One of Lily's clay creations.
A classic Chris expression. SO lovable!
A spider makes his home on one of my homeschooling books after less than 24 hours of no use. Cool, huh?
A lovely candlelit dinner of salmon and asparagus enjoyed by all. The company was even better.
Unsolicited help from Audrey.
Beautiful as always.
When I take a step back, like I do when I blog, I realize how much I love my life. I am so thankful for all that I have and don't have. I love my God. I love my husband. I love our girls. And, yes, I love our dogs and my plants too. In the broader circle, I have friends. Not just any friends, but ones with which many storms have been weathered. And we're STILL friends! Life is hard, it's exhausting, often disappointing and frustrating. And life is beautiful. I'm not sure that I'd be so fond of it's beauty if I didn't have to look beyond the blemishes.
Some blemishes of the week would be: an emotional daughter going through loss and adolescence, migraines, a largely unavailable husband, quarreling children, and worst of all a very mentally ill mom and a father with a blood clot in his lung after knee replacement surgery and my aching heart because of it. (Yes! Pray for them!!)
Some of the treasures of the week would be: talking with my children about the difference between Cain and Abel and seeing their desire to be like Abel who had is eyes on God and not on his brother :), hearing my children practice piano and enjoying it, getting organized in areas I haven't for years, working in my yard/garden in the cool of the morning, picking my first pomegranate (not ripe yet), having time and energy to think about my husband's desires and to act on them, hiring my children to wash baseboards and walls, getting my dogs a haircut, reading and cuddling with my girls, hearing my kids be tickled by my husband, reading the Count of Monte Cristo, enjoying the fall break from school and routine, and especially awaiting the coming of Great Grandma next week. I am truly thankful.
Above are some random pics from moments of beauty in the last month or so...
Thanks for listening.
