God's Blessings in May 2017

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and don't forget a single blessing!
Psalm 103:2

1. Binge-watching two seasons of Poldark while recovering from knee surgery and being inspired by period film kisses

Being hopeful that this crazy season of busyness at work will someday come to an end

working to get all those volunteer hours for school in before the end of the  semester

Blooms springing to life always make me smile

race day with fellow international friends

2.Watching a movie as a family that reminds us to look for the beautiful in pain and suffering

3.Watching a catchy musical with the girls and finding our toes tapping two days later

4.Talking with other moms and realizing that our children face the same challenges

5.Visiting with other mamas as our children practice ensemble pieces

6.A leather-bound journal and a good pen

7.Reading a page-turner in an actual book (and not a digital copy of one)

8.Poundcake with lemon curd after twenty-one days abstaining from sugar

Using these advent countdown numbers from the Target clearance bin to encourage my progress

The cookies saved for me mysteriously were not saved for me. Whereforartthoucookiemonster?  The taped-together hidden in the freezer dish was not a deterrent for the munchy.

9. Making a photo book and reviewing the sweet, grace-filled moments of the past year

10. Hot buttered toast with blackberry jam

11. Being able to have complete confidence in my husband; finding a liter of blueberry juice in the fridge that he picked up to surprise me.

12. My children making origami swans, one after another

13. My husband pulling the car around to the curb of the never-ending parking garage in 
Charlotte- thoughtfulness

14. Listening to beautiful music being playing on the piano in our home

15. Lunch and dinner alone with my man

16. Offering some comfort to my teenaged child

17. Being able to pass on something helpful that God has shown me in my journey with Him

18. A child CAUGHT in a poor decision before the consequences were greater

19. Gravity

20. Young dancers performing at a nursing home for the residents

21. A mom taking time to send an email complimenting our son and our family.

22. Leadership opportunities for our kids

23. Husband and son apologizing for hurting my feelings

24. Young musicians giving a nice concert

25. Breakfast with my mentor

26. Poodle skirts and getting ready for a themed event with friends

27. Going to the movies - just girls

28. Guys beach trip

29. Kids working out together with Coach Freddie

30. Gathering together at the lake as a family

31. Help washing the floors

end of the school year festivities

Family tree similarities

lovely little llama (okay, alpaca)

Tappity tappers

goodbye elementary school

Knee Surgery- Up with the good, down with the bad!

I can't convey how thankful I am that Dr. Mazoue found the source of my knee pain. My case had been labeled "complicated", not showing up on MRIs or X-rays for two years. Yet, when I turned my knee in certain positions it would randomly freeze up in searing pain, making me afraid to go skiing with the family or dance in kneeling postures. Thursday I had exploratory surgery done and he found a lateral meniscus tear and was able to repair it. My relief is overwhelming.  I had asked God for it to be obvious when he was able to see inside my leg arthroscopicly and He answered those fervent, fearful prayers. Now for recovery and figuring out what to do while I am unable to teach my pilates classes.

First day of physical therapy

My view most of the day...trying to be a patient patient. I didn't realize how much I move around during  the day- The ice machine is my new best friend; velcro, not-so-much! Retro-fitting one of the kids' fit bits for me. I never thought they would motivate me, but they do if every step counts post surgery

Hooray for violin concerts in sanctuaries...pew relief, and servers in restaurants  who seat you in  corners where your crutches won't be a problem for passersby

Physical therapy...color-coded band, toenail polish and k-tape

UP WITH THE GOOD

 DOWN WITH THE BAD

remembering which leg to step with first

Thankful for all the people who have helped me, checked in on me, and offered well wishes 

(or commiserated with war stories)

buzz-buzz

My fancy anti-swelling kinesio-tape makes me feel like an athlete  even though I'm mostly granny-shuffling and pumping my toes up and down

God's Blessings in April 2017

"Let me tell His greatness in a prayer of thanks." Psalm 69:30 MSG

1. Volunteers who gather and sort food for others- churches that want to love our community

2. Happy cast members after good productions of Peter Pan, Jr. and Sister Act

supporting one another

3. My family members are alive and healthy today

4. A loving tribute by life-long friends

5. A nice dry house to live in during a bad thunderstorm; safety during travels to my cousin's husband's funeral

6. No hail hit our home

7. Warm receptions for our new pastor and his family

Seeing God's hand in leading our pastoral search team to George and Megan Wright-
a sense of joyful accomplishment after three years of preparation

8. Having neighbors over for dinner on a spring evening- sitting outside until it turns dusk- a meal without clocks

9. Singing praise songs and ancient hymns at the top of my lungs in preparation for Holy Week

10. An oral surgeon who puts you, the mother of a teen girl, at ease over upcoming wisdom teeth removal

11. A's efforts to honor E and M, planning of celebrations

Pelican Bucks in exchange for investment tips

12. Reggie taking time to explain investing to our kids; being okay with being the family who takes their kids to a financial seminar over spring break instead of another trip to Carowinds

13. Afternoon tea for my college girls

14. Our daughter's heart broken over a friend's sinful choices

15. Going on a tour of USC Honor's College and learning about future possibilities

16. Family gathering around and Easter buffet



17. A hard-working husband; believing that we will get through this crazy busy season intact

18. The prayers and encouragement of friends before my knee surgery

19. Celebrating birthdays with friends around a lunch table

20. The hope of a repaired knee; knowing that there is no guarantee, but still hoping that there will be more dancing in my future

Shag lessons with friends

21. A well-produced movie that points to Christ, helping our family focus on the meaning of Easter

22. Friends who bring dinner to your family while you are bed-ridden; A friendship that withstands when someone harried volunteers in love but accidentally forgets you in the rush of life. :-)

23. A family member who will give you a ride to your child's musical event when you aren't permitted to drive yet; a family member who will cart you to your follow-up appointment

24. Help getting a shower the days after surgery. Thankful for pilates training and being able to balance on one foot for long periods of time.

25. A safe drive in the torrential rain

26. A friend who brings over dinner with lots of fruits and veggies in consideration of my low activity level

27. A good physical therapist and being checked out to drive again (releasing some of the strain on my family of having a driver down)

28. A friend who comes over to visit and brings lunch and a good book to read

29. Help getting groceries from a friend who had had foot surgery and remembered what it was like to get around on crutches

30. Deep spiritual conversations with friends

God's Blessings in March 2017

"O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever." Psalm 30:12

1. Funny Introvert memes on the Internet so that we can learn to laugh at ourselves

2. Youth workers plus in depth Bible instruction

3. God answering prayers for unity; Christian consultants focused on peace

4. Technology that allows me to stay connected to an anxious kid as needed

5. Radio silence when your kid is having a good time and no longer wants to talk to you

6. Self-control aided by the Holy Spirit during the Lenten season

Poetic scavenger hunts and hunts where the clues are all inspired by Bitmojis!

7. Jesus gently revealing areas that I need to trust Him with as I seek how to best parent the five He entrusted to me

8. How Della gobbles up table scraps with gleeful abandon

9. My brother teaching a young kid the ropes in his profession

10. Watching a blue heron vigilantly watch for fish in the neighborhood pond

11. Fun field trips for our kids

12. The ability to draw near to God

13. Lost diamond earrings found- not lost after all

14. A daughter who kneels to pray after a heated argument with a sibling- a heart that seeks reconciliation

15. ADD resources from Jane and Jackie to help organize my beautiful, creative, messy one

16. Trusting that taking 3 months off from teaching pilates will be a good thing

17. A timely word for encouraging someone

18. A family that sticks together through the grace of God

19. A Saturday morning to sleep in and not rush off to a myriad of activities

20. Taking a nature walk with my husband and going on a  trail we've never been on in our neighborhood; watching our dog race wild and free in circles through the woods, into the lake, vaulting construction barriers

21. Seeing college girls chase after God

22. Teachers and parent chaperones willing to give their time to make overnight field trips successful; not feeling guilty that I did not go on these trips this year; being confident in my decision not to partpate

23. Our commitment to growing our children's character over their present happiness (revoking computer privileges)

24. Chewy brownie triangles to eat at women's ministry events

25. Bringing my high-school aged girls with me to ladies events

26. A pastor who gave 38 years of ministry to our church- fond farewells and tributes

27.  Beautiful choral music performed in historic churches

Dads who attend art events in the middle of the Final Four

28.  And opportunity for B to grow as a musician - a chance to sharpen skills

29. The soft tick tock of our grandfather clock in a quiet house

30. Cut flowers that stay fresh longer than you expect them to

31. A little inchworm scrunching and straightening out across my leg while I wait in line for kids to come off of rollercoasters

conquering fears

Superior rating for our orchestra kids!

We send our kids with friends who have greater theme-park endurance than we do