seeking good stories...

so, hello...  many sticky floor mornings have passed since we last visited...and starry sky mornings too : )  i must say, the moon was exceptionally lovely this morning - the thinnest little sliver floating in the starry sky.  i love that my mornings begin like that.  that is truly something to be thankful for.  

this time of year is always filled to the brim with various activities and i'm getting that tight feeling in my neck.  i am deeply craving some calm...a little break from it all.  i stopped this morning to take a few pictures.  even though the morning started off with clear skies, a bit of a fog has rolled in, making the lighting kind of dim.  but i got a few for you.  

i've really been making an effort this year to lessen my holiday stress.  i like to decorate, but i really pared down this year and it turned out to be a good decision.  to me, our tree is lovelier than it's ever been.  it is simply strung with lots and lots of little white lights and draped with paper chains, made from the pages of an old dictionary.  my kids and i made the paper chains together on the day after thanksgiving.  it was a nice little time of conversation and laughter...a warm memory to carry with me in this upcoming year of changes.   

on my mantel i placed a few tiny green christmas trees with no adornment at all and this little nativity scene that my mother-in-law gifted me with while she was here for thanksgiving.  i love the simplicity of it.  it is made from twisted wire and has a few little glass beads and a little mother of pearl dove.  it's so pretty and rustic.  and to me it captures the true meaning of the season.

the world seems a scary place right now or perhaps i have just been watching too much news, but it makes me feel a bit blue.  i'm sure some of you feel the same way.  when it all becomes too much, i try to stop and take a few breaths and remember how very blessed i am and that i am surrounded by people who love me.

  i have learned that if you look past all of the bad news and really search, there are some wonderful stories out there.  stories of joy and love and hope.  my favorite thing is this...  every night before we go to sleep, my husband reads the news on his kindle.  but the first thing he does is search for a good story.  something he can read to me before i doze off, so that maybe i can have sweet dreams.  he doesn't find one every night, but many nights he does.  and that really does help.  i really love that guy...

i hope your holidays are filling up with peace and love and hope.  and good stories.  don't forget to search for the good stories...