The original plan was to fly to the east coast for two weeks to visit our kids who live in Florida and celebrate our grandson's sixth birthday and then to drive to South Carolina to attend our oldest grandson's high school graduation and then celebrate our youngest grandson's third birthday. Shortly before we left, our soon to be six year old grandson Facetimed me and asked me to stay in Florida for an extra week. And so I did! We had a fantastic time! After all of the celebrations and then five nights at a condo at the beach with our east coast kids and grands my husband flew home and went back to work while I stayed in Florida for another week! I have struggled with having my kids and grandkids so far away and the news that our oldest daughter and her husband and girls are moving to California to accept a new pastoral assignment hit me really hard-not because I'm not happy for them or don't think they are doing the right thing, but because in 2021, 2022 and now 2023 one by one each of our daughter's and their families, (all eight of our grandkids!), have moved from living close by to living far away! Three weeks away helped me to process all of this change. I still feel sad. I still miss being near my daughters and grandkids. But during my time away, God strengthened and fortified me to come back home, back to our pastoral post, back to where I belong. For that I give Him thanks and praise.
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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 journal.
(and capturing some of my blessings via my camera or iPhone)
#16,991-#17,095
5-22-2023-
-answers to prayer for my nephew
-help with a little physical issue before leaving on vacation
-today's big list of pre-vacation to-dos all done!
5-23-2023-
-our oldest daughter and son-in-law's 25th anniversary
-our youngest daughter and son-in-law's 8th anniversary
-a friend who is taking us to the airport and watching our dog for us
5-24-2023-
-a safe trip
-a walk with my sweet youngest granddaughter
-an evening swim
5-25-2023-
-our grandson's sixth birthday
-baking his birthday with my youngest granddaughter
-monarch butterflies fluttering around the yard
-bowling and the arcade with the family
5-26-2023-
-"girltime" with my youngest granddaughter
-playing in the pool
-time in the Word and Prayer
-N. taking care of things at home for me
5-27-2023-
-coffee and quiet time on my daughter's back deck
-a fun walk with my grandkids
-heart talks
5-28-2023-
-going to church
-lunch at my daughter's in-laws
-big hugs from my South Carolina grands
5-29-2023-
-playing in the pool with the family
-my daughter's delicious homemade raspberry-strawberry crisp
-late night quiet time with Jesus
5-30-2023-
-listening to Sunday's service from home-so good!
-a little time with just the two of us
-praying with my grandson before bed
5-31-2023-
-a safe drive to South Carolina
-our grandson lost his two bottom front teeth after we left!
-our two oldest grandkids hanging our with Papa and me
-youngest granddaughter being so good for us on this two night adventure away from Mama
6-1-2023-
-a beautiful morning at the farmhouse
-working together preparing for our grandson's grad party
-strawberry shortcake!
-my daughter, grandson and granddaughter laughing together
-food, friends, family-a successful party
6-2-2023-
-he graduated!
-a new red tricycle for our youngest grandson's birthday
-driving to the property to see the house our kids are building out in the country
6-3-2023-
-devotions on the sunporch of our vacation rental
-a fun afternoon at the resort waterpark
-my guy taking me to the beach and hunting for seaglass with me
6-4-2023-
-shopping with my two oldest grands
-listening to Sunday's service from home-a great message and great discussion!
-this wonderful time at the beach together with our east coast kids and grands
6-5-2023-
-God at work in hard circumstances in a loved one
-seafood dinner
-God's provision
-playing with the grands
6-6-2023-
-a fun morning at the beach with Papa and our 9, 6, and 4 year old grands
-followed by an afternoon at the pool
-celebrating our youngest grandson's third birthday (a day early)
6-7-2023-
-our youngest grandson who is three today!
-Psalm 71
-a safe drive back to Florida
6-8-2023-
-getting a pedicure with my daughter
-an evening swim
-my husband getting home safely
6-9-2023-
-morning quiet time by the pool
-2 Samuel 14:14
-the loveliest day at Talbot Beach
-capturing a little crab to show the kids and then letting it go
-dinner at our daughter's in-laws
6-10-2023-
-encouragement from the women at our church
- a sweet gift from my daughter
-trying a yummy new recipe for dinner with my daughter
-an evening swim with the grands
6-11-2023-
-God speaking to my heart during worship at my daughter's church
-my daughter's in-laws treating me to lunch
-my grandson holding my hand
6-12-2023-
-our oldest granddaughter-today is her birthday!
-my sister-today is her birthday!
-listening to my husband's sermon from yesterday
-going to St. Augustine with my daughter's in-laws
-a fun, delicious lunch at the Beachcomber
-a great State Park with a lovely beach
6-13-2023-
-a good night's sleep
-"I miss you" text from my guy
-our church's monthly women's gathering at home went great!
6-14-2023-
-a fun morning with my daughter's mother-in-law
-her sweet gift to me of a cute apron
-an afternoon at the park with the grands
-a FaceTime chat with my oldest daughter and my grand girls
6-15-2023-
-my daughter saying she'll miss me when I go home
-a delayed flight but everything worked out with my connection and I got home safely!
-home with my guy
6-16-2023-
-my mama-remembering her on what would have been her 98th birthday
-a new plant for my new plant pot
-new sheets and bath towels
6-17-2023-
-the yellow rose bush that I planted with my grandson just before he moved to South Carolina full of blooms
-the song, "Graves Into Gardens"
-a deep cleaned house
6-18-2023-
-my faithful, loving, caring, steadfast, patient, kind, strong, forgiving Father in heaven
-my dad
-my husband-Dad to our three girls and Papa to our eight grandkids
-our three sons-in-law
-a powerful message
-lunch with our nephew and his family
-reading a good book
still following,
