Thanks be to God

I really appreciate the process of preparing for events. I love the buying presents for birthdays, planning the party, and the excitement leading up to a new baby.  I love the decorating for Christmas, listening to Christmas music, buying gifts, and most of all the anticipation. In recent years I have tried to prepare my heart for events as well, growing in my relationship with God and my understanding of the holiday as I do so. This past year some of my friends and I did a devotional everyday leading up to Easter. I LOVED it! It was so good to pray, read, and study God's Word with others as I learned to more deeply understand and appreciate the sacrifice of Christ on the cross and truly experience the joy of his resurrection as he truly saved me.

This year I am looking foward to preparing my heart and mind for the celebration of all God has blessed us with. I hate having Thanksgiving day arrive and realizing that I am more focused on prepping dinner and all the busyness than on thanking God for everything he has done for me. One way that I am preparing for the Thanksgiving this year is by recording each day something that I am thankful for. In no particular order:

Nov 1- I am thankful for my beautiful first born daughter, Grace Elizabeth (by 2 minutes).  I love that she likes to cuddle with me. She cares for her Kay with such affection. I appreciate how she loves to sing songs and dance. She tells me that she wants to be a ballerina.  Grace has such energy and a continual flow of conversation.  I super duper love how she tells me how much she loves me and gives me such good hugs (I am getting one right now!). She is so beautiful with big blue eyes and blond soft hair that she twirls between her fingers. She loves learning and is so genuine and serious with her questions and responses.
Nov 2-  Thanks God for Izze Sparkling Grapefruit drink. It is grapefruit juice mixed with sparkling water. So much better than either pop or juice! Josh occasionally buys me a 4 pack when he grocery shops. I save them up and drink them only at school. I can't begin to tell you the joy and excitement I have as I look forward to drinking one at school. SOOO GOOD! I had one today (probably why it is on my mind today!).

As I tried to take a picture of Caleb's Mohawk and he responded with a vehement finger wagging "No no"!

Um mom, I thought I said no to this picture taking.

Nov 3-I thank God everyday for my Caleb John. Geez that boy has gotten some attitude in the last week as he finally adopted the words "No No!" as his favorite phrase.  Now just to clarify, it isn't a simple nice no when he doesn't want something; instead it is a definite double no, not just one.  I adore how one moment he is so full of life, curiosity, and energy and the next he is cuddling in my arms with his thumb in his mouth and his puppy in his hand. He is getting big so quickly. One minute he is my baby the next he is my big boy. Thank you God for giving me our boy! :)
Nov 4- Not only is Josh home today on this Friday because he is able to work the night shift at work when he wants, but the kids slept in until 10AM!!!!! Yes, that is right, 10 am! Hallelujah. Best morning ever! It's a record! Thank you God for awesome late morning wake ups. Now to make some blueberry pancakes! :)

Nov 5- Cuddles! I don't think I have ever appreciated cuddling with my kiddos as much as I do now. I love when they crawl up by me and just want to be near me. I am loved and I love them so much. Now, don't get me wrong, this has been a work in progress. I like to get things done and so sitting on the coach with a 1 year old was a challenge for me for probably the whole first 2 years of the girls lives and still is hard at times when I have a huge list of things to get done. But in the last year I suddenly appreciate and savor every cuddle I can get! :)
Nov 6- I appreciate that God gives us opportunities to serve him and others around us. Today I spent the morning co-teaching the girls Sunday School class. While it is definitely exhausting, it also was very rewarding seeing the kids listen to God's Word about Moses and the burning bush, understand how God is with us, praise Him in songs, and play together.

My dad, Grace, Kay, Caleb and my mom trick or treating at the nursery.

Nov 7- Today especially I am so very glad for my mom. Today was a kind of crummy day as I caught the kids cold and have been sneezing all day. After watching the kids all day today while I worked, my mom surprised us when I met her at 5:30 by making an extra chicken pot pie to send home with us for dinner. Not only did we get dinner ready made for us, but she also made us a warm apple pie. YUM! It totally made a kind of crummy day wonderful. I love that she goes above and beyond in so many ways. Thanks mom!

Nov 8- I am so thankful for book club. Thankful that I have an 'excuse' that I have to go visit with awesome friends once a month. Last night we met and it was once again just what I have been needing. I love the fellowship, deep friendship, depth of conversation, and trust that has been established and continues to grow. It is so nice to spend time with other women that love God,  share joys and struggles, and laugh together.

Nov 9- I am so thankful today for the little ways Josh shows he loves me. I came home from a long day at work.... tired, sick with a cold, and slightly crabby. I walked in the door not only to find dinner ready, but to find that he cooked my very favorite dish - mashed potatoes, corn and gravy. He had even cleaned up and saved me a piece of apple pie. Words to not even begin to express how much these little things mean to me. I LOVE that he did all these things to care for me and even though that he could care less about a clean house or having dinner right at 5 o'clock, he loves me enough to do them anyways.

Nov 10- The girls and I are quite thankful for crayons and markers. They appreciate the hours of entertainment they provide and I love the time I can actually get things done around the house!

Nov 11- I am so very thankful today for my Kayleigh Lynn. She spent the whole morning helping me clean off carrots from our garden. She was so helpful, continuing to help even after the newness of the project wore off. She is so curious, asking many questions. She is strong-willed, opinionated, shy, and very particular about everything. I certainly love our pretty little princess.
Nov 12- Nap time. Seriously the best time of the day!
Nov 13-I am thankful today for a husband that will drive me patiently to the  court house at 11pm so that I know exactly where I am going tomorrow for jury duty. It makes me feel so much better knowing exactly where I am going (especially when it is in the maze of one way streets that is the loop).

Nov 14- Friends. The kind that you spend the whole night talking to and could for hours more (if you had any more time). The friend you can pray with, cry with, laugh with, and share both the good and bad in life with.
Nov 15- The opportunity to grow in knowledge, love, and care for those in my community through spending many hours with my fellow city residents in jury duty this week. I have come to better understand the lives and struggles of so many awesome people.
Nov 16-I came home today to see yet another house being torn down in our neighborhood. They have taken probably 5- 10 houses down in the last two weeks. While it is sad to see so many old, abandoned houses, it is great to see them cleared out and see bare fields of land.

Nov 17-  Thanks God for a friend who watched all three of my kids today along with her little girl. Overwhelming- yes, exhausting- yes, and yet she watched them with joy and even made us dinner to enjoy.
Nov 18- I am so thankful that both Josh and I have jobs that are flexible enough to let us balance our family and work. I am able to set the days and hours for my job, and Josh's job allows him to work a night or double shift once a week so that  he can be home with the kids once a week while I work. It is truly a blessing. Even better, we both really love our jobs. I work with great people, with awesome high school students, and do something I love as I counsel students. Even better I can do it part-time at this point in my life so I can spend the majority of my time with my kids. What more can I ask for?
Nov 19- Lazy Saturdays. Sleeping in, family time, movie time, nap time, craft time, God time, reading time. Yep, lazy Saturdays are awesome.

Nov 20- Football, date day, friends with connections, friends, parent's to our watch kids,  VIP passes, whew... it was a great day! Thanks God for days filled with joy and surprises like this!

Nov 21- Siblings that I can talk to about so many topics, that understand my past and present, and live with me through it. I love that we know our family, our jokes, our history, and love each other anyways. We laugh together, fight with one another, make funny faces, and give bunny ears. Thanks God for making us five!
Nov 22- I praise God for BSF. I attend Women's Bible Study Fellowship with my kids, mom, aunts, cousin, and friends on Tuesday mornings. I love being able to study God's Word in Christian community.  To have daily Bible study to do, small group discussion and large group teaching. I am so thankful that my children are learning the same things I am in their classes. It is such a blessing to me and my family.
Nov 23- I am so happy that it is break time! God definitely knew what he was talking about when told us to have a Sabbath rest. We were made to need rest. I am so thankful that we can find that rest in Him.

Nov 24- Thank you God for family to share life with. It is so nice coming home to my parents and spending time with my parent,siblings, children, grandparents, and husband. I love family time. :)

Nov 25- Thank you God for giving me my smart, beautiful, caring girls, Grace Elizabeth and Kayleigh Lynn who turned 4 today!!! I can't believe how fast time has flown. They are so much fun and I love every minute of being their mommy.