One Foot Forward...

“Ugh Elyse…you’re so boring.”

This is the mental dialogue that bounces around in my head every time I sit down to write something new lately. When I don’t write it builds up and then I have too many thoughts and not enough words to express them. So I forced myself to sit still today…to just think…which led to looking around blankly…which eventually led me to my feet.

I know what you’re thinking (if you’re like me in regards to feet), “Eew”.

But before you start visualizing my not so lovely feet and why I would even imagine starting a blog with that mental image…bear with me…

Not long ago I wrote about Perspective and how God continues to help me find it when I seem to be losing sight of what’s important http://eb-allyouneedislove.blogspot.com/2011/08/perspective.html . There was a quote that He placed in front of me that day that spoke to me and has continued to ever since.

I’d like to say that the quote and His guidance that day set me straight, that I haven’t lost focus of the significant blessings in my life and that I’m nothing but smiles every day …but that would be a lie. I still have those random bad days of feeling lost, worried, angry and sometimes jealous…but that’s normal and God knows that I will never be anything close to perfect. I think that God acknowledges our tendency to lose focus and surrounds us with people, moments, words, songs and situations that are meant to guide us back.

So for Elyse Navidad this year, along with celebrating with family and friends, I decided to get a reminder of this life lesson…a new tattoo.

Now you must realize that the Husband is not particularly fond of tattoos…he never has been and likely never will be. However, he tolerates my adoration for them and supports me regardless…and I think it probably helped that I wasn’t going for anything higher than the foot.  

Sadly, one cannot fit a quote that large onto a foot my size (trust me…it was going to be a hot mess) so I had to get creative with what I wanted to include.

The final result:

I believe in love even when I don’t feel it.

I believe in God even when he is silent.

I am so happy with how it turned out and as silly as it may seem, I love that this tattoo is on my foot. Many of you know that I also have a tattoo on my other foot that I got with my sisters a few years back. It’s special to me because they are and now both of my tattoos continue to remind me to always keep life in perspective and that I am truly blessed.  

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105

P.S. – That’s leftover ink on my foot…not dirt…I did not Flinstone my way to the tattoo shop that day.

Love,

Elyse

Our Future...

This week I read the blogs of a husband and wife who decided to start writing letters to each other each Monday regarding a topic of their choosing to record how they felt, where they were in their lives etc.

I love that idea and while I would love to do the same, I know that my husband (a man who has no interest in social media or writing) would likely not go for it. Alas, I am inspired by their enthusiasm to create a time capsule of their lives from each perspective and I will give my blog the same subject matter today:

A Letter to My Husband –Dreams for our Future.

They chose to write their letters as if they were thirty-four years into the future…I think I’ll tweak it and I will write to my husband today about our future.

Dear Husband,

Everyone always says that their youth seems like it was just yesterday. I sit here wondering how 27 and all of the other twenties passed by so quickly. I imagine that even in the future I will continue to laugh at how we thought that approaching the age of 30 was the end of the world.

As I think back to who we were when we first met, I am astounded by how far we’ve both come and all of the growing up that we’ve done together. Sometimes I hassle you too much about your fear of change and your “decide tomorrow” attitude but quite honestly it’s what I fell in love with. You’ve got a quiet confidence that I’ve always seen but I know it may take awhile for you to recognize it in yourself.

This letter is supposed to tell you about my secret dreams for our future…the trouble is that I have not really kept my dreams a secret from you.

Regardless… here it is…

Someday…

You will work at a job that doesn’t feel like work. The saying, “Find a job that you love and you’ll never work another day in your life” will apply to you and you’ll dread retirement more than getting up for work.

We will have children who fill our home with laughter and chaos. Your fear of holding babies will seem hilarious because you will be an amazing father and holding babies will just become second nature.

I will write a book. It won’t be a best seller and it won’t be published but I will have written it and it will mean something to everyone who loves me because I will have left a bit of myself behind.

You will golf every weekend. You may think that this one is silly but I see the joy that it brings you and I know that you need it…you always will.

We will find a home that feels like a home. A place that we feel safe in, that we enjoy changing and that we look forward to coming home to each day. I can’t tell you where it is or what it will look like but I know that we’ll know when we’ve gotten there.

You will stress less and relax more. You will find that worrying actually changes nothing and that you should just recognize your blessings and enjoy them instead.

We will still be in love. We will always give each other a hard time but we won’t lose the love. Some people lose it, forget it, neglect it or abuse it…but we won’t.

I suppose this may seem like a short list but it’s not. The details that make up these dreams are intricate and I have no doubt that getting to them will be an often difficult journey. But I have no fear in this revelation because God blessed me with you. You are wonderful and you get better every day.

Love,

Elyse

Life Lesson #679…

They don’t have “Fast Passes” to avoid people and long waits anywhere but Disney Parks.

The Dolin/Bullock/Baker clan tried out a new holiday tradition this year…skipping presents and taking a trip as a family instead.

For those who know all of us fairly well you know the following:

-          Shopping will happen (more than once) and various snack carts will be ravaged.

-          One or more of us will be in a foul mood at some point (often simultaneously).

-          There will be no shortage of laughing or sarcasm.

So we headed to California and spent a few days bouncing between Disneyland and California Adventure. It was a fun trip full of good food, fun rides, interesting people watching opportunities and lots of family time.

I am a big fan of the new Christmas tradition…but next year I’m voting that we steer clear of theme parks!

See just a few photos of our family shenanigans below...

Love,

Elyse