for everything Thy goodness sends

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food,

For love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

-Emerson

Giving thanks for everything Thy goodness sends...

- a new art acquisition from my favorite and most elusive Salem artist 
- bundling up, mostly in hand made knits
- the stunning, perfectly scarlet tree outside my classroom
- Levi happily crunching through fallen leaves
- Saturday naps for baby in mama's arms
- Brian taking the kids and letting me sleep in after a tough night
- pumpkin soup and apple pie with the oldest and dearest of friends
- Magnolia practicing "Pa-pa" in the middle of the night
- starbucks 2 for 1 holiday lattes
- the way Levi and Magnolia just look at each other and giggle
- a new (to us) REAL fire in the fireplace
- maple syrup on vanilla ice cream
- a Mama and Maggie date at a holiday craft fair
- nursery duty with good friends
- a little family Christmas card photo shoot and some everyone-smiling photos(Thanks, Katie!)
- kitty cuddles after all the "scary" little people go to sleep
- many prayers for my Dad and his cancer recurrence
- cold November morning nature walks at Appleton Farms; poems read, treasure found, woods explored, thanks given.

(Appleton Farms, a few weeks ago)