Summer Vacation, Days 73 ~ 77

Days 73 ~ 77

Saturday, August 1

We packed up & headed to Wisconsin. Jim worked in the morning, so we got a late start, and stopped for lunch before getting on the interstate. Once there, we made a Walmart run. And then I spent an hour washing and prepping the fresh fruit & veggies, boiling eggs, making iced tea, etc.  Jim got pizza for supper. 

Sunday, August 2

Sunday morning found me sitting by the lake with a cup of hot tea & a breakfast sandwich. Aaah! 

Church was oh, so good!  During the sermon, the pastor quoted Oswald Chambers: "The remarkable thing about God is that when you fear God, you fear nothing else, whereas if you do not fear God, you fear everything else." 

Lunch at an old-fashioned diner.  Afternoon of beach & fishing. 

Monday, August 3

We arrived at the waterpark just after lunch and left just before supper. I did the lazy river three times and rode one waterslide (perhaps the last one I will ever ride in my life!). Jim found a seat in the shade and read "Age of Opportunity." LM made friends, two girls & their homeschooling mom. One of the girls asked if we could share info so they could have a play date. Alas, we live hours away. Made it back to the WI house in time for LM to go to VBS!!

Tuesday, August 4

After a nice breakfast out & time for LM & me to walk the streets of the resort town, beach & fishing were the themes of the day. Of course, LM was at VBS from 6-8.30 ... and sad she would miss the last three days. "I made a friend, Mom!" Yes, of course she did! 

Wednesday, August 5

We left around 8.30 and were home by noon. A pleasant ride home. We all were tired! 

But we kept going ... Jim to PT, then BK to the farm, then LM to tutoring, and then BK to a youth group swim party. 

I didn't keep notes of our time there but sprinkled into our days there, in addition to the beach & fishing, were:

• lots of requests for mac & cheese (including for late night snacks),
• naps,
• Boxcar Children, 
• bicycle & scooter rides, 
• trips to the ice cream shop,
• lots of reading for Jim & me, 
• and in general - REST - big picture windows, mature shade trees, quiet street, open windows, box fans, & simple meals.  

Staying for four nights is exponentially more restful than two trips of two nights each.  

Summer Vacation, Day 67

Sunday, July 26

Jim was in worship for the first time in a month! Our pastor is preaching through Deuteronomy. Every word of the sermon & hymns & songs ministered deeply to Jim and me. That's what happens when you feel your need of Him desperately!

Culver's for lunch. Nap for me (I slept VERY soundly). Jim & BK visited Jim's dad in the evening. 

Summer Vacation, Days 61 ~ 66

Days 61 ~ 66

Monday, July 20

24 more days of summer vacation.  

I had my infusion. My nurse needed to do another infusion in another city first, so she came at 10, instead of 8.  I was tired afterward, and rested. 

LM went to Emerald Crossing VBS at 6 PM!

Tuesday, July 21

The children slept til almost 10-10.30 AM. I rested again. I think the summer just caught up with me!

LM skipped VBS, so we three could go to the end-of-season swim potluck, awards night, and pool party. We were gone 4.45 - 9.45!

Wednesday, July 22

I was gone from 9.30 - 1 for a doctor's appointment (regular checkup). LM stayed at the grandparents'. BK was at the farm. 

LM had tutoring from 4-5, and VBS from 6-8. BK had youth group from 6.30-8. I continue to drive more miles than I can imagine. 

Thursday, July 23

Thanks to a new medication, I got the best sleep in years, it seemed! At 7, BK popped out of bed happy because he got to go with the hired man to take a load to the dump! 

We've had a rough few days with three major incidents, so I was extra thankful that this morning was my weekly phone call & prayer time with a peer ~ a fellow adoptive mom who also understands a lot of my prior life. What a Godsend!

LM & I played games and read. Just before noon, I unloaded the dishwasher and loaded 2-3 days' of dishes, put my laundry in the washer, and made sloppy joes. After lunch I hung my laundry to dry (a task I usually procrastinate), and LM cleaned her room, one category at a time, while listening to Your Story Hour. 

After BK did his chores, too, we headed to the pool to which I purchased a membership this summer. I think we have only been once or twice. Oh, well! We are supporting a small town pool, I guess. ;) 

Friday, July 24

At 4 PM, I realized it was Friday. That tells you how our week has gone. ;) BK's friends were in & out all day.  Jim had PT.  Not sure where the rest of the day went. 

Saturday, July 25

BK slept in until almost 10 AM! and LM until almost noon! Hamburgers & corn on the cob for lunch! 

LM & I visited the grandparents, and then Grandma went with us to IGA.  Jim & BK returned to the farm. 

I canceled an online subscription we no longer use and was prepared to cancel a second, but they gave me a better deal. My to-do list is so long, but at this point, if it can wait until August 13th, it will. ;) 

Almost 3 weeks of unstructured days stretch out in front of us ... Lord, have mercy!

1000 Gifts, Vol. 7, #92

891. safely through another week

1 Safely through another week
God has brought us on our way;
let us now a blessing seek,
waiting in His courts today;
day of all the week the best,
emblem of eternal rest.

2 While we pray for pard'ning grace,
through the dear Redeemer's name,
show Thy reconciling face;
take away our sin and shame;
from our worldly cares set free,
may we rest this day in Thee.

3 Here we come Thy name to praise,
let us feel Thy presence near;
may Thy glory meet our eyes,
while we in Thy house appear:
here afford us, Lord, a taste
of our everlasting feast.

4 May Thy gospel's joyful sound
conquer sinners, comfort saints;
may the fruits of grace abound,
bring relief for all complaints:
thus may all our Sabbaths prove,
till we join the church above.

892. calming music

893. such a fun summer swim team

894. safely through the first week of unstructured summer vacation (!)

895. older women to speak truth to me

896. peers to share each other's burdens

897. fun book series in which I could escape

898. we ate this week, even though I was out of practice with cooking, after a week with relatives in town

899. spending a half hour of respite with Jim's 96 year old dad & his wife

900. watching the Lord arrange plans for the coming week

1000 Gifts, Vol. 7, #89

861. The orange orb coming over the horizon at 4-something AM when I rolled over in bed

862. The quintessential blue summer sky with tall white clouds out my side mirror, with tall greenish-golden grass framing the bottom of the mirror

863.  A sanctuary filled with small groups of people huddled in circles praying for our nation

864.  The lovely pasture I drive by 8-12 times a week with good-looking cattle grazing & resting

865.  Watching LM confidently walk into swim practice, swim cap on her head, swim bag over her shoulder. 

866.  Ease of doing laundry & ease of keeping our home clean, as I have decluttered more and more!

867.  Amazing way the Lord provided someone driving 700+ miles between a friend's hometown & here, so they could hand carry an item to said friend. 

868.  Finding "The Blessing Series," when I was searching for historical fiction about Norwegian immigrants to the Upper Plains

869.  A shared love of books & learning - one of Jim's cousins brought a book to me at family reunion, and the other recommended a book!

870.  The coffee shop around the corner from swim practice. ;) [They serve great tea!]

Summer Vacation, Days 36 ~ 37

Days 36 ~ 37

Thursday, June 25

8.15 AM swim practice. I spent it on the phone with another mom in a similar situation.

Errands kept us busy until almost 11. Then tutoring from 1-2.30.

We left before 4 for a swim meet 45 minutes away.  LM swam in 3 individual events & one relay. She dropped her 25 fly time from 45.62 seconds to 32.19 seconds. Yay for fall/winter swim season!!

Home around 8 PM. Much more reasonable than Tuesday's meet. Many families are also going to an all-day meet on Saturday. (We declined.)

Friday, June 26

Today was a makeup swim practice, but I told LM she could sleep in.  How late do you think she slept? She was up at 10.45 AM, ate some chicken nuggets, and went back to sleep for another hour!

Jim & I lost sleep last night, because there was a planned power outage which went longer than expected, and with all the rain we've had lately, and the sump pump not working, we were fearful of a basement flood.  Jim had the portable generator ready to plug in, when, at that moment, the power was restored! Thank you, Lord!

The housecleaner was scheduled to come (for the first time in forever - I truly am doing so much better physically, and she started when I couldn't wipe a flat surface), but had a family emergency. It felt good to get the house ready (i.e., things put away!).

LM stayed with Grandpa & Grandma for a few hours, while I picked BK up from his 5th year of CEF camp. Sounds like he had a great week! We were all glad to be back together again.

Our 28-month-old van turned over 80,000 miles. 

Summer Vacation, Days 30 ~ 32

Days 30 ~ 32

Friday, June 19

Today felt like a Saturday, because BK had arrived home the night before, and there was no swim practice.  I set my alarm for 8 AM! 

LM had her last day of Reading & Math camp while I sat in the shade & read a book. 

We all were home for lunch together, and it felt good!

The other three went to the farm for the afternoon while I rested. 

Saturday, June 20

I enjoyed a quiet house before everyone else woke up. 

Tutoring from 10-11.30. Packing for camp. 

Early Father's Day celebration at Jim's dad's at 6 PM with extended family.  Yummy food & a late night. 

Sunday, June 21

It was hard for everyone to wake up! We were oh, so happy! to be back in our own church after two Sundays in Wisconsin. 

Father's Day celebration at Jim's dad's at 5 PM with extended family. More yummy food, but thankfully not as late of a night. :)

Summer Vacation, Days 24 ~ 26

Saturday, June 13

EARLY morning wakeup call so we could leave at 6 AM ... BK packed in his youth-group-issued black tote with a yellow lid (so they stack in the trailer & are critter-proof in their tents) and the rest of us packed for WI.

We waited in the church parking lot for the prayer circle (40 trip participants; almost a 1:1 ratio!) and then we got on the road.  After stopping at Walmart, we still reached the house before noon.  We three had a leisurely afternoon of reading, beach time, and eating at the same lakeside restaurant where Jim and I ate on our second date. :)

Sunday, June 14

Church was really special, as always. I sobbed my way through, "Hymn of Heaven," by Phil Wickham. (Video here. Lyrics here.)  

And on that day, we join the resurrection
And stand beside the heroes of the faith
With one voice, a thousand generations
Sing, "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain"

Lunch. Naps or reading. Safari!! (That was a new experience.) Walking around a touristy town, and trying out a new playground. Jim got takeout for supper.

Monday, June 15

We slept in. I paid bills (work which I had taken with me). LM & I walked almost 3 miles on the shore path. I love our tradition! I don't think we did it in 2025, but we did it together in 22, 23, 24, and this year! Jim met us at the restaurant at the end of our walk (near the Red Park, where LM played after lunch). 

Another leisurely afternoon of read alouds, napping, and, at 5.30, packing.  Home shortly after 9 PM (with another Boxcar Children read aloud completed in the van!) and very well-rested!

Summer Vacation, Days 17 ~ 19

Saturday, June 6 ~ Monday, June 8

Saturday

We woke up, packed, and hit the road to Wisconsin. By 2.30 PM, we were at the (rather tiny) beach.

The women's restroom was out of order, so I had to walk over to the boathouse. There I ran into our neighbor, so I joined her on part of her walk, and we caught up and praised the Lord for His work in our families the past year.

Almost immediately, LM had met a family from Central Asia! After playing in the sand with them for a couple hours, she ran over excitedly to tell me that she was going fishing with them!

I met the mom, her oldest son suggested we exchange phone numbers, and then we introduced our husbands, and then I spent a couple hours on the pier visiting while the boys took turns helping LM fish! 

What a gift to run into people from another country, culture, language, and religion, and get to spend time with them! 

Sunday

We love our church in WI! LM had the best time in children's church, and came home with some great handouts to keep her in the Word over the summer. 

Lunch at a small town diner. Back to the beach. Eventually Jim & BK went to golf, while LM continued playing in the sand for quite awhile. 

Monday

We all slept in and had a leisurely morning. Jim treated me to my favorite breakfast restaurant for a really late breakfast.  Then we visited the library. After the kids packed their things up, Jim took them down the street to the ice cream shop, while I cleaned the house. 

Home around 4.45 PM. 

2026 Summer Vacation, Days 11 ~ 13

Sunday, May 31 ~ Tuesday, June 2 

Sunday, May 31

Could our day have been any fuller?! Everything with an * denotes a 25-35 mile drive.

*Sunday School + church

5th Sunday lunch afterward

*{brief stop at home}

*Graduation party

*Drop the children off at Grandpa's

*Small group

*Pick the children up

ZZZ

Monday, June 1

Well, Monday also was a full day! Hello, summer! 

7.45 AM - I took BK to swim practice. 

8.45 AM - Jim took LM to VBS.

9.45 AM - after arriving home & getting farm clothes, I took BK to the farm.

Then I read in our van in the shaded parking lot at the park. 

11.30 AM - I picked LM up from VBS. 

2.15 PM - Jim picked BK up from the farm & brought him home. 

3.45 PM - LM & I took BK 25 miles to meet the 5th & 6th grade Sunday School class to volunteer at a food bank (& eat at Steak & Shake).

9.20 PM  - Jim brought BK home. 

Tuesday, June 2

BK went to the farm while LM went to VBS in the park and I cleaned house.

After picking them both up, I had to go to the bank with my dad's death certificate (it's a saga) and a $12 unexpected check from a corporate settlement. 

After lunch, I ordered medication refills, answered e-mails, and read on the front porch. 80* with 27% humidity and a slight breeze was PERFECTION! 

I started my new book, "Picnicking with God," and read aloud 57 pages of Book 4 in the Boxcar Children.

Jim & BK brought the basketball hoop back from the farm (where it stayed all winter, since Jim can't park in our garage when the hoop is in our driveway).

BK had a 5.30-8 PM water fun night with his Awana group. LM & I stayed home & got to bed at a decent hour. :)

1000 Gifts, Vol. 7, #86

831.  progress days & maintenance days & survival days 

832.  especially progress in planting!

833.  getting off my 40 mg/day prednisone boost!

834.  the Lord's goodness

835.  listening & praying friends

836.  a new friend to pray with & read a book together

837.  my doctor in Chicago! I love her! And am soooo thankful for her!

838.  insurance & medicine

839.  safety on the roads ... every day

840.  respite

My favorite "national holiday"

Every spring my sister-in-law and I usually go garage-saling in a certain small town about 15-20 minutes away. 68 garage sales in a town of 2300 people! My family has many useful items in our home which I have purchased over the years from those townwide garage sales. One year we ran into her friend who had taken a day off work, claiming it's a "national holiday!"

When you have babies and toddlers, garage sales are the best. And you buy things you didn't even know you "needed." Books, toys, puzzles, snow suits, and more, so much more!  Now, we're more in the purging era, and tweens and pre-tweens don't grow as quickly as newborns.

Now I try to have a list and I pray. In fact, the morning of the townwides, when Jim asked us each what our prayer request was, I said, "That I'll find things we need at the garage sale - shoes & jeans for BK, a bicycle for LM, and work clothes for Jim." When I picked LM up from school her first (& very enthusiastic) words were, "Did you find a bike for me?" Alas, no.

But I did (amazingly) find jeans for BK!!

Last year I only found one pair of jeans for him. American Eagle Outfitters. And they were marked $10. I hesitated, but they have been his only pair of jeans this past year.  He is definitely at the age where it's tough to find any clothes at garage sales.  But! But the Lord provided 3 or 4 pairs of the same style jeans (at $3 to $5/each!!).  

You can see all my finds below ...

• 2 pairs of shoes for BK
• 1 pair of shoes for LM
• jeans, shorts, t-shirts, and two long-sleeve shirts for BK (all good quality)
• 5 pair of work pants for Jim (Haggar $2/each; nice enough he could wear to church if he preferred)
• several nice shirts for BK & Jim
• new with tags Eddie Bauer wind jacket & fleece for LM to grow into
• a puzzle for Grandpa
• a Tervis cup
• a gluten-free cookbook (it may end up in the donate pile, but for $1 it's worth it)
• roll-up crayon pouch for LM's church bag
• a garden flag

• two clipboards for the van bag to replace ones that have broken on road trips
• Usborne telling time flashcards
• a desk organizer
• a fun sweatshirt for LM
• a nice fleece for BK

and some fun purchases for Mom: 

• some Rae Dunn items (mug, Christmas candle for my windowsill, and a "Blessed" pillow cover for fall)
• a Kate Spade purse (for $15) - that had been on my Christmas list last year, and I had suggested Jim look at Clothes Mentor, but when I looked, the prices were too high for me to swallow
• a Vera Bradley backpack-style purse  

Oh, and a half-empty can of Bar Keepers Friend. I have one in my Walmart cart, but they were giving half-empty cleaning products away at an estate sale. The Lord provides!

All in all, I am very pleased with this year's "national holiday!" To be able to outfit my children and husband for such little money, and also to get some extras (that will add beauty to our life) for pennies on the dollar is such a generous gift from our loving Father.

Have you been garage-saling this spring? 

1000 Gifts, Vol. 7, #83

800.  protection in the storms (up to 15 tornadoes in the central part of our state Friday evening)

801.  that LM didn't realize how bad it was (at one point we were inside THREE red boxes on the map, i.e. three tornado warnings) 

802.  fun out-of-the-ordinary experiences for both LM & BK this past weekend

803.  a 2-hour Sunday afternoon nap for me (the kind where you have trouble waking up) ~ Thank you, Jesus!

804.  seeing the Lord work to slowly improve (somewhat) a situation in our life which has been very very hard

805.  a friend to listen & give practical advice when I was overwhelmed one afternoon

806.  the SIXTH anniversary of Jim's dad & his second wife (married when he was 90!)

807.  excellent teaching in our adult Sunday School class... we are more than one year into Isaiah (I am still loving my Isaiah journal)

808.  making contact with a very helpful mom of one of BK's friends, a Christ-follower who also knows lots of the kids in their class *and* their parents

809.  slow steps forward in preparing to empty our room for the floor project (Yikes!)

810.  related to that, throwing away lots of things & filling bags to donate & bags to hand down to friends (Yay!)

Today's list

We are at the point in T-minus-summer-vacation where my to-do list includes: 

• get dressed 
• use inhaler
• brush teeth
• wash face.

I am happy to report that those tasks were crossed off my list today. :) 

Lunch had a question mark next to it on today's list, but I rallied and put some frozen salmon in the air fryer & heated some frozen green beans.  We had salad if desired. Good enough. :) No time for "Kate eats a fancy lunch" of Naptime Kitchen fame on IG. 

I filled two laundry hampers with dirty laundry found on a child's bedroom floor (!), washed & dried them, refilled my pill box, called the pharmacy, and picked up four prescriptions. 

I pursued three volunteer opportunities for BK ... several phone calls & emails. 

I stopped by the grandparents' after the pharmacy for a 10-minute visit. 

I did not do a lot of other things, but we are surviving.  

What was on your to-do list today?

Schedule Adjustments

Second shift on Monday only involved four hours of being on the road (2-6 PM, but it felt long. It was pretty tame, compared to many second shifts I have known, but I am out of practice (which is a good thing). 

• Pick LM up from school 20 minutes early. 
• Go to the university speech clinic. 
• Do a really quick Aldi run on our way home. 
• Stop by home & put the food in the fridge and freezer.  
• Continue on to the grandparents'. 
• Leave LM there. 
• Take BK to his haircut. 
• Go back to the grandparents'. 

And then:

• Collapse in an easy chair. 
• I was ready for bed.  

But ... onward, ho! Home. Supper. Get LM in bed. 

And this is where the schedule changed from A Farmer in Winter to #Plant26.  Jim actually didn't start planting until Tuesday, but he worked late (until long after I was in bed) on Monday.

Now it's time for story time. Back in the day, I spent a summer or two as a camp counselor. (I worked at camps many summers, but was only a camp counselor on rare occasions.) Why did I not like being a camp counselor? Because I had to stay awake until everyone in my cabin was asleep. 

Why do I not like #Plant26? For the same reason.  I cannot in good conscience go to sleep before the children are in bed. (I also miss Jim tremendously.) 

My mother-in-law called today to see if I got any rest. In spurts! I am definitely still not over pneumonia.

• Take the kids to school.
• Lie down. 
• Pick up LM, drive 30 minutes to orthodontist, appointment, drive back.
• Lie down.
• Take lunch to Jim in the field (#Plant26!)
• Lie down. 
• Pick LM up from school.
• Lie down. 
• Pick BK up from school. 
• Lie down. 
• Cook supper. 

What will Wednesday hold? Only the Lord knows. Thankfully He is also holding me!

A new month

It has been three weeks since I was diagnosed with pneumonia. And all I have to say is that the recovery is no joke.  The fatigue is real. I sorted the "laundry couch" the other afternoon, and then had to rest for an hour. I didn't even take the laundry to its home; I just sorted it.  

I have so many appointments that I have canceled and need to reschedule ... sometime. 

And there are bills to pay and my mom's business to attend to.  

Thank the Lord that the school wasn't able to have the meeting they had originally scheduled for this week.  

On spring break I was getting 9 hours of sleep every night plus taking an afternoon nap.  

I placed and picked up a Walmart order on Monday, thinking it would take us through the week.  I forgot that there's no school Friday or Monday, so I'm serving more eaters. :) 

Plus I need to make food for the church potluck Friday night (a family sized bag of Caesar salad and gluten-free chicken enchilada casserole).

We have been gathering at Grandpa's to watch March Madness (thanks to his cable TV). Two evenings we enjoyed (?) gas station pizza (Casey's, so it really is good & was 40% off). But for the Saturday evening game, we made a menu, and I'm taking chips, fruit, and vegetables. 

Sunday is Easter, and I'm signed up to take deviled eggs and oven-roasted green beans. (Frozen green beans in a 9x13. 1 Tbsp. olive oil. 1 tsp. spice mix. 3 slices cooked bacon. 425* for 20-30 minutes.) 

So, I have made another Walmart order. :)  

And there's another game on Monday night. :) Wonder what we'll eat? 

The Long Winter

Today is officially the first day of spring, though I prefer using Meteorological Spring, which starts on March 1st. 

Turning the calendar page to March, and seeing flowers, was such a relief! 

Winter seemed especially long this year. 

Snow started early. 

We had long stretches of bitter cold. 

Unspoken stress was high.

It's the first year in several years that we did not go to Florida ... or anywhere to escape the cold.

Florida with family for spring break was a longstanding tradition for Jim before I ever met him.  And our family has taken trips to Florida every year (I think) except the following: 

In 2011 Jim & I went to Japan instead. In 2013 we decided to escape the cold by visiting the Southwest. In 2017 we spent a number of weeks in Arizona for LM's birth. And in 2021, we spent spring break in Tennessee (because we had skipped our Christmas 2020 visit due to the pandemic).  Spring in Tennessee was absolutely glorious!  We hadn't been there in spring since 2010, and it was a magical time with warmer temperatures and green leaves starting to peek out. I saw redbud and dogwood on the hills! We hiked! We loved it!

Needless to say we are ALL ready for spring!! What are you looking forward to? 

Fancy Lunch

Naptime Kitchen on IG speaks of "Fancy Lunch," and has lots of tips for SAHMs to have a great lunch by cooking ahead, etc. 

I had a Fancy Lunch the other day. Truth be told, after too many days of completely skipping lunch, I forced myself to stop and eat. It took less than 15 minutes to prepare (although longer to eat ... I'm a very slow eater). 

I was motivated by a conversation with a friend who had recently attended a seminar in which the speaker mentioned focusing on the things one can control. There are a lot of things outside of our control (in farming that would be weather, the markets, international politics, etc.). But by God's grace, I CAN control what I put in my body ... nutrition ... and what I put in my mind ... what I read and listen to. 

What are you controlling today? Did you have a Fancy Lunch?

 

Broccoli, salad, & salmon

Valentine's Day

How was your Valentine's Day?   

Valentine's Day in our house came & went without much notice.  (And we're okay with that.) :) 

I put out a few heart-shaped decorations. My mom sent the children each a card, and one of their aunts did also. LM wore clothes with hearts on them throughout the week, and was excited about exchanging cards in her class. :) 

On Wednesday, I included a mixed bouquet in my Walmart pickup order, and I added some pink heart-shaped macarons to my cart at Aldi. :) 

On the actual day, I mostly had a day alone to be quiet and rest. (After my infusion the previous day, my body needed that.  Well, and after some stressful events lately, my body needed it.) 

The children spent February 14 skiing!! Their uncle and a few adult cousins took them for their birthday present.  Very exciting! 

I went out for breakfast with a friend.  Jim had pig chores and a farm errand. I was home most of the day by myself, and spent a lot of time under the blankets with my weighted eye mask on, listening to music or a Mitford audio book from the library Libby app. 

I ended the day with a heart-healthy smoothie! :) 

 

1000 Gifts, Vol. 7, #80

771.  a fun family birthday party last weekend for two adults!

772.  the Olympics!

773.  Moms in Prayer & a new veteran mom (& veteran MIP-er) joining us

774.  a day to rest after a high-stress day

775.  IVIG scheduled ... 3 weeks late

776.  plans to go out for breakfast with a friend and out to lunch with another in the next few weeks (this happens every 12-18 months, so two in a few weeks - wow!)

777.  LM successfully completing her first year of fall/winter swim!

778.  reading 8 books already in 2026! (4 missionary biographies, 3 in the #1 Ladies' Detective Agency series, and one Bible re-telling - The Outsider)

779.  a few different (unexpected) hours of respite this week

780.  blessing others with things we do not use or need to keep storing in our home!