Our days are filled with countless blessings. Each night at dinner we light a candle and take turns sharing thankfulness for some aspect of our day or our lives. It ranges from the simple to the profound. A best friend. Time to play a game with a parent. Limes. Our home.

Here are a few thoughts of gratitude from my heart this wintery day.

: : Waking with my girl's contagious smile pressed close to my chin, my boy cuddled behind my back, and my man close beside us.

: :The vision in my head of us back in the country again. We miss it
so. (And I love that these house showings sometimes involve fording rivers.
When a real estate agent asks you to bring your waders you know it can't possibly be boring.)

: : Creating with my kids, who I get to hang with and enjoy all day long. Every. Single. Day. (I heart homeschooling.)

: : All the new visitors who've stumbled into my blog in the past few days (A few thousand of you. I am waving at you through my IMac, smiling, calling out "Hello and welcome! Come back soon!").

: : The many old friends still coming here to read my words day after day. Thank you for your constant presence over these past many months.

: : A big, top-secret project I have hiding up my sleeve. It's too early to peep about it, but I have plans, people. And I am so stoked I can hardly sleep.

: : And last, but certainly not least, this guy – and this sight out my back window: