I am...: 1000 Gifts & Counting

Jesus
Tangled hair that went to be wet
Backs of sisters, side by side
Two pairs of eyes reading the Word in unison
Warmth of fireplace
Creative play of little girl
God’s Word alive and active
Crisp, fresh pages of the Text
Starbucks
Time with God
Honking of geese
Mist across pond in sunrise
Budding of trees
Springs’ first flower: tulips
Watering in pajamas
Compassionate golden head extending grace
Strength to battle strong, suborn will
Green tractor in field
Smell of fresh paint
Smell of fresh baked bread
Kidney match for Micah
Smile of an 11-year old
Neighbor girls to play with: Emma, Ellie
Trampoline
Bandaids
8-year old’s eagerness to begin list of 100 things…
Hunger
The engineer
The engineer’s job
Spring rain
Sunrise, different every morning
Sara Richards
Compassionate daughter
Calculating daughter
Boisterous daughter
Coffee, black
Cell phones
Twinkle toes
Smiles
Compassionate golden head’s self-confidence
Calculating one’s determination
Alicia
Chicken Enchiladas
Neighbors
Caring Bridge
Mayo Clinic
Gail
Andrea & Aleena
Boisterous one’s spirit
Canvas Church
Bookmark in the perfect spot: April 24, Alicia’s birthday
Sunshine when rain was forecasted
Bikes
Girl time
Origami dogs
Smiles of little girls
Chores
Mystery of fog
Sunshine after the rain
Day with girls
All the body
Lungs breath in and out
Heart beats steadily
Strong legs that carry
Digestive system working
Immune system
Metabolism
Ribs that protect heart
Waist that bends body
Hips that carry and bear babies
Home
Wedding ring
Prayer with the engineer
Engineer’s navigating skill
Engineer’s attention to details
Newsies on broadway
Strength in the engineer’s arms and legs
Unshakeable faith of the engineer
Leadership of the engineer
Forbearance from the engineer
Wise mentor
Long hair, brown
Fine hair on face
Power of God come down when I lack patience
Nail polish
Fragrance of flowers on trees
Flipping on hair around head to flash a smile
Dance
Popcorn
Three girls in one bed
Big sister helps little sister spell her name
Forgiveness from the compassionate one
Detangler
Ponytails
Braids
Couch
Thai peanut sauce
Roasted veggies
Cheese
Garlic
Eave keeping house dry
Pink blossoms on tree
Blur of white in gusts across horizon
Yellow on wheels
Workout dvd in basement
Reese pieces
Birthday parties
Peanut butter eggs
Whoppers
Star of the week
Mrs. Foster
Excited small voice reading Old McNoah
Jellybean soup
Baby
Yogurt
Berries, red and blue
Bananas so sweet
Make believe
Texting
Holy Spirit
Oatmeal with apples and banana
Sugar & cinnamon on muffin
Peanut butter
Paper and pen
On the Shores of Silver Lake
Tall grass bend in wind
Drip of rain
Run of nose on boisterous face
New mittens
Holy Word of God
Christ’s endurance for the joy set before
Joy that is possible
Christ defeating the death
Hope
TIME with God
Dry house
Flashes of light in sky
Peace
Jesus Calling
Workout finished by 5:15
Facebook
Dawn
Sarah
Intimate prayer with each of the golden head girls
Music
Ambersky dance moves
Christ’s power available to me
Dreams
McDonalds (the smiles it brings)
Van
4 bathrooms
Pianos
Shopping
Coupons
Cash
Airplanes
“Own time”
Splat of tiny raindrops on window
Big drops rolling down pane
Dream of Derrick
Banana bread
Dad
The “yes” from Madi…the party’s here
Sutterfly
SLR
Vacuum
List of to dos
Treats for the class
Silk flowers
Rhinestones
Sewing machine
Sewing project
Choices
Menus
Telling time with calculated one
Hot tub
Boisterous one “reading”
Imaginary friend, “Lisa”
Satisfaction felt after fixing
Anticipation of fun
10 for 10 Sales
Dead flies
Flower pots
Spinach
Joy of baking
Eyes
Focusing on the nearer, not the further
Green
Poetry Café
Big sisters
Butter
Daddy coming home
Princess book
Reading
“Think” (Pooh)
Anne Streeter
Inductive Bible Study
Bend of trees, looks like dancing
Razor
Shampoo
WiFi at McDonalds
Strong backs
Five of us together
Early bedtime
Stretching muscles
Blueberry Frosted Mini Wheats
The blue-green right before sunrise
Grandparents
Heart to heart with grandma
Home
Christian Stanfill’s “Jesus Paid it All”
Christ saving me from death, paid my debt!
Texting
Spooning close in bed
Short prayers so we can get to sleep faster
Popcorn prayers
Warmth of the engineer’s body in bed
5 around the fireplace in the morning
Sweats
Patience and endurance of cousins raising a little boy with downs
LifeLight
Tick tock of clocks
Graphics
Checks in the mailbox
Watching the calculated one write a book just like I used to when I was little
Watching the boisterous one make a wall of cereal boxes to hide behind
Listening to the compassionate one retell a story
Leftovers
Sweet, juice flowing from oranges
Gummy vitamins
Yeast
Packages in the mail
Stack of grapefruit
Drops of dew on glades of grass
Arranged shoes
Blue bird
A body that can run
Bike paths
Humility
Quick to forgiveness
Forbearance
WeedBGone
Babysitters
Freezers overflowing
Casserole in the fridge
Shadows cast upon the table
Imagination
Dirty bathtub water
Being made in the image of God
Tiller
Three golden heads in a row, umbrellas, flip-flops & stocking hats in tow
Date night
Grandparents “babysitting”
New clothes
The engineer’s wisdom toward my insecurity
Lord’s will always prevailing
Understanding
Pruning shears
Sitting on the same side of the booth
Minestrone soup
Kohl’s cash
Sacrifice of cousins to spend a birthday with the compassionate one
Sacrifice of the great-grands to have cousins together
Open hands
Intimacy after a shower
Installed light fixtures
Health to entertain
Resources to entertain
20 birthday party guests
A smiling mother-in-law
The engineer’s eyes that find me desirable
Pointed top of the evergreen tree
Puddles
Mud on the trampoline
Fragrance of basil
Journaling
Giving gifts to the golden girls
Celebrate plate
Milk in a bag
Juice in a bag
Butter on sale
Orderly rows of growth
Line bread in the heavy clouds that streaks a burst of pink at sunrise
Joy in the face of the children
12” bike in the grass
Flicker of birthday candles
Lite Brite
Garden pot spinach
3 RSVPs from friends
Flower hair clips
Candy necklaces
Melon seeds
Lucas’ value of family
Dad’s gift of service
Mom’s love language of gifts
Jessica’s commitment to family
Traci’s wisdom shared
Handprint on patio window
An attitude changed from frump to joyful
Family for birthday parties
God glorifying conversation with Dawn
Play group for the boisterous one
Teaching of the Word
Blue Letter Bible dissecting the Hebrew & Greek
Revelation from God – Proverbs 29:18
Challenge to know the engineer better & fall more in love with
Falling more in love with Jesus
Constant communion with Christ
Kelli
Hug from a new friend
The engineer meeting with with John
Poetry Café
Confidence of the compassionate one
Carli’s high five
Lemonade and cookies
Snapfish & shutterfly
Oil changed
Boisterous noticing forgotten lunch then walking to bus stop
Stephanie
Tani
Molly
Fresh creamy yogurt
Curl of ribbon
Balloons that bring smiles
Refrigerator
Dishwasher
Convection oven
Microwave
Running water
Smell of clean towel
Boisterous one darting through the hallway after bedtime
“Payback” on a bike ride hill
Boisterous one “reading” the Bible
Rocking chairs roll back and forth
Running in the rain
My Helper: God’s Holy Spirit
Evening bike ride
Sunglasses
Smiles of passerbyers on the trail
Rhubarb, tart and tangy
Streusel
Piano Duets
Trumpet
Whirling breeze of ceiling fan at bedtime
Watching the Calculated blossom into the person God created her to be
Never being finished reading the Bible
Listening to the boisterous one quote scripture
Playing teacher
God directing steps
The Lord’s Table
Anne Streeter’s Inductive Bible Study on Colossians
Daniel Fast during Lent 2011
Sunlight pouring through puffy thunderheads
Respect being learned
Zodiates
Black stamens inside the tulip that stand in contrast to the light petals
Ribbon
Snow in July
Warm spring evening drive alone
Music that lifts spirits and pierces heart
Allrecipes app
Maps
Jewelry
Last of the trees finally budding out
Getting to know women better
Spring bling catching the sunlight and reflecting all over kitchen walls
Calculated one’s repentant heart
Look in the engineer’s eyes that says how much he loves me
Finding the Bluetooth
Joyous anticipation of a weekend at a cabin
Mother-in-law that radiates peace, calm and servanthood
Caringbridge website
Doorbell ringing
Verbal affirmation from the engineer
Trimming the Maple “bushes” into trees
Garden all tilled
Long dark eyelashes
Crockpots
Roadtrips
Nectar so that bees make honey
Alarm clocks not set
Lilacs beautiful green and aromatic flowers
Walmart
Missing my older sister…it means we have relationship
Planting time
Pencil, paper and planning
Singing while playing piano
Montana pumpkin seeds in Minnesota soil
Order and organization
Sleepy bed eyes that find mom to snuggle
Sleeping in “sister’s” room
The engineer hogging the bed
Smell of ham in the oven
Bright green crinkle in spinach leaves
Unique shape of seeds
Catching rainwater in buckets
Fertilizer
Preen
2-4-D
Joy that bright yellow dandelions bring little girls
Lumber yard in town
Milk and orange juice in a bag
Punch card for milk club
Sisters playing school
Beating the rain
“Tomorrow” sung somewhat in unison by three golden heads
Potlucks
New recipes
Endless variety of fabric...choices
Leftovers for lunch
Song of rain on windows
Shelves
Overhearing imaginative play
Dirty blonde hair
Dress jammies
Sun freckles
Lori
Balance
Cowlicks
The engineer’s first soufflé
“I’ll lick your cookie for you.”
Sleeping in forts
Sleepbags and pillows for padding against a concrete floor
Nightlights
Bedtime prayers in the fort
Panentheism – Colossians 1:15-17
Playing Hearts in the fort
Allrecipes app
Golden heads not fighting
Naps that revive a spirit
Emergen-C
Garage organized
The peacefulness felt by the engineer after the organization
Mirrors that give more to see
Straight orderly arch of irrigation system
Alianese
“Mom, you are gorgeous.”
Moving the dining room chair closer to sister
Nascar
The engineer picking – it makes him him
Blueberries
Burps (or something worse) followed by “excuse me”
Graceful flight of birds
Pointy leaves of a maple
Mystical haze in the morning air
Silhouette of a small evergreen, zigzags from point to base
Ical
Squint of eyes that protect from sun, bugs & small flying dust particles
Ingenious Creator
Basil in a pot
New mercies every morning
Google
Eagerness of the girls to spend time with mom and dad
The engineer’s hand on me at daybreak, inviting me to snuggle closer
Destination Dairy Queen bike ride
Eight yellow turning black goslings swim and waddle between parents
Yoga and showered by 5am
Farmington Greenhouse
Wilting dandelions
Seeds in the garden before the rain
Alphabet training app
Kare11 app with weather alerts
Rhubarb – first “fruit of the plains,” Joe Hanser
Cupcakes for daddy coming home
Steady whistle of train
Phone call from the engineer
Hip to hip in the chair, snuggled under blanket warm
Glitter in blonde hair
Working with my hands
Shreds of sweet coconut
Picking girls up from school
Discipline that leads to a repentant heart
“Yes, Mommy”
Barnes & Noble Gift Card
Ability to give gifts
Ding for You’ve Got Mail
Hum of wash machine
Beep of fridge…door’s open
Top Secret Binders and sticky notes
The golden heads choosing shopping
Stillness after the wind and storm
Stamps at CVS
Cycle shop fixing the lawnmower tire
Seas of green potted plants
Big flies that are easy to find and swat
Lunch Menu
Soft fuzzy slippers that warm toes
New dark purple shower curtain
New unstretched ponytails
Lotion that softens tough skin
Lip Balm tenderizing chapped lips
First pinkish haze of sun in the 4:30am sky
Safety of my golden heads
Flexible muscles
Toning muscles
Red and yellow strip on black birds – stark contrast
Blogger
Contrasts: Kill/destroy & life/abundance
Being according to the Spirit – Romans 8:5
Perfect baby white teeth
Teachable moments
Tylenol
Sprinklers
Water balloons
Doctors & walk-in clinics
Two-hour sit of the boisterous one
Finger smudges on the wall
Being still
Kind pediatrician
Warm and inviting medical clinic
Kind affirmations from father-in-law & mother-in-law
Wind to blow away tree worms
Table Saw
Excitement about homework
Sweet strawberries at $1.19/#
Eager hands to pack groceries
Perseverance of the calculating one
Three golden heads speaking all at once, excited to see daddy
Judy Moody…
The compassionate one up in the middle of the night with sister’s bad dream
The compassionate one praying when I’m clean out of compassion
Teaching the golden heads
Teachable spirits
Zumba
Golden heads helping dad build
Saving for a Hello Kitty camera
Safety through the storm
Documentaries
Working alongside the compassionate one
Daddy treating the golden heads to a movie
Ruined appetites from popcorn & milk duds
Wonder of finding the lost thought gone
Diamonds to pass down to a golden head
Fragrance of washed hair
Playing teacher with the golden heads
Thank you notes
Invitation to God’s kingdom
Gift of righteousness given after saving faith
Being the object of God’s love
Being a chosen child of God
Pillow talk with Derrick
A dream shared
A struggle shared
Edification from the engineer
Leadership of the engineer
Quicken
Budget meetings
Opportunity to tithe
Condensation on window panes
Worms wriggling across path
The engineer memorizing Colossians
The boisterous one falling asleep without sucking
Pink casts
Gifts that brighten the face when you have a broken arm
Two blonde toddler heads in the stroller
Friends at the park
Walk with a friend
“”Shoot, shoot, shoot,” says the boisterous one
Coffee with a friend in the sunroom
Grandma in heaven, perfection
Time to rebuild connections with family
Leaving a Lois Legacy
Peace during mourning
Legacy of grandma
Cousins playing in the rain
Basement room at visitation for cousins to play in
Priceless memories of staying with mom & dad while waiting to buy a home
Mom sharing health issue with me
All ten siblings and mom and dad around the table for pizza at home
Coffee with Derrick on the deck
Inspiring cousins raising Shaedyn with downs
Micah’s smile
Heart-bearing talk with Traci
Thirty-minute drive to Beaver Creek
Memories shared of grandma
Cousins playing a “game”
Daniel servant-leading the cousins
Derrick quietly supporting my grief
Ten grandkids singing “Jesus Loves Me”
Aliya sleeping through the funeral
Grace of God and family to pull Grandpa through
Grandma’s faith example leading grandpa to faith
No outbursts with Jess
Dar making it through “Consider the Lilies”
Grace sufficient in weakness
All grandkids and great-grands at the funeral
Cousins to play with
Hospitality shared
Serving mom and dad a steak dinner
First campfire smoke of the year
Toasted outside of marshmallow
Spongy, soft, sweet angel food
Servant mother-in-law
Knowing Pipestone is home
Serving mom a meal
Lucas’ gift of hospitality
Beautiful hymnal chords and harmonizing
Desire to be a better person
Written word to and from people
Joy of accomplishment
Alka-Seltzer
Grandma’s famous smiley faces
Sticky notes
Garden hose word-picture of grandma giving
Potato heads
Last minute hugs at the bus stop
Night sounds: crickets, frogs
Cool breeze
Lynda Randall’s, “God on the Mountain”
Little footprints on the wet floor
Play necklaces adorning the patio furniture
New rising sun peering through on a cloudy day
Capris that still fit
Sweat
White fluffy seeds fluttering through the breeze
Boisterous one looking up at me
Baths that cool us down and refresh
Donating hair to Locks of Love
Top Secret with Leba
Watches so the girls can be home at 5
Walking and talking with girls to the park
Painted turtle
Praying on skype
Having sisters so you CAN fight
Cast clubbing me in bed
Feet digging into my legs under the covers
Wind died down for a while
Grand Day with two grandmas here
Yard sale find of Little House series
Puzzles on the floor
Girl time
The compassionate one baking brownies for cousins
Zumba
Tripod (yoga) with the girls
Back hero (stretch) with the girls
The engineer getting a haircut
Mischievous cousins painting each others’ faces
Six cousins playing for hours on the trampoline
Serving my sister by cleaning
The biggest, longest hug from my sister
Working alongside mom and grandma
Micah having dessert with the adults
Being close enough to go help for the day
Hearing Rebekah and Micah play piano recital pieces
A nap on the drive home
Strawberry rhubarb pie
All the colors in the sky
Planting the garden as a family
Smell of the tiller on the engineer
Pippi Longstocking field trip
Assembling the wheel barrow with the compassionate one
Crystal clear reflection in the pond
That I have a pond outside my home
Lettuce & spinach growing in a pot on the deck
Sticky spot on the floor
Flour dusted onto the kitchen floor
Rainy day to shop with the girls
Goodwill Toddler Thursday
Speaking through the thunder – Be still
Clean basement
Godly, wise saints who share insight
Prayer after a bad dream
Going back to bed after that prayer
Grandma Edna teaching me to send them back to bed
The bad dream that woke me early to do yoga
Itunes to download and listen instantly
Landa’s influence on my life
Plants withstanding the wind
The engineer having breakfast with us
Mail to send
Peace Lilly
Pillows on bed
Things the compassionate one gave thanks for: bed, clothes, pillows, food, ?
Wisdom to lead her toward gratitude
“If you can’t decide what to wear, you have too many clothes,” dad
Saving for the hello kitty camera
The calculating one, thriving with a plan
The calculating one sharing her new ponies
Empathy from my mother-in-law
Rustling of aspens
Cottonwoods spinning cotton, reminding me of Montana
Boisterous one’s scribbles in my book
Ability to rebuke Satan
Jesus drinking the cup of wrath intended for me
The compassionate one in the front seat
Remembering clean underwear
Boisterous one singing “Amazing Grace”
Calculating one requesting “Amazing Grace” while riding on the tube
Goldhead’s penmanship in Grandma’s card
Being able to give Grandma a small birthday gift
Rhubarb Torte
Being able to take girls to the lake
New tube
Suckers on the boat
Seeing the engineer on the boat
All nine of us in the boat
Evening visit with mom and dad
Phase 10 game
Amazing wall cloud
Not down pouring when the engineer picked up Dar’s
“New story, new story” and then dad telling a story
Mom playing doctor
Visit with Holly
Cool night breeze in a hot stuffy room
Listening to grandma and grandpa visit with the goldenheads
Worship at Faith Community
Katrina leading worship
Standing with hand high and heart abandoned
Spirit convicting of sin
Walk and talk with Kayla
A summer ahead to play
Scenic route
Slowing down to go through little towns
Mississippi valley
Two-lane roads
Diverse beauty from state to state
Iowa farmland
Small town Culver’s
90’s music station
Baseball field nestled among cornfields
Elissa’s Benjamin
2 snapping turtles on my run
Enough water pressure to make sprinkler spin
God knowing intricate details of my body
Forgiveness from the engineer
No condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1)
Camping
Relevant worship experiences for the girls
Mom teaching me about spraying weeds, gardening, landscaping, decorating
Eagerness to see my sister
Bible Camp
Flower seeds sprouting in front of house
Closer connection with Bryce & Kayla
Dad texting
Perseverance to fix drawer, hang towel bar and shade
Looking at the Bible camp website with the compassionate one
The calculating one playing Little Red
The older golden heads loving school
The compassionate one beginning to wear deodorant…growing up
The compassionate one being invited to Carli’s birthday party
Conversations with Carli’s mom-Kelly
The hymnal – teaching the golden heads “Seek Ye First”
Energy to stay up until 2am & wake at 5am
Time to be still
Fingerprints & smudges to clean up after
The calculating one praying for me
The compassionate one voluntarily weeding the garden
“I’m not working as hard as I should be,” while weeding
Pizza on the deck
Barbeque sauce
Twenty-four egg whites whipped to firm peaks
Mock-Angelfood cake with strawberries and whipped cream
Being able to celebrate Lucas’ birthday with him
The celebrate plate….yea, sissies are home for summer!
Help from golden heads packing for camping
Packing lists
The big girls helping the boisterous one take a shower
Choosing to forgo sleep to help mom pack
Good communication with the older golden heads
Plenty of food to pack
Bing cherries on sale
Bean and corn salsa
Golden heads sleeping in so I can spend more time thanking in a list
Golden heads wanting to be with me
Golden heads telling me how to be a better mom and person
Compassionate one’s opinion about the tent
Feeling like I’m outside of myself…acting godly, not like me
All five of us hanging out on the boat
Cousins tubing
Micah driving the boat
Showing up late to dinner because we took kids tubing
Help that the compassionate one gives the family
Family dynamic realized
Opportunity for compassionate one to go to Bible Camp
The calculating one trying on my wedding dress
The calculating one reading to little sister
The calculating one entering the chocolate chip cookie contest
The boisterous one picking up the puppet at the library
Figuring out audiobooks for the golden heads
Finding a Mandie audiobook
The engineer memorizing scripture during his commute
Deck wash
A “think” with the calculating one
Retaining wall bricks leveled
Washing of garden gloves in the rain
The boisterous one’s raincoat
Designing for Verox
Printer in Farmington
7:30 summer mornings
“I love school” plastered on take homes
Rotating tires
Giffey’s coming to visit
Lazy mornings
Finishing the bike path
The engineer and I agreeing on deck stain
Mourning Dove’s cry
Knowing how to fix a bike tire
Evening walk
Calculating one sewing & seam ripping
Solar light dragon fly
Watching the dragon fly with the girls for the first time
Showing the girls lighting bugs
Hot summer night sitting on the front porch
5% back on Delta plan ticket
Airport taxi
Dry basement after so much rain
Basement shelter in the storm
Culver’s frozen custard
Messing up the boisterous one’s order so I got frozen custard
Swimming with the golden heads two days in a row
Sand castles and sand birthday cakes
Staying at the lake until 6
Alicia revealing her heart
Golden heads helping me shop
Patience to make it through the shopping
Being able to treat them to lunch
3 more Scoops tokens
Giffeys arriving safely
Kids not missing a beat
Big kids talking until 10
Heart to heart with Gail past midnight
The compassionate one offering to take out the trash
The engineer’s flight arriving earlier than previously thought
Micah being able to spend the night at home..not Mayo
Opportunity for Micah to see his doctor for a check-up
The miracle You’re going to do in Micah’s life
Big kids up and excited to be together at 6am!
Kids Camp pictures
Ability to mop the kitchen floor & wash away “sticky”
Seven kids climbing onto the hammock with me in the middle
Popcorn all over the ground…feeding the birds
Bottle caps on the table
Ice cream in a bag with the older kids
Naps for the middle kids
Treasure in heaven
Opportunity to go to Kracht Garbage Day
Being “emotional support” for grandma and mom
Ability to share insight about marital roles with mom
Derrick’s eagerness to serve at Garbage Day
Delburt’s verbal gratitude expressed to Derrick
Watching fathers and sons work together
Watching brothers and cousins work together
Safety getting home although sleepy
Really sleeping until 8am
Folgers
Shawna serving grandpa compassionately...making scrapbooks
A Sabbath without golden heads
Family planning on the calculating one’s birthday party
A week without being mom
The golden heads eagerly staying at grandma’s for a week
Eagerness of grandpa & grandma to have them a week
Compassionate one making special K bars for grandpa
Wanting grandpa to have the leftovers
Visiting with uncle Carl
Boisterous one’s kisses for grandpa great
Cousins swimming for hours in the stainless steel calf feeder
Find the boisterous one’s capris and undies
Boisterous one so excited for grandma Barb’s play dough
Living close enough to make a day trip “home”
Laughing with the engineer about pulling the wrong chain for the ceiling fan
Ripstick
Ripping out cooper tubing with the skid loader
Luke’s leadership
Praying Philippians 2:1-4 for Kestrel
Good movies
Soaker hoses
Blueletterbible.com
Memories of the farm
Picture of compassionate one and dad with the baby pigs
Dew drops
“Life is like a mountain railway” on itunes
Over half the deck stained
Drier weather to stain
Cool morning breeze
Fish in the pond
Soaker hose
Grandpa getting enough money to pay for the funeral
Lunch & friendship with Alicia
Running beside corn that I just barely taller than
Having a birthday cake to make
Slip & Slide
Cousins coming to the party
Having the deck stained
Tiki Torches
Repentance from selfishness
Campfire with just the two of us
Mulch in the flower bed
Home Depot having plastic sheeting
Bakery buns
Java Chip Frappuccino @ Starbucks
Realizing my homemade ones are just as good
Stack of brush…gone
Wearing a dress just because
Shopping
Finding the engineer half way between Eagan & Woodbury
Going to “work” with the engineer
Sitting in the little café for 30 minutes with the engineer
Not getting our chicken so I could have Starbucks for lunch
Not having to pay for our drinks & salad
Opportunity to navigate new territory
Tiny peppers
Peas to pick
Blossoms on the green beans
Beets sprouting
Sevin to stop Japanese beetles
Learning to garden as a child
Working from home
Running up the stairs after dinner
Peanut butter toast & apples for dinner
Making jerky for Micah
Note from Jessica
Sun Tea
Sitting on the engineer’s lap in his “office”
Going to Target field with the engineer
Seats in the shade
Kettle corn
Little old Farmington
Collecting cups from sporting events
Not getting hit by the train or the car
Laughing about it later
Ending the date perfectly
Sleeping with the sheet on because its cool enough
The calculating one calling me to tell me about her day at grandmas
Opportunity to have Sechler cousins overnight
Plans that give Micah a hope and a future
Seeing spiritual growth in the calculating one
Guarding my time in the morning with God
Having my girls home again
Swapping Caleb for Braelyn
Having to drive two vehicles because we have too many kids
Grandpa Great coming to the party
Dar driving him
The engineer praying before dinner
Bean Salsa getting 5 Stars
Providing a meal for our family
Birthday ice cream jello-cake in the shape of a butterfly
The calculating one’s new hat and sunglasses
The engineer being okay with 6 little girls in his house
Getting more solar lights for the flower bed
Four cousins on one air matress
Four cousins in the hot tub
Having a hot shower after 6 baths
Perfect weather for slip & slide
Mom & Dad helping with errands for the party
Watering the garden
Carter’s seal stunt that inspired everyone to try it
Saving the cucumber plant
Carter & Daniel surfing down the slip & slide
Watching the dads do slip & slide
The engineer burning his back because he did more sliding than he thought
Having a campfire because the girls cousins got to stay
Watching them roast marshmallows & eat s’mores & s’moreos
Timing Braelyn while she burned her mallows
Cowboy gulf with the engineer, the compassionate one and Braelyn
Crush, Mountain Dew, sunglasses & four cousins posing for a picture
Email from Ashley
Grandpa stopping to see Micah
Listening to the cousins play
Canny bucks for bringing friends
NOT vacuuming before the party
Working WITH the engineer
Slippers on in summer
Bakery buns
Free coupons at McDonalds
“Take all the time you need”
Rebekah sitting next to me in the chair
Hanging out with the big 4 in the sunroom
Taking six kids to the lake
Being with the VanKlei ladies
Cousins getting the golden heads out of comfort zone on the tubes
Pizza & movie party starting at 9:30pm
Traci calling me
Family night board game & movie
Water balloons with or without water
Traci sharing Isaiah 26:3
“Normal” routine
Where you are…there you are
Visit with Heather
The Oasis
Humid, hot growing weather
Being an hour from Rochester
Micah’s smiles
Bringing the Sechler three Italian
The golden heads being patient and not whining at the hospital
Knowing we can bring more goodies to them
Texting with mom
Jessica keeping the other Sechler three
Quiet 4^th of July
Ginger Pye with the big girls
Meat thermometer
Night to myself
Coffee ice cream with oreos
Able to run 4-miles
Cold shower to cool my body
Clothes wet from sweat
Ability to memorize
Golden heads giving each other pedicures
Cool down in forecast
Clouds to block sun’s intensity
Cooler temps for Celebrate Freedom
Time away from golden heads that gives perspective
Hot sun room
Garden tripling in size
Pumpkin plant runaway
Pool
Ice cream that fills a room of family friends
Ken's 85-year perspective
Children's Museum
Blossoms in flowers
Sprinkler system watering garden
Heat for crops
Open communication with the engineer
Morning kisses
Pink sunglasses on little face
The compassionate one waterskiing
Cousins playing
Playground obstacle course
Dads being dads
Wand Fairies
Haircuts
Dessert on a bedsheet
Wind that cools
Sun Tea
Song
The engineer strumming guitar strings
Flowers started from seed
iFit Daily Workout
Grandma enjoying day with golden heads
Blogging
Affirmations from Gail
Connection to Melissa
Playing with Ben & Ellie
Ellie counting down to July 1
Fresh cut lawn
2-4D
Ice cream with coffee
Reading late on summer's night
Beaver birthday
Sleeping with windows open
Rising with the sun
Texting with Kayla
Chorus of birds
Cool mornings
Engineer on the deck, bent over Bible
Compassionate one reading an entire biography in one day
Prayer...connecting with God in another realm
City on a Hill
Girls in pool excited about church
Serving in 4-H
Backyard pool family day
Friends on birthday
Planning birthday with Beaver
Ear pierced
Hammock on summer's day
Broccoli cut from garden
Fresh zuchinni sliced on pizza
Barbecue sauce drizzled
4-H birthday treats
Bumming Saturday with engineer
Walking through vineyard
Learning from the vinedresser
Pruning on me--focus on less and get more fruit
Always loving yet not always approving
Dawn engaged...redemption
Shopping at home
New friend for Aliya
Pool with neighbors
4-year olds pushing strollers
Spying a KTIS bumper sticker on the car as I got to know new a neighbor
Twinkle in the Calculating Beaver's eye as we chatted birthday cupcakes
Mashed potatoes on a hot summer day
Hospitality
Sweat
Shower
Box fan in window
The engineer shaving
Not taking offense on correction
Opening heart to engineer
The engineer calling me on judging
Calculating beaver and the engineer cleaning green beans
First cucumber
Google for gardening
Zinnia blooms
Movie night
Beauty salon by the compassionate one
The boisterous one's pudgy nose
Pillow talk
Walk turning into a run
Air conditioning
Hot weather for slip & slide
Chloe...best cousins forever!
Suds on the deck
Humid growing nights
First tassel
Avocado sprout almost to top of seed
Watching birds perched on rain gutter
Starting a new book
Email from friend
The calculating beaver's first sleepover at friend's house
Avon slippers
Calm still night
Clear pool
Fresh cut lawn
Helpful attitudes at Cub
Coupons
Lemonade Stand sign
Green beans galore
Creamy cucumbers
Grilled everything
ACTS prayer
Ice-cream in Dakota City's Drug Store
Friends at the fair
The calculating beaver's decision to show pigs next year
Watching the compassionate one feeding and watering
The compassionate one in the show-ring
The fair
Two awards of excellence
A fan club
Learning
New friends
Tammy loaning back packing gear
Getting to know the Nelsons
Emergen-C to the sore throat rescue
The calculating beaver working out
Arguing over the big muffin
Morning duties
Caribou
Books on CD
Public Library
Reading out loud
Fancy Nancy
Olivia
Classic literature - To Kill a Mocking Bird
Short shorts to bed
Shopping for back packing
Zoom lens
FPU
Dawn's text
Dawn watching boisterous one & Carter
Dehydrating produce
Doug and Sarah hiking
Mountains
Flowers in the front
Apologies given
Four vegetables for dinner
Obstacle relay race
Green beans picked in race
Playing Laura Ingalls Wilder
Laura, Carrie, Grace
Eating outside
Grilled zucchini
Eight quarts green beans canned
Cucumbers

1000 Gifts & Counting

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