Joy Days and Joy Nights

 Let a joy keep you. Reach out your hands and take it when it runs by.
           ~ Carl Sandburg

 Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God.
                      ~ Madeleine L'Engle

 You have to sniff out joy. Keep your nose to the joy trail. 
                             ~Buffy St. Marie

 The grownups are tired, but the children dance!

We've had a lot (I mean A LOT) of food and happy fun and now Granny needs a few long lazy mornings and plenty of fruits and vegetables.  

Our four kids gave us a priceless gift.  Remember the "I Am From" poems?  They each wrote one and Jeff framed them all.  Bill and I wept and wept.  Here are a few excerpts:
Brad writes:  "I am from the adventure lived out. I walk as my father and mother walked before me hand in hand with the living God."
Kelli writes: "I am from nightly family dinners made by hands that never requested applause."
Jeff writes:  "I am from hammocks along the Mekong, to frigid Denver winter mornings.   I am from a family often spread around the world, all moving towards Jesus, in their own way."
Jenny writes:  "I am from trips to the Happiest Place on Earth.  I am from bad decisions that were forgiven.  I am from parents who never stopped loving."
They wrote more, all personal affirmations of their connections to us and each other.  Oh, I love them SO much and I am so thankful for our family.  
I am thrilled to watch the little dancers dance.
Thank you for popping in today.  It's so very nice that you are interested.  It really is.