Thankful for the little things. . . . .
I had a catnap yesterday and when I got up Rich was out running and all the children were in bed. So, I took my book and went outside to read in my hammock. It was too hot so I sat in the shade. Presently, I felt a bug crawling up my skirt. Thank goodness we have no neighbors close enough to see our goings-on. LOL
Being away from home for a week has done wonders on my heart attitude toward my home. Yesterday I was thanking God these little (and big) things: for my messy house, my yard, my hammock, my weedy gardens, my kitchen, my children’s toys scattered around by the stream, my children’s voices, my view off the porch, my wildflowers, my husband, my life! For everything!
Go on vacation to learn again how much you have to be thankful for, I guess that’s what I am trying to say.
After I got the bug out of my skirt I walked around picking a bouquet of wildflowers—some old daisies, goldenrod, a cat tail from by the pond, red berries of some sort, some purple flowers. I brought them inside and put them in a fiesta tangerine carafe. Then I went out and picked a big bouquet of just Queen Anne’s lace, being careful to flick the ants off them. . . .they went flying and I imagined that they enjoyed the ride! Isn’t Queen Anne’s lace beautiful?
Rich came back, the kids got up, and I put on my boots and jeans to walk down the stream. We have bright red Cardinal flowers growing in the stream and they are dazzling. I took some pictures and then sat on a log that had fallen across the water. Watching all the dragonflies put me in some kind of trance for a little bit. Happy, just happy. Peaceful.
Later on, Rich and I went to the grocery store. When we got home, I kicked off my heels, put on an apron, and put together the “Berry Cheesecake Pie” from this months issue of Taste of Home. We didn’t have time to eat a piece yet. I’ll tell you tomorrow how it turned out.
~~~~~~~~~
This morning Rich had to go back to work. I’ll miss him a lot today, it’s been so nice being together for a solid week! He left me with all the laundry done and most of it folded. The house is almost back to normal, and I’m so happy I didn’t have to unpack everything myself!
Things may sound dreamy around here, but of course the reality is, we are just a normal every-day Christian family with ups and downs just like everyone else in the world. I’m sure by the end of the day I’ll have lost my temper at least once. And I know that from lunchtime on I will feel queasy and yucky until bedtime. LOL I like to make it a habit to count my blessings (I’m actually a pessimist by nature) and it just so happens that it’s easy for me to do that in the mornings!
Oh Love the Lord, all you His godly ones!
Be strong and let your heart take courage,
All you who hope in the Lord.
Psalm 31:23a, 24
Cabin pictures from the week (all taken at the camp): Most of you know how I enjoy our nature finds. Grace discovered a type of fungus that had bright red watery liquid coming up from the top. . .I had never seen such a thing! Let me know if you know what it is (please).
This morning was quite chilly when I first got up, a sign that fall is coming. The sun is shining now, and the front door is wide open to let in the morning air. I have no place to go today, just chores to do in the house and hopefully some weeding will get done before it gets too hot.
Happy Monday to all my xanga pals! I’m thankful for the fellowship here.
“How delightful and responsive is the communion of those who love the Lord Jesus, wherever they meet; and oh, what will it be in glory, when, made like unto the Savior, ‘we shall see Him as He is.'” John Paton
Good to be Home 
welcome back…you were missed. 🙂
Wow, the privilege and honor of the first comment. . . 🙂 Sounds like a lovely vacation and a beautiful place of peace and quiet. . . what a nice time for all of you together. Never seen a fungus like that before. . .very interesting. I agree, travelling and vacationing are wonderful, but there is no place like home. Enjoy your day!
. . . and a good morning to you as well ~
That fungus is amazing. Oh, how I wish it were cooler here!!! I’m SO ready for fall. Our high today is supposed to be 105. Our AC ran from lunchtime into bedtime before it turned off. Craziness!!! I’m so thankful for modern conveniences like AC!!! I hope you have a good day, friend.
How true, there is nothing like coming home to appreciate what you have. Bless you this week.
Glad to have you back, glad you had fun…you were missed for sure!
Hi loved looking at the pictures glad to know you are back home safe and sound….we will have to talk soon love ya
WE MISSED YOU!!!! 🙂 Great photos….makes me wish I could go camping. 🙂
From the pictures, it looks like your week was so relaxing and you all were able to enjoy a lot of time outdoors! I love all the nature pictures.I’m going to be checking back here in case anyone can identify the fungus. It really is amazing, and I’m curious too!It is so, so great that you can start the week caught up on your laundry, thanks to your awesome hubby! HAPPY MONDAY!
Wow, that fungus is crazy!! I’ve never seen such a thing… looks like something form Willy Wonka!
I love the little one in his green jacket with the hood up; how cute. The one of the boys hugging in the road is great, too. Well, they are ALL great!! Thanks for sharing
Ms. Shanda you always have the most encouraging posts, even when you are having a bad day. I have had a very rough past few weeks, and have been struggling to cling to God and seek his face with eveyr breath that I take, but today you have encouraged me to focus on all of the little blessings that he has showered upon me.
What a fun looking cabin! I am glad you had a good time! Glad you are back too.
Welcome Home! The pictures are lovely. I am glad you are finding time to rest.
Couldn’t tell you about that fungus. God has truly created some unusual things, hasn’t He?I was amazed to see your children wearing jeans and the fact you mentioned it was a cool morning . . . it will be 107 degrees in Oklahoma City today with a higher heat index. Talk about ready for fall to arrive!!!Welcome back – and big hugs to you!
Good Morning Shanda….Glad that you are back. Looks like everyone had a really good time on vacation. I love the pictures. The tshirt Grace is wearing, she blends right in with the leaves. Hope your sons chin and upper lip heals quickly. Something like that happened to one of my boys too. That fungus thing…how weird looking. I’ve never seen anything like that!
Have a great day Shanda….thank you for sharing.
Absolutely love the brothers hugging!
Very nice pictures…looks like fun was had by all. Hope you have a great day.
It is so good to have you back, to read your thoughts and see your beautiful family again.I sat on the couch last night with Eric’s mom and shared your blog with her. She has been homeschoolingfor 18 years (and not finished yet either!) and she found much beauty in your posts.
love seeing you all in these pictures, and the cabin in the woods. Davy looks so big running up the road. You are so right. It helps to get away to have focus, and it helps so much to remember to thank the Lord for our blessings each day. I would have laughed to see you dancing around to get the bug out of your skirt Have a wonderful day. Jenny
I love your nature – God’s nature that you capture ~ it’s like a wonderland to us down here in the desert :)So good to be grateful and remind ourselves of the little things in life that God grants to give us ~ always helps us to focus on His goodness in our lives 🙂 Looks like a very special time as a family on vacation — hope you are feeling as well as possible in the pregnancy ~ Have a good Monday 🙂
Today’s hurry up and go society is known to make us forget about the little things. Thank you for reminding us! Each night my daughter and I pray, we try to remember the little things that happened to us that day.
That fungus looks like THIS. I think I remember seeing this one time while hiking. It’s really cool looking!
Love the cabin in the woods!! Welcome back!
So happy to hear from you.
thanks for you honesty about being a pessimist. I am too, by nature, and need to be reminded to count my blessing and find the positives in things. So I am off to do that now!! I had a miserable Saturday attitudewise, Sunday was really good, and I am down in the dumps again today. Time to see if I can turn that around before my husband comes home from work this evening!also loved the pics and everything else you squeezed into this post!!
I loved ALL of the photos. I am so amazed at the red bubbly stuff. (Sorry haven’t a clue) I love Queen Annes lace. I was thrilled to find that there were fields of it in Holland when I visited the place my grgrandma lived. Big dinner plate sized wonders everywhere. Hope you are feeling better. I’ll bet Rich didn’t know his ears would be so useful to little boys? (what a great guy!) love and hugs in SC> m
Welcome home Shanda! Thanks so much for sharing your pictures with us, and the neat things the kids found (we actually had a little tree frog the other day on the porch – makes it a porch frog I suppose – and I thought about your boys.)
I just had to smile at the image of you dancing around trying to get the bug out of your skirt! Grace just blends right in with the trees in the picture where she is wearing the green shirt- very neat! I liked seeing that Thomas got to go along (of course). The picture of David and Caleb hugging is so sweet! I have never seen anything like that fungus!! Thank you for reminding me to be thankful for my messy house. After camping, dislocating my shoulder, and spending four nights in Anchorage, my house is in major need of a thorough cleaning- but at least I have a house to clean.
Looks like a beautiful place. How wonderful of your hubby to be such a help!
I love all the pictures. It certainly looks like you had a wonderful time.
Love the pictures of your children together — Jacob and Ethan, Grace and Caleb, David and Caleb — hopefully their love for each other will be deep enough that it will last.
I just love reading what you have to say,and looking at your wonderful pictures. It’s always nice to go away for a while, and come home and realize how bad you’ve missed being at home.
The vacation photos are wonderful and remind me of many sweet memories of our family vacations to West Virginia with my cousins and siblings. I love the cabin in the woods and all the beautiful fingerprints of God on His creation!
I loved the picture of the bed, it looked so cozy, and a perfect spot for reading!
Also enjoyed the photo of David carrying the wood pile, sooo cute!!!
The picture of Gee reminds me of the story of the whistle and has me laughing again!
Those are some great photos. Looks like everyone had fun. 🙂
It sounds like you had a delightful vacation. I love picking wildflowers but hate the stowaways that seem to be onboard. Although, viewing them as enjoying the ride when you flick them off brought a smile to my face as when I do the same, I will be thinking of you 😀
Wow, the pictures are so beautiful!!