1467

1467. Hearing that one of the little girls from church has been faithfully praying for Bethany's arm to heal.

1466. Playing at the park with the kids today, and having a picnic lunch.

1465. Finding the directions to the doctor's office that I thought I threw away.

1464. A young girl who underwent some serious surgery is doing very well.

1463. Hearing young children recite scripture.

1462. For dinner tonight I used a recipe I'd found online and altered. It was yummy.

1461. And Paul ate some veggies tonight too.

1460. A few weeks ago we planted a few vegetable seeds in a space right beside the back porch. Within hours of planting, Jonathan decided to dig in that dirt. Since then everything but the tomatoes have sprouted. I had given up the tomatoes for lost. But, yesterday, I think I identified a few plants that look like tomato plants. They are nowhere near the same spot where I orginally planted them, but I think they are definitely tomatoes. I am so glad, because tomatoes are my favorite.

1459. Bethany has taken quite a liking to one of the ladies at church. I love how it brings this woman joy to have Bethany reach out to her, then snuggle in her arms.

1458. Small miracle. I remembered to call someone today who had surgery yesterday. Seriously, this is a big deal.

1457. Natural peanut butter has been fairly well received by the kids. I think we've made the switch.

1456. I opened my facial moisturizer the other day and found a little smiley face smeared out on the inside of the cap. I think my husband was trying to be cute to me. It was, indeed, very cute.

1455. Snuggling with Bethany after she's had her evening milk is such a nice thing.

1454. There are kids from a few doors down who are over here a lot. The boy, who is finishing 4th grade has been practicing his batting with Paul. The situation at their house is sad. But I am glad that he gets at least a little time doing things that a kid should be able to do with his dad.

1453

1452, 1453. Eating out with my family this evening was a double blessing: I didn't have to make dinner, and we paid for it with the gift certificate Paul got from the track team.

1451. Our music minister's oldest daughter did a great job caring for Bethany in the nursery tonight so that Paul and I could practice a song with her parents. In fact, all five of the kids did great without adult supervision.

1450. Lainee got out the swimming pool and the sprinkler and played all afternoon.

1449. I have no idea what made me think of it, but I just remembered that our garage door was up. I closed it. Unlike the night last week when we left it open all night.

1448. So, given the rash of break-ins that have been going on around here, it is also a blessing that no one "broke" in that night the door was up. (Is it a break-in if you don't have to break anything?)

1447. Ice cream.

1446. I was able to get my mangled prescription sunglasses fixed up after one of the kids bent them so much that they kept falling down my nose.

1445. Got a bunch of photos of Paul's extended family from my MIL this weekend. She labelled all the photos so we'd be able to identify everyone.

1444. Today I dressed Jonathan in a one-piece romper type thing that looks like a t-shirt, but snaps at the bottom. He found his clip-on tie, and added that to the outfit. All the parents at story time who noticed it made some kind of comment about how cute it was. It WAS cute.

1443. Story time today. Always a blessing to get out of the house for a while... and make a craft, which Lainee loves.

1442. Wet/dry electric shavers.

1441. My friend Maureen.

1440

1440. My beautiful family.

1439. Jammie pants.

1438. The kind of cheese I like is on sale this week.

1437. After a morning and most of the afternoon of eating junk, Bethany came home and devoured some fish sticks. Only a mother would be excited about that. But I was.

1436. Lainee was doing this silly dance today and making Bethany laugh. I don't know which was funnier, the dance, or the laugh.

1435. Air conditioning.

1434. God is teaching me about the things I need to be praying for.

1433. I went shopping late tonight, but they still had all the sale items stocked that I wanted to get.

1432. Looking at old pictures of my children and seeing how much they have grown.

1431. I get to go to a meeting tomorrow. And I don't have to line up a sitter! Yahoo!!!

1430. Getting the kids bathed and ready for bed in a half hour.

1429. Looking at Jonathan today in his bathing suit that kept falling off of his tiny bottom. That boy is so cute.

1428. A moment of nostalgia in the Kroger parking lot this evening. I remembered the night that I went into labor with Lainee and went with Paul to pick up a few last minute things. I kept having to stop to breathe through my contractions. Just as we were about to get in the car to go, another one came on, and as I was breathing through it, I heard Paul explain to a passerby that I was in labor.

1427. Watching my kids play with their cousins at their grandparents' house and knowing that I was witnessing memories in the making.

1426. Chatting with Paul about some of the things that are on my mind.

1425. Been praying quite a bit more lately.

1424. Praying over a family from our church that is leaving to begin a new church.

1423. I had a blast in Sunday school yesterday.

1422. Got some scoop about a possible position for Paul doing the same thing he is doing now, but IN OUR TOWN. It would be so great if he could get a job in town instead of having to make a 50 minute drive every day (twice.)

1421. The kids had a great time today. Swimming at my in-law's house followed by a ball pit, bounce house, and water slide at a friend's M-Day party.

1420. Lunch, completely prepared by my MIL, which included steaks.

1419. The fruit salad at my MIL's house today.

1418

1418. Pancakes for breakfast.

1417. The air conditioner works. I'd had my doubts that it would.

1416. Paul got up with Bethany this morning.

1415. Paul came home earlier than expected from the track meet.

1414. Having ice cream with Ami's family after dinner this evening.

1413. Going to a graduation open house tonight and seeing a bunch of folks I haven't seen in a while.

1412. You know, I have been mulling over a particularly sensitive issue lately. It is one that I have had very emotional responses to in the past. Hearing others' positions on this issue have been enough to send me into a tailspin. Right now, however, God is giving me a peace about "figuring it out;" a feeling of freedom that my conviction doesn't have to look like someone else's, as long as I am convinced that it is what He'd have for me. Not being taken captive by others' thoughts - I like that.

1411. Being able to get out with Ami today while her husband watched my kids (and his too!)

1410

1410. Rain.

1409. Lainee is making progress on her sight words.

1408. Colby Jack cheese.

1407. Every once in a while, a cup of regular joe is a nice thing. I do like coffee.

1406. I happened to have som microwave meals on hand tonight. As it turns out, I needed them.

1405. Keeping my cool during the very inconvenient and sometimes self-sacrificial task of disciplining.

1404. An hour long conversation with a woman from church who was very encouraging and helpful. She even prayed for me when we were done.

1403. Another day of morning scripture reading.

1402. Getting Bethany's bangs cut. It was a wrestling match, but she looks SO much better without all that hair in her eyes.

1401. Jonathan: successful potty training morning. Afternoon - not so much. But the morning was great.

1400

1400. Last night, after everyone went to bed, I sat out on the porch in the beautiful night air and read my Bible and prayed. Glorious.

1399. I began (well, for all intents and purposes, began) my day with prayer and Bible reading. Glorious-er.

1398. Nine more people made professions of faith last night at our revival. Glorious-EST!

1397. And, go figure, I was much calmer and more patient today.

1396. Heather redid my other blog template. I just love it.

1395. My track coach husband has at least one athlete who has made it to the state meet. This kind of thing makes him super happy.

1394. I cleaned so much junk out of our bedroom today. Vacuumed under the bed and all the baseboards. It feels so nice in there after just one week of Fly Lady "missions."

1393. And I found two shirts I have been looking for. Funny what you'll come up with when you actually clean some stuff up.

1392. I got errands done today, with the kids in tow. Yahoo!

1391. I bought my spiral bound index cards for my prayer "roladex."

1390. And, how cool is it to get $3 off your total just by turning in an empty printer cartridge at Office Depot?

1389. Jonathan: wearing a pull-up since after his nap and kept it dry until bedtime.

1388. Lainee: wearing a halter top with a fleecey winter scarf. That's good stuff, y'all.

1387. On this particular Thursday, I am not dreading Friday.

1386. I did not overeat today.

1385

1385. Nine people making professions of faith in the first three days of our revival.

1384. Dinner provided by the church every night of revival.

1383. A great night on Monday watching the 3 and 4 year olds. This age group finds playdo so amusing, it is almost scary.

1382. Smoothies.

1381. Not having to cook dinner this week.

1380. I found Bethany's lost snuggler.

1379. I got all the bed sheets washed.

1378. Someone at church brought a gift to me for Bethany the other night. It was three brand new outfits. Why? "Because she is just so cute."

1377. Bethany just snuggled with me today. MMMM. MMMM!

1376. I have been doing Fly Lady missions consistently for almost two weeks, and seeing improvements.

1375. Fresh air in the house.

1374. Beautiful weather today.

1373. Getting all those photos onto a disc and getting prints ordered.

1372. Having a daughter who is willing to forgive me when I react out of anger.

1371. Having kids who make each other laugh.

1370. Bethany has received a bunch of cards and a gift basket because of her broken arm.

1369. And she slept until almost 8:30 this morning.

1368. This face:

1367. Stamping holds kids attention for a long time.

1366. Having the top of my dresser cleared off.

1365. Money from my husband to download some music.

1364. Being able to tell him what I feel. Or what I am thinking. And he is okay with it.

1363. Another letter from Shalee.

1362. Being stumped by questions like, "Why did God make poison ivy" from Lainee.

1361. A long nap yesterday.

1360. Generic Oxy-clean products.

1359. This sight:

1358. And seeing this picuture too:

1357. Hearing Bethany say "ah, yah, yah, yah."

1356. Lainee can bathe herself.

1355. Heather is doing a bunch of work to make my other blog look nice.

1354. Being able to pray for people.

1353. Unlimited minutes on the internet. Cuz sometimes I forget to log off of our dial-up connection. (Ooops!)

1352. Reading a blog written by a homeschooling mom that seems realistic.

1351. People pray for me.

1350. The kids did really well sitting in the cart at the store while I ordered prints from a CD with about 330 photos on it. They mostly just ate their lunches and played.

1349. I thought of something I can do that will save me an extra trip to church tomorrow.

1348. Jonathan and Bethany have both had a fever within the last week or so. Both were done with it in about a day, and didn't really get any other symptoms.

1347. Lainee's church friends sitting together in the pew, coloring during the service.

1346. Being invited to graduation open houses.

Dudes... I can't stand it... All of this is real stuff that is REALLY going on (if not for me, then for someone else.)

1345. My husband hasn't been locked out at work and growing more depressed because he can't find a job that will provide for his family.

1344. My parents haven't moved to another continent.

1343. My husband's company has not decided to relocate us (again) half way across the country where the cost of living is 15% higher.

1342. Our family has reliable income.

1341. We have health insurance.

1340. Our children are not in the hospital so sick that they almost have kidney failure before the doctors figure out what is wrong.

1339. Hateful militia are not ravaging my neighborhood, burning down my home, and chasing after me until I reach safety in another country.

1338. When my daughter needed a cast on her arm, we were able to get her one.

1337. I haven't lost a child.

1336. My home hasn't been flooded.

1335. I sat in a room full of women today and ate chocolate covered strawberries and drank tea with my daughter.

1334. And my mother-in-law came over TOTALLY last minute to watch the other two children when I could not, for the life of me, find a babysitter.

1333. My husband does not belittle me.

1332. Or beat me.

1331. And he is asking me all sorts of questions to try and figure out how he can love me better.

1330. I am not having seizures which my doctor can't determine the cause of.

1329. And my husband wasn't relocated by his company to the other side of the world, effective, like, NOW, and had to leave me behind to sell the house and take care of our belongings... and our kids too.

1328. No one that I know was killed on the job today.

1327. My mom did not suddenly and unexpectedly pass away this week.

1326. My mom didn't pass away after a long illness either.

1325. And I don't have the dried up flower arrangements from my spouse's funeral sitting in my family room because I just don't have the heart to throw them away yet.

1324. And I don't have a 102.5 degree fever.

1323. None of my children have a hole in their heart.

1322. And I have not had to endure the excruciating wait for results of tests to determine if that heart has a rare and terrible disease.

1321. I don't have three kids to care for AND several major health problems that keep me laid up on the couch some days.

1320. But I do have a husband who offers to come home from work so that I can take my child to the doctor without dragging the other two with me.

1319. And I go to a church where our pastor will ride his motorcycle down the center aisle of the fellowship hall during the Mother-Daughter Tea... with his hair slicked back and wearing a leather jacket.

1318. I can hear my sleeping kids breathing right now.

1317. If I wanted to get pregnant this month, I probably could.

1316. People pray for me.

1315. I can pray for other people.

1314. My (big) daughter sat on my lap today and I had enough peace in my heart to endure the pain of her sitting there (she's heavy!) because I knew how much it means to her to be able to sit in my lap.

1313. I have not had to endure the pain of divorce... as a child or as a wife.

1312. Last night the children were a little, shall I say, difficult, at bed time. They would not calm down. This morning when Lainee was eating breakfast she had this to say about it - "I just couldn't keep the giggles in my throat."

She further explained the phenomenon this evening when she said, "I couldn't keep the laughing in. We were filled up with giggles."

1311. My poor broken-armed baby now has a fever on top of her injury. There are two blessings that have resulted... first, she is still fairly chipper.

1310. Second, she is quite snuggly.

1309. The road in front of our house has been resurfaced.

1308. Today I was able to remind myself, BEFORE I lost my cool, that confetti all over every room of the house is really not that big a deal.

1307. The confetti mess was really a good thing because I never go around to my home blessing this week, and I wanted to get at least the vacuuming done.

1306. Painting with Lainee this afternoon.

1305. "Sweeping" the kitchen floor with the canister vac.

1304. Lainee helped vacuum the confetti that the vacuum cleaner wouldn't get. It meant she got to use the canister vac. When she was done, she asked if she could vacuum under the couch cushions (again!) Jonathan helped too.

1303. I cleaned the bathroom floor today. It needed it bad. I feel good when yucky stuff gets cleaned up.

1302. I FINALLY got around to looking at Lainee's butterfly lamp. It was emitting smoke a few months ago, and I thought for sure it was permanently broken. However, when I took the bottom of it off this evening, about 15 hair ties, a Barbie shoe, some hair clips, and a piece of plastic jewelry fell out. It is working just fine now.

1301. Found a Christmas present already. On clearance. (We've got clearance, Clarence. Roger, Roger. What's your vector, Victor?)

1300. Letting the kids sleep on the couch.

1299. I didn't hit the car in front of me when it stopped short because the car in front of it stopped short to make a turn. And the guy behind me had enough sense to veer into the turn lane a little to avoid hitting me.

1298. A great testimony of faith from one of the MOPS moms today.

1297. Bethany got a cast that will only need to be on for 2 1/2 weeks.

1296. And she does not need to have her arm wrapped to her chest.

1295. I won an $10 certificate to the local grocery store at MOPS today.

1294. And I won a $5 certificate to the bakery too!

1293. My son says "thank you, mommy" a lot.

1292. I found a cute new blouse and a new skirt. And neither of them have black in them.

1291. I got my hair washed and cut last night.

1290. Lainee and Jonathan were SUPER good today while they put the cast(s) on Bethany.

1289. I was patient today.

1288. My husband is mowing the lawn.

1287. I got a cute certificate with the kids hand prints on it for mother's day. It said "World's Greatest Mommy."

1286. And we got to eat dinner at a Chinese restaurant.

1285. Crab Rangoon.

1284. Bethany.

1283. Jonathan.

1282. Lainee.

1281. Pancakes for breakfast on Sunday that I didn't make.

1280. And a cute planter painted by Lainee in her Sunday school class.

1279. I live in a nice neighborhood.

1278. I live in a nice house, for that matter.

1277. We dedicated Bethany to the Lord on Sunday.

1276. And there were a bunch of other parents who did the same with their children.

1275. My church is so awesome. We notified the prayer chain about Bethany's injury. People never stopped asking how she was doing on Sunday morning.

1274. I went grocery shopping last night and got a bunch of stuff for free.

1273. Bethany makes this "smooch" face that is very, very cute.

1272. Today, she was having the greatest time faking me out. She would hold out her snuggler as if she wanted to give it to me. Then, when I would try to take it, she would pull it away. She thought it was so funny.

1271. I thought I would have to endure the suspicions of the orthopedist today because spiral fractures "just don't happen from falling off of a chair." Happily, he did not seem at all suspicious. He didn't even question me about how the injury occurred.

1270. Being goofy on my blog.

1269. Bethany is starting to stand up without holding on.

1268. And one of her molars just popped through.

1267. Urgent Care. Beats the ER any day.

1266. Health insurance.

1265. Children don't always suffer irreparable harm because their parents are clueless.

1264. Speaking at the "All Daughters" banquet today.

1263. The dessert at the "All Daughters" banquet.

1262. Paul is out to fetch me some coffee from McDonald's right now. I have no "regular" in the house, and that is about the only thing that is going to kill this headache of mine.

1261. McDonald's doesn't serve "hot mud" as coffee anymore.

1260. Bethany's smile.

1259. Hearing Jonathan say "she can have that" today when I chided Bethany for sucking on Jonathan's snuggler.

1258. A night out with Ami last night. I needed it. Perspective.

1257. Ami prayed for me before my talk today when I told her I was preoccupied with thoughts of how Bethany was doing with her hurt arm.

1256. Making people laugh.

1255. Elizabeth watching my kids on last minute notice when I couldn't find anyone else to babysit during my talk.

1254. A gift card to Target.

1253. Lainee just could not wait to give me my mother's day gifts. Yesterday she gave me the "stepping stone" imprinted with her hand that she'd made at AWANA. Today, she just HAD to give me the flowers that the kids and Paul bought last night.

1252. A call from one of the girls in our Sunday school class this evening. When she got the e-mail about Bethany going to Urgent Care, she wanted to check in on us.

1251. The kids ALL pretty much fell asleep right away tonight.

1250. Being goofy with kids.

1249. Geraniums.

1248. And impatiens.

1247. Hearing Lainee read books.

1246. Being able to do something that God gifted me to do.

1245. Paul was waiting with Lainee and Jonathan at home tonight for me and Bethany to return from Urgent Care. It just so happened that my FIL decided to call and ask if he could take the kids out for dinner, which he did. Paul got a little time by himself, and I didn't have to cook for anyone.

1244. Ami took care of everything I needed to get my power point slides for today's talk e-mailed to the right person at the church.

1243. I ate good chicken for lunch. For free.

1242. Hugging Lainee and telling her how great she is.

1241. I think Bethany is saying the word "bird."

1240. I was supposed to watch two kids on Monday, and two kids on Tuesday next week. Now that we know Bethany's arm is really broken, we need to go to the orthopaedist, and it needs to be on one of those two days. Since I won't be able to make an appointment until Monday, I called both of the moms and explained that I MIGHT have to schedule an appointment for that day, and I really didn't want to have to back out on them last minute. Both of them were so gracious and understanding.

1239. I am so tired. It is only 10 pm. But it is nice to be tired at bed time... for once!

1238. The after Bible study with all the ladies on Thursday afternoon.

1237. I found Jonathan's snuggle bunny. Now if only I could find Bethany's other snuggler....

1236. Dusting with my new canister vacuum.

1235. Klondike bars.

1234. Got to sit with my husband tonight at church. I don't get to do that too many times on Wednesday nights.

1233. That rash Bethany had went away.

1232. Rain. I love rain.

1231. Taking a nap in with the window open while it is raining outside.

1230. Hearing Jonathan say "how d'bout..."

1229. Bethany is getting so much more relational. She plays games with you and likes to laugh.

1228. And she looks at my eyes more than ever before.

1227. Being able to hang out at church after returning some books to the church library, and having the secretary do a puzzle with Lainee while I let Bethany climb on some steps.

1226. I took out all the old stuff from the refrigerator. You know, the bottle of spray butter that expired sometime in '01, the three jars of salsa - each containing about an inch of salsa. A Bunch of moldy stuff. I dread cleaning out the refrigerator. But it is so nice to have room in there again.

1225. Getting a massage from my husband, no strings attached.

1224. Getting the laundry baskets emptied of the folded laundry from the last ??? days.

1223. Washing all the sheets on Tuesday morning and having them back on the beds before leaving for story time.

1222. Chopped salad.

1221. Finishing the outline and power point for my talk.

1220. We found out on Monday that our street is being resurfaced. The kids have enjoyed watching all of the construction vehicles as they do their jobs. We even got a book about trucks from the library. Now, when we see a construction vehicle, they'll say something like "mom, I see a backhoe!" I love that!

1219. Lainee has finally decided to start practicing the following response: "Okay, mom." She did it several times on Monday and seems to be proud of herself. (I am too.)

1218. God recently kept me from opening my mouth when I shouldn't have. Praise him for that - cuz he is the only one capable of shutting me up.

1217. Good time talking with the ladies last night at scrapbooking.

1216. And Ami's help (during her scrapbooking time) so that I could get my power point presentation finished.

1215. My church.

1214. I was looking through some old pictures the other night and I just about melted when I looked at my little Lainee. Seeing them again reminded me that she is my baby, and it softened my heart toward her - it sometimes gets pretty rough.

1213. Seeing Lainee's face light up this morning when I simply told her how beautiful she was and gave her some hugs and smooches.

1212. Some of the cucumber plants have sprouted. And ONE pea plant. Hopefully the tomatoes are not too far behind.

1211. Bethany got up last night and wouldn't go back to sleep. So I took her out on the couch with me. She realized that Lainee was sleeping on the floor in the living room, so she hopped down and laid next to her big sister. Sweet!

1210. Telling the story to Lainee today, was a hoot. Because Bethany was crawling on Lainee at one point. So, Lainee got up and moved over. But apparently, Lainee was asleep the whole time, because she had no recollection of it. When I told her the story, she laughed a good, hearty laugh. I like hearing that laugh.

1209. Lainee said to me on Monday, "Mom, I like the sound of Bethany's laugh." I thought that was sweet. Also sweet is how much she likes to MAKE Bethany laugh.

1208. Clutter reduction continues and I am liking the results.

1207. Discussing scripture in Sunday school this morning.

1206. My church.

1205. Reminder that I need to be more purposeful about doing God's work and pursuing people.

1204. Jonathan used the toilet today, all of his own accord.

1203. That chicken dish someone made for the carry-in tonight.

1202. Bethany asleep on my shoulder.

1201. A visit from Joel and Melissa this evening.

1200. Making a salad that I have never made before and coming home from the carry-in with hardly any left over.

1199. The Smiths.

1198. Bethany sounds like she might be trying to say "thank you."

1197. We went out for "breakfast" this morning. The whole family. At this little coffee shop downtown. It was a nice change of pace. The kids enjoyed it.

1196. And I really enjoyed my apple turnover.

1195. And, there was this meeting this morning for Sunday school teachers at church. I wasn't thinking I'd go b/c I wasn't sure if they had child care AND I thought our breakfast would make me late. (We haven't been able to do much as a family lately, so, sorry, but the breakfast thing won out... hands down.) Anyway, I drove over to church thinking I would only be about 2 or 3 minutes late. No one was there. So I kinda scratched my head, and as I was leaving, I saw someone pull in. I turned back and found out that I was actually a half hour early. Go figure.

1194. The pastor and his wife watched the kids for me... I was the only one with kids... while I sat in the meeting.

1193. And it was nice to have the kids cared for until 11:30. Because then it is lunch time and soon after that it is nap time. So, my day without Paul was really pretty easy.

1192. And I got to nap too.

1191. After naps, the kids got all into the vacuum again, and now all the junk has been cleaned up from under the couch cushions.

1190. And Lainee wanted to vacuum her room SO BAD, that she actually started cleaning it! I can't even believe how much she likes this vacuum.

1189. Paul got paid (unexpectedly) a small amount for working at the meet today, so we all went out for dinner.

1188. My irises blooming. My favorites!

1187. Lainee asked to me this morning, in fact, "Mom, have you seen the irises?"

1186. She also asked me this evening if I would point out a field where we have been seeing some interesting birds, adding, "I'd be interested in seeing that."

1185. Last night - Bobby Brown on the radio (in the van no less. Can't you just picture it? A mom transporting three kids in carseats, pumping her head up and down to "It takes two." All I needed was some of those obnoxiously loud speakers.) Does God mind me putting that on my blessings list? I got an idea that I want to share. You don't like it? So what, I don't care!

1184. We saw baby geese again tonight. Only this time the kids got to see them too. There were a whole bunch of them, but Jonathan couldn't see them because he couldn't turn around in his carseat. He kept saying, "I can't see them!" But we were stopped at a light and one of them waddled up where he could see. "I see one! He's really small!" Jonathan yelled. I don't know why, but I felt SO glad that he was able to see it.

1183. I got me some Oreck. Sweet.

1182. Jonathan played with my hair while we snuggled tonight.

1181. Lainee forgives me when I do stupid (read: mean) things.

1180. Found 4 pairs of shorts and a pair of khakis for Jonathan at the second hand store. The poor boy has 16 million pairs of blue pants... almost all of which are cords, and one pair of shorts.

1179. And it took all of 15 minutes to find that stuff, find a pair of shorts for Lainee, pay, and leave.

1178. Took the kids with me to buy the vacuum today. Then to the second hand store. Then to the mall to find a slip for Lainee (which, by the way, no one sells for kids her age.) We ate dinner at the mall too. The kids were GOLDEN! Perfect, I tell you!

1177. Last night I went out and found two pairs of shorts, a shirt, and a nice blouse for myself at Good Will.

1176. Then I went to do some study for the talk I am giving next weekend. It was so nice to be in the Word.

1175. And, I don't know if I have already listed this scripture, but it blessed me again last night, after I searched and searched for it.

Listen, O daughter, consider and give ear: Forget your people and your father's house. The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord. - Psalm 45:10-11

I just sat there, amazed, staring at this scripture. Reading it over and over again.

1174. Bethany did not wake up at some ungodly hour this morning.

1173. Most of my floors are vacuumed. But this includes my bedroom, which hasn't been vacuumed in, um.... aaahhh... I have no earthly idea. (And there is STILL NO PILE in front of my closet even after all this time, which makes vacuuming so much easier.)

1172. The cobwebs on the ceilings are gone.

1171. The junk that collects in the crevice at the bottom of the baseboards is gone.

1170. And the air intake register on the ceiling, that has been covered in DUST for years - I am not kidding - is now dust free.

1169. And I did all of this in a half hour without squatting, bending, or reaching more than a foot in front of me.

1168. The kids think that the canister vacuum with the shoulder strap is cooler than Antarctica. I can just see all the help I am going to get with the cleaning in the next few weeks. (I am not kidding: Lainee kept coming in every twenty minutes or so, leaving her playmate outside on our front lawn, so that she could strap on the canister vac and do some vacuuming.)

1167. We had a play date today with some friends from church.

1166. I think Bethany is trying to say "Lainee." It sounds like "La La" (like it sounds in "laugh.")

1165. I got a letter from my new pen pal today. Thanks Shalee!

1164. The nasturtium I planted have sprouted.

1163. I got a new pair of flip flops.

1162. A cool, clear night.

1161. I made a breakfast casserole for the first time yesterday. I should not do this kind of experimenting when I am making the dish to take to a gathering (Bible study.) But, it came out great.

1160. I found the case that has been missing from a DVD that we borrowed from the library.

1159. I got everything done that was on my list to do this week.

1158. My husband is home. I just heard the car door. I was starting to get a little worried, since it is almost 11 pm. Some of these track meets take far too long, if you ask me.

1157. Making homemade brownies with Lainee.

1156. The kids helped me make the muffins for Bible study. They enjoyed it. I liked letting them be a part of what I was doing.

1155. Bethany likes to put the dirty clothes in the washing machine or any general task where she knows that she is helping. It makes her smile when I tell her she is a good helper.

1154. Sbarro pizza. I forget that I like it until I have it again.

1153. Having some friends over for a picnic lunch on our dining room floor.

1152. A baby shower at church tonight.

1151. The gift card that we got from Paul's work that I used to get a nice gift for the baby shower.

1150. The obvious provision of God that we haven't needed anything enough to use that gift card by now.

1149. Getting it. Slowly. About what it means to be free from strongholds.

1148. Got our local taxes done today. No penalties for filing late... or for paying our quarterly estimate late.

1147. We need a new vacuum. Paul says we have enough to get an Oreck. (Yipee!)

1146. All the ladies at church who love my kids and will let them sit on their laps at baby showers.

1145. Hearing Bethany says "up."

1144. Being able to renew my tags with a credit card over the phone.

1143. Some time at the park with the kids this afternoon. I played the garbage truck driver while they loaded the "trash" into the back of the truck.

1142. Sandboxes.

1141. Fenced-in back yards.

1140. Being able to get dinner ready without having kids hanging on my legs.

1139. My irises are getting ready to bloom.

1138. Tax refunds.

1137. Coloring with Lainee.

1136. Telling Jonathan he is good at sharing SO MANY TIMES, that he comes running up to me to TELL me, "Mom, I shared again!"

1135. Seeing one of our Sunday school class members for the first time in a long time.

1134. The relief that comes from confessing sin to God.

1133. Being on budget last month.