more gifts to count

i know it is tuesday, but yesterday was too crazy to post. i also wanted to get the pictures up to accompany the gifts i saw from God this past week. i have enjoyed looking for His blessings, and i know there were a lot more, but i had trouble recalling them as i wrote this. i think i am going to have to keep track daily on paper and then write the post on sunday :) maybe that will work! hope you all had a very blessed week and saw God working in all the big and little things in your lives.


11. early morning shows put on by our two oldest boys as they make tents and houses out of their bedding

12. giggles from a little girl as we play 'tickle me!' before bed

13. the desire of a 7 year old boy to help his 2.9 year old sister to play dress-up with princess clothes.



14. 3 children laughing and dancing uninhibited in the living room in tu-tus and poodle skirts

15. renters who are going to be vacating our home in colorado at the end of may...we might actually be able to stage it to sell it now

16. a husband who has been home while launching his business...his extra hands have been invaluable

17. a 7 year old son who has FINALLY conquered the mountain of staying dry at night!

18. a trip to IKEA to buy new bedding to celebrate #17

19. sweet kisses from an older brother


20. the joy of a little girl as she finally blows bubbles from a wand



21. a surprise visit from a childhood friend as they visited our town on business


22. beautiful desert blooms


23. a walk in a beautiful desert park and a picnic to follow
a great week to be had by all!!

finding things to be thankful for...

heather has been counting her blessings for a while now. i have said before that she inspires me, and she has done it again. i have been reading her blessings and have been amazed at how she sees God in everything around her.

lately, our family has been going through a lot of trials. i have found myself focusing on the details of life and how to make things 'work' instead of focusing on the sovereign will of God. nothing that has happened to us is a shocker to God. He is in control, not me, and i think if i join in counting 1000 of God's gifts to me, then i hope to refocus on Him, and not my circumstances.

so...here goes...

1. i am grateful for God. this may be a no-brainer, but i think it should be foremost on my list to remind me of just how important He is (supposed to be) to my life.

2. i am thankful that my relationship with Christ is not just a lifestyle commitment, but that He is essential to my eternity.

3. i am grateful for my husband and his very patient love for me. i can be hard to live with :)

4. i am grateful for each of my children (can i number each of them?). especially the newest member who is only 3 weeks old :)

5. i am grateful that when my minivan died yesterday on a major thoroughfare i was able to move out of traffic.

6. i am grateful that when it died, a friend who lived close by willingly loaded up her 3 little ones and then put in an extra car seat for my son who was in the car with me and came to rescue us.

7. i am really grateful that the van suffered from a warranty-covered malfunction and that is was fixed quickly without the need for a rental car.

8. i am grateful for the sweet, nuzzling nose of a newborn on my cheek when he is hungry.

9. i am grateful for 3 hours of consecutive sleep last night.

and finally:

10. i am grateful for the challenge to be thankful for all things, large or small.


i am looking forward to looking to the good in things, even when they seem bleak at the outset. surely, there can be something good to be found in all things.

(i know it is tuesday, but i wanted to get started! i hope to do this on mondays from now on)

delicious fruit salad

i used to make an apple salad with mayonnaise that i LOVED, but i didn't make it very often because the mayo is just not good for you. i found a recipe for a lighter version, and made it the other day for a side during lunch. i found it on Menus4Moms.com, which i have found to be a great resource for meal plans when i am stuck.

Apple, Grape and Walnut salad

• 3 sliced and cored Granny Smith apples
• 1 bunch red grapes, pulled from the stems
• chopped walnuts
• 8 oz. vanilla yogurt
• 3 oz. cream cheese, softened

Mix the cream cheese and yogurt until well blended (we used our bullet blender). put fruit, etc in a bowl and mix in the yogurt blend. refrigerate :)

i didn't have any grapes the second time i made it, so we added raisins instead. another good add-in would be celery or pineapple chunks.

yummy!! and so much better for me :)