He knows my love language.

• "we need to respond to God." - phil, the square church
• 2 dads on bikes pulling kids in trailers listening to remix to ignition as they drove past the house at the beach
• caroline and zoe's matchiness

• coconut shrimp.  officially my favorite kind of shrimp. 
• things to look forward to (namely josh and katie coming to visit and a semi-unexpected, quick trip to athens) 
• genuine smiles and laughs from these 2 sisters in the pool

• super nice cottage guests
• the kittens at yaya and grandaddy's!! 
• caroline's help in potty training zoe.  :) 

• being given something that i was fully expecting to pay for.  gifts really are my love language. 
• an easy to recommend pressure washer (seriously, if you need anything pressured washed, this is your guy!!)

• walking with lauren...it's always so refreshing. 
• beautiful morning, sweet company, amazing weather, favorite mug,  favorite plate, AMAZING coffee (thanks to grandaddy), a shared english muffin and a freshly pressure washed porch

• emma's enjoyment of the glass pens and ink
• so much fun on the ocean mat (pool mat?!) a million dollar idea just waiting for someone to take it on shark tank (or whatever that one TV show is called...)

• nick is home! 
• eli is back on the schedule at CFA 

thankful list...beach edition

• sleeping in the car on the way to the beach
• knowing our house/cottage/cats/pool is in the capable hands of carey
• screened in porch with rocking chairs, a swing and an ocean view

• "God is madly in love with you."  Good Grace
• "do you have a 1/4 of an 1/8 of a sandwich in your pocket?" - nick
• lecrae has alot of wisdom (this is just a tiny sample)

• bike ride in the rain (and caroline's very proper turn signals)
• yaya's helpfulness and willingness to save the day when i didn't block off a date quite right on the airbnb app
• early morning walks (and the slay's generosity in loaning us their stroller) 

• "jam up and jelly tight." -lane
• The sonny’s delight brought to me in the ocean (and the loveliest sister that brought it)
• cuts that heal
• creative hiding places (and games! live action battleship...pitch black hide-n-seek...)

• family kickball on the beach
• eating meals outside
• coming in to do the dishes only to find someone beat me to it.
• shared snacks and sunscreen...and plenty of folks willing to bring refills of ice
• this one's wisdom (i loved getting to hear his conversation with uncle lane)

• baby monitor that reaches to the beach (and a house that is just that close to beach!)
• lane's enjoyment of hitch (i love to hear him laugh)
• “may we keep moving towards not limiting You.“ - jeri stewart in the zoom prayer call 
• fun times on the ocean mat (and the million dollar idea...it could be big)

• "home to me" 
• molly's quick response and willingness to run a trashbag down the road
• zoe's cuteness (there were way too many pictures to choose from)

thankful for Truth (and other things)

• "thank you, God, for that inclusion." - d. martin, zoom prayer call 
• "what you say about yourself means nothing...it's what God says about you that makes the difference." 2 Corinthians 10:18
• the investments that others make into my children
• super thoughtful cottage guests!

• "he looked at the wafer, asking God to satiate him with that little bit of Jesus..." - brother thomas, the mermaid chair
• the way the prayer course connected "deliver us from evil" to spiritual warfare 
• "filled with God's power, filled with God's Spirit of justice and strength..." Micah 3:8
• "I am the Lord who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness..." Jeremiah 9:24
• this. 

• "i felt amazed at the choosing one had to do, over and over, a million times daily - choosing love - then choosing it again, how loving and being in love could be so different." -jessie, the mermaid chair 
• a husband who chooses to love me again and again 
• silly things that make me laugh

• "everything comes from you, all we're doing is giving back what we've been given from your generous hand." 1 Chronicles 29:15
• finally truly entering into the world of harry potter via the books...and loving it. 
• free doughnut at krispy kreme in honor of National Doughnut Week (there's still time! "any day. any doughnut free. June 1-5)

He fills my life with good things

• another week with amy here!
• sweet treat and time on the river walk with my favorite sister
• found the mural (and pondered all things murinal)

• all things t-train went well...(especially thankful for her enjoyment of nick and nick's enjoyment of her!  and amy's investments into her)
• anytime anyone shows up with golden doughnuts.
• it's not necessarily the right size or font or color...but it's still what i want to be permanently reminded of

• katie's ridiculously kind words in her marco polo
• the grace to "take a minute"
• birthday package for zoe from mama melinda

• macy cardwell's song "A Thousand Times"
• patrice and andrea's willingness to let me ask them questions about what being an anti-racist really looks like/what it can look like for me
• can we please refuse to make room for hate? 

• lane was here for the weekend!  (his enjoyment of afternoon coffee lines right up with mine)
• when i ask/tell siri to "play good worship music", she does!!!
• cousins making homemade nerds' ropes...

so many gifts every.single.week.

• emma's excitement about laura lane coming to visit
• play kitchen for zoe's birthday (and how God is so kind and generous to provide!)
• caroline's willingness to paint aforementioned kitchen

• delicious meal from molly (what an amazing friend)
• sweet potato chips
• psalm 33:20-22

• our return address stamp!
• a husband who gives me breaks and encourages me to go do something refreshing (he should write a book about caring well for your wife)
• i asked for a bench in the shade...God gave a bench with a table in the shade - even better than i asked for! such a sweet spot for reading and writing and watching ducks.

• having amy here for nearly a week....and how capable and smart and courageous and kind she is (AND the fact that she's back!)
• trip to aldi with amy's debit card :)
• good stuff:

• the way zoe says "hi, Eli" when he walks through the room
• my first official swim of the season
• sweet sisters

• "i understand the weight of my cute stickers." -acc
• sweet little one's belly laugh
• celebrating zoe's 2nd birthday (maybe there will be a whole blog with lots more pictures...or at least some IG posts...)

• sally's willingness to make strawberry cupcakes
• talking with teenagers -- and specifically "quack, quack your opinion's whack."  and "splish splash, your opinion's trash." 
• flip flops that protect my feet from all the stickers (and a daughter who pointed it out)

• eli's offer to go do something together
• sleep. it's a gift.
• best chute yet

so much.

• rebecca's teaching ability (though heart and soul gets so terribly stuck in my head)
• sisters playing sweet music together (and laughing in the pool and making up dance routines and strengthening the foundations of their sistership day after day)

• hearing about CCC missionaries through SGN (and those cut off jean shorts were something else)
• hearing/seeing the word fika twice in less than 24 hours (and remembering our swedish friends that first introduced us!)

• cinnamon roll bread!!
• mother daughter velocity zoom call.  goodness, i love caroline. 

• another saturday morning sleep in (wowzahs.  so nice.)
• the delight the bowl of ice (and accessories) brings to zoe

• a good run on mountain brook
• so much creativity and loveliness happening at the table

• being honored on mother's day (gifts, cards, help, texts...so many wonderful things)
• precious reminder of our access to the King

• celebrating 18 years of marriage with a delightful bike ride and the perfect sunset carrabba's picnic (and beautiful flowers and a fabulous gift - with thoughtful presentation to boot)(my husband is quite incredible)
• the gift of color wonder paper and paints for zoe

• "Who knew an ordinary tuesday night could be so much fun?" - papa
• Papa's willingness to plant zinnias

• getting biscuits with my dad
• having two of my favorite people on the planet working from home

• "don't let digital fatigue rob you from the things that matter..." (mainly Jesus...and connecting with others...community) - phil/the square
• my total domination in jackbox (kidding...but i am thankful for the time spent with family and friends playing jackbox!)

practicing my survival skills

• the rock moving task is done
• ling ling for dinner!
• emma's creativity

• scones from Amy T.
• a pineapple for caroline from KJ
• laying (lying?) in the front yard looking at the sky with zoe

• kids laughing and playing in the pool
• "gratitude is a survival skill." - Roxan McDonald
• getting closer and closer to having barki noodles again 

• RRLA teacher appreciation project
• sweet little BK picnic on the river
• nick's thoughtfulness to take us to the Alabama side so that we could be in the shade

• Bethel's "peace" album
• how nick has three daughters to love and invest in...three girls who will know their daddy loves them and thinks they are beautiful
• sweet moments between these 2 

• marco's pizza
• when folks make hard, brave decisions
• watching some amazing jump roping skillz

• sweet everbe gifts
• the newly established guest room getting put to good use
• good thing to think about