snowed in!

 We are staying home, and no one is coming over.  The county is in a state of emergency, we aren't to travel unless necessary.  School is closed, the girls are doing virtual school today.  

Yesterday's dinner:  roasted Brussel sprouts and  butternut squash,  stuffing, leftover ham, and leftover mashed potatoes.  It was quick and easy, and good.

I think today is a good day to be thankful for things!  In random order, of course, as "random" should be my middle name,...

1. 

My granddaughter Lydia Eleanor.  She's just a sunshine.

2.  

This.

3.  

Good memories from Margaret's wedding, when the other kids sang a song.

4.

Warm summer memories, family picnic at Ben's house.

5.  I am thankful that we live in a time where we can communicate with each other while at home, that technology allows working from home for so many.  

6.  Two cats, two dogs, they bring so much joy to our home.  The cats purr and cuddle and sometimes bat things off the counter.  The pups and the kitties get along just fine, they are all lazy couch hogs.

7.  I'm thankful for the four kids who still live at home.  Having had 16 kids all at home, then as they grew and moved out, that number gradually decreased, now there are four, and none of them are allowed to grow anymore, or ever move out.  Enough is enough.  

8.  The usual things, like coffee, warm slippers, more coffee...

9.  Hope for the future!  Just watching the video of summertime, it'll come again!  (the snowplow just came down the road, thankful for those guys!)

10. Peace.  Arguing, strife, bitterness, backbiting, criticizing, grudges:  these things do not belong among us, and we do NOT have to welcome them into our lives.  I'm thankful that God has had such mercy on me, and that the fight of faith is so worthwhile.

11. Of course I'm thankful for my kids.  Four have had their virus vaccines, two so far have been quite sick with the second jab, one is getting #2 today, so pray for her!   These older ones, I love them so much.  I love all of them, but when they grow up and they are actually your friends.   When they're teenagers, you have to navigate carefully, avoiding those landmines that explode when you least expect it, like, what on earth did I say to set you off NOW?  When they're teenagers, you learn to take a step back, think about what you're saying, let them vent, give them space, talk to them gently when they're in good moods, and all the other drama.  It's not a terrible time, but it's tricky.  Then they grow out of it, and oh dear, they're delightful!  My youngest is 13 now, so I've had teenagers for over 23 years in a row now.  Teenagers, though, they are absolutely delightful in between those episodes.  They give me new perspectives on things. (They think I'm SO old.). 

12.  Jonathan.  He gets his own paragraph.  He's such a good kid.  He is by nature very strong and because he's a 16 year old boy, he knows everything.  But he also has a degree of humility, and a faith in God that gives him a longing for peace and goodness, and he will always say he's sorry if he's a butthead.  He lives here with all these sisters (there were the five girls in a row before him, then the two little girls after), so we all agree that he is going to be an excellent husband some day.  He knows how to navigate around them, and is quite sensitive.   He put shelves up in Sonja's room the other day, and he puts air in the tires,  and checks the oil in the vehicles.  He is a great uncle to the little ones, brings out the trucks and toys he still has, and plays with them.  He is a treasure.  Now he's having a coffee, and I'm putting this away, and joining him.