summer beginnings

Summer break has begun very well.  Here's a snippet of how i spent the lovely gift of time that summer affords...

for lunch- pb&j with audi.. yum! also grapefruit and bananas! yum!
for spending time outside- weeding and picking the strawberry patch.. slight sunburn included... also watching autumn as she discovered the joys of a water hose on a hot day.
for cleaning- scrubbed a few porch cushions.. while autumn splashed in soapy water
for friendship- caught up with my hannah joy. i love that i have a friend who comes over for hours and we do pretty much nothing. she fits right in.
for dinner- pizza that never came. very sad story about how i ordered pizza from papa johns and they never came... they later said they had no record of the order... they did give us 2 free pizzas... but they called me "the amber situation"....bizarre (we eventually DID eat... just 3 hours later than planned)
for dessert- ice cream and syrup and whipped cream with grandmom. she loves ice cream. i do too.
for relaxing- adventures in odyssey.. comfort, humor, wisdom in one radio show.
for reflection- how amazing is it that this semester has just flown by? that i'm half-way done with college? that in just 2 short years i will be an RN? My Lord has saved me, kept me, protected me, helped me, and showered love and mercy upon me. I have been so very blessed.

goodnight, my friends.

ps.  my herbs and my garden are growing!! i've been able to cook a few things with my herbs! such fun! and i made some muffins with our strawberries (although, they were a little weird, but it wasn't the strawberries fault.. it was mine). I love this growing business.. it's so rewarding. :)
pps. our neighbors are setting off fireworks. summer is so much fun!

Amazing...

I'm thankful for grace tonight. I need it. I have it. Lord, show me, teach me how to share it.
I'm thankful for friends, families, freshly painted walls, rain, thunderstorms, professors (yes, that's right, professors), peanut butter M&Ms, etc. But, I think, MOST of all, I'm thankful for grace.