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Stephanie Howell

reading, organizing, shopping, momming too close to the sun. Home is wherever the Army sends us.

Friday Miscellany

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TGIF Y’all!

I hope you had a beautiful week. I meant to blog, but life just got in the way! December craziness and all that. 🙂

First, I want to announce the winner of the oils giveaway.

Kim Delaney said…Would love to try this starter kit. My daughter suffers from asthma, allergies and migraines.
Congratulations Kim! You can email me at harpersmama8(at)gmail(dot)com and I’ll get everything out to Jill for your order!
Moving on-
I can’t believe December is pretty much half over. How in the world did that happen? I still have so much to do but I’m feeling a lot more calm about everything. This year I’m not putting expectations on myself. No stress. No guilt. Thinking about what really, truly matters.
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Look at this picture! I feel like this was just yesterday. I remember watching them together and thinking how much I loved them. They were babies!
Okay. That’s it for today. I know this is really random. I just wanted to say hi!
What are you doing this weekend? Oh- and what are you getting your little ones for Christmas? I’d love to hear your ideas.
xoxo
S

What I’m Reading

What I'm #reading // Via Stephaniehowell.com

This month I’m talking about one book. Thank You For Your Service by David Finkel.

As I sit here thinking of what to write, what to tell you…I find myself at a loss for words. There’s just no way to explain this book.

I will tell you this. It’s not an easy read. It’s not light. I had to put this book down, close it, and cry several times.

If you have ever said Thank you for your service! to a member of the military, then this book will explain to you what you are thanking them for. The demons they fight when they come home, the horrors they face.

This book isn’t for the faint of heart. It talks about PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, high suicide rates in veterans.

I believe that everyone needs to read this book.

I won’t forget it as long as I live. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to read, but I needed to read it. I highlighted many, many passages and this book will be one I hold on to and reference for years and years.

It’s easy to live in a pretty bubble and pretend like everyone is okay and like things are over once they come home. That’s not true for anyone. These men and women need our HELP. They need more than our words and our platitudes.

I’ll stop here, before I start rambling. Just wanted to share this with you all.

 

S

December Truths.

 

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1. I don’t know where our tree is.

2. I haven’t finished shopping.

3. No Christmas cards this year.

4. Turtle the elf barely remembered to make an appearance today and he is NOT clever or inventive. He was sitting in a chair. 🙂

5. I haven’t dug out the Christmas decor.

6. I only did the title page of my December Daily and (I’ll share soon) and I didn’t take a picture at all today.

7. I don’t know where our 25 Christmas books are (they are spread all over the house) and I certainly didn’t wrap them this year.

8. No creative Advent calendar- though we did get a cute Lego one.

9. I have not a clue what I’m doing for teacher gifts.

10. I probably won’t do any Christmas baking this year because my Italian oven stinks.

 

And yet…we are together. And I couldn’t ask for anything more.

As for the rest? Well…

Here’s to doing it the half-assed way. WOOOHOOO! Happy December!!