Things that Count

Saturday, April 28, 2012:  Today is my beautiful daughter, Chelsea Diana's, birthday.  Her 30th birthday, I might add.  I think she only gets better with age.  She is very precious to me and I'm grateful that she and her little family are here with us for the next week.  I already feel calmer and more at peace with life and all the question marks of the coming days.  My family is my rock, my treasures, the things that count in my life.  I'm feeling immensely blessed.
Slowly, slowly, my Before Surgery To Do list is being whittled away.  This morning, Dean and his wonderful crew (Aaron and Lindsey and Robby and neighbor/friend, Dave Hale) laid the new sod in our backyard.  Instant green!  Instant happiness!  I love it.  I can see myself sitting out on the lush green lawn in a few weeks with my ice water and a good book.  Pure joy.
The clutter in our home is slowly being whittled away, as well, in anticipation of the community garage sale next Saturday.  While some were hard at work in the backyard this morning, Chelsea and Janessa were going through J's drawers and closet (and under her bed--yikes!) to weed out all the unwanted and unworn that could very possibly be someone else's treasure.  There is a new pile of boxes and bags on top of my own boxes and bags that will hopefully go to new homes to be enjoyed as we have enjoyed them.  What a relief to be taking out inside of bringing in!  Cross that off the list, too.  As we come to the end of April, I'm feeling that renewal of Spring, clearing out the cold of winter and basking in what looks new to our eyes.  It's a good day.

(Picture:  our little family in July of 1982 - Aaron was 2 years old and Chelsea was 2 months old)