Thank you Heavenly Father for . . .

20. safe 7 hour bus ride

21. nearly butterfly-less performance

22. growing opportunities to minister through music

23. humbling realization that I must always lean on Jesus

24. God’s design for order found in beautiful music

25. fading fall colors

26. violet, frosty mornings

27. fog that clings to unharvested cornfields

28. Japanese maple by the Library

29. red berries

30. pressed leaves

31. time to read more

32. a warm home to clean

33. the God-given need to create, infuse life, and communicate

34. the black and white energy called Bentley that collapses into cuddly naps

35. the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave that we still fight for today

36. hearts of our forefathers that were wholly dedicated to the Lord

37. dangerous sea voyage and sacrifice of the Pilgrims

38. Providence of God in the forming of Plymouth plantation

39. . . . and Jamestown

40. . . . and our country

.:. .:. .:.

“Toast and Cream”

Toasted bread, thoroughly punctured with a fork. Oh, and a good sprinkling of sugar . . .

. . . And milk poured over the top. Mmmm!

Extra good with homemade bread!

.:. .:. .:.

Toast and Cream Recipe:

- Two slices of homemade bread
- Spoonful of sugar
- Enough cold milk to soak your bread

Toast your bread till it’s golden brown. Place toast on a plate and puncture with a fork until the tops of both pieces are covered in holes. Sprinkle a spoonful of sugar over both pieces (you may use more or less as you wish). Pour the milk over your sugared toast until they’re soaked through.

Grab your fork and enjoy!

.:. .:. .:.

All our work is done, and now you have a little more time to guess for a chance to enter our giveaway. The big announcement is Friday, so here are some more clues for you to ponder over. Keep visiting Emily Rose’s blog for more clues, too! Comment here or at Emily Rose’s blog with your guess.

We’ve had to stay up late a few nights, and that makes for a flurry and boggy foggy and blurry Bre in the morning. Mornings start to look kind of like this:

Sunshine is always welcome to help us wake up…

…especially if it’s my favorite cereal, Honey Sunshine. But most time I have home-ground wheat bread, toasted, with organic peanut butter and raw honey. Yummm!

Quiet time in God’s Word is always important, and I’ve recently started a prayer journal (why didn’t I start sooner?). I highly recommend the practice of recording your prayers. I’m currently reading through II Corinthians and Desiring God.

And then (after checking my blog and email) I’m in focus and ready to get to work!

“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere.” - II Cor. 2:14

A sunny Monday morning. Two baby girlies came to play. and romp.

and eat. these are the most cutie-pie girls alive!

.:. .:. .:.

The past few weeks have artfully revealed what three girls, a helpful friend, some reeds, and a bit of elbo-grease can create. My last year of 4-H is rapidly approaching, and I’ll be entering my fourth basket.

Planning Emily’s basket

Packing in the bottom reeds

Waiting on the rim and lashing as it soaks

The finished basket

Maggie’s basket, as well as mine, are complete, but the handles Emily’s basket needs are yet to arrive. We all plan on filling them with our favorite books and supplies.

The breaks were as enjoyable as the sessions, when we got to meet many new friends.

After a picnic lunch on Saturday, Emily, Mia, Macy and I took a stroll along the Chatahoochee River. The weather was positively gorgeous - perfect breeze and lots of sunshine, bird songs, and even some green grass.

Three of the Allen sisters, me, Emily, and Lauren W. Emily and I had a good time talking with these lovely ladies. We also also got to meet Christie, McKinzie, Jessica, Olivia, Julia, Shannon and Tiffany (Emily has more photos on her blog).

Emily, Elizabeth, Rachel, Rebecca, Christiana, Lauren, me, Anna, Prentiss, and Emily, Sunday afternoon, at the Rose Hill Baptist Church in Columbus.

We drove all day Thursday and arrived safely at the inn around 6:00pm.

Louisville skyline. Photo by Emily Rose

Rest stop in Alabama! Photo by Emily Rose

Back on the road, and almost to Columbus!

I saw three robins at the library this Tuesday, and soon the daffodils and grape hyacinths will be showing their delicate shoots.  All the snow and ice will melt, and the oak tree will be covered in little bright green buds! The wind will turn sweet and warm, and I’ll walk bare-foot in the grass again.