Pamela's Daybook: August 17th

Today: I'm weary, but it's a fun weary. There is a difference. RB had a meeting in Marion so I rode along. I met with my friend, Linda, for a Crimson Tea. This girl is seriously interesting. She has such a heart for people, and I always come away from our visits wanting to do more for God. RB came to pick me up, but we weren't nearly done. He ran to the grocery store and came back--nope, not done. Unfortunately, we had a deadline. 

On the way home we stopped in Yorktown at a tiny downtown restaurant, Osborns, that Jonathon told us about.  Delicious food! We got home with ten minutes to spare for RB to go to Anderson for choir practice. I made a bit of a surprise for him. Salted Caramel Brownies. Let's hope they taste good.

At my writing desk: I got my "job" writing done before I left. Have you ever made a word search puzzle? I've done them before, but it's hard to keep the letters and rows straight. Today I had the idea to insert a table --10 times easier. And just as I am typing this, I remember there's a website that all you have to do is plug the words you want in and it creates the puzzle. 

Praying for:  A single mother and her children. 

Thankful for: Peaches, fresh from the fruit stand. 

Around the House: Emily brought me a fall candle. Fall is my favorite season, and I love all the scents and colors. Is it too early to decorate for fall? My friend, Renee, usually decorates first, so I usually use her for my decorating calendar.

I'm reading: Blue Columbine (Jennifer Rodewald). First sentence:You are more than this. I thought about seeing what the last sentence is, but I just couldn't do it. You'll have to wait until I'm finished --if the book is good enough to warrant a review.

Postmarking: I hit the Hallmark Store and Tree of Life Bookstore today for some cards. Marion's Hallmark is the nicest I've been in. And they always have a couple rows of sales. Although I'd like to hit one that had their cards 1/2 price!

Favorite quote: We can heal and hurt each other, and we do. I’m hoping to help lead a tribe that does more healing and less hurting. I consider that my job.  Jen Hatmaker 

Pamela's Daybook: August 15

Today: What a week! Highs and lows. Since I didn't do a journal last week I'll share some highlights. 

• Emily started the week off with cooking a delicious Sunday Dinner for us. 
• We went to Shelbyville Sunday afternoon to see our new great niece -- beautiful Corrinna Joy!

Steve and Melodie

• I got to see my sister and husband, Steve and Melodie, there for the baby's birth. And Glen and Pam, my niece, and their three children. Pam fixed delicious food for all of us, and also brought me a beautiful miniature rose bush. 
• Thursday evening, Jonathon and Emily called to let us know they would have Emma with them for only two more weeks. 
• RB and I have had our background checks, so planned to keep Emma overnight. Emily surprised Jonathon for his birthday, and they went on a mini trip.
• Today our grands had their first day of school. (Pictures below) This is the fourth year for the school and they started today with 86 students. The kids are getting such an awesome and well-rounded education. Shawn and Melanie are third generation parents who believe a Christian education is a conviction. 

Morgan's teacher's theme is hedgehogs and foxes.
She asked Melanie to make cupcakes. Adorable!

• Camron is in Kindergarten this year. Melanie is holding on to him another year. Melanie, his Nana and I will be teaching him. It's so special to be able to help teach him to read. 

At my writing desk: I took last week off from the Daybook and concentrated on other writing. Writing my fingers to the bone.  Ha!

Praying for:  Jonathon, Emily and Emma. There have been lots of tears and hugs, yet we can see the hand of God working. A friend posted this quote on her Facebook page. "God is using your circumstances to make you more useful for later roles in His unfolding story." (Louie Giglio) 

Thankful for: All the sweet notes I received last week for the 29th anniversary of Sarah's death. 

I'm reading: This month's book club selection must have a color in the title. I found Blue Columbine by Jennifer Rodewald. It's a "Read for Free" Amazon book. 

Postmarking: Wednesday I have a date with Hallmark. They closed both Hallmark stores in Muncie. RB has a meeting in Marion Wednesday so I'm going to hit the Hallmark there. Sometimes I just need a special card. 

Favorite quote: A little spark of kindness puts a colossal burst of sunshine in someone's day. (quotegram.com)

Pamela's Daybook: August 15

Today: What a week! Highs and lows. Since I didn't do a journal last week I'll share some highlights. 

• Emily started the week off with cooking a delicious Sunday Dinner for us. 
• We went to Shelbyville Sunday afternoon to see our new great niece -- beautiful Corrinna Joy!

Steve and Melodie

• I got to see my sister and husband, Steve and Melodie, there for the baby's birth. And Glen and Pam, my niece, and their three children. Pam fixed delicious food for all of us, and also brought me a beautiful miniature rose bush. 
• Thursday evening, Jonathon and Emily called to let us know they would have Emma with them for only two more weeks. 
• RB and I have had our background checks, so planned to keep Emma overnight. Emily surprised Jonathon for his birthday, and they went on a mini trip.
• Today our grands had their first day of school. (Pictures below) This is the fourth year for the school and they started today with 86 students. The kids are getting such an awesome and well-rounded education. Shawn and Melanie are third generation parents who believe a Christian education is a conviction. 

Morgan's teacher's theme is hedgehogs and foxes.
She asked Melanie to make cupcakes. Adorable!

• Camron is in Kindergarten this year. Melanie is holding on to him another year. Melanie, his Nana and I will be teaching him. It's so special to be able to help teach him to read. 

At my writing desk: I took last week off from the Daybook and concentrated on other writing. Writing my fingers to the bone.  Ha!

Praying for:  Jonathon, Emily and Emma. There have been lots of tears and hugs, yet we can see the hand of God working. A friend posted this quote on her Facebook page. "God is using your circumstances to make you more useful for later roles in His unfolding story." (Louie Giglio) 

Thankful for: All the sweet notes I received last week for the 29th anniversary of Sarah's death. 

I'm reading: This month's book club selection must have a color in the title. I found Blue Columbine by Jennifer Rodewald. It's a "Read for Free" Amazon book. 

Postmarking: Wednesday I have a date with Hallmark. They closed both Hallmark stores in Muncie. RB has a meeting in Marion Wednesday so I'm going to hit the Hallmark there. Sometimes I just need a special card. 

Favorite quote: A little spark of kindness puts a colossal burst of sunshine in someone's day. (quotegram.com)

Pamela's Daybook: August 5th

Today: Yesterday I had Morgan here to work on cards. Which meant I got to see all the kids but Ethan. He was at a financial class with Shawn. Today I had Emma while Emily was at a teachers' meeting so we worked on cards. It's so sweet to see Morgan and Emma pick out the "perfect" card and to read what they write. 

At my writing desk: It was a mental health day. Ha! Tomorrow will be my Friday.

Praying for: The safety of the people at the Olympics

Thankful for: The supper Emily provided for us

Excited about: I had my therapeutic massage with Rhonda yesterday (Thank you, dear Rhonda!) and found out she's going to be a grandma! She always listens to my grandma stories. It will be such fun for her to have some, too. 

I'm reading: First sentence of the book I'm reading: "I was standing at the gate of Potter Correctional Institution staring at him when he was killed."

Postmarking: I spent a while organizing my cards and weeding them out. My biggest pet peeve is cheap envelopes. Why put them with a box of nice notes? And if the note is cream, why put white envelopes with them? And really, couldn't they match the whites?

Favorite quote: Each of us has a fire in our hearts for something. It’s our goal in life to find it and keep it lit. Mary Lou Retton

Pamela's Daybook: August 3rd

Today: Quiet day with my love! Good talk with my Daddy.

At my writing desk: The King of Gerar caused me a bit of trouble today, but I got it all worked out before supper. 

Praying for: A boy named Seth.  He's having foot surgery tomorrow. 

Thankful for: Daughters who keep me smiling with videos. Camron was explaining about his school clothes in today's video.

I'm reading: My mind has been so full that I've found it hard to settle down and read.  There's something wrong with that picture. Maybe I need to schedule it. I love crossing things off my list!

Journaling prompt for today: Write a list of your favorite scents. (Not in any particular order.)

1. Baby Magic (on a baby)
2. Cinnamon
3. Roses -- only on the flower 
4. Eternity (cologne my mother wore)
5. Winter (Bath and Body's candle)
6. Coffee brewing
7. Lavender 
8. Books
9. Leather
10. Downey

Postmarking: I've already started a list for next week. 

Favorite quote: "Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it." Mark Twain

Pamela's Daybook: August 2nd

Today: Waking up with a 5-year-old sweet boy is such joy! No, I don't get as much written when he asks, "Can I sit in your chair?" But it's worth working longer. Add to that a 3-hour lunch with my friend, Eleanor, and it was a good day. 

At my writing desk: Writing about the King of Gerar. 

Praying for:  Emily as she gets ready for a new school year.

Thankful for: A friend you know will keep your secrets.

Journaling prompt for today: 

What was your favorite back-to-school purchase when you were a child?

There's no way I can can address this with one answer. Maybe it was the crayons -- Crayola, of course -- all standing like soldiers with their perfect points. Or paste -- ah, the smell of the paste with its paint-brush-like applicator. Now the kids have liquid glue or glue sticks -- it's not the same! #2 pencils, yellow ones that wrote so smoothly, or maybe my own pair of scissors -- either one could be my favorite. Notebook paper and a binder with its three metal rings, and little round white "doughnuts" that I licked and stuck to the holes of the notebook to keep the paper from tearing out. I still look at all the new school supplies -- I just try to keep myself from buying them. The neatest thing I saw this year? Decorative batteries -- really! Pink and black plaid AA batteries. 

Postmarking: Morgan and I are having a Postmark date this week, so I'm waiting until then to work on cards.

Favorite quote: Joy is the holy fire that keeps our purpose warm and our intelligence aglow. Helen Keller

Pamela's Daybook: August 1st

Today: It's Monday, but I haven't found it too Mondayish. The weekend was so great. RB and I had background checks so Emma could spend the night. Jonathon and Emily haven't had a night alone since the week after Thanksgiving. Emma was so excited, and we were, too.

Saturday evening we met some church friends at Commack Station. We sat there 2 1/2 hours having great conversation over yummy food. Our “early” church didn't have choir yesterday, so we only had one church to attend -- which meant a 9:30 leaving time instead of 7:30.

RB is picking Camron up this afternoon to be my buddy while RB is teaching. I have a "cwaft" pirate boat, ice cream bars, and a remote car. My phone is charged, too. BuddyMan has been telling me it was time to play with him -- I'm assuming he means Camron.

At my writing desk: I picked up a date book that has 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in 1/2 hour divisions. I hope it will help me get more accomplished. So this morning was curriculum. I need to keep those morning hours for curriculum because those are my best hours. If I could just get up at 4:00 like I used to -- but I don't think that's happening!

Praying for: A single mom who has had a hard summer.

Thankful for: Family -- Shawn, Melanie, Ethan, Landon, Morgan and Camron

Emily posted this last week on Facebook:

When (Emma) leaves our home, she may not remember to read her 20 minutes every day, or to wash a dish when she is done with it. She may not decide it's important to write a little bit every day or pick up her toys each night so her room doesn't become an overwhelming mess. But I pray with all my heart that she never forgets this Truth and that she decides every day to share the love that her King has shared with her. I pray she remembers the "Kingdom stuff" and how very much she is loved. ❤️ 

Jonathon, Emily and Emma (8-year-old foster daughter)

I'm reading: I have "The Pitiful Pirates" out to read to a cute five-year-old this evening. Ha!

Postmarking: We had a long list this week -- many of them children. Love weeks with a lot of addresses, but oh, so many heartbreaking needs.

Favorite quote: Our family is a circle of strength and love -- with every birth and every union the circle grows. Unknown