Friday Favorites

Happy Friday, friends!  I'm linking up with Andrea (and her friends) from Momfessionals for this blog post.

For everyone in my area, this week was the last week of school.  I remember how much I longed for this last week of school, when my boys were all in a brick and mortar school.  Nowadays, all the weeks kind of run together, and we usually end up finishing a bit earlier than everyone here.  Jonah finished the last week of April or the first week of May, and Noah was one week behind that.  Starting today, though, it'll just be Noah and I here at home in the daytime, unless he gets a job, but we're still short on a vehicle and that makes things a little tricky.  Jonah leaves at eight o'clock every weekday morning and returns around three thirty.  And today, Drew's summer schedule starts, which means he will be gone all day as well.  Noah has been doing score keeping for the town, but that finished last week, and he's been doing yard work to earn money.  If you're local and need him, let me know!  He is currently looking for more.

I can't believe this school year is over and that my "littles" will be juniors in high school.  The whole school year flew by, as usual, and them driving everywhere definitely sped everything up.  It's so nice that they're driving!  I love that they have freedom that every teenager longs for. 

Well, it's been a bit slow this week, because of the whole car situation, but it's been a good week.  Here are some favorite things/moments from life around here lately.

My Timehop app and Facebook memories have been some of my favorites.  I love this quote, and I love Francis Chan!  I realize this saying probably steps on toes, but I think it resonates with me because ever since last August, a group of friends and I have been studying the word of God together, and we have talked about reverence for God so much through our study.  In my own life, I've been thinking a lot on this, this reverence for God that I have, and wondering what it looks like or should look like in my own personal life.  I don't know that this topic is talked about enough, truthfully, and I'd like to sit down with each of my sons and have a discussion about it, just because most teenagers don't realize what "fearing God" actually means.  (And it's not ACTUAL fear and trembling, it's reverence for Him.)

Books are my favorite.  Anyone who knows me knows that.  These are two I'm working on, along with reading a fiction book at the same time, because I always need mindless.  Both of these were given to me in the last week, from sweet friends.  I will definitely pass this little act of kindness on to someone else. 

I was looking forward to these, because almost every book I've read in May has been a major dud.  I finished two of them last night, and while the second one was great, the ending was horrible.  I hate it when that happens, and when there is no promise of a continuation.  The first book I finished last night should have ended about two hundred pages before it did, and it was a Nicholas Sparks book.  I started it thinking it was good, but midway, it just seemed to go on forever.  (It was Two By Two, by Nicholas Sparks.)

And this one above was the one with the bad ending.  I'm rolling my eyes.

I definitely need to make a library (my favorite place) run sometime this weekend, to replenish and return some books.  You know I always have a whole stack waiting on me, and my hubby is working all weekend long.  (Actually, Hulu has been my nemesis while he works, and I've been binge watching Beverly Hills 90210.  I started watching it the week Luke Perry died.  And I'm rolling my eyes at myself AGAIN.)

One thing I'd like to do this weekend is go to Trader Joe's.  I want some more fresh flowers, and theirs are the best.  (My boys picked these, though.)  Because I've been stuck at home so much, it's always nice to have pretty things like that to look up, to brighten up a space. 

My hubby is pictured on the left, and this is his partner that he rides with the most, Chris.  They were both promoted to Sergeant this week on the sheriff's department.  I'm so proud of Toddley!  He has worked hard to get here, and he leads with integrity and hard work.  I love this picture of him!  This ceremony was on Tuesday night at the training academy on the base, and it was very nice.  We went to eat at Huey's afterward, and I thoroughly embarrassed him on accident, when the couple behind us turned around to ask Graham how old he was.

We didn't talk about this scripture or chapter this week in chronological bible study, but going to that class has been my favorite thing lately.  I could listen to Mrs. Barbee teach ALL DAY LONG, she just teaches in a way that makes the scriptures come alive.  I have one more that I get to attend, and then starting in June, I'll be joining my friends again to start studying Galatians.  I'm not too terribly sad, because I have missed this group of friends, and our time of studying together and talking. 

Earlier in the week, I wrote a blog post on prayer and why this topic is so important.  I talked about one of my favorite methods that I use to do this with some days, and I shared a link for you to click on the video that inspired me greatly in this.  If that sounds like something you want to read and learn more about, scroll down some until you see the post containing this picture above.

Other things going on this weekend include my dad coming over today, and maybe (hopefully?!) getting out some tomorrow with my mom and sister, reading and reading over again the first three chapters of Galatians and making notes, going to church, and then us all staying home and relaxing on Monday together after a busy weekend for them.  I am praying that Drew's truck is finished being worked on soon so that I can start making plans again to swim with my mom-in-love, and so that I can take it on a little getaway I'm going on in a couple of weeks.  We'll also be going to church and I'll be doing (or ordering) some grocery shopping before Tuesday comes. 

Well, I had better get moving on this day, I have a lot to do before Dad comes at eleven thirty.  Thanks for reading my blog, and have a wonderful weekend.  Love to all.