Some randoms for your mid-week reading <3

Happy middle of the week to you! 

So before I even start, I got a “this sure is a small world” message from the sister of a local friend who happens to live in the town I spent the biggest part of my young life in. She found this blog and was following it and we began to connect that she lives across the street from my old high school.

My dad was in the Air Force and we bounced around a lot but in 4th grade, we moved to a nice sized town in the heart of Kentucky and for the next 9 years of my life, I experienced the most lovely and normal childhood my heart had longed for.

In conversations, I have talked about various people and recently she told me she had met my French teacher, who has lived in my memories as forever young and beautiful and the one who birthed in me a love for all things French.

So if you happen to show up here Madame, you live forever as a glamorous dark haired lady who loved to teach us about your love for the French language and culture and it may make you smile that I work one day a week in a little store that is tres francais, (my apologies, my website does not type in French so no accents) and I remember much more of my French than you would have ever dreamed I could…plus when I was trying to speak Spanish in Cuba…it came out French…sigh…c’est la vie <3

Anyway…you were an awesome teacher who made a lasting impression on me and I am thankful for you <3

Now for the Wednesday randoms!

We have hit the ground running post-holiday/vacation and this is my one day to play catch up and prepare for the weekend festivities because….

Random #1

This one is coming home to celebrate his birthday. 

Last year we had to social distance, although some of us didn’t get the memo…

We are hoping to recreate last year’s softball game and I am picking up the ice cream cake today. But we are planning to hug big this year and sit close…so thankful. 

So very thankful <3

Random #2

The annual read-through of Scripture has me in Proverbs and I am just relishing reading it in The Message. 

For someone who is long on words herself, I love a good succinct set of instructions and Eugene Peterson cuts to the chase in this book of wisdom. 

I started making exclamation marks with hearts by things I want to make sure and impress upon the band of brothers and Miss Thing over the next year and the whole margin is pretty much marked up good with ink. 

Those kiddos don’t know what they are in for!

Random #3

I think I told you I planned to read A Wrinkle in Time again. Graham got it from Tia and I told him I would read it as he read his.

Well, that plan got sidelined on Monday as he asked if we could start reading his copy together. 

As the Good Lord has blessed us with two days in a row with them, he and I have been able to sit close and he leans in and asks questions as I read out loud several chapters a day. 

I forgot how wonderful it is to read to an older child and share a chapter book together. 

Pure, solid, 100% untarnishable gold. 

And side note…my spell check says that is not a word, but I just looked it up and it is. 

So there.

Random #4

We are four months into this retirement gig and in case you are wondering, he’s doing great. 

For a man who worked way more hours than what his time card showed, he has embraced not working with a joy that is contagious. 

He gets more done in a day than I ever dreamed of, but he also inspires me to a better work ethic around the house. 

And he’s having fun like nobody’s business…making me laugh as he seems to be making up for all the days off and vacations he worked the greater part of <3

We are negotiating job-sharing, some things are hard to for me to let go of and he is gracious to let me continue with those tasks even if they take a while for me to get to…yet he has also taken up some that were my least favorites…ahem…vacuuming. 

I am thankful for every single day. 

Random #5

The pumpkins are l.o.v.i.n.g. their little corner of the butterfly garden. 

They are also loving the thought that when I am not looking they may just overtake the whole darn thing plus the neighborhood!

We have friends who are wondering if we will be offering hayrides and a maze along with pumpkin picking in the fall. 

I am considering the possibility.

And while I have not seen a single butterfly, I have noticed some pretty sweet little songbirds perched along the fence and nibbling the seeds of the cone flowers. 

Makes my heart happy. 

Hope you are having a good week! 

Check back tomorrow for a thought gleaned from Proverbs <3