always more gifts.

• "He sees each tear that falls and He hears me when I call" (or cry/scream in this case)
• seriously significant and wonderfully amazing turn around for emma as far as school goes
• time with the phillips - and her thoughtful "krispy kreme cake" making

• bikes for everyone (due in large part to the maple ridge yard sale)
• rocks at CCC
• the Lord's Prayer from the Message

• worship...focus is where it should be
• laughing at stupid movies with my favorite person
• date night at krystal with aforementioned favorite person

• early morning run with shelley (and getting to go back to bed afterwards!)
• "let's be part of tomorrow not being like yesterday." - cameron strang, relevant podcast
• floors are going in!

• feels like fall
• nick's ankle isn't broken
• rails to trails - pretty place to run

• brownie picnic with incredible kids
• finding a new sweet spot in the backyard
• writing back and forth with the littlest cash

• cash/white kid sleepover...and molly's willingness to host it - making a date night with a sleep-in possible!  
• soft sweatshirt from solehope
• dr. keller's excellent dentistry skillz 

on and on and on

• meaningful conversations and authentic hearts
• how hard my husband works to bless and serve us
• snack time at the river with yaya
• a fork, a knife and a unique napkin

• safe and easy trip home from bulgaria (jet lag is so much easier coming west)
• time to talk with nick
• quarterly pest control
• sweet friendships

• spinning chair negotiations
• giraffe coffee quote
• mama suzanne's generosity to get emma a bike
• emma's bike riding (and her courage to try even in the midst of feeling unsure/unsteady)

• my home can be settled even if my house is not
• parkour for eli and caroline
• my friend that runs a honking good shuttle service...and allows me to crash family dinner
• AB's "i love you biggie" 

thankful in Kyustendil

• Messaging with Nick, Emma and Eli
• Safe trip to Bulgaria!
• Finding quiet spots of solitude
• Making boats with beautiful children 

• Jeannie’s kindness...and her extreme generosity in gift giving.
• Peaceful easy going team...and trip
• October!!
• Coffee & doughnuts (won’t ever stop being thankful for that!)

• Good night of sleep
• Busting out with “have a little talk with Jesus” (amazed that others know that song)
• Day with Hollie and the girls
• OCOTOBO running

• Walking to dinner
• Found wallet
• Impromptu childrens’ program
• Corn in a cup, coke and a nice stroll (picture goes here!)

• Good questions/conversations
• “Georgia duners” (Duner = Schwarma)(Schwarma = wrap with chicken and fries....)(Georgia duner = burrito)
• “You are like Deborah” - word for the little girl in the Roma Village
• Beauty in the midst of it all 

thankful thankful.

• "i like this day." - grant perkins
• being inspired for continued cottage living
• the girls' enjoyment of the horses
• free jr. frosties! (unlimited until the end of the year.  what?!?!)

• emma's mail made it to the jones'
• bingo with poppa
• puposefully thinking about my favorite summer memory - walking with my dad on the beach through the years
• raven's incredible talent

• nick is my husband
• split steak marsala and double herbs for the bread dipping part
• finding a new-to-me-forest/river path
• frederick buechner quotes

• "the king of heaven wants me...so this world has lost its hold on me." - song on 107.7
• access to so many good songs and resources on the internet/youtube
• carpooling. it's the best pooling.  #ilikesavinggas
• successful sumo wrestling

• tuesday walk with toni
• the chance to go to bulgaria
• hearing eli playing the piano
• luggage full of treats and staples

  

count 'em up.

• safe road trips
• running into random folks at the gas station in newnan...nothing like hearing "i think i know you..."
• daniel tiger and his ability to help emma process her feelings
• leaving a certain little one crying (so that i can go and compose myself) and coming back to this (it really is best to walk away sometimes):

• painting the fence with nick
• eli's chance to go to the auburn game
• acknowledging my issues
• truth quotes

• fun pens made from recycled water bottles
• "have no motivation other than to know your Father in heaven." - oswald chambers
• amish friendship bread and cinnamon roll flavored coffee
• when a brother and sister play together in harmony (have pokemon, will travel)

• eli's excitement over "manly mondays"
• a delightful morning of life/school at home (can they all be like that one, please?!)
• the chance to wear my african fabric dress
• how easy it is to make images with the youversion bible app
  
• lists and charts and figuring things out
• the kids' delight in going through the car wash
• polar pops
• the inevitable jokes that accompany a "boston butt" fundraiser

waffle makers and whiteboards.

• "...if i can raise them to be thinkers who love learning, then i will have done my job well. " maandpamodernhomeschool
• crave at ccc
• UGA game watching with the Bakers
• stepping out after hurricane irma (and the incredible lack of disaster)

• friends who are getting closer and closer to bringing their son home from china
• mercy me's happy dance
• getting more and more settled in our home schooling
• waffle iron worship instruments

• the sweet friends that hurrican irma brought to columbus (lauren and carey!)
• when my kids request to listen to really good songs
• pepper jelly + cream cheese + crackers
• caroline's cuteness in her jeans and boots

• the way God has been using the whiteboard this week
• lunch with dee dee...such easy and meaningful conversation
• Truth shared and Holy Spirit confirmation
• felt like getting up to run again.

He is such a good gift giver!

• cali n tito's with joy (the person and the fruit of the spirit!)
• time in athens with amy
• fun lights strung in the trees

• live music
• moments that make me think and weep (and friends who understand)
• kool-aid dyed hair (and the friends that first introduced us!)

• kids sleeping in (after late nights)
• cheesestraws and rice krispies and chocolate cake slyly snuck into the car
• nick and eli working on eli's fantasy football team (the thankfulness is about the time together...and the way they coordinate with the decor more so than the football :))

• molly & ritchie's generosity and the God-cidence that the house was available
• ship friends that come for a visit
• time at the infantry museum

• big drink and even bigger popcorn
• God's creation on display in the IMAX theatre
• the men and women that have so selflessly served our country as soldiers

• 2 early morning walks with ann-marie
• oh this weather. 
• outside + acrobatics + trampoline + green grass + picnic blanket + blue skies

• flair pens on sale
• goats milk soap that is a call to prayer
• kids in cages and lion faces

• time in the prayer room at CCC
• listening to God's truth
• "i forgive you, mom."  (if my kids know anything it's how to receive an apology...wish they didn't get to practice forgiveness quite so much!)