Cozy.

The feeling when you're mom is hugging you. When your sweetie kisses you. When you're giggling with your sisters. When you're sitting by the fire reading a love story. When you're snuggled up watching the snow fall with a cup of hot chocolate in your hand. When you rest your head on your best friend's shoulder. When you're standing on your porch watching the rain fall in the middle of a summer thunderstorm. When you're playing in the grass with the sunshine on your face. 

When you're surprised by the ones you love. When you're reading a letter from someone you care about. When you're holding hands. When you're laughing so hard you start to cry. When you're wrapped up in cuddly blankets. When you're being held. When you're being taken care of. When you're playing in the leaves when fall comes around. When you're venturing through a pumpkin patch. When you're going around the Thanksgiving table sharing your gratitudes. When you're driving with the windows down. When you're eating chocolate with your girl friends. When you're painting your nails. When you're holding a newborn. When your mom brings you soup when you're feeling sick. When you watch your love play with little ones. 

When you cry so hard it heals you. When your family is all piled on the bed together squeezing in as many memories as possible before bed. When your mom combs through your hair. When you're walking with your toes in the sand. When you're watching the sunset.  When you're cuddling and snuggling.When your Dad sings you your lullaby. When you visit the beach after a long time away. Watching the sun rise. When you're watching your loved ones get married. When you're slow dancing under Christmas lights. When you're sitting on the beach listening to the waves. When you're gathered around the Christmas tree surrounded by the ones who love you the most. When you're watching someone open a gift you worked hard to make. When your love first tells you he loves you. When you realize you're in love. When all sounds drown out and you witness the magic of the moment.When that moment becomes a part of you forever. When you realize everything in this moment is perfect and you hope with every part of you that you will always feel this way. You're experiencing coziness.

I don't know if any of you have ever been asked, "What are you passionate about?" But I used to hate getting asked that question. One day I was sifting through all of the things I enjoyed in pursuit of an answer to this dreadful question. I thought of all the generics: sports, dance, event planning, baking, so on and so forth. As I sat there, pondering about these things, they weren't satisfying my need to adequately represent the word passion. These were more of just enjoyments. They made me happy, but they didn't light a fire within me by any means. Later that same day I called my Mom, which is obviously my first move anytime I feel unsettled like this. I could not comprehend that I was living a life without passion. My Mom, being the most inspired woman I've ever met, brought me to a much needed realization when she shared the following passage with me from a book she had previously read (forgive me I don't remember the book).

A little girl had asked her aunt why she had such a passion for rescuing and restoring old historic buildings.  She told her niece: 

“It’s my fire – Everyone needs to find the one thing that brings out her passion. It’s what we do and share with the world that matters.  Far too many people die with a heart that’s gone flat with indifference, and it surely must be a terrible way to go. Life will offer us amazing opportunities, but we’ve got to be wide-awake to recognize them.  If there’s one thing I’d like most for you, it’s that you’ll find your calling in life. That’s where true happiness and purpose lies.  Whether it’s taking care of abandoned animals, saving old houses from the wrecking ball, or reading to the blind, you’ve got to find your fire, sugar.  You’ll never be fulfilled if you don’t.  One day you’ll do something, see something, or get an idea that seems to pop up from nowhere.  And you’ll feel a kind of stirring – like a warm flicker inside your chest. When that happens, whatever you do, don’t ignore it. Open your mind and explore the idea. Fan your flame.  And when you do, you’ll have found it."
That warm flicker sounded so familiar to me. I know I'd felt it somewhere. And that's when all those moments I shared came flooding through me. Each moment so special and each moment so perfect. Those moments are what I live for. Those moments are what I want to share with the world. Those moments are my flicker. Those moments are my passion. 

Peace, warmth, security, happiness. Coziness.
Creating moments of coziness is my passion. I hope you find yours :)


I thought I'd share a few more pictures of coziness.

 I know I've shared this photo before, but I think one look at this photo and you can feel the most perfect definition of cozy.

Now, these two photos may not make sense for those that weren't there, but if you were I hope you felt the same way about it as I do. I've never felt more magical and cozy and perfect than I did this day, when we celebrated Kath's birthday. My whole family dressed up like the characters of Alice in Wonderland (which is a favorite of Katherine's). Jack, being the rabbit, led her through a "hole" where she was told to put on that skirt you see her wearing now. Jack, waiting for her outside saying "We're late, we're late!" Eventually led her to this table, where she sat at first alone. Then my whole family came out of the house at the same time singing a "Very Merry UnBirthday." As we did you could feel magic filling the air. And once we all sat at the table, there were no words to describe the coziness. These are the kind of moments I hope to make more of.

Happy Valentine's Day

I hope it's a cozy one :)