sweet stream of consiousness...

today has been the sweetest day.

it's been a long week. lots done. lots going on all around me.
i have that tired feeling behind my eyes that goes way down deep...
yet i'm SO content and joyful.

sometimes i worry about what i write here. i always post from my heart...
but i don't want to be too "down" - the dark days.
and i don't want to be too "with it" - the plans.

but, mostly, i just write what's on my mind and heart.
and today i'm so thankful.
it's just been such a SWEET, full day and i'm so good.

and, after the last couple months, i don't take that lightly.

started the day off re-arranging and cleaning the basement {don't worry...it gets better...but i did totally love that}. as we cleaned, bailey and sawyer also painted {finished project to come!} and bailey sewed a pillow.

went to a cookie decorating party at a friend's house. the cookies are going to be given away to others. sweet time of fellowship.

on the way home it flurried and an older woman was walking along the side of the road with no coat, flip-flops on, and was carrying about 5 HUGE bags. i stopped {knowing it would make bailey miss the bus} and asked her if she needed a ride. she did. as we drove away after dropping her off over a mile (!) away, bailey said, "Mom! We BLESSED her!" it was so cute. the rest of the way home bailey was looking for more people to give rides to :-)

all 3 kids brought friends home with them from school. i surprised them and set it all up and told them yesterday afternoon. well, actually, it was set up but bailey's friend got sick at school today and went home early. so, as rebekah and her friend and joshua and his friend and bailey are walking to the car after school, i was watching bailey. she was holding it together til she stepped foot in the car. then, it was UGLY. but, i saved the day and called another friend to come over :-)

{so...there are 7 kids here now. and, sawyer isn't going to blink an eye when we bring our boys home. he just takes new faces around here in stride...}

getting ready to host Bible study tonight.
12-ish kids playing in the basement.
learning how to be radical together upstairs.

and there was a "worker man" here at one point trying to fix our gas fireplace...

oh! and getting ready for the Water Walk tomorrow morning!
i can't wait to see how it turns out!
it's going to be COLD...but we are all excited!

and making cookies for a party tomorrow night.

i know...it's a lot. but it just feels so GOOD.
so full. and fun.
AND God is really speaking to me.
clearly.
telling me some hard, but good stuff.
and i'm actually listening.

{how precious is joshua's face in this picture?? i know...}

"friend friday" has gone very well...maybe it'll be a weekly thing?? maybe not. we'll see.

just thankful for today.
thankful for Him for blessing me with it all.
thankful for YOU for praying me to this place.