By the end of November, my heart was screaming, “No more!”  Pain and tragedy struck our extended family, our friends, and our neighbor.  “You have to keep trusting,” I could hear Nancy from church saying.  What wisdom!  God’s love has never left us.  His autumn blessings have drifted down every day.  Remembering them, my jittery, terrified thoughts get lost in a soft pile of leaves.

“Wonderfully Made” by Ellie Holcomb, playing first thing in the morning 

Reading Wonder (such an important book!) to my boys

Little One remembering the quote, “If you have the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind.”

Tea and scones with my beloved

Celebrating Angie’s 39th!

Dreams spurred by a children’s book conference

Secret gardens

A shell necklace and a worry stone from my son on my birthday

A beautiful plaque made by a friend, reminding me daily that “God writes the best stories.”

Roasting marshmallows in our backyard with Dan and Dayna and all our boys  (How could we have known it would be the last time we’d all be together?)

Watching Abdul and the Queen with Ana

A box of firewood from our neighbor

Happy visit with Gramps

Hubby’s safe motorcycle trip

The sweet scent of tuberose at night

My firstborn’s first dance and the little girl who kept asking if he was going to ask anyone to dance 🙂

Little One winning a cake at the school carnival

Grandma M.’s floral china, perfect for tea parties

A precious two-year-old dancing to “On the Good Ship Lollipop”

Witnessing a mom give a little boy she didn’t know her coat on a shivery day

Dyma running to buy me chocolate GF treats I didn’t ask for and didn’t deserve

Grandmommy and Granddaddy’s beautiful dream trip to Italy

The kind harpist who made Mama’s birthday tea strum with magic

A “Memoe-smelling house” in the morning

My library fine, erased!

Lovely walk through welcome sun

Lead-free dishes at last

Jake’s award!

Fellowship of the Grateful class at church, and the faith of the women in it

The brave older women who joined our church with their husbands

Family movie nights

This cozy old house

The bridge that makes family bike rides possible

Souvenir de Malmaison rose blooms

Leaf rubbings with Little One

A light-filled new home for Lacy

Side by side at the bookstore, just my eldest and me

An over the river and through the woods Thanksgiving