Surprise birthday party in Peru; one of the most festive-heart warming-delightful birthdays ever.
Thirty-four years, 1,000’s of reasons why I’m ever so grateful, but let’s go with thirty-four, eh?
1. My parents, Sharon and Richard, who love one another unpretentiously, simply, and well. Their strong marriage made for a secure and loving home for us kids. Speaking of us kids…
Photo Credit: Amy Miller Coe
2. My big sister Michele and big brother Ricky. These. Two. Oh, the shenanigans.
3. Best friend of all time, Kristy Plummer.
4. Finding God and falling in irreversible love with Him.
5. A year in the mountains with these people where a heart-held faith grew strong.
6. Marrying this man, this very good man.
7. Friends in Canada, friends in Pennsylvania, friends in Montana, friends all over the world…too many to list.
8. My babies, my dear babies.
9. Family.
10. Fresh salsa.
11. Life in Costa Rica.
12. The simple pleasure of playing board games with the closest of friends.
13. Playing in the ocean….for….hours.
14. Big, old Mexico and how much I’ve gotten to see of it. And taste of it, mmm.
15. Living in Chile for six years…are there words for that sort of gift?
16. Silver medal in women’s lightweight doubles in the 2009 Chilean Rowing Nationals with my friend Carmen Gloria Bustos.
17. That dear Carmen Gloria, who taught me to push through the wall of pain.
18. Avocados.
19. Snorkeling with bright fish.
20. Flying through the water with a massive wing span in gorgeous Chile for years and years.
21. Teaching the Bible and seeing God move in people’s hearts; glory.
22. Every. Mashed. Up. Dandelion. That my children give to me with love all shining in their eyes.
23. These ladies, these Hostetter ladies, and our many memories together, including going to an observatory in the desert in the middle of the night, pictured here!
24. Parmesan, gouda, cheddar, mozzarella, pepper jack. All cheese.
25. Bazaala Mubili Anania Kiggundu, our Compassion child in Uganda, who is a blessing to us.
26. Road trips, like this one above, to Torres del Paine, to the Strait of Magellan, to the….
27. The uttermost part of the earth, Ushuaia, Argentina, most southern city in the world.
28. Backpacking, camping, hiking, ambling in the woods.
29. Banana splits.
30. Good, deep reads.
31. Honduras and waterfalls all-out-of-proportion.
32. Cusco and all that terra-cotta magic.
33. Machu Pichu, a dream fulfilled. And that none of my children fell down the cliffs.
34. This life, this imperfect and holy and beautiful life. Ah, God, thank you.
