In no particular order...

Counting gifts today, just because. I, along with a few other friends, are going through Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts study (with DVD) and I'm so enjoying the time to just meditate and sit on these chapters slowly as opposed to the can't-put-it-down approach that I read the book with the first time. This week we talked about chapter 4-5 and while there was much to think about, I have been chewing over the words on slowing down and being present and thankful with my days. I'm so guilty of judging my days by my list and what is and isn't checked off (and I'm not saying that a list isn't a good thing!) ... but there's more to life than a to-do list.

That said, so gifts that I'm noting today: (oh, the irony that this is a list after that first paragraph!) : )

• being thankful that I got a little extra sleep yesterday instead of fussing that I overslept
• having the time to get out and run yesterday morning
• and having the kids with me (riding bikes and roller blades) instead of fussing that I didn't get to run as long as normal because I had to stop and deal with skinned knees or push a stroller.
• the blessing of a 15 year old girl in our Classical Conversations group that came over for a few hours yesterday
• and the several hours that I got out of the house
• lunch with T
• finding a new Bible, on clearance! and fitting all of my picky criteria that I had set up for what I was looking for! (Large print so I could read it easily, big margins, single column - all the little things I hadn't been able to previously find all in one Bible!)
• finding a new bathing suit for me that didn't break the budget! (and was a smaller size). : )
• finding the little girls several pairs of shorts at Goodwill that were longer (more modest) lengths!
• having my friend Candy bring over dinner last night for our small group - she had a recipe she wanted to make and I was happy to let her! (And it was delicious!)
• our summer mama's study that we have had the last two Fridays and the women that have come
• taking the kids to swim this afternoon for a while
• playing "monkey in the middle" with a tennis ball in the water
• N1 finding a lost car that the boy had left at the pool the last time - he was so excited
• family pizza and movie night - we have been off schedule of having these regularly because of spring softball and I was in my pjs by 5pm and ready to relax for the night!
• a boy that went to bed and was out like a light after a morning with friends and an afternoon in the pool

All such little things, but making an effort to be present in them has been good for my heart.