days like these

 days like these nourish the soul.

togetherness.

quality time is my love language through and through.

so if you speak in moments and presence and life lived out together, no matter how simply,

you awaken a language native to my heart.

the most beautiful songs of worship i think I have ever heard,

in subtle christmas flavor,

have been working themselves out in husband's heart,

flowing up and around and canopying our moments.

he revisits them tonight, and i wish i could bottle them up and share them with you.

do you see it?

its the moment. and i want to share it with you too, because i love you so.
(assuming you're one of the dear friends/family that keep up with us here...but if I don't know you personally, I'm pretty sure if I had the chance to know you I'd love you too, special as we each are to Him).

we savored a humble meal, sloppy joe's - a homemade recipe - and diced garlic potatoes.

but we enjoyed it like the best strip steak you've ever tasted. you should have heard husband's growns,

"Hun! This is amazing. Write this one down. This has got to be the recipe you use from now on!"

after second servings and "I could eat this all night!",
aron spotted brown sugar and butter laid conspicuously on the counter.

"Babe, are you making cookies?!"

I answered, "Yep! Oatmeal chocolate chip."

"Can we rent a movie?" his most favorite relaxation activity.

"Sure!"

"This is the BEST day. AND Thanksgiving is THIS week! (insert very masculine, manly squeals of excitement)"

little helpers paraded in the kitchen, bringing aprons and dragons and germ filled fingers digging in delicious dough (it seems our bodies would know a holiday is coming, and hence it is now time for the four of us to come down with a cold...and we have been so healthy now for weeks! hopefully with a good night's rest and our super vitamins, it will be short lived!)

belle's horse little voice excitedly repeats ingredients, and she cannot help but lick every measuring spoon she touches, despite my pleas to keep her germies to herself!

judah skips the spoons and goes straight for the bowl, wedging himself behind and around his sister for the best seat in the house.

12 minutes later 

cookies - still warm and gooey - and ice cold milk

join Polar Express to make a moment in the hearts of my little ones.

blessings and good gifts poured out and overflowing.

i hope years from now when they're far from my arms,

curled up with a warm cookie and glass of milk,

a familiar song will play in their hearts:

mommy's love and daddy's art echoing in moments and memories

too numerous to replay in one sitting but all flooding back in a bite. 

ejk

and for my daddy:

you would be so proud of judah-man, helping aron to grill burgers the other night, representing our bucks in full gear!