Oh hey, Friday | a link-up

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Hi there, and happy Friday!! I’m thrilled to be participating in my first ever link-up today!!
Woo hoo! It’s such a fun way to discover and connect with other bloggers. A big thanks to Amy at The Farmer’s Wife and Karli at September Farm for their ability to motivate me to finally link up with someone! 🙂

Okay, for my 5 things…

5 awesome discoveries I made this week:

1. Counting my blessings. No, really. As in, recording them! Penning them – even the little things. Inscribing them into a notebook. It’s such a simple thing to do, but such a powerful exercise in gratitude. I’m only up to about 16 right now, which is kind of embarrassing. God has blessed me with so much more and I need to recognize that.
This was totally inspired by Ann Voskamp’s book “One Thousand Gifts.” I’d say the major theme of the book is to notice the beauty and the holiness in the everyday…and the fact that once you express gratitude to our Creator for it all, that opens you up to true joy and faded fears. I’ll share more about it and its beautifully poetic, encouraging, convicting words soon.

2. The “introductory offer” priced massage at Massage Envy. Seriously. A friend and I signed up for massages on Tuesday and it was pretty much the best recent decision we’ve made. One hour of relaxation (specifically, stress relief, am I right??) for under $50, including tip. All because we hadn’t been there before.
And did their marketing ploy work, you ask? Wellll…I just may have to go back one more time before I have to return to MN.
About halfway through my 1-hr massage I seriously considered sleepily asking them to extend it to a 90-min massage (side note: can you actually do that?).
I walked out of there feeling like I was floating. I floated my way right into Jimmy John’s next door. Where I ate my entire sandwich. Who knew a massage used up so much energy? 😉 Speaking of food…

3. You can buy half a pie from the grocery store. I kind of went on a craze on Tuesday afternoon. Once I realized it was our 4-month wedding anniversary, which I KNOW isn’t a big deal in the grand scheme of things, I still wanted to make it a special night when Bjorn got done with training.
So I ran to the commissary and grabbed ingredients for a fresh salad, spotted some spring rolls and threw them in the cart, followed by guacamole (we love that stuff), and then… I discovered the pie.
Half a pie. What a brilliant idea! Now we get pie without being tempted to eat ALL of said pie.
I’m still not sure if it merely being half a pie encouraged us gorge ourselves or not…because we definitely polished it off in one sitting.

Processed with VSCOcam with m5 preset^^ happiness on a plate ^^

4. I’m selfish. Okay, you caught me – this is not a new discovery. Ha. But man, marriage is incredibly convicting. I heard once that being married is like having a mirror into who you truly are, all the time.
Not that your spouse is constantly pointing out your flaws – it’s just the nature of living with someone else who has their own hopes and worries and perspective into situations.
And I don’t like seeing those yucky parts of myself, my flawed character, wanting to do what I want all the time, and all the things I gripe about that aren’t a big deal after all.
Bjorn is so patient with me and so forgiving. As painful as it is to admit, I can be a brat. It’s something I’m aware of more than ever, and something I so want to fix. And soon.
So, here’s to ridding myself of a negative attitude and instead adopting a giving, caring one!

Processed with VSCOcam with g3 preset
^^ my “mirror” (slash officer slash best friend slash giver of the best bear hugs slash the most handsome guy I know) ^^

5. You can get a hot air balloon ride over Lancaster County (ahem, AMISH COUNTRY)! But we’re not doing that. More about my husband: he is very smart and practical and he brought me back to [financial] reality with one simple wry smile and a shake of his head.
Shoot. Well, I guess now we won’t be blowing our entire budget for this weekend on a one-hour ride. And who needs to see Amish country from above when we can be living in it??
I’ve been busy this week planning our trip to Pennsylvania – and that hot air balloon ride was only one of like 20 things I want to fit in. The best part? We’ll actually be staying on an Amish farm this weekend!
In case you don’t know just HOW excited I am about this coming weekend, read THIS POST.

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And I’m sneaking in a not-quite-yet, but-could-be-a discovery: essential oils. I have heard about using essential oils for so long…and I’m super curious! I know multiple people who fully believe in their effectiveness, and I, too, am a fan of fewer doctors visits, fewer prescriptions when you can…and less anxiety. So, if you know anything about essential oils, please fill me in! I’d love to hear your opinion/experience with them.

IMG_0027^^ for now, this is my current “lifesaver.” Thank you, Bath & Body Works! This stuff is amazing! ^^

That’s it for today! Thanks for reading!!

best love hannah bee jgp

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