April Faves

 

April!  I love April because everything begins to slowly  turn green....our  grass is really turning from muddy brown to that bright spring green and in another week, Dave will have to start mowing it!  

I'm taking some time to share FIVE of my FAVE blessings from the week as a way to say "Thank You, God".  It is good to reflect on things God brings into our lives and some of those things are very special things that make me smile and take note. How about joining in?  Head over to Susanne's site to learn how to link up. 

image courtesy of mealeo

• DOOR DASH DELIVERY!  Last Friday evening I was bone tired. Work was physically and emotionally draining as we had a very rough week with certain students who have major social/emotional issues.....and they're only 4 years old. Special education prek is very challenging at times.  I was in no mood to cook of course and Dave just wanted comfort food so we ordered our faves from the local diner through the Door Dash app and 40 minutes later we had our yummy dinner.  I watched a movie on Netflix while eating mine and he wanted to watch a movie on Hulu so we both went to separate rooms with our headphones on and just totally relaxed.  I'm thankful I have an understanding husband who knows I need alone time and the convenience of food being delivered. 

the family room and door leading to deck

Our spring/summer/early autumn room arrangement

Where we gather with family and friends and small group ministry

• SPRING CLEANING ROOM 2:  Saturday morning dawned bright and sunny so I made my "to do" list and started it early as I had a hike to help lead later in the day. I decided to rearrange the  family room and do a thorough spring cleaning...including the walls and ceilings and mopping the bamboo floor. (that's a lot of work as it cannot stay wet). Dave helped me move the couch to our spring/summer/early autumn position to clear the pathway to the deck.  The photo with the rocking chair is where I sit in the early morning before work and do my devotions/meditate. I'm thankful I got this room done along with giving the half bath a good cleaning.  

1st falls on Glowegee Creek
Saratoga County, NY
2 April 2022

2nd falls on Glowegee Creek
the Blue Trail

beginning of the Blue Trail at Glowegee Creek

a vernal pond along the Green Trail

a random cairn on the Blue Trail

• AFTERNOON HIKE!  My friend Cheryl from my hometown area was leading a hike at a new trail system that NY acquired from 2 very wealthy families.   There used to be a farm on this land.  The trail system has a series of different loops. A member of my small group study, Jessica, met us there as did a man from Vermont who had joined Cheryl's hiking group.  We hiked the longer of the 4 loops:  Blue and Green. The Blue trail actually goes past the 2nd waterfalls over a bridge, up an incline but the rest of the trail was closed for maintenance beyond that point.  After seeing both falls, we turned around, took the blue trail back to the intersection with the green trail and saw a beautiful still half-frozen vernal pond.  The cacophony of literally hundreds of peepers signified to us that Spring truly had arrived.  I'm thankful for easy, flat hikes to ease into the hiking season and for hiking with new and old friends. 

Backyard brush

• YARD WORK COMPLETE: While I was hiking, Dave was doing the first of the season yard work:  raking up old leaves we missed in November, gathering all the sticks/twigs from the maple and cherry trees that blew down over the winter, sweeping the deck, putting the grill back down onto the ground, and bagging all the debris after putting the recyclables (mostly paper or cardboard) that had blown into our yard over the winter in to the recycling bin.  I'm thankful he gathered the brush and I'm hoping it doesn't rain this weekend so we can burn it in our firepit. 

• MORE SPRING CLEANING: I came home from work Wednesday to Claire totally cleaning  her bedroom.  She said she was spring cleaning her room and she did a great job!  We aren't bothering washing the windows as the windows will be replaced sometime the end of May if the order is delivered on time. She also volunteered to vacuum our upstairs office (Courtney's old bedroom), the master bedroom and the walk in closet.  I'm so thankful for my youngest girl helping with the housework. It always makes me smile. 

BONUS FAVE!!! Claire aka the Ballerina who did ballet studies as one of her 3 minors in college was offered a teaching position for fitness instructor at Pure Barre. She has training this weekend and plans on just instructing on Saturdays as she's also waiting to hear about a job in her field (Sociology) for a non-profit in our area. She made it to the 3rd round of interviews for the Caseworker position!  We are praying she gets it.  St*rbucks has been a great job for her as they're very flexible but she wants a job now with full benefits and to build experience for grad school applications. I'm thankful for the opportunities she has. 

That wraps up my week!

Only 4 more teaching days until Spring Break!

I hope whatever you do this weekend, that you will take a moment on Palm Sunday to reflect on the meaning of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem and reflect on the beginning of Holy Week and what it means for us. 

HAPPY WEEKEND!