April 30

But Kristin loved. 

I think that's probably the first thought that flitted through my mind this morning when I got a text telling me that Kristin had passed away after a brief (and to me, rather shocking) battle with cancer. We hadn't communicated in several years, but I followed her on Facebook and have always considered her a friend.

But Kristin loved so well, God, I thought. Don't we need more of her down here and not less?

And the response? Yes. Yes you do. So do it. Love. Love BIG.

So how do we live that out? Well, Kristin loved by being a genuine friend to many. She loved by singing her heart out to Jesus with her amazing gift of a voice. She loved by sharing the gospel. She loved by forming connections with the smallest of us, like wee Brady in this picture from 2015. He wasn't even in her class, but we have a photo with her anyway. That is just how well she loved. She drew people into her circle of life and loved on them before they even knew it was happening.

And she loved me, personally, by sending me a private message the week after Logan passed away to share her own story of loss. That note meant so very much to me; it made me feel seen and understood and included and heard in such a beautiful, tangible way. She took her own sadness and used it to relate to me on a personal level that few can really grasp. I appreciate it now even more than I did back then and I am beyond grateful to God for prompting her to send it, because I'm sure He did.

It's never an easy thing when the earthly life of a friend comes to an end, but I can say with certainty that Kristin lived and loved well, and is now in Heaven with my sweet Logan. And hopefully, they've shared a dance by now.

April 29

This image pretty much sums up today:

Baseball. (Win.)

Baseball at different location. (Two wins.)

Baseball bbq party. Wiffle ball baseball.

Blue skies. Seventy-degree temps. Pollen. Lots of pollen.

The pollen aside, it was a pleasant day. My boys were happy to be engaged in their favorite sport. 

This life is far from perfect, but God is good and His goodness shines through in baseball and blue skies and sweaty boys. So for that truth, I'm thankful.

April 28

It was a beautiful, beautiful Friday evening.

I dropped Brady off at his practice and then traversed the path to another field where Nikki's son was playing in a game. So I talked with her and took in some of the action for a while, and then wandered over to check out the game on the adjacent field. There I found another friend I hadn't seen in a while so we spent some time chit-chatting. 

And then poof, it'd been 90 minutes, so I walked back over to Brady's field, where I sat on the bleachers and  watched the last minutes of their practice while I enjoyed the fading rays of sunlight on my face.

Yep, it was a lovely evening. And I am thankful to have breathed in some of its beauty (without an allergic response. Because that is little short of miraculous.)

April 27

I love it when my kids' hidden talents venture out into the open.

When I picked Isaac up for PT this afternoon, he was carrying a big red balloon. When I asked where he got it, he explained that he'd helped one of his teachers to blow up balloons for her son's birthday. (Which is awesome in and of itself.) And then he turned it around so show me the face he'd drawn on its surface.

I immediately recognized it as Balloony. (If you're a fan of Phineas and Ferb, you'll get the reference.) I looked up a photo of the original Balloony just for kicks and was surprised by the accuracy of Isaac's iteration.

So yes: I'm thankful for creativity and for the reminder that we're all multifaceted beings gifted with numerous talents by a God who delights in us every day.

April 26

There are a handful of certainties in this life: we'll all die some day, we'll all be subject to taxation at one point or another, and Brady will wear a beanie no matter how warm it gets outside.

Indeed, the temperature soared well into the 80s this afternoon, but that didn't stop Brady from going to school with his beloved Ravens beanie on his noggin. When I suggested it might be a bit much on an 80-plus degree day, he shrugged and said he'd take it off when he felt like it. 

So I left it at that.

It's a blessing to see him growing up and making some of his own (albeit bizarre) choices. Just watching my kiddos as they continue to further grow into themselves is an amazing gift.

April 25

I had a Session meeting at church tonight, so after Brady's game wrapped (with a much-needed walk-off win), I headed to my car. I deliberately park in the very back of the lot to avoid potential foul balls, so by the time I got out onto the road, Adam and the boys were right behind me.

And then they pulled up next to me at a stop light. When I looked over, this is what I saw.

I love these goofballs. All three of them. I love their silly moments and their tenacity. (I also love it when they're sleeping peacefully but that's not the point of this entry. It's all about their jois de vivre today.)

And for all of that, I am grateful.

April 24

Late-April is when my allergies have historically flared with their most determined intensity. That means that aside from the boys' baseball games, I'm spending all of my time inside with the windows closed.

That need to be away from all-things-environmental for a while heightens my appreciation for this lovely space I call home. And for the inside-appropriate activities I can engage in while avoiding the allergens, like crocheting and surfing the interwebs and watching MLB games on TV.

I am so, so grateful to God for giving me these good gifts.

April 23

Yup, these are my boys.

Lest anyone thought that life at our house was dull (or quiet or uneventful), here's a snapshot from this afternoon.

I have no idea where they find inspiration for their antics, but after lunch, they decided that it would be a good idea for Isaac to lie down on the hardwood floor so he could use Brady as a piece of exercise equipment.

Weird, yes. But generally not harmful to either of them. And the laughter that resulted... worth it. So for these moments, I'm grateful.

April 22

I glanced down at the GameChanger app (which is used to score baseball games) during game one of the freshman team doubleheader this afternoon when I noticed that the batter for the opposing team bore a familiar (but highly unusual) last name.

I quickly looked up and scanned the opponents' bleachers until my gaze plucked her from the crowd: it was indeed Abby's first grade teacher. 

Yes, Abby was in Jodee's class the year Logan was first diagnosed with cancer, so she's one of those teachers I'll always remember. You just don't forget the people who were part of the story when you were in the thick of its longest, most incomprehensible pages of text.

Anyway, I jumped up and walked over to say hello. We had a nice little chat and I showed her a recent pic that Abby texted me. It was a brief exchange, but a positive one because it helped me to realize just how far we've come. 

April 21

A lovely, sunny day gave way to a dreamy, sit-back-and-watch-the-sun-disappear-behind-the-hills kind of evening.

See? A sigh-inducing creamsicle sky.

Truthfully, I only spent a few minutes looking at this iteration of God's celestial handiwork, but those minutes trumped an hour of TV.

So for this natural entertainment --the kind that only God can create-- I am thankful.

April 20

Isaac was in a less-than-great mood after his game today. His team destroyed their opponents by an embarrassing (for the other team) margin, but he didn't get much playing time and didn't make the best of the little time he did get. So I got him Sonic and we hit the freeway for a long, mostly quiet trip home.

As we rode along, I asked him non-baseball questions, and then cautiously posed various queries about his teammates: who's the funniest? Who's the goofiest? The quietest? And he complied (although he couldn't think of anyone for the goofiest title except himself. That made me smile internally because I'm of the opinion that being a little weird is a good thing).

Anyway, when we got home, the new net Adam ordered for them was sitting on the porch, so he grabbed his bucket of balls and the box and headed for the backyard to set it up. So he could practice.

I love his perseverance and resilience. I could learn a lot from him about getting upset, getting over it, and then moving forward and trying again. And I'm thankful for the example.

April 19

I have a sweet blessing double-shot for y'all today.

The first was from this morning. I typically venture over to Dublin to wander around Hobby Lobby and Target on Wednesdays after I drop Brady at school, but this morning, I heard a little voice tell me to go to Livermore instead. So I did. And when I strolled into the diecast aisle at Walmart, I found a slew of brand new Cars-with-faces. It was such a wonderful Logan-moment that I almost lost my breath when I saw them. (I guess that sounds a little bit silly, but since I don't get to see him go to his Junior Prom this year, I'll settle for finding more of his favorite toys. I happily take what I can get, even if it's strange to some.)

The second is from Isaac's game this evening. His team was soundly beaten by De La Salle, but my boy finally collected his first hit of the season -- his first high school hit. His shoulder issue has made the past few months difficult for him and I know how eager he's been to have a productive at-bat, so my heart leapt as I watched him single to left field. 

Two small things all in all --some diecast Cars and a long-awaited hit in a baseball game-- but sometimes small things can be big blessings. And today they were just that.

April 18

Yesterday at school Brady started Art, which is his last Wheel class. (Wheel is a sampler platter of electives that sixth graders take in six-week doses, like computer programming, home ec, and so on.) 

The teacher told them to create a drawing that incorporates three things they like, and this is Brady's picture. It features the Club Penguin penguin (redundant but accurate), Pikachu, and baseball elements (see home plate?). So in short, video games and baseball. Yep, that about sums it up most days.

I love seeing what my kiddos come up with when asked to talk about what they like (and don't like). It's entertaining and sometimes even enlightening. And it's always a blessing.

April 17

Although I'm currently toggling between several projects-in-progress, I've very much enjoyed working on this piece for the past few days.

It's made of a soft, buttery Tencel yarn that doesn't split or snag on the hook. I don't really know why, but it's just super satisfying to see this particular item come together. 

And given that this life is so often marked by stressors, it's such a blessing to discover peaceful moments tucked away in unexpected places.

April 16

Oddly enough, sights like this one aren't all that unusual in our world.

Brady decided after church that he needed some water, so he scooted over to the fountain for a drink. Isaac followed, and instead of waiting for Brady to finish at the taller fountain, he got down on his knees and quenched his thirst via the kid-version. It looked pretty ridiculous, but it made me chuckle which is always a plus.

Side by side. Playing ball, conquering video games, raiding the pantry for snacks. Drinking from water fountains. That's how the brositos roll most of the time. And as I've said many (many) times over, I'm so grateful for their bond. (Even when it makes them do weird things in public places.)

April 15

Three games, three wins. That's how today went for the Wight boys.

But the road to victory isn't always a smooth one. Sometimes it even involves strange little near-disasters that wind up not being disastrous at all.

That brings me to today's tale. Brady pitched a few innings during the latter half of his game this afternoon. As can occasionally be the case with him, his control was a wee bit loose, so he plunked a couple of batters. The first wound up being a strikeout because the hitter actually swung at the pitch that hit him and that pitch happened to be strike three, but the other trotted down to first base. 

A few moments later, Brady unleashed a fairly egregious wild pitch that smacked hard against the backstop and ricocheted back to him on the mound. He immediately whirled around and fired the ball to the second baseman, who made an equally amazing play by snagging the ball and tagging out the runner as he was trying to steal.

Usually, wild pitches spell disaster, but not in this case. Not today. Brady told me that he knew the runner was on the move and he fully trusted the shortstop to catch the ball, so he let loose. And a disaster became a genius play.

It was a good reminder to me that just because something looks like it won't turn out well doesn't mean that a negative outcome is guaranteed. In fact, some pretty cool things can arise from bad circumstances -- just like God showed us through Jesus.

April 14

Brady's Very Long Week Of Baseball Is Almost Over. And by Very Long Week, I mean he had practice Monday, game Tuesday, game Wednesday, off yesterday, game tonight, game tomorrow. Phew. (It's a good thing his team has pitching depth.)

They've won the three games they've played thus far, including this evening's 3-1 affair against the Rangers (who they hadn't yet played this season). That's him all the way to the right following the post-game handshakes.

Brady's noted this before, but it bears repetition here because I think it's true: he has a genuinely nice team. The boys all seem to be good-natured and have good manners. (Brady's more blunt commentary? "No one's a jerk." So there you go.)

So yes, tonight I'm grateful that he's part of a team of nice boys this season and that he's having fun.

April 13

This get-together was a God-thing.

Yesterday afternoon as I pulled into the pickup line at Brady's school, my friend Jen came to mind. I hadn't seen her in almost a year and we hadn't talked in several months, but I suddenly felt like I should text her. So I did.

And not two minutes later, she texted back to say that she'd been thinking of texting me to see if I wanted to meet for lunch. Weird, huh? I don't believe in coincidences so voila, God-thing.

Anyhow, we got together today at The Press. We ate and talked and caught up on each other's lives. And I savored that time of reconnection with someone who is a truly lovely person.

April 12

Brady and I took our usual Wednesday mom-kid pre-school visit to the Mother Ship this morning.

Undoubtedly inspired by Isaac's recent consumption patterns, he opted to forego his customary cake pop in favor of a sandwich, which he promptly plucked from its bag so it could cool off a bit before he took a bite.

It's weird to think that his first year of middle school is rapidly winding down, but it is. (And it's even weirder to think that he'll be 13 by the time the year ends. What?!) And fortunately, he's handled the transition from elementary school like a champ. So for that blessing, I'm thankful.

April 11

You know what's not fun? Driving on 580 East at 2:30 PM on a weekday. It's a solid mass of intermittently slow-moving and recklessly darting vehicles. You know what's less fun? Driving in said-mess for 40 minutes before getting a call from your kiddo telling you that the game you were driving to see --and were 10 minutes away from reaching-- was canceled at the very last minute because the other team --the home team-- didn't show up to play. Ugh. Ugh, ugh, ugh.

That was my reality today. After releasing an impulsive expletive that probably made Isaac blush on the other end of the line, I muscled through the last part of that tedious drive, stopped at Sonic for a cherry slush (because I had to calm my frayed nerves somehow), and reversed course to head back toward Pleasanton.

As I drove and sipped on my icy treat, I took a series of deep breaths. And I admired the beautiful green hills and the sunshine and the blue, blue sky overhead. And slowly, the irritation faded. By the time I picked Isaac up from the high school and turned the car toward home, I felt fine. A wee bit chafed that I didn't get to see him play, but cognizant that there will be other games. And grateful that the change in plans meant that he and I could jet over to the fields here in town to watch Brady's team play. (And incidentally, he played well in their winning effort; 2-for-3 with a walk.) 

So yep: sometimes things don't go as planned and that's okay. Today I'm grateful for the reminder that being flexible and open to shifting plans can make life significantly more enjoyable.

April 10

Loose screws and nails are extremely attracted to my car's tires. Or that's what I've come to believe, since three of them have embedded themselves in my tread over the past nine months.

I found the most recent pointy devotee this morning after I dropped Isaac off at baseball practice.

So after I picked him up a few hours later, I took him home and then drove over to Costco. We bought the tires there and I knew based on the placement that it was patch-able, so I hoped the wait wouldn't be too terribly long.

And fortunately, it wasn't. The drop-off was easy, I took a few laps around the store and bought a few items, and then, about 90 minutes in, they called to let me know it was done.

So although it's annoying that this particular issue keeps happening (over and over again), I'm grateful that I didn't need to replace the tire like I did last time. And I'm grateful that the employees were pleasant and that the store wasn't mobbed and that the fix was easy. 

So many blessings from one little screw.

April 9

The older I get, the more thankful I am for Easter.

Naturally, we ate the cinnamon rolls I picked up at Grocery Outlet yesterday and the boys received their candy-laden Easter baskets and ran around the backyard in rather hilarious fashion scouting out the bright plastic eggs scattered by the Easter bunny (with varying degrees of success). Those are traditions that I treasure because they bring about mental screenshots of days gone by when all of my kids were with me. And in some cases (like watching Isaac scale the outdoor furniture and seeing Brady scramble up the hill like a... well, like a fast, sure-footed little animal) they make me laugh. They even summon gleeful decades-old memories of spying that latest edition of the Baby-Sitters Club nestled in a sea of pink Easter grass.

But we also went to church, and as I stood there singing to my God, my Jesus, I had a simple thought: THIS is what Easter is about. It's about gratitude and gathering together with others who believe and letting the Holy Spirit truly refresh my oft-parched soul with Living Water. It's about recognizing that I'm in the presence of God and thanking Him for who He is and all He does. It's important to do that every day, really, but it's most important on this very special, very significant day. 

No, this human life isn't perfect. But it's good and what's to come is even better. So thank you, Jesus, for paying the price for me. For us. Because He is Risen!

April 8

It was just another springtime Saturday at our house, but we did have a milestone event: Adam and I took our first walk since he fractured his ankle.

We've historically been big walkers so it's been an adjustment having him sidelined for so long. Today's outing was a short one and he didn't complete it without a bit of discomfort, but the simple act of just being out there on the sidewalk together felt good.

So for signs of progress and for healing --even when it seems impossibly slow at times-- I am grateful.

April 7

It's something of a tradition for us to visit the Black Bear Diner for brunch during school breaks. Since Isaac had PT and practices earlier in the week, I decided that today would be the day for that outing.

The broskis ordered identical root beers and stacks of pancakes, eggs, sausage, and bacon and amused themselves with rapid-fire chit-chat (and in Isaac's case, an online game of chess, which I have no idea when he learned to play) as we awaited our meals. 

As I've said many times over, I love these guys. And although they sometimes make my head spin with their antics (and their volume), I love my time with them, too.

April 6

Even though we're not doing anything unusual or exciting, I think the boys are enjoying their Spring Break.

They've eaten (since they do a lot of that these days; no cereal box is safe in our home) and played video games and gone to baseball practices.

And they've also played catch in the yard several times. 

It's a sweet time and I am grateful for the flavor.

April 5

Isaac had PT this morning so he and I stopped by the Mother Ship before we headed up to San Ramon. 

Since I buy Brady a cake pop every week during our Wednesday school-starts-stupid-late dates and Abby tags along for caramel brulee lattes (or whatever acceptable non-seasonal beverage that catches her eye on a given day) when she's home on breaks, I told him to pick something. And (not surprisingly) he opted for a sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich. 

It was really good to sit there for a little while with the middle child I can actually hang out with. (I'm very protective of Logan's status as a middle child too so I will never, ever call Isaac my "middle child" without further clarification.) Between him and Abby and Brady, he's probably the one who gets the least one-on-one time, so it's a blessing to be with just him --sweet, funny, non-morning person him-- whenever I can.

April 4

I don't remember if I already mentioned it, but the boys are on Spring Break this week. So that means Brady spent his morning playing video games while Isaac went to baseball practice.

When I ventured into the kitchen at lunchtime, I found Isaac pouring milk and cracking eggs into a skillet on the stove. He'd also popped some frozen tater tots into the convection oven and a plate of  sausage links into the microwave. Oh, and a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter were nearby, too. Brady, for his part, was busily stirring a single-serve cup of chocolate chip pancake batter.

When I checked on them a little later, they were parked at the kitchen table watching something on Brady's computer while they enjoyed the spoils of their culinary labor. 

It's just so cool that they can and are willing to make their own meals. Sometimes I miss little sectioned plates and sippy cups and sticky-fingered finger foods, but it's a sweet blessing to see them gaining a degree of self-sufficiency, too. And for that, I am grateful.

April 3

I've amassed a rather substantial yarn stash over the past few years. I have my favorites --like bamboo of just about any brand-- but I also have my black sheep; the skeins that I truly don't know how I'll ever use. But our prayer shawl group is making children's blankets for an organization, so I sorted through my piles in hopes of finding something usable.

So I was pretty tickled when I came across several balls of this yarn stuffed into the bottom drawer of the dresser because I knew they'd make a terrific little blanket.

The final product isn't quite finished yet, but it's coming along nicely. So today, I'm grateful for another opportunity to use an ability to bless someone else. And I'm thankful that I thought to look in that drawer.

April 2

Isaac read the scripture during our church service this morning.

I hadn't heard him read aloud for quite a long time so I wasn't sure how it would go, but he actually did a lovely job: good tone, good speed, and no stumbles. He's come a long, long way since his preschool days with the speech pathologist.

It's something special to hear one of my kids sharing the Word of God, so I'm thankful that he was asked to do it and that he agreed.

April 1

It was such a beautiful day. 

The sunshine and short sleeve-appropriate temp made it a perfect day for baseball, so luckily the Dons had a home doubleheader.

Isaac didn't play, but he was still happy to be there with his teammates. And I could tell that he was truly happy because when he came out to the bleachers between games, he immediately asked if I'd brought snacks, and then proceeded to eat everything I had in my purse. (Unhappy or frustrated Isaac doesn't eat.)

So yep, today I'm grateful for pretty days and blue skies and casual chats with friends and baseball. And these boys of mine. I'm thankful for them most of all.