my first thoughts this morning.

My girls and I were at REI yesterday, in the middle of checking off a long to-do list, when suddenly my youngest noticed her sister’s purse, “Is that a Mimom purse?”

“Yes,” her sister replied. “Mom had it in her closet and she let me have it.  And you’re not going to believe this but still smells like her perfume.”

Mimom was their grandmother. My husband’s mom. She passed away early this year.

And so there we all stood as if suspended in time, crushed between the rounders at REI, smelling the leather straps of that purse.

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A beautiful message to remember every day ~ by every person and for every person.

“You weren’t an accident.

You weren’t mass produced.

You aren’t an assembly-line product.

You were deliberately planned …

specifically gifted …

and lovingly positioned on the earth by the Master Craftsman.”

~ Max Lucado {The Christmas Candle}

You’re probably checking off your to-do list, just like me. Busy, busy. I’m fixing to run back by the grocery store to pick up one last ingredient that I missed yesterday. Then, it’s pie time. I’m baking two pies: Buttermilk and pumpkin.

I’ve got the girls to help set the table and I’m just plain excited. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of the year. I love the way things look and smell and of course, how they taste.

But mostly, I’m just so thankful to God. For his continuous care of me. His endless expression of love to me. And for the people he gave me that I call family.

About ten years ago, I started a tradition. [Read more...]

I’ve had lots of jobs …

In high school, I worked at a Hallmark store. In college, I was a hostess at the Hyatt downtown. When my youngest was in preschool, I taught theater arts part-time at Regents. A few years later, I did some writing and speaking with my friend, Vicki Courtney. And most recently, I found myself working on air on at Spirit.

All of these jobs have been really fun. I’ve loved them all. But yesterday, I saw a couple people that reminded me of the best job ever.

I was at the barn yesterday, when Kalli (my trainer) arrived with Carlysle.

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“I was thinking it would be really fabulous” … but I couldn’t seem to get my words out. And then Will kept hassling me and I couldn’t stop laughing.

This weekend, Will and I are teaching together about marriage at ACF.

For better or for worse …

We’d love to see you there!

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