Overwhelmed.

By the beauty of a fall that is finally arriving.

By the number of times that Sarah has asked us to sing "Jingle Bells" since she first started requesting it in August.

By the blessing of having my mom's company for most of last week.

By the magic of a good audiobook - especially when the kids like it (Mercy Watson, I'm talking to you).

By the sadness I feel when I think about my friends the Brantlys, who will leave us for their Great African Adventure next week, and by the blessing of having friends like that who are true to God's calling in their lives.

By the thrill of seeing my son's carefully formed letters start to look like actual letters from the English alphabet.

By the difficulty in singling out just one or two godly women in my life. (It can't be done. My cloud of witnesses is more like a small nation.)

By the mounds of unsorted and multi-sized clothes exploding out of Sarah's dresser.

By the excitement of anticipating our church campout this weekend.

By the terror of anticipating our church campout this weekend.

By the comfort of favorite fall shows starting up again, and new seasons appearing on Netflix.

By the thought of all the school lunches I will probaby have to make over the next few years. :-/

By the ease with which I've slipped into a non-exercise routine... once again...

By the joy of sleeping through that hour of morning when I might alternatively be out jogging.

By the expertise in flirty hair-tossing and eye-fluttering that my daughter exhibited in her (failed) efforts to get out of naptime a few days ago.

By the myriad means by which my daughter attempts to escape the stranglehold of sleep.

By the endlessness that is household upkeep.

By the thought of Luke being in kindergarten next year.

By the pleasure of sitting in a camp chair out in the garage while the kids ride bikes and play in the driveway.

By the ways that God is working in the lives of my brothers and sister.

By the complexity of our lives and our souls.

By the peace that comes from God alone.