February 15th

Since I happen to be ahead of the game, I am auto posting this the evening before - since we will be gone from early tomorrow morning through late tomorrow evening! Today's prompt is: A GIFT IN LOSING, FINDING, MAKING SOMETHING. 

These are all from our Valentine's evening! Now the first one, I admit is a bit of a stretch for losing - but my sweet husband brought these home for us on Valentine's evening! The downside was that they were priced for our little town - which means LOTS! So...the losing was money - does that work? Either way - they were beautiful!

Finding - now that was easy! I'm so glad we found each other - and keep finding new things out about each other! My poor husband was kind of tired here - can you tell? 

And making...here was our fun Valentine's dessert! Homemade brownie, cut in heart shapes with a cookie cutter, topped with ice cream, and homemade raspberry freezer jam...YUM!!!

February 14th - Valentine's Day

Another day, and another time I couldn't just take 3 pictures...even now I could go on and on! Today's prompt - 3 WAYS YOU FEEL THE LOVE OF GOD - can you see why I couldn't stop? A better question is how do I NOT feel the love of God?

First and above all - it is whispered in the pages of his Word - in His love letter to me and all mankind. What greater love is there than the love he demonstrated already?

And heart shaped chocolate surprises for my daughters this morning - and their sweet excitement and joy at their discovery!

Little things...like spreading raspberry jam in a heart shape on the toast to go with our soup for lunch today - my kids delighted with this little celebration of love today.

Both my sweet daughters - that God would love me enough to fill my life with their laughter, joy, and love. 

The ring I wear on my hand, that reminds me of the man God gave me to share my life with. Nearly 13 years of marriage, and through it all I know that God put us together - and shows His love for us each day that we learn a little better how to love each other...

February 13th

Today was another one of those days when I went a little overboard - couldn't pick my favorites! Today's prompt was: 3 GIFTS BEHIND A DOOR - and once I started looking, I couldn't stop!

This first one is hiding in our walk in closet to surprise the girls for Valentine's tomorrow morning - a couple boxes I made and filled with chocolate, and some balloons!

Next, I thought of the often used band-aid stash in our bathroom cabinet - at just the right height to be reached by little ones with scrapes and cuts...

One of my favorite cupboards in the kitchen to open - in my favorite corner...my baking corner! There is just something about cinnamon and spices that makes a person happy!

A well stocked (and HUGE pantry) - one of the many wonderful blessings of our new house.

Candles...Can I just say how MUCH I love a good candle?!?!?!? This is our yummy cupboard in our laundry room full of sweet smelling candles and such.

And along the yummy smell theme - I also love yummy scented soaps! Can't help myself!

The closet in the hall stuffed with cozy blankets - something that sees lots of use this time of year! Nothing like snuggling with a blanket while watching a good movie or reading a fabulous book...or tucking one around whoever might not be feeling well...

And finally - love the closet in the girls room - with spots for them to hang things right at their own level! Now to just teach them how to use them all the time and not the floor...

February 12th

I missed a couple of days - but I'm still sticking to my plan of not worrying about it - and just doing it when I am able too! So much less stressful that way!

Today's prompt was a challenge - but in a good way: 3 HARD EUCHARISTEOS - and if you haven't read the book, that pretty much means 3 challenging things to be thankful for (or at least, that's what I think it means!) What was challenging about this - is that it was actually a pretty good day! Funny that it was hard to think of things that were hard to be thankful for! So here is my best shot...

Dishes aren't exactly my favorite thing in the world - although I usually find myself enjoying the process of washing them when I actually take the time to do them. My worst challenge is putting them off until they are either piled up hopelessly, or dry and crusty and so much harder to wash! But I'm thankful for the dirty dishes that attest to the food God has always provided for us to eat.

Today was a pretty and sunny day - but it was incredibly windy. I have always loved the wind, so that wasn't hard, but it was also pretty cold, especially with the wind! It did make me miss the warm and windy storms in the Pacific Northwest...but I was so grateful for the nearly ever shining sun!

And one thing, that while not consuming - is still a bit hard...I still miss everyone back home lots and lots - but I am choosing to be thankful for where God has placed us. And today it was easy to be thankful while watching my friend's kids, then spending some precious time visiting. So thankful for new friends!

February 9th

Well...I kind of wasn't feeling too well for a couple days - so I missed them. Still not feeling 100% - but definitely better. But I'm sticking with my plan to not try to catch up, but start where I am.

So - today's prompt: 3 SURPRISE GIFTS - UNEXPECTED GRACE!

A little more of a challenge. I started with this - the unexpected discovery of a treasure trove of scrapbooking stickers that I didn't know I still had. The girls were in LOVE!

Then came the really unexpected...I set my camera down to help Amy with something for a minute, when all of a sudden - CRASH!!! Down went my camera...now you might be wondering where the grace is? My first thoughts weren't that direction - but then I realized that in EVERYTHING, there is something to be thankful for. My daughter who knocked it down wasn't hurt. My camera was (fortunately) still okay. Only a broken lens. Could have been much worse. So I calmed my pounding heart and gave thanks in that moment. And right there - unexpected grace!

Lastly - I had been hoping for snow today. We keep thinking we'll get some, then only ending up with almost nothing. Well, today was the same - but we still got a little! Mostly enough to enjoy watching it come down, but a pleasant surprise anyway!

February 4th

For today - 3 GIFTS FOUND WHEN BENT DOWN. I ended up with a couple of extras...

I hadn't noticed how crisp and clean the reflection from our washer and dryer was until I sat on the floor and started looking around me from that perspective.

Of course, I decided to sit in the nice warm sunbeam...so I took a picture of that too! Who DOESN'T love a good sunbeam? (I must be part cat...)

Then I turned around and looked at my craft table from the floor...I have to say, it looks a bit cleaner from here!

Then I sat on the soft and thick area rug in our living room. Despite the fact that things can easily get lost in it (for example, while sitting here I found a chocolate chip nestled in it...) - it is super soft and comfy. So I took a pic of the girls feet and hands that can't help but burrow into it's comfy softness!

February 3rd

Yesterday I found myself pretty busy - and didn't get this done! But I had something other than a picture I wanted to post. Today's prompt was 3 GIFTS FOUND IN WRITING. 

It is just one thing - but from one of my favorite books of poetry ever. The book is practically in shreds, it has been dog-eared so many times and full of bookmarks and post it notes from every which way. The book is called Keep Me Faithful: Prayer-poems on the life of faith. It is written by Ruth Harms Calkin. Here is one of my favorite entries:

Part of the Gift 

I heard today

Of a decrepit native woman

Who walked mile after mile

Under the blistering sun

To bring a small gift of embroidery 

To the missionary she deeply loved.
Hour after hour she trudged

Over rough, rugged roads

Clutching tightly her small gift.

Her weary body sagged

Her vision blurred

Her bare feet bled from the jagged rocks.

Grateful but overwhelmed

The missionary wept.

The trembling old woman spoke softly:

"Please understand.

The walk is part of the gift."

My Lord

My commitment to You is for life.

I give myself to You unreservedly

To do with me as You please.

But may I not forget

That the tears, the fears

The strain and the pain

The sunless days

The starless nights

Are all a part of the whole.
In my total commitment 

I give full consent:

The walk is part of the gift.