I love sixty-four degrees! We keep the thermostat at 64 degrees year round. We have a gas stove in the family room that keeps us a little toastier, but the rest of the house stays at 64. In the summer, the AC is on…until the heat of the summer breaks. Then…as soon as I see the outdoor temperature is 64, the AC is turned off and the windows are thrown open wide. The opposite is true in the winter. As soon as the thermometer hits that magic number, I can breathe again. It means spring is well on its way…even if there are more freezes, or even snow after.

We had heavy rain yesterday. When I woke up, I could see the water dripping from the eaves out the window and knew the rains had come. I could hear the roar of heavier rain as it came over the far hill….louder and louder as it made its way closer and closer…till it pounded the roof over my head. I smiled. I love, love, love rain. Maybe that’s why I love West Virginia so much. We have received between 1.5 and 2.5 inches of rain from this storm.

Sometime in the afternoon, I got up from my comfy red chair to make that apple pie I told you about. As I peeled the apples by hand, I mentioned to Mr. FixIt it was a good thing I don’t like to peel apples very much, because I dearly love apple pie and we’d be having it far too often. I make my pie crust in my food processor because it’s ready in no time. But peeling the apples. Ugh. I try to make it a meditation, but that doesn’t always work. I glanced at the clock and decided I knew the perfect way to pass the time.

I moved our little Amazon Echo into the kitchen where I sat at the breakfast bar. I knew my Colorado peeps were gathered at Ben & Sue’s house to celebrate Big’s birthday, so I made a video call. As I finished the apples, and rolled out the dough, I visited with my family and sang Happy Birthday with them. It was so much fun! We all laughed as Big opened her box in a box in a box times five to get to the money she requested. Her mom is taking her to the Olympic Swim Trials this summer to observe, then they’re coming here. We will keep Little with us while they go look at college campuses. (How is this possible???) I cannot tell you how incredibly excited I am to get my family here!!!

I heard the very first sounds of peepers up the holler last evening…their bright and cheery calls beckoning their mates to do what little froggies do at this time of year. The creeks are roaring and our yard is filled with water, but our work on the drain last week was successful. It’s working like it’s supposed to, which is a great relief. 

As I write this, I again remind myself of our many blessings for which we are so grateful. I think of my dear friend who lost her only sister yesterday. I think of another dear friend who lost a cousin to suicide last week. And another dear friend whose niece is suffering “locked-in syndrome” after a brain bleed and a major stroke right as they were about to have their first baby. It kind of makes any complaints I may have seem pretty puny in comparison. God is so good to us and provides for our needs. I am so grateful I have His presence in my life…to lean on in times of trouble. It’s easy to forget to thank Him when things are going great, so I’m especially mindful to express my gratitude.

Goodbye, February…Hello, March!!! I hope you have a pleasant Monday and things go well in your world this week.

?

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

James 1:17 ESV