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A Saturday...

Quietness fills our home this Saturday evening.  I can almost hear the walls sighing.  We had such a wonderful weekend last week with family visiting from Tennessee.  Our house was filled with lots of laughter, smells of good food and sweet fellowship, it was nourishment for our souls.  For that we are so thankful.

We've had a few weeks of constant noise with constant studying for the written portion of Joe's licensure exams.  Those are finished, now he waits for the date to meet with the exams committee, then the final examination by presbytery February 23.  In a few weeks we will know if he is licensed to preach or if he goes back to study more and re-take exams.

Each day this week has brought it's own to-do list.  Today included being an overnight refuge for Aunt Judi from paint fumes, Nate's basketball game, a friend's birthday party, and helping Emily shave her legs for the first time.
  
In the morning we will be at the church whose search committee is working to call their next pastor... it's an exciting time, but for today we live here and wait.  Graduation is three + months away, nothing will be certain for a couple of months, I'm sure.  We never do anything the proper easy way. 

We are praying for our nephew Sam, who is still in the hospital having a very rough time with painful Colitis.  The Lord is working, several days of IV medication, a few procedures and he seems to be improving.  Our hearts are heavy for all that they go through and the weariness that threatens their hearts. 

Today, I am thankful for quiet conversation, stolen moments pondering the future and sipping good coffee.  I am thankful for the ability to pray for our family and friends.  I am thankful for living right where we are with friends who will miss us, friends who share good coffee, friends who drop by to bring me my favorite green beans, friends who text to ask if we need anything while they are out, friends who share their hearts and tears with us... and the new friends who will be brought to us in the future.  This is a good place to be, this in-between and I plan to savor every moment.

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