Simple Pleasures

We've been getting back into the swing of things around here this week.  It took a bit longer after Christmas since I left town for that week and was totally unprepared for schooling the following week.  But we survived!

Here are a few of the things I'm thankful for today:

Letting the kids play out in the snow!
Being able to bless some weary parents by babysitting one of my special needs kiddos and her siblings for the weekend.  It's one thing I can do with kids!
The relationships I got to build after an entire weekend of kids being here!  :)
A seizure free weekend as a gift to the little girl's mama.  I prayed for protection for her little brain every time I thought of it.  I know a lot of you were praying too!

Mattie being well, really WELL for the first week in two months or more!
Jacob quickly recovering from a mild case of pneumonia without needing steroids or a hospital stay!
I've had a jammed thumb since March.  (Jacob and I were thumb wrestling...) I was just about to make a doctors appointment but wanted to wait until after Christmas, but I just noticed two days ago it's not hurting me any more!!!  I'm so relieved b/c it was getting really old.

A really sweet Sunday School class today.
Hearing Mattie say to Jacob, "Daddy's at the North Pole.  He is!  He told me to tell you that."  Jacob was driving Daddy crazy at that moment!
A great sermon today on Encouragement... can't ever give enough of it away.
Delighting in the birds as they come to our feeders.
Seeing NEW birds as it gets colder.  (It's like I'm winning a game when I get a new one to come.)
Having a feeder out my front window now too and a good man to install it for me.  (He knows I love my birds.)

Jacob having eggs for breakfast 4 days this week and cereal and hot chocolate with milk.

Did you get that???

Here it is again...

Jacob having eggs for breakfast 4 days this week and cereal and hot chocolate with milk - cow's milk!

Jacob saying, "What did you put on this cereal?  It tastes funny!!"  (It was real milk for the first time ever.)
Mattie recognizing Russia on Little Einstein's today!  (It's what Jacob and I have been doing for school for two weeks.)
Being in a spot where I need the Lord to relieve me of a burden.
Having a good two weeks off my medicine.  :)
Being challenged about being content right here in the life the Lord has given to me.  (Funny thing is, I don't want more... I want less.  I want to run an orphanage for Special Needs kids somewhere who have no mama to kiss them good night and pray for them when they sleep.  And teach them and feed them and... well, you get the point. They could move in here too, that would be okay.)

God is good.  And His unfailing love for me is amazing.