A Lovely and Admirable List.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. Philippians 4:8

I'm trying to think about the above. Grieving Maelee and worrying about whether or not we'll bring her brother home... well, it's taking up quite a bit of my thoughts. It's not good or right to be self-preoccupied, self-focused.

Focusing on what you are thankful for is lovely and admirable, so it's time to be thankful for:

• Cereal for supper.
  
• ESPN3 on our computer that has been showing our alma mater's hockey team and will allow us to watch the Frozen Four next week (NCAA Frozen Four is the smaller, hockey-version of the Final Four). Go UND!
  
• Our friends who are adopting and getting to talk baby and life with them over some seriously good starches.
  
• Falling asleep to the sound of rain.
  
• Tickets bought for our family coming so I can schedule and plan.
  
• My brilliant idea to eat a strawberry and a chocolate-covered almond at the same time so if I closed my eyes, I was basically eating a chocolate-covered strawberry.
  
• Hearing a Swedish pastor preach at church yesterday, listening to his sweet accent and getting excited about church planting. In Europe.
  
• Finding a sweet deal on a nice travel-size swing at the consignment sale, for being able to Norwex it clean, for the fact it matches our living room, for the hope to put our boy in it often.
  
• For the people that got rid of their MN Twins t-shirt that I awesomely found at the sale and smiling at the thought of our boy wearing it to kindergarten.
• The joy I get from meat and potatoes.
• All of M's sweet blooming tulips (but I'm not thankful for whatever animal destroyed three of the blooms... humpf).
• Knowing that even though it was difficult not being with family, they all had a precious time honoring Grandpa and being together.
  
• Friends who gave me cupcake tokens and my plan to eat a lot of cupcakes next week.
  
• Accomplishing projects that have been rolling over on my to-do list for months and months.
• Greg... words can't fully express how much I'm in love with him and how thankful I am that the Lord saw fit to have us crazy kids get married.
• Japanese survivor stories.
  
• Sites like hulu, pandora, etsy, friends' blogs and others that entertain or inspire me.
  
• Our five nieces and two nephews and the new photos being printed of each of them that will be proudly displayed on our fridge.
  
• Philippians 4.
  
• Air conditioning and heat and using them both within a week.
  
• The best feeling in the world: the little man moving.
  

-Heather