Remember the days when we went through a whole day without taking a photo? In this social media age, we can feel pressured to document every minute of our day and post it to Facebook, Instagram, and any other form of social sharing media. I thought I would share a few ‘stray gifts’ from the last few weeks without photos.

The last few weeks have been trying, to say the least. With my husband recovering from hip replacement surgery and my dad needing an impromptu knee surgery, life has been BUSY for me. I have been on the go every day taking either my husband or my dad to doctor appointments, sitting in waiting rooms, keeping the home together and dinner on the table. Because I was in the habit of looking for stray gifts, I was able to still notice the unexpected blessings in my days. It’s like the game of, “I spy with my little eye…”. Here is a list of some of the gifts I have ‘spied’ in the last few weeks:

• A pretty little ladybug that landed on the car windshield after a long day. Seeing it made me stop and say, “Oh look!” to my son who was with me. Such cute little bugs, aren’t they?
• We have had triple-digit temperatures here lately, but one morning I was up early and working in the yard. I remember the nice cool breeze, the windchimes gently chiming, and the peace of feeling comfortable for a bit outside.
• One morning, I was RUSHED to get ready as an opportunity for a doctor appointment became available that day (for my dad’s knee/MRI). In my mad dash to shower and get ready, my son made me breakfast (and coffee!) and brought it upstairs so I could eat and prepare for the day at the same time. It’s tricky but doable. We had wanted to try a new recipe that morning and had already done the prep work the night before. He just finished making the French toast muffins by himself while I was getting ready for the day. Another morning, my husband cooked eggs for me while I was again hurrying to get out the door. Teamwork!
• Rain! Twice in one week. That, truly, is a stray gift in these parts.
• Did I mention I have been busy? One night, I slept for nine hours STRAIGHT! A miracle.
• My son is home full time on break from college classes and for his twenty-third birthday, he and I did one of the things he loves best…we worked together in the kitchen making some of his favorite foods – breakfast pizza, homemade potato soup, and homemade crescent rolls.
• When the MRI results came in for my dad that he did, indeed, need surgery on his left knee, surgery was able to be scheduled in one day. We quickly left the house for the hospital to register and the next day, he was on the operating table. The operation went well and now for the hard work of healing. No knee replacement was needed, but some repair work was in order. The surgery was this past Friday (August 16).
• The afternoon of the surgery, after we came home from a long day, I was so tired. I went to bed around 5:00 PM (thinking I was just going to close my eyes for about an hour) and did not wake up until 1:00 AM. My husband and son thought to make me a sandwich ahead of time knowing I would wake up sometime feeling hungry. I was touched by their thoughtfulness.
• I am thankful for butterflies, dragonflies, and bees spotted in our yard. For the scent of my basil in the breeze, for honeysuckle blooms, for yellow bells and climbing morning glories.
• I am amazed at what wonderful meals can be made in a crockpot for busy days with just a few ingredients and a bit of creativity. There is nothing like a hot homemade meal, especially during the extra full seasons of life.

Pleasure is spread through the earth in stray gifts to be claimed by whoever shall find.

William Wordsworth, 1806