365:65 - 69 and One Thousand Gifts (357 - 377)

3 Gifts at 3pm
357.  School's done!

358.  A surprise hand and foot massage from my girls.  (It was actually at 4:00, but it's close enough)

359.  A nap. The massage relaxed me so much that I fell asleep!

3 Gifts Green
360.  The grass and trees that are coming out of winter's hibernation.

361.  Salad.  Yes, I actually like salad!  I think I would like it better if it tasted like chocolate though.

362.  My foray into more "green" products.  I'm using natural homemade cleansers and will soon be making my own toothpaste!

3 Gifts Worn
363.  My contacts.  Without which, life would be a blur

364.  Slippers.  I love, love, love my slippers.  Shhh.. don't tell anyone. I even wear them out for quick errands. 

365.  Trade these ashes in for beauty
         And wear forgiveness like a crown
         Coming to kiss the feet of mercy
         I lay every burden down at the foot of the cross

3 Gifts Hard to Give Thanks For
366.  Aging.  I love the maturity, but the physical break down is hard to deal with.

367.  Past mistakes.  But they played a part in making me who I am today.

368.  Laundry.  Blech.

3 Gifts Found
369.  $20 tucked away in my purse.  Score!

370.  After looking for a looong time, Knight found his soccer shin guard 5 minutes before we were to leave for practice.

371.  Me.  I was lost, but now I'm found!!

A Gift Bent, Broken, Beautiful
372.  Bent - The trees in the wind.  We get some ferocious winds here too.  But we need them to blow the pollution out of the valley.

373.  Broken - In a house with 7 kids, it seems that everything is broken!  My husbands honey-do list is probably taller than he is!  But, although the stuff is broken, the house is full of love!

374.  Beautiful - Good friends that I can count on to be there for me...always.

3 Gifts in the Kitchen
375.  Kids and friends giggling so hard they can barely eat.

376.  My coffee maker, with the timer that has piping hot coffee ready for me when I stumble down the stairs.

377.  My boy, making cookies.

___________________________________________________________

365-65

Palm trees at the soccer field

365-66

Mr. Baseball just up and decided to make cookies the other day.  

He also cleans up for me without being nagged.  He's going to make some girl a great husband one day.

365-67

The view from the soccer field

365-68

We went up to Calico Basin today with some friends for a b-b-q.  Lots of fun!  This is Friend T, Bear and Princess.

365-69 

There was a nesting female bird up in the rafters of the picnic area.  This little guy was very concerned that we were there and kept flitting nervously around.  I'm assuming he is the daddy.

365:59 - 64 and One Thousand Gifts (345 - 356)

3 ugly-beautiful gifts

345.     The piles of laundry that are ALWAYS on my dining table.  It means we have been blessed with plenty.

346.  My van.  Oh, I hate that big ugly thing.  We have nicknamed it Monstro, after the whale that ate Pinocchio.  But, it is dependable and it carries our whole family and a couple friends.  So often, it is filled to capacity!

347.   My voice.  I was not blessed with a good singing voice.  The only time I sing loud is when I am completely alone and the music is louder.  However, God hears it differently.  He calls it a joyful noise and it is beautiful to His ears.

3 gifts from the past that help you trust the future

348.  The gift of salvation.  I have no doubt that when I close my eyes on this world I will open them again to see Jesus.  In fact, the Bible tells me that He already has a mansion with my name on it!

349.   My parents.  They loved me even when I behaved in terrible, awful ways.  As a teen, it seems that I did everything to push them away.  But when I became human again, guess what? There they were. No condemnation, just love. 

350.   My husband.  Another person who stuck by me when I was an idiot.  Even after 15 years of marriage, he still loves me and wants to be with me.

A gift dull, shimmering, cleaned

351.   Dull:  My wedding ring.  I never take it off, so it gets pretty dull and dirty.

352.   Shimmering:  The city after a good rain

353.   Cleaned:   The air after a windy day.  The mountains look close enough to reach out and touch.  There's no brown haze in the valley.

3 gifts before 11 AM

354.   Someone made my bed for me!

355.   Most of the kids are done with school.

356.   Coffee

I walked the neighborhood and snapped some photos.  Then, changed lenses and did it again.  I got some fun results.  Love my macro lens!

365 - 59

Close up of a cactus.  

365 - 60

 Flowers that are overtaking my yard.

365 - 61

 Neighbor's flower

365 - 62

 I love this totally imperfect bud.  When it blooms, it will be absolutely gorgeous.  It's a picture of us, very flawed, humans.  But when Jesus gets hold of our lives, we bloom into something so very beautiful!

365 - 63

 Buzzzzzzz.  

I love the color on this shot.  I really struggle to get vibrant color with the camera.  I usually have to brighten it up with Photoshop.  But this one is SOOC.  

365 - 64

Another mystery plant.  I really think I need to get a field guide to all the plants around here.  

365:54 - 58 and One Thousand Gifts (335 - 344)

Still counting.............

335.   Mr. Baseball got his upper and lower expanders in his mouth today.  One day down, and 1,094 more days to a beautiful smile and easier breathing.  He 

HATES them, by the way. 

3 gifts that changed today

336.   The day started out with kids arguing.  But then, in an effort to avoid school, they all went upstairs and played wonderfully together building Lego creations.

337.   Kids got to watch Frozen unexpectedly.  They were very excited!

338.   After a day that seemed to last forever, my wonderful husband came home and cooked dinner.  

3 gifts seen as a reflection

339.  My kids reflecting me.  Sometimes it blesses my heart, and sometimes its not such a good thing.

340.   Seeing the world reflected in my grandson's beautiful, clear blue, and oh so innocent, eyes.

341.   Seeing Christ reflected in the actions of others.

A gift worn out, new, made do

342.   Worn-out:  My favorite sweatshirt.  It's more than 25 years old with holes in it.  I can't wear it in public anymore, but I will never throw it out.

343.  New:  My 22 quart roaster oven that I got for Christmas.  Now I can make enough food for my clan and (sometimes) have leftovers.

344.   Made-do:  My washer / dryer.  I really want a high capacity set.  I know that sounds totally ungrateful but I'm so tired of doing 2 or more loads of laundry Every. Single. Day. 

365 - 54

Strange desert plant in my neighbor's yard

365 - 55

Up close and personal with a palm tree

365 - 56

Bubble duck hat

365 - 57

Short people trying to get a drink (E-Baby)

365 - 58

More short people trying to get a drink (Boo)

365:49 - 53 and One Thousand Gifts (323 - 334)

3 gifts in shadows
323.  E Baby and Boo out in the shadows of the tree, digging to China.  They found a key buried there a few days ago and I told them to keep it safe because when they finally get to China, there would be a locked door.  That key would open it.  They were very excited!

324.  My kitty, hiding and stalking her prey, which is the dog that is 6 times bigger than she is.  My kitten has delusions of grandeur!

325.  My husband, sleeping.

3 gifts in giving / serving
326.  Serving in the children's ministry at church. I grumble about it but I'm always blessed.

327.  Serving my family.  Again, lots of grumbling but they are sooo worth it.

328.  My husband serving me by always making sure I have gas in the van.

3 gifts white
329.  My baby's missing tooth.

330.  Baby's breath

331.  White clouds

3 gifts that were Plan B's
332.  Adopting from the Philippines was plan B.  Originally we were planning to adopt from Russia.  So happy that God brought the Kimball's into our life. Within one hour of meeting them, we knew that our child would come from the Philippines.

333.  When we decided to adopt again, we wanted a little girl.  Just one little girl.  God's plan, however, was for us to be parents to a little girl and her brother.  Then later, their baby sister came to us.

334.  Our plan B is to remain living here.  Plan A is to move east.  There are many gifts and blessings in remaining here though.  The grown up kids and grand kids are here, we have wonderful friends, a great church and homeschool group.


365 - 49

 What a great imagination!  What a handsome face!

365 - 50

 Valentine flowers from my love

365 - 51

 Can you tell I like taking pictures of flowers?

365 - 52

 Red Rock Canyon

365 - 53

My "colorful gems"  What an amazing bunch of kids!

365:41 - 48 and One Thousand Gifts (311 - 322)

3 times you heard laughter today

311.  My kids who are always giggling about something

312.  Myself.  Phineas and Ferb is one of the very few tv shows that I will laugh out loud at.  I do love that show!

313.  My grandson.  He recently learned how to laugh.   What an amazing sound!

3 hard eucharisteos  (Latin for giving thanks)
It's so hard to give thanks in hard places.  I'm learning.

314.  Parenting challenging children
315.  Failing and trying, and failing and trying.....
316.  My body falling apart at an alarming rate.

3 gifts behind a door

317.  My daughter - she hid behind the laundry room door and jumped out to scare me / hug me when I walked through.

318.  My kitten, who attacked my ankles

319.  Bear was behind the door playing with the animals.

3 ways you feel the love of  God

320.   God sent His Son to die for me.  You don't do that for someone you don't love!
321.   I am not the same person I was when I met Jesus.  So happy for that!
322.   He forgives me when I repeatedly mess up.



365-41

Bubble

365-42

My beautiful E-Baby!

365-43

I don't know.  I think it has something to do with boating.

365-44

Tigger

365-45

(Stuffed) Lion stalking her prey

365-46

Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming

365-47

Tank at the sporting goods store.

365-48

Indoor waterfall at the sporting goods store.

365: 35 - 40 and One Thousand Gifts (302 - 310 )

A gift at 11:30, 2:30 and 6:30

302.  11:30 - Kids getting done with school early

303.   2:30 - Warm day at the park

304.    6:30 - My husband making dinner

A gift broken, fixed and thrifted

305.   Broken - My children.  They have endured more pain and heartbreak in   their young lives than most people could experience in several lifetimes. Their scars will remain forever.  They are my gifts, my blessings.  

306.   Fixed - My children.  They are all in various stages of healing.  Those scars have shaped them and will continue to play a part in who they become.  If they allow God to work in their lives, those scars will change them for the better.  And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

307.   Thrifted - Whenever we have toys to donate, we give them to a guy who donates them to kids in need or in the hospital.  Much better than Goodwill!

3 surprise gifts - unexpected grace!

308.   A friend who took my kids to the park for a few hours.

309.   A warm day and evening...in February!

310.   The kids I teach in Sunday school.  I teach the 4-7 year old group and they are so open, honest and curious.  

365-35

Tigger found this pretty blue caterpillar at the park today.  He and about 6 other kids, took care of it and made it a habitat.  One of the kids took it home.  Hopefully it survives.

365-36

Getting dizzy

365-37

My sweet Wolfie.  He's getting more personality each day!

365-38

Boo and E-Baby looking for more caterpillars...in fake grass!

365-39

Note to self:  Don't microwave an egg.   It didn't quite hard boil so I figured if it was partially peeled, it wouldn't explode.  Um, no.

365-40

My sweet Bear bought this tulip for me at the dollar store last night.  It's real too.  She's been trying, unsuccessfully, to buy me flowers for about a week.  She can be a little rough around the edges, but she has such a sweet heart!

365:28 - 34 and One Thousand Gifts (291 - 301)

3 gifts on paper

291.  The Bible!  The best gift

292.   Love notes

293.   Instructions  -  I always try to figure things out on my own, but in the end, am usually glad I have instructions.  (Apparently, I am not as smart as I think I am!)

3 gifts found in writing

294.   Ladybug loves to write stories.  What a privilege to get a glimpse into her imagination.

295.   Being transported into another time and another life as I read books.  I prefer to read missionary stories.  My current favorite is "Kisses From Katie"

296.   Journaling my prayers helps me have a closer relationship with God.

3 gifts found when bent down
..........Ack!  I see lots of dirt when I bend down!..............

297.  I see the world through my grand daughter's eyes

Ok.  Really.  All I see is dirt.  Moving on..................

A gift stitched, hammered, woven

298.  Stitched:  Repairing my grand daughter's well loved rag doll.  This is the same rag doll I made for her mommy when she was little.  I still have the rag doll that my mom made for me.

299.   Hammered:  My house.

300.   Woven:  The afghan that my grandma made for me years ago.  I sure do miss her.

3 gifts found outside

299.   Birds calling to one another

300.   Happy kids using their outdoor voices

301.   Warm sunshine - I'm waiting impatiently for a little of that.  Hopefully tomorrow.


365 - 28

 Another strange desert plant who's name I should know but don't.  Still cool, though.

365 - 29

 My cat has recently discovered that we have fish.  She's not real observant.

365 - 30

Fun, metal sculptures at the park. 

365 - 31

 Boo LOVES gymnastics.  She spends most of her time like this!

365 - 32

They love to perform!

365 - 33

This is where my daughter leaves her brand new glasses that she doesn't want to wear.  Apparently, she thinks the duck needs them more.

365 - 34

It was bitterly cold the day I took this picture.  Well, as bitterly cold as it gets here in the southwest. The buds on this tree seemed so out of place on such a cold, dreary day.  Did I say it was cold?  Yeah. I'm a wimp.

Drat.  I'm behind again.  How did that happen?