Happiness is...Mondays #3

It's MONDAYYYY, oh happy MONDAYYYYY!  Are you guys singing with me?  It's a glorious day.  Just a few days before we stuff ourselves with delicious food, watch football, and SLEEP! Some of you may be going out and braving the crowds for shopping (I will NOT be doing that, too crazy!) and others may be forced to work.  Lame-o!  But until then, we have this little Happiness is...Mondays #3!  I am so excited! Occasionally, when I don't think I'll have enough postcards requested for, I'll ask badger some of my closest friends to take a small stack of postcards and randomly send them back to me so I have postcards I can use when I'm going through a postcard drought.  After all, I just got all you guys to start reading this!  I wouldn't want you to disappear so quickly!  Thankfully, I have some pretty radtastic friends that are always there for any assistance I might need.   Today's postcard comes from one of my closest friends and to her dismay, I even call her my best friend.  :)

I think my ultimate favorite type of postcards to receive ever are the "Greetings From..." vintage style, large letter postcards that became so famous in the early 20th century United States.  I love how the idea was to show something of the state or city you were in to send greetings to someone else.  It almost has that "Americana" sense to it, you know? I love the vintage cards and the cards that really show some history.  Because of that (yes, I just started a sentence with because. :O ) I am always on the lookout for "Greetings from..." cards whenever I go somewhere that might have postcards.  I found a pretty fabulous antique store that had DROVES and DROVES of vintage GF Postcards!  But because they were vintage, they were $4-8.00 a piece!  Which is completely worth it, but I'm a poor college student. LOL  So they'll have to wait.  I was able to snag this one for $1.00 and I'm so happy I did.  I sent it to my best friend, and this is what she sent back.

"Happiness is...wide open spaces with a wonderful companion.'

How true and on point is this one??  At least for me, it's absolutely true.  I'm almost never as happy as I am when I'm riding my horse on a trail or with a friend.  Granted, it's a pretty small group of friends that I can be in wide open spaces with and just be quiet, but those that I can be with are worth their weight in gold.  I've never been much for city living.  I'd much rather have acres upon acres to ride and roam and just take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city.  I don't ever have to deal with my anxiety as much in wide open spaces, I don't have to worry about talking to people I don't want to, I don't have to worry about idiots driving crazily, and I know that while I'm not the only person out there, it feels like it and that is just so wonderful. I've always thought I'd love to live in Wyoming or Montana, or Northern Nebraska because there is so much wide open space.  It's just waiting for me.

Yay! American Flag stamps!  I love those.  I really do love our flag.  The USPS did a series of forever stamps and there were four designs, each one with a different word. This one is obviously "Justice" and I'm not sure if it was intentional, but I like how the word is above "Forever" implying that we'll have Justice Forever.  Each stamp design is like that and I really like them!

What are your thoughts on the postcard or the stamp?  What about the "Happiness is..." response?  Let us know in the comments!

Happy Mailings!

-Jessa

Postal Soundtrack

• Where the Stars and the Stripes and the Eagle Flies- Aaron Tippin
• I Still Miss You- Keith Anderson
• Do You Believe Me Now- Jimmy Wayne

Happiness Is...#2 Jam!

     A beautiful postcard from Indonesia found it's way to my mailbox  recently and I have to say, I love it! It looks like it came from national museum of some sort. One that I believe I would really enjoy visiting! I greatly enjoy the postcards that send me on a little trip somewhere other than where I am stuck.  My mother loves to watch House Hunters International because the different places people move to give her a chance to see places she would otherwise not be able to see.  It's the same idea for me.  Having the chance to see postcards from around the world give me a glimpse of what is outside of here.  Who knows if I'll ever have a chance to visit? I sure hope so!

     When I read the quote written on the back, I couldn't help but smile.  It was so, *so* true.

"Happiness is like jam.  You can't spread even a little without getting some on yourself."

     Happiness is one of those things that is so very, very contagious for people.  I know for me, it's so very difficult to refrain from smiling when witnessing happiness, whether it's with people or even animals!  Miriam-Webster states that Happiness is " a state of well-being and contentment; joy; and  a pleasurable or satisfying experience."  Though I have to battle daily with anxiety, I've never had an issue with finding happiness in things.  Whether it's scrolling through Ag pages on Facebook, playing with my puppy, or riding my horses, I can find happiness in my life.  Can you?  

     I believe that happiness is an integral ingredient in the recipe we call life.  <---  That was dorky, right?  But seriously.  Do you think you can have a successful, healthy life without happiness? I  don't believe so.  Especially with something as easy as a small piece happiness here and there.  I know better than most that happiness isn't always abundant in life, particularly when things seem to be headed towards a depressive state. But happiness is free for the taking and always available.  Sometimes it's right there in front of you, your family or your animals, but sometimes you do actually have to get out there and find it.   I promise it will be worth it.      

     Been having a rough go of things lately?  Has this Monday got you down?  I challenge you to go find happiness in your life today and let us know what that was for you! It doesn't have to be big, small happiness is still happiness!  If you have it within your means to provide someone else with happiness, let  us know about that too!

I loved this quote and I hope you guys enjoy it as well!

Happy Mailing!

-Jessa

Happiness is...Mondays! #1

Hello Hello!!

 For most people, students and workers alike, Monday isn't the best day of the week. You're coming off of a weekend that was hopefully full of fun times and good friends, but more often than not, it was a little break from the ho-hum doldrums of the rest of the week. So why not try to cheer ourselves up? That's my plan with the new Monday themed posts! 

 "Wait, jump back. What's a themed post?" You're asking, right? No worries, I was about to get to that. At Through The Letterbox, I want to have a way to get people to interact with the blog and to have a chance to relate to the postcards I am posting! Quite a few of you guys are on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and most of these have themed hashtags for the week! Yeah, I decided to join in on the fun. ;) Today was the perfect day to start! So, every Monday(we'll, hopefully every Monday :3), I'll have a blog post that revolves around the theme of "Happiness is..." and things that make us happy! I picked Monday because someone, somewhere, might need a pick me up! I hope you'll be able to participate or at least have a desire to participate with us! Keep on reading to see our first #HappinessisMondaysTTLB postcard!

Seriously,  How cute is this little guy?  I had a Shetland pony growing up and man, was he a little stinker!  But when they were good, they were soooo good. I absolutely love this postcard!  Let's see what the back says!

Happiness is...

• A Mailbox full with happy mail.
• My daughter (2.5 years) sing today that she loves me.
• Feeling kicks from the baby. I'm 26 weeks pregnant.
• Make people smile.
• Writing postcards with a cup of tea.

How fun is this postcard! These are such great things that make this sender happy. I know I can definitely agree with a few of them!  Having a mailbox full of happy mail is definitely a given for a happy maker!  I always get sad when there's nothing more than bills or the free inserts they include in the newspaper!  Like, seriously.  Who wants bills and free inserts?!  Not me! That's for sure. I'd much rather have cute decorated postcards that scream " Read me! Read me!" or penpal letters with the fun writing and the washi tape.  This kind of leads to another of the listed happy makers.  "Making people smile."  I know I've been getting the mail out of my box and the smile on my face has caught the attention of the clerks behind the counter.  They always want to see the mail that happened to make me so happy.  I love having the chance to share the postcards with other people!  

One of the other things listed on here was "writing postcards with a cup of tea."  I've never really done that at home, but I have stopped at my local coffee shops with blank postcards in hand, sipping a large glass of iced tea as I write to my friends.  But I've never drank hot tea or drank tea at my house while writing.  Have any of you?  I can definitely imagine how that would bring happiness to our lives!

What in particular makes you happy?  Can you relate to any of the listed from this postcard?  Let me know in the comments!   Follow if you haven't already to keep up with my posts and postcards or sign up for email in the sidebar!

Happy Mailing!

-Jessa