weekly gratitude

thank you feet for walking me through a wonderful evening with friends - and Brinks

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My goodness.

It's so sleepy in here. We're just blowing through naptime.

Anyone else feeling the weight of the time change? No? Just me? I'm the only lazy, sleep-deprived-due-to-her-own-time-management (or lack thereof) one in the crowd today it seems.

FINE!

So be it, SO BE IT THEN!

Sorry. I'm just cranky. Right now I feel like that little kid who is too tired to go to bed.

What I really need is some sort of instrument to reset my internal clock so that I don't stay up until god o'clock in the morning watching "Mad Men".

Time-setting instrument, swift kick in the whatnow.

Eh - potato, potahto.

Now what was that, Mr. Draper...

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1. Thank you first and foremost for John Mark and Tammy's daughter, Sunday! Thank God and thank you all for all the prayers. This morning in church Phil (John Mark's dad) was finally able to deliver the good news that the Ugandan judge ruled in favor of granting their adoption and while John Mark is on his way back as we speak, Tammy will remain in Africa for a few more weeks before bringing their sweet little girl home. Phil also had permission to share with us the first family photos which meant that I, being my mother's daughter who apparently now breaks into tears at the drop of a hat (please take a moment to watch Kristen Bell's sloth meltdown and appreciate her "3-7 on the emotional scale" reasoning), welled up immediately at the sight of mother and daughter, smiling - I kid you not - the exact same smile ear to ear. I swear you could see the family resemblance. And the photo of a little girl resting her head happily on her daddy’s shoulder, looking as though this was how it has always been and now, blessedly, always will be. Sunday is coming home not just to a family who already loves her, but also to an entire church full of a community who has been praying for her, and loving her all the way from the other side of the world. My heart just bursts for joy.

2. Thank you for a phone call with Laura! Even when we lived in the same city we couldn't be counted on fully to align our schedules very often, but when we did it seemed that what began as lunch became let's-go-get-cupcakes which turned into where-should-we-grab-a-drink-for-happy-hour and eventually melted into dinner and glass of wine (and, later, cuddling on that sweet baby Jack and his furry sister puppies). But even though it's been a while since we spoke on the phone, my heart is overcome at how we pick up right where we left off. And that's what friendships are made of. And though I told her this in my toast at her wedding, I'll say it again here: When I decided to move back to Oregon in 2009, I admit I was hesitant. There was a lot of question about the leap of faith I was about to take. But one of the things that made it okay was knowing that I'd have one of my best friends waiting for me in the city that I love. I couldn't have imagined how a random girl my uncle met on a plane as she moved her own life across the country would become the dear, amazing, wonderful friend Laura is, but I for one am extremely grateful that God orchestrated that little bit of serendipity. Now, let's hurry up and plan a visit soon lady! I need you to teach me how to not fall down on skis.

3. Thank you sun, glorious SUN! Call me crazy, but there just doesn’t seem to be a lot of that stuff 'round these parts (cough, I swear if you think I'm at all serious you should stop reading right now and go sit down before you fall down, cough). It's no wonder half the people I know up here are taking Vitamin D supplements. If I had half a brain I'd probably take them too seeing as I'm practically translucent. Anyway, we had a couple truly spectacular days here. Thursday I took myself to lunch downtown (what's UP [Flying] Elephant's Delicatessen BLT!) and pretended to be very European as I sat in a sunny window at the cafe sipping ginger ale and finishing the third Hunger Games book (GAH!). Then Friday, Jared and I took advantage of the holy grail of natural lighting and drove up through the Gorge so I could take some pictures for a photo wall I'm working on for his apartment. Good lordy, we couldn't have requested a more beautiful day. Blue skies! Sunshine! Cowboy hat! (Amusing anecdote to follow on that seemingly non-sequital note once I get some photos uploaded).

4. Thank you for friends who always have my back. I stopped by the restaurant where I used to work the other day where I was greeted by my usual hug from Phillip (seriously, he's one of the best huggers in the world, you should probably hunt him down and hug him, or at least put it on your bucket list). And as usual my old boss was there, always curious about what's going on in my life and seeing what new gossip he might land to tease me with (good naturedly, of course). But what I loved this time was his sort of promise, oath really, to watch my back for me and basically cause anyone who hurts me severe pain. It was all in jest but I know the sentiment behind it was genuine and I got a definite kick out of it.

5. Thank you, finally, for these continual tests of faith. You're keeping me on my toes and challenging me to keep working toward becoming the person You want me to be. It's not easy. Mostly I hate it. And a lot of the time I'm ready to just give it up. But then You find a way to get my attention again and remind me that You're still there, right behind me. The training wheels are most certainly off, but You're close enough to grab the back of the seat if I start to fall (and don't get me wrong, you have no problem letting me fall, but you only let it happen when You know I’ll learn from it). So thanks for that.

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It's been almost four years since I moved to Oregon and I'm still intensely amused with how manic the weather can be. By the time afternoon arrived we saw rain, hail, snow and blue skies return. 

Seriously, it's time for this state to up the dosage. It's colder here than it is in Indiana.

Bundle up!