2011 Favorite Gifts

When I think of challenging years, 2011 has to take the cake! Our family faced what seemed like impossible trials... yet when I look back through the lens of my camera, I realize the blessings far outweighed the darkness. I think that's true for all of us. Life is hard, but God is good.... always.
One of the most inspiring books that I've read recently is One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voscamp. It's as though she'd been in my shoes traveling along side me. Her trials were not mine, as mine are not yours... but pride, fear, and feelings of a fist clenching effort to control what can't be controled are not that uncommon. What began as a dare for her, proved to be lifechanging ... a dare to simply list 1,000 gifts...to list 1,000 moments that affirmed God's love for her and to give thanks.
I'm excited to have begun my own list for 2012 and will share moments as I can...
1. Morning coffee with Sam
2. The blessing of having someone to miss
3. Helpful neighbors... locked myself out of the house while wearing my Cookie Monster jammies :)......
8. Fall kissed leaves dancing in a sea of blue
9. Grandma's carved wood headboard

.....but before moving on, I wanted to share just a handful of the gifts God blessed me with this past year.

Personalize a picture slideshow And to think 2011 was a crazy hard year.... so very thankful for the blessings