this is what we did on sunday

some days are just ripe with blessings. 

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most sundays at church include a time of sharing, and i tell you, there is nothing more precious to me than the people of God standing up and declaring out loud what the Lord has done for them. sometimes it's a verse, sometimes a prayer request, sometimes a praise for an answer. birth, death, depression, reunion. inevitably, a tiny elderly woman will stand and share that after a long life, she knows it's just best to trust Jesus. i am telling you, it is the best part of sunday morning. 

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i have sung "blessed be the name" about thirty thousand times. "You give and take away" can be overused to the point of being contrite or cruel, especially when sung to such a catchy tune. but we sang it on sunday, just like we sang it at my friend katie's memorial service last summer. that song is so much bigger now. it brings me to my knees.  Lord, help me believe these words that i sing. katie is with You; she is dancing and running and living how you intended her to live without disease. it doesn't take away the grief of losing her. so far from it. that pain reminds us that we are meant for more.

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after church and after costco and after naps, i taped construction paper to the back doors and cruz colored. i watched as he picked one crayon over the other, every once in awhile turning to me to hand one off or to ask its name. we work on his colors in portuguese. "laranga. azul." portuguese must tickle his tongue, because he repeats it back, giggling. "azul, azul." i practically grip the floor to stay on balance because as we sit here coloring and learning and laughing, i remember that i'm his mom. my dream of dreams come true and i sit here and have this extraordinary ordinary moment.

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even the parents of a dream-come-true-child need a date night. scene is from los arroyos, we've been discussing our upcoming trip to london:
me: next year, let's just take a staycation.
tovi: oh, here in santa barbara? just stay in a hotel?
me: no, here. los arroyos. i want to have a staycation here.