Even though it’s not logical since it is the middle of December, I was surprised by the weekend’s rain and the overnight snow. I guess I was expecting last week’s sixty-degree weather to just go on. Call me an optimist.

My dad knows how to do a lot of things. My kids think Papa can do anything, and they’re close to right. My favorite was about a year ago when I was sewing a pair of pajamas for Clara, and the top was way too big for her. “Maybe Papa can fix it for me,” she said. While sewing is one of the few things Dad can’t really do (spelling is another), drilling and sawing and wood-gluing are very much on his can-do list. Today we took a bunch of wood and metal and string pieces-parts and together had a really great time making them into super cute (if decidedly imperfect) gifts for my nephews.

This morning we painted ourselves silly while Jason, in Clara’s words, “painted the basement silly.” My favorite moment (among many good ones) was when Clara not-so-gently reminded me to put the camera down because I had offered to hold her cat still while she painted. I said, “Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot to do my job.” Ian sweetly reminded her, “No, when Mommy takes pictures, she is doing her job because she’s a photographer.”

My friend Emily is beautiful and sparkly. This was my view from her dining room chair yesterday after school as she transformed me from a wet-headed, make-up-less, jewelry-less, shoe-ly indecisive, underthings-malfunctioning mess to someone who truly felt beautiful and confident to be my wonderful husband’s plus one at his company’s annual holiday party. I am thankful for my dear Emily who made all the difference in how I felt about going to the shindig, for Jason’s coworkers (and coworkers’ spouses) who made the evening one of my favorites, and for the sixty-degrees-in-December Nebraska weather that allowed me to walk three blocks from the parking garage to the party in my bare feet instead of in four-inch heels.

This morning Clara and I got to meet our newest friend, Oliver Steiner. What a joy to snuggle this babe while he’s still so fresh to the outside world. Congratulations and blessings to my wonderful friends Chad and Kacy and to all of Ollie’s dear sibs: Piper, Paisley, Poppi, Posie, Priya, and Sam. We celebrate with you!

This morning before Bible study Clara needed a little extra time before going to the nursery, so she and I tagged along to the sanctuary to listen to our friends rehearse a song for Sunday. I could tell Clara was digging it because she kept nuzzling closer to me and every few seconds she would turn her face to me and squinch up her eyes, smiling with all of her face except her mouth. This is what she does when she super loves something.

The song–words written three centuries ago by Isaac Watts, the most desperately beautiful music written by my friend Chris, and sung so lovely by my friends Tara, Maralee, and Rebecca–has resonated through my spirit all day long.

There is a land of pure delight, where saints immortal reign,
Infinite day excludes the night, and pleasures banish pain.

Singing glory! Glory! Glory to God on high!

There everlasting spring abides, and never-with’ring flow’rs:
Death, like a narrow sea, divides this heav’nly land from ours.

Singing glory! Glory! Glory to God on high!

O could we make our doubts remove, those gloomy thoughts that rise,
And see the Canaan that we love with unbeclouded eyes!

Singing glory! Glory! Glory to God on high!

Perhaps more accurately I could say the music has ached through my spirit all day long. Today in particular has been a day of heart-full waiting: heart heavy and heart full of joy. We were waiting for my dad to come out of surgery (he’s doing well!); waiting as my dear friend’s beloved father-in-law is in critical condition, his life hanging in the balance and we don’t know what will happen; waiting for the birth of a precious baby boy (he’s safely here!); waiting as another friend remains on bed rest in the hospital, hoping to wait a few weeks longer to deliver her baby boys; waiting, always waiting in this season of Advent, longing for our savior to come and make all things new. Come, Lord Jesus, we are waiting for you.

We (and by “we” I mean everyone, but especially Simon and me) have lately been obsessed with the Great British Baking Show (season 1 is available on Netflix and I’m hoping season 2 will still be available for a while longer on pbs.org). Thoroughly charmed and inspired by the Brits, we tried our hand at a Red Velvet Cake Roll today after school.

No, the little daydreamer did not make the shot.

Ian is a well-known introvert. Most mornings he wisely spends a bit of time in his own little world before joining the larger one.

If you’ve never played Uno with Simon, you have no idea how intense the game can be. Who even knows what he is celebrating here. He still has two cards, so it’s not Uno.