never alone

My favorite person is working very late on the anniversary of one of the best days of my life. I came home from work to our quiet apartment and started working on taxes, tried not to think about it too much, tried to figure out what I could eat without much effort, tried not to play pity party.

And then the parade started. Gifts from God. Fun things and reminders that he sees me in every state.
--First came Karla, knocking with a surprise dinner--tortillas and chicharrón (?) Wow!!
--Then came a phone call with dear Sarah Stepanian.
--While we were still talking another knock, it was another Sara. She brought apples, oranges, avocados, strawberries, basil and a very long cucumber. Just a gift from their abundance.
--I ate dinner and then another knock. And it was Patty coming to show an absolutely beautiful five-day-old baby. An absolutely perfectly made little person with lots and lots of curly black hair.
--And then a very delightful phone call from Debby Burnham. They want to have a baby shower! And she said very encouraging things.

Karla, Patty and Sara are the three women from the three other apartments in our building. Sarah are Debby are our good family. Five women we pray for often. In the last few hours I've been blessed by five wonderful women. What a gift! Even on a day when really...um, uh...I should already be overly, amazingly overflowing with thankfulness for God's incredible gift and provision. Our God is gracious and abundant.

-----
Dear David, you are truly God's provision for me.

Yes. I am YOUR wife! Happy two years!
Come home soon! :)
We miss you!

if you see this today...

would you pray? Our neighbor is having surgery to remove cancer. They're also checking some spots on her liver, where the cancer may have spread. She's 21 with three tiny kids. We long for life and fullness and hope and healing for her body and her soul. Her name means Noble and we pray that she would be that.

spear fishing

When I thought of spear fishing, I envisioned something I think I'd read about in fourth grade.

Now, I have a different picture in my head. Our neighbor, Abi, has been bugging David to go fishing with him for about nine months. Originally, Abi would head down to the river and sit on the side, fishing pole dangling over the cliff, pretty normal-style, relaxing fishing. More recently, Abi's taken up spear fishing. By this he is talking about under water, foggy snorkel mask, slippery rocks, five-pronged spear, fish hunting. David's gone a few times and we've eaten a few really yummy (and free!) small mouth bass.

  

Yowzers! What a wild and crazy man I'm married to!