Thankful Thursday!

Finally.  The next to last Bible study of the summer and Micah said, "Mom, I'm going to go with you to Bible study today."  So off we went.  Had a great time.  Then, as we were leaving, I told Betsy, our leader, that I wouldn't be back next week as I had to work.  She turned to Micah and said, "Are you going to come?"  Micah said, "No, I'm kind of shy.  It was really fun today, but . . . "  And Betsy said, "What if I bought cookies for the last day?  Then would you come?  Because you'd have to deliver them here?"  

I'm thankful for Betsy's quick wit, her "grabbing" Micah and "hooking" her in, and her purchasing two dozen cookies from Micah for Bible study next week!  I'm also thankful that Micah will have the opportunity to go to Bible study again! 

All in a Day's Work . . .

This week, I taught CPR on Tuesday and First Aid on Wednesday for the Water Safety Aid Class (WSA) at ISD 196.  Unfortunately, they were short a Water Safety Instructor in the pool on Wednesday, so they put the WSA Instructor, Makayla, in the pool and let me teach the last hour of the WSA class on Wednesday.  Even though I had brought my swim suit, I was DETERMINED NOT to get wet!!!  Success!  I taught from the deck and just got splashed - all accidentally, of course!

Blessed Beyond Measure . . .

Micah had made well over three-hundred chocolate chip, gingersnap and brown sugar cookies for NLFS's "Girls Night Out" last night, plus three different kinds of cup cakes.  She came home with seventeen cupcakes, but over one-hundred-and-sixty cookies.

"Mom, what do I do?"

Well, she began to text friends who have bought from her in the past.  She knows what church is going to have some of her cookies out tomorrow!  And she knows where a group of missionaries along with a group of church ladies are enjoying some of her cupcakes and cookies even as I write.  She even knows which friend enjoys frozen cookies . . . but there were still close to a hundred cookies left!

So I prayed as I walked around the block with Ollie, the dog we're watching, before lunch, and God said, "Text your neighbors."  I came home, asked Micah's permission and sent out a text to eighteen neighbors.  "Micah had an event last night at New Life that didn't have as many people as expected . . . "

That text went out at 1:30 p.m.  By 1:37 p.m., every cookie was spoken for and we had to turn neighbors away.  At 1:42, Micah sent out a text which included these words, "You all have brought so much joy to me that you don't even know.  I'm so happy to have friends and neighbors like all of you💕"

As we walked with Ollie to deliver cookies, we thanked God for His goodness and provision.  Can someone say "Amen"?      

Girls Night Out

 

Our adoption agency, New Life Family Services, sponsored an event last night called "Girls Night Out".  Micah was asked if she would like to sell baked goods at the event and she said, "Yes!"

We arrived at Cedar Valley Church in Bloomington a little after 5 p.m. and were placed next to a most delightful NLFS adoptive mom, Nena, who was selling candles.  We had a great time sharing our stories well setting up.

The most interesting thing was that Nena had recognized Micah and I from when our family, together with Allison's, had been on the cover of NLFS's magazine!

But it gets even better!  Not a person there we knew except for NLFS staff, but Micah was approached multiple times for different speaking engagements she has done over the years for NLFS!  

"Where do I know you from?  Were you on a NLFS panel at one time?"  

"Yup, more than once."  

"Say, didn't you speak at the 45th Anniversary Gala?"  

"And I was scared to death!"  

And again, "Weren't you on the front cover of one of NLFS's magazines?" 

It was a fun night, a great speaker, and we went home encouraged with our interactions.

Unfortunately, NLFS was expecting 1000 people and it didn't seem like there were even 500 people there.  So Micah had a TON of cookies left which is a whole 'nother story . . . 

New Glasses?!?!

I do not NEED new glasses. My old glasses are totally fine, they're just eleven years out of style and I really don't like to wear them out in public because, well, they're just really out of style.  

We've been talking about me getting new glasses for over two years, but as things have "died" - wash machine and dishwasher and furnace last year - and new glasses are NOT a necessity, they just haven't happened.  Until . . .

Today!  I had a blast trying on so many different frames!  We were laughing with the "Al Roker look", the purple glasses, the multi-colored frames - I tried them all and settled for a pair that I think I'll really like.

Sam went to pay for them (we had back to back appointments because driving is still a pain in the knee for Sam) and our credit card bounced!  Instead of being devastated, we just laughed!  After paying for two contact eye appointments (which cost more) and two new sets of contacts and Micah's tuition and a couple of other things, we had MAXED OUT our credit card.  

So the plan is to now buy my new glasses on Monday!   

Thankful Thursday!

So much to be thankful for on one simple Thursday!

• While going for my early morning walk, I ran into Rich and Jen.  Rich commented that they needed to order another flourless chocolate cake from Micah soon because the one they had had earlier tasted "just like heaven".  I happened to know that Micah had one she had made the day before in her fridge and she was selling it for half price.  Rich was over before noon.
• I meet with an amazing group of ladies for "Bible Study in the Park" on Thursday mornings.  I always leave encouraged by their hearts and their love for Jesus.
• While I was with "my ladies", Sam was getting his stitches out.  The PA was well pleased with Sam's progress and believes his relapse was due to Sam doing too much too soon.  In just a few weeks, he should be as good as gold.
• I was able to help Micah package cookies for New Life Family Services (our adoption agency) "Girls Night Out" tonight - like over 300 chocolate chip, ginger snap and brown sugar cookies - all individually wrapped, mostly by yours truly!
• My friend, Deb, dropped off my Stampin' Up order.  Prior to her arrival I had texted her to let her know Micah was making cookies and she could pre-order.  She promptly texted back, ordering sixteen cookies.  She was getting ready to leave with the cookies and I mentioned to her that she needed to pay for them.  We all burst out in laughter as she said she had put her money in the cooler where she was going to keep the cookies while she went to book club.  She quickly went to her cooler and gave Micah some "cool change".  
  

Almost Twenty-Five Years Later . . .

She looked at me.  I looked at her.  She smiled at me.  I smiled back.  She said, "I know you."  I responded with, "But from where?"

There in Menards I ran in to Brigette, my aquatics supervisor at Redwood Pool the summers of 1997 and 1998.

We had a blast catching up!