First Day of Spring Faves

 

 It's the first day of Spring and temps aren't really spring-like here in eastern New York. 

Let's share FIVE of our FAVE blessings from the week while we wait for Spring to arrive. I'm joining other thankful bloggers at Susanne's blog, who hosts this weekly meme. 

 

2 lbs of Guatemalan Coffee beans!

• GIFTS!  Dave returned home from the missions trip to Guatemala safe and sound around 2 AM last Saturday morning. After sleeping in, he showed me the gifts he bought me: Two 2-lb bags of whole bean Guatemalan coffee for me to grind for our auto drip coffee maker. He also bought Courtney a pound wrapped in an artsy cloth bag with one of those cute Guatemalan dolls attached, and for Claire, he bought a pound of a different Guatemalan blend for her to grind for her pour over. He also bought his mom a jade cross to give her for her birthday on March 27th. I'm so thankful the missions trip went well for everyone, and that he gifted us with such wonderful treats! If you've never had Guatemalan coffee you are missing out on one of the smoothest blends ever!  Find some that is almost as good as fresh from Guatemala, at St*rbucks. 

The cast of The Addams Family 
Qu**nsbury High School 
photo used with permission

Mady playing the part of Alice Beinke

Uncle Fester and Alice 

Alice and Morticia look through the
Addams Family album 

Wednesday and Pugsley play!

Delaney S plays Wednesday 
The Addams Family 

• HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL!  Dave, Courtney, Tyler, and Claire and I all had tickets to go see my youngest niece (the one I hike with!), Mady, in her high school's musical, The Addams Family. WOWZA! Yet another top notch performance by her high school theater group. We've been to 2 of her sister Emma's shows over the years and all of Mady's shows except her 1st one.  Last year was the Wizard of Oz and before that was Annie. The girl who played Dorothy and Annie played Wednesday this year and I am not kidding that she has the vocals of a college voice major. She is absolutely superb. Our niece played the normal mom (Alice Beinke) and did an outstanding job as well!  Her acting...especially the screaming scene between her and Uncle Fester was just over the top hilarious and so well done. We all are so proud of her!! The sets are always done by professional style artists and the music and choreography helps this high school win state awards.  They truly have THE best musicals at that level for this part of the state, and we are so thankful we all got to see Mady perform in her final musical. 

• DATE NIGHT!  Monday evening after Dave was done with work, was "Date Night" for us.  We chatted all day Saturday and Sunday evening after the musical about the missions trip, etc. so we had our "in home date night" on Monday.  We chose the Grand Finale of Downton Abbey to watch together...the final scene really made me smile but also cry. If you've never seen this series, I highly recommend it. It's one of our faves and everyone in my family has loved it. This last movie is just so poignant. I'm thankful we spent the evening together wrapping up this series that we have so cherished over the years. 

• ENCOURAGING EMAIL:  My friend Joan sent me such an encouraging email. She basically was thanking me for all the work that goes into leading SoulSteps Hiking Group (the hiking season begins today!) and that I am very patient. I had had to address some issues that members were engaged in.....things going against our group guidelines or that it seemed they didn't understand.  Most of it was because the people involved were not actually reading the guidelines set forth and available in their email, on the church center app group page, and also every member from 2025/2026 was handed a hard copy.  I was tired of answering the same questions over and over when the answers are right in the paperwork they were given!! I told her I appreciated her email because I sure did not feel patient when writing the group message. I really had to come down hard (without naming names)and give a warning that if guidelines were not adhered to, they were at risk of being kicked out of the  group). There are currently 54 members (that includes 8 children) with 9 names on a waiting list. It's a large group to manage and although the average hike only has between 6-10 people, I still have to deal with all the RSVP's, Details, etc. I like it but it makes it hard when people don't actually READ what is sent to them. I'm very thankful for friends who are encouraging and kind.  I'm also thankful for the hiking members who do read every message and article. (most do!)

Qamaria Yemen Coffee Shop
sitting area

Qamaria Yemen Coffee Shop
walls are nicely decorated

Sana'a 
a medium roast yemen coffee with cardamom, ginger, cinnamon
very rich and flavorful!

• COFFEE with CLAIRE!  Claire wanted me to try this new Yemen coffee shop located in our town. In fact, our town now has 3 new Yemen coffee shops.  The one we went to is Qamaria I ordered the Sana'a pictured above. I purposely ordered it without oat or almond milk as I have never had Yemen coffee and wanted to experience it as is.  Wowza. First of all, it is one rich, steaming hot cup of coffee! So very flavorful and intensely rich. Some, who aren't used to unAmericano coffees will think it's even possibly bitter. It isn't. It's just super rich and deep.  I can't imagine what the dark roast is like! Yemen is the country, where in the 15th century, the first cup of coffee was brewed! The coffee bean itself originates in Ethiopia (another coffee we love!), but it was in Mocha Yemen where the beans were first roasted and brewed. I learned this because it was written on the wall of the coffee shop!  I then came home and researched it and yup....sure enough..there's tons of good articles about Yemen coffee. Claire and I are kind of "coffee snobs". We are very choosy about our coffee and don't mind paying for a super good cup. The thing I am most thankful for though is the time spent with my youngest girl, 1:1, to have a really good conversation about some spiritual stuff and the upcoming Easter holiday. I'm very thankful for our  conversation and coffee time. 

Those are the things that made me smile this past week and say "Thank You" to God. 

What about you? What are you thankful for this week? 

HAPPY WEEKEND!