Today, on this 23rd day of February in the year of 2021, the sun is shining, the layers of warmth are not needed, and God has blessed this part of the world with 60 degrees of pre-spring. I am sitting in a passenger seat of a rusty old box truck with a laptop keeping my thighs toasty warm – work is just a click away on the taskbar at the bottom of this page. But first.

We are making our way west across Kansas, headed back home after a quick but necessary trip to Kansas City. Sam made the trek yesterday, loaded from floor to ceiling in this diesel-chugger, me following behind in my small SUV carrying a backseat full of large framed pictures and a flat screen TV.

Today, with the help of some wonderful friends, the furniture was unloaded into our new garage after the official handing over of the keys and garage door opener outside the title company office.

It is noisy enough in the cab of this truck, pretty much the only thing we can listen to is our own thoughts on the craziness of the latest adventure. My thoughts take me to reflection…

Replanting is in Sam’s DNA. Like farm ground that harvests a great crop for several years, sometimes it just needs to sit dormant and rest awhile. Sometimes, the crop needs to switch things up and grow in a different field.

We are nomadic. Never too settled, it doesn’t phase us a bit to load up and try something new, some place new. God knew we were a pair – always willing to go with the flow, spend hours on the road, and consider “home” wherever we happen to be. It is who we are.

I am grateful for new adventures with my best friend.

I am grateful for another opportunity to purge and weed out the growing collection of things.

I am grateful I don’t have to live in this box truck.

I am grateful he is driving so I can work and write while sweating in the sun coming through the windshield.

I am grateful for a cousin realtor who puts up with our crazy ideas and continues to produce just what we think we need.

I am grateful for new projects, even if it means sheetrock dust.

I am grateful for new yet familiar.

I am grateful to be able to keep what we love without having to let go of everything.

And I am grateful for the “sign” – a penny left in the middle of the new living room floor. Aunt Patsy taught me to never disregard – it is our reminder to put our trust in God. We do. And we will as we go forward through the rest of 2021.

I am grateful on this last work day of the week, for this last work day of the week.

I am grateful while I still have it to be grateful, for the opportunity to work from home, but I am so looking forward to driving to work once again and having space in an office.

I am grateful for an oncologist who is also a friend.

I am grateful for 30 degree heat waves and the anticipation of a long walk tomorrow.

I am grateful for laundry done so that I don’t have to do it on the weekend.

I am grateful that Sam is having a fun weekend away with a good friend.

I am grateful for surprise owls that show up outside the cancer center and amaze me.

I am grateful for Valentines received, even though I didn’t send any this year.

I am grateful for our new small group online and re-entry into our church home.

I am grateful for a neighbor who has a huge heart for the stray cats, so I can watch them visit the blue food dish in this extreme cold.

I am grateful for plenty of fruit, plant based milk, and good supplements to put into smoothies for our breakfast every morning. For someone who hasn’t liked a variety of fruits and vegetables EVER, this sure is a great way to get me to enjoy them now!

I am grateful for success, in any form.

I am grateful for naps.

I am grateful for jigsaw puzzles and…I’m gonna start a new one tonight, just me, myself, and me.

And I am grateful for what the next several days will bring.

The mess? Muddy, slushy streets and yards. The blessing? Moisture.

The mess? A fine layer of dust ash covering everything and dirty floors in need of vacuuming and mopping thanks to wood brought inside for the fireplace. The blessing? Warmth and the glow of a fire in a beautiful room.

The mess? Yucky nausea and weakness. The blessing? Chemo and supplements that are working alongside prayer to heal a body.

The mess? Lots of work and little time to play. The blessing? Work that is fulfilling, tasks crossed off the list, and a job well done.

The mess? Sore muscles and an acknowledgement of weakness. The blessing? Exercise that signals progress, even if it is teeny tiny progress.

The mess? COVID. The blessing? Helping each other more, spending more time together, being more aware of cleanliness and germs.

The mess? Clutter. The blessing? The opportunity and necessity to declutter and gain an appreciation for that which is most important.

The mess? Exploded egg in a microwave. The blessing? A clean microwave after much elbow grease.

The mess? Many hours in a vehicle on long stretches of highway. The blessing? Good tires, reliable transportation, bluetooth and hotspots, heated seats, and the destination.

The mess? Regret/remorse/repentance. The blessing? Forgiveness.