woman's Daybook

For today...
Outside my Window... the view hasn't changed much since last week. I'm still seeing Morning Glories, though the blooms are looking a little smaller. The vines are still quite green. I'm enjoying the color while it lasts.
I am thinking... about what I'd like to share at our ladies group at church tonight. We're going to discuss the movie we saw, and talk about ways we can implement what we learned from it in our own marriages.
From the learning rooms... I was tempted to simple delete this line of my Daybook, as I don't seem to be learning much these days. I'm doing good to keep doing the things I already know these days. I should be challenging myself more.
I am thankful for.... my husband. I'm sure I've said it before, and will likely say it again, but I'm saying it today. I saw the movie Fireproof this afternoon. I went with the ladies group from our church. I don't believe there was a dry eye in the theater. It was such a good movie, such a good story. It had gripping drama, burst-out-laughing humor, heart break, and victory. It was an awesome story of love, both the love shared between a man and a woman and the love of God for all men and women. It's the kind of movie that you take something with you when you leave the theater. It made me want to be a better wife to my husband, to make more of an effort to show him how much I appreciate him. I can't say that about too many movies I've seen.
From the kitchen... is the aroma of freshly brewed, freshly ground coffee. Ahhh. Did you know a recent study found evidence to believe the mere aroma of coffee helps wake you up? It seems they found found that the aroma of coffee helped restore brain activity in sleep-deprived rats to normal or near-normal levels. That's all nice and dandy, and no one loves whiffing the coffee beans in the grinder more than me, but it's that first actual sip of a brewed cup of joe which gets my motor running in the mornings.

I am wearing... capris, a t-shirt, and my Obakashi's. Our highs this week will be in the upper 70's, so it's not time to pack away my capris yet!

I am reading... only blogs these days, I fear. I am subscribed to too many blogs! Who do I let go, though, not you, for sure! ;-)\

I am hoping... Mr.Studley's bloodwork comes back good today. He's at the VA getting labwork done. Due to a condition he recently developed called Polymyalgia Rheumatica, he's being treated with prednisone. For those unfamiliar with prednisone, it's a steroid, which preferrably is not taken long term, though with some people that's unavoidable. It causes an increase in appetite, and can lead to diabetes. My sweet hubby, who's never had a weight problem in his life, and never had a sweet tooth, has now gained five pounds, and can't stay away from the sweets. Welcome to my world, honey.

I am creating... a list of camping supplies. Mr.Studley and I will be pulling our 5th wheel travel trailer up to Arkansas in a couple of weeks. We're hoping to time it with the peak fall foliage there. I need to decide what all to take from the pantry, as well as what pots and pans I'll need. We keep dishes and various sundries stocked out there, but some things from the kitchen will need to be packed.

I know I'll love it once we get there, but I always get overly anxious before we take out-of-town trips. I mean, I really dread them. I always end up having a good time once we get there, but it's the leaving part that bothers me. Plus, I know we're going to be pulling the trailer up (and back down again) some very steep grades. I am the world's worst chicken when it comes to traveling on mountain roads. I've cried all over Colorado. I try and pray, but I suffer the worst anxiety attacks when we're traveling. I know I'm a nuisance to those traveling with me (which in this case will just be Mr.Studley) , but I simply can't help myself.

I am hearing...birds, delightful singing birds.

Around the house... is scattered evidence of Leyna. Chew toys, half-chewed rawhides, stuffed animals, and pull toys are lying about in every direction. The other day while she was napping, I walked around picking up all her toys and placed them in a basket in the living room. She woke up and spotted me doing it. Immediately she ran over and started pulling each one out again. She's a mess, I tell you, a MESS! And I love every minute of it. ;-)

One of my favorite things... is sitting at my computer each morning and reading my e-mails and comments left on my blog. Seriously, it's one of the highlights of my day.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week... is to start packing the travel trailer, take Leyna to the vet and get her toenails trimmed, hunt for the plastic tote bucket which has our sweaters and jackets stored in it (am hoping it's not in the attic-such a pain), gather up more things to take to the thrift store donation box. There's more to be done, but truthfully, I haven't planned too much out yet.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Pagosa Springs, Colorado, as we watched the geese flying over the river at our campsite

Hearing and seeing a flock of geese flying overhead always thrills me. I usually hear them before I see them. The faraway sound of their honking, which I sometimes mistake for dogs yapping in the distance until they get closer, alerts me to look toward the heavens. I frantically bob my head around, so fearful I'll miss my opportunity to see them before they've flown out of eyesight. Their appearance in the spring marks the arrival of our coming summer, and this time of year, in the fall, it lets us know winter will be here soon. I've seen two flocks in the past couple of weeks, both flying south, of course.

I'm thankful that Mr.Studley gets as excited about seeing the geese as me. He'll come running in the house, shouting "get outside quick or you'll miss the geese!", and we'll race each other out to the street where the trees in our yard don't impede our vision. I imagine some would find us 'simple' getting so excited over a flock of geese, but there's something so majestic about them soaring across the sky in formation, wings flapping untiringly, driven by instinct to push onward to their destination. As I'm forced to look upward to see them in all their glory, I am always reminded of God's glory, and I never fail to thank Him for letting me witness it.

~Visit The Simple Woman's blog to see how you can participate in the weekly Daybook on your own blog. Click on The Simple Woman's Daybook icon in her sidebar for instructions.


And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly and swarm with living creatures, and let birds fly over the earth in the open expanse of the heavens.
~Genesis 1:20