Fainting + Blistery Walks + Baptisms and New Churches = Thankful

• My tendency to hit my funny bone and faint is kind of a joke in my family. I pass out, not when my life is at risk or I’ve truly destroyed a significant part of my appendages, but when I fall down on my knees or hit my elbow on a counter. Such a dorky problem. So, Sunday morning, when I banged my knee on the wall while getting into the shower (going on one hour of less sleep than usual), it was sort of inevitable. I’m thankful for my husband who woke up to my knee-cry and rescued me from my disastrous slump of a pass-out. (And all my dramatic tears over how I-might-possibly-but-I-don’t-want-to throw up.) Sidenote: I have a bruise but I made it through. 
• For routines and returning home
• For my Deenie and Grandaddy (my mom’s parents) who (you won’t believe this) have been married 70 (SEVENTY!) years as of last Thursday. Is that not the most amazing, insane thing you’ve ever heard? For the way they sit next to each other on the couch and secretly hold hands, for how cute they were in those black and white photos, her in that smart suit, him in his uniform. For the work ethic they passed down to us (both from West Texas cotton farming families). For how Deenie has always combed Grandaddy’s hair every morning for 70 years. For the hope and courage of living into one’s nineties. I’m proud of them and I’m amazed by them and am incredibly honored to have them as my examples of marriage.
• For the gift of seeing my freshmen small group girls love and support one of their own on a particularly hard day for her. They prayed for her and sent her notes in the midst of spring break and being separated from one another. I love that real community is happening.
• For the first Sunday of Liberti Church on the Main Line, a church plant that some of our dearest friends in the Philly area have been building toward for two years. Chris and I have been dreaming and praying along with them and this past Sunday was such a wonderful confirmation of God’s dreams for this church.
• For baby Eliza’s baptism (she’s my friend Jamie’s) and the chance I had to be there. For her sweet temperament and smiling nature. And for the forty-five minute walk I got to have alone Sunday morning (from Jamie’s church to mine) after the baptism. I love walking. I especially love walking alone.
• For Brooksie learning how to joke around and make silly faces at dinner. For his new sign: bubbles.
• For whatever it was that woke me up yesterday morning at 5:30 (which was actually 4:30 a day before that). (The thing that woke me up was crying children, but I digress.) I had a lovely hour of reading and prayer. Who gets to have that? It was just what I needed.
• Oatmeal
• Sunday afternoon sunshine and an afternoon of weeding in the backyard while the boys played.
• A bathtub for achey feet (that 45 minute walk was in heels) and an achey knee (that bruise was kind of deep) and a good book.
• Sitting beside my husband on the couch in the quiet morning while the world is still dark. (I’m so thankful he drinks coffee now and gets up when I do! This is a very new development in our marriage.)
• I can’t believe this, but my baby is turning one on Friday. ONE!!!!
• For my mom’s healing and the chance she has to spend a couple of days with my grandparents this week.

Now it’s time for you to be thankful. Go!