Lots of thanks, lots of photos...

I mentioned in a previous post that my husband and I have been taking short getaways here and there this summer in lieu of our usual longer vacation. The month of August will be busy with a missions trip to Ghana, West Africa for my husband and another big ministry trip for both of us, that I'll tell you more about soon.  So, for the past two weeks we've tried to plan another short getaway during July, but everywhere we wanted to go was either booked up or outrageously priced.  Then we thought to ask our daughter's in-laws if we could use their little cabin on the Umpqua River for a few nights.  After doing so, I wish we would have stayed even longer!  

The cabin is small with a living room that has a hide-a-bed sofa and a couple of chairs, a kitchen and eating area, a tiny bathroom and a laundry room.  There's a pull down ladder that provides access to an attic sleeping area. Out the back door is a large deck overlooking the beautiful Umpqua River.  There is no cable t.v., no wi-fi, and cell phone coverage isn't all that terrific.  It's actually my new favorite getaway spot, I just haven't told my daughter's in-laws yet! (I promise not to overstay my welcome, D and V!) Our time there was so relaxing and enjoyable.

We took the mornings easy, and enjoyed sitting on the deck sipping our coffee and watching the river go by.  Fish jumping, hawks flying overhead, the occasional fisherman or kayaker floating by, were our entertainment.  Breakfast and morning devotions were also enjoyed on the deck overlooking the river.  Eventually, we'd decide to get ready for the day, and enjoyed driving the short distance to the beach.  We had been youth pastors down in that area of the Oregon Coast when our two older girls were small and our youngest daughter was born there.  It was especially nostalgic to drive by the places we used to live and visit the favorite spots on the beach where we used to take our girls.

That's why I was off the grid and didn't get my usual blog posts up.  This post will be a combination of two of the posts I like to do at the beginning of each week, my weekly gratitude post, and my weekly photography post.  So,  this will be a post full of both thanksgiving and photos!

***********

Since 2009 I've been counting my blessings thanks to the prompting of Ann Voskamp.

 I continue to count my thanks

piling up gratitude day by day

in my little green journal.

(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)

#6311-#6338

7-6-15-

-my "little brother"-thinking of him on his birthday and missing him-

getting to see a phone video of him my niece received, (he's a missionary)

-two showings of our house today

-geraniums in clay pots

-a clearance sale on some new bathroom rugs we needed

7-7-15-

-letting go of things we don't need

-going to our grandson's All-Stars game, (he pitched 8 people out!)

-recommitting myself to do something difficult that God has asked me to do

-prayers from others re. the sale of our home

7-8-15-

-spending the afternoon with our two youngest granddaughters

-cooling off in the river

-the funny fact that they both believe that the detangling spray I use on their hair is 

"Nana's magic no hurt hair combing spray"

7-9-15-

-having a staycation day since where we hoped to go is either booked or too expensive

-a morning spent writing

-we get to use D and V's cabin!

7-10-15-

-going to see the Minions movie with the two oldest grands

-another two showings of our house

-all of the people who came out to support our grandson at his All-Star game

7-11-15-

-the beautiful Umpqua River in the backyard of the cabin

(edited with Kim Klassen's hughes texture, hard light, 20% opacity)

(photo edited using Kim Klassen's take heart texture, multiply, 50% opacity)

(photo edited with Kim Klassen's carol texture, hard light, 40% opacity)

-elk!

(edited using Kim Klassen's hughes texture, hard light, 15% opacity)

-driving into Reedsport for dinner

-a text from home that our friend had a stroke-

some dear ones from church going up to the hospital for us 

-my camera and the enjoyment I find in photography

7-12-15-

-Sunday morning breakfast and devotions on the deck

-hearing that all went well at church while we are away

-driving around Coos Bay and North Bend and seeing all of the places we once lived and enjoyed going to

-Sunset Bay, Cape Arago, Bastendorf Beach

-a fabulous seafood lunch

-back at the cabin sitting on the deck and watching the sun go down, 

seeing a hawk swoop and soar looking for prey

gratefully yours,

texture-twist

sonography at "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out"