oh the gifts.

• 2 more sleeps until SSI
• "i couldn't find a book that speaks to me." (she meant the wonder books...i thought she was going really deep on me.) 
• a day when kids are outside 97% of the time! in the pool...in the pond...helping clean cars...

• Camp Empower DREAM TEAM. seriously.  
• summer reading program!  so easy!  so fun! so free! (you don't even have to give book titles anymore)
• beth's artwork continues to show up and be helpful in so many way 

• caroline is off on her colorado adventure
• time and space to get all the things done this week (amazingly peacefully)
• the way jupiter was sleeping

• picnics by the pond
• boots lost in the pond are replaceable (and in fact have already been replaced. yay goodwill)
• zoe's care of jo's turtle (he ate...he rested...he did school work...)

• the new kids' section at goodwill - so nice and bright and organized!  good use of that space (way better than bars that fail)
• hour of SUPER productive errand running (and treat getting)
• just how much she loves holding babies!!

• the way logan and eli responded when i asked them about which one is the better bowler
• continued friendship with remarkable people
• good stuff: 

• wedding vowels (and consonants)
• opinions of people do not rule or reign. other's thoughts do not define me...or the people i love. 
• the best dr. pepper i've had in a while. 

tiny but mighty

• pause app - day 13, morning 
• eli's service and help 
• beauty on mountainbrook

• sweet little girl eating mac n cheese, fruit and double fisting it with cookies in the middle of her infusion
• chocolate chess pies, tasty pizza, good conversation around the table at Chappel Falls.
• these 4 cool cookie loving kids

• chicken salad chick 2 days in a row!
• pool service is already helping!
• the time eli and zoe have gotten together this week

• treat tuesday (CFA milkshake), wednesday (starbucks caramel ribbon crunch frappucino) and thursday (new pens)!
• laughter. it is such a gift. 
• living that convertible life

• kind, timely, encouraging words about jeeah's hope
• hearing/seeing wonderful things the Lord is doing at Souled Out! 
• easy yes's - continued generosity towards jeeah's hope from a variety of sources. 

so many good things

• time on the porch reading 
• pause app "experience jesus"
• b-last from the past (posing as characters from a movie we've never seen...to play a kickball game!)

• cash family water balloon wiffleball 
• just right iced coffee and a good choice for a rainy afternoon
• eli's dessert creation for zoe

• psalm 91 (and the anna golden song)
• anna...tre...yaya...bringing the smiles to emma
• few hours at chewacla state park

• emma's wisdom teeth removal went well...recovery is getting better and better....
• all the things for camp empower keep coming together
• nick made me a plate of all the cinnamon roll centers (and he remembered my "more/less" list from the beginning of the year!)

• multiple naps this week
• good fiction books to read
• runs and a walk with caroline

toasts and apps and friends and birthdays

• pause app "experience Jesus" 
• sweet wedding for Eli & Naomi 
• eli's toast! such a good best man :) 

• tasty lasagna and new members at CityScape
• iced coffee and way better than expected orange scone on the porch 
• most of the waffle friday crowd celebrating molly's newly established mother-in-law status

• made it to tuesday at noon...little more breathing room 
• zoe is so 7
• cookie cake!!

• fun cityscape kids kick off summer event....so many meaningful conversations
• every time my dad calls 
• gardenia bush FULL of buds and blooms

• easy dentist appointment
• bubble bath monster
• iceskating birthday party for these 2 (i love that they share a birthday...and logan, too)

• family freeze tag ended well (lost a little cookie cake...but that's ok)
• whatever my eye had going on went away
• fun chalkboard sign (making the most of that borrow!)

• beautiful breathe event
• bible verse bracelets
• fabulous friends gathered at my favorite table.

life giving moments and gifts

• easy cottage guests and turnovers
• celebrating 23 years of being married to nick! i love my husband so much. 
• butter chicken!  indian restaurant with all the fun vibes. (not sure anything will ever top shamiana in benin...but we'll keep trying) and the best person to share it with.

• caroline made her flight!
• she's ropes course certified
• good stuff: 

• eli has had a good week in houston! (can't wait to hear about it!)
• laughing at seinfeld and hearing nick and emma laughing at it
• buttermilk pie (and driving all the way to byron to exchange half for papa's fried chicken...but then lane didn't show up)(just kidding)(and i hope he was kidding)

• bouquet making at cityscape for mother's day!
• that i get to be eli, caroline, emma and zoe's mom. unbelievable. 
• getting to use beth's art for the tags

• having eli and logan and friends here
• the way they came in from a very busy (and early!) day at impact and proceeded to take time by themselves to spend time with the Lord
• charcuterie on a stick and lovely flowers (both thanks to logan!)

• all of tuesday worked out (even though 4 trips to ccs were involved)
• encouraging emails from amy's end of semester reviews
• so much love and friendship in one picture.

• folks accepted jesus at cityscape on sunday!!!
• teamwork making the dreamwork for pretty much everything....specifically for the rehearsal dinner
• the robertsons.  grateful for ALL the ways they love and serve...and their willingness to go where the Lord is sending them

sad to say i still haven't figured out how to add an email subscription button to the blog...i'm not giving up....just need someone who knows alot more about coding than i do. 

noticing the abundance in my life...just as a little treat.

• jesus and satan are not equal opposites. not even close.  
• delightful walk in the woods sunday afternoon

• getting to hold things with folks and pray specifically
• arnold is sounding like a cash:

• God is at work in every situation. every single one. 
• most precious daisies delivered by a beautiful friend in a just right vase

• lots of swimming! 
• getting to meet baby lizzie!!  (zoe is actually happy about it....)

• beth's kindness to create the mother's day tags for cityscape
• eli is home!  love it when they get out the legos (almost as good as getting out the trains)

• fun times dance times playlist
• cute sweet things:

• how good the yard looks after nick mows
• forgotten flowers that bloom so incredibly

• mr. wright's continued kindness and generosity (fly stuff)
• piper perry!!!!  

• celebrating shelley
• picturesque moments

• getting to wear a sweatshirt in may
• sweet sisters on a delightful quilt on an incredible day

• closer than i've been in a while to having a working "subscribe" button on the blog
• shared cinnamon roll and a just right cup of coffee at CHOA

God's abundance is ours...a few more examples....

• suzanne and lex getting to meet. love connecting incredible people.
• yup. this: 

• rich mullins + button box + zoe in cute pjs = delightful thursday morning
• starting the book of James at CityScape. timely word. 

• camp empower is FULL for campers (trusting God to bring the buddies!)
• kids serving and scrubbing

• having a good book to read (in this case, atonement child)
• the frogs and turtles this week (this is shelly)

• when people could easily be front and center and they choose to be back and left. 
• mercy med gala.  really fun time. 

• an hour and a half of self-care that pretty much turned everything around.  thank you, jesus. 
• convertible driving with 3 really great kids (and a frog and a baby doll)

• anytime any of my kids share anything with me
• the ways the moms (specifically waffle friday moms) love on the kids...no matter which one...my community is ridiculously wonderful (thought about doing a whole post just on that....maybe sometime soon)

• nick's all around awesomeness. he's wonderful. truly. 
• just right baby shower

• zoe worked hard, saved her money and the bunny (toy) was HALF the price when she went to buy it!
• these 3 waiting on the bunny to have her babies. this was very serious business (i got shushed and sent to the porch)

• icees at sam's - 3 treats for less than $3. i like it. 
• zoe's excitement about previously mentioned bunny's arrival.  

• 2 new (not toy) babies in our world!  safe arrivals for tex and lizzie!
• such a good reminder: