No card...just some thoughts

Hello!  We've been without internet the last several days and my inbox is overflowing with emails, comments, posts, etc. to catch up on. Thank you to all those who have commented in the last week or so.  Please know that I appreciate you and hope to be visiting soon.  My days have been full and no card making has happened for a couple weeks, but I have hopes for some crafty time soon.  I'm not sure why, but tonight I'm feeling overwhelmed with gratitude.  I hope you don't mind me sharing a few of my random thoughts.

-I'm so grateful for rain.  We've had a lot this week.  I love everything about it...the sound, the smell, the way it revives and makes everything fresher, newer, and more beautiful.
-I'm grateful for gardens.  We have an itty bitty patch to garden in, but few things make me happier than to pick and cook with things that we've worked to grow.  My very favorite things growing are a mix of wild flowers.  I found some random packs of seeds and let my son scatter them in the front.  They've taken all summer to grow and I have no idea what they are, but they are the cutest most colorful and happy flowers I've ever seen.  I love them more because he is the one who planted the seeds and has been helping to water them.

My Sisters...between the two of them you will find every good quality that exists.

-I'm so grateful for good people.  I've been more and more aware of how much good there is in people lately.  I've seen so many examples of tenderness, love, genuine concern, generosity, sacrifice, perseverance, quiet service, etc. in the last bit.  Isn't it wonderful to be able to learn from and be inspired by others?
-I'm so grateful for family.  One of my very favorite things to read about as I hop around to blogs are comments and love being expressed by others about their family.  I love the pictures they share.  I love my family so dearly and know that they are my absolute greatest blessing I've been given.  And I love that God has given me many opportunities to "add" to my family...I have "adopted" grandmas, grandpas, parents, etc. throughout my life.  I think He knows I need family, so if I'm not able to be around my own, he sends someone to fill that void.  I rarely share pictures of my family...not because I don't want to but just because they are so precious to me.  But I will share a favorite.  It's several years old, but it has my two favorite people in it and captures what I love the very most about my husband.

-I'm grateful for new days and new opportunities to be better...to constantly be able to try harder to change, to grow, to ask forgiveness, to add more that is good and pure to my life.  Here's one more old picture, but it is the perfect illustration to me of why I'm so grateful for new days and why I always want to strive to be better.

Have I lost you?  That's okay if I have.  I know this is a card blog.  For some reason I just felt the need to share tonight and since I didn't have a card, my thoughts is all I had.  I truly hope you are having a blessed week!