one thousand gifts

almost one year ago, a dear friend and i undertook the challenge set forth by author Ann Voskamp to count 1,000 gifts in the year 2012.

it was a dare...to write down at least three things each day that we were grateful for...to stop and notice the little things that make life so very lovely...a call to stop sleeping through life, to wake up and really smell the roses.

there were days i forgot to write...
and other days when i absolutely could not stop myself at just three things.

just like any year, 2012 presented some tough stuff...

but even in all that, there was grace abundant.

as i share a few of my favorite Christmas pics, i'm reflecting on all the good of this year.

and as i re-read through the journal pages scrawled with one thousand things that made my heart happy these past 365 days, i'll share some of the best ones with you.

#11 - getting my hopes up

#62 - a cousin!

#65 - a new group of kiddos to love...7 weeks to do something joyful!

#97 - Peach's loose strand of hair...its very own gold

#116 - rejoicing over big accomplishments for our little daycare friend who is learning to use the potty

#128 - a treasure trove of dirty, unwanted, craftable jewels!

#190 - combing my great-grandmother's hair while praying for her and knowing that i'm just returning the favor

#235 - the pain of being away from my girls...it truly is a gift

#238 - the way Peach crouches down beside the book drawer, carefully choosing a treasure to open

#309 - a 10-month old baby who still wakes during the night...some babies don't wake up.  so, tired as i am, i'll choose joy when i hear her whimpers in the middle of the night.

#343 - the wisdom i gain with each new ear infection...

#347 - long sleeves in the morning giving way to short-sleeved afternoons

#408 - teaching students outside on a perfectly still, blue day

#414 - J's servant heart and the sparkly clean windows on our house

#459 - how my girls miss their day care family when they've been away for a while - what a gift that they have an extension of goodness and care in their lives

#489 - grocery cash in my wallet and renewed focus to pay off our school loans

#501 - Tulip crying the whole way home...it is good to have a child who knows, loves and misses the comfort of home and her crib

#568 - memories of Costa Rica brought on by a student who visited there and brought back my favorite snack :)

#580 - Peach's sweet voice reading, "and then the mother said, 'this is a wonderful picnic and the baby plays in the sun and it is actually a wonderful day."

#599 - "bumpin' up and down in my little red wagon"

#612 - watching Tulip practice her mommy skills - it does take a lifetime to learn, doesn't it?

#650 - little purple flowers hugging brick walls

#677 - santa socks in july

#701 - the possibility of a baby??!?!

#717 - late night crafting with my momma

#722 - cloth diapers on the line

#805 - early, silent mornings in the Word

#811 - being so exhausted...growing a person is tough work :)

#820 - wild sister giggles coming from the bath tub

#822 - the answer to 3 years of prayers...a NEPHEW!

#851 - pumpkins

#902 - the way Tulip says "woosie" when she wants to play ring around the rosie

#910 - cutting down our own christmas tree...a lumberjack husband!

#915 - Tulip potty trained all on her own...UNBELIEVABLE

#924 - setting up the manger with Peach

#942 - a snowman kind of day

#962 - J's commitment to our family

#970 - middle of the night snuggles and an opportunity to speak Jesus' peace over a bad dream

#973 - the way Tulip says, "momma..." and then rambles a whole bunch of things i can't understand :)

#985 - a pile of things to do over Christmas break and the fact that I get a Christmas break

#999 - a reminder to study my girls

#1,000 - one year jam-packed with treasures