Note to Self: Look for GLIMMERS

In case you are struggling this holiday season, have you heard of GLIMMERS?

It seems that there is finally a word for what I do each day- looking for joyful things in everyday ordinary life. I know life can be hard and we all have those days where nothing goes right. If you try to look for one good thing, a small glimmer in your evey day life, maybe it can provide joy for a split second. 

Note to self: take time to find things that bring you joy- even the smallest things can make the biggest difference. 

My glimmers:

Christmas lights
Seeing someone be themselves when they think no one is looking 
Getting excited when you see your food coming
Dancing in your car
Hearing your favorite song on the radio
Genuinely enjoying time with a friend without distractions
An unexpected compliment
Finding a penny on the ground

BRB, going to go hunt for glimmers. I am positive life would become better incorporating this into my life even more. 

[[seek out joy]]

Midday thoughts- warm fuzzies

Warm Fuzzies. 

You know what I'm talking about- that feeling you get when you see your food come in a restaurant; the sweet note someone gives you and among other things,  the butterflies you get in your stomach when we see someone you love. (Okay that sometimes feels like a zoo, but you get the idea)

This weekend I decided to dive into my jar of warm fuzzies. Sweet notes I've collected over the years from different things I've been involved in. A love note from my first boyfriend; notes passed in class from best friends; backpats from marching band, RYLA, and various college weekend retreats and other random notes I've stuffed in this jar over the years. Reading them brought back so many good memories from over the years. 

It was funny to remember exactly who the warm fuzzy was from even with no name on it. It was a nice walk down memory lane and made me think about these nice things. 

Do you have a collection of sweet notes you have kept over the years?

More later!

-g

New Beginnings.

Happy September!

Today I felt something I have not felt in a long time- a renewed sense of joy. 
The last month has been a roller coaster of emotions. I have become stronger- mentally and physically, smarter and more in control of my life.

Today, I spent the afternoon in the sunshine, catching up on everything I missed out on this summer- Picnic, walk, ice cream, and mini golf. It was a perfect day. 

I am ready to face September head on. I have a lot on my plate and I cannot wait to see what's next for me.  I am going to focus on the JOY in my life this month and I cannot wait to see how JOY comes to me.

Today I found JOY: looking out into the deep blue sea, playing uno, long walks, tiny putt putt courses and in rainbow sprinkles.

Seek joy everywhere.

G

Saturday Night

Hello! Hi! Howdy!

Its Saturday night, Leo and I are home relaxing. I have been doing a few things around the house and even been painting in my garage studio. 

Painting brings me so much JOY! While I am no professional, I enjoy the act of picking out different colors and just letting the paint brush wander.

 I picked up some new canvas at Michaels this week. They were having a crazy sale- Buy 1 Get 2 free! TWO free!! Naturally I ordered 30 of them; ordered online and picked them up in store. The store associate asked me if taught one of those Paint and Sip classes. HA! I said I just like to paint. lol. 

Today was a good day- Blake and I did some errands this morning, we watched a few episodes of the office and then he went off to work and here we are. 

Its officially 90 days until Hawaii! I will share what I am packing and what I am most excited for about Hawaii in August. 

This season of my life, has been very interesting and I am grateful for this crazy adventure!

Laundry and my canvas are calling my name!

XO

"If you want to be successful, its just this simple, know what you are doing. Love what you are doing. And believe in what you are doing" WIll Rogers.

Recent Inspiration and a Revelation

Hi! Hello!  

Wonder Grace and Joy is born. Today it is born and I couldn't be happier. I have been around in the blogging world on and off for years and now I am back. Recently certain events have brought me to a period of reflection and renewal. I am trying to rediscover the girl I was years ago- happy, giddy about life and curious. There is a well know Kate Spade quote that seems to fit this old idea of me:

I feel like this described what I used to be and to tell you the truth, I miss her. Life is what you make it so I am making it the best I can.

SO TODAY....I decided to stop wishing I was her and lamenting over how she isn't here anymore. Actually I think she is here within me but she's afraid to come out and show her fun side. I am going to try my hardest to find this girl who i so wish would come out and play. I love my life right now and I am very content with who I have become but I think I can improve (can't everyone?!) and this is the perfect time to embark on this new adventure. 

I am recalling all the things I used to love- color, painting, creating really cute outfits, being playful and silly, observing life and just truly enjoying life to the fullest. I had fun with life and not took things so seriously. 

Wonder Grace and Joy is my journey and my scrapbook of living life to the fullest and rediscovering the old me. 

New Season.... New Start

Hello!

As you probably found this blog from my old blog, Everyday Jersey Girl, you saw I talked about being in a new season and outgrowing that blog. I will always be the Everyday Jersey Girl but right now it feels more appropriate to be writing about what is happening in my season of life and the two best words I could think of to describe this season are Wonder and Joy.

These two words I have been unintentionally thinking about for a while now; they both happen to be in a bible verse that has been resonating to me in so many way the last three (!!) years now.

credit

I found this verse when I was going through a rough time dealing with my Crohn's Disease. I have this exact photo set as my background on my phone, it is engraved on my iPad and I have it hanging in my office and in my bedroom. When you think about it....there IS wonderful joy ahead, you have to stay strong and be brave even in the most scary and unsettling situations. 

Wonder and Joy..... all of the wonder and joy I have come to after struggles and struggles , its a relief to find even the tiny piece of joy when you are in the midst of a really rough struggle.

I have had Crohn's Disease for five...that's right FIVE years now. I have no idea where the time has gone and I still cannot really believe I have been living gracefully (as my mom would put it) for FIVE years. I have seen some really high highs (getting medicine approved, finding no inflammation where there once was and finding medicine that works, even for a short time) and some really low lows (at least 4 overnight hospitalizations, finding inflammation and finding I've failed FIVE medications, the tears, frustrations and hopelessness) but through it all, this verse has always come back to me... ALWAYS. 

Living with a chronic illness is unforgiving and really really REALLY hard. Unless you, yourself, have a chronic illness, its terribly hard to explain and its even hard sometimes for people to understand what it actually is. I don't always look sick and some days I have a ton of energy and I get a lot done, and other days I can't get myself out of bed. These extremes frustrate me and make me angry that I can't be like everyone else.

My support system is pretty amazing and they are always right there next to me for each doctors appointment, hospital stay, trip to the infusion center and to help me navigate this scary and sometimes dark unknown of having a chronic illness.

I needed to find a hobby because I have been feeling less than stellar lately (and by lately I mean the last 9 months) and blogging has always been on the backburner for me. I had a Xanga (remember that one?!) back in the day and probably a LiveJournal. Wish I could find those entries in cyberspace! Then I had a Tumblr which was like the anti-blog for 10 years (on and off) and then I found Blogger-first it was Just Simply Elle for a year, then Everyday Jersey Girl for four years and now, Wonder and Joy.

My intention for this blog is to be able to share my season with you all in the cyberspace and to document this part of my life. I have a lot going on and as many photos I have, I think actually writing eh typing it out can somewhat therapeutic. I will try to be as honest and open as I can with these posts- some may be funny, some may be emotional be all in all it will be what my season in life really is.

I write how I speak and I use way too many exclamation points but I am only me, that is the only thing I can be. I'm silly, honest, emotional, curious, caring and about a million more things too. I hope you can join me in this season of my life.

Thanks for stopping by!

Gabrielle