Let me paint you a picture:

I woke up when I wanted to wake up this morning. I got out of bed, and paddled blurry-eyed to the kitchen. It was quiet, no Phineas and Ferb blaring on the TV. I made a cup of coffee, and drank it watching The Today Show. The living room was exactly as clean as it was when I went to bed last night. There was no changing of diapers to tend to, no breakfasts to fix, no cries of “Mommy, help!” After my coffee, I had a bite to eat and am now sitting in my still-quiet house, listening to music and praying the sun burns off the clouds so I can lay out at the pool for just a tiny bit. Alone. With. A. Book.

“How can this be?” you ask. “Is our Lord Jesus returning? Has your family been raptured?”

No, my husband and children are in Atlanta. But I won’t join them until tomorrow. It’s simply a glorious, Monica-only 36 hours. What it is, really, is the gift that will keep on giving.

And if that doesn’t kick-start a Thanksday post, I just don’t know what will.

1) All of the above.

2) Bobbadoo. Paxton’s new word. No clue what it means, but he gets all happy when he shouts it out and elongates the “ooo.”

3) Maui. Planned, booked and luau confirmed. Yee-to-the-haw. (Or rather, alo-to-the-ha.)

4) Paving. The road to Jaana’s school — THE ABSOLUTE BAIN OF MY EXISTENCE — is actually being paved. (Pause for impact inserted here.) By mid-September, I can go through the car wash AND THE CAR WILL STAY CLEAN despite driving to and from school. Don’t let anyone tell you God doesn’t answer seemingly ridiculous prayers.

5) Nice, clean fonts. Candra didn’t use Papyrus today. My eyes danced with happiness. (Smile inserted here.)

6) Global perspective. Our church’s Missions Festival is in a couple weeks, and I’m on the planning committee. It’s a ton of work and lots of detail, but now that it’s so close I’m getting really excited. It’s my favorite time of year. World Missions has always been close to my heart (six mission trips later should tell you that), and between Bolivia and now this, the flames are re-kindled. There is nothing like serving in another country and seeing God is totally and completely the same. It blows my mind every time.

7) Hypocrisy. The house is immaculate, but I left the bed unmade. Because I’m living on the edge, people. On. The. Edge. 

8) Donald Miller’s posts. If you have any single friends or family in your life, please, please, please encourage them to read this post and this post. This post is directed to the women; this post is directed to the men. Had I only had this wisdom spoke into my life in my single days. One friend of mine is printing out the one to the girls and saving it for when her daughter gets older. BRILLIANT.

9) Passion’s Here for You CD. I’m in love.

10) Pinterest. Oh dear. I caved and submitted to the force of the Pinterest. It’s full of so many amazing and beautiful things. I can just pour over it for hours, really. The bad thing is I don’t have hours to give to it. Let me know if you’re on, so I can follow you. And if you want to follow me, here’s my link.

Your turn! Let me know what you’re thankful for this week and share the love. It’ll bring more calm and peace into your life than sitting in your clean house alone with a cup of coffee.