Friday Favorites (and a YHL comment)

This week was a bit frustrating. We met with another real estate agent, and his outlook on selling our house was - to be expected - just as bleak as every else's. Now, we're considering renting instead of selling. This is relieving in some ways, since selling was going to cost us money, but renting brings with it its own set of challenges.

However, my feelings of frustration - they are relative. I have so much to be thankful for.

My sweet husband -
who let me order the new bedding I was drooling over in this post.
who helping me completely rearrange our bedroom furniture on a my whim on Wednesday night.
who cleaned the floors for me while I went to Target on Thursday night, referring to himself as my "house husband."
who picked up dinner for us when I didn't feel like cooking.

My sister -
who dropped some skinny jeans in the mail for me to try on because they were too small for my nephew - just for fun. (Sidenote: I so wanted these jeans to fit because I thought it would be fun to say, "Oh these old new things? My sister picked them up in the men's department at TJMaxx for $7." Sadly, when I put them on and couldn't get them anywhere close to buttoned (despite the waist size being 3 inches larger than the jeans I own), I realized there was probably a good reason they were marked as irregular and still on the clearance rack.)

My house -
which regardless of whether we sell or rent is cool inside despite 100 degree days.
has a pantry and refrigerator with plenty inside.
is wireless, DVRed and all those other technological wonders I take for granted.

My dog -
who we've decided is the living epitome of Dug, from the movie Up (The Hubs cries when he watches Up.)



who is willing to go for a walk(!) or a car ride(!) or pay outside(!) or do tricks(!) anytime.

My health (I'll admit that the stress I'm self-imposing is doing a number on my scalp and skin (something I'm used to, it's been the case for many years) but -
it's good. And my husband's is good. And my parents'.
(Although, I would definitely appreciate any natural tips for combatting dry scalp, and MILD ezcema/psorasis.)

And I could go on, but I won't (and can't, because I'm technically working right now!).

I'm thankful for all these favorites today. (And linking up with Rachel at Finding Joy.)

Also, on a super "blog geek" sidenote: I definitely got my first "comment response" from Sherry at Younghouselove.com this week. Umm - I freaked out, and I also did a screen grab for posterity.

A bear of a week needs a good song.

This week has been a bear. Work has be rough. And yesterday, we met with a realtor about the possibility of putting our house on the market (in anticipation of a likely move - more to come), and the numbers are disheartening.

This morning, as I was running through scenarios in my mind on the way to drop one of our cars off at the shop, these lyrics came to mind. This song is both challenging and encouraging possibly my all-time favorite. (If I had to take one CD with me to a desert island, Caedmon's Call's "40 Acres", where this song is from, would be high in the running.)

Happy Friday!

As I survey the ground for ants
Looking for a place to sit and read
I'm reminded of the streets of my hometown
How they're much like this concrete that's warm beneath my feet

And how I'm all wrapped up in my mother's face
With a touch of my father just up around the eyes
And the sound of my brother's laugh
But more wrapped up in what binds our ever distant lives

But if I must go
Things I trust will be better off without me
But I don't want to know
Life is better off a mystery

So keep'em coming these lines on the road
And keep me responsible be it a light or heavy load
And keep me guessing with these blessings in disguise
And I'll walk with grace my feet and faith my eyes

Hometown weather is on TV
I imagine the lives of the people living there
And I'm curious if they imagine me
Cause they just wanna leave; I wish that I could stay

And to visit places from my past
But only for an hour or so
Which is long enough to smell the air
To tell the tale and find the door

But I get turned around
I mistake some happiness for blessing
But I'm blessed as the poor
Still I judge success by how I'm dressing

So I'll sing a song of my hometown
I'll breathe the air and walk the streets
Maybe find a place to sit and read
And the ants are welcome company

And I'll walk with grace my feet and faith my eyes.
And I'll walk with grace my feet and faith my eyes.

Caedmon's Call, Faith My Eyes