Thankfulness for Renewal and Spring Break

It is early morning and all is silent. In peace I am sipping my coffee preparing my mind for the day. Outside the spring rain is falling. I love mornings. I haven't always been this way, but now these times of quiet are treasured.

Dear Lord:
Thank you for today. Thank you for those beautiful darlings sleeping peacefully in their beds. Thank you for the hard-working man who has already left for work to provide for us. The day is before me and though it is easy to be distracted with all the items on the to-do list that are already calling my name, I would be amiss to not relish in the beautiful, Your glory, before the day begins. I am so blessed to be your kid!

Spring Break flew by. My first thoughts were that it flew by way too fast. I wasn't ready for it to be over just yet. However, upon some reflection this morning, I am renewed and rejuvenated. Thank you, Jesus, for:

• Wifery and motherhood, my greatest joys
• Spring wardrobe shopping with kids that are growing up way too fast
• Easter dresses marked down 50% off the day after
• Relaxed mornings
• A movie watched snuggled on the couch with much loved children
• Cooking with the little girls in the kitchen
• Summer evening meals outside
• Time spent in the pool
• Planting in the garden with help from my precious darlings
• My gardening learning curve (each failure is one step cl0ser to success, right?)
• Life lessons You, the Master Gardener, are teaching me in the garden
• Three new fruit trees for the backyard:)
• A hard-working husband, who is always so quick to build me something new and make my dreams a reality, with a smile (Thank you, Jesus, for giving me such an amazing man!)
• Bedroom forts
• Not as much spring cleaning as originally anticipated
• Dart gun wars
• Morning cuddles with Ai-Lin and Elijah
• Lots of reading, reading, and more reading
• Plenty of time to make dinner
• Potty training Elijah by Amanda (almost there)
• A walk with Amanda filled with conversation of the deep
• Pony rides with Candice at the ranch for Levi and Sofia
• Isaac home every day all day, which I loved
• Learning that my iPhone no longer works when emerged in toilet water
• Listening to Gileskirk Christendom lectures and being inspired
• Brainstorming with my kids about doing hard things (reading the book Do Hard Things as a family in morning devos)
• Rumikub (I officially lost my title of Champion to Luke)
• A quick run to Urgent Care with Levi (so thankful for available medical care and insurance)
• Little girlies in ballet outfits
• Little boys in flip flops and the mud
• Big boys wrestling on the trampoline (glad the pad has been recently replaced)
• Ai-Lin's princess birthday and new princess bike (I adore her giggle)
• Little ones playing fort on the swing set
• A doctor who remains positive even when he is calling with bad news about Joshua
• A few tears (none which fell unnoticed by the Father)
• Battling Cystic Fibrosis with renewed vigor
• Snow globes
• Owies needing kisses and band aids
• Candice planting her very own grape vine
• A leisurely Sunday afternoon meal shared with friends (thanks to the Hubbs for yummy food and wonderful friendship)
• Uploading almost a thousand pics to Shutterfly
• Savoring the good and precious gifts from above even in the midst of the hard, the not so fun, and the ugly!

God, You are so good and I am so undeserving of You. I am so thankful for You and all You are doing. I dedicate these last ten weeks of the school year to You. I pray that the days are fruitful and that we accomplish all that You would have us do. As we go into this final stretch, give us strength for our days. I praise You for your faithfulness. Amen.