He never stops giving good gifts.

• so.much.laughter with friday friends (who are actually every day of the week friends)
• super tasty pretzels from aldi
• lovely truth shared by a friend

• molly completed her hours.  way to go!!!!
• fun new swiffer mop thing (+ fabulosa cleaner)
• ping pong (ish) in the kitchen with zoe

• yaya's help with hoco dresses
• MIC lunch...good to catch up
• catching up on miranda hart 

• being married to the most incredible man
• meeting Sarah from Hope Foster Care
• celebrating 24 years of kissing aforementioned man

• emma's first practice with aces (encouraging coach!)
• JH Board...easy to work with
• running with caroline/zoe riding her bike on the riverwalk

• getting to see/walk through lauren's garden!
• really good staff meeting
• Mr. Brad's willingness to take a look at emma's door (so many helpful people!)

big things and little things. so many thankful things.

• "God is providing for His bride!" - jmo
• such beautiful skies...

• treat tuesday just keeps happening!
• zoe's kitchen in the backyard sunday

• incredibly amazing wonderful gift of a house cleaning (i may ask for this for every birthday, christmas, mother's day from here on out!)
• pretty pretty tiles in the mexican restaurant bathroom in lagrange

• people in my life who smile big and live with joy 
• christal...she's just lovely.  grateful for the way she loves me and interacts with zoe

• wifi came back on, icemaker got replaced, pool pump got fixed, window got ordered
• wouldn't mind this at all (especially if it also came with a coke):

• God is the lifter of my head. Psalm 3 
• a new cover for my bible! (fabric wax stamped and dyed in guinea!)

• sweet kiddos swimming in their clothes in October
• Big Floppy the Frog. A life well lived. 

• Rejoice in God's available presence. 
• Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

always gifts...just gotta look for them.

• unexpected opportunities to sleep in a bit  
• icemaker is under warranty (and there's no gas leak and no water leak and i think i found the issue with the pool pump!)
• just right words from "written to speak" today

• ice + cherry coke (so grateful every time!)
• fun snacks and treats from nick
• jackpot on the grape flavored fruit snacks

• new to me song at ACC..."hold on to hope...sing hallelujah...gather your strength"...
• yaya + shane's + lunch delivery
• jacob & james found peter's lego guy!

• "anchor my thoughts to the love of God." - soul space
• house full of great kids on monday
• funny things: 

• when zoe plays independently (and hearing her interact with "tina" her new (imaginary) friend)
• candace's chili!!
• butterfly bouquets and thinking of my mom...5 years of healthy and whole in heaven!

• SUCH a great weekend with Caroline in birmingham!
• kathleen's kindness and hospitality
• 3 sisters all together.  they're so pretty. 

• getting to see campus through caroline's eyes/experiences so far (classrooms and work study and chi o house)
• trader joe's treats
• the way she does what caroline does ;)

whole lotta treats

• opelika lunch with beth
• getting to talk to eli all the way to lagrange
•  volleyball chocolate (some people have swimming chocolate...)

• surprise biscotti 
• jimbob's with emma 
• unicorn icecream 

• gas for 2.49 (feels like a steal of a deal) ;)
• kasey's call  
• getting to see her play

• meaningful conversations over coffee
• amazingly uncommon and super helpful generosity
• the littlest sister drawing a picture for the biggest sister at the middlest sister's game

• kj's timing 
• anytime a customer service person is kind
• swing full of sweet girls

• "be invested, child, in simple obedience to your King and in long faithfulness to His call, shepherding daily those gifts and tasks and relationships he has entrusted to you, regardless of outcomes and appearances." - EMH
• Thank You So Much Jesus  good song. 
  
• pumpkin scones (ask and you shall receive :))

glimmers of eternity

• more margin and breathing room 
• she got the one she wanted!  AND (more importantly) she trusted God every step of the way!)

• cupcakes...and spoonfuls of icing
• prayer prompts - candle (meegan), bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils (beth), flowers (fields of grace)

• "will CFA before school help?"  "yes" (and the gift card to cover it)
• this: 

• flannel shirts
• such loveliness...Zoe...the chalk drawings...the weather...the time together on the porch....

• treat tuesday is officially a thing
• THE BEST starbucks I've ever had at a volleyball game

• hearing about/reading the wisdom, kindness, prayers & love Emma's friends are sharing with her
• getting to work on school

• sharing sacred moments with people i love 
• classic Jonathan & Lisa (and the conversation with Emma that prompted me to find this song)

• when people send pictures of my kids doing cool things
• thankful for how nick has curated our music through the years...and our photos. 

• it's looking like fall...and the leaves that are fun to play in....
• looking for glimmers of eternity (another name for my thankful list)

• walking in the driveway with such lovely humans
• just right 1/2 of a cinnamon roll & coffee Saturday morning

• "center me. settle me. gentle me." 
• wise words/peaceful prayer:

• buffalo chicken dip hot and fresh out of molly's kitchen!
• the chair is cleared off (yay for clothes finally getting put away)

• randy's kind words to Emma...thankful for how he SAW her
• kiddos doing BRAVE things. 

so much to be thankful for.

• first UGA game of the season (love it. love it.)
• ms. sherry's thoughts on sight words
• so much went well for the So Long Summer event!!
• the delight and wonder of fireworks

• the prayers and presence of the people....so many people
• that gracie noticed zoe on the slip n slide and came to join her
• hearing about nick's trip to that one country
• harris county high marching band....especially when they started with "eye of the tiger" 

• no concerning spots
• walking out of an appointment one minute after the time it was actually scheduled for (arriving early paid off!)
• "identity comes before behavior." - corey johnston
• sweet sisters snoozing in the sunroom...wearing their UGA shirts

• emma had a wonderful time on the TA retreat!
• donuts + coffee + cityscape sunday mornings
• the fun caroline is having with rush
• this:

• eli and friends here for the weekend
• making do with the food we have in the freezer and fridge
• hands & hope mail/membership 
• the cups came together just right! (and melissa's totes fit them all perfectly!)

• driving up and seeing laura lea's car already in the parking lot
• getting to talk to nick for such a long time tuesday morning
• big dan and sherry planting the gardenias (what would've taken me way too longer took them about 11 minutes)
• this little one and her deer

• "Holy Spirit, wake me up to your constant presence and prune my priorities so i can go further in prayer-fueled mission." - lectio365
• incredibly beautiful clement arts dinner...such significant stories shared! 
• table full of fabulous folks to share the event with
• we made it to September 2 

• some more fall-like weather
• maple mart for the spree win
• emma trimmed my hair for me
• finally figured out the parent pass situation

i'm funny...and jesus loves me.

• peaceful week (doing things ahead of time really works for me!) 
• this: 

• celebrating my dad's 80th birthday! (i managed to get zero pictures)
• the sweetest ladybug teaset from betsy

• all went well with the airbnb in birmingham
• mini sabbath moment thanks to molly having zoe and hannah's giftcard

• jenine's willingness to bring emma home
• sweet time at Front Door (plenty o' new covenant members at cityscape!)
• this one big brother seeing his little sister and drawing with chalk with her

• the intentional devotional samford gave to us to share
• the ease and efficiency of moving caroline in
• caroline and mr. beeson

• beef jerky from yaya
• our own personal I.T. guy for caroline's move in - isaac (also a freshman at samford), eli's roommate from impact!

• doughnuts and coffee on the porch 
• the paparazzi (and incredible family)

• popcorn at volleyball games
• she's doing it!  and she's doing great! 

• how logan just fits right in
• emma's loveliness (and great friends and visit from youth leaders and doughnuts at school)

• hearing emma laugh on the phone with friends
• good verse:

• benjie was able to fix eli's bike
• our God is so artistic

• mail from nick
• sweet day with zoe (even though it really didn't go as planned)

• free slice of strawberry cake at whistling pig
• riding around callaway

• mrs. keller's joy, energy and enthusiasm during her morning parking lot duties
• truth! 

• emma talking to the lukes
• things that make me smile: