After a busy weekend with good friends, it's good to return to the normal. To the routine, the everyday. In light of this, here's this weeks's simple list of gratitude from a very simple, inconsequential life...
30. Hope. My old friends from Bethel have struggled with infertility and finally are pregnant. At 21 weeks they discovered their baby has no kidneys, no way to live outside the safety of Kristin's womb- and was supposed to die in utero. And yet, their little one is growing and kicking and
living, much to her doctor's bafflement. She is due in 6 weeks. I weep for her and my other friends who have lost little ones, but I tell her there is hope in Christ, there is always hope. We are praying for a miracle. Their strength through the unknown has been inspirational to us. Our lunch yesterday lingered and turned into dinner as we spoke and prayed. Thank you, Lord, for sweet friendship.
31. A dining room floor that is finally sanded, and hopefully will be stained today. That may seem trivial, but I yearn to return to our family table. To lay out the pieces of silverware and cloth napkins and laugh and talk with no distractions.
32. My best friend waking me up in the morning, making me laugh out loud while the world outside is cold and dark. I can't imagine life without him.
33. Little bows on the feet of Bekah's sleeper.
34. Drawings in every room of the house, done in every medium possible. All with the same simple premise: I love you. My heart smiles every time my glance falls on them.
35. My six-year-old's matter-of-factness.
36. Warm water when most people in the world go without.
37. The birds that visit our feeder, now considered family friends. We get excited when they bring their babies, when they return from the south. Pulling out the bird book, we identify them and when they return day after day we exclaim over them. I never knew that taking the time to help care for the birds would be so satisfying, this "suburb girl" who only knew robins and crows, cardinals- and thought that every brown bird was a sparrow.
38. Learning with my children. Not only about birds, but about everything... They give me clarity of thought like I have never had.
39. Our friend Michelle, who is coming up from Tennessee this week for a visit. The girls (and Stephen) love her and so do we! She is such a hard worker and it's good for her to take a break... and we love to make her laugh, because she has the best sense of humor. Michelle paid us the biggest compliment the last time she stayed here. Nate apologized for all of the noise and chaos, and she said our home was like heaven to her. After dealing with so many families with issues (she's a Christian counselor), she was glad to spend time with a family that was doing things right. Nate was quick to point out that we have our struggles, too... but it reminded me during a busy, flustering time that what we are doing here is a vast improvement on our own childhoods (especially mine!) and that we hope and pray that our children will raise their children even better, so that each generation improves upon it instead of making the same mistakes.
Please visit Ann's site and see a wonderful list of thank you's to bless your day...
