a little gratitude tornado

• leftover pasta salad
• emma's willingness to work so hard to clean out/organize her room
• well placed punctuation
• friends and family happy to buy bar-b-que chicken plates
• challenging quotes/good reminders

• hoses that easily connect
• scratch n sniff stamps
• sharing a treat with AB Baby
• grandaddy's summer cinema series
• zoe's delight in taking a step

• how capable nick is
• cleaned out and organized pantry
• fruit on the wild blackberry bushes (though the berries be few, they be delicious)
• lunch with friends and minimal clean up (pb&js and watermelon by the pool)
• good song

thankfulness is good for my soul.

• when the house is pretty much as clean and straight as i can get it
• serving icecream soup - and foster care/adoption collaboration
• the life, love, service & smile of lifeline's emily griffin
• birthday card for zoe from momma melinda

• the way community group pitches in to clean up
• surprise capp blast waiting for me at treadstone (and finally realizing that it's CARAMEL that make it just right)
• celebrating the gift of zoe

• nick's cupcake coordinating skillz
• all of my dad's hard work in the yard (and his determination that i WILL have tomato and cucumber plants) 
• the phillips family. Georgia's (and Alabama's!) loss is Washington's great gain!
• aunt amy.  she's just wonderful. 

• aaron and emma's trampoline wrestling presentation
• katie's cookies (and, of course, katie herself)
• MaMa and Papa's visit
• emma got to go fishing with papa

so much wonderful.

• 17 years of marriage! i.love.my.husband.  
• celebrating 17 years with wings
• mother's day full of things i love...cinnamon rolls + coffee, kind cards, car wash gift card, worship, praying with/for other moms, doughnuts, a run, coke and cheese dip, multiple naps in the car, reading, empanadas with my family
• beautiful doughnuts (in conjunction with prayer and coffee)

• being a part of trainings/meetings for ministries and events that are exciting to me
• cheez-its and cherry coke powered cleaning with emma
• zoe's ever increasing standing abilities...and her overall cuteness. 

• emma's courage in getting her shots (what i thought might be terrible was actually rather pleasant)
• how fluent laura lea is at speaking my love language
• when i catch my teenage son being oh-so-awesome.  

• hearing more of linda's and laura's stories
• discovering sea salt caramels in zoe's diaper bag.  my sister is so wonderful. 
• the way ms. linda loves on the little ones in our community group...something about how she was reading to bess was so beautiful 

• caroline's dedication to her school work
• $3 iceskating on thursdays (what a fabulous surprise!)(since it cost so much less than i thought i was able to say yes to the vending machine!! ha)
• iceskating with ship friends and shared-gate friends (both are the best kinds of friends) 

• listening to kids connect, re-connect, reminisce
• how siri helps me spell words like reminisce
• coffee and scones with robin (and the wisdom and conversation...)

He is so kind and so generous.

• emma's awana book...i can't think of anything i'd rather her work on than studying/learning/reading God's word
• meaningful coffee conversations
• His generous grace...

• extra cherries from CFA (a cash is resourceful...:))
• lots of good treadstone time
• "King Jacob's Kingdom.  All hale* King Jacob." (*gotta teach emma bell how to spell that one)

• the bells playing from the church across the street from icey girl and co 
• caroline's willingness to babysit zoe
• sweet sisters in their onesies

• celebrating shelley 
• 3/4's (plus a smidgeon more) of the foster care "upkeep" paperwork is collected/completed
• enjoyable time at the ccc picnic...and random amusing moments

the gifts keep on coming.

• coke with lime and fancy (and tasty) appetizers (i have no idea how to spell hor'derves and don't feel like looking it up)
• being with other mercy shippers
• celebrating God's union of Josh & Katie Young

• things delivered right to the front porch
• greek fries + hummus + tennis + walk around lakebottom = date night
• vanilla frappuccinos that taste just right 

• apologies that come quickly
• 4 incredible cash kids 

• highly recommended plumber who got the job done
• pool water that is turning back to the right color
• a very challenging/inspiring question 

• learning that it's SHAVE ice.  not shaveD ice.  and that the shave ice was BOGO today.  and the friend who taught me to lose the "D" and shared good conversation over the BOGO shave ice. (it still feels a little wrong to say it that way)
• a foot massage from micah (and that he saw a problem: rough feet - and found a solution: lotion!).  i love him...and his mama...and the rest of his family.  

• nick's french toast making abilities...and the way the house smells so good after breakfast has been cooked by someone else :) 
• a week that has gotten progressively better and better
• good reminders/helpful conversation prompts