Thankful this Thanksgiving Thursday

Try saying THAT 5 times really fast. Anyway, HAPPY THANKSGIVING! On this Thanksgiving morning, I am reflecting on this past year....all of our ups and downs...and we have SO much to be thankful for.

I am thankful Jeff has a JOB! And especially one that he enjoys.
I am thankful I have a husband I am more in love with today than the day we got married.
I am thankful that our marriage has grown stronger through difficulties rather than fall apart.
I am thankful we have a Christ-centered marriage.
I am thankful we have a warm house to live in when so many people are losing theirs.
I am thankful we have parents who love and care about us.
I am thankful our children have wonderful relationships with their grandparents.
I am thankful I am able to be a stay-at-home-mom.
I am thankful for healthy children.
I am thankful for the excellent teachers our kids have.
I am thankful for the piles of laundry I have to do everyday because it means our house is full!
I am thankful for supportive friends and neighbors who are also friends!
I am thankful I was awake at 5am so I had time to reflect on all of our blessings.

What are YOU thankful for this year?

A blog contest

One of my blogger friends is having a "Fryday Contest" that I'd like to be a part of. She is giving away some photography stuff and a customized blog header! Wouldn't that be awesome?!?! Here's the link to her blog so you can check it out for yourself. May the best blog win --- that would be MINE of course! hahahaha

Actually I encourage all of you reading this to go back and read her blog entries about being told her unborn baby was going to die. By God's grace and amazing power her little boy was healed and born perfectly healthy! What an awesome God we serve.

Morning thankfulness

This picture of the sunrise this morning does NOT do it justice. The colors were so vibrant and splendid....reminding me that our sky is simply God's canvas. It caused me to reflect on what I am thankful for this morning.

I am thankful for my sight -- so I am able to see the sunrise.
I am thankful for children who wake up early -- so I am able to gaze upon the beauty of the sunrise.
I am thankful for a home to shelter us from the cold.
I am thankful for coffee! :)
I am thankful for the messes I constantly clean up because it reminds me that our home and our hearts are full.
I am thankful my family and I are healthy.
I am thankful for my freedom.

What are YOU thankful for this morning?

Out of the mouths of babes

Joey just came upstairs, very excited, with something to tell me.

Joey: "Mom! You know what? I just heard God talk to me and know what He said?"

Me: "You heard God talk to you?"

Joey: "YES! You know what He said?"

Me: "No, Joey. What did He say?"

Joey: "He said when you got to school, I will still be in your heart. And when you go to church I'll still be in your heart. And I love you. Isn't that cool, Mom?"

Me (a bit misty-eyed): "Yes Joey. That is very cool."

We just need faith as a little child. Thank you, Joey, for reminding me of that.

Halloween 2008

This year for Halloween, we skipped going trick or treating around the neighborhood. Instead we just went to church for their annual "Pumpkin Patch". The last couple years, the kids have complained about not being able to do everything they want to do at church because we didn't get there until 6:30 or 7:00pm.

Abby dressed up as Sharpay from High School Musical, Noah was a Clone Trooper, Joey was a Power Ranger, and Eli was a cute little giraffe.

At church they have the Sunday School rooms in the basement decorated as "trick or treating" doors. They also have a cake walk and preschool games set up. Then upstairs is an inflatable jumper, glow room, cookie decorating and crafts, food (hot dogs, popcorn, nachos, cotton candy) and music in the activity center, and games for older kids. Then outside there's a petting zoo and hayride. SOOOO much fun and SOOOO many good memories.

Girls Day Out

Abby and I had a great mother/daughter day today. The entire day was pretty much a surprise. The only she knew is where we were going to eat lunch. I took her to get pedicures together --- her first one ever! The 1st picture was her expression when we walked into the salon. She was shocked! The ladies there did a great job with our toe nails too....very impressive.

Then we had lunch at Olive Garden. We both absolutely LOVE that place. I had to chance to ask her many questions about school and friends and she asked me questions about my days at home too.

Then off to Kids Hair for a hair cut. They surprised her by putting some color streaks in her hair...pink, of course! She looked absolutely adorable. We went across the street to a pet store and fell in love with one of the puppies. Don't worry, Mom, we didn't buy it!!!! But we had lots of fun playing with him and holding him.

Dessert was next. Abby got some cotton candy ice cream with gummy bears on top and I had a frozen chocolate drink. We skipped and hopped back to the van, holding hands and laughing the whole way. A very very enjoyable day with my not-so-little girl.

A heavy heart

I am asking any of you who read my blog to please pray for some friends of ours, Dave & Lea. Their precious 4 month old baby, Johnny, passed into Jesus' arms late yesterday afternoon. I can't imagine the pain and loss they are experiencing right now. I don't understand everything that happened with Johnny but you can read all about it on their blog: http://dandlkids.blogspot.com/

Please pray for this young family in the next days, weeks, months.