April 24

My girl Nikki met me at my usual Mother Ship this morning for coffee and then we came back to my house (which she'd never been inside before; super crazy since we've been here for more than six years but, well, COVID, and then life got busy) so she could help me in my Quest for Grad Dresses.

The plan was for me to model my recent Amazon acquisitions, and then head over to the Outlet Mall to see what we could scrounge up there. So that's what we did. 

She approved and ranked my three pre-purchased choices, and then I tried on a number of options at the Bloomingdale's outlet (which was her idea, since I've always been afraid of Bloomie's). And I found a winner there, too: a pretty, long blue sundress with gorgeous lacy detailing on the bodice and worked through the skirt.

So with her help, I think I've decided what I'll be wearing to BOTH kids' graduation ceremonies (but I'm not telling since there will be photos). Having her with me to give her opinions was a huge blessing and made the process way more fun. So as always, I am grateful to God for her friendship and for the ways we support one another.

April 23

I'm not sure which of them started it because I wasn't in the room at the time, but the weirdsmobiles were at it again this evening.

I came upstairs from the garage just in time to see them lower their heads and lock their arms together like a pair of bulls preparing to do battle. They slid back and forth a few times in their socks before Brady noticed I had my phone poised to snap a pic and abruptly pulled back from the attack pose.

These guys are a near-constant source of amusement these days. So for that pipeline of humor --particularly when life at-large doesn't feel all that funny-- I am grateful.

April 22

Isaac didn't have to work today for the first time in quite a while, so he kept a promise he made to a friend last summer and went to said-friend's Youth Group meeting.

When he got home a little while ago, he shared that there had been baptisms at the meeting, and when we asked if he knew any of the kids, he said yes.

Isaac loves to watch baptisms. I think he gets it from Adam, because he loves to watch them, too. Always has. He's told me before that there's just something special about watching people receive the Holy Spirit. 

So today, I'm thankful that Isaac had the joy of watching more people choose Jesus. And that he brought some of that joy back home.

April 21

It was a wacky weather Tuesday. Clouds then sun then rain then wind then more rain and sun. 

And then after I retrieved Brady from practice and picked up pizza for the boys' dinner, we came across this beauty that arched its way across the sky. 

It was one of the larger, more vibrant rainbows I'd seen in recent history and I actually pulled over (two different times) to get a good look at it because it was just THAT impressive.

So today I am thankful for rainbows and for how God provides them in the midst of storms to remind us that He's always there.

April 20

It's a chilly, rainy evening. 

I've spent it watching a baseball doubleheader on the tube: first was the O's versus the Royals, which featured a thrilling win in extras for my home team, followed by the A's versus the Mariners (in which the A's came from behind to claim the victory). So it was a very good day of pro ball for the fans in the Wight House.

And now I'm just enjoying being under a comfy blanket as I listen to the rain on the roof. We need the rain, so I'm grateful for God's provision there. And I'm also grateful for the many creature comforts that I'm blessed to be able to enjoy.

April 19

It was an uneventful Sunday, with just the usual morning church service on the schedule for most of us.

This evening, those of us who did not have work headed over to the Dairy (where Isaac DID have work) to get some ice cream. He was working the very busy walk-up line as we rolled through the drive thru so we didn't get to say hi this time; I'm sure we'll go again so hopefully next time!

Since I literally took no other pics today, here's a quasi-awkward photo of Brady with his sleeve inexplicably rolled up holding his large chocolate orange cone.

Because I am grateful for this kid and for ice cream!

April 18

It's a Springtime Saturday so we spent much of the day at the high school to watch a doubleheader.

This particular match-up was against a good team --San Ramon Valley-- so there were no guarantees, but the Dons came away with both wins by day's end.

Unfortunately, Brady didn't get much playing time. He came in to pitch in the top of the 6th of game one to get the team out of a first and third jam (which he did successfully) and then pitched a clean 7th to secure the win. They don't credit Saves in freshman ball, but if they did, he'd have gotten one because the final score was 5-3. Best of all for him is that he lowered his ERA to 1.91, which is the current best on the team. He was pretty pleased to see that.

I don't have much else to say about the games themselves, but I do have to say that I'm grateful to report that he had a good cheering section present. Adam and I were there, of course, as were Isaac and Adam's parents. It's a blessing to know that my kiddos have support from family and I'm grateful to God for their presence.

April 17

Following a nearly two-week break in competitive action, the Freshman Dons were back at it today.

The game in question was at Northgate High School, which is a speedy 55-minute drive away in fairly significant Friday commute traffic. It was a beautiful, sunny afternoon and save some mild allergy-related irritation, it was a great day to be outside. 

Brady entered late in the game when he reached on an error by the right fielder and then almost immediately came around to score. Then he played the last few innings in Centerfield.

After the game ended, he was in a chipper mood, so we enjoyed a pleasant, conversation-studded ride back home.

It does my heart and soul so much good when my kiddos have good days, so I am grateful for this one. 

April 16

I had a lovely walk around the Sports Park with my friend Sally and her sweet pup this afternoon.

Her son Ryan and Isaac played baseball together for a number of years, first as members of the Spartans and again last year on the high school JV team, but since neither of them is playing this year, we haven't seen much of each other. So I was happy when, after I texted her to see if she was available earlier this week, she quickly replied with a yes!

She's a very kind person and our conversation is always easy and light, so it was a blessing from God to have time together to catch up.

April 15

I've had a composter for a few years now. I haven't been particularly diligent about keeping its components balanced, so the decomposition process has been inordinately slow. Still, I've continued adding coffee grounds and water and eggshells and clippings from my gardens as I remember to do so. I just rarely look inside (because honestly, I don't want to see the mess).

Today, however, after I added some more greens and cranked the handle a few times to mix it all up, I opened the top and peered inside. And what I saw filled me with joy. 

In the very bottom of the container, I spied a clump of beautiful, dark brown, crumbly material: in all, it probably amounted to a few cups of nutrient-rich compost. But to me, it looked nearly perfect, both because it took a long (long) time to make, and because I know it will benefit my plants in the future by giving them what they need to produce a bigger, better harvest.

It's kind of lovely to me that we can take otherwise useless bits and pieces, mix them together, wait, and wind up with something beneficial. If God can make old apple cores and coffee grinds useful once again, just imagine how much more useful He can make YOU if you're open to His guidance in your life.

April 14

Brady had an appointment with the orthodontist this afternoon, so Isaac drove him over to the office after school and I met them there. (Isaac probably would've been fine with waiting for Brady and then driving him back over to school for practice, but it's not his job.)

They were sitting in the Explorer in the parking lot when I arrived, and when I looked over at them, they were both mewing.

So I got out of my car, went over to the passenger side, and gave Brady the food he'd asked me to bring. I thought it was a good opportunity to take a fun candid pic of them together, but they foiled my effort: every time I lifted my phone, they simultaneously mewed.

I gave up after a few attempts, and chuckled aloud at their weirdness. And I also thanked God for the umpteenth time in recent history for their relationship.

April 13

Although I'm not impressed with Target's clearance pricing more than a week after Easter --still at 50% off for candy? Boo!-- I took a trip down the seasonal aisles during my run through the store this morning.

I have an affinity for Peppermint Patties, so I was pleased to find a bag stashed among the peanut butter cups and jelly beans. (Which I also like. But I already had some.) So I bought it.

And later in the day, when I opened the bag, I fully enjoyed my chocolatey-minty treat.

Sometimes it's about the little things. So today, I'm grateful for clearance sales and sweet treats and Target runs.

April 12

Although I do not love pollen, I do love signs that point to Spring's arrival.

It was mainly the cherry blossoms on the Mall growing up, but it's also the extra-chirpy birds that sit outside my window during the (fortunately not usually too early) morning hours. 

And it's also the rose bushes in our yard. We have white ones out front that flank the garage and red ones out back, and every year, I'm struck by how beautiful and vibrant and full and fragrant they become when the temperature rises.

So for that gift --for the gift of natural loveliness that is so often inherent in the change of seasons-- I am grateful.

April 11

Although there were moments when rays of sunshine broke through the clouds today, it was a mostly overcast, rainy Saturday. 

That made it a good day to sit and watch baseball on the tube. As raindrops pattered against the surface of the pool outside the window, we took in a doubleheader: a win for the A's in the early afternoon and a win for the O's in the early evening.

We haven't had much rain in recent months (which isn't a great thing since the winter is supposed to the rainy season here), so the weather today was a blessing. And I am grateful for the renewal that the moisture will bring to the earth in the days and weeks to come.

April 10

It feels like we're on a train that's moving at breakneck speed toward graduation season. But I'm trying to gradually complete tasks in order to keep myself feeling marginally sane. So given that Abby graduates in one month (a month! Four years goes by in half a blink) I called her restaurant of choice in Wheaton this morning to make grad night dinner reservations. Check!

And then after I loaded Brady up with cleaning supplies (because he told me he wanted to work on his bathroom sink again), I headed out to have breakfast at Jim's with Nikki and Pam.

I had a great time sitting in a little booth with them (even if Nikki did sneak her way into paying the bill... you've declared war, bestie!). We ate and talked about what's been going on in our respective lives. 

Although the food is top notch (and I recommend the Doug omelet, if you like bacon!), the biggest blessing of the experience was time with two wonderful, intelligent ladies. So for that, I am thankful, because good friends are often hard to find.

April 9

I decided, for some reason, that today would be a good day to clean (most of) the baseboards on the first floor. We have a lot of baseboards. So now I am tired and my arms hurt.

But at least the boys enjoyed another day of their Spring Break week. Isaac made a truly enormous breakfast consisting of protein pancakes, eggs, and bacon (the leftovers of which are on the plate next to Brady) and then a little later, they settled into the living room to play some Mario.

I was in a post-cleaning stupor by this time, but I could still hear them laughing from my resting spot in the bedroom. And it made me grateful to God --once again-- that they have one another and that their relationship is strong. 

April 8

The boys put their raft to the test today by plunking it down in the pool.

And it floated!

Brady, as the lighter of the two, was first to try it out (and the one who spent the most time lounging on it as the day wore on). And after he had confirmed its functionality (which means it didn't sink under his weight), Isaac took a turn.

I'm proud of them for finding something (albeit a little weird but still) productive to do during their break from school. 

And I'm thankful to God for their creativity as well as their shared ability to get along and work together toward a common goal.

April 7

Since there's rain in the forecast later this week, I encouraged the brositos to go outside and play catch this afternoon.

So they grabbed Brady's new ball and headed out back.

Then they came back inside a little later and announced, with great determination, that they were going to build a boat. In the yard by the pool.   

I didn't think much of it at the time because... a boat? In the yard? 

But after Isaac went to the gym, they drove over to Lowe's together and returned with wood --a lot of wood-- and several blue buckets. And screws. 

And then they literally built a raft. They picked it up and lowered it into the hot tub to confirm that it would float. It did, but they still want to add more buckets to add to the buoyancy. So that's tomorrow's project.

But I'm impressed with their ingenuity. And I'm grateful that God blessed them with creativity and a desire to get things done. (And yeah, I'm also grateful that they didn't spend the whole day playing video games. And I think it's a little funny that they built a boat when there's rain a'comin'.)

April 6

I ordered new seedlings for the hydroponic garden this afternoon, so it seemed logical that I start the process of clearing out the existing, mostly overgrown and underproductive plants. 

Isaac had already picked and chopped up some green onion for his nachos, and was actively bagging up the leftovers for later use when I got to work. As I started to wrangle with a particularly stubborn arugula vine, he asked if he could taste a leaf. So I handed him one, and he nibbled an edge. I'm not much on arugula in general --and the one in my garden is very, very spicy-- but he said he liked it, so I plucked leaves and flowers (because did you know the flowers are actually pretty tasty? The flavor is similar but much milder than the leaves) for him to bag up.

He also said he wanted to save some cilantro, so I trimmed several sections for him and put them on the counter. And then Brady appeared and asked if he could bag up parsley. And when he'd finished with that task, he sat down by the garden and pruned an entire large bowl's worth of lettuce. 

So thanks to their efforts, the fridge is now stocked with lots of greens. 

It's the first weekday of Spring Break and it's true that neither of them has any plans, but I was still pleased that they wanted to help with such a practical, arguably mundane task. They're good boys, and I'm thankful to be their mom.

April 5

It's been a quiet, restful Easter at our house.

When the boys came downstairs this morning, we gathered in the family room where the Easter Bunny had left their baskets in front of the fireplace. They plunked down on the floor, graciously consented to photos, and then went through their booty. I was quietly thankful that I judged their interests as well as I did because that doesn't always happen. (The proof in the pudding? Isaac assembled his mini wind-up robot as soon as he got home from church and Brady bounced his high-bounce bouncy ball against the back of the house for hours. And both munched their Hershey's bunnies and Sour Patch Kids. And at one point, I looked over and realized that both were busily working on their respective Sudoku books. That's success. And although I could make it about me, I'll pass to praise on to the Lord for giving me good ideas!)

After the baskets were emptied we got dressed (and yep, I got Isaac and Brady matching shirts, which they accepted and wore with zero complaints) and went to church, where a Christian dance group performed in addition to the usual Sunday sermon. I've always had an emotional connection with dance, so they brought tears to my eyes.

We filled the rest of the afternoon with the A's game on TV and lasagna for dinner followed by several hands of cards around the table. And then after that, Adam connected with Abby via video call.

So I'd say it was a good family day. 

And beyond that, it was a good day to remember and be thankful for the Resurrection of Jesus. His fully selfless, sacrificial act changed life forever for those who call Him Lord: given that the Resurrection means that Logan is waiting for us on the other side of the veil and not gone forever, I can never be grateful enough for Easter.

April 4

The Freshman Dons played a doubleheader at home today against Cal High. The two-game days are always kind of brutal, especially when the sun is shining without the benefit of ray-busting cloud-cover, but it's still fun to be out there cheering on our boys.

In the end, they came away with a win and a loss. Brady started the first game in right field and went 1 for 3 with a nice double down the right field line. In game two --which featured a very different lineup, since they have a 22-man roster-- he came in at the top of the 7th and pitched a scoreless inning. 

All in all, a solid day of work. And a decent outcome against a good team.

This is a pic of some of the boys that one of the parents suggested we snap after game two. (Brady is third from the right.) We've definitely been on some teams that had an unfavorable vibe, but I'm grateful to say that this is definitely not one of them. The smiles are on their faces here are real, because they genuinely like playing together. So for that not-small blessing, I am thankful.

April 3

It's hard to know what to write about Good Friday. 

Easter --which celebrates the resurrection of Christ-- is the highest of Christian holidays, as it's the day that Jesus rose from the dead to save all who believe in Him from their own sin.

But Good Friday --the day that He was crucified on the cross-- had to come first. He had to bear the weight of all sin before he could rescue us from ourselves.

I didn't spend a lot of time reflecting on that reality today, so I was thankful when Abby texted to share about her experience at the Good Friday service at her church. It made an impact on her, and her sharing her thoughts made an impact on me. And although it's something of a somber day of remembrance, I am thankful to know that Sunday is coming.

April 2

If you look very closely at the envelope Isaac is holding, you will see the name of the college he's decided to attend.

After visiting LA over the weekend and going over the pros and cons of Azusa Pacific and Biola and recalling his impressions of Wheaton, he casually revealed his decision to me while we waited to board our flight home yesterday morning.

So after much consideration, he will... be following in his sister's footsteps and attending Wheaton. He told the whole family--including Abby, who was present via video call-- last night after dinner. (Abby grinned and immediately shook her pom poms, which was kind of hilarious.)

Honestly, I'm happy, but I was a little bit surprised. When we first headed down to LA, it kind of felt like he would be confirming a decision to attend Biola. He's always been a warm weather guy and I could see him enjoying life in Southern California, but the campus just didn't appeal to him. 

But, he mused, Wheaton is beautiful. And the academics there are great. And he had a lot of fun during his overnight visit last Fall. (In fact, the guy who served as his host has actually followed up with Abby to ask if he'd be attending the school or not.) And despite earlier thoughts and opinions and concerns about cold weather and snow, Wheaton felt like the right decision to him.

So today I've been thinking about what a blessing it is to have two children who have wanted to continue to live out their faith in tangible ways in college. And my big prayer is that Isaac will enjoy his time there just as much as I know Abby has enjoyed hers.

April 1

Isaac and I returned to the nest today following a lovely and informative trip to LA.

It was a huge blessing to us to be welcomed so warmly by Charlie and Alexi, who are master hosts. Even Penny the cat --after she was given 24 hours and a helping of catnip to adapt to our presence-- made us feel like we belonged with her meows (and by not immediately fleeing when we approached).

So this evening, as I head off to bed, I'm thankful for them and for their hospitality.

(And not-so-incidentally, the trip was indeed fruitful, as Isaac has made his college decision. But I'll wait on spilling those beans until he formally clicks the button to accept admission. ;) )

March 31

Today was our last full day in LA. We began it by navigating to IHOP in Pasadena for some pancakes and eggs benedict. Then we drove to Azusa Pacific in time for the one o'clock campus tour.

We arrived a little early and, after chatting with the employee at the entry gate and explaining that Isaac was an admitted student and we just wanted to walk around the campus, she gave us a parking pass and sent us on to the welcome center.

The tour itself was very comprehensive and Isaac really liked the west part of the campus, which is landscaped nicely and had a sort campground vibe. He also appreciated how you can take a trolley to the second part of campus, which is where most of the class buildings are located. When we headed back to the car afterward, he said that it was the prettiest campus he'd seen and lamented that the school didn't have higher academic standards.

Then we drove back to Charlie's house, where the guys shot the breeze and made a dinner plan. We dined at The Raymond 1886, where all of the food was excellent, before we went back to the house to rest. As we rested, I casually watched Brady's team defeat the team from Dublin and tried to get Penny the cat to like me.

I am grateful for the opportunity to be on this trip with Isaac; hearing his thoughts, helping him organize his things, and watching him quietly analyze data in order to select the school that's truly right for him has been a blessing. And I can't wait to see what's next!