Week well spent...

"This is the day to fling grace around like glitter, to pass out slices of banana bread, to tell the boys how handsome their ID pictures are, to help each other out and lift each other up.  Let's open our homes and passenger doors.  Let's be sensitive and aware.  In the span of God's wide and rowdy family, we all belong to one another....Take a look around.  Find someone to nurture."  

~Shannan Martin, "The Ministry of Ordinary Places"

When I look back at how we spent our week, I see two themes emerge.  The first theme is preparation for the Solomon Islands, and the second one is investment in our community, 

friends, and family.

 We attended a funeral Monday morning, a hard funeral (as if any funeral is easy). I also had a dentist appointment on Monday afternoon (the girls have appointments in a few days).  This will be the last time our teeth are cleaned until we return to America in 2021.  Tuesday, we shared a meal with a family from church and enjoyed playing with their spunky boys.

Wednesday, we drove to Little Rock for our travel shots and typhoid meds.  Starting four of my days without coffee so I can swallow the typhoid pills on an empty stomach and keeping it 

empty for an hour?  Way harder than I thought it would be, but so worth it to be prepared for our return overseas.

The girls didn't have to get any shots for traveling, so it was a strange kind of bonding experience while we got our shots and the girls took pictures.

But when we were finished, we ALL celebrated with Sonic half price shakes!

Thursday, Katherine got her regularly scheduled booster shots, and the girls volunteered at the animal shelter on their normal routine.

But because it was March 14, aka "Pi Day", one of our local pizza places had pizza for $3.14 each, so my parents offered to treat us to supper.

Then we went to cheer on the 8-12 grade orchestras as they presented a concert in preparation for their upcoming assessment.

Friday, our family drove to one of our state parks, Historic Washington, for some living history.  More on that soon!  The roofers have been hard at work in the last few days since we finally have some sunny weather, and today I made them banana bread.  Which reminded me of Shannan Martin's quote above.  Certainly, the week has abounded with opportunities to fling grace around like glitter and to share hospitality with those God has placed in our circle.