I Will Be Grateful for Today

#267 The Snowball in full bloom

#268 Green apricots promising a good crop in June.... #269 My favorite yellow rose "Julia Child"

#270 Another favorite rose "Heaven on Earth"

Chickens (#271) enjoying an evening meal of weeds

#272 Carolina, taking time to smell the roses

#273 Joshua 1:9, the verse the kids and I have claimed over the last few months...I love the promise that He will go with us WHEREVER!

#274 The three musketeers having the time of there lives taking a bubble bath. We finally have a new hot water heater (#275) which makes baths possible!

#276 Thank you that soccer snacks are done for the season, I have done my duty! #277 Thankful that I was able to do the kids four different teams snack all in the same week. Our kitchen felt like a factory. Thanks K for helping so much!

#278 I was able to help out in Lizzy's class today, a simple request granted to my precious (non-demanding) 9 year old.

#279 Watching Carolina sitting by the fire in my room totally absorbed in looking at a book. #280 Reading the book (Felix's Adventures...absolutely adorable!)to her on my bed.

Gratitude and Habakkuk

The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights. Habakkuk 3:19 It has been such a long time since I have recorded my gratitude here in this place, this journal...I have felt the incredible need to write things down once again, recording in the process God's hand in our lives all around despite the pain, despite the brokeness I feel, despite the fast pace of life as I set out each day to do my best at mothering my little flock. I know that when I am focusing on the good around me in the little things only then can I truly feel His arms of love and comfort around me. Otherwise I quickly get focused on the overwhelmingness of life and the uncertainty that the devil wants me to feel thus crippling me into a quick depression and numbness.

So here continues the list....#241-266 *Katherine loving to sew~ above picture of Katherine with friends Julia, Bailey, and Kara after completing a cute bag last spring *precious girls all snuggled up under the canopy of soft material *a boy, the only boy (!) curled up on the loveseat in their room because he doesn't want to sleep by himself *sheer bliss roses in the family room *looking up a newly spotted bird in Mary's bird book *knowing that He will never leave me nor forsake me *true friends who can laugh with you, cry with you, shop with you, feed you....just BE with you no matter what *kids laughing as we read Caddie Woodlawns Family tonight over dinner *dark skies and winds blowing *the smell of freshly cut grass *kind dentists who call to check on how the tooth is feeling *a girl who caught herself before she lost her temper, who smiles up at me as if she is saying..."mom, I did it!!!! I stopped myself!!!! I can do it!!!" *kind emails from older women in our church checking on me *bright yellow iris flowers picked and adorning the patio..."sunshine" on the table! *stripes...clothes, bags, paper, socks, rugs, fabric, shoes...fun! fun! *story hour cd's *good movies, The Young Victoria *bright yellow scrambled eggs, kids love breakfast for dinner and so does their mother *#3 reading books to me! pure joy! *seeing Thomas kiss Caroline when she was hurt *big brown eyes full of expression as he tells a VERY long story *patience when all are talking at once *cashmere hot water bottles *snuggling with Mary on my bed reading Rainbow Garden *an appointment with my pillow that was sucessful for over 45 minutes, ahhh rest for the weary! *#2 being diligent all day long, no hassling or reminding or pushing...hallalujah and praise the LORD!

Monday Thankfulness

#174...Mrs Thompson, Katherine's sewing teacher who has taken Katherine under her wing in the department of sewing. Katherine had a huge desire to learn to sew and Mrs Thompson has faithfully had her over to sew and learn almost every Wednesday afternoon for a year and a half!
#175...Soft pink peony's in a vase. (a huge splurge since we have so many great flowers in our garden right now, just couldn't resist the $5 price tag)
#176...all of us swimming together on an early Sabbath morning
#177...a quiet house this morning, for almost an hour I read, prayed, and had time to think
#178...surprise volunteer sunflowers popping up amongst the squash
#179...a whole house fan to keep the house cool and save money on our electric bill
#180...fun game learned and played with the older kids, great that they can play lots of our favorites with us now!
#181...K and E snuggled up in bed listening to a book on tape
#182...Myrna watching the kids overnight so Eric and I can get away to see a play and relax together. An answer to prayer!
#183...Lots of Apricots stored up in pantry and freezer. Girls and I canned 36 quarts, froze 16 jars of sauce and made 16 jars of jam...several crisps were made and consumed quickly. Plums are next to harvest!
#184...a new cookbook arriving in the mail today, so excited! I have wanted a copy of it for a long time and my very thoughtful Mom new it and sent it. Thanks Mom!
#185...that we have two precious four year olds, they love each other so much and they love life. We are blessed that all of our kids are happy, get excited little people!(Above picture at cousin Natalie's Wedding)



I remember when I was reading Ann's book "One Thousand Gifts" and she stated near the end of the book that the more you practice thanksgiving the more life becomes a natural thanksliving...that your whole life is lived out differently. I can see chnages in my life even though I have a long ways to go in truly "living it" moment by moment.

Monday Gratitude

#51...finding lost piano music, a 7 year olds prayer answered
#52...an uninterrupted night of sleep
#53...church pastors who care
#54...planning of trips
#55...a bouguet picked by a 5 year old
#56...voices of all singing "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus" at worship
#57...Katherine suggesting the above hymn
#58...finding Lizzy reading to Thomas in his bed on Sabbath morning
#59...Snow blanketing mountains as we drive to church
#60...The cheer of a fire
#61...Little girls dressed old-fashioned
#62...A beautiful day of skiiing above the stormy clouds
#63...Legs to ski on
#64...Time to read in bed
#65...Protection on our drive up and back down the mountain
#66...Hot potato soup at the end of a day of skiing

Love is in the Air

Happy Valentine's Day to All I LOVE...
We (as in just the two of us) enjoyed a romantic dinner out at our favorite restaurant. Thank you Eric for all the love you have for me despite all my short comings. Eric really is a 1 Corinthians 13 example. I love you.






One thousand gifts...
#32....Huge shady oak trees
#33....Happy chatter of children out in nature
#34....The reminders in 1 Corinthians 13
#35....Visits from old friends
#36....A bird whistle in the hands of an exuberant 5 year old bird enthusiast
#37....Grace and Love abiding between two people
#38....Valentines exchanged between all over a pink pancake breakfast
#39....Red roses from the one I love most
#40....But the Greatest of These is LOVE

The List Continues

#21....Forts made by the kids, with hours of fun attached
#22....Chocolate brown eggs from Spotty
#23....Fresh paint
#24....Picture books lined up to be devoured in the newly PAINTED bookcase
#25....Freckled noses
#26....Sally Clarkson conference
#27....Flushed cheeks from just awakened Mary
#28....Husband caring for everyone and everything so I could be away for 36 hours
#29....a Softly murmured "Mommy you look beautiful tonight"
#30....new running shoes
#31....a new mug from a dear, thoughtful friend that preaches to me daily-
"It's a Wonderful Life"

1000 Gifts...The Gifts Continue

#7....a hot shower after a cold early morning run
#8....a freshly pruned orchard
#9....Carolina reaching up for big sisters hand, oh the security!
#10...a whispered prayer from Husband, praying over the day ahead
#11...blond heads bowed over Bibles
#12...quiet early morning minutes
#13...fog enveloping the hill and hen house
#14...a 7yr olds excitement at memorizing the books of the New Testament
#15...oldest daughter, a reluctant writer, eagerly writing in her journal...daily
#16...over hearing sisters talking, encouraging one another in the wee morning hours
#17...a friends faithful prayers for me
#18...warm bread right out of the oven
#19...the sound of rain on the roof
#20...a husband who faithfully warms up my side of the bed before I get there

Only 980 to go...what an adventure!
As I read my way through Ann Voskamp's book One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are, I am moved by a small phrase, almost a disclamer. She says,"I begin the list. Not gifts I want but of gifts I already have. I wonder how much I have already missed because I haven't enjoyed all the gifts that were mine given to me from God. I am thrilled to notice more closely the gifts that are all around those I already have!