Hard Things

"We Do Hard Things"

I don't know where I heard it first, but it is my favorite quote of all time.

I want that to be our family motto this year because it applies to so many areas of our lives and helps us to keep a clear perspective.

There are hard things that just flat out need to be done. 

There are hard things that we are forced to do.

There are hard things we do just because they are right.

Some hard things are to be done because we will be better and stronger when we do them. 

It keeps us from feeling entitled to have it easy.

It reverberates in my head if it empties while I'm deep into a run and can't remember for the life of me why I'm so far from home.

No one is spared hard things in this life.  What we are spared is going it alone if we prefer to have company.  We spare the people near us if we approach things with a good spirit and gratitude. 

The New Joint

We got the house everyone was rooting for, still feels like a dream!

I love it more every day!  I haven't even had time to step out and enjoy a meal on the deck, but that time is 'a comin!

These are, of course, "before" pictures.  The wallpaper is already down, hooray!  Thanks mostly to Isaac, Liv, and Liv's buddies, Penina and Kallysta.

Liv said, "I do not like their fish," when we saw the house the first time.

3, yes 3 family rooms in this house. I guess if we get sick of our family we'll just choose a different "family" room to be in. 

Front room, 2 views

Got to keep telling myself that these fruit (pear, cherry, and apricot) trees are a blessing.  Just ask the troops!  Georgia kept trying to get out of the action.  It took more work to keep her going than it did to pick the 809,983,290,321 apricots.  And there are still more on the tree!

My kids look like hoodlems, and will continue to do so, I fear, until school begins.

P.S. That's my mil, Helen and beautiful Naloni, you all know them, and the big guy is Cousin Dakota.  He deserves his own post.

And getting me through it all, blessed nectar of the gods.