a few of my favorite things...

I feel abundantly blessed lately--and genuinely happy.  As one who has battled the dark clouds of depression on and off for years, it feels so good to be plain ol' happy!  Thank you, Jesus, and thank you to all the people who have prayed for me and my family these past few years!  I believe a lot of healing has taken place spiritually and also physically this past year.  I know the graces of Medjugorje helped, the prayers of many people, and also some supplements and diet changes too.  I'm also guessing that I'm experiencing a time of "spiritual consolation" right now.  I know it won't last forever and a period of "desolation" might be just around the corner, so I am soaking in all this joy and grace while it lasts!  :)

Truly though, everywhere I look, I see things that make my heart rejoice.  Especially around our property, I feel like every day a new flower blossoms that I never knew was there before.  We recently discovered that we have raspberry bushes all over the property, as well as wild strawberries growing by our pond right outside our back door.  We even have some apple, pear, and cherry trees--another surprise gift that was beyond our hopes when we were looking for a new home!  We also continue to see more wildlife than we ever imagined.  Already we have seen more deer than we can count, some elk, a mountain lion, a fox, a wild turkey (almost daily), and now the boys are having so much fun identifying all the birds we see in our backyard with the new bird book that we bought.  Some of the most exciting birds we have seen are:  the Western Tanager, the Lazuli Bunting, the Yellow-Rumped Warbler, the Red-breasted Nuthatch, the White-breasted Nuthatch, the Pink-Sided Black-Eyed Junko, the Downy Woodpecker, and many gorgeous Mountain Bluebirds.  I feel like God has given us a mini Garden of Eden!  The other day as Paul and the older boys were coming down our driveway, they saw a doe who had just given birth to a fawn, for it couldn't stand up and fell onto its adorable little face.  The little boys and I saw the fawn the next day, and it was perhaps the cutest thing I have ever seen.  How I wish I had my camera with me!  And just yesterday, when I went out to feed the chickens in the coop, there was a doe waiting outside the coop watching me.  I came out slowly and offered her some of the chicken's food, and she walked right up to me and ate right out of my hand!  She even let me pet her!  It is all so surreal and wonderful--a complete gift.  As Ann Voskamp would say, "All is grace."  We certainly don't deserve any of this, but God loves us so much He just lavishes us with grace after grace.  I continue to be in awe of God's goodness in giving us this new home and countless other blessings too...

Anyway, here are some photos of a few of my favorite things that have been filling my soul with joy lately:

bright and beautiful oxeye daisies

pretty and pink peonies

elegant columbine

oriental poppies practically glowing in the sunshine

If you look closely, you'll see that the pollen inside these poppies is purple.

As I was taking these pictures I saw a few bumble bees collecting the pollen

and they looked so funny because they were covered completely in purple pollen 

(they hardly looked liked bees anymore) and they could barely fly! 

 We discovered a happy surprise hiding inside these honeysuckle branches...

a robin's nest...

with sweet baby chicks!

I can't believe the momma robin let me get this picture!

Paul's mom came for a visit and helped me out so much!

It was fun to finally show her the property (especially because some of the property is actually hers!)

My parents came for a visit too, which always makes me and the boys happy!

My dad helped me plant all the flowers for our window boxes.

Working in dirt makes both my dad and me happy!

Grandma played lots of card games with the boys which filled our kitchen with JOY!

My parents brought with them a gift that will be one of my favorite things forever:

the kitchen table and chairs that belonged to my grandparents on the farm! 

My grandparents passed it on to my parents, and now they have passed it on to my family.

I love how it sits next to the old cookstove that also came from my grandparents' farm.

Our kitchen now feels complete, country-style, and cozy!  

Fishing is one of my dad's favorite things, and he has passed on that love to his grandkids...

Dominic with his faithful sidekick, Natey.

Michael caught one!

Joseph hoping it's his turn soon.

Michael and Nathanael...fishing pals

Grandpa teaching the big boys how to split firewood.

Another reason our property is a blessing---it is teaching our boys to work hard 

and to be proud of themselves for working hard.

The boys caught a tiny baby turtle at the Lake where the big boys went to camp.

They asked if they could bring him home to our pond...

How could I refuse this adorable face?

He is now swimming happily in our pond with our koi fish.

We named him:

Crowder the Legendary Turtle

("Crowder" for our favorite Christian band, 

and "Legendary" because that was the name of the Church Camp where we found him)

This pond makes our whole family happy (including our new turtle, we hope)

This new digital piano (a gift from Grandma Jean--THANK YOU)

is one of the new favorite things in our home.

Playing it is like free therapy for me,

as well as listening to my boys play so beautifully.

Our swing is definitely one of Isaiah's favorite things,

and his sweet smile is one of mine.

Hazel eyes,

angel-kissed freckles,

pink cheeks,

mischievous grins...

these are a few of my favorite things too!

What are your favorite things?

Make a list and thank the Lord!