06 March 2025

good week. good gifts.

  • having 4 cash kids at the table friday night 
  • pretty pretty cello song
  • celebrating david, karina and soon-to-be here Baby Tex
  • sausage biscuit secretly slipped into my hands
  • hearing zoe singing the books of the bible song (and ain't no grave....that was something else!)
  • saturday soccer with friends
  • threats against the christians in india were "called off" (hallelujah!!)
  • time at barbara's with MIC friends
  • just right time in the yard saturday afternoon
  • pink boxes of doughnuts! (a "leerssen dozen" is something special!)
  • nick's back on staff at cityscape! 
  • beth's beautiful artwork (and finding downloads that i missed!)

  • sacred time at the mexican restaurant in opelika
  • getting the details for this month's breathe figured out 
  • sweet moments and shenanigans on the riverwalk


  • samara got to go home!  she's all better! 
  • eli's having a great week in new york
  • a day with 2 playgrounds AND icecream (AND success getting our business license renewed)(no tears this year!!!!)
  • successful surgeries for jacob and tasha
  • talking with ann marie sunday afternoon. so refreshing. so grateful for ongoing friendship with ship friends.
  • zoe's cozy spot
  • remembering how much i enjoy vivaldi's "spring"
  • putting mail in the mailbox
  • our chalk project
  • song of the week: My Father Has It
  • feels like finding treasure anytime we go to the library
  • good stuff in the soul space IG account
  • moving at His pace and in His rhythms
  • conversation with nick at carrabbas
  • double date with the kaos

27 February 2025

thanking God for the goodness evident in my reality this week

  • celebrating cityscape's 3rd anniversary
  • lauren's help getting the cake! 
  • the way soooo many people served so willingly

  • pumpkin scones in february (and the precious hands that prepared them and shared them!)
  • "unfetter me from thinking too much about what i'm not by showing me more of You and who i am in You." - from a prayer for more freedom
  • pretty chalk on a pretty day with a pretty girl
  • sweet trip to macon to see laura lane's basketball game - good for my soul to have time with my dad and brother and niece
  • wonderful conversation/time with emma on the way home
  • all the things in this picture that make zoe zoe - glittery shoes, unicorn pants & dress, scarf "hair", puppy dog strapped to the front of the bike, joyful heart happily riding her bike in the driveway
  • so much soccer with zoe
  • beautiful weather
  • most delightful sunset on a most delightful porch at AWF
  • delicious food, meaningful time at the table 2 nights in a row
  • "lucky crunch snack mix" from aldi
  • found some shoes at VRM! (and getting a copy of jesus calling for free -- "jesus is free...you don't have to pay for jesus!")
  • sleeping in past 10 on a wednesday
  • eli's excellent emails 
  • special night at Breathe
  • a surgery that went well 
  • dylan was able to walk away untouched/unhurt
  • good stuff in the bottom of the 3rd building
  • caroline came home for a few hours!
  • ALL of emma's help this week with zoe and chores around the house
  • "equip me to live for the glory and praise of God alone." - lectio

20 February 2025

folks all over the place...gifts everywhere.

  • ballet magnificat friday night.  SO God honoring. 
  • Eli + Logan had a great weekend with friends in Greenville

  • SUCH a sweet saturday for me. 
  • Nick + Zoe had a great weekend in Florida...got to see Caroline in her 1st 1/2 Marathon!

  • celebrating rhonda the honda's milestone saturday night with melissa
  • Caroline had a great time at the beach with friends (and zoe! and nick!)
  • the pilot and trailer made it back (way to go lexi!!!)
  • Emma had a great time on the CityScape youth retreat in Tennessee
  • "fill me afresh and help me draw from your deep well of love." - lectio365
  • getting creative with the sight words...gotta work for that ipad time. 
  • mercy med's worship night...how marvelous, how wonderful is my savior's love for me! 
  • super proud of my sister moment
  • Joshua & Taylor's wedding.  so sweet and lovely and enjoyable.
  • carpooling with team marquez. 5 star uber experience. 
  • baby's breath for emma 
  • thank you note (essay) is in the mail
  • fresh pressed fruit juice from ride on bikes
  • funny things:
  • the best chocolate box contents - lemon pepper boneless wings!
  • the best valentine EVER. he's so wonderful. 
  • daffodils!

13 February 2025

grace upon grace...gift upon gift....

  • taking slippers on vacation (why did it take me so long to figure that one out?!)
  • the little bit of arabic i learned 20+ years ago is still there! (fun to get to use it)
  • message saying emma's brain is normal!
  • pour over news source (and realizing in my willingness to share it/refer it to others how very much i enjoy it/believe in it)
  • an absolutely incredible husband. specifically thankful for his willingness to take care of all the things (including cooking dinner for friends and cleaning the cottage and schooling zoe) so that i could spend the day at CHOA
  • something about the bricks is beautiful
  • conversation starters for melissa 
  • seeing the folkers and hearing all the Lord is up to in their lives. #shipfriends
  • snapple top facts ("screeched" is one of the longest one syllable words)
  • some people are called across the world or country or street...some people are called across the hall or the bed...
  • emma kump's enthusiasm and enjoyment of all the things
  • just right afternoon tea party 
  • date night carraba's and doughnuts
  • getting to hold stuff with folks. it's a gift and an honor. 
  • waffle friday crew all together
  • ballet magnifcat ticket 
  • continuous conversation with christal (over chicken wings)
  • daffodils in my window sill...and in the  yard...and about to bloom....

  • the pour over sweatshirt is coming!
  • pre-ordering tanner's book
  • the ache and longing for all to be well...no more tears...no more sorrow...no more brokeness.  when we all get to heaven...what a day of rejoicing that will be. 

06 February 2025

tune my heart to sing Your grace

  • auntie anne's pretzels
  • recharging batteries...literally and figuratively
  • seeing signs that remind me of ship friends
  • bag full of fun things for zoe from LL cool JM
  • boneless wings (thanks for the wednesdays in feburary deal, shane's!!)
  • these 2...and that she brought her tiny tea cup with her
  • easy peasy follow up MRI for emma (no results yet...but not anticipating a thing)
  • eli called on his way to class
  • most caramel drizzle EVER on a capp blast (and they let me combine my little punch cards so it was FREE!)
  • putting christmas candy to good use
  • voice memos from caroline
  • when doing school doesn't feel like school
  • "i open my heart and my soul to Your joy.  i receive YOUR joy. fill me with Your joy." 
  • thinking about my "Hall of Faith" - so many who have invested in me.  "all my life You have been faithful..." - and so much of His faithfulness has come through ordinary men and women who were living their lives unto the Lord. 
  • beth's generosity with her talents & creations...it's making loving our neighbors extra easy
  • God's provision for Clement Arts...people, finances, resources.
  • petits fours (looked up that spelling and plurization) and coffee and friendship and celebrating a precious upcoming marriage
  • mountain brook. always good. 
  • emma had a fantastic time at sharptop
  • "thank you. help. amen." - tanner olson
  • getting to watch caroline multiple times in the step sing performance

30 January 2025

in unchronological order. lufknaht.

  • walks on the beach (especially when getting donuts is involved) 
  • pizza on/at the beach with this guy. 
  • sleeping in...and quiet times that last as long as we want them to
  • beautiful sunsets...and cats on the beach
  • real white noise pretty much straight 3 days (waves)
  • the most wonderful and refreshing few days with nick. 
  • zoe was so peaceful when we left and is having a great time with yaya
  • tasty car snacks (this is a phenomenal combination)
  • God's kindness and mercy and timing...even in death
  • beth's artwork on display in the cottage (though i may need to use some bigger pieces)
  • connecting and hearing hearts
  • such a special breathe....i love it when lauren leads
  • successful front door at CityScape
  • Truth in the pause app
  • time with the sussenbachs
  • soup!  nick and i made soup!
  • jess ray's/mission house "Family Nights, Vol. 1 and 2"
  • getting to watch the livestream of stepsing!