From the Front Porch
Happy Friday from the front porch, you guys!
We hope your kickoff to the summer season has been a fun one so far! Thank you for making us a part of your day.
Late Last Week…
Late last week, I was standing in line at Jonah’s Fish & Grits in Thomasville, GA. It’s one of our favorite places to eat when we’re in town.
They open for lunch at 11 am, but it’s such a popular restaurant, people start lining up around 10 am (or earlier) to be seated as soon as service begins.
The wait can be up to 2 hours or more and I was thankful to grab a spot around 10:30 am hoping we would be seated by 11:15 am.
Even at 10:30, the line was totally bananas. So, when the guy behind me struck up a conversation, I was grateful for the distraction from the long line and hot summer sun.
After a bit of small talk, he asked if he could tell me about his Granny. I knew from the smile on his face, she was a special lady. All my grandparents have passed away, and I was more than happy to oblige him.
“My Granny is one semester short of finishing college. We’re taking her out to celebrate the milestone today,” he said.
“Oh my gosh, that is so exciting and sweet of you too,” I replied.
“Well, she’s the one doing all the hard work,” he said beaming with pride, “She’s 70.”
“She doesn’t have access to the internet because she lives in a small town where there is no service provider. She also didn’t have a computer until we bought her one a few months ago. Every semester my Granny had to find a way to use the computers at the student center or the library to get her work done,” he continued, “But she stuck with it and now she’s almost done.”
“Wow, that is really impressive and such a huge deal!” I said.
“Granny never gave up on her dream of having a college education one day and now I tell everyone I meet about her. One, because I’m so proud of her but I also know there might be someone else out there that needs some encouragement to chase their dreams too no matter how old they are,” he said.
About 10 minutes later, his Granny walked up to meet him along with the rest of his family. He introduced her to me, and it was all I could do not to hug her.
“I know you don’t know me, but your story is such an inspiration,” I said, “I’m really proud of all you have accomplished so far, and I know there will be lots of blessings headed your way. Keep up the good work.”
She smiled a bashful but grateful kind of smile and kindly thanked me.
Moments later our name was called to be seated.
And with that, we went our separate ways.
While I’ll probably never see this family again, it was sweet reminder ordinary days can have an extraordinary impact. Especially, when we take the time to slow down and listen to each other.
A Few of Our Favorite Posts from Around the Web this Week…
This home tour has such a pretty mix of formal and whimsical spaces.
Lots of beautiful inspiration in this home tour too.
How much fun would it be to spend the summer here? Plus, those blue and white buffalo check chairs are amazing in the dining room, you know?
Decorating Mistakes That Make Your Home Look Messy
The Most Famous Hotels in Every State
How to Make a Small Garden Look Bigger
This would be such a pretty wreath to make for summer!
Now that the littles are out of school, I’m beyond excited to try this recipe with them. They going to lose it in the best possible way!
After being a long-time Android user, I finally switched over to an iPhone and was kind of shocked when my pictures were awful because EVERYONE told me the photo quality was so much better. I clearly have a lot to learn but thankfully, these tips and tricks seem totally doable. I’d love to know if you have any to share too!
8 Things I Tried to Get Rid of Dark Under-Eye Circles That Actually Worked
10 Health Hacks for Busy People
Trusting Yourself Is Hard, These 2 Tricks Make It Easy
Words to Live By…
Listening to This Week…
We Must Raise Girls to Be Brave, Not Perfect
June Book of the Month…
**(Amazon Affiliate links have been provided for your convenience. Any sales made through such links will support us with a small commission at no extra cost for you. You can read our full disclosure policy here)
I’ve been squirreling away moments every afternoon to read a few chapters of this faith-based book out on the front porch and I literally cannot put it down! It’s like having a big sister and a cheerleader in your pocket all at the same time.
Fear Is Not the Boss of You: How to Get Out of Your Own Head and Live The Life You Were Made For by Jennifer Allwood
I’d love to know what you think so far if you’re reading along with us! I feel like underlining everything ?
On the Menu this Week…
Week of June 6 – June 13
06/06 Sunday – Smoked Salmon Pasta
06/07 Monday – Vegan Sheet Pan Dinner
06/08 Tuesday – Crockpot Mexican Chili Lime Chicken
06/09 Wednesday – Summer Citrus Salad with Grilled Orange Marinated Chicken
06/10 Thursday – Homemade Minestrone Soup
06/11 Friday – Grilled BBQ Chicken Pizza Flatbread
06/12 Saturday – Grilled Lemon Shrimp Skewers with Vegetables
06/13 Sunday – German Spaetzle with Mushroom Gravy
Sweet Treat to Try this Week…
Grilled Pound Cake and Peaches
A Few Fun Father’s Day Finds We Spotted Online at Amazon This Week…
(Amazon Affiliate links have been provided for your convenience. Any sales made through such links will support us with a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read our full disclosure policy here)
Shirt * Shower Head * Cooler * Odor Eliminator Bags
Car Vacuum * Hand Cream * Window Squeegee and Scrubber * Headphones
Car Document Holder * Magnetic Mount Dash Kit * Putting Green * Golf Balls
Box Cutter * Grill Tool Hooks * Book * Toilet Nightlight
If You’ve Missed Anything from the Blog Recently or the Archives, Here’s a Peek At What We’ve Been Up To…
One Room Challenge Week 5: French Country Dresser Makeover
Cottage Inspired Summer Porch Tour
How to Whitewash Terracotta Flower Pots With Chalk Paint
June Bucket List
- Celebrate the Dad’s Birthday, Flag Day, and Father’s Day
- Begin 30 Day Rest Challenge
- Continue Back to Basics Summer Season
- Participate in the Weeks 5-8 of the One Room Challenge
- Surprise Someone with an Unexpected Gift
- Eat Some Watermelon
- Grill an Entire Meal
- Learn How to Take Pictures on New Phone
- Read the Book of the Month
- Keep Sundays Sacred
June Simplified and Organize Home Challenge…
Focus of the Month: Paper Clutter, Photos, and Email
- 06/05 – Bills/Mail/Paper Clutter
- 06/12 – Digital Computer Files/Passwords/Photographs
- 06/19 – Your Email Inbox
- 06/26 – Organize Your Purse, Wallet & Update Your Phone Contacts
TCG Housekeeping Notes, Dates to Remember, and Upcoming Posts
- 06/14 – Flag Day
- 06/19 – Juneteenth
- 06/20 – Father’s Day
- 06/24 – One Room Challenge Reveal Day
As always, we appreciate you so much and hope your weekend is peace-filled and relaxing. We can’t wait to share even more with you next week!
Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
Many blessings,
CoCo
I love that story! What a huge inspiration his granny is. I’m so proud of her!
Lovely story about Granny and her hard work to achieve her dream
I love the “Granny” story! Thanks so much for sharing it.
I love the story about Granny…thanks for sharing that!
And now I want to surprise someone with an unexpected gift! This is a great idea that is sure to put a smile on someone’s face:)
Those were some really fabulous Father’s day gift ideas. The lighted seat rim was hilarious and the Yeti cooler was such a helpful gift. Those coolers are a real life saver when it’s hot outside. Have a wonderful week!