1,000 Gifts

8. The first warm rays of morning sun fingering their way across the grass toward the soggy tents patiently awaiting good drying weather

9. Conversations with My Hero on the steps under the stars

10. Nearness to my best friend from childhood...that God brought us both back to our starting place to live life and raise our families side by side

11. Green Bean's inherent sense of justice...his calm acceptence of consequences when he knows he has earned it; the hurt in his eyes and outraged cry when he feels he has been wrongly accused

12. Brown paper packages in the mail from beloved grandparents who wrap up their love for our boys in gifts mailed across the distance

13. Hope

14. Organizational systems and tools...plans for the days, goals for the years, wrestling through logistics of how to get from here to there