Birthday Girl, Baby Girl, Scribbles

Hooray! I DID get my snow day! Actually, I got TWO cold days! It is warming up now but the temperatures were too low for safe walks to bus stops.
Guess who had a birthday? Miss Bug is a groundhog girl and she went to the bear store and made a bunny to celebrate. She's TWO! What a great age, right? Guess who stayed with Granny? Miss Millie!

She is so fun to smooch (that's the red mark on her little cherub head!) I'm not sure why red lipstick was thought necessary today, but little Millie is SO KISSABLE!

A kind person gave little Millie a pair of adorable boots.

This is the last Stillmeadow book I am ordering. It is. I lounged around this morning, blissfully reading about Gladys and her dogs, the house in the country that delighted her for so many years, and the beauty of the changing seasons. Oh, I just can't do her writing justice. I hope you have a chance to get to know Stillmeadow.

I had so much fun "annotating" The Wind in the Willows and now I am really "going to town" with this Living New Testament I bought at that messy used book store.

Are YOU happy when you have baskets of colored pencils, juicy pens, and sheets of stickers handy? Oh, I am. I had so much fun today doing arty, doodle, writing things. I cut out a big hunk of nice brown paper from a grocery sack, I sewed some felt embellishments on it and then I wrote a long letter to a friend on this homemade stationary. I hope she likes it.
This morning when Bill and I were praying, I was struck by how dear and gracious my God has been to me. We were praying for different people and I had such an "ah ha" moment AGAIN realizing that as I walk along, HE is always taking such good care of me. I didn't know what to do when I became a mother thirty years ago, but He helped me, paved the way, rattled my heart and made it all work. Now, I really don't know what I'm doing at school a good bit of the time, but His grace works it all out. He's so generous with it. I remember my funny confirmation teacher writing on my homework. Yes, I can see it in my memory. He wrote, "Grace is undeserved favor" and it stuck, that little note of his. Isn't that what it means to surrender? Helpless, really, and very aware of the Helper. Millie is so thankful that we cuddle her and kiss her. She can't ask for it yet but she depends on her mama to nurse her, change her diapers, meet her needs. She is a recipient of grace and we are like babies, so lovable to Someone who believes in us. Oh, it's good to know that grace keeps coming in simple and real ways.
What a funny week I've had - a two day break in the middle of it. Now the weather is warming a bit and I'll go back to see the kids again. I want to go. That feels good.
I hope your day is peaceful and calm. I hope you have some quiet moments to notice the great GRACE that is sure to come your way.

I don't know what you might be hungry for, but I pray you find what it is you need.