Today Cody turned 5.  I had planned to take some pictures of him this afternoon but while we were at the pool this evening he started to get the shivers and when we got home he had a fever and was clearly not feeling well.  Maybe tomorrow will work better for those special pictures.  I'm thinking he won't change too much in one night. 

I took some pictures at the beach on Sunday evening.  My intention was to get the sunset but I got out there too early so I took extra shots of just the sand and ocean.  I think they turned out better than the sunset pictures. 

The waves were wild and restless.

My favorite

Blessings and Inchworms

I am overwhelmed.

Yesterday I talked with a friend.  I love her heart.  She has a great heart and when we get together or just talk on the phone I know that she is a kindred spirit.  (Anne of Green Gables fans would understand what I mean by that. )  We talked about our next get together (soon!!) and life and her heart for kids in Africa.  I think about Africa too.  I don't know why yet but I hope there is a reason!  We also talked about how blessed we are.  Generally speaking, many of us are here in America. 

So today I'm overwhelmed.  I'm overwhelmed with the blessings that are mine.  I don't deserve any of them and yet God has seen fit to give me what He has.  I've done nothing that I should have them.  I've done nothing that I should receive salvation. 

Grace.

God's good Grace.  Given to undeserving me. 

So that conversation with my friend yesterday has spilled over into the right here and now, today.  And I'm overwhelmed. 

And I'm thanking God for the blessings great and small.  Thanking Him for the blessing of today in all of it's simplicity. 

Today HAS been very simple.  A quiet morning doing what we do and having nowhere to be except here.  Just letting my kids be kids and enjoying it.  Not rushing but taking time to tickle and build blocks and watch the robin on the fence.  Or look at a picture book.  Or examine an inchworm. 

It's days like today when I think to myself, "I love my life".  I've had periods of sadness in my life.  I've had seasons that were hard.  I have bad days when everything seems to go awry.  They are sure to come again.  In fact I know that they will.  God uses the bad times to teach me.  It makes me appreciate the good days and to be thankful for them knowing that God is still the same God even in the good or bad.  He doesn't change.  And He always has a plan.

Today I'm grateful.  So very grateful. 

Little inchworm.

The keeper of the inchworm.

A fascination with the inchworms kept this boy busy for quite awhile.  A bike and inchworms.  Pretty simple. 

This morning greeted us with soaking rain and dark skies.  By lunch the ugly gray clouds parted to reveal this gorgeous blue sky and the gray clouds turned to white.  I took these pictures outside my house.

Psalm 57:5 "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!

Psalm 57:10 "For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds."