the blessing of family

. .. . .. . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . .. . . . . .. . . .. . . . . .. . .. .. . . .. . . .. .. . .

We spent some time - nearly the whole day - with my sister Rachel and her family, on Saturday.  Scott was helping to assemble a rather simple but large play-yard for their three girls.  This has been an ongoing project for quite some time for my BIL, and the fam, and to be sure, quite a bit of "redneckin'" goes along to show.  It's all good.  I'm so grateful for their safety.  And that the pending rain storm held off.

Scott got up to their place fairly early in the AM - and I followed later, with our three little ones.  What a fun day.  I helped my sister with some household chores around their home.  Sweeping floors, laundry, dishes, preparing and cooking some of the evening meal, etc.

 Our children were having a grand ole time.  Both indoor and out.

The guys worked so hard.  Exhausting work as it is, but then also in dealing with very uneven ground, rocks buried deeply in soil (I'm talking to remove by backhoe only) and the impending weather threatening.

I would say they got pretty far considering.

All this to say.  Family is such a gift.  One to the other.  If it wasn't for the blessing of family...close family... a lot of us would be really on the out and out.

This sister and brother-in-law would both give their shirt off their back to help someone else in a time of need.  It is only right to do our part to "give back", even if it's just a little.
Are you blessed to have family in your life?  Family is such a gift.  Can you attest?
***
Continuing to count the gifts.  Onward to One Thousand Gifts.

938.  the gift of family...close family

939.  we matter - one to the other

940.  opportunities; to help...

941.  wide open spaces

942.  fields of wildflowers

943.  picking those beauties

944.  impending storm clouds - holding off

945.  just in time!

946.  raindrop music - tin roof style

947.  flowering bushes of snowballs and lilac

948.  home safely!

949.  finding the teeny-weeny baby (deer?) tick on Aubrey's underarm

950.  the patience (with her) as she struggled to be brave  (it was in there.)

951.  getting {it} ALL out - finally - after 45 minutes

952.   handfuls of violets tucked into jars

953.  *crown of beauty * oil of gladness * garments of praise* ~ Isaiah 61

954.   being part of the family of God!!!

955.   road maps - travel plans in the works

956.  wisdom in dealing with a sick little one today!

957.  all she wants to do is cuddle (running a fever!)

958.  Caleb and Aubrey (playing):  having family devotions.  Sitting around our dining room table with their pink and blue little Bibles, (pretending to read) quoting from memory... John 8:12.  So sweet to overhear.

959.  an open door

960.  the swival-spigot-head-thingy on my sink faucet...it's the best thing in the world!  (I only think about it when I'm washing dishes at other peoples houses and they don't have one.)

961.  sun-kissed noses

962.  dirty fingernails and toes

963.  seed packets...emptied into the earth...just in time... before the three days of rainfall.  beautiful rain!!

964.  buddy friends & friend friends