shadow puppets

It is in that moment, right after bed time stories and before back rubs and songs, that our arms go up, casting shadow puppets on the walls.  Elk, bunnies, and reindeer prance by, until the shark attack.  Arms tuck back in and that sleepy head rolls towards me.  Every night he asks, "mama, what was your favorite today?" and we recount the day.

The swimming with friends,

the board games before bed,

the ice cream sandwiches in bathing suits.

And I hope he knows that my favorite of that day, of every day, is being mama.

Gratitude:

6.  shadow puppets with Buddy
7.  corn coming up ankle high!
8.  cool, breezy mornings
9.  movie date with Moonpie
10.  Sunday afternoons spent with friends
11.  new books
12.  those squinty, pleading eyes on my two, that I can't say no to (they know it too!)

joining Anne

resolution

Remember the big ol' road trip we took this summer?  All the way to Pennsylvania and back?  There was so much beauty to behold on that trip.  From the people we met to the waterfall we slid down- it was all so lovely.

While we were in Western North Carolina (my mistress state, as my friend calls it), I made a resolution.  I resolved that when I returned home I would try my hardest not to pine for the mountains, the rivers, and waterfalls that this area abounds in.  I resolved that I would find the wonder and the beauty in that which surrounds me at home.

Moonpie relaxing in a tree.

A few weeks ago a friend invited us out to her new home.  Her  home is very close to a campground on a lake- about 15 miles from me.  She suggested that we go out there and check out some of the nature trails- and I'm so glad we did!  It was beautiful- and just what I needed.
The next weekend we loaded up and went out again as a family.  This time we explored the lake front, and of course, the lake.

We did a little hiking and found this amazing tree covered in Spanish moss.  It was like a dream.  I wish you could have seen it with me.  It was so huge and welcoming.  I've been thinking about that tree this week, ready to go back and sit under it again.

I  must confess that this morning when John rolled over to check the weather for the day, my heart dropped a little when he said "high of 92 degrees".  I may have mentioned to him how I wish we were back in our little cabin, high in the Blue Ridge mountains.  But that thought doesn't make me any less thankful or amazed at what I have here.

thankful

Psalm 100

A Psalm for Thanksgiving.

¹Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth.

²Serve the LORD with gladness;

Come before Him with joyful singing.

³Know that the LORD Himself is God;

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

⁴Enter His gates with thanksgiving

And His courts with praise

Give thanks to Him, bless His name.

⁵For the LORD is good;

His lovingkindness is everlasting

And His faithfulness to all generations.

thankful

Thanksgiving

Thank You

for all my hands can hold-

apples red

and melons gold,

yellow corn

both ripe and sweet,

peas and beans

so good to eat!

Thank You

for all my eyes can see-

lovely sunlight,

field and tree,

white cloud-boats

in sea-deep sky,

soaring bird

and butterfly.

Thank You

for all my ears can hear-

bird's song echoing

far and near,

songs of little

stream, big sea,

cricket, bullfrog,

duck and bee!

- Ivy O. Eastwick

thankful

i'm thankful for my husband.

he is a man that can get stuff done...

rotted out porch

ta-da

the fence he built for my in-laws

the truck he is rebuilding, piece by piece

the deck and screen he built out of re-claimed decking

and even when he doesn't know how to do something, he'll learn. like welding. i asked him to weld some old iron fencing together for me, just assuming he could. he said ok, and that was it. then a few days later he said he was going to a friend's house to learn how to weld.

see what happened there? instead of resigning to the fact that he couldn't weld, he agreed to do it, knowing that he could learn how to do it. i love that about him...

just one of the many things that i am thankful for about john.

and believe me, there are many...

thankful

today i am thankful for...

• my little buddy keeping his breakfast down (for now!)
• the wonderful immune systems we have been equipped with
• probiotics
• quilts made by grandma kathy and aunt teri
• clean, accessible water
• the aristocats
• lots of good books