This is 39, People

Hugs and snuggles and coffee in bed. A surprise text from a sweet friend while I'm exercising - I just left you something on your porch swing...

A mid-day babysitter, requested by Greg. I'll be home at lunchtime, he said. Don't eat! Don't make plans!

A low-cal lunch in defiance of my ever-slowing metabolism.

Time to explore a new city neighborhood.

Triple chocolate Italian gelato.

After lunch, Greg announced he was taking me somewhere special. Hmmmmm, I thought. A long, leisurely walk along the Canal? A trip to a new bookstore he's found?

Nope.

This is why I love this man. A long time ago, a lifetime ago, I was a girl who loved Go-Karts. Four kids and fifteen years later, I am still that girl to him, which was the best gift I received today.

Chalk murals from my four favorite little people.

Presents chosen by each of the kids. Side note: Greg let each child pick out their own present for me, 

with no help and no suggestions. Charlie picked out three packets of M&Ms. Max picked out an IPad. I think if our house ever catches on fire and we only have time to grab one thing, we should put Max in charge.

A sweet birthday song sung by sweet little voices. A Wegman's chocolate cake, my favorite.

The chance to blow out candles, to give thanks for another whole year of health for myself, my husband, our parents, our brothers and sisters, our kids. Do I deserve this, any of this? Certainly not. Really, none of us do. But every bit of it is a blessing, not luck. And tonight, I have a heart full of gratitude.

Summer Sundays

Our town hosts a Sunday night concert in the park each week in July and August.

Tonight was their kickoff for the season, a near-perfect evening of seventy degree weather and red-streaked skies.

There's prancing kids, toe-tapping seniors, and everyone in between. There's old couples dancing barefoot as their favorite song is sung.

We chose this town by chance. We had three days and two nights to find a house. It was winter and everywhere we looked we saw melting, dirty snow and gray skies. So we prayed. 

We prayed for wisdom, for blessing, for good gifts from the One who loves to give them. 

We miss our town. We miss the stadiums and our beloved three rivers. We miss the beautiful, revitalized city, the eclectic neighborhoods that all feel like home, the Steel City pride. We miss our urban church, a glittering jewel of a place in the midst of a concrete jungle. 

But God, in His providence, has us here, and it is well with our souls.

Hello There, Summer!

We have been happily busy. Four weeks have passed without me much noticing. June was filled with travel to cool places and visitors from cool people. July - at least these first four days of it - has been quieter.

I've begun tackling my book list. I've logged many hours on the porch swing and the pool deck watching my children become fish and tree-climbing monkeys and sidewalk-chalk Rembrandts.

The phone's left inside, too far away to be heard. June, with its days each so full, was good.

 

And July, with its wide open spaces, is good too.