A favorite place, Mom, Your choice

1. We three enter the bookstore together and without a word, we scatter in three different directions.
2. My mom completely understands me. We think alike and I am glad. Only I didn't realize this and be glad of it until much later in life.
3. Now we three are in the supermarket. We splurge and each choose a special drink of our own. Tess is very excited about her choice of Jones All Natural Cream Soda, made with cane sugar and not corn syrup. It smells like her favorite ice cream from Bruester's.

Snow kiss, Busy hands, Transformed

1. Snow flurries scatter on the air. I feel the lightest touch; a tiny kiss of cold on my arm each time one lands on me.
2. A couple of little organizing jobs around the house makes my day feel productive. This begets more cleaning in order to prolong the productive feeling.
3. We have 10 minutes to waste so I go to the car wash. Wow! A clean car is like having a complete make-over and we drive into the world confident and shiny.

In the Blink of an Eye

A dear, local, fellow blogger and her five children suddenly lost their husband and father last night. Hers was the first blog I read this morning as I checked on my favorites, leaving me in stunned disbelief. I have never met Ginger. I only know her through her day to day posts and her kind comments on my blog now and then. And yet, through type written words and a glowing 20-inch monitor, our lives became connected. I cannot imagine her pain and loss. I know she will be comforted by family and friends who are physically present in her life. But, added to that are the invisible ranks of fellow bloggers who will lift up silent prayers and form an additional circle of people who deeply care about Ginger and her family.

Suddenly my problems seem so small.

Great Kids, Fatherly Advice, In the Dark

1. Laughter erupts from the other room where young teens are working together. I hear, "Shh" and the voices are quiet. Their voices ebb and flow this way all evening.
2. At just the right moment, Steve gently reminds us that when we make mistakes, this is how we grow and learn.
3. I walk into my house and it appears deserted. I see someone has left the phone lying on the counter. I pick it up and say, "Hello? Who is this?, Where is everybody?" with such a query in my voice that Chelsea, on the other end, laughs.

The Napping Room, My Sentiments Exactly, Off

1. Gunner naps on his dog bed, Henri naps on a chair and baby naps in my arms while I slowly rock. I delay setting baby into her bed because this suits so well for pondering...and rocking...and thinking.
2. I get excited when I find exactly the right birthday card for someone.
3. Everyone's "Check Engine" lights are corrected. These little buggers can throw life into a tizzy.

Coconut Lovers' Treat, The Big Reveal, Crunchy-Chewy

1. I make a special stop at Food Lion just for Edy's All Natural Creamy Coconut Fruit Bars.
2. The snow line has receded from the pathways revealing grass that we haven't seen in months. The yard appears so much bigger now.
3. The corner edge of home baked brownies.

A knock on the head, Sunshine, Forgiveness

1. The truth can be very ugly, but only the truth can open our eyes. And only when our eyes are open can we see God.
2. The sun poured out warmth this weekend, lifting spirits with promises of spring.
3. Forgiveness, nothing is more beautiful than forgiveness.