this week-end.

It's not often I can say of March that I've had a good time. but I have. I have felt soaked, saturated and covered in prayer. I felt so much peace this week-end and had a GREAT time with my family. Time to laugh. Time to run and play. Time to be. Time to sit and drink coffee. Time with my love and my little loves.

Alexis came with us and made the trip so pleasurable. She was such a help to me. We were later joined by her mom and siblings (thanks LaLa, Courntey, and Thomas) they came to come pick her up... and they added so much laughter. The day after that my parents came down. It was so nice to see them and be with them.

I think it was healing to have laughter. Healing to be with those who knew and loved Libby dearly. To talk freely about her... or to not talk at all.

It was a comfort food week-end. Meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Monkey bread, eggs and bacon. Chicken Divan and strawberry pretzel salad. We had cake and ice-cream for breakfast on Libby's heaven birthday.

One of the highlights of the trip was thrift store shopping. I found an adorable LIFE IS GOOD bag for $4! I found a New York purse for $2. The purse has 2 girls on it in NYC... it was definitely Libby & me. Mike found a stack of books for $2.14 I found a beautiful silk scarf for Kels- because she couldn't be there...


It was so therapeutic to run my hands through the sand and the shells... to make a tight fist and then to release the sand and shells to the beach. I could feel the tension leave as I kept grabbing and releasing the sand and shells... and relinquish the control I so fiercely fight for.

I brought back some shells back from the ocean. Some I'm using for crafting projects and card making but others I'm keeping as a reminder. Reminder of the 7th. Reminder of my sister. A reminder that there can still be joy after so much pain and loss. And a reminder that God gives good gifts. Precious gifts to me. Precious new memories. Not that they replace the old. But it's a thread to be sewn into the tapestry. This thread was yellow and golden and happy. Some of my other threads have been dark grays, browns, and black. It was nice to see a glimmer of light. It was nice to feel the warm sunshine on my face. It was wonderful to sit and talk with my dad for 45 minutes about life, love, and God. It was wonderful to snuggle up to my husband and my little ones and watch a movie. It was amazing to feel God's love and presence there with us.

What a beautiful week-end.