so many food related thankful things. 'tis the season.

• movies and naps and reading and low key days
• christmas waffles with the whites
• 2 sweet girls who are destined to be best friends (zoe and sarah!)

• uncle todd's christmas games
• traci's breakfast casserole 
• games games games on Christmas day (we're especially fond of qwixx)

• "mild He lays His glory by" (it is absolutely amazing that He laid all of heaven's perfection down to come dwell with us...to "move into the neighborhood")
• dave barnes' "december to remember" 
• our marriage, friendship, shared life

• sausage balls from the radney's.  so tasty. 
• eggrolls with amy and pat 
• nick had a bench made for me!!!!

• delicious christmas steak
• walks in the driveway (especially ones with amy)
• the mcmichael's gathered around the table for the second year in a row

• all the food.  all the feasting. 
• basketball goal from the TQs!
• zoe got her second letter from birth mama melinda

thankful things and a bonus explanation

2 hour nap. glorious

quiet time by the Christmas tree

ruth's DELIGHT over the singing cat card from the price's (it's so fun when the perfect card is given!)

• we're waiting IN God, not ON God. - nick 
• jumping on the trampoline with LJ
• traditional "riding around looking at lights" outing (and a stop at ludy's lights!)

• Christmas doesn't have to be complicated
• hot cuppa coffee
• good use for sequins with the sweetest of company in Jacob and AB Baby (wish I could capture the sparkle)

• date night date night date night.  always thankful. 
• sharing a song in the carport. "when we're together, that's my favorite place to be." - sleeping at last's version of the song from Olaf's Frozen Adventure)
• beautiful avett brothers' lyrics (and finding pretty pictures of those lyrics)

• fairy houses and gingerbread houses and sweet friends for Emma to share it all with
• walking up the driveway at night in December (Christmas lights are just lovely)
• Cynthia's gingerbread man gift

Bonus:

a cappuccino blast holding friend's comment made me realize that I may need to explain one of the items from my thankful list a couple of weeks ago - "pick up lines in the pick up line" - no, I'm not being hit on in the pick up line at LJ's school (I did have one guy one time about 15 years ago at a stop light throw a pick up line my way...but that's about it for me and pick up lines for all of time.  I'm not the kind of girl that attracts pick up lines...and I am perfectly happy about that :)), nor am I hitting on anyone in the pick up line at Pineridge.   

I don't feel obligated to explain...but I thought most of you who actually read my blog would enjoy hearing this randomness.  (on that note, if you ever want another item explained, DEFINITELY email me!!!  diannacash@yahoo.com. I'm so happy to share anything and everything.)

"pick up lines from the pick up line" is my amusement - it's a silly gift God has shared with me to make a potentially frustrating chore quite enjoyable.  I have a source (that I will not share) full of hundreds of pick up lines and I pick one or 2 and to share via Marco Polo (messaging app) with a few of my Macro Polo-ing friends.  The lines are ri.di.cu.lous.  

For example, "You've been in my thoughts so much you may need to start paying rent."  or "Are we in a museum? because you are a piece of art."  So good!!!!!  

It's really just a silly silly game that makes me laugh...and I hope it makes the ones who receive them laugh (they say it does).  I know a gal who really loves Jesus and shares "pick up line prayers"...I really love Jesus...but I'm sharing pick up lines instead.  :) 

by the way, cappuccino blast holding friends are simply the best.

adding to the serious business of heaven

• sickness is the exception, not the norm
• long lunch with such a beautiful, trusted friend
• nick's compliments and encouragements
• celebrating this treasure of a girl! 

• lj and aaron's friendship (and pogo sticking)
• having a pogo-stick expert named stacia in my life 
• amy & pat made the trek to celebrate emma
•  CS Lewis quotes that come across instagram

• warm houses, cars, shoes, jackets, socks, etc for the cold-to-us GA weather 
• caroline's offers of help: "just take a nap, i'll watch zoe" - oh that every mama had a caroline
• free cup of coffee from origins
•  teenagers (well, technically a teenager and a 12 1/2 year old) who still build forts

• sandy's cookies - "take homes" are so fun
• when it feels like a purchase is wise
• customer service chats that result in a refund
• incredible podcasts to listen to 

seeking to see things in the most beautifully mindful grace-filled way

• very average size 8 feet...makes finding running shoes at goodwill super easy
• the desk is being used as a desk!
• these sweet kitties

• gas rewards # (i don't know how to access the rewards - yet - ...but at least i have a number that works and the rewards are accumulating!)
• when i get to have a "job" at church parties.  restocking the epic pancake toppings tables was perfect.
• eli. just eli. 

• mid morning nap
• brio, clubhouse and citizen magazines for the cash kids
• her plan included us

• 2 minute clean ups
• scissors in the glovebox of the car (quite possibly in the top 10 best decisions i've ever made) 
• sinterklaas! (even if i almost missed it)

• "the chute" is alive and well
• being able to have pictures printed at cvs 
• the way caroline sees and captures beauty

• flowers, a note and a lit candle from nick (and the 187 times a day they remind me of his great love for and care of me)
• court's willingness to grieve for others
• lovely quotes

• pick up lines in the pick up line
• someone to sit with on the struggle bus
• the life, leadership and legacy of George HW Bush. 

the first of many, i hope

Early in November, I received a letter in the mail from Zoe's birth mama.  On the back it said "Don't open till Thanksgiving."  I'm not sure I've ever looked forward to Thanksgiving so much!  Thankfully Thanksgiving was early this year, so the wait wasn't as long as it could've been!

The fourth Thursday of November finally arrived...Zoe was quite oblivious to the gift that was waiting on her to wake up!

The envelope had a letter for me, a letter for Nick and a letter and picture for Zoe.  Never have I ever received such a meaningful gift on Thanksgiving (and the gift was only partially for me...and that made it all the more beautiful!).

All of this almost feels too sacred to share...but it's evidence of God's continual faithfulness in Zoe's life, in her birth mama's life and in our life.  It truly is our desire to be in relationship with Zoe's birth mama.  What is that going to look like?  We really don't know - we've never done this before and neither has she!  But we do know that God is with us and in this - and we will follow as He leads us on this journey of being an adoptive family, all we need to do is keep holding on to His hand.  Faithful He has been, faithful He will be.   

It thrills us that Zoe's birth mama took the time to write not only to Zoe, but also to us!  I sure hope this letter is the first of many...I can picture Zoe sitting with these letters through the years - as a child, as a teenager, as an adult - treasuring each one...soaking up the love that her birth mama has for her...tangible reminders that her life has been, is and will always be treasured.

Now to find just the right box to put these priceless letters in...

Surely there will be more to come.