For a friend is

 the most precious

 discovery of all. . . . .

Looking at these pictures makes me happy!  Joanna and I had such a satisfying visit last week.  We met at a local Crackerbarrel (in NY). . .she drove a little over an hour to get there and it was about 20 minutes from our campsite.  Rich gave me our one vehicle for the day and he stayed at the camp with the kids (*thank you honey*).

We decided to drive to my hometown so we hopped into my vehicle and away we went.  My mom was on her lunch break so we went into her office to say hello.  Mom was looking at a Country Living magazine and eating homemade beef stew when we surprised her.  We visited for a bit and she took a few pictures of Joanna and I together (*in the golden chairs*) before the two of us left to eat lunch at a fantastic little local eatery.

After lunch we drove to an antique store and had the best time ~ just being together ~ laughing and talking and looking at everything in the store (there was stuff crammed in every available spot, the best sort of antique place).

Many of you know Joanna from her blog here on xanga, but I tell ya, you would have to read every one of her posts to begin to get an idea of her personality.  She’s her whole blog PLUS a lot more.  There is a great deal of dimension to her and it’s been fun to be her friend for the last 13+ years.  Fun isn’t really the right word.  She’s such a part of me now that I know I would be a totally different person today if she had never been a part of my life.  She inspires me, motivates me, loves me the way I am, encourages me in the Lord, comforts, listens, shares her true self with me, and prays for me.  We don’t see each other face to face very often, but we keep in touch through the mail, computer, and phone calls.  She lets my kids call her “Aunt Jo”.

Guess what I found?  Fiestaware!

I bought one fiesta plate ~ a vintage chartreuse~ the 2nd dinner plate down from the top.

We ended up back at Crackerbarrel for a little more talking and a few more pictures before going on our separate ways.  I went back to my family feeling like a new woman!  I was in such a good mood (I told Joanna that our visit was like a good medicine *the kind that’s easy to take* ).  There was such a marked difference in me that Rich encouraged me to go back out the next day.  But it wasn’t just the getting away that put me in such high spirits. . . .it was spending time with a good friend.

To have a friend is to have one of the sweetest gifts that life can bring:  to be a friend is a solemn and tender education of the soul from day to day.  ~Chinese Proverb

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

No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.  ~Lin Yutang

We arrived home safe and sound last night from our week long vacation.  We stayed in a cabin at a state park and it went pretty well, I would say.  I can’t rave about it at this moment because I am SO TIRED.  However, I suppose I have to credit expecting baby number 6 for my fatigue, because Rich and the children had a fantastic time and were sad to leave our cabin.  On vacation, they swam, they played, they rode bikes, we all walked a lot, went out to eat at our favorite places, and the children attended VBS every night at our home church, which they loved.  We also got to visit the zoo with my Aunt Colleen and her girls, which was wonderful.  Because we were “back home” (where Rich and I grew up) we got to spend time with our family. . .both sides.  It was great seeing everyone.

The number one highlight of vacation for me was being able to see my friend Joanna on Tuesday and spend time with her for the first time in a year. 

Today, I have a big pot of homemade vegetable beef soup simmering on the stove, and am about to mix up a seafood salad for my husband.  I noticed this morning that I have sunflowers blooming in my flower beds and the little yellow goldfinches are enjoying them.  The children are cleaning and/or playing depending on their ages.  It’s a beautiful sunny Sunday, with a blue sky scattered with big fluffy clouds.  The lawn and trees are so green, and the air is cool. . . a perfect day to throw open all the windows in the house and watch the curtains gently wave in the sweet scented breezes.  Oh, how I love to hear the wind rustling through the trees. . . . .

Hmmmmm, yes, it is so good to be home.

Rich is getting so much done around here today.  He’s unpacked everything and has been doing loads of laundry all morning.  I can’t tell you how much THAT means to me (makes me want to cry, actually).  We have about 10 loads (or more) of laundry to do and I wasn’t exactly looking forward to it.  Yes, the dirty clothes are a good indication of all the fun we had this week.  My children were dirty most of the time.  LOL

Jacob is recovering from a bike-wreck and I’m thankful his teeth were spared:

Grace is recovering from itchy poison ivy (that she woke up with yesterday morning).  She said to me this morning, “I’ll tell ya one thing.  It stinks.”  LOL  She’s walking around with her face all powdery pink from calamine lotion.  Rich calls her fancy face.

She is happy to be back home with our cat.

And some of us are just plain recovering:

Thank you, Lord, for a safe and happy vacation.  Thank you for our family, the memories we made, and  for the home you have given us to come back to~ to take care of and enjoy together.

Have a wonderful Lord’s day, all!  More pictures to come!