Last week was a much busier than normal week for us.  I kept telling myself: pause, savor, remember; this is really the living you want to be doing, and savoring, and remembering.  We had friends stay with us this weekend, and it was wonderful.  She actually grew up with Joel, but during college became one of my dearest friends and roommates.  Her husband and she lived in the same town as Joel and I when we were all newlyweds.  Now, none of us live in the same town, but she walked through the door and it was as if time had stood still.

For these moments:

• picnics on the front lawn
• wrestling in the leaves
• warm enough in November to be out there for hours
• quiet moments in the house while dad has the older two girls out
• the quilting that got done during that time
• which led to the time to relish ones own thoughts
• and noticing after a while they turn into just the sound of the machine
• a weeknight dinner with college friends visiting from England
• talks with people who know you inside and out and
• love you more for all they know about you
• and still want to know you more
• watching our kids play together

We have a very short week at home before we go and celebrate Thanksgiving.  May this week we embrace the blessings around us and fill us and sustain us.  May we be faithful to the work you have laid before us.  May we know all is grace.

For these moments, these pauses, the grace of God in the moment, I am so thankful.

Every year, usually twice a year, I get this nesting urge.  You know the one I am talking about.  The one where one specific area flashes by your radar and you can’t seem to want to motivate yourself for other household chores until that one particuliar chore is set striaght.  The Mr. knows the look in my eye.  He goes with it, now.  He is a smart man.  This week, as I was unpacking, the flash registered: my closet. I knew there were clothes still from my teaching days, ones that were faded, ones that were not the best fit.  I also knew I did not feel a good conscience about buying any new pieces until I felt I had a good handle on what I already owned and most importantly needed.  We broke it into two manageable sized chunks of time coinciding with Miss Eva’s napping times.  I am pleased to report today I am wearing a sweater that has not seen the light of day in quite some time, the hubs did his closet as well, and all items are waiting for the donation truck in the garage.  The girls thought this was a super cool event and celebrated by drawing pictures with colored pencils of what we decided we need as we sorted and organized.  Ella told him he didn’t need so many shoes, and Sophia was thrilled to find two ribbons that look “beautiful & perfect” in her hair.

I want to live in the simplicity of only having what I believe to be beautiful and know to be useful.  (adapted from William Morris).

As the weather grows cooler, I am cherishing the change of weather and the change in attitude that naturally brings about.  For these moments:

• first frosts
• the mist that flies from the car as Joel pulls away toward work
• Eva with her morning cereal snuggling me on the couch while I have my quiet time before the older girls are gotten
• little ladies picking out winter slippers out of a catalog
• knowing well enough that I don’t even need to ask choices : Ella – pink; Sophia – blue
• first fires on a Saturday night
• quilts piled on the couch
• little feet under them with lollipops in hand
• week night phone calls with dear old friends after far too long
• finding out she and her family are coming to visit on their way to thanksgiving
• knowing we will drink tea, hold hands, and tell each other everything like we are five. she (my buggy) is dear indeed
• ribbons in pig tails “beautiful & perfect”
• excitement over new dresses and soccer jerseys
• just happy her taste in clothes matches my taste in clothes for her

For these moments, these pauses, the grace of God in the moment, I am so thankful.

Friday, after a little party at preschool, we hit the road to come visit Nana & Poppa.  Saturday morning we woke up, the tide was high, water was already in the marsh, and the sky had only one command – stay inside. Saturday night, we went to a wedding reception of a lovely bride who has known Joel for his whole life and came at the last minute to be our wedding point person/coordinator/sanity saver.  Two generations of friends were at the reception Saturday night: parents who were friends before they had their children, and the children who all grew up together.  There was genuine friendship and love and it was a happy night.

We woke Sunday and the sky could not have been any more different than the morning before. We took the girls to the Yorktown River front and had a picnic. We saw the boat docked. The windmill is the reproduction of the Yorktown Windmill.  A man reproduced this by hand, and was there working on the gears inside while we were eating lunch.

For these moments:

• storm systems in the bay setting the pace of Saturday
• the water that covers wooden bridges and keeps us on the island
• hot apple cider & pumpkin cookies as a better alternative than outside
• while watching Casablanca for the first time
• wedding receptions with two generations of friendships
• talking with new friends like they are old friends
• sunny Sundays
• walks along the riverfront
• windmills
• changing baby dolls clothes
• paper turned into castles
• children who climb in the dryer (yes, sophie did this earlier this week – with her blanket and pillow, no less)
• little girls who love to be  line leaders
• Eva’s early morning dry cheerios in a cup
• rainbows in the sky after the rain
• a new journal
• the unexpected & life’s journey which will be written & remembered on those pages

For these moments, these pauses, the grace of God in the moment, I am so thankful.

For these moments:

• a better than expected week alone with the girls while Joel was at the Frankfurt Book Fair for work
• learning to love all their questions, at every moment
• understanding how much easier they respond to the new when I explain first
• easy, easy dinners and loving the lack of clean up
• breathtakingly beautiful October weather this weekend after the rainy days
• leaves that had really changed to the deepest scarlet the day before
• making the car pool line for preschool all the more pretty
• suspending the chaos to drive to capture the deep red beauty early on Saturday morning
• ending up watching them literally frolic in the leaves and collect bouquets
• dinner at the ‘diner deluxe’ with the ladies
• we pulled up and they said the (silver)  building was so beautiful because it sparkled – love their love of sparkling beauty
• their amazement that we did not have to throw our own trash away
• just the right balance between time at home and time out & about
• Joel arriving home safely
• their shrieks upon seeing him come out of the international arrival door
• money left on his travel expenses for dinner out last night
• early to bed on a Sunday night and surprisingly waking up before the alarm on a Monday

For these moments, these pauses, the grace of God in the moment, I am so thankful.