It is my daily goal to write and post something encouraging and thoughtful. I believe writing is an important discipline, I enjoy it, and I love the feedback from you guys (well, gals) who comment. This post, however, is just random.

I made it through my 30th birthday. It was a good day, as far as days go. I received several callers wishing me a happy day. I didn’t have to cook dinner and I ate some yummy brownies for dessert. Karl wrote a sweet note on a birthday card for me. (It was much better than last year’s.) The kids gave me lots of kisses. My parents-in-love gave me money to go shopping. Now that I’m a grown-up I have to start dressing like one, right? I did my best to act like a grown up. Karl didn’t have to drag me to the mall, and I didn’t have a panic attack when we got there. (Usually all the clothes and choices give me a feeling of being smothered.) I tried to have fun by singing along to all the songs on the speaker system. I actually bought some clothes. The only problem is that I have compounded the amount of laundry I have to do.

Other gifts included a box set of The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien and an atlas of Middle Earth, a dvd (National Treasure), stationery, chocolate, a large scented candle, a visit from Dad, more books…

In other news: My grandmother had to have surgery again today. Last week she had emergency surgery to have a pacemaker put in. The doctors decided that they needed to change something, so she had to do it over again this morning. They had to remove several blood clots and do some other stuff that doesn’t make sense to me because I don’t understand pacemakers very well. Last I heard, she is recovering well.

My mother-in-law had to have surgery today, too. It was not supposed to be anything major, and since I haven’t heard anything, I’m assuming she is recovering well, too.

Homeschooling is going well this week. I am learning a lot of medieval history that I completely missed when I was in school. Where was I? Maybe my teachers thought early French history wasn’t important enough to cover? I am also learning that I enjoy studying history with my kids.

Now that Hannah and Benjamin are proficient readers, we are doing our daily Bible reading together. Instead of having them just listen to me, they follow along in their Bibles, and we take turns reading the paragraphs. This is so much more fun!

I’d appreciate your prayers for my grandmother’s and mil’s recoveries.

I started reading another book that I can’t wait to tell you about…it’s called How People Change by Timothy S. Lane and Paul David Tripp. Have you read it? Tell me what you think of it.

I signed up to be an affiliate for the Westminster Bookstore. They offer tons of really great reformed books. I would really love it if you’d click on some of the book covers. If 50 people click through from here to their site in one month’s time, then I will receive a $10 gift certificate for all my “hard work” building links. You don’t have to buy anything (unlike Amazon), just click through from my blog. Please help support my book habit!