This was a rather weird kind of week....nothing big going on....still teaching the special preschoolers (we have 12 in our classroom...I teach 5 for language group) and we just lost one student to remote learning. His mom wants him to do school at home due to his fragile physical condition and the virus is on the rise in our area....but in the midst of a busy work day and evenings filled with working out, preparing dinner, and doing chores around the house, I'm pausing to find the blessings to be thankful for.
Here are my FIVE FAVE BLESSINGS from the past week. You can learn more about this blog exercise by heading over to Susanne's site.
- LUNCH OUT: On Saturday, the Book Group I lead was supposed to have our social event. Well, only 2 of the 5 of us were able to go and it happened to be my best friend and prayer partner, Lynn. She and I met at our fave local diner for a delicious lunch and we ended up talking for 2.5 hours!! The waitress didn't mind at all....we kept apologizing for still being there after we had eaten and paid for our meals, but she said we could sit and chat. I'm so thankful for my friend Lynn and the chance to do some real talking and catching up.
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| the Lisha Kill 14 November 2020 |
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| a quiet beauty in the woods |
- LATE DAY HIKE: After leaving the diner from our long lunch, Lynn had to meet her husband at the gym, so I drove on over to the local nature preserve where I've been walking about 1-2 times a week since the end of August. It was about 2:30 and already starting to get dark in the woods. There were many people out hiking/jogging/relaxing by the stream. I did the outer loop (1.8 miles) and made great time. I'm so thankful I live in an area with an abundance of hiking and walking/biking trails. I was able to get out every single day this week for a fitness/nature walk.
- TEXT MESSAGES: I'm really thankful our youngest daughter texted us this week. She's made the decision to stay in her on campus apartment for the Thanksgiving holiday. New Hampshire is one of the only states in the north east to NOT see a rise in Covid cases. If she came home to NY she would have to follow a ton of rules and regulations and quarantine once back on campus. This way she can finish out the semester in her apartment and pack up her stuff for the month long winter break. She'll have a couple of friends over with her roommate on Thanksgiving. (she said almost everyone is staying in their on campus apartments....all kids living in traditional dorms have to be out by the end of the day today. She is allowed to stay until December 11). So, although we will miss her, we are happy and thankful she decided not to travel to my in-laws in MA where covid is really on the rise, or to come back to NY.
- SURPRISE GIFTS! Wednesday evening was the last meeting for the Book Club I host and lead. Because of Covid, I limited the number in the group to 5 total. Well, Wednesday evening there were only 3 of us to wrap up this first semester. We will be taking an extended break this year for the holiday season and the month of January. We meet again the last Wednesday in January unless we are in a forced lockdown. So, I gifted my ladies with little bags of goodies like hand lotion, various teas and hot cocoa mixes, lip balm, etc. One woman won the raffle bag which contained all holiday themed items: a mug, tea, cocoa, writing paper, pen, angel ornament. Well, then THEY surprised ME! They pooled some money together to get me that beautiful dragonfly ornament and the Prayer Tree ornament. I now own 3 Willow Tree figurines (the teacher one, the friendship one, and now this prayer one). The candle is from an Adirondack candlemaker I love and the scent is my fave: balsam!! I'm so thankful for my group of friends and sisters in Christ.
- QUIET BEAUTY: I'm very thankful for moments of quiet beauty: the early mornings sitting with my devotional reading looking at the pretty dawn; the woods and pathways where I walked this week....that stark November beauty.....the various shades of browns, and yellows and sometimes a bit of orange or red left over from October......the way the dried plants look waving in the wind.....so thankful for our Creator giving us all this natural beauty.
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| the Lisha Kill 14 November |
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| Town park bike/walking path 18 November |
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| dawn breaking over our backyard 19 November |
That wraps up my week of fave moments or things.
What about you? What are you most thankful for today?
7 comments:
Love the photos of your beautiful walking place. Like you, I see the Creator's fingerprint in all of beautiful creation.
Knowing how close you are to your girls, it must be hard to not have your daughter home for the holiday. How proud you must be of her mature decision! Have a happy Thanksgiving, Faith!
Your book club friends know you well! What sweet and thoughtful gifts those are.
I know you will miss your daughter, but it will be better to not be concerned about her spreading the virus or getting it herself.
Stay safe and well this week and enjoy more hikes and walks! (we took a long walk today on a new part of one of the bike trails.)
Beautiful image of the leaves on the hiking trail. I’m a little envious of all the college students staying on campus. What an unusual opportunity to spend Thanksgiving with friends. I’m sure they will never forget this.
I love all the nature photos! So calming. How nice to have lunch with your friend and prayer partner. I miss having lunch out with friends. And what sweet gifts your book group exchanged. They know you well. I love those Willow tree figurines. I have lots of them. I know you will miss Claire on Thanksgiving but in light of everything she is probably making the best decision.
How nice to have a long, catching-up lunch with a friend. Sounds like a good plan for Claire to stay in NH for Thanksgiving, though I know you'll miss her. What sweet gifts from your book group. I agree about quiet beauty--so restorative.
Well I'm trying to catch up on a few posts and enjoyed this one. What lovely gifts you received. I also have that Willow tree piece and the "Love" one.
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