how good is this?!

• peaceful easy travels
• watching/laughing with nick re: ted lasso
• beautiful day to walk around san francisco

• pretty decent sleep on the plane
• beautiful day to walk around sydney
• 2 sisters making shade for the littlest tiredest one

• it's so easy to be with dave and justine!
• "the expectation of Christmas is Jesus."
• beautiful birds eating the beautiful pink blossom

• Jesus has been a true friend.
• delicious breakfast made in the tiny kitchen in surrey hills, sydney
• sitting on the porch

• "z" (zed) eggs for zoe
• the way the forrests interact with zoe
• incredible views (the girls and the landscape!)

• logan's package was delivered to the neighbor's (glad it's found!)
• caroline's living situation for next year is sorted
• crawling through a cave to get to this view

• the earth is full of his unfailing love. -psalm 33:5
• easy to use icetrays!
• the incredible views just keep coming (above and below the water!)

• how easy it is to be at the forrest's
• "let every loss and every delight send your heart a-homing after heaven." - john piper
• skyjo on the back porch

• sourdough + jam
• God I'm Just Grateful
  
• the way the rows of trees are lined up in the field

• sitting in the sun (lizarding)
• the words about "walking in knowing herself and her wants/needs."
• all the laughter (hamish and andy...nate bargatze)

 

oh the things!

• plenty of treats and fruit and cheese for the musical reception!
• such a taste snickerdoodle

• we're going to australia tomorrow!!! 
• emma is 16!

• caroline, eli and logan are all hoooooome
• really great group of teenagers celebrating emma

• really great travel snacks!!
• the most important bag is officially packed (and others are almost packed)

• when the longshot walks work out!
• zoe's love for the nativity

• having SUCH a thoughtful and generous friend
• CFA...our new favorite school spot

• lovely and thoughtful gifts from MIC ladies...such a sweet lunch...with unexplainable tears. 
• "i just want to spend money on her." - jacob

being thankful for what is given

• good steak.good date. 
• getting to hear familiar trusted voices Wonderful Counselor

• 2 days in a row walking with LLcoolJM
• seeking to be thankful for what is given

• cheddar bay biscuit mix (and subsequent biscuits!)
• morning light breaking through (yay for pre-8:00 service walmart pick up saving the baby dedication gifts)

• soups & salads at community group
• christmas PJs! 

• hearing more of david and karina's life story 
• discovering new depths in the most ordinary things

• zoe singing "i will make room..."
• fun questions: 

• "may God be pleased to sweeten and deepen your adoring of Jesus this Advent." 
• sweet little advent devotional book

• delightful conversation with good questions asked and answered...and cucumber sandwiches!
• moments captured

• got the sam's run done
• sweet game of ultimate saturday afternoon & sweet friends to enjoy it with

• LANE. ALL of the ways he quietly loves and serves...especially thankful for all he did to make thanksgiving peaceful and easy.  reminds me so much of Jesus.  

full and giving thanks

• the stars at the cabin 
• the way jacob was so amazed by emma's magic tricks! 

• nicole got me vanilla creamer!
• getting to celebrate this incredible sister of mine. i love how she loves and how she lives. 

• wild and crazy golf cart rides
• bacon on the blackstone.  what a way to start the day.

• we're not where we were last year on thanksgiving night
• egg carton that reminds me of a lovely friend

• cherry coke and ice most anytime i want it
• the most precious sisters

• walks
• shots of the sky from multiple places 

• warm fire and christmas vacation playing
• sweet moments at CFA...loved getting to celebrate james (secret is out!)

• how the projector and screen outside makes bedtime so much easier
• boys (and zoe) at the table!  (loved all the ways these guys shared life with one another and with Jesus at DNOW)

• pretty easy internet access
• practicing being like brother lawrence

• delicious food, beautiful day...so grateful that thanksgiving is so enjoyable...and i don't remember it ever not being enjoyable
• thank you from clement arts that fits just right

cultivating gratefulness

• midtree's hospitality
• midland CFA's generosity 
• beautiful night of worship & prayer on behalf of fostering & adoptive families

• friends who show up
• david's pictures
• lisa's incredible heart and amazing talent

• more birthday blessings! (specifically a BR giftcard!)
• the (almost perfect) ease of CS staff christmas card picture taking
• zoe's "zoe-ness"

• emma passed her driver's ed test!! 
• hearing such good news from a friend (let's go class 21!)
• caroline's love of UGA football

• knowing God sees and knows it all - He knows! He's got good plans! 
• being reminded of a favorite song -- sit with you a while
• caroline's cuteness

• the finn's kindness to host us saturday afternoon
• the good and the beautiful movement videos (really most all of their videos!)
• the moment i planned for - a cup of coffee & an amy taylor scone at the engagement party

• not wanting date night to be over. love getting to spend time with nick.
• more outdoor lights!  it creates such a sweet space at the hammock/picnic table
• the prayer cards turned out just right!

• eli and logan found each other...in every sense of the words
• being thought of in italy...and getting biscotti as a result
• the way she went down on her knees...it was just so beautiful

• anna's perfect sign!
• really good sunday afternoon nap (with a football game on and everything!)
• celebrating that we are getting another cash!

thankful things.

• amazing bacon, egg & cheese croissant (and pretty decent coffee) with beth
• "awaken my heart. expand my mind. shape my identity." - lectio
• nick and his most fabulous helper got the christmas lights up on the fence!

• nick got the UGA game situation figured out (yay for sling)(boo for other streaming services that we pay for not allowing us to watch the game!)
• ...you are being built into a dwelling place for God...ephesians 2:22..."welcome home"
• FALL. i love it. 

• moments by the fire
• "please help and please make it better."  
• incredibly blue skies. warm sunshine on a cool day. friends and playgrounds and possible airplane sightings.

• spaghetti outside
• "i listen carefully to what God the Lord is saying...He speaks peace...." psalm 85:8
• zoe knows how to draw stars!!!!

• watching the greatest showman
• "serve God with whole hearted devotion and with a willing mind...be strong and do the work." 1 chronicles 28:9-10
• sweet monday hike (little chilly!!)

• cinnamon roll delivery!!
• lunch with karina
• when all the things come together/get done (so far they always have)

counting those blessings.

• andrew peterson's "a liturgy, a legacy and the songs of rich mullins"
• most delightful picnic in the front yard wednesday

• extra hour of sleep!
• zoe + sarah sweetly playing for lots of hours this weekend
• good stuff: 

• lowkey pretty quiet weekend
• more good stuff: 

• chili and community at yaya's
• candy & costumes with friends (and giant colorful halloween unicorns)

sweet sunday afternoon 

2 cute bucees

• a really wonderful birthday (and a significant lack of pictures!)
• she pulled her own tooth (i am seriously thankful for that)

• meetings on the porch (such beautiful weather)
• sweet day at choa with katie & emma