Hello House! Hello Moon!

 Our son Jeff and his wonderful girlfriend Christie, came to the airport to retrieve us when we arrived back in Denver.  It's a long flight from Frankfurt to Denver, nonstop.  The forty-five minute hop from Amsterdam to Frankfurt was easy, but the long flight home isn't so easy.  It's okay.  I read a VERY interesting book titled Out of Isak Dinesen in Africa:  Karen Blixen's Untold Story by Linda Donelson. I was saddened to read about Blixen's personal angst throughout her life, but fascinated by her journey.  I recommend it with five stars!  
As soon as we arrived home, I bee lined out to the garden.  YAHOO!  A pumpkin is growing!

 This morning the moon greeted the neighborhood.  Hello, Moon!  I do love the moon.  I even wrote a paper about it in college and as I wrote, I realized how very much I adore it!  A lot of people that I really like, love the moon, too.  Susan Branch for one!  Jody at Gumbo Lily for two!  

 Even though my kitchen is hodge podge-y, I do like it.  I found the perfect red for my cupboards (on a vest worn by a little boy in a magazine) and the very nicest GREEN, too.  Red and green it will be.  Cheerful and spunky.

 I have my annual eye appointment today, so I shall bring those nice ladies that work there (and always help me choose good glasses) some garden blooms.

 I missed our coffee.  Kelli brought me this mug from Victoria last month.  It's china.  It's so bright!  The lip is so fine and it makes my coffee-drinking experience very lovely.

 My friend Dawn sent me this lovely plant to offer her condolences upon my dad's passing.  It's one of the loveliest floral shop gifts I've ever received.

 Don't you like to come home to your "stuff"?  I missed my Bible with the duct-taped spine.  I did take my laptop in my shoulder bag and I feel sure it weighs 100 pounds.  Yikes!  When we ran for the train, hurried to customs, went up and down stairs, I wished that I had left my laptop at home.  

 Long ago our Brad (or maybe all the kids) gave me The Book of Common Prayer for Christmas and I have treasured it.  Today I read about "the cloud of witnesses", those who have gone before us and surround us.  My dad.  So comforting.

 Just before we left for Europe, this used book came in the mail.  My good buddy MK told me about it.  She blogged about it a few times.  Look at the pages.  It is beautiful and inspiring.

 When we were waiting in Amsterdam, just before we boarded the plane, a young man escorted a lovely little lady to the pre-boarding area.  Now I must tell you that I did look at a lot of people during our journey.  I notice shoes, clothes, haircuts, ect.  Shallow?  Yes.  I saw many thin and fit people (and all those people of all ages on BIKES!) and I saw fancy shoes and handbags. I smelled a lot of fragrance, sprayed on.  However, the person who made my heart feel happy was this little grandma.  She had snow white hair, straight and cropped in a smooth bob, no bangs.  She wore delicate little eyeglasses with no rims.  She had very blue jewel-like eyes and she was dressed in casual comfortable clothes.  She was beautiful.  All this to say, I think I'll grow out my bangs and today when I choose new spectacles, I'll choose a pair like hers.  She looked so friendly and kind.  She may not be, right?  Who knows?  But never in the Bible does it say to compare ourselves to others (shame on me for thinking about being so chubby when I looked at slim peeps!) but says to be an ambassador of love, HIS love.  Well, that's a different uniform, don't you agree?  My sister Karol has the sweetest smile.  Children come up to her and try to make friends with her!  Yes, it's THAT kind of smile!  I love the high calling of giving kindness, don't you?  It's a way better task than choosing the right clothing.

I expect to feel jet lagged for a few days.  I am SO thankful for our bed.  I got up and read for a few hours last night and when I climbed back into our bed, next to Bill, I immediately prayed, "Thank you, Jesus, for taking such good care of me."  The gratefulness comes to mind when I am resting.  Hmmmmm.
Thank you for going on my trip with me, friends.  I hate to be too much of a counter, but I have 20 days until I go back to school.  It's easy to say NOW that I want to simplify some of my teacher systems, so I can focus on the kids and not the meetings, piles of grading, messes that accumulate during the day, and the commute.  But, it IS time to do a little planning and praying.
I am going to call my mama this morning.  Even in her grieving, she has a cheerful tone that I like hearing whenever I can.  Bless her.
Thank you for being my reading friend.