Things I've Felt This Week:

1. Extremely sentimental. I swear to you, I have gotten teary-eyed over everything. A sitcom wedding episode. A post about my Gram. A random news story. This soft-hearted-ness of mine is just running rampant.

2. Sorry for people who never have anything positive to add to the conversation. Either they are complaining on Twitter or composing whiny status updates on Facebook or they leave their little unhappy remarks on the commentary of others. I do my fair share of ranting, but I attempt to keep it light and silly. I also think my scales tip decidedly more in the direction of uplifting or funny. I would hate to live my life so miserable.

3. Weary with summer. 'Nuff said. I'm going to find a silver lining to this season and I won't stop looking until I do.

4. Challenged. My photo-a-day challenge has been making me think extra hard. That makes me feel less creative.

5. A wee bit cranky with people who don't get the message when I'm being polite, leaving me no choice but to get forceful. And then I feel mean.

6. Day-dreamy. About places I've been and miss. About places I'd like to go. About Florida winters and long holiday weekends. I am long overdue for a vacation and I'm feeling it.

7. Grateful, grateful, grateful. I have memories and people and a story that raises up emotion in me to the point that my eyes overflow. I have more people in my life who bring light and laughter than not, and if I allow it, they drown out the others. I thrive on balance and when the summer ends, I will get six months that restore and refresh me. When I feel overwhelmed with challenges and frustrated with mediocrity...and then I get a photo that comes out better than I expected, I'm glad for the challenge that pushed me in a direction I wouldn't have otherwise gone. I have a home that is a sanctuary and when the world makes me cranky, I find peace there, *always*. Daydreams are heaped full of possibility and inspiration. There are a thousand things that inspire gratitude, even when I need to dig a little deeper to expose them, but they're always there. waiting to be discovered-- something else for which I remain eternally grateful.