So what I really want is a white fireplace mantle, but alas, we don't have one. 

So I took my own advice and used what I already had and somehow I brought down these shelves from upstairs while Tom was asleep--and did not awaken him.

But I like this much better than what we had here against this ugly wall. Previously we had a nice old, all-wood card table there, but that made for way too much brown and no height, etc., and looked dreadful. So for now this is it and it's not amazing or permanent, but it is better.

Today's miracle? I made it over to the antique barn and at first the little box of dishes appeared to be gone! But I remained calm and searched the booth where I thought I'd last seen it. Didn't find the dishes so I wandered around in what I like to believe was faith. I did find four white bowls, though, for $7.95, a fair price.

But one more time I returned to that first booth and aha! Beneath a table was my box of dishes. Someone had thoughtfully hidden it for me these past two weeks so I, alone, would find it.  シ I returned the four bowls and took my little box up to the register.

That's when the miracle happened. The tag said 22 pieces for $30, but the $30 was crossed-out so I thought perhaps they were half-price and $15 would be great. Even more than $15 would be fine because I was so in the mood to buy white dishes and I've not spent any money lately because after the barn re-do we didn't have it to spend. But now I had a little.

Anyway, I remarked about that crossed-out $30 to the woman at the register and she said, "Oh yes, they are $4."

I think I felt dizzy. Maybe I steadied myself on the counter, I'm not sure.

"Four dollars?" I asked.

"Yes," she said.

"Well, in that case, I'll be right back. I saw something else I'd like." So I ran and got the four bowls from a different booth and amazingly --wow! I didn't even realize until I unpacked the bowls at home that they are part of this same exact set of my 22 pieces.

And there is my miracle for the day. I sang little songs all the way home and thanked God numerous times for being so obvious about taking such good care of me.



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