Happy list v10

212. Isaiah 53 and how every time I come across it I can hear my sweet friend Alecia reading it from our Fuge stage..."like a tender green shoot"
213. The Civil Wars on repeat
214. Long chats with my best on her way home to Hartsville

215. Group texts and video exchanges during the boy's bachelor parties
216. Drive By Truckers ballads from Michael Martin
217. Mountain weekends at the cabin with all of Shellee's closest friends
218. Listening to my niece Sarah sing her heart out
219. BLT's with a fried egg
220. Sub-10 minute Costco runs with my two favorite Mikes
221. Encouragement from dear friends that remember the big and little stuff
222. September 29th and 30th, 2013
223. When Mike calls me to help talk him through something
224. Comfy sweaters 
225. My sweet daddy, with whom I share an undeniable sweet tooth, driving all the way to Greenville to bring me a piece of my uncle Chevis' homemade chocolate pound cake with chocolate fudge icing
226. Being with Kristen for some impromptu shopping when she finds the most special wedding dress and finally sees how beautiful she is
227. Everything about the Fall
228. Tabata workouts
229. That Meghan just got a vet job here in Greenville...roomies reunite!
230. Smoochdowns for dinner
231. A.W. Tozer
232. Cooking a homemade dinner for Trey during his outage and that Mike always falls asleep early when we stay up talking and catching up
233. Sully's crinkly ears when he swims

234. Freedom from plans
235. Mike's 4 year anniversary gift

Blessed far beyond what I deserve.

What keeps you smiling, sweet friends?

4 going on forever

Happy Anniversary Michael! Thank you for growing up with me, teaching me to fly fish, being my travel and hiking buddy, always cooking me breakfast and pouring my coffee, building me end tables, painting the same wall 5 times and digging through endless antiques on Saturdays. For me life could not possibly be any better spent than by your side. I love you. I hold no greater privilege than being your wife.

Happy list v9

189. Recipes that don't call for a gazillion ingredients
190. Sleepovers with Mc and Mosie when the boys are out of town
191. Taking Sully for a long ride in the truck in perfect weather

192. Laughing with my cousin, Harper
193. New hobbies
194. Going to the Indie Craft Parade with Boo and friends

195. Daydreaming
196. Celebrating anniversaries
197. Family dinners
198. Spin class with Kendra
199. Relaxing on Shellee and Tyson's porch
200. Bonfires in the Fall
201. Michael teaching me how to fly fish

202. Letterpress

203. That time Mike almost wrecked after he accidentally flung a piece of his jalapeno potato chip into his eye

204. Completely spontaneous days

205. Sharing seriously good giggles and laughter

206. How a man always wants to immediately play with any newly acquired toy

207. According to Mike, Sully's slightly girly new collar

208. The butt birthday card

209. Helping Mike organize his shed

210. Being a multithousandaire (:

211. Secret notes left at my house by my Mama

Blessed far beyond what I deserve.

What keeps you smiling, sweet friends?

Happy list v8

170. Photo booths at weddings. Seriously fun!

171. Dancin' videos of Amos

172. Homemade french toast

173. That time that Mike saved my mom and I from a snake and a bat

174. Cooking and grilling with Dad and eating out on his porch

175. An afternoon of sunshine after a morning of rain

176. Running into Robbie and getting one of his big hugs

177. A long weekend at home

178. That time my Clemson tigers beat Georgia in the season opener

179. Zach converting back to a Clemson football fan

180. My budro

181. QT with my Taylors

182. Meyer's dish and handsoap 

183. My new hydration pack from Katie

184. Sleepovers with my best friend, Kristen, and our boys at my mom's house when we're 26 years old

185. The strawberry stack from Ye Olde Sandwich Shoppe

186. Looking through old pictures

187. When my dad calls just to tell me how much he loves me and enjoyed spending time with us the day before 

That sure got me smiling! (:

Blessed far beyond what I deserve.

What keeps you smiling, sweet friends?

Happy list v7

139. A freshly washed rug

140. Quiet time

141. Having such a handy, hardworking husband

142. When things are actually covered under our home warranty

143. Training for my first half marathon

144. Curling up in our living room chairs

145. C.S. Lewis 

146. When people show appreciation

147. Quick wit

148. Lonesome Dove - the movie and the book

149. Finally settling on a coffee table solution and bonus - when sweet, antique finds fit just right

150. Makin' plans with friends

151. Seasonal eating

152. Our new barn-style fence gates and the sweet boys that built them for me

153. Patagonia sales

154. Teaching my mom how to use her new cellphone

155. Printing pictures for frames

156. Trying new recipes that don't disappoint 

157. A lazy Friday night in 

158. Making lists

159. Hiking Glacier National Park

160. Pitamakan to Dawson Pass

161. The Flathead River

162. Subarus

163. Weeknight date nights with our best buds and Matchbox Twenty

164. Watchin' the boys fall off the new slackline

165. Lookin' forward to some bouldering in the crisp, fall weather

166. Rocks that look like SC

167. Cairns

168. Mixmatch seating

169. The absolute kiddish grin on Michael's face when we picked up the trooper from his grandparents this weekend - the very first car he remembers is now his

Blessed far beyond what I deserve.

What keeps you smiling, sweet friends?

The last best place

The delay in this post has very little to do with the extent to which we enjoyed our trip to Montana and Glacier National Park last month. Highlight of our summer for sure as we soaked up time with the Andersons all together again, hiked some of our most favorite miles so far, spotted some wild animals, fly fished in the North Fork and saw for ourselves nearly every square inch of Glacier National Park.

It is true; although we adore home in South Carolina there's certainly a constant tug in our hearts toward the West where every third cast means another Cutthroat, your gun can rest at your hip, there are endless Rockies to summit, grizzlies to share the trails with and you could just about retire after a game of punch-Subaru.

Montana, you lived up to your name as the last best place and we can't wait to enjoy your big sky again one day soon!