A Good Reminder

"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you plant."
Robert Louis Stevenson

Monday Gratitude

So this past weekend I finished Ann's book...One Thousand Gifts.
I have a huge desire to start it over once again to imprint some things permentently in my mind. I am not sure that is even possible to do so as I so quickly forget what I most desperately want! I loved the chapter on humility and grace. I am so glad I took the book VERY SLOW...

I also finished the Elizabeth Goudge book I was reading "The Herb of Grace" (one would think all I did was read over the Easter weekend!!!!) I loved this book and can hardly wait to read the next one in the trilogy.

So here continues my list...
#127...picking lots of roses from the garden for beautiful bouquets everywhere
#128...Eric reading the Ressurection Story to us from the Bible
#129...the beautiful views of the sunsets from our campsite above the ocean
#130...a safe camping trip with the kids adventurers and pathfinder groups
#131...a card from Mary full of encouragement (she didn't even know what was written in the card she gave me but it was PERFECT for the day!)
#132...clean sheets and Old English roses by my bed
#133...an uno game with Eric and his dad
#134...a clean car inside and out, (thanks Eric, Lizzy, and Mary)
#135...Gods goodness as I peek at the kids during prayer
#136...beautiful music at church on Easter Sabbath, John Rutter, Beethoven
#137...seeing Thomas in a suit coat for the very first time (one worn by my brother when he was four!)
#138...working on sewing project with Katherine, making Easter gifts for sisters and friends
#139...a table set with my china and sterling and candles lit too
#140...joy of twins this easter morning
#141...good friends who have us over for brunch each Easter morning
#142...quiet times picking flowers, trimming, dead-heading, and listening
#143...making strawberry jam with the girls
#144...peace of trusting in God for EVERYTHING
#145...hearing Thomas pray (w/o a reminder) for those who are facing trials around us
#146...just tonight Thomas being so excited for Waffles for Dinner, he'd been asking for them for at least three weeks now, so fun to surprise him tonight!!!!

Monday Gratitude

#108...waking up to snow in April
#109...rannuculas growing, giving us cheery bright bouquets
#110...waking up before the alarm and reading in a quiet house for a whole hour
#111...5 happy, creative children playing well together for several hours
#112...first bouquet of white roses
#113...a clean house on Friday, giving me time to cook and entertain
#114...a wonderful evening with the Carlsons
#115...an 8 year olds cheerful help in the kitchen
#116...10+ eggs a day in all shades of browns and greens
#117...the opportunity for the kids to experience running a business
#118...the wonderful friends who buy from the girls "Abundant Harvest" business
#119...a day with Katherine by herself, she is growing up, so in love with her!
#120...Eric and I reading in bed at night, loving "The Herb of Grace" by E Goudge
#121...having the girls know the Bible better than their mother
#122...the anticipation and planning of our trip back East this fall
#123...Thomas asking most every night "Mommy, will you sleep with me for a little while?" and then when I leave always the same "Leave my door open a crack"
#124...Caroline saying "Oh, when I'm a mommy like you I can take showers and I can have a fat tummy too"
#125...a father-in-law who takes the time to teach the girls a class
#126...reading about Daniel with the kids, what a rightious man!

Monday Gratitude

#95...the smell from citrus blossoms
#96...eating juicy navels fresh from our trees
#97...working on a project together all seven of us
#98...two trailer loads full of FREE mulch thus #97
#99...time with just our family
#100..Sabbath...long luxurious naps on the couch
#101..eager readers whipping through the books
#102..starting a new era of history with the kids, WWI and WWII
#103..dinner out tonight and no messy kitchen to clean up
#104..sweet peas, daffodils, colorful flowers
#105..a husband who takes care of things around here like taxes and taking the
trash out!
#106..thoughtful, thought provoking question asked by Lizzy, showing us her mind is
at work
#107..an Elizabeth Goudge book found at the library

Monday Gratitude

Tonight for worship Eric talked about Job, sharing with us what he read this morning.
A part of what he read really popped out at me. After Job is tested his wife says to him "Are you still holding on to your integrity? Curse God and die!" Job replies, "You are talking like a foolish women. (interesting that he doesn't say she IS FOOLISH!)Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?"

It is so easy to be greatful when things are going well, so much harder when things are not. Tomorrow is the 2 year anniversary of the plane crash that took the lives of 9 members of my friends family. How do you press on and see the goodness of God in ALL things? I can only imagine what Job went through or what my friends family continues to go through on a daily basis. Clinging to the hope of heaven and the promises God has given in His Word seem to be the only answer. Continuing to praise the Creator, the One who knows the answers to our questions, the One who sent His Only Son to die for us....

Gratitude is the other way to keep on going on....

#82....signs of spring, flowering fruit trees all around, daffodils, sweet peas, iris
#83....kind people at urgent care, medicine for pain
#84....books to read
#85....children that love to be read too
#86....friends who bring meals when accidents happen
#87....kind father-in-laws who take five kids hiking
#88....fires on rainy nights
#89....growing up girls, birthday joys
#90....little Tommy's prayer that Mommy doesn't go jogging anymore
#91....a visit from Uncle Christian
#92....a three year old little girls endless questions!
#93....time to step back and really declutter rooms in our home
#94....getting to know new people

Gratitude

#67...fellowship with friends after church
#68...an early morning walk by myself
#69...candles lit everywhere, welcoming Eric home from a stressful day at work
#70...cooked lentils
#71...roasted butternut squash from our stash from last summers garden
#72...three youngest playing well together outside for close to 2 hours!
#73...lots of math completed by k and e due to the above
#74...insomnia this morning, giving me a whole hour to read, pray, and enjoy a cup of cappo
#75...sweetness and thoughtfulness of Lizzy towards her piano teacher
#76...snuggling with Caroline, wiped out from her fever
#77...friends turning 40 giving us a chance to have dinner out with them
#78...little boys and there appetites
#79...fresh flowers in vases
#80...the book that is inspiring me....Organized Simplicity
#81...finding sweet peas in a six pack at the little family run nursery nearby(chickens pecked the ones grown from seed)

Mothers and Daughters and Sisters

I was watching the girls today all playing together, almost perfect stair steps, all blond and blue eyed, yet oh so different each one! They are the best of friends but can argue like crazy for they all have strong ideas and can hold their own. I wonder do they know how blessed they are to have each other? Do they know how badly I wished for a sister? How can I possibly impart my desire that they always be close, always encourage each other and remain the best of friends? Do they understand how much they will need each other? As they marry, have babies, and for all the little things in between?

Each one has such a special and unique bond to each sister. Yesterday I was reading Little Women to Katherine and Lizzy, the part where Meg gets married. It started us all talking about when they are grown up and they get married. Katherine states "I know exactly how I want my wedding!" So like her to have it all planned. Lizzy sends a fleeting glance towards Katherine and says "What will I do without you?" The conversation stops and all are lost in thinking, thinking to the future.

I would love to put a "slow" button on each day with these kids. As I read Ann Voskamps book I am realizing that keeping track of the things I am thankful for is making me slow down, making me realize what is around me, making me crave the slow.

I feel so blessed to have four healthy daughters. When I was pregnant with Katherine almost everyone said I was having a boy. I would politely say that we weren't finding out the gender ahead, but waiting for the surprise! However, after everyone giving their two cents I was pretty convinced that a boy it was going to be! I WAS surprised....overjoyed, thrilled, and in awe of Katherine. She was beautiful, smiley, smart, wonderful. When I was pregnant with Lizzy the same began to unfold....it is a boy everyone said! Katherine always maintained that we were going to have a girl, a sister for her to play with. I was convinced that we were having a boy this time. Deep down I so hoped for a girl so that they could enjoy having a sister. Little did I know that eventually we would be blessed with four precious girls. After Mary was born we couldn't even imagine anything but GIRLS so when we found out we were expecting twins Eric and I figured they would be girls as well...once again God had other plans! I look forward to sharing the wonderfulness of Thomas in the near future!

I love to watch the girls play together, older reading to the younger, younger looking up to the older for care and protection and example. There is a closeness between them that I will never fully understand since I never had a sister. What I do know is that I LOVE being there mom, that I have enjoyed each stage, each milestone and that I look forward to what lies ahead. I miss the time when they were babies and toddlers, but what fun NOW is when they are interested in so many different things. I am loving seeing their hearts develop, there characters formed and there minds seeking. Thank you girls for a wonderful time and for being four different, interesting little people. I LOVE YOU!!!!

I guess I never told about what we did after these pictures were taken....
The five of us went to a play, "The Sound of Music". It was so well done, Maria had a beautiful voice. What a treat to take all the girls together! I have loved the movie since I was a very little girl and I watched it with my mom. So fun to experience these thing with my girls.