Giving Thanks; Blessed Assurance.

 

“No one gets to joy by trying to make everything perfect.
One only arrives there by seeing in every imperfection all that is joy.”


Best year of giving thanks?

November was a celebration for my best year of thanks yet. And a kick-off to my new year. A new year of giving, showing, writing, drawing, teaching, celebrating all my thanks. For all His grace.

For I have learned this is the true way of happiness, true joy and finding contentment. Giving thanks. Daily. I just started a new Giving Thanks journal. My third one. I am anxious to fill it.

This blessed assurance has settled in my bones. I am a child of God indeed. No need to keep fighting. No need to keep asking. I'm just living it. Trusting Him. He holds my heart. My husband. My children. All that is dear to me. ....I can move on each day, just giving praise to Him, through my thanks for all things.

It is well with my soul. I am so utterly, fully, explosively! thankful for that.

For this faith-journey that has changed me, is ever changing me
For the God that is, was and always will be
For the trust I have in Him
For the celebration to come
For the Son, the baby born quietly in a stable who s a v e d my life
For the Son,who was let go to fulfill a greater purpose
For the man, flesh and bone, beaten, battered; who died for me
For the grace that fills me every day even when I forget to ask for it
For He k n o w s me
For the growth that keeps taking place because He is faithful. He is good.



The best medicine for a troubled heart, a troubled life? Give thanks to God. Just start giving thanks. And keep moving forward, upward. He hears you friend. He sees you. And He loves you.


Here's to our best holiday yet. ...Because there is so much to give thanks for.

Reaching out; Prayers for Baby Natalie.

i have known loss in my life before. the loss of a grandparent, a beloved pet, a friend, a relative. all loss is loss and breaks the heart. ....but there is nothing like the loss of a child. whether in the womb or out, as mother, i know how the plans and dreams for this life begin as soon as you discover there is life inside of you. and how it shatters the heart when those dreams die, when life is lost.

there is nothing, no nothing, like holding new life in your hands, rocking this miracle in your arms. whether planned or not, new life is a miracle.

these days, i am consumed with emotion, consumed with dreams and excitement and bittersweetness of baby's first christmas, and three little birthdays all in a row. these three little miracles alive and active and well. i thank God every day. every.single.day for the time i have with them. trying not to take it for granted. some days i do. some days i think, "oh we have tomorrow." ...but will we?


...these days, my heart is also consumed with thoughts of the momma who sits in the hospital with her new baby girl. waiting. praying. waiting. praying. i try to imagine sitting there watching for every breath, counting. waiting. praying. i don't know exactly how it goes, i've never actually been there. but i know i don't want to. but it's happening and my heart breaks and i just want to hold that momma. i want to hold her and pray for her and with her and hold that precious life, to see her breathing. to see her growing.

baby natalie was born at 25 weeks. she weighed 1lb.5oz. i imagine she could have laid in the palm my hand, curled up, so sweet.
like me, you may hear this and think, "how to survive!? can she survive? God! let her survive!"

ahh, but God! GOD! our true miracle worker, life-giver, sustainer. He is our miracle!

baby natalie is a fighter. God is at work. baby natalie reminds me, though i have yet to meet her, that not only is life precious and fragile, but every breath, every.single.breath we take, our children take, our loved ones take, is precious, a miracle in itself. God is the giver of life, breath and every precious moment we have here. let's not take it for granted. ever.

won't you join me in prayer for baby natalie? lift her and her family, my family, and that precious exhausted momma who is pleading with God for her baby's life? please?

Giving Thanks Days 25, 26, 27 28; Preferring the pen.

“God isn’t asking us to earn His love.

He’s simply asking us to turn towards His love.”-Ann Voskamp

   These days, I prefer my pen and paper for giving thanks. It's fun to share here and add all the fancy stuff, but really, I just love to sit down with my favorite pen and my Giving Thanks notebook. I love the worn pages, the way it bloats from being so full, the way some of the pages contain scribbles from little hands, and how, with just a flip of a page, I can see all this goodness, all His grace.

I urge you friends! I STRONGLY urge you, to begin (or continue) a Giving Thanks list for all the year. Buy a notebook and start writing! It doesn't have to be fancy. Just do it and be blessed! I GUARANTEE it will improve your days, your life, and the lives of those around you.

"Once one has begun, has tasted and known He is God, who can stop giving Him glory?"

My days are full of thanks, whether I feel like it or not;

For a weekend full of family time
For my (first) nephew's birthday
For a baby's first steps
For weekends that are for sleeping in, big breakfasts, and time to meander
For "momma time"; shopping, drinking lattes, wandering, all.by.myself.
For the little boy waking with the sweetest bed-head
For the baby boy who sleeps all night in his bed once again
For the man who survived caring for three littles for five hours, by.himself.
For the grammy who is so un-hesitant to offer help
For this season, so merry and bright
For teaching little ones about Jesus
For little ones learning Christmas carols and singing about baby Jesus
For planning Christmas gatherings and birthday parties
For celebrating all this life that God has blessed us with
For the precious tiny life born too soon, that is fighting right now, a true miracle of God, seeing God's hand
For family prayers
For praying for family, covering someone whether they know it or not
For extra cuddle time with baby boy while big boys are visiting grammy
For time
For invading sunshine these mornings
For breathing all.this.goodness.
For quietly planting seeds in the heart of others
For baby boy's determination
For the imprints on my heart

Giving Thanks Days 23 & 24; Together and On My Own.

“Celebrate God all day, every day.
I mean, revel in Him!
Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you’re on their side, working with them and not against them.
Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!”
~Phil 4:7 MSG

...
I LOVE spending time with my family.

And I LOVE this time of the year, when there is chill in the air outside and we are cozy and cuddled up, inside.

Yesterday my sweet little family spent the afternoon in our jammies, cuddled up and watching movies. We had plans to go to the zoo in the evening to see the "wildlights". That was, until we realized it was way too cold and windy to be outside. We went shopping instead. All five of us. It was a great evening. I love hanging out with all my guys.

I am so thankful for family outings.

...
TODAY, today! My ohsosweet husband offered to keep all three kiddos so this momma could get out. Finally! I just needed to get out and....breathe. To think clearly. To not think. You know, all those things you do when you don't have little ones yelling, clinging, talkingnonstop, etc. etc. ...Just for a little bit.

It really was lovely. Meandering my favorite places, latte in hand, taking my sweet ol' time, browsing, shopping, just enjoying being....me.

I am so thankful for some time on my own.

Giving Thanks Day Twenty Two; Putting My Feet Up.

“Paying attention to our lives
is a way to pay thanks to our Lord.” ~One Thousand Gifts


Wow. Did that REALLY just happen?!
We just hosted our first Thanksgiving in.our.house. with both of our families, well, most of them. But still. We did it! And it was great!

My belly is full and my heart overflows. There is so so so much to be thankful for.

For such a beautiful day for a feast;
For windows open, fresh air filling this space;
For a home that I love, that I can clean and take care of and share;
For three little boys that are so wild and loud and ....healthy and beautiful and loved;
For a husband who helps, works hard, loves with great abandon;
For family that shows up;
For so.much.food to eat and to share;
For family and in-laws and coming TOGETHER and enjoying each other's company;
For jokes and laughter at the dinner table;
For more than enough space;
For kiddos eating fast so they can go play;
For kiddos sneaking downstairs, under the table to grab another cookie;
For cousins playing, laughing, being so ornery;
For the one girl cousin "watching over" the four boy cousins;
For my sister who is such an anchor and is so practical...and always makes me feel calm;
For my brother-in-law who brought the camera and took some pictures because, I just don't have time and usually can't find my camera anyway;
For my mom, who just makes everything seem brighter; she is comfort;
For seeing my dad, my husband, my father-in-law and brother-in-law just men hanging out;
For this baby boy who is so incredibly charming and can't seem to eat enough these days (growth spurt, again?);
For little boys who can barely keep their eyes open at 8:00pm;
For three little ones who will sleep peacefully;
For ALL.THIS.INCREDIBLE.GOODNESS. Oh God is so good. And I am so unable but HE is.

I am so thankful to put my feet up; pecan pie on one side, Eggnog Latte on the other, typing my thanks.

...."But when thanks to God becomes a habit – so joy in God becomes your life"....

Giving Thanks Day Twenty One; Resources!

I am a home- keeping, schooling, budgeting momma and wife. In simpler terms, I work at home with no monetary pay. (But the rewards are priceless and far outweigh any money I could ever earn outside the home!)

This means though, I need to be thrifty and resourceful.

This day in age, that is EASY to do! Thanks to all the wonderful people out there who choose to share their creativity for free or very little. We have found all our homeschooling, crafting, devotional, budgeting and justfunstuff online this year for FREE! (I have bought a couple of devotionals that I paid a total of $12.00). There are literally thousands of blogs, sites and links to all this wonderful stuff! And all you need is a little time (Huh?!) and a great printer!

Here are a few of my (current) favorites!

http://ohamanda.com/ (I am especially excited about Truth in Tinsel!This one we paid for, but soooo worth it!

http://www.aholyexperience.com/

http://www.incourage.me/

http://www.2teachingmommies.com/

and of course, http://pinterest.com/!
TIP: While pinterest can seem somewhat overwhelming and a bit daunting, if you do a specific search for what you are looking for, it's much less time-consuming!

[Another key is to stay on task! You don't need to spend hours online searching for incredible stuff! Make a list of what you need and what you are looking for right now. Then STAY FOCUSED. My first and main responsibility is caring for my home, husband and children. And Godly care and love only requires praying first, not printing a bunch of "stuff". ]

I am so thankful for all the (free) resources available to us!

Giving Thanks Day Twenty; Rocketships, Superheroes, and Racing Cars.

"We're going on a mission, start the countdown; 5, 4, 321...BLASTOFF!"

So many of my thanks posts have involved my children....but they are something to be thankful for!

Every day is a brand-new adventure for them, with them.
And these days have been especially wild. With little boys learning to pretend and use their imaginations, things are seriously wild and fun. Some days, we are superheroes, other days, we are "rocket drivers" (they haven't quite learned about astronauts yet), some days, they are Buzz and Woody and I am the "damsel in distress" or maybe "evil doctor pork chop", sometimes, I'm just not sure.  And some days we are race car drivers, racing through the rugged terrain or through a big city full of block towers. There are a few days when we do all these things at once. Yes, all.at.once.

I especially love it when we are laughing hysterically from our silly play and we all fall down in one big heap, even baby boy joins in. And then we have a tickle-fest and wind down while having story time or watching a good movie. And then, imaginations fill up and we are back to playtime.


I am so thankful for my boys' imaginations and to be a part of their playtime.

Giving Thanks Day Nineteen; Generosity.

As I sit here surrounded by mounds of laundry, some folded, some waiting patiently in line, I am reminded how blessed we have been by others. Before we even had children, there have some awesome "givers" in our life. So many dear ones willing to share with us. After having children, the blessings just keep pouring in. We haven't "needed" to buy clothes for our kiddos. When a kid grows out of something, I go to the basement, not the store. There are other things too, baby supplies, toys, even household items. So many kind-hearted friends and a few times, through various circumstances, the kindness of a stranger. We are so incredibly blessed and I pray each day we can pass on the blessings...and teach our children to do the same.

I am so thankful for the generosity of others.

Giving Thanks Day Eighteen; Church.

“Holy joy lies in the habit of murmuring thanks to God
for the smallest of graces."

I love our church. And though I have yet to personally meet everyone who attends regularly, I love our church family. The boys and I missed the past two weeks due to illness. So today, we were all healthy and I was slightly envious when my husband and the twins got to attend our church. Baby boy and I visited another church to hear my dad speak. It was nice and of course, I wanted to be there for my dad, but, it reminded me how loving and warm our own church is and I just really missed being there today.

I'll never forget the first Sunday we walked in to our now-home-church. The twins were just eight months old then. Several couples approached us and gave us hugs. Big, "welcome home" hugs. It was warm and friendly and.....just felt like home. Since then, we've made so many dear friends and our boys have even made a few friends. We have a place where we not only worship the Lord freely, but see him on a regular basis, through the wonderful folks in our church family.

I am so thankful for our church and church family.

 

Giving Thanks Day 17; Grace Reminders.

“If gratitude is an antidote for anxiety, and giving thanks is a real cure for stress,
we don’t have to relegate thanksgiving to a holiday,
for giving thanks to God revolutionizes all of our days.”

Even when it "feels" like it's not there, I can put thanks in my heart:

For these hard days that remind me to turn to Him;
For little boys who repeat EVERY THING we say and we are reminded, once again, to speak words more carefully;
For these hard days and realizing I have not spent time with Him lately and why I so desperately need to sit down with Jesus;
For the husband who forgives me when I snap at him, because it's been a hard day and little kids have been whiny and...and...;
For my own momma who listens to me whine and vent and still loves me just the same;
For little boys who still dearly cling to me and kiss me and "I love you mommy!" after they have been in time out for the tenth time;
For the husband who had to forgive me, still asks if he can do anything for me;
For this lovely-turned-rough day winding down and all three little boys peaceful in their beds;
For feet propped up, all comfy cozy and mind-settling;
For joy that thanks-giving brings;
For looking forward to rest, and by the grace of God, followed by a new day.

“Worship is the continuous outpouring of all that I am, all that I do and all that I can ever become in light of a chosen or choosing god.” ~Harold Best
 

Giving Thanks Days 15 and 16; MOPS and Full.

 

“If God really works in everything, why don’t we thank Him in everything?
Why be afraid of anything — when God is using everything?”



Oops! I missed a day writing my thanks! But, that doesn't mean I wasn't thankful!

These days, I thrive on giving thanks. Speaking, writing, focusing on and sharing my thanks is how I survive many of these days. It's amazing what "giving thanks" has done for my heart, for my life, for my family even.

Day fifteen;

I was giving thanks for my MOPS group. I am so thankful for a group of mommas to hang out with. We meet once a month and for me, that's not enough, I would love to see the wonderful ladies twice a month! But, I understand with hectic schedules and all that good stuff, I'll take the once-a-month! Many of these mommas have become dear friends to me and without their friendship and prayers, I'd be lost.

I am so thankful for our local MOPS Group and my MOPS friends!

Day sixteen;

Today, I am taking in the past couple of days. It's been such a whirlwind around here with my husband being back home. We've had some "readjusting" to do, all good, but adjusting nonetheless. I am just "as pleased as pie" (giggle) to have him home! AND I am REALLY looking forward to date night; having him all to myself! ...

My heart is so full with all the goodness God has blessed us with
....It really doesn't take much, does it? If you stop and think about where you are, take a look at your surroundings; are you comfortable? Are you safe? Are you clothed? Are you fed? Start there. Now, look further, do you see? Can you walk, talk and think? If you answered yes to most or all of these, isn't that a great start?
Isn't any life in us at all something to be thankful for?

And I am guessing, that there's more....much more. But, I won't pry.

I will say that my life is full and I give God praise for all that is good. He is so faithful and just and good and AWESOME.

I am thankful for my full life.

Giving Thanks Day Fourteen; Happy Homecoming

My precious, hardworking lineman husband spent the last sixteen (16!) days working storm duty on the east coast. When he left, we didn't know how long he would be gone, or where he might end up. While he was gone, he started out in a city, was moved to the country, in the mountains, where they spent the last week and a half sleeping on cots at a giant camp, eating in a mess hall, with no TV (imagine so many men, with no TV!), and little or no hot water. They worked 16-18 hours a day, and rode a bus to and from their work site to campsite daily.

We got the call last night, "should be released tomorrow."
This morning, I received the long awaited message, "On my way."

We were celebrating over here. We were thanking God and dancing, "Daddy's coming home!!"

I am so thankful my man made it home safe and sound!

Giving Thanks Day Thirteen; Good Friends

You know, the friend you haven't seen or maybe even talked to for so long, but when you finally do, you just pick up where you left off....like no time has passed at all.

It's the friend who hears you are in need or alone and says, I'll be right over and I am bringing dinner.

It's the friend who KNOWS you are overwhelmed just by the sound of your voice and hurries right over with a sweet gift and occupies the kiddos for a bit.

You are extra blessed if you indeed have a friend or two (or more) like that. Be sure to show them gratitude.


I am so thankful for good friends.

Giving Thanks Day Twelve; A Thankful Heart.

The unthankful heart … discovers no mercies;
but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and,
as the magnet finds the iron,
so it will find, in every hour,some heavenly blessings.
~ Henry Ward Beecher

 

For a good night's sleep;
For the steam that neatly rises from my favorite coffee mug;
For little boys' morning laughter;
For chocolate milk mustaches;
For little boys' hugs and soothing voices saying "it'll be okay mommy..."
For baby boys' open-mouth, slobbery kisses;
For every little hug I see them give each other;
For every little "please" and "thank you" and "may I" because I am trying to show them;
For little boys' love of dancing;
For Sun butter, instead of peanut butter because someone is allergic;
For an all day pajama day because it "just makes sense today";
For looking forward to our monthly MOPS meeting;
For remembering to put the trash bin out tonight;
For crafts and for making a mess while having fun;
For the birds enjoying our birdseed pine cones;
For cuddling under a pile of blankets while watching the rain fall outside;
For the mess that could stay put because I wanted to join in the fun;
For little boy giggles when they spun around and around;
For all of us falling in a heap because we are tired from running;
For indoor "ice hockey"; sliding across the wood floors in our socks and laughing hysterically;
For little boys understanding "giving thanks" and share what they are thankful for;
For the boy who always wants to "help";
For a new friendship in the works;
For my mom, who just listens;
For the husband who makes me feel so special;
For the candlelight that burns and reminds me of hope and peace every time with every flicker;
For an empty sink;
For (some) laundry folded and put away;
For hot tea on a cold night;
For prayers felt;
For looking forward to holidays;
For a clear night sky and a moment to star gaze;
For breathing;
For little boys prayers;
For messy bath time fun;
For the God who is so big and loves me as I am;
For His forgiveness and unconditional love;
For three little boys all tucked sleepily away in their beds;
For time to s l o w down;
For time to write and think and sit still;
For baby boy who still wants to cuddle;
For thanks - giving.

Giving Thanks Day Eleven; Mom.

 

My mom is...amazing.

She's also my dearest friend. She's a life-saver and I don't know what we would do without her. My kids ADORE her. And she, them. They share such a special, unbreakable bond....it's just precious.

My mom takes care of so many, always rushing off to "put out a fire". But her family always comes first. Whenever we're sick or just really need her, she's here.
Her faith is awesome and inspiring. She encourages me in my own faith-walk and reminds me often that "God isn't surprised, He's always in control.".

Mom and I share our own special, unbreakable, bond...
I love that most of the time, we're thinking the same thing about a situation, BUT when we don't, we can agree to disagree without holding it against the other and move on.

How many years, mom, have you wanted to get that project or that project done? And it never gets done, because "your family comes first"...
We'd be lost without you.


...I am so thankful for my mom.



 

Giving Thanks Day Ten; For the Love of Family.

 

My mom's side of the family started a tradition many years ago. Initially it was the Sisters/girls getting together once a month. After a couple of meetings, we designated the second Saturday of each month, Sisters' Luncheon. Sometime after our precious Mawmaw passed away, it became the Family Luncheon and the brothers started attending (my mom has 6 brothers and sisters). For as far back as I can remember, we've been meeting monthly for 15 years. Not everyone makes it every month, but we always have a group and good food. It' awesome. Lots of wonderful, "flighty" conversations. Lots of heartfelt sharing. Lots of prayer. So much love poured out in just a few hours. I always hate leaving. I just want to linger and bask in the goodness and love of these beautiful people. I always leave full; stomach, heart and soul. Always feeling covered.

I am so glad to be part of a family that stays in touch. A family that prays together. A family that loves without limits.


I am so thankful for my family.

Giving Thanks Day Nine; A Walk in the Woods.

"Today really is as simple as breathing and believing."

It's November and we played in the park today like it was September. The cool breeze was blowing but the sun offered some comfort as it  blasted through the trees.

...Little boys jumping, yelling, sliding, climbing, tromping through the leaves.
We followed a trail through the woods. E says to me, "Are we in the forest mommy?"
"Yea, pretty much buddy. Stop. Listen. What do you hear?"
"The BIG.BAD.MOUSE!" He says laughing and runs ahead to catch up with the other boys.

Everyone stops at a berry bush. Z looks serious and says "These are bird berries. God grows them to feed the birds."
Baby laughs and kicks in his stroller.
The cousins laugh and everyone proceeds to pick berries and scatter them "for the birds".
They finish and run ahead, into the beautiful unknown. I snap pictures, but they never capture exactly what the eyes see. The boys, so free, so impressed with all this nature. Funny, how so many things I have never really seen until I have seen them through the eyes of my children.
"It'll be dark soon and we should head back".
Baby boy falls asleep as we finish the trail. Boys run to play in the sand. Oh! That energy.

Little boys do not want to leave. I can only imagine what they must be thinking and seeing. Of course they don't want to leave.
I love that they love to be outside, to explore, to see, to adventure about so fearlessly. I hope they never lose their sense of adventure and wonder. And I right beside them to enjoy it too.

I am so thankful for our walks in the woods.  

End of Day.

 

...As I walked around the house picking up toys, I could imagine each boy and how they played today.

The purple car with flames E carried around all day; "vrroooom. Errrrrrrrntt. Whooooaaa, I'm flying...."
The red car Z played with for a little while then shared it with baby boy. The same car I had to take from baby boy's mouth a ba-zillion times this evening. He thinks he's so clever. I found him behind a chair "sneaking" said car into his mouth, twice. There's that oh-so-adorable scrunchy face. I melt.
Two Buzz Lightyear guys, one with E's name on the foot, one with Z's name. They play with these daily. I can see them now, flying them around, yelling out "Buzz Lightyear to the rescue!"...
There's that white sock baby boy carried around in his mouth half the night. Why he does that I will never understand. But, it's hilarious.

The pile of blankets that I fold for the the umpteenth time. They l-o-v-e to drag blankets around. Sometimes, they're capes, sometimes they little wrap them around themselves and laugh hysterically, other times they just like throwing them. I don't know; they're boys.

I'm sweeping up sand for the third time. How do they get so much sand in here? We took our shoes off outside!
The talking-singing-dancing baby toys that the big boys play with more than baby does.
The "block box" where the blocks can't seem to stay. I find mega blocks EVERYWHERE. There they are, I can see them perfectly, building towers, knocking them over, building them back up again. UH-OH! Here comes "Babyzilla" to knock it over! Big boys yell then run. "Babyzilla" makes chase. He does this sort of monkey hobbling thing; he's very fast. I laugh out loud just picturing it in my mind.

 

Boys yelling. Boys running circles around and around and around. How do they not get dizzy? How do they have so.much.energy?
There's baby boy standing. Again. He puts his hands up as if to say "YAY!" I did again! Then, he drops. Up again. Down again. Up. Down. Up. Down. That determination. It's really quite inspiring.

 

All the dancing. "Turn the music LOUD mommy!"
The books strewn about. Remembering how we all four sat and read several times today. Each time, baby boy trying to eat the book. I guess he prefers tasting to reading. Haha.
There's that crazy looking red man they love to play with. Where did he even come from?

Oh wow, a rock. Z loves rocks. He's always asking to bring them in. I usually say no, we can keep them in the garage in a bucket. This one "snuck by" me. Oh well, out to the garage it goes. (until baby boy can be trusted not to eat them anyway.)
A pile of baby wipes in the corner. No doubt sneaky little baby boy got into the wipes when I wasn't looking. lol. He does that, a lot. Cue the scrunchy face, all perfectly cute (and sooooo knows it.).
I sigh...oh boy.
Sippy cups. Pacifiers. Little shoes. Everywhere.

 I pick up the camera and scroll through the 20 or more pictures I took just today. Wow. So many smiles. A few frowns too. I was actually told today by Z to put the camera down. "No more pictures Mommy."

All these memories. From just one day.

Ahh, but how many moments today did I wish I could have a break? To sit quietly by myself in a corner? To do something for myself?

As I sit here thinking of my children playing and how little time they are "little". How soon big guy stuff will replace the little kid stuff. I'm so blessed. Blessing beyond blessing to be here. To have these sweet memories.

And, I have this time. Now. To write about it. THAT'S a blessing.

Thank you God. For these little ones that we prayed for, pleaded for. Thank you God for time with them. Thank you God for time to write about it.

Now, please God, give me the grace to do it again tomorrow. Amen.

Giving Thanks Day Eight; What a Man!

 

 

My husband, my best friend, my soul-mate and the father of my children. He is the sweetest, funniest, most meticulous and stubborn man I know. And I love him to bits.  God knew just what He was doing that day in the eighth grade when "our story" began.

I'm so thankful for ALL of him,

For his strength;
For his love and affection for me;
For his light-hearted humor;
For his adoration for his children (and he has no problem showing them how much he loves them);
For his love of God and the way he prays for and with his family;
For his hard work; he will not hesitate to drag out of bed at 3 o'clock in the morning because he knows it will benefit his family.
For his kind heart; he will drop what he's doing to help someone in need (not stopping to think "what can you do for me?");
For his resourceful-ness ("Everything can be turned into something else..." and he never fails to amaze me.);
For his creativity; the man is a beautiful artist;
For the way he cares for us; he has never hesitated in any area, always fully here;
For his voice; there's none like it to us;
Even his bull-headed-ness is a treasure.

I am completely, fully head-over-heels for this man. I'm so very proud of him; he is a hero to us. And I thank God for him every single day (even when he's super bull-headed! haha.)

Giving Thanks Day Seven; In All These Things.

 

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7

...
If I could just carry a recorder with me all day long. I l-o-v-e hearing little voices and all the things they say. I suppose there are a few things I don't want to hear, but even those would be funny later on.

What little boys did and said today;

Waking up to cheesy baby boy.

"GOOD MORNING MOMMY!" says two little boys.

"Read us a story mommy?"

Story time anytime.

"I love you so so much Mommy"

Hugs from my boys.
Kisses from baby boy.

"Hey man! What are YOU doing?"

"YEA! Let's go run outside!"

Running with boys.

"Hey guys, what's going on in here?" (it's so funny to hear E say, "Hey guys!" in his deep voice.)

"Run to the couch! Take cover! Babyzilla (baby brother's new nickname!) is coming!"

"Our rocket ship is ready for take-off, let's fly man!"

"Hey! Let's dance! Turn on the music please Mommy?!" (of course I will!)
Everyone breaks out in dance.

"Mommy, do you hear me?!"

"Mommy, don't tell me no right now!!" (so this one isn't so pleasant, but if you could see his face when he says it....priceless!)

"I'm sorry fwiend, I didn't mean to stick my finger in your nose."

"Mommy, where is God?"
(Me: "God is everywhere and anywhere and right here with us.")
"I'm so glad God is everywhere! Ummm, can he see me right now (looking around curiously)?"
(Me: "yes, buddy, He sees you right now.")
"Hmmm. OKAY!" and takes off, satisfied.

"You're my best fwiend brother."
(three boys hug, well two hug around baby brother. this happens frequently. my heart melts every.single.time.)

Four of us napping. All at once. Yes, mommy too.

Waking up surrounded by little boys refreshed.

Three little boys playing together. Racing. Flying. Dancing. Laughing together. I sit back and enjoy it and many times, I join in to play, sometimes, they let me. :)

"Aww man!"

"What's THAT smell?!"
"Umm, smells like..." (cracks me up every time!)

"I WANT my daddy!" (this one is precious, because they are becoming so attached to him. they ADORE him! I love it!)

Little boys ate ALL their dinner tonight. Small but mighty victory!

"Mommy, can I just sit with you?"

"Let's get the wiggles out!"

More dancing.

"Mommy hold me just a little longer." ...other boy, "Me too Mommy, I like your arms around me too." (Oh, God please let them stay little just a little longer...)
.....
So my days are consumed with caring for little ones....these are the moments I would hate to miss. This is the reason I choose to spend my days with my children. Watching them grow, grow together, grow in love, grow in Christ. It's all so precious to me. It's all so worth it.


I'm so thankful for the little things.

Giving Thanks Day six; Trusting Him.

 

There is unwavering peace today…

when an uncertain tomorrow…

is trusted to an unchanging God.

~Ann Voskamp

Of course, I voted today. I'm thankful for the right and happy to fulfill the responsibility.

But, ultimately, the outcome really doesn't matter. (GASP! Did I really just say that?!)

I am a child of God, of the one TRUE KING. My life is in HIS hands. I BELIEVE Him. I TRUST Him. I don't need to fret or worry or depend on man to take care of me, because my life is in the hands of One so much greater, stronger, unchanging.

I am so thankful for my salvation.

 

Giving Thanks Day Five; Twins!

“If gratitude is an antidote for anxiety, and giving thanks is a real cure for stress, we don’t have to relegate thanksgiving to a holiday, for giving thanks to God revolutionizes all of our days."
....

Have twins is....AWESOME! Having twin boys is...CRAZY FUN!
All the emotional story aside, these guys are such a blessing. I AM SO THANKFUL for these little boys!

We have some VERY hard days together. But every day spent with my little buddies is such a blessing!

These guys are both so hilarious. They make me laugh, even when I shouldn't be laughing.

 

These guys are smart. WAY smarter than I usually give them credit for.
These guys are sweet. So quick to give a hug or helping hand to momma when she needs it (even when they are "mad!").
These guys are social. They l-o-v-e people. They love to share their stories with anyone who will listen. So super cute.
These guys hold my heart. Though they break it a thousand times a day, they fill it even more. (does that even make sense?) :)

Thank you God for these little boys!!

 

Giving Thanks Day Four; Waking up.

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing.
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

After a very rough night of sick and restless babies, this morning started out fresh. I was feeling good after 5 solid hours of sleep. I even stepped out to breathe in the new morning. It was a blissful 5 minutes. And I was reminded in those moments how much God loves me and how blessed I am. I'm so thankful for waking up to meet with a God who blesses me, forgives me and covers me, daily. And always without holding yesterday's blunders against me. He's faithful to meet me right where I am. For that, I am eternally grateful.

...so much thanks today...
For Grammy who went to the store for us today
For the friends who dropped what they were doing and came over to pull the dead deer from our pond (such a sad sight)
For Gramps who made an impromtu visit this evening
For fevers gone
For little ones feeling better
For friends who call to check on us
For little ones tucked in bed, all quiet and peaceful
For the "early" Christmas movies (!)
For m&m's all to myself (a little self-indulgence!)
For homemade crockpot chili and corn bread
For the election almost over and soon no more political phone calls, mail, emails, etc.
For hearing his voice...how I love this man! With one word, he makes me smile...
For watching/listening to little boys talking to daddy on the phone...how they're eyes light up and their faces shine
For closing out the day with a moment to breathe (and tidy up)
For my Kindle filled with new reads
For this home, all cozy and *mostly* tidy because I had a moment
For a first birthday party to plan
For holiday planning time
For a third birthday party to plan
For teaching little ones about being thankful
...

Giving Thanks Day 3; Isaac.

It's no secret that baby boy was a "surprise" to us. Mostly because we simply thought we couldn't have any more children (I don't know why, it's just what we thought). So, the day it dawned on me that I could be pregnant and then discovering it was true (Mother's Day 2011), well that time is etched in my mind forever. I really think I heard God laughing.

....So, approximately seventeen months later, here we are. At just 10 months old, baby boy is all BOY. Very much like his brothers, but more of a storm, sweeping through our household. He keeps us all on our toes, that's for sure. He's big, tough, vocal and he's...HILARIOUS!

He's such a joy to have around, even the twins laugh and laugh at baby brother. He's growing up so fast. Much faster than I remember the twins at this age. Watching him "fly airplanes", make toy men "walk" and "talk", "VROOOM" cars down the track, and most recently, standing on his own. It's bittersweet seeing my baby baby boy becoming a "little boy". I'm thankful that when night falls and sleepiness takes over this little fella, he still wants momma. Cuddling and clutching me until sweet slumber. I just want to bottle these moments, for they are gone all too quickly.

I'm so grateful for this precious baby boy and all that he brings to our life.

Giving Thanks Day Two; Digging Deep.

 

For little boys who remember bible verses learned;
For the gift card that came in the mail;
For the friend who just showed up;
For a well deserved latte;
For free printables, pretty little pictures to adorn our home;
For impromptu pizza night with family;
For little boys overnight stay at Grammy's house;
For his voice, Oh! I love his voice!;
For little boys using manners;
For storytime anytime;
For finding something thought to be long gone;
For hearing "I love you so so much mommy!";For the baby boy who is finally once again sleeping through the night;
For the way the middle boy's hair does that cowlick thing;
For the salvation that He so freely gives to even me, so undeserving of His sweet grace;
For the man who works so hard, working 16 hour days trudging through the muck, the snow, in the cold rain, "to give his family more". (Not always getting that we just want him. That he is enough.)

For the Grandparents who love their grand kids deeply. Who drop everything to be with us, do for us.
For waking up;
For the little boy who wants to know what every sign on the highway says;
For our home, it's perfect position; the way the sunshine invades our home in the mornings on one side and bids us a bright goodnight on the other side;

For living in the country, where we have room to roam, to adventure and breathe, Oh! how we can breathe out here;
For consignment stores;
For a new day, full of promise (here's hoping I don't squelch it with all my expectations and "plans");
For the infallible and refreshing, Word of God, lifting my spirit and renewing my soul daily

......
Why bother?
(-Ann Voskamp, A Holy Experience)

It’s habits that can imprison you and it’s habits that can free you and when thanks to God becomes a habit, so joy in God becomes your life.
Maybe a life needs change over and over again — that constant turning to God? Not so much new month resolutions but revolutions.
And why bother keeping a gratitude list of His gifts?
Because those who keeping a gratitude list:
1. Have a relative absence of stress and depression. (Woods et al., 2008)
2. Make progress towards important personal goals (Emmons and McCullough, 2003)
3. Report higher levels of determination and energy (Emmons and McCullough, 2003)
4. Feel closer in their relationships and desire to build stronger relationships (Algoe and Haidt, 2009)
5. Increase your happiness by 25% — (Who wouldn’t want a quarter more happiness!) (McCullough et al., 2002)

Who doesn’t want all that? 
(-Ann Voskamp, A Holy Experience)

Giving Thanks Day One; in a hovering storm.

 

There's a storm overhead and it's more from my heart than anything. I'm struggling these days; mommahood bearing down. Little boys gain courage day-by-day....testing more, pushing more, talking so.much.more. and listening so.much.less.
But I'm just as determined as they. I've got one shot at this. The days are flashing by and time is chipping away.
Yes. So even in this rut, this "I feel like such a failure because I can't meet my own expectations" nonsense.
I'm going to give thanks anyway. I'm going to pour my heart out to Him. The One who is greater. The One who Is and Was and Is To Come. He quiets this heart. He gives peace in the storm. Sometimes He even quiets the storm.

So I'm thankful.
For little boys wild and noisy and willing to fly;
For a man who stops what he's doing and calls me up just to say "I love you.";
For the sweetness of a baby's breath on my chest;
For a wee one so brave and trying so hard to be big like his brothers;
For my own momma, her voice alone brings me some peace;
For other mommas who "relate";
For this moment, when little ones are sleeping and stillness abounds and thoughts can be gathered;
For time to pray and write;
For warmth and comfort as the cold winds blow outside.

Yes, even when the storm hovers, there is still much to be thankful for.