Exceedingly Abundantly Beyond

Look who's home!   And look who's excited about it!   She's been here less than a day, but I can tell she's glad to be back!  She hardly left my side yesterday.  And been very obedient!  When she did get out, instead of making us chase her for half an hour, she just did a couple of laps and then came back in the house.  Really!? That's all ya got?  Well, all right, then... This is still a struggle for me.  It's no secret that I don't like dogs.  But she is rather endearing on her good days.  She is more like a child than I ever expected a dog to be.  She knows how to get on my good side, so that on the bad days, I don't totally wanna kill her!   I don't expect the extreme obedience to last forever.  But it was sure nice yesterday.  Especially when she went back in the house on her own!  It like when your child says, "I'm sorry mom! Whatever I did, I won't do it again! I'll be good, I promise!"  And then they...

On a night like tonight, if Derick were home, we'd probably open the windows. We may not leave them open all night.  But the brisk air is refreshing.  My thermostat is set for the heat to come on at 65*.  Right now it is 70-ish in my house. With the temperature warm enough to keep the furnace turned off, Derick would open the upstairs windows, if he were here, and let the breeze blow through our bedroom.  Then he would pull me close and we would burrow ourselves deep under the covers.  And peace and sleep would engulf us.  Together.  Bedtime is my favorite time of day.  All the kids in bed, sleeping soundly.  No matter how crazy the day is, when everyone is in bed, it feels peaceful.  And we would finally have a little time to ourselves.  Tonight, the windows will stay closed.  And instead of his strong arms, it will be his old PT sweatshirt that will keep me warm.  Peace may engulf me.  Peace that passes all understa...