Mid-July Faves

Well, week 2 of summer school is finished and I'm taking time to find the blessings from the week.  I do this by linking up at Susanne's to participate in the Friday Fave Five.  Finding 5 special blessings each week helps me to focus on the positive things, people, or events in my life.

• PERFECT SUMMER DAY: Saturday we woke up to no more high humidity or temperatures.  We turned off the central air and opened all the windows in the house!  Even the walk in closet window!  It was glorious.  Perfect sunshine, blue skies and grilling our dinner outdoors and even eating outside.  It was heavenly.  Dave and I mowed the lawn (I did the backyard and both sides after power walking for a 1.5 mile walk and he did the front yard).  Then I did a few errands and chores around the house and the rest of the day was spent reading and relaxing in the backyard and on the deck.  I'm thankful for perfect summer days after a rainy week.

birthday treats

• BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION:  Our oldest daughter, Courtney, turned 28 on Sunday and  we celebrated with all of her fave things:  she requested I make chicken pasta salad with grilled chicken and watermelon.  We also had these beautifully decorated cupcakes from a local bakery.  I'm not a huge cake fan but she loves them so was very happy with her treats.  We gifted her with some money for some much needed purchases for her new apartment...another thing we're thankful for!!  There's an available 1 bedroom apartment in a complex about 3 miles from us so she applied and was approved and can move in by the end of the month! 'm thankful for my oldest girl and the joy she has been to us and the apartment opening God has provided. 

• LANGUAGE LESSON:  I had the opportunity to teach a student in a small group language lesson whom I've never taken out of the classroom before.  He typically has some very dysregulated behaviors so he either goes to his therapies or stays in the  large classroom. When he's dysregulated the behaviors are often quite violent. Well, we have been meeting as a team as to how to work with him, and Tuesday I volunteered to try him in my circle group. Now, typically I have 5-6 children in the group but this week we decided to just have 3.  We left the room and I was able to get him to sit and participate in my lesson and he did very well. He did this again yesterday, too! I'm thankful I've had the opportunity to work with him as I honestly didn't think he would ever make it through my group.  

image courtesy of Business Insider site

• COFFEE DATE: My dear friend M-----(who also happens to be my spiritual mentor )and I finally got together this past week for coffee, prayer and conversation. I loved the 2 hours we spent together. We live in the same town yet always have to schedule a time as we both are busy.  She's a dear sister in Christ and our friendship goes all the way back from when my oldest girl  and her son were in Kindermusik together in 1995! I'm so thankful we are able to get together every couple of months!

• RINGS FIXED!  This winter and spring, I noticed my wedding and engagement rings were much too tight. In fact, I couldn't get them off! I do have some arthritis in my fingers both due to genetics and the Lyme Disease that went undiagnosed for so many months back in 2002. I finally got them off during vacation 2 weeks ago and brought them to our jeweler here in town to get them re-sized.  I had to go up a whole size from a 6 to a 7! The jeweler had them for 2 weeks and Wednesday  they were ready for pick up!  They're beautifully done and they even cleaned them up for me. I'm thankful for a good jeweler right here in town. 

That wraps up the highlights of my week.  I hope that whatever you do this weekend, that you have time to re-charge and relax!