Sometimes I’m just overwhelmed by grace.
Money is tight here, especially with surprise baby #3 on the way.  We’re saving for new carseats for the girls so we can fit 3 across in our Corolla while we wait on next year’s tax return to purchase a used mini-van.  We rapidly meeting our family deductible of $6000 between ear tube surgeries, OB appointments, an ER visit, (what a blessing! We didn’t really need to go after all, but they allow a payment plan whereas the OB is a stickler about everything being paid before month 8!)  Things weren’t looking up financially for awhile.

But God.

(does anyone else get chills when they hear those words?)

Derek’s boss went on vacation and took a class leaving us with lots of overtime. I had a very profitable print order from a client.  The first client referred a second client to me!  The second client is super eager to order prior to Mother’s day.  We’re saving a good deal by couponing (though I’m not extremely good at it).

Suddenly, we’re so much more secure in the grace of God’s provision.  And completely aware of how much of a miracle it is.

#1830-1880 of the Thousands of Gifts He gives

•  Little bare legs dangling over my bare legs as we all read together
• Aeralind picking and attempting to blow a dandelion all on her own
• First coats of real pain on the kitchen cabinet doors
• Perfect color of green-blue
• Taking Ryan Elizabeth’s photos
• Ryan’s parents enjoying snuggling on the bed while I took photos
• Their trust giving me the confidence to try the harder poses
• Ryan just sleeping blissfully
• The unexpected way I keep recieving business with having spen any money on marketing
• Outside worship service with the entire church.
• Little girls beggin lawn chairs, snuggled, and toys off all the nearby families
• Derek graciously painting cabinets with me
• Going strawberry picking

• Watching the girls eyes light up as they realized just what was growing on those plants
• Laughing hysterically as the girls ate their weight in strawberries while we picked (ok, so maybe I exaggerate)
• Girls squealing in utter glee as they ran up and down a pier chasing after each other
• The smell of honeysuckle 
• Explosive too many strawberries diapers cuasing me to have to remove and wash the futon cover
• Half on the fram futon mattress becoming a slide almost immediately
• Excited squeals of “Daaa-DI!”  He’s such and excellent and loved father
• Thrift store shopping coming up with two tops for the girls, two PJ tops, two pair of play shorts, and white Linen (my favorite material to wear!) maternity pats.
• Contemplating tea dyeing the maternity pants 🙂
• Still being small enough to wear most of my extra long DownEast tops comfortably since all of my maternity wardrobe is with a friend due in this month.
• Shade under the cherry tree
• Salad with Catalina Dressing
• Dereking seing 48 species of birds in our back yard that’s a tiny quarter of an acre
• Magnolias blossoming
• Pea and bean plants flowering

• Volunteer tomato plants over 8″ tall
• Content little girls
• Breezes making 80 degress seem cool
• Feeling the baby move when lying in bed at night
• Girls practically crying because they didn’t know how to defend me from the scary blood pressure cuff or the heart beat doppler
• Barefoot girls running free
• Listening to the girls talk to one another
• Being able to understand about 5% of whaty they’re saying
• Hard conversations with Derek
• The grace to hear
• Little footprints all over freshly painted cabinet doors
• Editing 40 pictures in two days for a mother’s day rush
• Little girls giving kisses
• Lamb on last day sale snatched up by hubby
• Lamb made into Gyro Meatballs
• Cabinet Frames fisnished
• Mother’s Day Breakfast in Bed
• Sneaky Derek getting both sausage and bacon without me knowing. Mmmm!
• Little girls stealing and gobbling up one piece of my French toast
• Little hiking trip all packed up and waiting for me to eat and dress
• Seeing pretty birdies
• Frogs making noise at the dam
• Katie’s surprise baby blessing (nothing is impossible with God!)