The Joy Dare: December 31st....A reflection

So, here it is. The last day of my year-long quest to seek Joy out. My daily discipline turned habit. Seeing the Giver of Good Gifts in all the variations in which He shows Himself. I posted my last post---of this year, at least---Gift #1067. Just as it was when I crossed the #1000 milestone, I find that I can't really stop. I don't know if I'll continue my blog, but I do know that I have this list and it is growing.....

All year, I have written my three gifts from the Joy Dare topic in a paper journal. Those gifts are the ones pictured on my blog. But also, along with the numbered list, I kept a separate list---unnumbered and sporadic--scribbled in the left hand side of my journal. In an effort to reflect upon the year, I read back through my journal and numbered all the gifts I wrote on the left hand margin. I'm happy to report that I not only found my 1000 gifts and not only counted gifts for an entire year, but I also doubled my initial quota. The list, if you care to peruse, is included below. (Heads up: it's the equivalent of a 27-page Word document...970 total.)

I find it interesting that at the first of the year, I only jotted down pauses in time to remember. But as the year progressed, I found more and more to be thankful for---mostly mundane, like being on time to my Yoga class or being at the grocery store by myself. But some real genuine thankfulness is going on here, and that's what I'd like to share with everyone. When I would find myself in one of "my moods"---turning my thoughts to what God has given me cast a new light on my day. Now, sometimes, it took longer than others, but if I could remember to be grateful and direct that thanks to the right source, my perspective shifted.

And the daily practice of sitting down to think about the gifts entrusted to me has become as natural as making my coffee in the morning. It's just something I do now. I hope, if you have read my blog or followed my progress at all, that you have gleaned some positive experience from my little experiment. If I do blog again, I'll be starting with #2038.....and still counting.....

1/7

#1068 Jack sings Away in a Manger and Jingle Bells ALL THE TIME

#1069 Lucy gives solo dance performances to the “beautiful music that Daddy plays”

#1070 Ella is always making something…a craft, a picture, a gift….

1/31

#1071 Ella calls him “Justin Beaver” and she doesn’t like him at all….

#1072 Jack makes perfect aviation sounds for which ever aircraft he’s pretending to fly

#1073 Lucy colors meticulously inside the lines and gets the markers herself

2/9

#1074 Ella & Lucy at Baylor’s Martin Museum of Art, Wiethorn Visitor’s Center and Moody Library

2/10

#1075 Twins at the library, seeing the Kermit & Miss Piggy puppet show

#1076 Ella ran into the house yelling “GG!!!” because she saw the car outside

2/16

#1077 Jack taking the silly putty from the Arterburn’s house, being made to return it an apologize, and then taking a marble before we left again….

#1078 Jack: “Mrs. Agreggor” = McGregor

2/18

#1079 Lucy jumping for joy when Cinderella marries her prince

#1080 Ella and I making Barbie rooms out of cardboard boxes

2/22

#1081 All three kids in the Ash Wednesday service

2/29

#1082 Ella at church: “A boy said nobody wants to be his friend and I told him I want to be his friend.

3/1

#1083 Ella and Lucy at the Library playing and creating

3/2

#1084 Amy Everett: “May our repentance be courageous and may we be patient with our transformation

#1085 Jack asleep on my lap at Don Carlos

#1086 Lucy pretending to be a cat

#1087 Ella’s story about the magic wolf (wishing now I had written it down…)

3/3

#1088 Pam Reed “filled a room”…..

3/5

#1089 Jack use of Green Eggs and Ham to cite an example of someone else not trying something new to eat.

3/13

#1090 Spring Break in Waxahachie

#1091 Hannah & Ella = BFF

#1092 Jack & Hudson being boys together

#1093 Hannah looking out after Lucy

3/19

#1094 Joel & Jack practicing soccer: “Mommy---did you see me playing sports?”

#1095 Lucy: “Ella is really nice, but sometimes she gripes.”

#1096 Playing in the tent on the driveway

4/2

#1097 School field trip with Ella to the museum and having time together afterwards

#1098 Ella correcting me: “No, Mommy, that’s a cement truck.”

4/8

#1099 Ella collected the offering with her Sunday School class

#1100 Jack: “Storms without tomatoes are fun. Storms with tomatoes are scary.”

4/12

#1101 Jack’s day at the zoo and he was Baby Jaguar from Diego

4/18

#1102 Mema’s 100^th Birthday

4/19

#1103 Free time at JBF, Downtown, and Girls’ night with Alisha & Chrissy

4/26

#1104 Ella reading to Jack on the couch

4/27

#1105 Dad in town

#1106 Dinner on the patio

4/28

#1107 Joel’s art show “Art on Elm”

4/29

#1108 Lunch with Karyn

#1109 TWO swim parties

5/3

#1110 Lucy day! “You’re my favorite person.”

5/5

#1111 Girls SOOOO excited about going to GG & Papa’s

#1112 Garage sale with Mom

#1113 Playing store

5/11

#1114 Mother’s Day tea with the twins

5/12

#1115 Farmer’s Market with twins

#1116 Ella’s haircut for Lucy (!!!!)

5/13

#1117 Mother’s Day pics downtown (by the warehouse that is now torn down)

5/15

#1118 IKEA with the twins

#1119 Rainy drive to RoundRock

5/19

#1120 Jakob’s birthday party with all three kids

#1121 Blow up water slide!

#1122 Jack’s last soccer game

5/20

#1123 Cheddar’s with Sara

#1124 Chocolate Cake!!!

#1125 The partial solar eclipse viewed from atop Papa’s house

5/21

#1126 Cardboard sheets for VBS

#1127 The challenge of driving with the cardboard sheets

#1128 Grace from the Eldest when the cardboard sheets made me late to pick her up from school

5/22

#1129 Ella’s field day, cut short from a hurt toe

#1130 Lucy’s ant bites

#1131 Hard, hard day at home, but just one day…..

5/23

#1132 Jack & Lucy’s last day of preschool

#1133 Mrs. Conner

#1134 Mrs. Thompson

5/24#1135 Historical village with Jack

#1136 The church bell

5/25

#1137 Ella’s end of year party at Whitehall

#1138 “Chipwrecked”

5/26

#1139 Charlie’s swim party in Ft. Worth

#1140 Cousin time

5/27

#1141 Pentecost Sunday

#1142 All-church breakfast by myself

#1143 On the boat with Nathan and Amanda

5/28

#1144 Kids spending allowance money

#1145 The outdoor pool at the Y

5/29

#1146 Beth K and her boys came over

#1147 A successful non-family haircut

#1148 My kids and her kids playing Simon Says and Hide-n-Seek

5/30

#1149 Hall Boys and My Boys to the Ranger Game

#1150 Hall Girls and My Girls to the Waxahachie pool

5/31

#1151 RAIN!!!!!

#1152 BIG THUNDER!!!!

#1153 Sunshine and drip-drops

6/1

#1154 Van Breakdown, but with Joel behind us

#1155 Waiting in the sun with Wayne for the tow truck

#1156 Lowe’s with twins

#1157 Carpet cores to church

6/2

#1158 Set design work day…plans come to life

#1159 Getting whisked away to a glorious day on the boat!

6/3

#1160 Joel on the boat with kids while I worked on parrot wings

#1161 Eric’s Sunday School talk about Vocation & Calling

6/4

#1162 Day 1 of summer: hard day, but Joy was present

#1163 Music lessons

#1164 chore time

#1165 Lucy at ballet

6/5

#1166 Swimming at the Y in the morning

#1167 Perspective shift at lunch

#1168 Around the block in the evening

#1169 Given a “peace rose” by a neighbor

6/6

#1170 Terry’s birthday with Julie & Burt

#1171 Max the Dog

#1172 Hitting golf balls

6/7

#1173 A day to myself

#1174 Running errands for the party

#1175 Ella’s gifts

6/8

#1176 Cleaning & vacuuming the house

6/9

#1177 Ella’s Parrot Party

#1178 Jack falling asleep on my shoulder

#1179 Lucy’s rehearsal and dancing like crazy

6/10

#1180 Sunday School with Kurt

#1181 Mom came to Sunday School with me

#1182 Grilled Chicken at home for lunch

#1183 Lucy’s ballet recital!

6/11

#1184 Birthdays

#1185 Jack’s first words to me: “Happy Birfday, Mommy!!”

#1186 Dad made coffee

#1187 Breakfast with Mom & Dad

#1188 Opened birthday cards with Ella

#1189 My new Nike’s

#1190 Lunch at Panera

#1191 Ella off on her own to Waxahachie

#1192 Twins to the mall with me

#1193 Free Panera scone & coffee

#1194 Twins playing in the green cooler

#1195 Date Night with Joel

#1196 My new iPhone!!!

#1197 BJ’s Brewhouse

#1198 Home in time to say goodnight to twins

#1199 Number 38 is the best birthday yet….

6/12

#1200 Ella’s 7^th Birthday

#1201 Talking to her on the phone from Mom’s house

#1202 Twins playing in the green cooler ALL DAY

#1203 Rain in the afternoon

6/13

#1204 “Way Back Wednesday” with Jack, Lucy, & Papa at the museum

6/14

#1205 Lucy’s “Spa” day

#1206 Jack with Papa

6/15

#1207 Museum with Jack & Lucy…waiting for Ella to get home

6/16

#1208 New Car in Temple!!! “Mike”

#1209 Setting up VBS All Day…..

#1210 Getting Ella Back….last drive in Herbie

6/17

#1211 Major Install Day for VBS…going smoothly

#1212 Father’s Day…thankful

6/18

#1213 Day One of VBS

6/19

#1214 Garage clean-out

#1215 Helping Kay

#1216 Mother’s Day Out: Day 1

#1217 First time NOT at VBS….a little weird

6/20

#1218 Kids spending earned money at the museum…

#1219 Ella and her birds

6/21

#1220 Yoga at the Y

#1221 Angel Paws at the Library with “Yeti”

#1222 Swimming at the Y

6/22

#1223 Last Night of VBS

#1224 DaySpring water slide

#1225 Homemade bread…mmmmm….

6/23

#1226 clean-up of VBS at church: DONE BY NOON!!!

#1227 Elise’s baptism

#1228 Pool with the fam

6/24

#1229 Susan. Thankful to have known her

#1230 Brave at the theater with the kids

#1231 Supper club with the Arterburns

6/25

#1232 YMCA pool

#1233 Weaving t-shirts with Ella

6/26

#1234 Lucy sick, but home

#1235 Quicken like mad! Three months….

6/27

#1236 Susan’s memorial service: grieving and comfort

#1237 Date lunch with Joel

#1238 Escape to Temple

6/28

#1239 Twins and the brown eye-shadow….they just wanted to be brown.

6/29

#1240 Mayan exhibit at the museum

#1241 Bahama bucks for free

6/30

#1242 Farmer’s market with DaySpringers

#1243 Lake Belton on the boat

#1244 The sudden storm on the lake

7/1

#1245 Lucy is thankful for Mimi & Papa

#1246 Tante’s chicks

#1247 Twins in the chicken coop

7/2

#1248 Waiting for ATT and getting things done!

7/3

#1249 Chicken Tetrazini at Mom & Dad’s

#1250 Jack singing VBS songs

7/4

#1251 Waxahachie 4^th of July parade with the Baergens

#1252 Giant water slide at Suzanne’s

#1253 Squeals of delight

#1254 Back in Waco on the Happy Day with Mimi, Papa, Tante, & James

7/5

#1255 Sleeping late!!

#1256 Movie morning

#1257 Pool at the Y

#1258 Joel to Houston and back safely

7/6

#1259 The Bubble Nazi at the library…fun information, but sort of a funny lady

#1260 Lunch with kids and Joel

#1261 Running into Papa at Target

7/7

#1262 Home all day

#1263 Cleaning and playing

#1264 Poured down rain

#1265 Movie: “The End of The Spear”

7/8

#1266 Poppa Rollo’s after church

#1267 Afternoon spent organizing

#1268 Joel took the kids to Mother Neff

7/9

#1269 Playing with Ponies in pajamas

#1270 Jack: “Daddy kills bears and wears the fur on his arms!”

#1271 RAIN!!!

7/10

#1272 Mother’s Day Out for twins, Home for Ella

#1273 RAIN!!! (again!!!)

#1274 Trip to Best Buy & Walmart

#1275 Seeing the rainbow

7/11

#1276 Old Navy shopping trip

#1277 the Museum

#1278 Rain for our picnic

#1279 Joel coming to the rescue after a hard day

7/12

#1280 Reading to Frank the dog at the library

#1281 Lucy’s coloring page

#1282 Lunch with Dad at McAlister’s

#1283 Discovery Dome

#1284 Kay’s house

7/13

#1285 Getting ready to leave for Clyde, grateful that it is a rare trip

#1286 Twenty years since high school

#1287 Belle’s Chicken Dinner House

#1288 Christina.

7/14

#1289 Breakfast & swimming at the hotel

#1290 Lunch with Louis & Sherri at Cracker Barrel

#1291 Zoo with friends from High school

#1292 Touring Clyde

#1293 The State Trooper’s WARNING

#1294 Home sweet home

7/15

#1295 Papa at church

#1296 David dancing in his underwear

#1297 Pedicure and smoothies with VBS girls

7/16

#1298 Day at home

#1299 Ponyo

#1300 Joy Dare

7/17

#1301 Lunch with Erica

#1302 Bubbles with Jack

7/18

#1303 Papa took the kids for the day

#1304 Sick, but thankful for DayQuil & Vitamin C

#1305 Chick-fil-a

7/19

#1306 Home sick again = pajama day

#1307 Getting packed up for the trip to the lake

#1308 The kids’ tender hearts----feeling sorry for me for being sick

7/20

#1309 Day 1 at Lake Granbury with Hall family

7/21

#1310 Kids on the pull-along jet ski

#1311 Boys in their conversations

#1312 Cousins

7/22

#1313 Family devotional time (church on the porch)

#1314 Alyssa’s birthday party

#1315 Scavenger hunt

#1316 Me, Gary, Shower caps, & cheetos

7/23

#1317 Leaving the Lake House

#1318 “Losing” Joel’s wallet

#1319 Joy in sorrow

7/24

#1320 Home again

#1321 Mother’s Day Out

#1322 New Swimsuits

7/25

#1323 Ella Day!

#1324 Dr Myers: “She’s perfect”

#1325 Martin Museum of Art---touching with our eyes and minds

#1326 Antique store

7/26

#1327 Art lunch with Hillary

#1328 Angel Paws poodle: “Winston”

7/27

#1329 World Hunger Relief Farm with DaySpring Kids

#1330 Buzzard Billy’s with Joel

#1331 DaySpring restocking while kids play

#1332 Slip-n-slide in the back yard….Ella & Jack LOVING it.

7/28

#1333 Cleaned out girls’ room with Joel’s help and girls’ input

#1334 Y swimming

7/29

#1335 Taught Ella’s Sunday School class

#1336 Read scripture in church (Ephesians 3:14-19)

#1337 Served Communion

7/30

#1338 Splash park with William & Lauren

#1339 YMCA pool

#1340 Steaks at home

7/31

#1341 Last day of Mother’s Day Out

#1342 Laverty’s with Momma

#1343 Ella’s tumbling camp

8/1

#1344 Fantasia & Fantasia 2000

#1345 Having a flexible schedule so Ella can stay home & rest

#1346 Mimi & Papa took the twins

8/2

#1347 “Herbie”

#1348 Going through Hand-me-downs Ella: “it’s like a store!”

#1349 Museum Movie

#1350 Sonic Ice Cream

#1351 Library coupons

8/3

#1352 Jesus Calling passage and the work of the Holy Spirit on my character

#1353 Lunch with Joel

#1354 “Chimpanzee” movie at the Dollar movie with kids and Papa

8/4

#1355 Morning at home

#1356 Joel’s office with the kids

#1357 Horseland

#1358 YMCA pool

#1359 Cleaning the church with the kids

8/5

#1360 Slow morning

#1361 Twins in church

#1362 Poppa Rollo’s

8/6

#1363 Ella & Mommy at HEB alone…

#1364 Chicken Tetrazini

8/7

#1365 Clean patio

#1366 Playing horses

#1367 Garage with Ella

#1368 Dietz family portrait and dinner

8/8

#1369 1^st day of Vacation!!!!

#1370 Joel off work

#1371 Safe arrival in Rockport at 11:30 p.m.

8/9

#1372 Breakfast at Whataburger---and meeting its biggest fans

#1373 HEB for the week

#1374 Rockport Beach

#1375 NOT a stinky shower

8/10

#1376 Port Aransas for the day

#1377 Moby Dick’s & full bellies

#1378 Sandy toes & sun-kissed noses

8/11

#1379 Corpus Christi for the day

#1380 Science & History Museum

#1381 Treasure Hunt with Ella

#1382 Brewster Icehouse for lunch

#1383 Shoreline Drive

8/12

#1384 Cinnamon rolls at the cabin

#1385 Kids playing store through the window

#1386 Pizza Inn

#1387 Rockport Beach

8/13

#1388 Morning golf cart ride

#1389 Weird lunch, but thankful for food

#1390 Rockport beach

#1391 Canals dug

8/14

#1392 Jalisco

#1393 Art Center Pier with Kids

#1394 Landromat

#1395 Packing up and saying goodbye

#1396 Victoria Chick-fil-a

8/15

#1397 Home with Joel off work

#1398 Photos & videos of trip

#1399 Kids playing at home

8/16

#1400 Dad’s 1^st day back at work….meeting for lunch

#1401 Mr. Rogers online

#1402 Twins’ preschool orientation

8/17

#1403 Friday lunch with Dad

#1404 Packing kids for GG’s house for the weekend!!!!

#1405 New shoes

#1406 Date night with Joel

#1407 More RAIN!!!

8/18

#1408 Slept until 10:00 & woke up to rain

#1409 Date with Joel to see Dark Knight Rises at the theater

8/19

#1410 All-church breakfast by myself

#1411 CJ’s welcome back party at Jerry & Christina’s

8/20

#1412 Drive to pick up kids

#1413 The first hugs…how much we missed each other

8/21

#1414 Birthday of a wonderful man

#1415 Early morning with the kids

#1416 Rain & Playing in the garage

#1417 Joel’s birthday cake

#1418 Cleaned house for Joel

8/22

#1419 Twins’ 1^st day of 4-year pre-K with Mrs. Dvorak

#1420 Morning with Ella

#1421 Afternoon at the museum with all three

8/23

#1422 Early to the Y….treadmill, yoga

#1423 Lunch with Joel and then the zoo

#1424 Kay’s table

8/24

#1425 Ella day: Target & Mall playground

#1426 Carwash

#1427 Lunch with Daddy

#1428 YMCA pool

#1429 Late night movie date with Ella

8/25

#1430 Saturday at home

#1431 Barker kids came over….

8/26

#1432 Promotion Sunday

#1433 Twins to Godly Play class

#1434 Ella being a “helper” in her class

#1435 Our study on Amos begins….

8/27

#1436 Walmart with Ella….caught in the rain!!!

#1437 Princess movie at Mardel

#1438 Meet the teacher night!!!

8/28

#1439 Day trip to IKEA

#1440 Ella getting to play in Small Land…in awe

#1441 Rain on the last mile home

8/29

#1442 All morning/early afternoon to myself

#1443 Ella’s 1^st day of school

#1444 Picking up Ella and talking about her day

8/30

#1445 Joel sick, but home!

#1446 Water leak was nothing

#1447 Rescued from snake in the laundry room

#1448 Ice cream at Sonic

8/31

#1449 Shopping alone

#1450 DaySpring Supplies

#1451 Lunch with Joel

#1452 Poague Park---met Michelle, Raymond & Robert

9/1

#1453 West Fest Parade with Papa

#1454 Outlaw Steakhouse

#1455 Jack’s model airplane

#1456 Swimming at the Y for the last time in the summer

9/2

#1457 Extended session with the babies

#1458 Seeing Poppo at Logan’s

#1459 Pajamas in the afternoon

9/3

#1460 No school, no work

#1461 Cleaning the house and working in the garage

#1462 The pool at the Jones’ house

9/4

#1463 Temple with the twins

#1464 Ella off to school for the day and not getting to see her until bedtime---that moment we sat together

#1465 Thrive, taking pictures

9/5

#1466 Twins at school

#1467 Coffee with Amy

#1468 Thomas at home

#1469 Homework with Ella

9/6

#1470 Morning yoga before twins got up

#1471 Catch-up Day

9/7

#1472 “Home”work

#1473 Twins at school

9/8

#1474 Cooler Weather!!! Wind almost COLD!!!

#1475 Housework & chores

#1476 Mimi in the hospital, but doing better

9/9

#1477 A Sunday in the middle of church

#1478 Regina

#1479 Visiting Mimi

#1480 Walking around the hospital with the twins

#1481 Working on sale while everyone else adventured

9/10

#1482 Legos with twins

#1483 Ballet for the girls

#1484 Outside with Jack

#1485 The new shovel

9/11

#1486 Home with twins

#1487 Legos for hours

#1488 Dawn Treader

#1489 Women of the Heart and Holy Silence

9/12

#1490 My hour by the big tree at DaySpring

#1491 Work of the church

#1492 Outside with kids

#1493 Home with family

#1494 Banana bread

#1495 Written in by Lucy: MOM DAD JACK ELLA LUCY {heart} JESUS

9/13

#1496 Morning with Lucy

#1497 Working on Katina’s tree

#1498 Jack Day

#1499 Scooters in the rain

#1500 Keith Carter’s exhibit and gallery talk

9/14

#1501 Rain all morning

#1502 Work at DaySpring

#1503 Chuy’s with Joel

#1504 Home with twins

9/15

#1505 Waxahachie with Mom…”Junkin’”

#1506 Focus on the Family

#1507 Baylor game with Joel & Kids

9/16

#1508 Sunday school & church

#1509 Katina’s last day….lunch to honor her

#1510 Kids adventuring with Joel

9/17

#1511 Twins at school

#1512 HEB & JBF work

#1513 Talking to Mom

#1514 Girls at Ballet

#1515 Jack playing with Diego Legos

#1516 Corn meal okra

9/18

#1517 Jack sick in the morning, but better by lunch time

#1518 Lucy being so patient with him

#1519 Tents and crackers

#1520 Barnes & Noble with CJ & Jo Anne

9/19

#1521 JBF drop off and helping out

#1522 Kids at Papa’s house

9/20

#1523 Twins Pajama day!

#1524 Ella out of school at noon

#1525 CJ came over & Played Parcheesi

#1526 JBF Presale and Yogurt with Alisha

9/21

#1527 Coffee with Molly

#1528 DaySpring restocking

#1529 Chuy’s with Joel

#1530 Museum with twins

9/22

#1531 Arts Fest Downtown: ALL OF IT

#1532 Picnic with violins

#1533 Watching clay being shaped by little minds

#1534 Painting faces

#1535 Free books

#1536 Music and Dance

#1537 Painting Doreen’s van

9/23

#1538 Katina’s tree & kind words

#1539 Chili’s with kids

#1540 Fun Conversation

#1541 JBF: working & helping

#1542 Thankful for best sale yet

9/24

#1543 Candles at DaySpring

#1544 Shopping for twins party on $20.00

9/25

#1545 Day at home

#1546 Thomas trackmaster

#1547 Helping Ella with Homework

#1548 Mimi’s birthday

#1549 Women’s group

9/26

#1550 Cleaning at DaySpring

#1551 Toys R Us

#1552 Papa’s house

#1553 Nissa & Brynn

9/27

#1554 Cleaning day at home with the twins

#1555 Making the cake

#1556 Date night at the Symphony!

9/28

#1557 TWINS 5^th BIRTHDAY!!!

#1558 Breakfast together & giving them their trips

#1559 Birthday Cake!!

#1560 Birthday party at school

#1561 Girls go to GG’s

#1562 Hotel in Burnet with Jack

#1563 Swimming in the drip-drops of rain, at night, by himself….laughing.

9/29

#1564 Breakfast at the hotel

#1565 Ride on Thomas…3^rd in line

#1566 Rain all day long

#1567 Jack at the Imagination Station…with Legos and Trackmaster sets

#1568 Buying Toby with his birthday money

9/30

#1569 Katina’s Sunday

#1570 Art pouring in

#1571 Amos 3:2

#1572 BJ’s with Sara & James

#1573 Birthday celebration at Mimi’s

10/1

#1574 Groceries home & unloaded

#1575 A disciplined day, but exhausting

#1576 Jack’s truck on the slide

#1577 Scooters on the driveway

10/2

#1578 Cleaning out the garage

#1579 Sidewalk chalk, ponies, and scooters

#1580 Women of the Heart

10/3

#1581 Holy Silence at DaySpring

#1582 Help-a-Teacher club

#1583 Museum with all three kids

10/4

#1584 Cleaning like crazy

#1585 Exercising at home

#1586 Homework with Ella

10/5

#1587 Packing in the quiet

#1588 Leaving town

#1589 Jack & Ella excited to be with Mimi & Papa

#1590 Ballet with Lucy….complete with binoculars

#1591 Leaving early to go swim at the hotel

#1592 Chocolate Cake at 9 pm…..

10/6

#1593 Sleeping late in comfy beds

#1594 Hotel breakfast

#1595 Lucy’s birthday money spent on My Little Ponies

#1596 Lunch at the Original Chuy’s

#1597 Town Lake River Trail

#1598 The Spiral Hill….Lucy running down SOOOO fast

#1599 Home with EVERYBODY!!!

10/7

#1600 Amos 4….crying again

#1601 Sironia with Alisha

#1602 HEB….by myself

10/8

#1603 Columbus Day….lying in bed with Ella

#1604 Hearing about Ella’s dream

#1605 Going through art for the Art Show

10/9

#1606 Laundry done and caught up

#1607 Our prayer group

10/10

#1608 Help-a-teacher club

#1609 Conference with Mrs. Freedman

10/11

#1610 Heart of Texas Fair

#1611 Ella’s great report card

#1612 Ferris Wheel “reward”

10/12

#1613 Art show

#1614 Holy Silence at DS

#1615 Chatting with Amy

#1616 Climbing a tree

10/13

#1617 Hot blueberry muffins

#1618 home with everyone

#1619 tidying up the art at church

#1620 Joel’s office with the kids

10/14

#1621 Small tantrum subsides about Jack being sick

#1622 Cheddar’s chocolate cake

#1623 Olson’s ranch

#1624 Pledges of faith and family….community of Christ’s body

10/15

#1625 Helping CJ unpack

#1626 HEB with the twins “driving a truck”

#1627 Born Free (again)

#1628 Ballet for girls

#1629 Jack and I take Mrs. Martindale her book

#1630 Jack being a gentleman as a guest

10/16

#1631 Jack with the vacuum

#1632 Playing store together

#1633 Walmart & gift cards

#1634 Overcast day

10/17

#1635 Silence at DaySpring

#1636 Old Navy jeans

#1637 Lunch at Mimi & Papa’s

#1638 $5 car wash

#1639 good dinner

10/18

#1640 Ahhhh….yoga

#1641 Lucy wanting to do Kids Zumba

#1642 Jack Day….Lunch with tractors

#1643 Picking up pears with Jack

#1644 Washing the van windows to earn airplanes

#1645 Ella: “Ya know, having a brother isn’t that bad.”

#1646 Book fair & Open house

#1647 Ella singing with her class

10/19

#1648 Farm field trip with Twins

#1649 Ella’s first 100% on a spelling test

#1650 Papa picks up Ella and takes twins

#1651 Date night at Fuji

#1652 Joel’s art opening at Arthouse 1319

10/20

#1653 Productive Saturday

#1654 Burning brush…smelling like fall

#1655 Cleaning trailer for the Coblentzes

#1656 Ice cream at Sonic

#1657 Pictures at the pumpkin patch

10/21

#1658 Teaching the church calendar in the Godly play classroom

#1659 Poppa Rollo’s

#1660 Playing with kids from next door

#1661 Emily’s yoga class---back after months away….

#1662 Pumpkin carving

10/22

#1663 The Y to walk & workout

#1664 home with the kids

#1665 Playing hookie from ballet so Ella could work on homework!

10/23

#1666 Hurt arms!! Could barely move, but knew I worked out

#1667 A day at home in the plans anyway…

10/24

#1668 Still, Silent Time at DaySpring

#1669 Dr. Meyers: “Perfect Twins”

#1670 Roasted carrots & potatoes

#1671 Preparing for the middle-of-the-night arrival of guests

10/25

#1672 Morning with the Coblentzes

#1673 Funny glasses and funny faces

#1674 Papa takes Jack

#1675 Library, Lunch, & Zoo with Lucy

#1676 Homework breakthrough with Ella

#1677 Baylor treat night with Tante

10/26

#1678 Work at DaySpring

#1679 Shopping

#1680 Jack wanting to go to the library

#1681 Ella coming home early

#1682 The COLD front!!!

10/27

#1683 Coloring with the kids

#1684 All bundled up on a cold morning

#1685 Fall Farm Day…by myself

#1686 The DaySpring Art Booth success…..

#1687 Stamping with vegetables

#1688 Eggs Sandwiches a la Joel

10/28

#1689 Cool, crisp morning at DaySpring

#1690 Joel in Sunday School

#1691 Choir: “Be Holy”

10/29

#1692 Alone at DaySpring

#1693 Candles

#1694 HEB….done!

#1695 Squirrels & acorns

#1696 Veggietales

#1697 Nissa & Brynn….simple fun

#1698 Ballet

#1699 Kay

10/30

#1700 Five loads of laundry….DONE!

#1701 Ella’s fall clothes….OUT!

#1702 Women of the Heart….MET!

#1703 Afternoon with Denise

#1704 Homework with Ella

10/31

#1705 Twins Fall party at school….the last Fall party

#1706 Fun with parents & kids

#1707 ZOO BOO!!! Bathouse & Snake house….

11/1

#1708 Home all day!

#1709 Laundry & playing

#1710 Going to vote with the children

#1711 Olive Garden take out with Mimi & Papa

11/2

#1712 DaySpring alone

#1713 Ocelot in the woods

#1714 Holy Silence pages

#1715 Seeing Amy & getting to chat

#1716 The squeegee

#1717 Cleaning the windows with the twins

11/3

#1718 Baylor’s Homecoming parade with the Barkers

#1719 Candy wrappers in my pocket and the kids griping at people that throw theirs on the ground

#1720 Farmer’s Market

#1721 Clearing the girls’ room…

#1722 Making ready for the new beds…mattresses on the floor!

#1723 Haircuts

11/4

#1724 EXTRA HOUR!!!

#1725 Early for church

#1726 Kay involved

#1727 All Saints’ Day….remembering

11/5

#1728 Making the grocery list at starbuck’s

#1729 Dr. Shutt…my new eye doctor

#1730 My eyes being called “a variance of normal”

#1731 Dawn Treader play

#1732 Ballet for the girls

#1733 Picking pears

11/6

#1734 Pajama morning

#1735 Working on the last turkey feathers for school

#1736 lunch with Ella

#1737 Operation Christmas Child donation

#1738 Washing windows during election coverage

11/7

#1739 Talking with Tiffani

#1740 Help a teacher club….and the laminating machine

#1741 Conversation with Jennifer

#1742 Art lunch at Lula Janes

#1743 Gazpacho

#1744 Taize prayers

#1745 Conversations resulting from Taize prayers

11/8

#1746 Farm folk picking pears

#1747 Cleaning house

#1748 Twins playing Arietty in the trailer

#1749 Date Night with the Beatles

11/9

#1750 Museum field trip with twins

#1751 cleaning the church for candy

#1752 checkbook work

#1753 Home with Joel & the twins….missed Ella, who spent the night with Mimi & Papa

11/10

#1754 Twins playing and coloring together

#1755 Joel fixed Papa’s mower

#1756 Cotton Patch

#1767 Easy store trip

#1768 Ella came home

#1769 “Over the Hedge”

#1770 Laughing out loud

11/11

#1771 Amos 8

#1772 Ripened fruit….with the pear harvest still fresh on my mind

#1773 Extended Session with J&L’s class

#1774 Mom & Dad’s visit with the girls’ beds

#1775 Each has their own….and snuggling to say goodnight is so much easier

11/12

#1776 Morning at Target with Mom & Dad & NO KIDS…

#1777 Sandwiches at home

#1778 Ballet for girls

#1779 Captain America for Jack

#1780 Jack hammering the nails

11/13

#1781 Girls clothes in the closet

#1782 Recycling taken

#1783 Captain Billy’s tater tots

#1784 Seeing Amanda & Ann

#1785 Mom & Dad willing to help

11/14

#1786 Work & Peace

#1787 Amy at church

#1788 Making it on time to get the twins

#1789 Ella being so happy to see me after school

#1790 Kids playing well outside

11/15

#1791 Yoga….on time and taking it easy

#1792 Library and 22 new books

#1793 Lunch with Mimi & Papa

#1794 Jack taking the trash out

#1795 Lucy doing the dishes

11/16

#1796 Playing beauty shop with CJ

#1797 Hearing more stories

#1798 Going to stores with the twins

#1799 Ella coming home

11/17

#1800 Yoga at the Farmer’s Market

#1801 Farmer’s market by myself

#1802 Pleasant surprise at HEB on a Saturday….

#1803 Adventure after lunch

#1804 Four geocaches

#1805 Double date with the Barker’s

#1806 Watching the Baylor Game at Jake’s Texas Tea House

#1807 Kids did well at a new place

11/18

#1808 Joel leading Sunday School

#1809 Offering my view without crying

#1810 Lunch at Mimi & Papa’s

#1811 Rest & Football

#1812 Yoga with Sara

#1813 Poppa Rollo’s with Sara

11/19

#1814 Twins’ thanksgiving Party…the last one!

#1815 Lunch with Dad

#1816 Reading books

#1817 Getting Ella and laughing in the car

11/20

#1818 surprise date night

#1819 lunch date with Ella

#1820 Moonrise Kingdom

#1821 Anniversaries and remembering

11/21

#1822 Lazy morning

#1823 fourteen years of wedded bliss

#1824 Lunch with Joel

#1825 Finding out he has the rest of the day off

#1826 Getting the kids back

#1827 Legacy Park

#1828 Crawfish observations

#1829 Quaker Steak….memorable, but not very good.

11/22

#1830 Packing and cleaning for the weekend

#1831 Lunch at Mimi & Papa’s

#1832 The Thanksgiving House

#1833 Poppo coloring with Lucy

#1834 The Edwards clan together on Thanksgiving day for the first time since I’ve been a part of the family

#1835 Café Homestead’s catering our lunch

#1836 Remembering Popo….

#1837 Going to Waxahachie

11/23

#1838 Hike & Bike in Getzandaner Park

#1839 Kids playing with cousins

#1849 Seeing family

#1850 Waiting in the woods

#1851 The BIG dinner

11/24

#1852 Jack sick, but no messes

#1853 Jack better---running around laughing

#1854 Downtown Waxahachie with the Cornelisons

#1855 Having time with Mom, Dad, Gary , and the twins

11/25

#1856 Zombie Garden, the movie

#1857 Safe trip home

#1858 Brave!!!! (our own copy)

#1859 The Archery Tournement

#1860 Yoga with Emily

11/26

#1861 Jack picked a rose for me on the way into school---even though we were late

#1862 Camera shopping with Jo Anne

#1863 Getting groceries with twins

#1864 back to routine

11/27

#1865 A “RESET” day….

#1866 Clean bathrooms

#1867 Unpacked suitcases

#1868 Boxes upstairs

#1869 Books with twins

#1870 Women together…CJ, Jo Anne, Lisa

#1871 Pizza

11/28

#1872 Quiet time and space at DaySpring

#1873 Working and restocking

#1874 Having time to make the meal

#1875 Getting the meal to the family

11/29

#1876 Yoga at the Y

#1877 Jack day!

#1878 Hobby Lobby & Big Lots

#1879 Getting the tree down from storage

#1880 Lucy dropped off

#1881 Advent Service at Baylor

#1882 Christmas on 5^th street

#1883 Camels

#1884 Free hot chocolate

11/30

#1885 Finally having time for dishes!

#1886 Balanced checkbook

#1887 Toys R Us with twins

#1888 Date Night with Joel & Ella

#1889 Olive Garden with the dainty little miss

#1890 Baylor’s Combined Choir Concert

#1891 Finding seats

12/1

#1892 Sleeping in

#1893 Jack & Joel putting together the snap model airplane

#1894 Baylor vs. OSU---at the tip-top of section N

#1895 Losing my debit card in the wind

#1896 Getting it cancelled and reissued without event

#1897 Decorating the Christmas Tree

#1898 Starting Advent

12/2

#1899 A Sunday without Cinnamon Rolls!! We made do….

#1900 All-DaySpring Sunday school

#1901 Amy’s introduction of the series

#1902 1^st Sunday of Advent

12/3

#1903 home while the twins were at school

#1904 Papers cleared off the buffet!

#1905 Laundry & dishes!

#1906 Kay’s treatment went well

12/4

#1907 Reset Day

#1908 DaySpring & Poague Park

#1909 Holy Silence with Women of the Heart

#1910 Joel reading Chapter 13 of Prince Caspian

12/5

#1911 A smooth morning

#1912 Picking up Kay

#1913 Time at Target

#1914 Re-shelving library books at school

#1915 Playing games with the twins

#1916 Christmas lights

12/6

#1917 yoga with no rush

#1918 back at the library

#1919 Lucy’s afternoon at the museum

#1920 Thrive! Youth Event

#1921 Taking pictures

12/7

#1922 Morning at home

#1923 Reading Ponyella with the twins at lunch

#1924 Home in the afternoon

#1925 Papa picked up Ella

12/8

#1926 Saturday morning at home

#1927 Barnes & Noble Art Show

#1928 Errands and evening at home

#1929 Finished shutterfly books for Hall family

12/9

#1930 Dr. Harvey’s telling of the needle in the record groove

#1931 Great day hiking and geocaching behind DaySpring

12/10

#1932 On time to school

#1933 Christmas shopping begun

#1934 Christmas shopping almost finished

#1935 Ella & Lucy’s Ballet Observation Day

#1936 Cookies in celebration

12/11

#1937 Cold, cold morning!!! (welcome winter!!!)

#1938 Twins & Papa to Temple

#1939 Free Oil Change & Car wash

#1940 Temple Train Museum

#1941 Getting to see inside the static exhibit

#1942 Women of the Heart Christmas Dinner

12/12

#1943 Christmas shopping done! =)

#1944 Surprise lunch with Joel

#1945 Kiss at 12:12 on 12/12/12

12/13

#1946 Yoga on time

#1947 Reading to twins

#1948 Cleaning Mike

#1949 Cleaning the house

#1950 Laundry

#1951 Spaghetti

#1952 Iron Man

12/14

#1953 Picking up Kay

#1954 Walmart alone

#1955 Talking about the CT school shooting with Joel….

#1956 Hugging my children

#1957 Legos on the floor

12/15

#1958 Saturday Yoga at the Y

#1959 Errands with the Fam

#1960 Lucy’s little hand in mine

#1961 The cool mist in the morning

#1962 Ella making her book at Daddy’s computer for hours

12/16

#1963 Stacy’s steady presence in Sunday School

#1964 Angela’s guidance in breath prayers

#1965 CJ’s honest plea for time

12/17

#1966 Tea with Regina

#1967 Home with twins

#1968 Finding Lucy again at Walmart….scary few moments

12/18

#1969 Gifts wrapped

#1970 Joel made dinner

12/19

#1971 Ella’s pajama party at school

#1972 Twins’ Christmas program

#1973 Starbucks & the library with Ella

12/20

#1974 The “last” yoga practice!!

#1975 Ella’s Christmas party at school

#1976 Ella so happy that I was at her party

#1977 Papa taking the twins so I could be there

12/21

#1978 Walmart---getting Lucy the keyboard

#1979 Twins’ Christmas party

#1980 Lucy, the sheep!

#1981 Picking up Ella early

#1982 playing all afternoon

#1983 dinner & party with the Baergen’s for Juju’s birthday

#1984 Talking with mom

#1985 Spending the night

#1986 The Mayans being wrong

12/22

#1987 Sleeping late!

#1988 Asian buffet

#1989 The John Deere Tricycle

#1990 Jack pretending

#1991 Ella & Jack playing together

12/23

#1992 Lighting the Advent Wreath at church

#1993 Subbing in Ella’s Sunday School Class

#1994 Cheddar’s Chocolate Cake

12/24

#1995 South Bosque Park

#1996 The Hobbit with Joel

#1997 The kids baking at Tante’s

#1998 Christmas Eve Service

#1999 Chiming the hour

#2000 Jack singing

#2001 candle-light

12/25

#2002 Pajama day….all day

#2003 having set the automatic coffee maker the night before

#2004 The aircraft carrier

#2005 The keyboard

#2006 Ella’s art set

#2007 Together

12/26

#2008 The library with everyone

#2009 Danny Kaye as Hans Christian Anderson

12/27

#2010 yoga with Laurie---and surviving

#2011 Lucy feeling better

#2012 Packing smoothly

#2013 mexican food at GG’s house

#2014 Safe trip & Smooth ride

#2015 Baylor vs. UCLA…

12/28

#2016 Discovering Waxahachie history with Daddy

#2017 The Keurig

#2018 Gifts together

12/29

#2019 Stockings

#2020 The photo book

#2021 my purple robe

#2022 twins on the driveway & in the backyard

#2023 Kindles & tablets

#2024 Cousins

12/30

#2025 Ella going to church with the big kids

#2026 Helping Dad get lunch ready

#2027 Paper plates, plastic ware, and left overs

#2028 home

12/31/12

#2029 Grocery list & Joy dare year-end list in my pajamas

#2030 lunch at Rosati’s

#2031 Joel & kids helping out at HEB

#2032 Joel & kids at the wetlands while I put away and start cooking

#2033 Fire in the fireplace

#2034 Fireworks boom

#2035 Joel painting and listening to all kinds of classical music

#2036 Doubling my joy dare

#2037 Not wanting it to stop

The Joy Dare

Joy Visualized

Monday, December 31, 2012

December 31st....A reflection

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