It's been a while since I've written a proper grateful list, and I feel ready. Ha. It's not often that I'm NOT in the mood to write my gratitude down, but if you have followed this blog for any period of time, you know I struggle with keeping it fresh, either in form or in content... Five years has added up a lotta gratitude.
Tonight I am grateful for warmth. For all the items I listed above, and then some. Warm fleecy socks and flannel sheets. Hot tea, cocoa, coffee, soup... any liquid that warms all the way through. For blankets that have not just function, but also sentiment from years of use.
Today, post-snow--or maybe more accurately, mid-snow, as another storm is purported to be on the way--we had a sun break. What a glorious sun break it was! Blue skies and glistening snowy fields, blindingly beautiful. I was so grateful for the blue skies, I happily squinted all the way to lunch and back.
The clouds came back mid-day and by the time I headed home the mountains were truly blue. They're called the Blue Mountains, but most days I rather scoff at the name--not just because they're more "hills" to me than mountains, but because they're not often blue--usually green or tan or brown. Tonight they were BLUE. The whole valley was blue with the setting sun--no streams of gold this evening, just a deepening blue.
It was a banner week for friendship. Old, older still, and resumed. Today over lunch I enjoyed the company of a dear friend who I have not seen nearly enough of the past year or so. I have missed her wit, warmth and heart. So good to pick back up and share our lives together over yummy Thai. I am grateful for friendship, for the kind that *can* pick back up and resume, and understand.
And to my regulars, my girls of the monthly lunch brigade, I was grateful to enjoy a lunch together this week--where deep thoughts on aging were shared. Of course, there was conversation around jobs and kids and spouses. But the deep stuff we saved for aging. Oy. We're getting old. Old-ish, anyway.
I had an old friend--not old, but from long ago--visit this week, too. (Crazy busy friend week, see, I told you!). Karen and I met at college in Australia, in 1987. Reconnected via Facebook a couple of years ago, and she happened to be in the U.S. for a conference and general month abroad. Walla Walla was a quick jaunt for her from Seattle, and we enjoyed a brief 48-hour visit. I inflicted all manner of non-touristy but very "real life" moments: grocery shopping for an event at work next week. Yes, you read that right: groceries. Supply procurement. Not the best hostess, am I? Sigh. She claimed to enjoy it, and we chatted the whole time, so... what can I say, life has to happen, right?! (And the pups fell in love with her, of course, see below!)
We had some fun little walks down memory lane, about people and places from a very very long time ago. My memories of Australia are all quite lovely, and it was fun to relive a few with her.
I'm grateful for our community; for people who reach out to others in times of need, with warmth and shelter and a safe place.
Tonight I'm especially grateful for the peaceful time ahead, the next 24 hours of rest and relaxation, worship and thought and praise.
I'm thankful that Seth is home, safely (never take for granted safety with snow + teenage driver + other drivers!), for the week. Our time together is so precious.
For my husband I am always grateful--for his love and thoughtfulness, for his hard work and dedication, for his kind ways with all the odd things and thoughts I throw his way. We are blessed to have love. And doubly blessed to know it.
Wherever you are tonight, I hope you are blessed and know it, too.
Peace.
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