the sanctuary that is my home

• finding all the windows open when i got home last night and hearing the waterfall into the big pond. the girls sleeping around the pond, happy from a day of playing in the sun.
• the bird sanctuary that the back yard is.
• the garden taking shape and the cucumbers growing tall (in advance).
• nathaniel swimming around just to let me know he's excited about life and being in our home.
• the secrets of the baby whisperer - what a brilliant book about it being ok to be a parent and have autonomy from your child. a relief which watching some of the parents i know.
• easter in the country.
• mike's sermon on sunday and his acknowledgment of his own 'crisis of faith' (my words not his) while being at our church and officiating the funerals he's had to. miss olive, bobby thompson, carson, and too many others to count. as hard as the sermon was, it was much needed salve for my heart.
• ms dority's excitement over having a shower for us. a big party really, with everyone.
• lunch with chandler yesterday during her spring break.
• mothering magazine.
• the research on cloth vs biodegradable disposable diapers narrowing down, at least in my mind to something managable.
• my ipod on shuffle. didn't think i would like that when karen suggested it, but after several days - wow. music i had forgotten about. a little rage, a little reba, a few showtunes and lots of edwin. sigh, music.
• my gift certificate just itching to be used from the millinium music used cd trade. more delicious music to fill my heart.
• my abbie, sandy and miss peabody for being the friendly (well, not abbie) puppies in the neighborhood. for watching other dogs bark for hours and wonder what they're thinking instead of joining in.
• their excitement to see me every time i leave the room - much less the house - and return.
• miss p's collar that she's managed to chew off herself.
• duct-tape to put it back together. she's, i think, a dirty 7 year old boy with shorts on with his cowboy boots playing in the mud. she's so bad and i love it.
• you my little mudpie, you.