October 16

Abby and I had a good morning together. We went to the Mother Ship for beverages (the usual coffee for me; she's working her way through the Fall menu offerings and went with an iced pumpkin cream shaken espresso today).

And then we went to Costco.

We trolled the aisles and picked up a few essentials. And of course, we paused to take a closer look at the assortment of Christmas decorations. When I spotted the giant red bow, I remarked that it looked like a cheerleader hair accessory and asked her to pose. And she did.

I treasure easy, fun mornings spent with my favorite girl. She is --and they are-- sweet blessings.

October 15

Picture Day at the elementary school where Abby is student teaching was held last month, and she had her photo taken for her ID card.

But I'm not sure that she expected to receive any copies of the image except for the one on said-card, because when she got home today, she was very pleased to show me this: prints of her first-ever (sort of) teacher-portrait.

They gave her a 5x7 and some wallet-sized images along with a thank you for her efforts as an educator.

I could tell that she was tickled pink (no pun intended) by the surprise, and I'm grateful that I got to bear witness to that joy. Sometimes God truly does use little things to bless us.

October 14

The temp got up into the mid-80s today, but it's a cooler, lightweight long-sleeved pajamas-and-a-blanket kind of evening.

It's the kind of night that pairs well with a snuggy blanket, a cuppa hot tea, and playoff baseball on the tube. (And the sweet reality that the Brewers are whoopin' on LA is an added bonus.)

It just feels like Fall.

And given that I love the trappings of Fall, I am grateful for the shift (even if the daytime highs are still elevated).

October 13

It's funny: I feel like I didn't do much today at all. I went through the usual morning routine --driving to school with Brady, Starbucks-- and then a little straightening when I got home.

And then I cleaned out my closet. It's probably a relatively easy activity for someone who is disciplined about closet maintenance, but I am not that person. So it was an arduous process that involved multiple huge trash bags and lots of bending over and grunting and vacuuming. And it ended with me falling asleep in a chair in the family room.

Anyway, while I was in the trenches vacuuming and straightening and folding and deciding, it was a blessing to have my glasses on. My vision isn't quite what it used to be, and they are so, so helpful when it comes to seeing details. So for the blessing of good medical care that (literally) helps me to focus, I am thankful.

October 12

This morning, members of my Bible study group volunteered together at Little Miracles, which is a non-profit located in the same business park as our church.

We donned aprons and learned how to put together orders placed by clients. We wrote notecards and picked out car seats and chose toys and sorted through sweet little outfits, and then packaged the items together for each recipient. I made a blanket for the occasion, and it was included in the first basket we packed, which was pretty cool.

They do excellent work to meet God's command that we support families in our community who are in need, and I'm thankful to have had the opportunity to help out.

October 11

Today our church celebrated its 150th anniversary. We (and those who came before us) have been a continuous body of Believers here in Pleasanton for 150 years. Wow.

We observed the milestone by gathering this afternoon for a program that detailed the full history of the church. I already knew much of the information, but it was meaningful to see so many people take the mic to share how our portion of the body of Christ has grown and changed over time.

So for the blessing of being just a small part of such a bold, dedicated group of witnesses in our town, I am thankful.

October 10

I finished making this today, and I love it.

Strangely enough, the final step involved super glue. I didn't like any of the buttons I had, so I decided to stack a smaller, pale pink floral one atop a larger hot pink one and voila, just what I'd envisioned. (And although I'm totally the type to glue my fingers together, it was super easy, because I had a brainstorm that involved using my blocking board and pins to hold them still while I did the gluing. It worked amazingly well.)

It is really satisfying to finish a project, and I am so grateful to God for the inspiration He gives me (hello - no fingers glued together! And I successfully modified this pattern to change up an element I didn't like) and for the joy that creating cultivates within my soul.