Joy Dare::January

 8750. The kids--living their best life--playing in the mud

8751. Living room painted feels really good
8752. One more batch of Puppy Chow
8753. "This is the best of the next generation." Grandad
8754. Church
8755. Warm enough to send the children outside without coats...
8756. ...24 hours later...watching the snow fall and accumulate
8757. Doing laundry at home in my own washer
8758. Our new windows in the first snow
8759. Sitting and looking at the snow

8760. Feeling really happy that Jeremy can set up his home office
8761. Listening to music with Aliza
8762. Pacing myself
8763. Snowmen

8764. No computers/screens in the morning
8765. Unpacking more kitchen boxes
8766. Making one small pretty spot

8767. Making supper on my stove with my pots/pans
8768. Aliza made a porch delivery
8769. The boys building where Grandad could see them

8770. Finding "new" dishes
8771. Celebrating Dad
8772. Unpacking my china for the first time
8773. Someone who wants our oil tank and boiler
8774. Aliza and Anna playing piano again
8775. Ice cream at Grandma's house
8776. Ready to start school
8777. Family

8778. School at home--it will be a while before I take it for granted
8779. Peppermint tea in the morning
8780. Electric inspection passed
8781. Reading with Isaiah
8782. Baking cookies
8783. Curtain rods
8784. Final inspection complete
8785. Staying and talking
8786. A mini date two nights in a row
8787. Car time with Aliza
8788. A little motivation returning
8789. Last closet coming along
8790. Listening to Josiah and Isaiah play together
8791. Bringing all the bikes home
8792. Spending some time with Mom
8793. Opening curtains in the morning
8794. Weekend goal completed
8795. Sunday rhythm
8796. A good book
8797. Anna feeling a lot better by evening
8798. Candles on cloudy days
8799. Able to quarantine in our own house this time around
8800. Allowing myself to be distracted and feel
8801. Taking care of Aliza
8802. Warm enough for the well ones to go outside
8803. Jeremy working from home for a day
8804. Looking forward by buying bathing suits
8805. Isaiah wanting to sing at bedtime again
8806. Watching God make the path straight
8807. A few moments of sun here and there
8808. Extra baking
8809. No caulk means no painting for an evening
8810. Specific prayers
8811. Jeremy on the couch with all the kiddos
8812. Going back and forth between the books
8813. Podcasts while I caulked, taped and painted trim
8814. Aliza definitely feels better
8815. Weighted blanket
8816. Psalm 118
8817. Everyone back to school
8818. Apologizing to my children
8819. Josiah enjoying being outsdie
8820. Finding Josiah and Isaiah together in various places talking
8821. An afternoon made to get things done
8822. Talking to my brother
8823. Coffee date during dance
8824. Anna had a better math day
8825. Hearing of marked improvement
8826. Sitting with Grandad
8827. How much Ezra and Caleb wanted to come back to our house
8828. Nerf darts flying everywhere
8829. Snow piled on branches
8830. Sitting and remembering
8831. Painting officially finished in the addition
8832. Snow tunnel

8833. Hugging my Dad
8834. Processing by writing out the highlights--in obituary form
8835. When Janell and I wrote the same thing without knowing what the other wrote
8836, A comfy couch when I can't sleep
8837. Invited to get an education in funeral arrangements
8838. Pictures and memories