Thanking God for...

{Gifts 123-161}

- {Slightly} different numbers on the scale!
- Jump Knee Tucks - to the glory of God
- A God who heals, even healing hearts

- Eric's grocery store run, saving me a trip
- Sunshine, 65 degrees, and a cool breeze
- Finding my cell phone at the end of the driveway
- Cozy pajamas
- Big girl's crazy curls and protruding belly

- Bread's aroma filling the house
- Shorts! and balmy walking weather
- A throat's prompting to use fewer words
- Contacts, glasses
- Bella's fever, preventing me from spreading my germs

- A huge glass of water right beside my bed when I awoke
- A complete stranger rescuing Eric's phone from the Walmart parking lot
- Liquid antibiotics
- A bed
- Free antibiotic samples from our pediatrician

- The smell of fertilized farmland, Pennsylvania's perfume
- Grilled sticky buns from Kum Esse
- Breakfast with Ab and the babies
- Black shoes bouncing great-grandchildren
- The link and other places to run

- The balcony and other places to jump (and cool off)
- Overalled husband driving
- The constant stream of food at a five couse dinner keeping Haven entertained and satisfied
- The quiet book
- Wrinkled beauty everywhere

- Christ's redemption of one man being worth more than two thousand pigs (Mark 5)
- Gloria - the pest - reminding me that all people have souls
- A long afternoon chat with Uncle Al
- Birch beer, Lebanon bologna, and Cooper Sharp
- Pixie-beautiful Geneva running with Elijah and Haven

- Drew's spontaneity, learning more about the 2nd Exodus, bonus hours with Lauren
- "Oh, like a doop?"
- No longer having to go through the cleansing rituals post-sickness described in Leviticus 15
- A husband with whom I LOVE spending time
- Home, at long last

- In-laws who work hard to give us good gifts - food in the fridge, a clean house, and more! - and, in the doing, show us Christ

Thanking God for...

{Gifts 104 - 122}
- Money back from BCBS; a start to our Total Money Makeover
- Fat white snowflakes
- Haven's shoes found at half-price
- Plans of a little man - endless planning
- Bare spots of clean floor
- Brief minutes of joyful sibling play
- Rhythmic breathing on my neck from a fuzzy-headed baby
- S.W.A.T. hat on a beautiful boy's head, just above his backwards orange shirt
- God's grace in following up terrible days with good ones
- A shower - long, hot, and all by myself
- Clean diapers, dry underwear, dirty clothes
- Mud squishing up the side of my tennis shoes
- Ridgetop Trail at Beaman Park
- Not having to push the stroller PLUS having some adult conversation on the hike
- Christ, through whom I HAVE RECEIVED GRACE
- Being loved by God (!)
- The best Valentine, Valentine's Day #8 with Eric
- Stranger rescuing Polly Jane's red bow from the trestle. "That was so, so kind. We though it was lost forever." ~ Elijah
- God's grace in allowing my heart to love

Last year I was able to go to Washington with my grandfather, a World War II veteran. This past Thursday he received the Legion of Honor, France's highest medal, in recognition of his work in liberating France.

WWII Vets Get France's Highest Honor in Atlanta: MyFoxATLANTA.com

{PawPaw is the one on the right, hand over heart, just at the start of the video.}
We are so thankful to PawPaw - and all other military servicemen - for their sacrifices for our freedom.

The Plan

Elijah: "Mom, I've got a good idea. Haven and I will be on a team, and we will work together. You can be in charge, and tell us what to do! Do you like that plan, Momma?"

Lydia: "Elijah! That is the best plan I have EVER heard!"

Dentist

Today:

- Haven's first visit to the dentist
"Haven, I'm Pam! Can I brush your teeth?"
H: "No!" {backs into my leg. won't move forward.} "All done! All done!"

- Elijah's third visit to the dentist
Lydia: "Elijah, why were you upset at the end?"
Elijah: "When she was putting that stuff on my teeth, my leg really hurt. It felt like it was going to die!"

- Polly Jane's first time to be cared for by complete strangers, the extra dental staff. {Hope she didn't spit-up on you guys! If she did, thanks for not telling me.}

The dental staff members at Children's Dentistry were awesome. They cleaned Haven's teeth with her sitting on my lap. They cheerfully coached Elijah through his leg pain, and they played with Polly Jane throughout our entire visit. Plus, they give my children their own bag of treats, which was certainly the highlight of the day.

In grammar news, Haven said (perhaps) her first four word sentence. "I dropped it...again." This was in reference to dropping her newly-acquired slinky. When I went to check on why she was crying in her bed during naptime, she said "Hold me, Momma." It was so sad; she has moved past saying "Hold you. Hold you." She has also replaced "Welcome!" with "Thank You!" when she is trying to thank someone. Aaaagh, but soon she may also move past having a meltdown when you must put her food in the microwave or toaster.

Elijah is up now, making Polly Jane laugh hysterically. He calls her "Baby Girl" when he plays with her. She LOVES it. Haven's scream of "OLLY JANE!!!!" is not quite as pleasant to her as Elijah's rambunctious play.

Thanking God for...

{Gifts 89 - 101}

- Grace words to encourage a friend
- Encouragement in being used in this fashion
- Boy's toothpaste handprint on the bathroom mirror
- A date with my husband
- Eleven accidental hours of sleep
- Poo-poo on the potty!!!
- Sycamore tree spottings
- Paved walkways
- Midnight bedtime stories and a little boy who wants them
- Stomach sleeping, fuzzy head showing
- Recounting of husband's memories
- Crazy cow in our freezer
- Laughing babies
- Smiles which consume an entire chubby face
- Obedience in yard boundaries