Hi Shenanigan Enthusiasts!

It’s a beautiful day here at the Funny Farm. Clouds are sprinkled across the sky, the mountains are kissed with fresh snow and the warmth of the sun makes 32 degrees feel inviting. Rowdy, Chip and the rest of the crew seem to be basking in it’s warmth too. Today is a very good day to have a good day! Yep, there’s a song for that! Click HERE for your good day inspiration!!!

As always the days are full of love and shenanigans! Last week I wrote about a close call with Jeff’s boot and Chip sh*t. This week it happened and as predicted, that sh*t was hilarious!!!! Jeff's face as he felt the squish of a fresh THANK YOU around his toes was priceless.

Though probably not the way Jeff wanted to start his day, it was definitely one of the highlights of our day! Life lessons at the funny farm, sometimes the sh*tty moments in life turn out to be the best moments when we CHOOSE to find the magic in the messy. The magic of Chip’s sh*t was a full on laugh ‘til you snort start to the day! It’s not what happens but how we choose to respond that matters. Laughter is the best medicine!

Speaking of life’s sh*t, Chip is finding his way down at the barnyard. Fortunately for me, that means less sh*t to clean up in the garage/mudroom and more time to shovel sh*t and talk to God down at the barn. My Church.

FOOLISH PRIDE

As always I had my favorite tunes singing in my pocket while I went about my daily chores. I sometimes I hear but don’t really listen, which was true this morning until I heard the words, another love lost up to foolish pride. These words resonated with me and allowed me to reflect on seasons in my own life when my pride got in my way. I took a moment and as I looked out at the beauty surrounding me, my mind had a marquee of memories passing through it. I stopped and started the song over, my phone began singing these words in my pocket again.

Foolish Pride - Travis Tritt (click to listen)

She stayed up all night and cried into her pillow
And fought off the urge to just break down and call
Last night to find the fault seemed so darn easy
But now who's to blame don't matter much at all
She thinks if she calls him, it just shows weakness
So the hurt goes on with every tear she's cried
Ain't it sad to see a good love fall to pieces
Chalk another heartbreak up to foolish pride

So many love stories end due foolish pride. I listened with sadness for true loves lost and grateful that we found our way through hard seasons where one or both of us stayed up all night crying into a pillow. In the moment it’s so easy to find fault in the people we love, point fingers and blame. We might even be right but in the end if being right costs us the one we love, what does it matter? I have been afraid of showing weakness and stubborn as hell, not wanting to say sorry first and it didn’t serve me or us. Sometimes our greatest strength is revealed through what feels like our weakest moments. It takes strength to have hard, vulnerable conversations, to say sorry first, to self reflect and look at what we can do better rather than pointing out our partner’s short comings and placing what doesn’t work on their shoulders. The song continued.....

I love love stories. Not the just the fairytales but real stuff. The love the makes it through the peaks and valleys. The love that gives hope. The love that keeps choosing love. The love that survives foolish pride. 

LOVE LIKE THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A BROKEN HEART

If I could make a wish for the world it would be to love like there was no such thing as a broken heart. If you stop and think about it most broken hearts happen in part trying to avoid getting our hearts broke. Risk it! Be the fool that chooses love. Will it be easy? Nope! Will it be worth it. ABSOLUTELY!

Love Like There is No Such Thing as a Broken Heart - Old Dominion (click for a inspiring toe tapper)

You know you can't keep the ground from shaking, no matter how hard you try
You can't keep the sunsets from fading, you gotta treat your life like
You're jumping off a rope swing baby 'cause the whole thing's really just a shot in the dark
You gotta love like there's no such thing as a broken heart

Words of Wisdom

During our hardest season of life and love Jeff and I went on a cruise for our anniversary. We had a blast but more importantly there were so many little miracles that happened. I believe we were being guided. During this season the ground was shaking and our forever was not certain. One day while sippin’ good sips in the pool and soaking up the sun we met a man who as there on the cruise with his second wife. They were a super sweet couple. I don’t remember where she was or why exactly he shared what he did but his words were so honest and vulnerable. He knew we were celebrating an anniversary and he proceeded to say keep going. He said he loved and adored his beautiful wife and was grateful for his life but if he knew then what he knows now, his first marriage would have been amazing too. He said if he had put half the effort into his first marriage that he has into his second they would have thrived. He said do the little things. He shared how he missed sharing the joy of raising his kids with their mom, sharing the milestones. He said to remember why you fell in love and hopefully you will sit hand and hand on your kid’s wedding day sharing the joy of the milestones together. These words hit home and we have carried them in heart and mind since.

That same night the song Angels Cry played in our cabin. I had never heard it before but I felt like it was a message, a little miracle to pay attention to. It played over and over again throughout the trip.

Angel’s Cry - Mariah Carey (click to listen to my miracle tune)

Lightning don't strike
The same place twice
When you and I said goodbye
I felt the angels cry
True love's a gift
But we let it drift in a storm
Every night, I feel the angels cry
C'mon babe, can't our love be revived?
Bring it back and we gon' make it right
I'm on the edge, just trying to survive
As the angels cry

LIGHTNING

True love is a gift. A gift to keep fighting for, especially through the storms. I felt like she was singing to me, to us. We had the lightning strike that ignited our love once, and I knew the angels would cry if we said goodbye.

FOREVER LOVE

On this same trip we ended up at a little stand on a cliff over looking the ocean were this sculpture caught my eye. It encompassed what I wanted to feel - love, strength, passion, connected. We bought it and it has stood as a simple, strong, beautiful reminder to choose love even on hard days ever since. Another little miracle to celebrate.

As FOOLISH PRIDE stopped singing in my pocket I finished reflecting on where we have been, where we are, and the dreams we have turned into reality together along the way. Thankful we weren’t another love lost to foolish pride and for all that is yet to come.

Young love, new love, old love, forever love. Even when you love someone with all your heart, hard seasons will come and go. It’s all part of the magic in the messy. Set aside your foolish pride and choose love. ♥️

Two new episodes of the V-S-T Podcast are out this week! Both sharing their journey of walking through life and love as a career military spouse. Be sure to check them out, HERE.

SHENANIGAN ENTHUSIASTS...

Until we connect again, may you laugh ‘til you snort, take the bull by the horns, give yourself and others some GRACE, live a good story, climb your mountain, dream, do hard things, live like someone left the gate open, make it a good one, strive to thrive, love like crazy, enjoy the little things, always look for the miracles to celebrate, be grateful, embrace the messy, turn it into your magic, dance, keep learning, growing, getting better, crossing things off your bucket list, spreading a little love around, chasing your hearts desires, walking through the raindrops, do what sets your soul on fire, choose to take the CHANCE, let go of pride and love like there is no such thing as a broken heart.

LOVE & SHENANIGANS INSPIRATIONS FROM THE FUNNY FARM 

Let’s CELEBRATE the New Year! Use code CELEBRATE for 15% off your order at our Funny Farm inspired Love & Shenanigans store!!! Make someone smile with a little love and shenanigans!!!
 
Click HERE to explore all things Love & Shenanigans
 
  
Much Gratitude, 
Zanna
SHENENIGAN ENTHUSIAST
 
p.s. I will dance in the kitchen every time you share the LOVE!!! Every time you share a post from Love & Shenanigans or the V-S-T PODCAST on social media or anywhere I can feel the love, you will be entered to win a goodie from the store!  Share away, tag us, and we will let you know if you are the lucky winner! xoxo

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***Disclaimer*** I receive $$$ for some of the things I promote in this blog. I don’t promote anything I don’t use and love!