Winter Retreat : 1000 Gifts

The kids and I just spent a week with my parents is sunny Florida. Reaching the Beltway in the sleet and darkness of Friday rush hour, we looked back and named a few favorite gifts from our winter retreat.

So, we add again to our list of endless gifts...

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Spring flowers in February. (Hannah)

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Warm days spent outside.

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Volunteering with Mema at school. (Hannah)

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Playing baseball with Grandpa. (Will)

1290
Quiet, lazy days... for us anyway... my parents would not likely call these days quiet.

1291
Big family dinners.

1292
Ice cream cones. Every night.

1293
A night out with Angie. And coffee with Amie.

1294
Soccer with Samuel and David. (Will and Peter)

1295
Sarah Mae. (Hannah)

1296
Cousins.

1297
Legoland!

All of us marveled at this mini DC made of Legos!

1298
Mema and Grandpa's Wii (we don't have one so it is a big treat!) (Will and Peter)

1299
Grandpa's Smoked Chicken BBQ.

1300
No traffic and no puppy accidents on the 12 hour car ride!  (All of us... especially Mom!)

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Books on CD.

1302
Coming back home. Dad waiting with homemade pizza.

1303
Last basketball games. Season ending pizza parties.

 I love this. "Mom, did you see how tall that boy was?"

1304
And back to normal Monday mornings.

November Gold : 1000 Gifts

In the golden light and raining of leaves, I am overwhelmed again by his goodness to me. The gift lift continues with photos all taken by Hannah. 

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What I find when I upload the photos from her camera. Beauty through her lens.

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The sound of the basketball on the driveway.

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Reading on the patio. Leaves falling on the pages.

1267
Root beer and pork BBQ at the farm.

1268
A stroll around the neighborhood. Slow. Savoring the late afternoon.

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Japanese maples flaming red.

1270
Blue Jays and Cardinals at our window interrupting math lessons.

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The flutter of beech leaves in the backyard.

1272
Finding evidence of beavers on our hike. Fascinating.

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A weekend without soccer. I love it, but...

1274
My sweet second grade Sunday School class.

1275
A babysitter that comes with ingredients to make cookies with the kids.

1276
November Dinner Club. The beginning of our sixth year.

1277
That when able to choose, they stay outside all day long. 

I love that she took a picture of the sky.

1278
How happy Will is with a ball. Any ball.

1279
Neighborhood flashlight play after early dark.

1280
When learning about the Yamato Dynasty of Japan extends to a sushi lunch out with Dad.

1281
Birthday parties at bounce places.

1282
An hour to sit and catch up with Patti.

1283
Mr. McLendon.

1284
Evening worship gathered around tables.

1285
His overwhelming grace. And inexhaustible patience with me.

Thankful : 1000 Gifts

We keep the family gratitude journal near the table and pull it out at meals mostly. Daily we pause and pray that our eyes would really be open. And we try to count the innumerable gifts.

It's been too long since I have counted the gifts here. Sharing a few from our family journal today.

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Monday's math lesson made a little sweeter by a quick trip down the street. Three Kids' Hot Chocolate with Whipped Cream and a Grande Latte for Mom.

1233
Friends on the sidewalk going to school.

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Daddy's humor. -Hannah

1245
Cheerful chores.

1246
That Gershwin (our fish) is still alive. -Will

1247
Questions like "Will there be nametags in Heaven?"

1248
Fried eggs. -Hannah

1249
The Heidelberg Catechism. 

1250
Wednesday nights at church.

1251
Big hot pretzels. -Hannah

1252
Regis and Lydia engaged!

1253
That we are not monks. -Will

1254
Third grade Sunday School. -Will

1255
Cream cheese and pumpkin butter on bagels.  -Peter

1256
Mom getting dog books at the library. (We may be getting close here) -Hannah

1257
Sleep. -Peter

1258
Right before the storm.

1260
Karen and Andrew engaged! 

1261
Books and blankets.

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Mousetraps. -Mom

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The Nationals in the Playoffs. -Will

February Thanks : 1000 Gifts

Combing back over my past days and scribbling down a few of the countless gifts...
balm for the soul.

My list continues...

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The Psalms.

1218
Valentine Chocolate in abundance.

1219
A violin prelude to help us prepare.

1220
Gathering around the grieving. Witnessing sweet support.

1221
Remembering.

1222
Deep inhale of cold night air.

1223
A sunny little daffodil in February.

1224
Lungs, legs, knees, and feet that keep going. Cold sunrise training runs.

1225
My new bright and clean and long-awaited kitchen backsplash.

1226
Reading and learning about some amazing women... Katharina von Bora Luther and so many other women of the Reformation.

1227
Finding a spot of warm sun to sit.

1228
Hearing the voice of a faraway friend, soon to be here again.

1229
A family valentine dinner out.

1230
Our marriage. So, so thankful.

1231
Sundays. Morning worship followed by an afternoon enjoying a neighbor's hospitality followed by evening worship.

Even the Cloudy Part : 1000 Gifts

Early evening on a Tuesday and Will is practicing piano. Hannah is diligently going about her homework. Peter, who stayed home sick from school, is sacked out on the sofa. Chicken is roasting in the oven, smelling heavenly. And I had to find a moment to stop here, needing to jot down gifts, moments, words... before I too quickly forget.

1205
Sounds and smells and routines of home

1206
His sweet prayer: "Thank you, God, for today. The sunny part, and even the cloudy part."

1207
Carol and David and the birthday lunches to which they love to treat my children.

1208
Pineapple and mint.

1209
Time with a mom a few years behind me seeking to learn more about homeschooling.

1210
The first flakes of the year.

1211
Tender family conversations. Listening to brother and sister encourage a discouraged brother.

1212
Dinner Club in our home.

1213
January spring days.

1214
Peter ringing that bell with JOY!


1215
All the time these two spend laughing.


1216
The kids' school Christmas program... on the 11th day of Christmas.

Hannah had a little speaking part that I almost missed... and she sang a duet that was a total surprise to me!

Will's class

Mid-Week Thanks : 1000 Gifts

Wanted to add to my list a few things I have scribbled here and there and in the margins of my journal. Beautiful gifts to be counted. Even if it is a Wednesday.

1189
Oranges and Grapefruits. Warm sunshine in winter.

1190
Thoughtful questions. The gentle way He stirs their hearts.

1191
Beautiful thick gray clouds.

1192
Handwritten notes.

1193
Sun rising orange and pink on the trees.

1194
Those pistachios that came in a gift basket.

1195
Puffy coats.

1196
Hours and hours of getting lost in imaginary play.

1197
A truly amazing birthday meal.

1198
Laughing til I cry.

1199
Games by the fire.

1200
The sound of laughter and that Trouble dome popping.

1201
Books that make us laugh.

1202
Winter that draws us inside.

1203
A wedding. An early homecoming. A baby. All wrapped up for her... by Him.

1204
That He makes everything beautiful in its time.
Ecclesiastes 3:11

In Everything : 1000 Gifts

In everything, give thanks.
I Thessalonians 5:18

It's all a gift. It's all grace.

It's been too long. The list continues...

1165
The delight it is to proofread your child's writing, check their homework.

1166
Parent-teacher conferences with wonderful teachers.

1167
"Hey, Mom, can I tell you a secret?"

1168
His teacher pulling me aside to tell me that in the class election between him and another, he didn't vote for himself.

1169
Arriving to volunteer at school and catching this scene. Love that group of kids.


1170
Will's Reading Rally speech. Big grins.

1171
"Mom, thanks for coming."

1172
Delicious meals delivered to my door. Thoughtful neighbors.

1173
How she lingers at the dinner table with the adults.

1174
Les Miserables at the Kennedy Center with our church's wonderful "Young at Heart" group.

1175
November's golden light.

1176
Sunset sky with silhouettes of just-bare trees.

1177
The joy to help friends carry boxes into their first - and fabulous - house.

1178
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

1179
And that we finally took the orthodontist up on her offer to 'buy' all the Halloween candy. It needed to leave.

1180
November drives on the GW Parkway.

1181
A three hour coffee date with an old friend.

1182
Season ending soccer parties.


1183
A friend's successful surgery.

1184
Reading Feminine Threads. The encouragement in walking through history's halls of faith. We are beautifully enclosed in such a great cloud of witnesses...

1185
My very own Jane Austen Film Festival. Best to do when husband travels for two weeks.

1186
My dear friend who is always delighted to come and re-watch all the 'highlights'... the long looks, pregnant pauses, spirited conversations...

1187
International texting.

1188
Our Saturday pick-up at Dulles. He is home! I'm so very thankful!
My husband has been in South Africa for the past two weeks.... will post photos soon...

Finished : 1000 Gifts

Almost three years ago I posted this picture of our student in the basement.

Well, as of TODAY he is finished! Awarded his PhD from the University of Aberdeen (Scotland).

For the past 7 years, my husband has beautifully balanced family life, full-time pastoral ministry, and all the researching/writing/trips to Scotland that this degree required. We are so proud of him! And so thankful he is finished!

Today I will add just two to my list...

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His PhD. Finished.

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The Rev. Dr. Love-Of-My-Life!

For those interested, his dissertation is on the Covenant Theology of Zacharias Ursinus (author of the Heidelberg Catechism). Please don't ask me if I've read it. : )

October Chill : 1000 Gifts

Celebrating His gifts, the list goes on...

1143
Candlelit family dinners.

1144
Lingering and laughing at the table. Dinner Games.

1145
Two Goals. Two happy boys.

1146
Empty parking lot bike riding fun with friends.

1147
The joy of completing his first big project.


1148
Lunching with the Kindergarteners.

1149
A chilly fall weekend with football games on the TV.

1150
And Football Dip.
It's standard football watching fare in our house. The neighborhood kids even come in for it. SO simple... mix a can of re-fried beans & half a jar of salsa together in an oven-proof dish; sprinkle with cheese (cheddar or cheddar/jack); bake at 400 for about 20 minutes; serve with tortilla chips.

1151
Finding Photo Booth open when I sit down at the computer. And photos like this....


1152
Pulling extra blankets over sleeping kids.

1153
Gathering to pray for one on her way to Romania... joining other friends already there sharing God's love.

1154
Digging fleece and sweaters out of the basement bins. Cozy comfort.

1155
A spontaneous (and much needed) family dinner out.

1156
And then family night at the Apple Store.

1157
Sunday afternoon naps.

1158
My husband kindly taking care of the acorn piles on the patio... with a snow shovel.

1159
Church-wide celebrations.

1160
Head on pillow at day's end.

1161
Sleep, glorious sleep.