Grateful/Thankful Thursday – A Whole Bunch of Stuff

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.
Psalm 107:1 NIV
This Grateful/Thankful Thursday I am soooo grateful/thankful
for so many things:

The privilege of helping chaperone some of our youth girls to California a couple of weeks ago…..and while there Emma & I were able to spend an afternoon and evening with Abi & Ryan (who had driven all the way from San Francisco to see us)….

Grateful/thankful that while in California I was also able to meet a sweet bloggy friend, Melody, who has now become a real-life friend. We had lots and lots of fun together!!!


Grateful/thankful that last week-end our longtime friend, Stuart, came for a visit from Arizona. We had not seen him in several years and it was so good to spend time together….We had a blast!!!


He is one of our empty-nester friends yet he really loves all our kids….and they love him to pieces…….evidenced by the way the three littlest ones were all clinging to his legs as he was “walking”…..(one of the nights the big kids sat around with us for hours and we just laughed and talked – they really love spending time with Stuart)….


I am always forever grateful/thankful for “skin-on” friends who love me, right here where we pastor…..last week I was out really late one night. As I pulled in the driveway with the four youngest kids, I noticed – we’d been hit!! I started to laugh….I have t-p’d more than one house in my day so I guess it was our turn…..but I immediately wondered who would have done this??

And then I saw it….the “trademark”……(long story)….but when I saw that special “trademark” (42DD in avocado green no less!)….I knew exactly who had done it and I sat in my car and laughed and laughed and laughed till tears came……..there is a little group of us girlfriends who often go to dinner together (and always have a stinkin’ blast!!)….yes, it was a few of them…….it is so fun to be loved by my crazy friends!!
I am so grateful/thankful that I found a man at our little county fair who makes metal signs…..I ordered one for Dw’s anniversary present (yes, slightly overdue) but he delivered it this week….. Dw loved it…..it will hang at our new home before too long…..
Grateful/Thankful for the privilege of homeschooling our kids for the last 21+ years……and also the privilege of having a hot tub at this rental….yesterday after the snowy start to the day Emma suggested that we discuss our Bible lesson in the hot tub ( while sipping the Starbucks that Autumn had surprised us with)…….so we jumped in and had a blast….and yes, we really did discuss our Bible lesson….and yes, it was mighty cold as I stood in my wet swimsuit taking the picture…..
Lastly, yesterday Dw brought home a package from Pottery Barn….it had arrived at the office….and when we tore into it, we found this…….a Christmas Stocking for Jubilee……with this note: “Believing with you, for you and in Him. Looking forward to Jubilee’s homecoming. I love you guys!! ChrisAnn”

We started to cry……

ChrisAnn is a sweet real-life friend who lives in TX but she and her husband also have a home here, so every now and then we get to see their sweet faces and hug their necks at church…..which brings me to another thing…..

We continue to be grateful/thankful for all of you who stand with us pounding heaven for news from Ch*na about our sweet baby girl Jubilee Promise.

A couple of days ago while on FaceBook, I noticed that it was my sweet bloggy friend Lisa’s birthday. So I posted a tiny comment on her wall wishing her a happy birthday. She wrote me back and said that nothing would make her birthday better than hearing on her birthday that we had heard that Jubilee was coming home. I started to cry when I read her words….it was her birthday and she wanted news of our Jubilee…how amazing is that? I said to Dw, “Do you realize how many people are praying and thinking of our sweet girl regularly?” We are overwhelmed by all of your continued support and love, dear bloggy friends…thank you!!

Tomorrow marks 6 weeks waiting for TA.

It is normally a 4 week wait. We are not sure what all that means,

but we know that the fervent prayers of God’s people are effective!!

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts and should you one day, hear uproarious screaming in the distance, check in here, because it will confirm that the shouting, weeping and joyful noise is our family’s celebration that we have finally heard that it’s time to go get our long-awaited girl!!!!!

23 thoughts on “Grateful/Thankful Thursday – A Whole Bunch of Stuff

  1. Love your list, and I totally love how Emma thinks. Bible study in the hot tub, with Starbucks… not too shabby, my friend.
    That metal sign is just beautiful, can't wait to see a pic of it in your new home.

  2. I cannot wait to hear those riotous screams! Because it will mean the the sweet little girl who stole my heart from the first photo gets to come home. You, and your kiddos, are such a joy, such treasures. I cannot wait to meet and love on sweet Jubilee!

  3. What a sweet post Linny! And to think, little ol' me made it into your Thankful Thursday. 🙂 Say it with me, awwww.

    What fun friends you have! I love that they even went to the measures of getting your front yard it's very own bra to wear in this chilly weather! 😉

    Praying for sweet Jubilee's arrival everyday! I hate that you guys are having to wait so very long, but I know God is preparing that sweet girl for the moment she walks into this amazing family!

    LOVE that picture of the hot tub in the snow- you almost make it look appealing! 😉

    Love you friend!

  4. Linny, I pray for you and Jubilee, as I wait for my Olivia Mame. (Starting my 19th month).

    You have done so much to encourage me. Your single mom post just locked in my assurance that this is the path God plans for me…and your post on what families or others think, helped lock in that Olivia Mame probably won't be my last.

    I often wish I was not walking this rode single, but I am, so I will walk it with Joy and lots of little hands.

    Hugs…I am grateful for you. Folsom California has a house for you to visit, if you are ever out this way and want to wonder a couple hours outside of SF! Blessings.

  5. I love your Thankful Thursday list! Nothing like a green brassiere to remind you that your cups, umm, I mean cup overflows.(Too fun!) And that Christmas stocking with Jubilee's name (how thoughtful was that?!)–it may have come from Pottery Barn but the stitching was done by God himself. I'm praying and believing her home, too.

    This week I'm thankful for your blog–thankful for the wisdom, honesty, and encouragement you so freely give.

    I'm also thankful that after 2 and a half years, we finally have some real progress on our adoption (submitted to family court today). There's a slim chance (I'll take it) that our son could be home by Christmas!!!! And as always, I'm grateful to be an adopted daughter of a good and merciful Heavenly Father.

    Gratefully His,
    Kathie from Georgia

  6. I'm praying for Jubliee, everytime i think of it I immediately ask God to move …it's gonna be awesome to see what He's got planned for your famly !! 🙂

  7. Laughing with you…….don't know the joke, but hey any friends who are that crazy….yep that is great! Praying that they are taking their time just to really find out how perfect of a home you have waiting for Jubilee and she will be with you SOOOOOONNNNNNN!!!!!! God knows she is yours….now the government just has to get over it- I mean go through the right channels.

  8. I hope to hear the joyous screaming and shouting all the way up here in Massachusetts! Continuing to pray for sweet Jubilee to finally be home with her family where she belongs!!

  9. Oh Linn, It was my sincere prayer that I would see your TA on my birthday but I believe that the Lord is bringing Jubilee home and I continue to pray. I love reading your blog. I feel like it is just you and me visiting on the phone or sitting down over some coffee while we chat. I know that seems silly but I truly believe that you care for each one of us reading and that is such a blessing in my life. With friends always moving away in our military community, you are like a friend who is always there. Thank you for allowing Christ to radiate through your life and onto this blog. Blessings, Lisa C.

  10. I've said this before.

    Yet again, we were listening to our Mwangaza Children's Choir CD on a little road trip for our boys to meet one set of their grands for the first time…

    and 'the song' came on that reminds me to pray for y'all every time I hear it.

    'These are the days of Elijah…
    this is the year of Jubilee.'

    and another part, "There's no God like Jehovah."

    Listening to those sweet African voice sing this song makes me cry and think of y'all everytime.

    And this thought came to me during the part of 'the year of Jubliee'…the year is not over.

    I felt like I should tell you that.

    The year is not over. God is faithful and He keeps His word.

  11. Linny,

    Crying at the sight of Jubilee's stocking, rejoicing in the knowledge that God keeps His promises.

    Merriam Webster says:
    promise = reason to expect something

    So we pray EXPECTING that the Lord is going to free your baby girl to fly away home! Bring her Lord! Bring her!

    Expecting to hear the loud sounds of rejoicing coming from the north–Can't wait to join in!

    As I type the "Year of Jubilee" plays on . . .

    LIFT YOUR VOICE, it's the year of JUBILEE!

    There's no God like Jahovah– and it is He who is going to bring her home!

    Love the post, love the pics, love the new sign (beautiful), and love YOU!

    Tina

  12. Love your thankful/ grateful list!

    Love the pic of the fam in the hot tub ( I guess maybe we should use ours!)…

    Love the birthday wish of the bloggy friend!

    Love the christmas stocking!

    Love you!

    Praying for sweet Jubilee to come home!

  13. Linn, I love the hot tub idea as well. Every time I think of Jubilee I say a prayer that she will come home soon. We love you guys and can't wait to hear the screams of joy too!

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