it's the little things

A few of the "little things" that have blessed and encouraged me this week:
A sweet message from my dear friend, Nikki, in response to my posts about body image. Nikki and her husband, Jordan, are missionaries in Manila and are expecting their first baby in a few months, which is SO EXCITING! I love her and wish that she lived close by. I don't have a picture of her, but please do visit her blog and say hello.

Proud boy! With a mouth full of ice cream.

 Good grades!! Both my kids got fantastic grades this year and earned themselves a free ice cream at a local parlor. I am especially proud of my boy, who had a great year. Repeating first grade was the best thing we ever did for him. I am so proud of his improvement. This kid reads for fun now.

SUMMER! We had our first full day of summer yesterday. It was amazing. Farmers market, playdate, afternoon at the river. It does not get any  better. Also, I am tired.

The cove we played at yesterday. We have been awake 3 hours and the whole time my son has been begging to go back.

Forever Friends. Forever friends are hard to come by. I am so thankful that God has blessed us with more forever friends than anyone has any right to have. Aaron and my very first forever friend was a wonderful man named Jason. We have loved him like a brother for the last ten years. Two years ago Jason introduced us to Carolyn who would, a year later, become his wife. Within minutes of meeting her I knew that she would also become a forever friend. She and I have probably the most honest and real friendship I have ever had. We laugh together and cry together and pray for each other. I love Carolyn. Oh, and Jason, too.

Aaron and Jason

Beautiful Carolyn and me

Jason and Carolyn are leaving Sacramento to start a new adventure in Nashville while Jason pursues his PHD and Vanderbilt University. I couldn't be more proud of what he is doing while also being miserable that he is taking his sweet wife away from me.There are two consolations to this: 1) both their entire families live here, so they have to come back to visit and 2) I am adding "visit Nashville" to the Life List.

These are a few of our forever friends. There are no less than eight beautiful people missing from this photo.

A blog that I really enjoy, Hello Hue, encourages her readers to remember and be thankful for the little blessings in life. Each week, on Fridays, she lists all those who have participated in "it's the little things" that way we can all read about, and hopefully be encouraged by, each others blessings.