November 30

Time is a funny thing. Sometimes it feels like a single week can drag on for a month, but years can pass in what feels like the span of a few days. I had one of those 'wow, has it seriously been that long?' moments this evening at my friend Valerie's fourth annual Cookie Exchange.

It's always a fun party and Valerie always does an absolutely incredible job of putting together an amazing array of delicious treats for us, and this year's iteration was no different. Still it startled me a bit to realize that we first gathered for this event back in 2015. Of course, a lot has changed over the last three years; our kids are all older, a few faces are now missing from the mix, and a few new ones have joined in.

But what this evening's get-together reminded me is that though things change a lot and though I'm not a big fan of change, I can still have trips down memory lane now and then. And that those little forays almost always make me smile. And for those smiles (and laughs), I'm thankful.

November 29

It was a day of alternating clouds and rain with a few streaks of sunlight mixed in for good measure. It poured during school drop-offs and again as I did some work at Starbucks and again in the early afternoon hours, but most of the dark clouds had cleared by the time I took Brady to swimming, which meant it was once again rainbow weather.

We saw this little lovely as we headed eastward. I was taken by the interplay of color and sunbeams, and reminded --for the second time this week-- of God's great promises to us.

Rainbows, I think, are some of our prettiest blessings.

November 28

Isaac had a busy afternoon and evening: after about 20 minutes at home after school, he had one baseball class followed by dinner, and then a second baseball class. Then when he got home at about 8, he had to finish his homework, so he plunked down at the coffee table to get to it.

As I sat and watched him hunch over his paper, I felt my heart surge. He picks a different little stuffed dog to carry around each day, and the sweetness of how he perched his buddy on his paper as he worked made me smile.

I sometimes feel like I don't know Isaac particularly well --Third of Four Children Syndrome, I guess-- but I do know that he has a really, really good heart. And for his tender-heartedness, I'm thankful.

November 27

Adam texted me as he was leaving work this afternoon to ask if I wanted to go out to dinner. So he did as is our custom and brought home Little Caesars for the kids, and then we headed off on our own. I sneaked a pic while he was perusing the menu at Cheesecake.

I've said it several times before, but it hasn't been a particulary fun year for me. I've struggled with lots of different issues. So it was a blessing to have some time out with just my husband to talk and catch up a bit. (And of course cheesecake is a plus, too.)

November 26

I've been waiting all Fall for signs of... Fall. And at long last, they're finally here.

They're not exactly the electric-vibrant reds and oranges and pinks and purples I grew up seeing on the east coast, but as I walked alone this morning, they felt like enough. And sometimes, enough is good enough.

November 25

Since it rained all day Friday and I wasn't in a festive mood yesterday, we finally picked out a Christmas tree this afternoon. It's become increasingly difficult to find lots in town in recent years (come on city council -- get it together!), but we finally settled on one over by the freeway in Dublin. After a quick sweep of the premesis, we chose our tree relatively quickly and had it twined to the top of the car. Then we headed back over to the lot for a brief visit to the cute little Christmas sleigh off to the side:

A lot has changed over time, but we've seen this particular sleigh a few times over the past several years, and we've always stopped to take a quick pic before heading home. It's a small thing, but given how much change can rattle me, small, familiar things are often big blessings to me.

November 24

While the boys bored over a big book of Pokemon characters while they waited for their food at lunchtime, Abby sat across the table and colored something on the back of her placement. I was a little surprised when I finally got a glance at her work and realized she was drawing a Pikachu.

Isaac and Brady usually do their thing while she does hers, but the rare moments when their activities align... those are kind of special to me. I love that they're all their own people, but I also love it when they're their own people... together.

November 23

Just a few years ago, Abby had zero interest in shopping. In fact, whenever I'd suggest that we look for new clothes, she'd sigh dramatically and say "can't you just go and bring stuff home for me to try on?" That, fortunately, is no longer the case, and she once again joined me for some Black Friday action this morning.

We hit our usual spots: Starbucks for some early caffeination, then Walmart, JCPenney for boots, Ulta, and Old Navy. And then, as is our custom, we capped off the experience with lunch at Red Tractor.

Her 14-year old self may get under my skin at times, but I love spending time with her. I love our goofy dances while we wait in line and I love our quippy little exchanges and I love that though it poured down rain most of the day, it didn't dampen her mood.

I just love her, period.

I may have lost quite a lot, but I'm thankful to have a daughter, and I'm extra grateful to have one who's smart and kind and quick-witted.

November 22

Happy Thanksgiving! This year, we did as we almost always do: got up, watched part of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV, went for a walk en masse, and, at 3, headed off to dinner with a good chunk of the extended family at Adam's parents' house.

There were bittersweet moments, of course, like when Brady looked me in the eye this morning while asking me a question and for a split second, I had distinct memories of Logan that made me tear up. But all in all, it was a very nice day filled with babies (two of them, including our first-ever encounter with Adam's cousin Amanda's seven-week-old daughter) and toddlers and kids and grown-ups who are all connected --either by blood or marriage-- by the thread of family. For that blessing --and many others, including my friends-- I'm thankful.

And now I'm off to watch "Christmas Vacation" with Adam and Abby. :)

November 21

After nearly two weeks of terrible air quality, it finally rained today. I heard it pitter-pattering on the roof before I got out of bed this morning, and it continued to fall on and off all day long.

In the early afternoon, Adam and I took a walk (and got rained on, of course) and were treated to more than a few of these:

They were so plentiful and so bright that it almost felt like we were back on Kaua'i (which is never a bad thing. At least it's not until you realize you're not actually on Kaua'i. Then it's just a bummer). But beyond that, they were all beautiful reminders of one of God's promises to us. And those reminders are always good things.

November 20

I've probably said something about this before, but watching TV with these two is like hanging out with the Old Guys in the Balcony.

I'm not sure how much attention they actually pay to what's playing, but I can always count on them to deliver an ongoing stream of snarky commentary. And usually, no matter what my mood is when the show starts, I won't be able to help laughing by the time it ends. And mood lifters like that are always a good thing.

November 19

Twenty-one years ago today, Adam and I took a late-night walk in Claremont and, as we lingered side by side on a pair of swings, we decided to start dating.

A lot has happened since that evening --lots of good, some not-so-good-- but if given the chance, I'd go back and do it all over again because in the grand scheme of things, the good far outweighs the bad.

Happy date-a-versary, hunny. I love you.

November 18

Truth: I didn't do much today. I slept in so I missed church, and then after our usual visit to Logan's grave, I spent much of the afternoon watching Christmas movies on Lifetime and the Hallmark Channel. So it stands to reason that there wasn't much to notice, and Heaven knows I wasn't really looking anyway.

But I was in the kitchen a few minutes ago and saw this:

Of course, I'd seen it a few times since it was part of the dozen I bought on Friday, but it was notable for a few reasons: one, it was the last one left, and two, it's decidedly Christmas-y.

I can't really say that I'm in much of a holiday mood just yet, but I do love this season. I love the colors and the cooler air and how in general, lots of people are in a better mood as they bustle about their business.

But beyond all of that, I love that it's a season of hope, and I love that those red and green sprinkles remind me of that important truth.

November 17

Although the air quality today was absolutely terrible, Abby and I kept to our usual Saturday afternoon routine and headed out to do some shopping. One of the items on my list was a storage container, so I picked one up at Walmart. Or I should say Abby picked it up. And then walked around like this for a few minutes:

She is one of the most shamelessly goofy people I know, and I love that about her. I love that she'll walk around a bustling store with a plastic storage container on her head, probably mostly to make me laugh. And I love that she doesn't care who sees her doing it.

I could learn a lot from her, I think.

November 16

While I was out getting coffee this morning, I swung by the grocery store and picked up some donuts. (Because donuts.) I was careful to pick a couple of these pink-and-chocolate frosted ones because they're this guy's favorite:

Sure enough, as soon as I put the box on the counter, he made a beeline for the kitchen and asked for one.

I love this sweet little face and I love looking into his eyes. He --and all of my children-- are blessings of immeasurable worth.

November 15

Between dance drop-off and pick-up, I scooted home for a little while and found Brady upstairs plucking the strings of Adam's guitar. Since there was noise to be made, he summoned Isaac, and the two of them had a grand time together.

I couldn't stick around for much of the show, but as I headed off to retrieve my daughter, I thought a little about music and what it means to make a joyful noise (since that's no doubt what my Little Boys were doing). I've been pretty open about the fact that this year has been an unpleasant --even painful-- one for me thus far. But that doesn't "excuse" me from making a joyful noise to God. Although it's easy --really easy, in fact-- to get lost in disappointment, frustration, and heartache, it should be just as easy to be thankful for all I do have.

So for my boys' unwitting reminder of that truth, I'm grateful.

November 14

I took exactly one picture today. One. Here it is, and I know she'll just love it since she so loves blogs:

Except when she scolded... yelled...ish... at me for not standing up for myself (which, in fairness, was kind of #warranted), I had a lovely walk with Kathy around the Sports Park this morning right after drop-off. The amazing thing about it was that though it was cold --40s cold, not midwestern cold, but still chilly for my thin CA transplant blood-- the air was clear when we strolled. But just an hour later, a thick layer of smoke from the wildfires up north rolled in and rendered the atmosphere truly unhealthy. (Literally. The official air quality classification was "very unhealthy" so legitimately very bad.)

So yep, tonight I'm thankful that the smoke didn't permeate the valley until after I went back inside. And of course, for time with a friend. Definitely that, too.

November 13

I have a few pictures of these two from this afternoon that are way cuter, but this one is just plain accurate so there ya go.

They had a minimum day today, so we went to Costco after school. Although both had already eaten lunch, they asked if they could have "second lunch" and I acquiesced. Then I watched as they went to town on their economy-sized slices of pizza. (Spoiler alert: they both finished.)

So yeah, this could be a post about gluttony (because yeah), but it's more about me being thankful that though I'm not getting to see their big brother get bigger, I'm getting to see them develop ravenous appetites. I'm sure it'll be an expensive few years, but I'm grateful to be able to watch them chow down.

November 12

Since the kids didn't have school today, we did what we often do on off-days and had brunch at the Black Bear Diner in town.

Although they went on to drive me partially nuts in the afternoon hours, I realized as we sat there eating that they've all grown up quite a lot in recent times; I only had to remind them to use inside voices and that knives and forks were required equipment a few times.

I'm thankful for the really little people they were once upon a time and for the bigger little people they are now.

November 11

Isaac is a hummer. Actually, he's more than a hummer. When there's a lull in action or any kind of quiet at all, I can almost always hear him singing... something. So when I was driving him home from baseball this evening, I was less than surprised to hear him gettin' his tune on in the back seat. I started to get annoyed (because honestly, sometimes I just want to sit in silence) but then I realized what he was singing and had a humble pie moment.

Although I had my usual country station on the radio, my boy was singing a worship song. And it wasn't really just singing it; he was living into it with a great deal of passion and gusto.

There I was about to get mad, and there he was, singing praises to the God of the universe. Sometimes reminders to be grateful are subtle. Sometimes they're not. And this was definitely a not. And that's a good thing indeed.

November 10

I decided that I'd had quite enough of watching Abby go to school in shorts and t-shirts lately, so I told her we were going clothes-shopping this afternoon. Although she agreed to come along, she did issue a warning as she fastened her seatbelt: "You know this is probably going to end with us fighting, right?" Yup. I knew it. But my need for her to have pants and sweaters superceded the concern. And surprise: she was wrong anyway. We didn't fight.

And not only did we not fight, but we actually had fun. We hit Old Navy first, and she came away with a pair of skinny jeans (that she'll probably never wear because she hates how fabric feels on the backs of her knees. Yup. This is what happens when you literally never wear pants: they feel weird. But the bonus for me is that we wear the same size so if she hates 'em, they'll move into my closet. Score.), a sweater, and a sweatshirt.

Then we moved on to the mall, where we tried on fun wintry formal wear. I started with the black dress (which left us both dusted with glitter) and she went with the maroon, and then we swapped. (I cannot tell you how amusing it is to trade clothes with her in a dressing room, but I digress. She's probably a size smaller, an inch and a half taller and 10 or so pounds lighter, but dude, so close.)

Anyhow, I loved the experience. I know my time with her under my roof is limited, so I'm thankful for the fun, non-contentious moments we get to share.

November 9

I rarely get to spend one-on-one time with this guy, but a (bizarre) minimum (that's half, for you people back home) day today meant we had an hour and a half of just-us time after school.

It wasn't enough time to do much, but we did walk around Target and then hit McD's for some ice cream. (I'd initially had thoughts of going to the Dairy downtown, but the air quality was horrible because of some fires up north.)

Just small, mundane moments, but good ones nonetheless.

November 8

I ran to the grocery store tonight to pick up some of Abby's beloved soup. (Progresso chicken noodle. Anything else is unacceptable. I need to remind her that she's no longer five and that she needs to try other foods, but I'll cross that bridge when I feel like I won't fall off it). I was in something of a hurry because I had to pick her up from dance, but I stopped and smiled when I saw this:

It's a sparkly Lightning McQueen Halloween treat bag: glitter for me, a blatant "Cars" reference for my Sunshine. Since I could totally see using it as a shopping bag and it felt like a big old HI MOM from Logan (AND it was on clearance), I bought it.

A sweet way to close out a day, I think.

November 7

The scene: we were watching a cheesy Hallmark Christmas movie and I astutely noted that the pasty rotund man with the white beard was probably Santa Claus. (Because come on: he was a new caretaker that no one had seen before? Obvi Santa.) A moment later, Brady arose from his spot on the carpet and --with considerable vigor-- growled "no more spoilers!" Then he swatted at me with his blanket.

I laughed and laughed. (Because again, duh, it was obviously Santa.)

I really needed a good belly shaker after the couple of months I've had so I'm thankful that his simple --albeit overly aggressive-- proclamation gave me one. (And I'm equally thankful that after swatting at me a few times, the frustration turned to giggles.)

November 6

These are four of the best people in (and out of) this world.

Sometimes I forget that truth, so today, I'm remembering and being thankful for them and for all of the good that they bring to my life.

November 5

This afternoon, as the boys got in the car after school, I happened to hear Brady murmur "you are valuable." I thought it was an odd proclamation from a seven-year old, but then he plunked this down on the center console with a clink and it made sense.

I wish I had no idea where it came from because that would make this a really, really cool entry, but I do: I'd been carrying it around with me in my computer bag for a month or so and I guess it fell out at some point.

The reality here is that it's been A Couple of Days. (Well, it's really been A Year, but it's also been A Couple of Days so I'll stick with that.) And the other reality is that I don't really feel valuable; I feel tired and used and unappreciated and like I don't do much of anything right. So the unexpected resurfacing of this little stone was a nice little reminder that maybe my feelings are inaccurate.

November 4

It's not every day that we get to meet our friends' fiances, so today was a unique one.

I've mentioned Kristine a few times before: she was one of our good friends in college and went on to be one of my bridesmaids. Although she lives in the Bay Area, we don't see her particularly often, so I was surprised when she texted me a picture of herself with her new fiance yesterday morning.

And then today, we got to meet him during our usual Sunday afternoon trek around the park. She's had a lot of ups and downs over the years, so I'm really happy that she's found someone who makes her happy.

Congrats, KZOK! Three cheers for a blessed future!

November 3

This girl of mine turned 14 today. Fourteen! We celebrated the big occasion with our customary photos, lunch (with a birthday treat), a little light shopping (and a double chocolaty chip frappuccino), dinner (with yet another birthday treat and a song), presents, and cake.

I could say a million things about Abby, but it all boils down to this: though she can be your archetypal teenager at times and she knows how to get under my skin, she's truly a great daughter and a great person. Having her in my life is nothing but an enormous blessing, and I'm thankful for every second we have together.

Happy birthday, Abby!

November 2

The kiddos didn't have school today and our PTA is holding a week-long fundraiser at a local restaurant (Eddie Papa's, for all you locals. Go! Mention the Mohr PTA!), so we headed over there for lunch. The company and the food were both good, but my favorite part of the excursion came at the end when the bowls of complimentary cotton candy emerged from the kitchen.

In all my years of parenting (and Abby turns 14 tomorrow so it's been a little while), I've never seen bowls of cotton candy attacked and demolished with the degree of determination, vigor, and enthusiasm that these boys put forth today. It made me laugh out loud.

And given that much of the rest of the day was lackluster at best, I'm thankful to have had that hearty chortle.

November 1

After Logan died, I developed an intense desire for good, true friends, so I started praying for them. And I waited. (And waited some more.) A few years later, Taylor (and a few other truly wonderful women who I genuinely love) showed up. I don't know that Tay was who I had in mind when I uttered those words to God --after all, she was a 20-something nanny to a kid on Isaac's baseball team, which was a pretty far cry from my status as a nearly 40-year old stay-at-home mom and freelance writer-- but as is always the case, He knew what He was doing, and I grew to love her heart, her sense of humor, and her precocious wisdom over hours of coffee talk. With her relocation looming this weekend, we had our last coffee date this morning.

She'll only be an hour and a half or so away, but I'm not a fan of change, so it's really, really hard to see her go and to know that our get-togethers will probably be limited to weekends. Still, I'm endlessly thankful for her friendship and for all of the joy she brings to my life, and am so excited to see what's next for her.

Love you, Taylor, and I'll always be praying for you! (And, you know, stalking you via text. Because I am me and you are you. And it's how we roll.)