September 30

The hymn It Is Well With My Soul has been around for 150 years, so it's pretty amazing that I can still relate to it today. That's just a thought I had this morning while watching Brady's team scrimmage with the 14u squad.

It was sprinkling during most of the hourlong warmup but it was still well with my soul. The air was decidedly chilly and, at times, the wind had a crisp sharpness that made it less than palatable. But it was still well with my soul. My allergies --which were unfortunately bothered by something during the party last night-- were making me tired and uncomfortable. But my soul? Still well. Brady didn't play as much as he might've liked and was way, way down at the bottom of the very long batting order. Soul? Yep. Still well.

Yes, as I sat there watching four hours of baseball activity on a cool, drizzly Saturday morning, I felt a sense of contentment that I can't really explain, other than to say that it was all well with my soul. Not with my circumstances in the moment (because those certainly could've been much improved), but with the core of who I was made to be.

And I know that that sense of well-being comes from Christ alone. So for that incredible gift, I am grateful.

September 29

Valerie's annual cookie exchange is one of the highlights of my social calendar, so I was happy to head over to my old neighborhood this evening to attend. She always does an amazing job of planning and executing the event, and this year was no different as she had "Top Chef" alum and cookbook author Ryan Scott on hand to give a demonstration and cook for us.

It was a great evening of catching up and laughing with long-time friends (and eating amazing food, of course). And I have an tin foil container filled with cookies (for the boys to eat, of course). 

But what I really want to convey is how much I appreciate Valerie and her consistent commitment to making this party happen every year. I remember going to the very first one way back in 2015; I remember how fun it was to just sit and eat and laugh and talk with these wonderful women. We're all different people with different backgrounds and life stories, but our kids have grown up together and the threads of parenting here in the tri-valley will always connect us. It's such a blessing to know that even if we don't see each other often, there's always the cookie exchange.

So tonight I'm thankful for Valerie's hospitable spirit, thoughtfulness, and generosity. People like her are rare but much-needed lights in the world, and I am grateful for her willingness to extravagantly love on all of us.

September 28

I felt kind of off when I got up this morning, so much so that as I drove to the Mother Ship after drop-off, I asked God to send me a friend with whom I could shoot the proverbial breeze for a little while. That was the substance of the request: please send me a friend.

So I sat in my usual seat and enjoyed my coffee and waited. And although I exchanged pleasantries with a number of people, the friend --and the conversation-- didn't come. 

Mildly disappointed, I stopped by the grocery store for a few things, drove home, and made a test batch of applesauce using some of the many apples from our backyard tree. And at some point along the way, my request slipped my mind.

But God didn't forget it. A little later in the day, Abby texted to let me know that my old friend Jen had contacted her to see if she was available to get together. See, Jen went to Wheaton and flew into town today for her own class reunion. And I'd given her Abby's number several months ago so they'd be able to connect.

So they got together. Afterward they both texted me to share their experience (which was good all around!). I was rather unexpectedly in touch with my old friend. It was very simple and over messenger, but I got that exchange I needed. 

So today, I'm thankful that God remembers my prayers even when I forget them. And I'm thankful that He cares about my needs.

September 27

It's Wednesday so Brady and I had our morning hang-out time at the Mother Ship.

There were no specific noteworthy moments to share, but it was nice just being with him, watching his facial expressions as I chatted with other people (because he can say the sassiest things without actually saying a word). 

I'm just grateful for the minutes.

September 26

Adam went to the office today so after I dropped the boys off at Youth Group, I met him downtown for dinner at one of our usual spots.

It was really nice to sit there with my hunny, listening to him tell me about his day while I ate my rigatoni and salad and sipped my glass of prosecco. 

The one-on-one time out together is a blessing, and I am grateful that we sometimes have the flexibility to share those minutes during the week.

September 25

I adore my boys. They're funny and smart and entertaining and they make my life infinitely more interesting and better than it would otherwise be. But they're 15 and 12, and sometimes, the odors they create make me gag.

And regardless of whether or not we want to talk about it, I know the other boy-moms out there can relate to that revelation on a deep and personal level.

So after a recent and particularly stinky ride home from school (that may have involved me sticking my head out the window as often as I could without looking like a lunatic), I went out and bought a few of these at Bath and Body Works. They're Wallflowers equipped with Marshmallow Fireside-scented air fresheners. I put them in the dining room and in the entry way and I tell you, the difference is amazing. 

So today, I'm thankful that God gave someone the inspiration to create these products. (And as always I'm thankful for my kiddos. Even when they aren't lemony fresh.)

September 24

Thanks to a surge in ragweed pollen, I sneezed about 50 times before I got out of bed this morning. So to avoid further allergy-related issues, I wound up hanging around the house all day.

It was nice having alone-time; I watched some TV and crocheted and took a brief nap.

But I was glad to sit down to dinner with these guys. They're goofy and silly and I love them. And I am so grateful to be their mom and to get to watch them grow up.

September 23

We got up early (for a Saturday) to drive Isaac to a super-sized (read: 14-inning) game in Oakland.

The skies started off overcast and the air was chilly, so it was a blessing when the sun finally broke through the clouds and began the long process of warming the earth (and us).

For my part, I watched the action and crocheted and just enjoyed being there supporting my favorite #77 and his team. And I felt content right where I was. So for that, I am thankful.

September 22

This is where Isaac went after dinner.

As I've noted (and shown) before, he has a thing for lying on cold, hard flooring.

It's amusing, but it's also kinda sorta good that he can find comfort anywhere he goes; even in places that seem inherently uncomfortable.

So for all of that, I am grateful. (And I'm also grateful that it's Friday, because Friday is awesome.)

September 21

I got to watch Isaac practice his pick-off move during practice tonight.

....which is funny because --as I've mentioned before-- Isaac doesn't pitch. 

I'm not entirely sure why he did that instead of fielding balls, but he did. And he seemed to have fun with it. So I'm thankful that he went out there and had a good time, and that I was there to watch.

September 20

Since Isaac and Brady are both into physical fitness these days (courtesy of year-round baseball), I've bought a selection of resistance bands and weights for them to use. Then today I added a chin-up bar to the mix, and they were pumped.

I thought they might be put off by the fact that it came in pieces and needed to be assembled, but I was wrong: they both made a beeline for the box when they noticed it after school and immediately joined forces to put it together.

It made me smile to see them collaborating to get the job done. And although I'm half worried that Isaac's doorframe may not survive the chin-up fest that is no doubt to come, I'm grateful for sweetness that is their shared enthusiasm.

September 19

I struggled with bad seasonal allergies when I was young. I got weekly allergy shots all throughout my childhood and even now (many moons later) I still take a pill every day to keep the sneezies and congestion at bay. Fortunately, only one of our kids seems to have inherited my poor immune system. Unfortunately, his allergies are just as bad as --if not worse than-- mine.

That lucky kiddo is Brady.

This morning I took him to the doctor so we could take step one in the long desensitization process: arrange for allergy testing. As a typical self-respecting 12-year old he was thrilled to miss school. And he was his usual gabby self as we waited (and waited and waited) for the doctor in the exam room.

Although I'm not glad he has to suffer as much as he does, I'm grateful for his upbeat attitude and for how he keeps going even when he's not feeling his best. And I'm grateful for the treatments that will, over time, help him to feel better.

September 18

Isaac got out of the car and walked over to practice this afternoon as I looked on from the driver's seat.

He's been taller than me for several years now and he shaves on a regular basis, but it's still startling when I realize that he's not a little kid anymore; that my one-time little chunkster is very nearly a man.

I'm proud of who he is and who he's becoming; of how he's able to both have fun and be goofy and wrestle with complex thoughts and issues. And I'm grateful to be his mom every single day.

September 17

It was an undeniably gorgeous afternoon for some baseball, which was fortunate since that's what we had on the calendar. Isaac went to the A's game with a few friends, while Adam and I set up our chairs to watch Brady and his team scrimmage amongst themselves.

The sky was blue, the air was cool, and the boys had fun as they hit, fielded, and listened as their coaches offered up critiques of their play.

It's a blessing to watch him play on a team with so many talented players (and so many nice parents), so I am grateful for the opportunity to be a part of it.

September 16

I've worn glasses (intermittently, granted) for distance for the past several years. It's only recently that I've had trouble seeing up close.

The excruciatingly tiny print on food boxes and bottles is especially challenging to decipher, so I'm grateful that God gave someone the good sense to invent readers.

They're in every drugstore and by and large pretty inexpensive, but they're a must-have right now. So for this innovation, I'm thankful. 

September 15

I found this when I stopped by the mailbox following a walk with my hunny this evening.

There was no return address, but I nonetheless deduced that it was from Abby. (The handwriting and the postmark were excellent clues.) Since the pink text instructed us to open it as a unit, we did.

And the image pictured is what was inside.

That's it. Just this picture of Abby emerging from a small circus tent. No note, no explanation.

It was puzzling and strange. But it was also wonderful because she took the time to say hi to her family in a way that only she would dream up. And although this particular gesture is indeed very weird, her dedication to all of us is a blessing.

September 14

Today you'll have to forgive me for being cliche. It's just a good message that's worthy of regular repetition so here we go.

The apple tree in the yard is teeming with fruit right now, so I went outside to pick a few that I could cut up for the boys to have after school.

After conducting a careful inspection of my crop, I wound up choosing four, and brought them inside. All four had skin that was the perfect shade of sun-kissed blush. Two had a few visible dark spots and the other two looked perfect, with nary a blemish in sight.

As I sliced into the first two apples --the two with the pock-marked exteriors-- I took a taste of each (the verdict: super sweet and tasty) and tossed the wedges into a bowl. Save a few small dark spots that I easily removed, the flesh was perfect.

Then I cut into the third apple --the most outwardly beautiful of the bunch-- and was surprised and dismayed to find that a mealy mess had overtaken the core. I scooped out the muck and cut up the fruit that remained, but the icky stuff made an impression that stuck with me all day long.

It's a simple lesson, really: just because something looks beautiful on the outside doesn't mean that it's beautiful on the inside too. And conversely, the blemished or unremarkable often have the best hearts. So look for what's inside. Peel the onion. Go beyond skin-deep. Because that's where the truth of who we are tends to lie.

September 13

Each evening during dinner, we ask the kiddos to share about their respective days. And today, part of Isaac's account made my heart leap for joy.

He has Spanish first period, and it's not a subject he enjoys. At all, really. But he still makes an effort. And this morning, he went to school knowing that he'd have to have a one on one conversation --in Spanish-- with his teacher about noteworthy events in his past.

Anyway, he shared that he went to the library before class began so he could practice his responses. And he said that while he was there, he prayed over and over for God to help him because he was very, very nervous. 

Later when the big moment arrived, he approached his teacher and she read his shirt and asked him if Wheaton College was a real school and if anyone he knows goes there. And she asked if it was a Christian school. He said the exchange reminded him that God was there and put him at ease. (In the end, he got full credit, too.)

It's such a blessing to know that my children turn to God when they're scared or stressed or nervous. There's no better place to go for comfort.

September 12

The boys had Youth Group this evening. Since we hadn't been to Costco in over a month and the boys have economy-sized appetites these days, Adam and I had our date night over a shopping cart.

After the groceries were procured, we dined on the finest food court faire there is: cheesy pizza (which always makes me think of Logan) and a chicken bake. And cups of ice cream for dessert: vanilla for him, vanilla with strawberries for me (which brought to mind sweet memories of the yummy pies my mom used to make when I was young).

It was a nice evening, and I am thankful for the time and the memories.

September 11

It's hard to know what to write on 9/11. So I'll just start this entry with... I remember. I'll always remember. 

And the goofballs who I call my children who didn't yet walk the earth back then (and who wrote this amusing repartee via chat this evening) will remember through me and through the adults around them who share about what they were doing and how it felt to watch it happen.

So for them and for the privilege of passing down stories --even ones that are hard to tell-- to the next generation, I am grateful.

September 10

Our church supports an international ministry called Operation Christmas Child. Each year, we pack shoeboxes with an array of items --from personal care to toys to school supplies-- and those boxes are collected and sent out to the places where they're needed most. Where Jesus is needed most.

And today, we had the privilege of hearing from a young woman who actually received one of those shoeboxes many years ago.

To say that her testimony was inspirational would be an understatement. Every word she spoke was soaked in her obvious gratitude to God and thankfulness for Jesus, from her recollections of her early life to her joy over having received colored pencils of her very own inside her shoebox gift.

It was beautiful. And I am grateful that I was there to hear the message.

September 9

Following a brief hiatus, we're back at it.

And it was a lovely morning to be at the ballpark watching Isaac take part in the first scrimmage of the new season.

I'm not a morning person --I think the 5AM wake-ups in high school snuffed out that possibility-- but I'll do what's necessary in order to be there to see my boys play. Because the ability to be present is a blessing.

September 8

I glanced over at the couch across the room a few minutes ago and thought 'well, I haven't really had any profound thoughts today so I guess maybe I could talk about that and how it just figures there's a baseball bat right there for anyone to accidentally sit on.' And that's all true and I will talk about it, but in a slightly different way.

See, when I really looked at it, I realized that this couch gives a surprising number of insights about me. There's the bat, of course, which I'm sure Brady left there. But there's also the maroon pillow, which is dotted with sequins because I like bling. And there's the Christmas-colored blanket I crocheted. It was my first big project for our home. And next to it is the super soft, fleece'y Orioles throw Brady gave me a few years ago. And then there's the sherpa throw I got at my friend Valerie's cookie party last December. Isaac loves that one, but it's still mine and I plan to commandeer it when the air gains its late-year chill. And finally, there's the white penguin pillow on the right. It too is blinged out, and it's where it is because after everyone goes to bed, I often rest my head on it while watching late-night TV.

So yeah, it says a lot about me. And although I annoy myself sometimes with some of my less than awesome tendencies and human'isms, I am grateful that God made me as He wished. And that He gave me a blessed life, oddities and challenges and all.

September 7

If you'd told me 20 years ago that someday, I'd turn on an NFL game so I could watch it --and not because some dude asked me to-- I would've laughed heartily. I didn't grow up watching football. And truth be told, I still don't understand a lot of the rules even now.

But I absolutely tuned in for tonight's season opener between the Chiefs and the Lions for one reason and one reason only: football reminds me of Fall. And I love Fall more and more every year. (Oh, okay. And maybe a little bit because it's fun to watch guys run around in tights. That too.)

Don't get me wrong; we don't actually have what I would call "real" Fall here in Northern California. There are a few leaves that change color, but nothing like the sea of reds and oranges and purples and yellows that surrounded me as I was growing up in the Mid-Atlantic belt. But I love pumpkin season nonetheless; I love our annual trip to Half Moon Bay and boots and sweaters and cooler weather. And Thanksgiving. (I really love that last one.)

So today, I'm thankful for football. And for Fall and for the sweet memories that fill my mind this time of year.

September 6

One of the things about Christianity that I think people misunderstand is this: Jesus calls us to share our stories --and to share Him-- with those around us. It's not done in an attempt to indoctrinate or to force religion on anyone else; in fact, it's motivated by love. It's not easy to do --especially in today's sociopolitical climate-- and it takes some mettle. But it's the Great Commission, so we do it when we can. 

So I was touched this afternoon by an exchange I had with Brady after pick-up. As I drove him over to the high school to pick up Isaac, he remarked --very casually-- that he'd told his friend about the upcoming Alpha program (the introduction to Christianity I'm supposed to co-lead with our wonderful Pastor Mary). He said he added that if his parents were interested in coming, they could text me for info. This particular friend of him has asked him questions about God and Jesus in the past, which Brady has done his best to answer in his own 12-year old way.

Anyway, my heart just melted. My Muffin, doing what he could to try to share the Gospel with his pal's family. He's living out the Great Commission without even realizing it. And I think that's really beautiful. 

September 5

Today was a mixed bag: calm then chaotic, quiet then loud, busy then not. 

So it was very nice to be able to go out to dinner with this guy. We dropped the boys off for their youth group rock climbing adventure (the verdict: Isaac liked it, Brady not so much) and then made our way to the Cheesecake Factory.

There was something so familiar and soothing about watching Adam play our most recent word game fixation (The New York Times' Connections, for anyone interested). And eating together. And talking.

Yesterday a friend remarked that she feels like time is a thief, but I don't agree. I think it's a blessing. And I'm grateful for those minutes.

September 4

It was a quiet Labor Day at our house. Isaac went to his friend Tyler's birthday party and Brady played video games.

And right now, as the day draws to a close, Adam and I are settled into the family room watching 80 for Brady on Prime. (And of course I'm working on a random project.)

Chill days are a blessing.

September 3

Isaac can fall asleep just about anywhere.

Case in point, after lunch today, he settled down on the floor in the foyer with a blanket and one of his dogs and conked out. And he stayed that way for more than an hour. Then when he got up, he remarked that he'd had a good nap.

I'm not sure how he finds the hardwood floor comfortable, but he does. Somehow, he's able to find comfort in situations that seem like they'd be entirely uncomfortable.

I think we'd all be a lot better off if we could do that; if we had the ability to settle down and find peace in less-than-peaceful situations. Don't you?

September 2

Today was Adam's parents' belated 50th anniversary celebration at the A's game.

Since it was a very special occasion, we took in the A's-Angels action from a suite above the third base line. We also inhaled copious amounts of wings and nachos and veggies and fruit and popcorn and chips and peanuts as we chit-chatted and watched the home team play their way to a 2-1 victory. (Which, given their season, was definitely not a guaranteed outcome. Also Brady consumed five huge hot dogs, which is kind of gross but also oddly noteworthy. So there it is.)

Although I wish Abby (and Logan) could've been with us, it was a blessing to be able to spend time with our family paying tribute to a long, successful marriage, especially since long, successful marriages seem to be rare creatures. We are all blessed with one another, and I am grateful for the years that have already passed and the ones that are still to come.

September 1

Another day, another beautiful sunset made of oranges and pinks and mist and cloud and light.

It's funny how something so spectacular happens every single day at a predictable time but more often than not, I miss it. I can forget about it for days and weeks on end, but when I go look for it at the appointed time, I can be sure I'll find it there, doing its thing.

Just like the God who made us and who loves us in spite of ourselves.

I think that's pretty neat.