November 30

It was another mostly quiet post-Thanksgiving day at home with our chicks.

There was a viewing of the original "Miracle on 34th Street" in the morning, various rounds of video games played in the afternoon, and a screening of "White Christmas" while decorating gingerbread men in the evening after dinner. (In case you wondered, when you inadvertently omit sugar from gingerbread dough, the resulting cookies are very crunchy but still delicious, especially when they're adorned with copious sprinkles.)

It was a sweet Christmas-inspired day with my peeps. And I'm grateful for the moments, especially since Abby heads back to school tomorrow to finish out the first semester of her junior year.

November 29

I genuinely look forward to Black Friday each year, and the 2024 edition was no disappointment.

Abby and I headed out to begin our shopping extravaganza at a little before 8 AM. We started off at the Mother Ship (of course) with an oat milk peppermint mocha (for me) and a hot cocoa (for her). From there we made stops at Walmart, Five Below, Ulta, Old Navy, Target, JoAnn, Wendy's (for a salted caramel Frosty for her --which she proclaimed tasty-- and a diet cherry vanilla Coke for me), and a variety of stores inside the mall. The longest line we experienced was (by far) at JC Penney, but even that one moved pretty well. We finished up with lunch at the Cheesesteak Shop to appease my girl's desire for beef and cheese. 

After a mid-size pitstop at home --where Adam had erected the artificial tree in the front window and put out decorations by the front door in our absence-- we headed back out with our boys to choose a family room Christmas tree. We took some photos and trolled the lot for the perfect pine (or maybe it's a fir; my tree identification skills have faded with age) before making our choice and hauling it home on the roof. Adam got it set up with an assist from Isaac, and I dozed while the kiddos played Mario Kart.

Then this evening it was a screening of "Daddy's Home 2" --which Abby dubbed her favorite Christmas film-- while we dined on takeout cuisine from Black Bear Diner.

And now, well, now I'm pretty tired. But my heart feels full and I know I am blessed. So for all of that --for a heart brimming with gratitude for a great shopping trip with my daughter, a visit to the tree lot that conjured up memories of my sweet Logan, and time laughing at the antics of Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg-- I am very thankful.

November 28

I try to express gratitude on the daily, but a day expressly devoted to remembering how and why we're blessed is a beautiful thing.

And so our Thanksgiving was just that: beautiful. And quite simple, too.

I got up early to shuttle Terry to the airport, and then returned home just in time to head over to the Sports Park with the kiddos and Brady's pal Jackson to take part in this year's Turkey Burn 5K. While Abby jogged the whole thing and Brady and Jackson did a mix of walking and jogging, Isaac and I took the path of least resistance and walked it from start to finish. He and I completed the race in almost exactly an hour, and I didn't feel like I was going to keel over, so I call it a win.

When we got back home, I fell asleep in the family room for a few hours and awoke just in time to get dressed for 4pm dinner at Adam's parents' house. It was something of a smaller group than usual this year, but it was still a nice event marked by great food and excellent conversation with family.

And now we're back at our house watching "Christmas Vacation" like we do every year on Thanksgiving evening. It's familiar and comfortable and sweet to look around the dimmed room and see my husband and my babies huddled under blankets watching a movie we've seen many times over.

So yes, it was a beautiful, blessed day with (most of -- if only Logan could be here) my favorite people. 

November 27

It was a quiet day, for the most part. 

The big highlight, of course, was spending time with my girl, which included a stop at the Mother Ship for morning beverages and one at Target (because it's Target). 

And then, later in the day, I got to listen to the music of her playing Mario Kart with Isaac in the living room. And then we all watched "Daddy's Home," and I was silently but greatly amused by how much Will Ferrell's brand of comedy made Isaac laugh aloud.

There were happy sounds all around. And I am grateful for them.

November 26

We all piled into the car after dinner tonight to head to Oakland, where we picked up Abby for Thanksgiving break.

The terminal was packed with cars and people, but fortunately we spotted her standing there waiting for us fairly quickly. 

It's so wonderful to have our first chick under our roof yet again. It's a quick trip for sure, but I'm looking forward to enjoying good food, starting off the Christmas season, and engaging in our girly traditions.

And I'm grateful she's able to be here with us to experience all of those blessings -- and to be a blessing to us.

November 25

At some point this afternoon, I was sitting in my usual spot in the family room when Isaac appeared and tucked my stuffed Pusheen under my arm.

I don't remember exactly what he said, but it was something along the lines of "you should sit together." He smiled and then wandered off again.

I thought it was a sweet gesture. An unexpected expression of care. And I'm thankful for his thoughtful, gentle spirit.

November 24

It was a mostly quiet day, comprised of church and a trio of football games on TV and a walk around the 'hood.

And some more work on a new crochet project I started yesterday.

I really enjoy the process of creating new pieces. I'm following an actual pattern this time, but I had to choose the colors and their order of use. And, of course, I also have to do the stitching. 

It's soothing to me. And I am grateful for both the feeling and for the ability to create.

November 23

We had a small group at Prayer Shawl this morning, but it was a good group.

I know I've written this before, but I love these ladies (and the ones who were absent). They're all talented crocheters and knitters, of course, but they're also rich with wisdom about life and faith.

Spending time with them and listening to them as they share their experiences --even just an hour on a Saturday morning once a month or so-- is such a blessing to me as a woman and a mom.

November 22

I took my current crochet work-in-progress with me to the Mother Ship this morning so I could work on it. And given that I carried it in inside a zipperless bag, I hoped that the rain would hold off until after I was ready to leave.

And it did... by about two seconds. 

The sky was grey and the atmosphere felt primed to release its bounty when I stepped back outside, but it held off as I bustled back to my car. I put my bag on the passenger seat and opened the rear door to place a cup of water in the boys' cup holder. And then, as I closed myself inside with a click a moment later, a cascade of fat drops splatted against my windshield. Phew.

I looked over at my (dry) project and breathed a prayer of thanksgiving for the timing. The experience reminded me that God cares about the little things.

November 21

The sky this morning was interesting and rather beautiful (and although I didn't see it, I hear the sunrise was stunning).

Shades of vibrant blue and speckles of white made a lovely backdrop for the gathering of scores of pregnant grey clouds that hinted at the eventual release of rain. (And I say "hinted" because as of now, it hasn't yet begun, but it's definitely on the way.)

The sky, I think, is God's canvas. Every single day He paints thousands of new paintings for us to enjoy for free.

November 20

I have to be honest: I've been in something of a funk lately. I feel fine, but I'm just not noticing the little God winks as much as I should be. 

So I'll use this pic I took with Brady this morning. And I'll share a reason that he's a blessing: when he got in the car this afternoon, he announced that he planned to help his friend Jackson become a great pitcher before baseball starts this coming Spring. He detailed their after-school plans (which were pretty extensive, so we'll see how that goes) and seemed genuinely interested in helping him out by passing on the wisdom and suggestions he's gotten from his own pitching coach. And then, shortly after we got home, he headed off to the park to begin their quest.

Pretty cool, I think.

November 19

I may have spent my formative years in a place where it snows, but I've become progressively less cold-tolerant as I've aged.

So ironically, this was Brady when I dropped him off at school this morning. He was wearing shorts. And it was 36 degrees.

I just shrugged and half-laughed to myself as he walked away.

My kids are definitely their own people with their own preferences and opinions. And I think that's just fine, because God created us to be our own unique selves. I may not understand their choices at times, but I'm blessed to be able to watch them learn and grow nonetheless.

November 18

We were watching the Manning brothers' coverage of the Monday Night Football game this evening when Adam felt compelled to watch the SNL skits featuring Peyton and Eli.

So we did, and he cackled like a mad man the entire time. 

My husband's laugh is incredibly loud and hearty and contagious. He doesn't let loose with it very often, but when he does, it's quite the experience. And it makes me laugh almost as much as whatever it is that's supposed to be funny.

Given the heaviness of life, this trait of his is a gift.

November 17

Brady went over to his friend Liam's house after church today so just Isaac joined us to watch the 49er game.

He settled into his spot on the couch with his Slime Dog and his comfy checked blanket to take in the action.

Although the game didn't end well and he found that truth frustrating, it was still sweet to have him in the room with us because time together is a blessing.

November 16

I joined these guys for a walk around the neighborhood this afternoon.

Initially I "let" them walk ahead because I'm the short one in our bunch and I couldn't keep up. (That's an ego check.) But I stayed behind them --even after they deliberately slowed their pace so I could catch up-- because I enjoyed watching them have some one on one time. I could only hear snippets of conversation, but I could tell that both of them were smiling. And that they were having a good time together as father and son.

And although I like being part of the conversation, it was a bigger blessing to me today to sit back and watch two of my guys bond.

November 15

The boys had an event at church tonight, so since a brain goof on my part meant we didn't get date-night earlier this week, we took the opportunity to go out this evening instead.

We enjoyed conversation over dinner; he shared a little about work while I talked about my shoulder (which I injured several months ago and am just now getting around to having checked out; that discomfort is what caused the unnatural, pinched look on my face here). And we toasted my grandma, who would've turned 102 today.

It was a pleasant evening and I'm grateful for the one on one time with my hunny.

November 14

I know a lot of people are afraid of God, and that's understandable. But I also think He can be pretty funny sometimes.

Like this afternoon when I looked up while I waited in the middle school pickup line and noticed this interesting cloud formation. 

To my eyes, it was a bunny, complete with long ears and a cottontail.

It made me grin. 

Given that this life can often be frustrating, I was grateful for such a lighthearted moment.

November 13

I was perusing Amazon late one night a few months back when I came across a sale on Ancestry DNA kits. I'd waffled on taking a test for a long while, so I bit the proverbial bullet, bought one, and sent in my sample. And today, I got the results.

And officially, I am, as Isaac and Brady put it, the "whitest of white people," which means that I'm 100% Western European: a nearly even split between British and Germanic European with a bit of Scottish, French, and Welsh tossed in for good measure. Save the "Switzerland" subcategory that accompanied the Germanic European designation (because that I didn't know), it's more or less what I expected, given what I'd heard from both sides of my family over the years.

But it was still really interesting and even a little exciting to get a peek of God's blueprint for my make-up spelled out right there on the screen of my laptop.

November 12

I had a hair appointment downtown this morning and afterward, I decided to take a short stroll along Main Street.

A friend once noted --after moving away and then coming back for a visit-- that it's truly a lovely town. And she was right, although I'll be the first to admit that I don't always notice or fully appreciate just how charming it is (or at least how charming it can be). I mean, if you zoom in on the image, you'll see that there's a person in the truck's aerial lift painstakingly stringing lights on the town's giant Christmas tree. How Hallmark is that?

So today I'm thankful that my eyes were opened to see those sweet little details.

November 11

We had our first good, soaking rain of the season this morning.

I know that's not much of a big deal to a lot of you (and in fact, you may be wishing that it would just stop raining already), but it literally does not rain here from May through October or November. So when the cycle starts anew, it's exciting. And it's especially exciting when the hills are crusty and brown and the fire danger is high (as it has been of late).

So yes: I'm grateful for the blessing of rain and thankful to God for sending it to revitalize the land.

November 10

It took a while because of all of those 100+ degree days we suffered through last month, but Fall is definitely here. Finally.

And this particular tree is one of my favorite annual sights. I see it when we leave for school each morning, so I've watched it get redder and redder over the past week. And I saw it again this afternoon when Adam and I enjoyed a walk around the 'hood.

I am grateful for this kind of beauty. The full color may sometimes take longer than expected to develop, but it's always worth the wait.

November 9

Isaac loves Young Life camp so I wasn't surprised when he wanted to go to the session offered today through Monday.

I drove him over to Livermore for the group's morning departure, and he immediately met up with the four other boys from his school who were going (which, by the by, is a record number of attendees from Amador Valley). And they're all his friends. 

And they're all going because Isaac took a leap and went by himself --without knowing anyone else-- a few summers ago and had a blast and told all of his friends how great it was. And encouraged them to go, too.

It just goes to show how much impact one person can have. And I hope Isaac knows what a blessing he truly is to others.

November 8

Brady hung out with his friend Jackson for a few hours after school today. By the time he texted to ask me to pick him up, Isaac was more than ready to see his little bro. In fact, he even asked to go along for the ride.

And then when we got home, the usual hilarity ensued. I have no idea what they were trying to accomplish, but they were laughing so I figured it was all in good fun.

I love their love for one another. I love my brothers, but these two share a special bond that I don't fully understand. And I'm grateful that they have that connection.

November 7

Brady had a pitching lesson in Dublin right after pick-up today, so Isaac had to come along.

He was in a jovial mood, so we got out of the car and took a few laps around the diamond. As we strolled, he told me about his day at school. Or maybe more accurately, he briefly told me about PE, and then talked at length about the test he had in AP US History.

This kiddo has a real passion for history. He loved AP World last year, so signing up for APUSH seemed like a no-brainer. And so far, he's really enjoying the material.

It's a blessing to see my children light up when they're sharing about a topic they love.

November 6

It's Wednesday so Brady and I had our customary outing to the Mother Ship this morning.

There was nothing particularly noteworthy about the event, but it made me realize --for the umpteenth time-- that I am blessed to be his mom; that I'm blessed to be Abby's mom and Isaac's mom and Logan's mom, too.

Parenthood certainly has its difficulties, but the benefits of watching your children grow and mature over time --no matter how long or short that span may be-- far outweigh the challenges.

November 5

On the kind of day that can often bring out the very worst in humanity --a Presidential election day-- it was soothing to look out into my backyard this afternoon and realize that Fall in all of its colorful splendor has finally arrived:

May this image remind us that different shades and textures can indeed come together to create a stunningly beautiful reality. May it be so in the days and weeks and months to come.

November 4

After a nice weekend of celebrating both Abby's 20th birthday and family weekend in Wheaton, the boys and I headed back to the west coast this morning. And I was blessed with an unexpected surprise along the way.

See, we wound up with pretty terrible boarding positions for our first flight (from Midway to Las Vegas. Think mid C-group on Southwest. I was pretty horrified that checking in 15 seconds after the window opened could yield such awful results but that's how the ball bounces, I guess). I was convinced that we'd all wind up in middle seats spread throughout the plane and although I didn't like the idea, I'd more or less made peace with it.

Anyway, a moment after I boarded (and confirmed with the flight attendant at the door that there were only middles left), I spotted an empty one in the second row, made eye contact with the man seated in the aisle, and asked if I could squeeze by. Much to my surprise, he replied "wouldn't you rather have the aisle?" and moved to the center seat. I was confused for a moment, and then he gestured to the rather large suitcase he'd stuffed under the center seat and explained that his bag wouldn't find under the aisle seat. So I was the beneficiary of his too-big bag situation. After I got beyond the slack-jawed surprised reaction, I (and my knees, which get stiff and painful when I can't bend them for extended periods of time) thanked him profusely. 

Mary's sermon about justice, mercy, and grace came back to me yet again in that moment. I did nothing to deserve the gift that came in the form of that aisle seat, but I got it anyway. That's grace. And grace is a beautiful, beautiful blessing. (Just ask my knees.)

November 3

Abby is 20. Twenty, which means we became parents 20 years ago. In some ways it feels like minutes; in others, closer to a century. 

All in all it was a laid back kind of birthday for my girl. We picked her up from her dorm at 9:30 this morning and drove over to IHOP for brunch to satisfy her hankering for a strawberry cheesecake waffle.

From there we went to Costco, where she picked up a variety of sweet treats and snacks to stock her room. (Note that these two activities featured her first outfit of the day: a lovely, flowy, lightweight dress in a pale shade of pink. She didn't make this one, but I bet she could have.) We dropped her booty off at her room, where she changed into outfit number two, which consisted of a fuzzy pink sweater and jeans.

Then we hit Sonic for slushes and returned to our hotel, where we watched two episodes of "Phineas and Ferb" (chosen by Abby), sang karaoke (seriously, ask Isaac to sing "Let It Go" for you sometime), and played a series of music recognition games on YouTube. And then it was off to dinner at Red Robin. We closed out the evening with presents (which ended with her donning outfit number 3, a green floral dress that served as one of said-gifts) and cheesecake.

The crowds at IHOP and Costco aside, it was a quiet day. I didn't spend a whole lot of time reflecting on the occasion as the hours passed, but I know that I'm blessed with and by Abby, and that that's been the case since she entered the outside world 20 years ago today. She's a remarkable young woman who has grown and changed so much over the past few years. She's cheering and meeting new people and building new relationships and excelling in school, all while nurturing her existing friendships. She's also kind and compassionate and intelligent and brave, and although I know that thoughts of the future give her twinges of trepidation, I also know that God has great things in store for her and pray that she will be able to rest in that truth.

I love you, Abby. Happy 20th birthday! Welcome to your next decade of this wonderful life.

November 2

Today we arose at a reasonable hour (which, if you were me, meant 9ish) and headed over to campus for brunch. Pre-football game cheer prep meant Abby couldn't join us in the dining hall, but we assuaged her disappointment by delivering a sausage egg McMuffin to her as she headed to the stadium. Once set loose inside the unlimited food gallery, Brady consumed more than his weight in scrambled eggs, sausage, French toast (which Abby was bummed to miss), apples, a donut, and probably something else I'm forgetting. I'm actually still surprised (and marginally alarmed) by how much food he managed to put away. He's definitely in rapid growth mode these days.

With bellies adequately filled, we took the short walk over to the stadium for the game's noon start time. By the time the final whistle blew, we'd seen the Thunder crush their opponents. But more importantly, we got to see Abby cheer in person. And it was so, so sweet to see her living out a wish (I don't want to go so far as to call it a dream, per se) she's had for a long time. Given how shy she often is, it's so wonderful to see how God worked in her life and coaxed her to make it a reality.

Then we took a walk around campus while she changed clothes, enjoyed a Target run, and returned to campus to see her room. (Which, I think, is actually quite nice. She had a slanty ceiling since she's on the top floor of her building, but it's a cozy space that doesn't feel too small.) Then it was off to dinner at Outback, a stroll through Hobby Lobby, and a run through the Sonic drive thru for slushes. 

And then it was back to our hotel, where we watched the last half of Uncle Buck on TV while Abby got reacquainted with BearBear. When it ended, Adam ran her back over to campus while I accompanied the Brositos to the fitness center.

All in all, it was a good day. A blessed day. And I am so grateful for the time with my people. The moments are a gift of the highest order.

November 1

It's Family Weekend at Wheaton, so that's where we are, visiting our very favorite college student for a few days.

Given that last year's travels for the same event were more than a bit long and hairy, this go-round's experience could be accurately described as silky smooth: no delays despite a full flight (and we even got to Midway 20 minutes ahead of schedule), quick rental car retrieval, and easy drive to campus. Badda bing, badda boom.

After we retrieved Abby from her dorm, we headed over to Culver's for dinner. It was only when we all got out of the minivan for the first time that Abby realized that she's now the short kid. (Brady's grown quite a bit of late.) There was a little moaning and groaning from one and triumphant laughter from the other but I think she's secretly pleased.

We chatted a little about class and cheer over burgers and cheese curds (yum) and pretzel bites (double yum) and ice cream (delicious but probably overboard). And then we dropped her back off at her dorm for the night. We'll see her cheer for the first time tomorrow at the football game (yay!). And then... probably hang out and do some prep work (aka wrap presents) for her birthday on Sunday.

It's a blessing to be able to be here. It's a blessing to have completed uncomplicated travels (and seriously, after some of the past boondoggles we've experienced, that's a huge Praise the Lord thing). And it's a blessing to see these three together again and to see how happy they are to be together.