Blessings Jar - 2018
At the beginning of 2018, my dear friend told me about something her sister-in-law tried out the year before. I liked the idea and decided to join in. We took a vase and set it in our dining room and it was our "Blessings Jar". The "Jar of Highlights". Our "Jar of Blessings"? Whatever the name is, it was a way to continually be reminded how wonderful our life truly is. A way to be made aware of all the different and constant avenues God uses to love on us, when we usually don't pat attention to them at all. This jar for us was an intentional way to be extra grateful for things we take for granted. To be thankful for the people in our lives. To document the beautiful parts of this season we are in.
And so. Below are some of our highlights from 2018. Not all of them are listed here, because some of our blessings were written down in honest and raw ways -- a lot of what we are so thankful for is very private and special. So we will save those and reflect on them in a different way. But for a lot of our blessings, I want them to be all in one place to look back on at a later date.
01/06/18 - Dinner and games at Chelsea and Cole's house --A
01/14/18 - Sunday lunch with Danny, Dolly, Mary, Xan, Dad, and Gina --A
01/24/18 - Our talk with, our prayer over, and our tears for Tanner and his friendship. --A
01/27/18 - HS movie marathon at our house! --A
01/28/18 - Special A and Xan time; walk around neighborhood. --A
01/29/18 - I had the opportunity to care for Shelley Collins' grandson this week. He was hit by a car, and he has a poor prognosis. It was wonderful to bless his family. --B
January and February - loving and being loved by Blu --A
02/02/18 - Girls Bible Study --afterwords, Adley stayed to talk to me and ask for advice. I prayed over what to say. It felt natural. Special time with her. --A
02/04/18 - Superbowl with the Neals! --A
02/12/18 - I passed!! --B
02/19/18 - Thrift stores with Chelsea! Blu and I had a long Palace talk with Tanner! We talked a lot about our business mission idea(s) or the desire for them. Elizabeth wanting to meet and talk with me at Palace! --A
02/23/18 - Evening with Xan. Starbucks, talk about Harper, dating, Heaven, light and dark. Evan Almighty movie, making cake and breakfast burritos --A
Month of March - My husband seems so joyful, and he's so loving. --A
03/04/18 - Oscars party with Tanner and the Neals --A
03/06/18 - Fun dinner date with Sally and Donald! --A
02/23/18 - Time with Kristy, Tracy, and Gayle at Nee's. Stories, memories, love. --A
03/20/18 - Date with Blu! Note, wine, roses, Mac Joe's, movie :) --A
03/22/18 - Pedicure and Starbucks date with Megan! --A
03/23-03/25/18 - Santa Fe weekend with Xan and the Smiths! (And Taos) Refreshing. --A
Sometime in the first part of the year - This week Aleisha made muffins for me to take to work for breakfast. It's been stressful, but I was reminded that I have a wife who loves me and cares for me. Big time. --B
04/05/18 - Hangout and games at Neals house! Fun and needed. --A
04/06-04/07/18 - Weekend cleaning Nee's house! Fun!! Sweet. Teamwork. Kristy, Tracy, Zach. --A
04/10/18 - Blu reading Armchair Mystic. Telling me he's working on himself. "You are the wonder of my world." --A
05/09/18 - I haven't found much to be joyful about over the last month, but one thing has remained constant: I have a truly devoted and amazing wife. I love you, Leishi. --B
June 2018 - Xander called "cuticle" --> "uterus". I don't remember exactly when... sometime in June. But I've told the story so often. :) --A
06/28/18 - We're coming to the end of our month with Xan, and we REALLY don't want to let him go. This has probably been our best full month with him, ever. All in all, we discovered new depths in our connection as a family this month. It's been amazing and beautiful. --B
06/30/18 - Precious couple at Sakura bought lunch for me, Blu, and Xan --A
06/30/18 - First ever XAN DAY! Tim's, Sakura, Starbucks, shopping at mall, finish Narnia book, Wonder movie, Palace and Spicy Uno, talking. --A
07/01/18 - My family and how much they love me and cair for me. --X
07/14/18 - My husband listening to meditative music, cooking in the kitchen, whistling, telling me I'm a good woman led by the Lord --A
08/03-08/05/18 - Fun girls trip with Dolly, Mary, and Lily in Ft. Worth! --A
08/10-08/12/18 - Family Camp weekend! Hang out with the Smith family. Xan got a lot of time with Josh. So. Good. Also, girls game night = hilarious with Kristin, Jayme, Krystole, Stephanie. --A
08/17/18 - Brooke came over with Max! Josh D, Grant, Josh S all showed up in costume randomly! --A
08/24/18 - Evening with Blu and Xan on the porch, talking, watching the storm, listening/smelling the RAIN! --A
10/05/18 - My new job has been a wonderful, purposeful, huge, challenging, life-giving blessings. --B
10/27/18 - Evening with the Smiths! They came over, had pizza and a fire, Xan taught Sydnee the hoverboard, drinks, and laughing. Soooo wonderful --A
10/30/18 - Had Danny and Dolly over for dinner. So lovely! Talked about UK trip. Just being together and getting to host them. --A
11/01/18 - On the UK trip, Brandon started saying "ooof!". Danny now calls Dolly "Dolly Mom". Xan calls cute things "the tiniest!" --A
11/04/18 - Best weekend with Xan! I was really intentional with him. We played laser guns, worked out at gym, went to the movies with the Smiths, prayer journal, ARCH, baked, evening at Mimi's with a fire, cuddle during Nacho Libre, church, have Smiths over, C group, talk about grades and leadership and ABC Scripture, AX chat. Oh man. All the love. --A
11/11/18 - Sarah Brooks said she wished we were next door neighbors. --A
Month of November - Bananagrams with my husband! --A
All 2018 - People partnering with us in prayer and love and advice for Xander. --A
12/13/18 - Blu took me on a date! Barrel and Pie, then Palace Coffee. The timer went off every 20 minutes and we said something loved about each other. He made me feel so loved. Letter for mailman, cookies for neighbors, movie, and cuddling. --A
What a year.
And so. Below are some of our highlights from 2018. Not all of them are listed here, because some of our blessings were written down in honest and raw ways -- a lot of what we are so thankful for is very private and special. So we will save those and reflect on them in a different way. But for a lot of our blessings, I want them to be all in one place to look back on at a later date.
Blessings Jar 2018
Year 1:
Year 1:
01/06/18 - Dinner and games at Chelsea and Cole's house --A
01/14/18 - Sunday lunch with Danny, Dolly, Mary, Xan, Dad, and Gina --A
01/24/18 - Our talk with, our prayer over, and our tears for Tanner and his friendship. --A
01/27/18 - HS movie marathon at our house! --A
01/28/18 - Special A and Xan time; walk around neighborhood. --A
01/29/18 - I had the opportunity to care for Shelley Collins' grandson this week. He was hit by a car, and he has a poor prognosis. It was wonderful to bless his family. --B
January and February - loving and being loved by Blu --A
02/02/18 - Girls Bible Study --afterwords, Adley stayed to talk to me and ask for advice. I prayed over what to say. It felt natural. Special time with her. --A
02/04/18 - Superbowl with the Neals! --A
02/12/18 - I passed!! --B
02/19/18 - Thrift stores with Chelsea! Blu and I had a long Palace talk with Tanner! We talked a lot about our business mission idea(s) or the desire for them. Elizabeth wanting to meet and talk with me at Palace! --A
02/23/18 - Evening with Xan. Starbucks, talk about Harper, dating, Heaven, light and dark. Evan Almighty movie, making cake and breakfast burritos --A
Month of March - My husband seems so joyful, and he's so loving. --A
03/04/18 - Oscars party with Tanner and the Neals --A
03/06/18 - Fun dinner date with Sally and Donald! --A
02/23/18 - Time with Kristy, Tracy, and Gayle at Nee's. Stories, memories, love. --A
03/20/18 - Date with Blu! Note, wine, roses, Mac Joe's, movie :) --A
03/22/18 - Pedicure and Starbucks date with Megan! --A
03/23-03/25/18 - Santa Fe weekend with Xan and the Smiths! (And Taos) Refreshing. --A
Sometime in the first part of the year - This week Aleisha made muffins for me to take to work for breakfast. It's been stressful, but I was reminded that I have a wife who loves me and cares for me. Big time. --B
04/05/18 - Hangout and games at Neals house! Fun and needed. --A
04/06-04/07/18 - Weekend cleaning Nee's house! Fun!! Sweet. Teamwork. Kristy, Tracy, Zach. --A
04/10/18 - Blu reading Armchair Mystic. Telling me he's working on himself. "You are the wonder of my world." --A
05/09/18 - I haven't found much to be joyful about over the last month, but one thing has remained constant: I have a truly devoted and amazing wife. I love you, Leishi. --B
June 2018 - Xander called "cuticle" --> "uterus". I don't remember exactly when... sometime in June. But I've told the story so often. :) --A
06/28/18 - We're coming to the end of our month with Xan, and we REALLY don't want to let him go. This has probably been our best full month with him, ever. All in all, we discovered new depths in our connection as a family this month. It's been amazing and beautiful. --B
06/30/18 - Precious couple at Sakura bought lunch for me, Blu, and Xan --A
06/30/18 - First ever XAN DAY! Tim's, Sakura, Starbucks, shopping at mall, finish Narnia book, Wonder movie, Palace and Spicy Uno, talking. --A
07/01/18 - My family and how much they love me and cair for me. --X
07/14/18 - My husband listening to meditative music, cooking in the kitchen, whistling, telling me I'm a good woman led by the Lord --A
08/03-08/05/18 - Fun girls trip with Dolly, Mary, and Lily in Ft. Worth! --A
08/10-08/12/18 - Family Camp weekend! Hang out with the Smith family. Xan got a lot of time with Josh. So. Good. Also, girls game night = hilarious with Kristin, Jayme, Krystole, Stephanie. --A
08/17/18 - Brooke came over with Max! Josh D, Grant, Josh S all showed up in costume randomly! --A
08/24/18 - Evening with Blu and Xan on the porch, talking, watching the storm, listening/smelling the RAIN! --A
10/05/18 - My new job has been a wonderful, purposeful, huge, challenging, life-giving blessings. --B
10/27/18 - Evening with the Smiths! They came over, had pizza and a fire, Xan taught Sydnee the hoverboard, drinks, and laughing. Soooo wonderful --A
10/30/18 - Had Danny and Dolly over for dinner. So lovely! Talked about UK trip. Just being together and getting to host them. --A
11/01/18 - On the UK trip, Brandon started saying "ooof!". Danny now calls Dolly "Dolly Mom". Xan calls cute things "the tiniest!" --A
11/04/18 - Best weekend with Xan! I was really intentional with him. We played laser guns, worked out at gym, went to the movies with the Smiths, prayer journal, ARCH, baked, evening at Mimi's with a fire, cuddle during Nacho Libre, church, have Smiths over, C group, talk about grades and leadership and ABC Scripture, AX chat. Oh man. All the love. --A
11/11/18 - Sarah Brooks said she wished we were next door neighbors. --A
Month of November - Bananagrams with my husband! --A
All 2018 - People partnering with us in prayer and love and advice for Xander. --A
12/13/18 - Blu took me on a date! Barrel and Pie, then Palace Coffee. The timer went off every 20 minutes and we said something loved about each other. He made me feel so loved. Letter for mailman, cookies for neighbors, movie, and cuddling. --A
What a year.
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