My life has been filled to the brim, a type of cornucopia…
cor·nu·co·pi·a [kawr-nuh-koh-pee-uh, -nyuh-]
noun
1. Classical Mythology. a horn containing food, drink, etc., in endless supply, said to have been a horn of the goat Amalthaea.
2. a representation of this horn, used as a symbol of abundance.
3. an abundant, overflowing supply.
4. a horn-shaped or conical receptacle or ornament.
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Susanne at Living to Tell the Story helps us join together in highlighting our blessings (favorites) from this past week. I was missing in action last week so my favorites are from the last couple of weeks.
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My horn of plenty has been filled with family, friends, food, travel, and good fellowship.
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1. I traveled to Sacramento for my friend Kathy’s memorial service and was blessed with time with loved ones and new friends. We cried, laughed, remembered, and ate good food together. I did some homework before I left for Sacramento because I knew I’d be on my own for a few meals. I was pleased with the spots I found online and that I could find them navigating by myself in the rental car.
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2. We’ve been blessed with free hotel stays because of previous paid hotel stays. This really has come in handy. Because of a business trip earlier in the year I was able to get my hotel room in Sacramento for free. For an upcoming trip in North Carolina our son Dan is sharing his points to give us 5 free nights. Since my daughter and I have to travel on the Monday after Thanksgiving which is costing a fortune, getting the free hotel nights lightens the blow!
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3. Last Friday I was traveling to Canada and that’s why I missed FFF. The Mennonite Girls were participating at the West Coast Women’s Show in the Winks booth and on the Kitchen stage. I was blessed again and again the two days I was there. Anneliese shared her home and kitchen with me…such a blessing. Wendy from Winks gave us a lovely spot to sign books. We were well received by the ladies that paid for the show and watched our kitchen stage presentations.
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4. When I got home from Canada my family room was full of family! Our son from across the mountains traveled to spend a few days with us. We had lots of good times together eating some of our favorite foods and enjoying each others company.
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5. Our daughter Katie got the “phone call” telling her when she needed to be in North Carolina to sign for her and Andrew’s housing. After we all freaked out for several hours we made our travel arrangements and were able to breathe again and relax in knowing that God is always there helping us through the big and small things in our lives. It was a “reality” moment making it clear that soon our nest will really be empty. All the wrap up stuff before Katie leaves is happening. Dear and Katie had a few dancing lessons for the Father and Bride dance. They practiced in our family room last night and I totally teared up. Oye! Life marches on…
I want to be perfectly honest here and let you all know that there was a lot of freaking out stressful moments before God’s calm hit our hearts last Thursday in hearing the “let’s go to North Carolina news!” Thankfully the panic lasted just a couple hours!
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Hope you had a week of knowing you are loved by God and He has his eye on you… “His eye is on the Sparrow and I know he watches me”
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
Oh Ellen…I can not even imagine. I’m thankful you all know the One who knows all of you better than you know yourselves. He already knows what is to come. Peace to you all, may He strengthen you and prepare the way with His grace for all that is to come.
Am cheering you on! You can do all things through Christ..
Our God is a God of all comfort — especially when we’re in a panic! But I’m glad you are full to the brim with many blessings. What a whirlwind week!
All I can say is WOW! The blessings have really been abundant for you lately. What an awesome God we have! Stay healthy through all of your busy times ahead.
~Linnea
Keep on breathing! Katie will be a wonderful military wife and make her home on the other coast the same sort of warm, welcoming and faithful sort of home in which she grew up.
What a full and busy life you are leading, Ellen. Don’t you worry about that empty nesting too much. In this day of Skype and travel, you will always enjoy your daughter’s companionship.
Now I hope that you have made quiet plans for a restful weekend with good food and good conversation and pleasant pursuits.
Your food looks delicious. Making me hungry…
So glad your friend’s memorial service was a blessing. I love how the Lord can turn those hard times into special times of reunion.
Oh, I teared up too reading #5! I hope you have a productive and safe trip to NC!
Oh man, empty nest and daddy practicing the Father/daughter wedding dance…so beautiful and so sad at the same time! Hang in there! My co-blogger, Julia, is having a fairly similar empty nest moment today on our blog. You are happy for them, but so sad that they are leaving. So glad you do have a full cornucopia of love and blessings galore!
Oh Ellen, it must be very hard for you to see your time with Katie in your home coming to an end. You two have shared so many fun times together. Isn’t it reassuring to have such a wonderful relationship with family? Although you’ll be apart geographically, you’ll always be close in heart. And there’s always the internet – how ever did we keep in touch before?
What a rich and wonderful life you have! We’re happy to launch our young into the world as we’d planned all along, but I sure do miss having them around here more often. Enjoy your time.
wow…sounds like an eventful week! many blessings to your daughter Katie (I’m assuming she’s moving out and getting married?? lots of changes…but it sounds like you all are very close..that’s so important!! blessings to you!
What activity-packed couple of weeks you’ve had! Lots of traveling thrown in, too. Your Mennonite Girls cooking get together sounded like loads of fun.
I totally understand the taste of empty nest feeling… it’s a taste I don’t like too much but in time, they tell me it gets sweeter!
What an eventful week! So glad God worked out all the details and even provided free hotel rooms!
You certainly had a lot of fun with family and friends !
It does sound as though you have been busy! I love your pictures, and the food looks delicious! I understand the “freaking out”, sometimes we just go through that until we realize that God has it all under control
It is hard at first but one does adjust to the empty nest. And Katie and Andrew will only be a plane ride away. (How many miles?)
You had a busy week! Two trips and then the fam together 🙂
Oh my, it really was overflowing around your place this last week, wasn’t it?
Hugs to you as you go through all the feelings of letting the last one go from home. She will do a wonderful job setting up her own little home. It’s a blessing living in an age where we have such things as Skype to help us keep in touch.