May 7

The boys had Youth Group tonight so Abby joined Adam and I on our Tuesday night date.

It was a Daughter Date, if you will.

As we sat there at Chili's talking and being goofy and eating, I thought a little about what it was like back when it was just the three of us; how we'd take her for evening walks and she'd want to pick, pick, pick all of the "fudgers" she saw. How I'd load her up into the car and push her around the mall in the stroller when I was feeling isolated. And how we'd lie on the floor of her bedroom with her reading books and stacking Peek-a-Blocks and listening to The Veggie Tales and Waltzing Matilda.

They're sweet memories that I'm grateful to have stored away in my mental files. So for those early moments with her and for the moments with all four of our kids over the past 18-plus years, I am thankful.

March 6

I got to leave the house this morning with all three of these beautiful young people in the car with me. (I look just-rolled-outta-bed awful so don't look at me.)

After I dropped the boys at their respective schools, Abby and I hit up the Mother Ship for java. And then we were off to Target and Dick's (for an Isaac-related purchase, of course) and Crumbl (because cookies) and Walmart.

It was kind of like the old days, and I'm thankful for such a sweet little dose of nostalgia.

March 5

Dinnertime can be entertaining at our house.

Tonight's episode began as we finished our burgers. I innocently suggested that Abby tell a friend she'd been texting about her middle school love of My Little Pony. Adam looked up a song from said-animated series and played it on his phone, which prompted Abby to pick up her spoon so she could sing along. Which prompted Brady to quietly begin recording her performance. And Isaac... Isaac's eyes just darted back and forth between the two of them as he nibbled on the remains of his bacon dog.

Yep, mealtimes can be interesting. And I'm thankful for that extra-special dose of weirdness that comes from having Abby back in the nest.

March 4

It was a cold, windy, wet Opening Day that featured an assortment of yays and bummers. 

Yay number one was Brady pitching the first three innings of his team's game as the rest of us --including Abby-- cheered him on from the bleachers. 

But the clouds and rain rolled in so unfortunately, they were unable to actually finish the whole game, which was a bummer. The rain and eventual field closure also meant that Isaac was unable to umpire the games he'd signed up for today, which was disappointing. 

But his unexpected availability meant we were able to go to lunch together at Black Bear, so we did just that. 

And then Abby and I went to the mall while the boys went home; she tried on dresses at Francesca's as I looked on. And when we got home, I chilled in the bedroom while she and the boys played Mario Kart and Mater's Tall Tales. We finished the day with takeout from The Cheesesteak Shop, per Abby's request. And so here I am, writing from my usual perch in the family room.

Yes, it was a day of yays and bummers, but all in all, I'd call it a yay. I got to spend it with all three of these amazing young people, so how could it be anything but a blessed day?

March 3

The gang's all here! (Well, we're as "all here" as we ever are.)

It's Spring Break week for Abby so she flew home from Wheaton today. When her arrival hour finally arrived after dinnertime, the rest of us piled into Adam's car to pick her up from the airport.

I don't have any grand reflections other than to say that it's really, really good to have her home. It's good to hug her and to talk to her in person and to observe the subtle ways she's changed over the past few months. And it's good to see her doing her big sister thing with Isaac and Brady. 

Family is a tremendous blessing, and I am so thankful for mine.

March 2

Opening day isn't until Saturday (assuming the rain in the forecast doesn't materialize), but this evening saw Brady and the Phillies suit up for their first scrimmage of the spring season. And it was a beautiful evening for baseball.

We didn't really keep score, but Brady played well: he was the first pitcher on the mound --recording a ground out, a fly out, a base hit, and a strikeout-- and also led off the batting order. With said-bat in hand he went 2-for-3 and made solid contact all three times he was up. So yes, he had a good game.

I can tell that he feels confident right now and I'm thankful for that because it's so hard to play well when you doubt your ability. And beyond that, I'm grateful that it seems like he's on a team with two good coaches and a lot of nice boys. Good play and good kids will hopefully lead to a great season.

March 1

I was standing in the front window admiring the colors left in the wake of the sun's daily descent beyond the hills this evening when I noticed the two very bright lights in the upper lefthand quadrant of this image.

After I watched them for a while and ruled out the "it's a plane" possibility, I called Adam into the room and he used his stargazing app to determine that I'd spied two planets: Venus on the right and Jupiter on the left. (If we're wrong, feel free to correct me! I'm far from an astronomy pro.)

Given that Venus and Jupiter aren't exactly close to Earth, their brightness was stunning. Awesome, even. So I stood there a little longer watching as the light continued to fade. 

I'm thankful that God is a God who creates beautiful things for us to ponder and enjoy.