Yesterday.......

Yesterday started with my sleeping in some.....which felt good:) But then I tackled a project I have been wanting to do for awhile. I wanted to consolidate the kid's toys and put them in the spare room, and convert that into a play room, and then reclaim my other room for full workout space and office space! My parents came up and helped which was so sweet and it got done, it looks and feels great:) One of my friends is also giving me their old treadmill so I needed room too! But the weather yesterday was too perfect not to get outside.....and Gilly was still feeling some kinda way from her week and resisting hiking.....she was weepy.....and just struggling......so I finally convinced her to try, and told her I promised she would feel so much better on the other side of it.....so we went to the meat market and grocery pick up......dropped it all off and headed out.......Hornbecks is just so so special to us....it is hard to explain.....we have hiked lots of places but that place feels like home.....like there is some magic and reverence held in that part of the forest.....healing powers......spirituality.....all of it.....we started hiking there soon after everything and have hiked many seasons there and many times......and as soon as we stepped foot on the trail and Madeline saw her favorite water spot.....she said she already felt better;-) we soaked in the sunshine and the beautiful sites......when we got to the waterfall it was flowing freely from all the rain we have had, and the kids were excited about that......the last time we had been it had been a trickle from our drought......so it was raging and gorgeous......Mads likes to hop the fallen tree and get as close as she can......and all of the sudden I heard her proclaim that she found the most perfect and beautiful stick she has ever seen:-) and I totally got it right away....because it was a handsome stick indeed! She commented on the fact that it being in the water must have smoothed it and made it look even better.......so she was determined to carry it out of there and bring it home......I couldn't have thought of a more excellent idea....a piece of Hornbecks in our home to remind us of all the magic that is found there:)......the stick was heavy, weighing likely half her body weight and yet she persisted.......carrying it over a mile out......and when she did she just rejoiced in that space.....and saying how great she felt.....and I was reminded that that is part of why I feel the way I do these days....confidence coming from overcoming the things we think we can't......and building us up......and I talked to her about that.......and then she started praying......praying for gratitude in finding the stick and the power and resolve to carry it out.....and it was just all so sweet.....my always wanting her to know the power in her life lies within her, and that her belief in herself has to be the biggest belief of all.....she expressed how she believed she would be able to do it.....and we talked about the importance of that:) I am so excited at the thought of her learning all this stuff so early in life......putting her way ahead in life, and living the life she wants! Yesterday was such a great day! Have another one on deck today! Happy Sunday y'all:)