School shoes

This year on labor day week-end we did something different. The week-end before labor day Stapels, Mn. had a big celebration. Emi's family, Curt, I, Lila and Jeff decided we would go to the trailer house on this week-end instead of the actual labor day. We had a wonderful time together (it is where I got to first hear about tentacles"). The work week was then normal, however I had Friday off. I took Thursday and went to Foley and then stayed the night. The next day my Jaci Anna and I went shopping for her school shoes. We were both so excited about the day it was hard to sleep. After some laundry though, I did indeed have a beautiful night sleep in a burnt orange bedroom with a quilted top bed. I thanked God as I lay down on that bed, I thanked Him for everything that I had been given this day.

When we got up in the morning we chatted with the family some and got JaciAnna's things loaded up. You see, she would be staying with us in Arlington until Sunday. On Sunday afternoon her momma, brother and sister would be coming to join her. This was a big time for both Jaci and I. She hadn't stayed alone with us sense she was about 5 years old. (Her and Conner both stayed with us when their momma went to the mayo clinic to have her head checked. Well, that doesn't sound the best - but, hopefully just those words will spark enough memory for us to know this was her last time at our house without mom and dad). We were all excited about the stay and she had done much preparing with mom about it. She was happy, I was happy and off we drove in the little green Chevey with flowers on the door... along with a little more laundry...

We drove to the St.Cloud mall. On this day, in this place, I did what I hadn't done in many many years. I took a little girl shopping to get her school shoes. We had the best time ever and found the perfect pair of shoes for her. We topped it off with a pair of "skinny jeans" and a peach tee shirt with a purple smile face on it. She was happy, I was happy and off we drove in the green chevy with the flowers on the door...

It is now about 1:00pm and we are hungry. It is one of the few times in my life where I didn't really have to be anywhere but with my girl. So, we stopped in Hutch at the McDonalds play land. I just let her play, and play and play... until she was ready to go. It is amazing to me how long she was satisfied just playing with kids she had just met and how perfect the time was, how beautiful moments are when we don't rush through them.

Now it is about 3:00 pm and we are happy. We load up in the car, smiles on our faces, food in our tummies, new shoes in the back seat, flowers on the door -
I look up into the sky...
and I thank God. I thank Him for everything I have been given this day!