happy...

My children are in bed. I sit here typing a few words as I wait for my husband to get off of work. I smile as I type. Though it has been a long day, I have many blessings to offer up thanks for. A loving husband who spent the hours before working doing laundry and preparing a dinner he would not be home to eat.

A note greeted my arrival explaining only towels were left to dry. I smiled gratefully, the mountain of clothes had disappeared. Lasagna was cooking and the children's favorite bread and spreadable cheese waited to be served. Even salad and a veggie were prepared. I smiled and gathered everyone together for the gifts left for us to enjoy.

Later... after cake (yes, he did leave cake)... I pondered what I could do to help. I fixed loose locks, hung light blocking curtains for the girls after a long search for the missing curtain rod. (I credit divine intervention... I just couldn't figure out where I'd laid the crazy thing.) I put the towels away, cleaned the bathroom and framed a wedding photo. I weeded a fence line and planted two grapevines, zinnias and peas... (Yup, I do know it is too early for the zinnias... I have enough seeds to replant if they freeze.) =-)

I smile thinking about the day off that three out of five family members share tomorrow. A portfolio evening for our younger daughter and getting up at 5:45 instead of 5:30.

I cherish the time to be with my husband and our older daughter...

This day and always, I give thanks to our Lord, to the One who gave us life... the only source of goodness... joy... peace...

I pray you are well.

I asked that you are blessed.

Almost...

We sat just for a moment in tall wrought iron chairs musing about a tomorrow when we would sit peacefully...
old...
me with my "girly" coffee...
quiet...
together...
watching the sunrise...
watching the sunset...

I sit typing... thinking about the concept of tomorrow... How often we look forward to tomorrow... To Fridays... To vacations... to something other than the tiresome and sometimes troublesome normality of our day to day...

Yet, we are not guaranteed tomorrow. Each moment is a gift...

So, while I, like so many others, look forward to a chance for rest... or dread some task at hand... I affirm the blessing of this moment... the gift of today... even when we walk through shadows... yes even then... even when it rains... This world is beautiful... we are loved... God is good.

Today...
Tomorrow...
Always!

I pray that our Creator, will guide you and I, His children. That we will be blessed with faith for our adventure and an honest appreciation for the wonderful people and circumstances in our lives.

We welcomed a furry daughter today!

Born December 16th, 2009, Maggie Butler officially joined our family today!

Wagging her tail...

And biting noses... Maggie happily played with her sisters!

She wondered about her first "walk"....

and made time to try out every lap...

It was with great sadness we said good bye to our Ben. He would have loved his new sister. Maggie is full of sweetness and just a smidgen of mischief. We thank God for creating such delightful critters to share the world with us.

Today...
Tonight...
Always...

I ask that you are given what you need for a beautiful adventure through this world.

I ask for only good things;
yet I trust God,
to know not only what is truly good,
but also what you really need.
So,
I leave you in His hands...
May you be blessed.

Come what may...

Through the ups and downs in life...
come what may...

There is one absolute...
God is good.

The truth is,
sometimes life is just hard.

We are blessed with those who hold our hands,
who walk with us,
who share our burdens...

Yet even when we walk alone,
we are not...
For God is with us,
He never abandons us...

On snowy days,
there are seed catalogs.

On hard days at work,
there are loved ones to welcome us home.

On happy days,
our dear ones share our joy.

When we are scared,
worried about the future...

When we have done our best...

Sometimes there is not a thing we can do.

We must leave it in God's hands.

Why...
When we know His complete trustworthiness,
is this so very difficult?

To let go and know that...
come what may...
God will be with us on our journey...

Now and always,
no matter if your day is sunny or full of shadows,
I pray that you...
that I...
be blessed with the faith to believe in our Lord
and to trust him to guide our adventure.

I give thanks for my family...
My husband, my children, my parents and siblings... my aunts... my uncles... my nieces and nephews... my inlaws... my friends... the list could go on into infinity... I am blessed...

Yes...
even on hard days...
I am blessed.