Italy, Reality, Gratefulness

We are back from Italy! 

A memorable time in Florence. Right as our picture was being taken, Zuzu made a mad grab for the cup of hot (thankfully more like warm) chocolate! She doused her fingers and then tried to jam them in her mouth, but I caught her...all of this while the picture was being taken. Hilarious! 

Photo credit: Jen (as always)

But if you only know me from this blog, I barely even told you I was going.

Sorry 'bout that.

So I went to Italy for 10 days with my 3.5 month old and had a blast. (haha you didn't really think I was going to be THAT short-winded did you?) Soon I'll write all about it.

I'm back now and struggling to get back to reality after being gone. Our suitcases did their normal explosion all over the house, laundry is unbelievably overflowing, there was no food, there were some things we reeeeally should've cleaned before we left which led to some omg-what-is-that-smell conversations, and oh yeah, I have to go to work on Monday. (why did I think working was a good idea? I want to lay around the house with my baby again)

St. Peter's Basilica (Jen)

But I'm sitting on the couch and the breeze is blowing, my big lump of a dog at my feet, and I just wanted to send this out there: I'm so grateful.

I'm grateful that my family is healthy, that we can pay our bills, that we live in warm weather, that we got to go on vacation overseas, that our life is filled with friends and love and even pretty flowers in a vase on the table.

I don't think I always do the best job of putting it out there. I complain too much, maybe because I think it's cool or funny to be negative, to tear down, and although there's always a need for a pressure release valve, there's too much snark masquerading as 'venting' in my life.

And really that's so incredibly ungrateful. I have an overabundance of wonder in my life - what could I possibly begrudge another person, and what could I really have to complain about?

Nothing. Simply nothing.

I hope wherever you are, dear readers, you can enjoy what is in front of you. I hope your view is as wonderful as mine: a messy house, a drowsy redheaded husband, a snoring pup, a bowl of Hershey's kissses, a life overflowing with the goodness of God.