little things.

Silas has been praying out loud with us a lot more often lately, and after we hold hands around the dinner table, he squeezes his green eyes tight, and lists the things he's most thankful for, " Thank you God for my pillow, for our warm house when there is lightning outside, for my baby, for our family...". Hearing him list all the small things he's thankful for is such a sweet reminder to me that God loves hearing about even the tiniest parts of my day. And there's nothing too small to be thankful for.

Years ago, back when we lived in Hawaii, when I blogged regularly, and Chris was gone on deployments or other short trips fairly often, I hosted a Friday link-up I called "The Little Things Link-up".  I wrote about the things that got me through a bad day, that made me smile, that I might have taken for granted on a different day. Those were some of my favorite posts to write-- reminding me to keep a grateful heart, even for the things that seemed silly or unimportant. I think I'd like to resurrect that practice. Even if it doesn't always make it to the blog, I'm going to be chasing after a more grateful heart this winter season.

+ Amazon Prime. What a luxury to order something (anything!) that you need or want and have it show up at your order two days later (or even later that day!) 

+ Freshly brewed coffee with just the right amount of toffee almond creamer.

 + The sweet babbling songs that Delia sings to me upon request. 

+ Neighbors that work from home and are able to rescue us when we're locked out of the house in the middle of the day. 

+ The recommendation of an excellent babysitter, and the prospect of regular dates this winter. 

+ The low rumble of hot air running through our vents, warming up our home. 

+ Silas' giggles when he's really exhausted. They're hilarious, and a tell-tale sign of a tired boy. 

+ Quiet evenings with Chris after the kids have gone to bed. Spending time watching mindless tv, praying together, or scarfing down ice cream after a particularly tiring day. I'm thankful to have him as my partner in crime. 

+ Silly selfies with my kids in the reflection of shiny ornaments

+ Battery-powered candles on a timer that come on just as the sun disappears, and make our home feel a little bit cozier. 

happy weekend, friends!