the summer days

270.  my mom, my children's grandmother for loving, feeding, entertaining, scolding, swimming, sliding, jumping, reading to, with and on my children these summer days

271.  my husband for doing the same!

272.  my husband for braving to Shreveport August heat to mow the yard

273.  my husband for cleaning the house after keeping the kids and mowing the yard

274.  words from a coworker friend to treasure these times when my people are  young as she watches her baby start her senior year of high school

8/3/05

262.  the opportunity of a new day, to start fresh

263.  a day full of family outings

264.  ring around the tub indicating I know have 3 very clean kiddos 

265.  deliciousness of homemade shrimp tacos

267.  seeing in retrospect You Lord all over August 3, 2005 as we began our hospital journey

268.  fulfilling a promise to my kids despite my exhaustion resulting in yummy brownie pops!

269.  new pillows and a good nights sleep. 

relief

258. our dishwashing machine that cleans dishes while I sleep

259. relief from skin irritation thanks to a cortisone shot and antibiotics!

260. an evening with Jack and Candace

261.  the gift of friendship 

Be Thou My Vision

252.  abundance of "stuff" resulting in a garage sale and a hefty Goodwill donation

253.  simple joy found running through a sprinkler

254.  pleasant July weather making a Saturday afternoon run bearable

255.  a wonderful end to the Sabbath soaking in a low humidity evening outside with my mom while the kids swim

256.  good report from the eye doctor that scar tissue from two NICU eye surgeries is gone in both girls' eyes

257. clarity received from two new pair of glasses 

sunrise

251.  a glorious sunrise!

(photo courtesy of Candace Chaney Photography :))

Cicadas and slides

246. the buzz of the cicadas at dusk

247.  the twists and turns of the Southern Trace swimming pool slides bringing hours of entertainment to my children and hours of peacefulness to my mom

248.  clean, easily accessible water - my children learning that it is not so in Haiti. Thank you VBS

249.  fresh homegrown peaches

250.  ability to serve my church

I give thanks

239.  "Breathe in: Lord, I receive.

Breathe out: Lord, I give thanks."

240.  cousin collaboration on grandparents' anniversary gift 

241.  VBS - Presbyterian style

242.  unity in Christ

243.  a dance party in our living room

244.  Grace's tender heart

245.  an evening walk with the man I love

3 weeks worth of euchariesteo

I kept thinking I didn't want to post without the photos to go along with everything that has been happening the last three weeks!  But here I am with still no photos loaded so I'll proceed with the list as I haven't stopped counting my many blessings...its just been in the good ol' pen and paper fashion!

206.  a successful end of the school year
207.  three amazing teachers
208.  family filled wedding weekend
209.  a friend of a friend of a friend willing to babysit my three + Avery so my sister and I could enjoy an adult evening at the rehearsal dinner
210.  an afternoon nap!  H, G, S and me piled in a king size bed catching up on zzzz's
211.  Aunt Becky & Avery as travel companions from Natchez to the beach
212.  the beach house!
213.  excitement and joy of being by the sand & surf
214.  beach sunrises and sunsets - the hues so artistically designed by the Creator
215.  morning runs by the ocean
216.  ages 7 & 6, maturity that makes being at the beach house easier than years past
217.  a surprise beach wedding for a friend of many years; the details coming together in 2 weeks - all ordained by your Lord and felt by bride and groom
218.  Sambo & Dear providing us the ability for annual beach trips
219.  30+ years of memories made on Pensacola Beach
220.  Jenny & Brian for Peg Leg Pete's outings, golf cart riding, bunk bed playing , kitchen counter dancing, and firework viewing fun
221.  the sparkle & shine of fireworks over the bay
222.  a pleasant 8 hour drive home, just me and the kids.  a vast improvement over that same drive 6 years ago
223.  10 years of marriage
224.  Colossians 3:12-14
225.  4th of July run remembering those who sacrificed for our freedom in this nation while listening to Jesus Paid it All remembering Christ paid the ultimate sacrifice
226.  words of encouragement from my husband
227.  vulnerability expressed in a post dinner conversation
228.  afternoon frosty delivered by my love
229.  the gift of forgiveness
230.  VBS teachers and volunteers
231.  insights from my 6 year old - doing all the stuff the Bible says is hard!
232.  lessons and future impact of learning to stand strong in God - prayer helps us
233.  sour bearing, soul enriching early morning conversations, bathing in prayer
234.  new summer scarf handcrafted in Guatemala and delivered with love from Bethany
235.  dinner date full of great food and even better company
236.  colorful zinnias
237.  celebrating the impending birth of little Henry Harper complete with a mustache theme
238.  humility found in handstand push ups

we are family

200.  celebrating my last kindergartner - he's on his way, first grade

201.  spicy little sweetie pie - Haley as described by her teacher

202.  hand delivered Hershey kisses

203.  how Jason speaks my love language - see above

204.  the cool, juicy goodness of watermelon on a hot summer day

205.  pool time with Aunt Becky, Martha and Avery!

new brake pads - yay!

195. worst case scenario averted - no major car work needed

196.  safety provided in new brake pads

197.  setting a goal and trying something new

198.  a yummy dinner prepared with love 

199.  children that eat and enjoy said dinner 

neighbors

191.  my 86 year old neighbor tending to her hard and loving on my kids even when they ring her doorbell at 7 am!

192.  Aidan's Place granola and the farmers market 

193.  a sunny Saturday swim 

194. memories made in photos

full heart

185.  a timely tweet, a reminder @Janet_Denison: When the trials come, remember that the Lord is full of compassion and mercy – and your job is to persevere. God’s blessing is ahead.

186.  a table full of family, enjoying the food and the company

187.  a slight reprieve from the June heat and humidity

188.  craft night with friends

189.  a heart full of love; so much healthier than anger, bitterness, hopelessness 

190.  Loosing my phone for 18 hours, one distraction averted for a little while

a busy Saturday

180.  His faithfulness, His peace, His healing

181.  ability to French braid two little girls'

hair, even if it took almost 8 years to figure it out!

182.  Brownie Troop 640's friendship, fun and learning

183. ending the day with chocolate dipped cones

184.  sinking into bed after a long day

strength in weakness

175.  warm coffee streaming down my sore throat

176.  the stillness and tranquility of 5 am

177.  For when I am weak, I am strong - 2 Corinthians 12:10

178.  little glimpses of The Lord at work

179.  the scent of clean laundry

morning prayer

170.  Bethany's morning prayer

171.  coolness of my office as a relief from the humid heat outdoors 

172.  Chris' motivation to keep us working through the CrossFit pain!

173.  caring and fun loving 2nd grade teachers - Mrs. Moore, Mrs. Williams

174.  a sunset run

Mission Shreveport

166.  a smooth Monday morning routine despite not hearing my alarm!

167.  Javen, Jake, Trey and the other kids I got to hang out with this afternoon

168.  day 1 Mission Shreveport

169.  a moment of practicing patience when my mind wanted to rally against it

Sunday sunsets

161.  a really fun Saturday with the trio

162.  a long run 

163.  blackberry picking 

164.  singing "The Gift of Love" during church; really hard Euchariesto this morning

165.  pink glow of clouds at sunset 

Friday's 5

156.  just the right words at precisely the right time

157.  a glowing report from Sam's teacher - such a bright kid

158.  a good night's rest

159.  Miss Shai always willig to help with the trio, a big big blessing in this busy mama's life!

160. windows down, music up, singing loud-TGIF!!

trusting times

151.  those challenging times that are oppurtunities for trust

152.  prayer in the park

153.  being surprised (when I shouldn't be) when Your fingerprints are discovered over various parts of my day

154.  clear ears to hear - thanks Dr. Ricky!

155.  the complexities of cat life - interesting little one that Jack the cat of ours

Come Monday

146.  being chased by grace (real grace, not my sweet Gracie Greer!)

147.  Jason's drive to exercise and eat healthy 

148.  pushing through with homework and the last 4 weeks of school

149.  big puffy marshmallow clouds floating through the backdrop of the blue blue skies

150.  lower humidity levels!

Hydrangea love

141.  pink, purple and blue hues of hydrangeas

142.  Lord, Need You - singing it over and over again

143.  a husband's love

144.  an afternoon nap for Gracie

145.  Sam's humor!

a little absent but still thankful

136.  kids that love to drink milk and water

137.  a pesky front tooth finally pulled out

138.  an evening by the river 

139.  the ability to run 7 miles after a long break

140.  a grandmother that is always willing to help

Memorial Day

131.  living in the land of the free

132.  baking desserts with the trio to share with the rescue mission 

133.  friends letting us share in the fun of their new biggest baby pool ever!

134.  funny text messages Haley sent me from Tootsie's phone

135.  baby snuggles from little Kit

hard start, good ending

126. the scent of fresh cut gardinas wafting through our house

127. walking into church and hearing a senior adult Sunday School class singing Are You Washed in the Blood

128.  raisins, hydrangeas and BBQ chicken - abundant memories of my grandparents' house

129.  an afternoon walk with Sam; redemptive moments after a rough morning

130.  a fro yo outing - yummy oatmeal cookie yogurt

provision

121.  squeals of delight from the trio as their daddy plays with them in the pool

122.  a boss who recognizes the hard work of his employees

123.  a God who faithfully provides

124.  an afternoon spent pouring over boxes and boxes of photos; 50+ years of memories

125.  six pairs of the most precious tan arms and legs!

growing and developing

116.  the stage in life where my children can dress themselves in the morning

117. early morning texts from Jason when he is already busy at work

118.  that your mercies are new every morning; much needed reminder when I feel I am constantly failing 

119.  a developing passion heathy, strong body

120.  year round school!!

Come let us sing for joy to The Lord

112.  a reprieve from sibling arguing and instead having built in playmates

113.  afternoon swimming for the kids and Crossfit for me...thanks Tootsie!

114.  an evening of praise and worship

115.  the musical talents of Heather, Eric, Jamie, Jimmy, Cody and Laura

Friday, field day, friends and fun

 

 

105.  a fun Friday at field day

106.  encouraging classmates

107.  starting off Saturday morning with a 5k, running for a worthy cause

108.  my Riscom family teammates

109.  Sam playing Praise God from Whom all Blessings flow at his piano recital

110.  quiet at the end of a long day

111.  3 years of AAC and the privilege of watching him grown since his first little breath

Nora and Amos

99.  protection over our kids and home during the hail storm and tornado

100.  Your comfort and healing over a co-worker and the loss of her home

101.  a special gift from my grandmother - a restored photo of her parents, Nora Haley Muncy and Amos Muncy

102.  how my mom loved her Granny (Nora) despite their short 6 years together 

103.  a husband that not only cooks but washes dishes too!!

104.  Sam's love of learning and the ease with which he does his homework 

a neon gift

95.   a thoughtful little pop of neon from my mom

96.  sore muscles from a strong workout

97.  a much needed haircut 

98.  a talented chef for a husband

expectations

91.  Wise words that express how I feel:

"What messes up our life most is this expectation of what our life is supposed to look like." - Ann Voskamp

Amen and amen

92.  hearing "My Redeemer Lives" playing in a nearby office and how it makes me think of Rendi!

93.  the trio heartily eating the dinner I prepared for them

94.  shield of faith (Eph. 6:16)

another Monday

86.  new running shorts and shirt, my Mother's Day gift

87.  the dedication of the group of older gentlemen I see three times a week running along the river

88.  fresh flowers of the floral arrangement in the lobby of my office building each Monday morning

89.  homework completed before I get home from work

90.  my girls telling me to google Taylor Swift to get her phone number and invite her to their birthday party - oh how their little minds work!

mamas

81.  great examples of motherhood from my own mom and my grandmother and aunt
82.  having family so near that a short 5 minute walk can take us to a pool time adventure at my parents' house or my aunt/uncle's house
83.  crazy cousin Camille that loves playing with and being around my children
84.  a few moments of solitude at the grocery store, perusing the health food section
85.  the silver fingernail sliver of the moon

PNI

76.  becoming more comfortable with hospital visits

77.  successful surgery for Candace...looking forward to having my running buddy back to full capacity!

78. PNI - Parents' Night In while kids were at church

79.  a husband that loves me so

80.  a spa cuisine cooked by my chef for our dinner

Be not afraid

71.  Psalms 40

72.  the hope and promise of redemption and resurrection

73.  Pops smiling down upon those seated in the Sanctuary this afternoon celebrating the blessing of his life

74.  "Be Not Afraid" 

75.  the soothing pattering of rain

early prayers, early runs

66.  early morning prayer with friends

67.  finding funny photos on my phone that I have forgotten about, bringing a smile to my heart and face

68.  uplifting words from Jason and how they encourage

69. watching downtown Shreveport come alive during a sunrise run

70.  a conversation with a new friend opening my eyes to the bigger world around us 

Pops

61. perfect peace for Pops, in glory
62. the people placed along our paths and the impact they can have on our journey
63. hospitality and the motivation it provides to clean and organize
64. the fresh smell of cucumbers
65. community

dirt and derby

56. a strong and healthy body
57. dirt underneath my fingernails
58. pink and white hues of flowers adorning the freshly completed flower beds/pots
59. Kentucky friends, derby duds
60. Korrie's attention to detail

Bible, babies, bagels

51. open Bible, seeking the Lord's guidance
52. children practicing the fruit of self control
53. a good routine
54. Panera Bread in the port city
55. 5:00 pm Friday afternoon

Wednesday

45. the cool shapes of the clouds in the sky
46. rising early and the subsequent quiet time
47. no homework
48. lip smacking grilled fish po-boys prepared by my extra special chef
49. an extra burst of energy
50. a warm bed

purpose

41. cramps (yes cramps!) for the reminder I was made on purpose, with purpose, and for a purpose
42. prayer time with friends
43. parents home after a long vacation
44. folded laundry

Sunday, Monday

36. chorus of birds singing in the pre dawn darkness
37. the preciousness of holding a tiny baby
38. stress - busting, anxiety releasing laughter among small group friends
39. an extra hour of sleep
40. listening to my kids' recap of their day over a yummy dinner

hey it's Saturday, yes it's Saturday

31. going with the flow
32. no agenda Saturdays
33. playing in the park
34. exhaustion after a good workout
35. Haley's hand in mine

Fridays

26. bouncy trampolines
27. problems as perspective lifters
28. sweet Shai's watchful eyes over my children
29. 5:00 pm on Friday afternoon
30. hope for tomorrow

silence and song

21. the moon and its light shining through the tree branches
22. silence at the end if a noisy day, mental noise
23. Meredith Andrews singing "Not for a Moment"...
24. Laura Bush's loving remarks towards her husband
25. growing strength in burpees

amazing Grace

16. the grace my Grace so easily extends
17. bright colored clothing on a gloomy day
18. small acts of appreciation at work
19. LOL'ing with Jason via silly text messages
20. gut wrenching laughter around the dinner table

pops of pink

13. six little legs running with excitement into school
14. the compliments generously and graciously supplied by my husband
15. pops of pink - roses from my parents' house

this little piggy

8. smell of honeysuckle along the Red River
9. a lunch break run under perfect blue skies
10. Jesus working in my son's heart through a good night's sleep
11. a special toy lost for days now found
12. dining al fresco

One Thousand Gifts

Euchariesto:
Charis - grace
Chara - joy
Euchariesto - thanksgiving

Thank you CDC for the encouragement!

1. blue skies on a spring day
2. the .3 miles between our house and my parents' house
3. my faithful companion for 11 years, her black fur sprinkled with gray
4. bikes, helmets and increasing confidence
5. a song sung by the church choir flooding my memory with happy remembrances of youth choir, my eyes brimming with tears at the memories
6. two uninterrupted hours with my husband
7. a friend sharing her book and insight