End of the Year Teacher Gifts

My girls have had the most amazing teachers this year.

I have a lot more to say about their first year in public school, but for now I just

wanted to share what we gave them for the end of the year THANK YOU gift.

 

I sort of figured that most teachers have a bazillion mugs and things that say '

World's Best Teacher' so I wanted to do something a little different.

I figured with it being summer and all, who couldn't use a new beach/pool towel?

 

I found these gorgeous, bright, cheerful towels at Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Wrapped a pretty ribbon around each one and gave them with ...

 

 

 

A pretty handstamped card - I LOVE this stamp set --

this is what I HOPE the teachers get to do this summer!!

 

And I found these chocolate bars that had $1,000,000 on them so we wrote a cute little tag that said 'you're one in a million!'

 

My youngest daughter also chose to make her own GIANT card for her teacher -

she wrote the SWEETEST sentiment inside it thanking her teacher and telling her she

was the best teacher ever. I was super proud of her doing this all on her own!

{Day 23} Gratitude

This year I bought the book One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. It’s literally been changing my life. Ann’s concept was to write a list of 1,000 Gifts, little every day things that she was thankful for. They could be as simple as a pile of laundry {because it meant they had more than enough clothes to wear} or as beautiful as a sunset to end the day. Either way, she jotted down things to be thankful for in a notebook every day. And choosing to look for the beauty in everything changed her.

I have jumped into this project as well. I have a list going which is somewhere in the hundreds now. There are times when I stop making the list and get busy and it falls away. Other times I’m very good about writing at least a few things every day.

I have noticed that the times when I’m paying the most attention to my blessings are the times when my life feels the most joyful. There still might be tough things going on, but choosing to see the beauty of life or the Lord’s blessings over us even in the tough times surely helps turn my heart toward joy and not complaining.

The other day I sat on the couch in the morning having my quiet time while the sun was just beginning to pour into the room. I looked out the window and saw this fat grey squirrel running across the power wires 30 feet above the ground. Just like a high wire act, this squirrel raced along that narrow wire. And I just smiled. How funny and cute and yes, even the laughter it brought to me was a GIFT.

In the moments like these when I find myself thinking ‘is it silly to be thankful for a fat grey squirrel on a high wire?’ but I know that it’s NOT silly – this choosing to see the beauty all around me. To slow down enough to notice those things, no matter how small or silly or inconsequential.

Having an attitude of gratitude is one of the surest ways to be a joyful wife and mother. Simple thanking God EVERY day that you get to BE a wife and mother. There are countless women in the world who wish they were married or wish to have a baby but might not be able to for whatever reason. So if you have both of those things – please, please don’t take those blessings for granted. Thank the Lord daily that you are so blessed!

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today.  Have you used one to say "thank you?"  ~William A. Ward

 

Today’s Challenge:

If you have the time, stop over and read Ann’s blog, A Holy Experience. She’s a wonderfully gifted writer. Her posts about weekends are some of my favorites, with little ideas of things you can do with your family given each weekend. And if you can, pick up a copy of her book, One Thousand Gifts.

Perhaps you could start your own thankful list? Just grab a notebook or sheet of paper and begin by writing 2-3 things each day. Once you get started you won’t be able to stop! Next month Thanksgiving is coming up, there is no greater time to commit to being thankful. Another simple idea is to make a thankful tree or thankful jar that your whole family can add to as we lead up to the holidays. It’s a great example to our kids when we choose to be thankful for everything we’re blessed with.

Praising God today!

The Lord answered a HUGE prayer request of mine and I just wanted to share with someone/anyone/everyone!

We have been homeschooling for almost 4 full years now. It can be a really lonely journey at times. Sure, we know some other families that homeschool - but most of their kids are either MUCH younger than ours or MUCH older than ours. {or we seem to meet the families that are kinda weird - don't laugh, you know you know some of *those* kind of homeschoolers!} LOL

Anyway, I have lots of great friends and so do my kids, but they all attend public school and we often feel sort of lonely as homeschoolers.

We became part of a co-op a couple years ago and after a year gave it up because of a big difference of opinions between some of the Moms {long story but it wasn't a good environment for my walk with the Lord}.

Anyway, I have prayed and prayed for a homeschool family that had kids similar in age and a NORMAL Mom {LOL} .... and I am happy to say the Lord answered my prayers!

Hope met this girl through Awana and they became fast friends ... so we arranged a playdate and just spent the entire afternoon at their house today.

The Mom and I had SOOO much to talk about and so much in common and we had such a great time! They moved out here from Washington State and the only bad news is that they probably won't stay here forever. :(

But for now we are going to enjoy their friendship and I am just so thankful to God for giving us these friends!! Praise God - He is so good to me!

So grateful

This is more for myself than my readers, just a way to remember the many blessings and how thankful I am for the little things. {in random order as things come to mind! Blessings will be highlighted in RED.}

Today we had our MOMS Christmas brunch at our church. It's such a wonderful time to just set aside the busy-ness of the holiday season and enjoy some sweet fellowship with other Moms.

We had a short devotional by a lady named Mary. She shared with us about her father accepting Christ last year just hours before he died. It was so fitting for me because earlier this week my husband's Grandma died and for many years we did not know where she stood spiritually. On Monday my husband, his parents and his brothers went to see GiGi and she told them 'I know I'm going to heaven to see my Savior.' Then she died on Tuesday morning. What a blessing to know that she knew where she was going.

Tuesday was one of the hardest days I can remember. We had to tell our girls that GiGi had died and they were very, very sad. My oldest cried out 'Mom, I didn't want her to go!!' We have not had a death in our family since my Dad died and the girls don't remember that because they were only 2 yrs old and 11 mos old.

So Tuesday was also our Anniversary. It was definitely a bittersweet day. My husband said it perfectly on his FB status ... he said that watching his 85 yr old Grandfather cry about how much he loved his wife of 61 yrs is a great example of the commitment a husband needs to be to his wife.

Instead of doing school work that day we decided to have a family day together. We went and picked a bunch of Princess Pine for a wreath I want to make, then we went for a nice hike in the woods, then out to lunch at one of our favorite places down in Mystic. After lunch we walked around Mystic village for awhile before heading home. That evening we had a special dinner at home where we dressed up and lit candles and just enjoyed each other's company. No, it wasn't the romantic day we might have normally planned for our Anniversary - but it was fitting that part of marriage includes handling the tough times together and that's what we did.

OK sorry, back to today. At the brunch we also had some lovely special music that had me in tears. The first was 'Mary Did You Know?' sung by a lovely lady Ann. I love that song! Then Jody's 4 children sang 'Where Are You Christmas?' and seriously just seeing kids sing and hearing their angelic little voices makes me melt into a puddle of tears. It was simply beautiful!

This afternoon I enjoyed some quiet time while the girls read in their rooms. I laid on the couch and BOTH dogs jumped up and snuggled with me. One on my feet and the other right by my side. I just laid there enjoying the quiet and the comfy warmth of my home. I'm so thankful for the many comforts we are blessed to enjoy. I have never had to worry about having a warm home or enough blankets. I am truly blessed.

I got a rather large shipment of k-cups for my Keurig recently. Many of the seasonal flavors seem to sell out quick so I took advantage and ordered multiples of the flavors I wanted. So this week I've been enjoying Pumpkin Spice, Gingerbread, and Spicy EggNog .... uuummmmmm, so yummy! I have LOTS right now and it's a fun, festive season - so would love to have company stop by for a cup of coffee and conversation! Consider yourselves invited!

I have been having LOTS of fun being crafty lately. Making cards, making fabric flowers, putting a wreath together ... it's really nice to put my crafty ideas to good use. Pictures will come soon. ;)

My Mom bought us a new electric blanket for our Anniversary - I cannot tell you how happy I am! I almost did a happy dance right there in my Mom's place! I had an electric blanket until my PUPPY chewed through the cord - naughty little thing! So I've been FREEZING every night when I get into those cold sheets. I don't usually keep it turned on all night, but I put it on to warm the bed up and then keep it on while I read my book, then turn it off when I go to sleep. It's just enough to take the edge off of getting in to a cold bed. I love it and I'm SO grateful to have another blanket - which I will most definitely be keeping the puppy AWAY from!

Well I think that's about all for now. Sorry for the rambling, disorganized thoughts. It's time to go snuggle with my girls and watch The Polar Express!

{{1000 Gifts #203-223}}

A,B,C's of Thanks!

How fun is this? A thankful list through the alphabet! OK, here we go ...

a. Automobiles - sooooo thankful that we have good, dependable cars to get us around from place to place.

b. Bob, my wonderful, amazing, loving husband! He has been my best friend and soul mate for almost half my life now and I thank the Lord for him!

c. Christ my Lord, my Savior. Without Him my life would not be anything like it is today.

d. Dads - my Dad who is in glory now, who was an amazing Father for my growing up years. And Bob's Dad, Dan who is one of the most kind, generous and selfless people I know. I'm thankful that I get to have him for a Dad for my grown-up years.

e. EVERYTHING!!!!! I AM BLESSED, I WANT TO SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS! I AM BLESSED, I AM BLESSED, I AM BLESSED!!!!!

f. Family. Immediate family and extended family. I'm one of those lucky {blessed!} people that has amazing family on both sides, the kind where we can ALL get together for a holiday and we ALL get along! Tomorrow we will enjoy having family here from both my side and my hubby's.

g. Grace ... where would I be without grace? As in grace from God, not GracIE our puppy {though I do love her too!}

h. Hope - my beautiful, vibrant first-born daughter. She is such a blessing in our lives and I can't imagine our lives without her.

i. Internet - I'll be honest, I love it. Love that it keeps me connected with family and friends, love that it lets me journal my life through this blog, love that you can find any information you need at any time .... love it!

j. Joy - our sweet, beautiful, funny second-born daughter. She's my cuddly sweetheart and has the most infectious laugh - I just adore her!

k. Kisses from my husband and my daughters.

l. Life - what a blessing to have life and good health and the ability to move and breathe and enjoy life to the fullest.

m. Moms - My Mom and my Mother in Law are two of the most amazing, Godly women I know. They each have faced some of the toughest times that anyone could possibly face in their lives and yet their faith remains strong and they continually encourage me, support me and love on me.

n. New life. I'm constantly amazed by the miracle of a new baby, how God knit these precious little ones together in their mother's wombs. How He created each and every person completely different from one another. {And no, I'm not preggo, but we have lots of friends and there always seems to be a new baby around!}

o. Over the Top Women of Faith conference I went to last weekend. It was AWESOME and I have many things I'm still thinking about from the speakers and musicians that were there.

p. Perspective, it helps get me through tough situations because it helps me see things in light of how blessed I truly am.

q. Quilts and blankets that keep us warm and cozy every night.

r. Rest, relaxation and reading ... all things I need and love. =)

s. Salvation - so rich and free!

t. TV - something I enjoy for entertainment and unwinding.

u. Underwear ... don't laugh! I mean, would you want to live without it?!

v. Victory over death through salvation that will mean eternity in heaven! wooohooo, can I get a HALLELUJAH?!

w. Water. Clean water to drink, to bathe in, to swim in. How many people in this world have NO clean water? I am blessed!

x. All of the eXtra stuff - things that I don't NEED, but am so blessed to have. More clothes than I need, more toys than we need, scrapbook supplies, sporting equipment, stuff, stuff, stuff .... more than we will ever need. But I am thankful for all these things just the same.

y. Youth .... no, not me I'm afraid ... LOL! But the gift of youth in the lovely little ones we raise and know. Kids live life with such happy abandon and help keep us young. I'm thankful that they help me to not take life too seriously and to just kick back and have some fun.

z. Zest!! God has given me a blessed life and I live it with joy and with zest ... I hope and pray to live long and leaving a lasting example. I pray that my kids and future grands would know how much I loved life.

HAVE A WONDERFUL AND BLESSED THANKSGIVING MY FRIENDS!!

Today

Today has just been a really nice day and I figured it would be nice to document these days. Actually the past 4 days have been really nice.

On Monday we went to a local campground that is now closed for the season and Bob and I ran while the girls rode their bikes. It was beautiful and it was the best run I've had so far since I started back in September. After that we came home and had lunch, then all 4 of us went out to work in our yard together. We get a TON of leaves because we have LOTS of large trees in our yard and also all woods behind our yard. It was a great day of just enjoying being outdoors and working together towards a common goal. I love these cool, crisp days! The whole day I was just struck by the fact that I'm really loving the ages that the girls are right now. They are able to do so many things WITH us and we just seem to have a great time together whatever we do. {even working in the yard!} I'm really cherishing these days as I know they will go by way too fast.

On Tuesday the girls always spend the afternoons at Grandma and Grandpa's house. They do fun activities and usually have an art lesson from my Father in Law. Bob took the day off so we could spend some time together. We ran a bunch of errands and did some shopping and went out for lunch together. It was a really nice day! I also got to pick up some new running clothes, believe me when I say that I never thought I'd see the day when I'd go into Kohl's and the ONLY thing I was focused on buying were clothes for running! Oh and I did get some new cozy slippers now that it's been getting cold around here. I LOVE cozy slippers! When we got home I had a message on my machine from a friend who wanted to meet to walk so I quickly ran back out the door to meet her. It's great to get some exercise with a great friend - you can chit chat the whole time and it makes it go by sooo fast!

On Wednesday morning I was cleaning up from breakfast and looked out my kitchen window to see 3 gorgeous deer run through the yard! I just love seeing deer, they seem so graceful and beautiful! Then we did our usual school day and then went to the library and then the kids had Awana at night. I love the library. I rarely get books for myself but just love poring through all the kids books! For the last couple of weeks while the girls are at Awana my friend and I have been going to our local mall and mall walking for a while, then going to Panera for coffee afterward. It's getting too cold and too dark here to be walking outdoors at that hour so the mall is a perfect alternative. We get to walk and talk and then enjoy a yummy coffee as a reward!

Today my house was too messy when I woke up and I knew for sure that it would be a distraction to me if I didn't get it taken care of before school work. So I let the girls play for the morning while I cleaned house and did my exercise and shower for the day. I always feel so much better when I get those things out of the way first!

So we didn't start school until this afternoon. It's been a rainy and cold day here. But after school work was done we lit candles and made pumpkin cookies and just blasted some praise music and enjoyed the time together. It's so nice to be inside a warm, cozy house on a rainy day. And there's just something about rainy days that make me want to bake!

Are my days perfect? Absolutely NOT! We actually had a battle of the wills with school work today but the daughter who was being difficult actually had to face her own consequences when we started baking and she was still finishing up work that she could have completed earlier if it hadn't been for her bad attitude. She got it done real quick once she saw that I wasn't going to put my whole day on hold for her!

I really want to make the time each day to be thankful and to be mindful of all my blessings. Not just right now because it's almost Thanksgiving, but all year long.

Thank you Lord for all of these ... and the many more ways you bless me everyday!
176*beautiful, cool, crisp fall days
177*leaves falling
178*running with my hubs
179 *having a nice big yard
180*pancakes for breakfast
181*spending time with my hubby
182*enjoying a quiet lunch out - just the 2 of us
183*walks with great friends
184*the library
185*great books
186*Awana
187*hazelnut cream cheese from Panera
188*beautiful deer
189*good health
190*finding time for exercise
191*baking with my girls
192*yummy scented candles
193*a warm home

Lovin' my Girl time ...

These past couple of weeks while we've been preparing and planning for Christmas have been so much fun for me. The girls are at such a wonderful age where they love to help and be creative. We've been having fun every day doing little things together.

I am so thankful for these two precious gifts we've been given!

12 Years!

This past Sunday my wonderful husband and I celebrated 12 years of wedded bliss! I'm so thankful for our marriage, I'm thankful for him, and I'm thankful that we've had 12 healthy, happy years together. On Monday we went out to one of my favorite restaurants to celebrate. My Mom was gracious enough to watch the girls for us. It was a perfect evening.

I love you hon!

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving 2008. Seems like a total blur already! Time just passes way too fast in my opinion.

Well first I feel like I owe an explanation. I was adding to my days of thanks every day last week leading up to Thanksgiving day. On the day before I was writing about my friends and trying to add pictures ... all of the sudden I felt terribly ill. I already had a head cold but I got that yucky feeling like I was going to hurl. (sorry if that is TMI!). Anyway, since the photos weren't loading anyway I quickly pressed publish and ran for the bathroom.

I ended up being fine, I think the cold just hit me hard that day and since I'd had nothing to eat and a couple cups of coffee already it just upset my stomach. Anyway, I never got to finish my thankful list! On Thanksgiving day I was so busy with everyone here that I had no time to finish. So on Thanksgiving day I was going to say that I am thankful for my family. Not just my hubby and kids that I've already mentioned - but the extended family. And Thanksgiving day was the perfect day to talk about that because many of them were here!

I also have a confession to make ... I was a terrible photographer this weekend. I took maybe 6 photos the whole time and missed tons of opportunities to take lovely photos to remember this blessed holiday. Honestly sometimes it's just to hard to always be the one to take all the pictures. Instead I was busy preparing and hosting - but even more than that I was busy visiting and talking and catching up with people. I really enjoyed the time spent - even if I do have very little photos to show for it.

So, back to being thankful for family. We are blessed beyond measure that both of our families live fairly close to us. Bob's parents, Robin & Dan, live about 20 minutes from us. We see them every week, sometimes multiple times a week, and they are very involved in our lives.

My Mom, Barb, also lives 20 min from here, in the same town as Robin & Dan. It has been such a blessing to have her living nearby after so many years when my parents lived in FL. My Mom is one of my closest friends and I love being able to call her up or stop by her house anytime. We share books, exchange clothes, trade household items, etc ... It is truly wonderful to have her nearby. All of our parents attend the same church as us. That is another wonderful blessing.

My brother, Matt, and niece Becca live about 2 hours away. Becca is the same age as Jilly so it's always fun when we get the 3 girls together. They come down to visit about once a month or every other month. Every time they do the girls are ecstatic!

Bob's brother Dan, his wife Kristen, and their boys Thomas, Jonathon and Andrew all live about 1 hour and 40 min from here. The boys are similar ages to our girls and just like Becca the girls always love when they come to visit and play.

Bob's youngest brother Aaron and his wife Glenna also live about 2 hours away. It's great when everyone comes to visit - the kids all play together and the adults all enjoy hanging out and catching up.

We also have many extended aunts, uncles and cousins. This year we were able to see several of them that came from New Jersey and New Hampshire. My 89 year old Grandfather also came up which was great.

Since we had such a large number of people between my family and Bob's ... we split up for dinner. My Mom hosted dinner at her home with my side of the family, and I hosted dinner here with Bob's side of the family. We met up together for a fall hike, and then later in the evening everyone came here to my house for dessert (25 people in all!)

Anyway, here are a few photos ...
This is the group that met up for a hike before the big meal - a few people stayed back at the house so not everyone is pictured. From left to right - Bob's brother Dan w/ Andrew on his shoulders, Kristen, Bob, Glenna, Robin, Dan, me in front, my Uncle Bob in back, my Uncle Randy, Matt, my cousin Rick, Rick's girlfriend Ashley. In front are the kids - J, H, Thomas, Jonathon, my cousin Megan, Becca.

A cute shot of the kids all winding down with a movie - Becca, J, H, Megan, Thomas ...

And the two little boys all snuggled up on another chair - Jonathon & Andrew ...

Even the two dogs snuggled up together at the end of the night - Bette (Glenna's dog) and Casey (our dog).

I can't seem to express myself well in words lately (my brain is fried!) but I am truly thankful for all of our family, the local ones and the long distance ones!!

Giving Thanks - day five

OK for some reason blogger is having issues with trying to upload my photos today! grrrrr....

Anyway, today I am so thankful for our friends! We are truly blessed beyond measure to have lots and lots of friends in our lives. I have friends that live near and friends that live far - even as far as on the other side of the country or in another country (Canada).

The girls are blessed with lots of wonderful friends too. Friends from church, from girl scouts, from Awana, friends that live far away who used to live near here.

We've had quite a few friends that have moved far away and it's always amazing to me that when we see these friends again we just seem to pick up right where we left off! It's like we were never apart! The bonds of friendship go on and on despite the miles between us.

I have lots of neat pictures of our friends too, just wish I could get them to upload here! I'll have to try again later ...

Giving Thanks - Day four

Today I am choosing to give thanks for my home. Our home is not big, it is not filled with treasures and items of great value ... but it is filled with love and it is a place of comfort. Even though I love to take trips or go on fun vacations, there's always a wonderful feeling of coming home. Back to the place where you can just kick your shoes off and relax. The place of warmth and memories and of feeling at peace.

Our home is filled with many, many memories. Photos and scrapbooks and moments that I think back on - moments of sadness and moments of great joy. All of these are contained in our home. It's the place where we moved when we were pregnant with our first child. It's the place that we are raising our little family. It's the place that we will create many memories and traditions in - we already have and will continue to make even more!

Our home is a place of learning and of growing. Even before we decided to home school our home was a place where we taught the girls about life and the world around them and about God and His great love for us. It's the place where the girls have grown right before our eyes. From pregnancy to babyhood, to toddler hood to preschool days and now on to elementary years. Time flies in this home!

Our home is a place where bonds are created. The bond of sisters, of Mom and daughters and Daddy and daughters. Where family and friends are welcome and accepted and (hopefully) feel at home here in this place. Our home is a place of rest ... the place where you come to lay your weary head. To get better when you feel sick and get rest when you are tired and worn out. It's a place where you'll find warm beds, comfy blankets and people to snuggle and love.
Our home is a place for fun! For long summer days in the pool or playing in the yard. For family gatherings around the holidays, for running and jumping in leaves in the fall. For learning to ride a two wheeler and playing with Barbies and having friends over.

Our home is a place where God is at the center. It's where we grow as individuals and where we teach by our example. Our home may be small, but we love it, we live in it and we wouldn't trade it for anything. Thank you God for blessing us with our home.

Giving Thanks - day three

Today (and everyday) I am thankful for my children. Bob and I are truly blessed to be the parents of H and J.

H just turned 7. She looks like her Daddy, but shares a lot of my personality traits (the good and the bad!). She is very smart and catches on to new concepts well. She has an amazing memory for things that happened in the past. She loves to read and flies through chapter books at an alarming speed. She is an athletic girl who loves to participate in sports and games. I sometimes joke that she has a split personality because when she' s happy she's the most vibrant, upbeat person I know - but when she's mad or upset about something it' s like the whole world is coming to an end and she wants the whole world to know about it. =) She accepted Jesus as her Savior last Christmas and has already shown growth in her relationship with the Lord. She shares her faith with anyone she comes in contact with and has a real passion for being a Christian. She loves music and is just getting started with learning the piano. She also loves to sing - whenever we're in the car it's always her and I that are belting out the praise songs!

J will be 6 in just a few months. People have said that she looks just like me. As far as personality, well she's what we call our free spirit. We're not sure who she takes after because none of us are of that personality! She is shy in most situations until she gets comfortable. She's a Mama's girl and she loves to come curl up and snuggle with me. (Which of course I never mind!) She loves to do anything that her big sis can do. She's very easygoing about most of life - not caring what she wears or where we go or what the plans for the day are - she just goes with the flow most of the time. She doesn't usually get a bad attitude - but she does get emotional. If her water spills and gets her shirt wet she cries. If she's fighting with Haley over a toy she cries. If I ask her to clean up and she doesn't want to she cries. Luckily she is always easily calmed down and as soon as we explain the situation to her she is usually fine again. She loves to dance and sing and perform. And she has the most bubbly, infectious laughter of anyone I know. Although it seems like most of the time she's not listening to you or paying attention to you, she has an amazing ability to retain information. When we play the Memory game and she's looking all around the room, not paying attention - she will suddenly start flipping over the cards and getting matches every time! She's very smart too - she just has a different way of learning things.

I am so thankful that the Lord chose to bless us with these two bright, beautiful, healthy little girls. They truly bring so much sunshine to every area of our lives. Their laughter and smiles and yes even their tears - all add so much life to our home each and every day. I have learned so much about myself since having kids. I'm not nearly as patient or compassionate as I once thought I was! But at the same time I'm more willing to speak up for my kids and protect them in every way I can. I really feel like I'm a different person now than I was before having kids. And it's in a good way. Before I was so selfish and self absorbed. (Still am, sometimes!) But now I have other who rely on me and look up to me.

Proverbs 127:3 says "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him." I am so thankful that the Lord has chosen to 'reward' us with these two precious jewels.

Giving Thanks - day two

Today I am thankful for our church, and our church family. We attend a rather large church of about 600-800 people. Well, that might not be large by some standards but compared to the church I grew up in it's large in my mind!

Anyway, Bob grew up in this church and when we got married there was never a question about where we would attend. We planned to live locally and we just sort of automatically started attending there. When we were first married I was a little overwhelmed with the large church body and felt a little lost. I didn't really know anyone and it seemed like most people already knew Bob's family. For a while I did help with the teen ministry but I still really never felt like I'd found my place.

About 5 years after we married our first child H was born. Once I had H and began to stay home and not work I finally had more time to get involved within the church body. I began attending a ladies Bible study once a week and was able to meet a lot more women, including many that were my age who also had new babies. It was like I was finally finding my place.

Over the years since then I have served in various ministries from helping with Vacation Bible school in the summers to serving as a Sunday school teacher. I have also made so many wonderful friends - friends of all different ages. There are women who are my age who I cherish as some of my closest friends, there are women who are older who I look up to as mentors, and also many couples that Bob and I enjoy either spending time with or learning from.

I look forward to going to church each and every time because I know that every time I enter those doors I will see so many wonderful people and I will never cease to be encouraged. God's Word is preached and His Name is worshipped.

I also love that my children are learning and growing in the Lord at our wonderful church. H accepted the Lord as her Savior last year on Christmas Eve at our Christmas Eve service. The girls attend Sunday school and have many wonderful friends at our church. And when they see us serve in that place they learn a lot about what it means to serve the Lord - something I have already seen them practice.

I know some people may think a church is just a building, but not at where we go to church. We are all a part of the family of God, whether we meet in that building, or somewhere else. I love my church and my church family ... and today I'm choosing to thank the Lord for them.

A Week for Giving Thanks

It sometimes seems to me that we feel like we have to have something special to be thankful for ... like just saying 'family' or 'friends' or 'my home' is just too simple and generic. But honestly, those are the things that we most often take for granted, right? The things that are there for us day after day without fail, the things that so often get overlooked because they are such a constant in our lives.

So this week I'm not trying to come up with any fancy words or special reasons to be thankful ... I'm choosing to remember to thank the Lord for the most important things in my life. I'll be focusing on one thing/person each day.

Today (and everyday) I am so, so thankful for my wonderful husband. His name is Robert, we call him Bob, or Daddy or honey. =) He is someone who loves to live life. He's more concerned with making memories, than making money. Don't get me wrong, he's no slacker! He's a hard worker at his job, where he often wins "Employee of the Month" and his co-workers and bosses are always impressed with his work ethic and the way they know they can always count on him.

He works hard here in our home too. He loves to keep our yard and everything outside looking great so most days you'll find him working in the yard, cleaning up leaves or working on the pool (in the summer). He also runs most of the errands that need to be done around here. I do the groceries and CVS most of the time - but he does the bank, the dump, and anything else that comes up. He also helps a lot around the inside of the house. I think the only job he never does is clean the bathroom ... other than that he helps out with everything else from laundry to dishes to vacuuming ... he always seems to be on the move and working on something.

All of this is extremely helpful for me. Since we homeschool and I'm busy with the girls most of the time our house sometimes gets neglected and it's hard for me to 'do-it-all'. Having his helping hands around is wonderful.

As a husband he never ceases to amaze me. I'll admit, I'm not the easiest person to live with. I get grumpy and moody sometimes when I'm tired - but he never gets upset and he never snaps at me, even when he might be really tired too. I also love to change things around - all the time! I love to move around furniture, paint rooms and rearrange things. A lot of times that means he gets roped into helping me - but he never complains! He always lets me do whatever I want with the house and helps me move things or paint when I get myself involved in a project that's just a bit too much for me.

As a Dad he is absolutely amazing. He has so much patience and so much energy with the girls. He does everything he can to make their lives fun and wonderful. he takes them biking and fishing and even takes one with him on errands if he knows I'm having a rough day. Just because he knows that it will help me out, and that the girls also love being with him, even if it is just running to the bank. When he wakes up in the morning one of the first things he says is 'tell the girls to come see me' -- he loves to snuggle with them first thing in the morning, he can't wait to see them each day! I love the bond that he has already created with his girls. They adore him and will do anything with him, even if it's just watching football for hours on a Sunday - they will sit and watch with him and cheer for the team he likes because they adore him that much.

When I said earlier that he's more concerned with making memories than making money I was serious. He would rather spend money on taking us all on a wonderful vacation in which we create lasting memories, than to buy a new fridge, or something else for the house. He loves to take us all on vacations and loves to create traditions and memories that will last a lifetime. Those are the incredible things that our kids will remember someday - they won't remember what kind of fridge we had when they were 5 years old. But they will remember how much fun we had on that trip to the indoor waterpark!

My sort of 'family motto' has been 'creating family traditions and memories since 1996' ... and I'm SO thankful that Bob is just as focused as I am about making those memories and traditions for our kids. I am so thankful for him. Next week will be our 12th wedding anniversary and each year I love him even more.

Recipe for a perfect morning

A fresh-brewed pot of coffee

A nice cool morning (60 degrees! just how I like it!)

A warm, cozy sweatshirt

A sunny deck with a comfortable chair

My Bible, devotional and prayer journal

Sounds of God's creation all around me

Time spent with my Lord, uninterrupted

A sweet little 5 year old coming out to snuggle with Mama and say good morning

Cousins

Last week we had the pleasure of having family in town, unfortunately it was for a family funeral ... but despite the circumstances I took the opportunity to snap this cute cousin picture.

It has been such a blessing for the girls to have cousins that are very close in age. Even if they are boys! They love to play together and get along so well. From left to right is: H (6 and 3/4), Jonathan (will be 4 next week), J (5), Thomas (6 and 1/2), and Andrew (18 months).

The unbreakable bond

I've always been intrigued by the bond between sisters. I never had any sisters, but always longed to have one just so I could know the feeling of that deeply rooted bond.

My Mom had 4 sisters, my Mother in law had 3. I've seen the times when sisters don't get along, don't share the same viewpoints, or lifestyles, or thoughts on parenting ... but I've also seen (and heard) the stories of late nights talking and whispering, shared clothes and shoes, memories of funny experiences ...

My daughters have this bond. I was thrilled to pieces the day we found out that our second born would be another girl. My longing for a sister was about to be lived out in my daughter's lives.

My daughters fight. A lot. Every day. All the time. About everything. You see the bond of sisterhood does not mean you will always get along. They have very different views of life, very different personalities and very different ways of doing things. So they fight. And they argue. About everything.

But then ... there are those times ... times when I find them huddled together reading a book, or playing make believe out in the yard, or lying side by side 'sunning' on their beach towels ...

The day I took this picture (a couple weeks ago) we were sitting at the beach while the girls played. After a little while I noticed they had moved about 200 yards down the beach away from us and had set up this little spot for themselves. They were lying there talking and relaxing and as soon as I saw it I grabbed my camera and ran to capture this precious sisterly moment.

Yesterday another moment like this happened. They played in the pool for awhile. Sometimes fighting and sometimes getting along. Later they decided to get out and play in the yard. I was inside doing housework when I glanced out the window to check on them. They were sitting in the top of the swingset/fort and were just chatting away with one another. They later took pillows and towels out there and set up little beds - side by side. Then came supper time and they chose to bring their supper out to their little 'home' to have a picnic. It was wonderful, they were getting along so well and really enjoying one another so much!

I am so thankful that my girls have one another. I am always trying to teach them that they are so blessed to have a sister, a very best friend, to play with and talk with every single day. {Of course they don't always see it that way ... but I'm thankful for the times when they do!}

Right at this very moment ... I can hear them listening to music in H's room and chatting together. Ahhh, love those moments!

The Decision

The decision has been made. We have waited and waited for weeks to find out if the girls would attend a Christian school next year, or if we would continue to homeschool. We finally found out today that we will not be able to get the funding for the Christian school, so therefore we will homeschool again.

In a small way it's a let down. We really liked the school and knew that it would be a good opportunity for the girls. But in a BIG way I'm excited to again have the chance to homeschool. I have had all these great ideas and plans going through my head for the past few weeks and I'm very excited that I will get the chance to use them!

I admit that I'm a little nervous. I've never had to teach them both at the same time, and I've never taught kindergarten (learning to read!!) which is what I'll be doing with J. But like I said, I'm excited and have lots of new ideas I'm hoping to implement.

So there it is, the decision is made and on we go with plans for the coming school year. I'm so thankful to have an answer and be able to move forward!

Happy (Belated) Father's Day!

To my wonderful honey, the amazing father of our two little blessings. I could speak a thousand words and still not adequately express how thankful I am for Bob in my life! Besides, I already showered him with cards, gifts and words of praise on the actual day! =)

Instead I will share a few pictures ... (side note: we did not get ANY pictures on Father's day - which I feel terrible about - the weather wasn't very nice and we just totally forgot!)
January 2008
March 2008
March 2008
March 2008
March 2008
March 2008April 2008June 2008 June 2008
And I haven't forgotten my two "Dads" - my Dad in heaven and my Father in law who I call my Dad that I get to have now since my own Dad is gone.

I still miss my Dad and still wish he were here to be with us and see his grandkids growing, I will always love him and will always feel a small ache in my heart for him -- and there's a lot more I could say (and might say) at a later time.

My FIL is just an amazing person that I am so thankful for. He is such a great example to his kids and grandkids. I couldn't have asked for a better Father in law.

I am so blessed!

I have been kissed by the sun each morning
Put my feet on a hardwood floor
I get to hear my children laughin'
Down the hall through the bedroom door
Sometimes I sit on my front porch swing
Just soakin' up the day
I think to myself, I think to myself
This world is a beautiful place

I have been blessed
And I feel like I've found my way
I thank God for all I've been given
At the end of every day
I have been blessed
With so much more than I deserve
To be here with the ones that love me
To love them so much it hurts
I have been blessed

Across a crowded room
I know you know what I'm thinkin'
By the way I look at you
And when we're lying in the quiet
And no words have to be said
I think to myself, I think to myself
This love is a beautiful gift

I have been blessed
And I feel like I've found my way
I thank God for all I've been given
At the end of every day
I have been blessed
With so much more than I deserve
To be here with the ones that love me
To love them so much it hurts
I have been blessed

When I'm...
When I'm singing my kids to sleep
When I feel you holding me
I know

I am so blessed
And I feel like I've found my way
I thank God for all I've been given
At the end of every day
I have been blessed
With so much more than I deserve
To be here with the ones that love me
To love them so much it hurts
I have been blessed oh yes
i have been blessed, oh yeah yeah
(i have been blessed, i have been blessed
i have been blessed i have been blessed)
This is truly one of my favorite songs ... it's by Martina McBride and I have always listened to it and thought it was exactly how I feel about my own life. It's like Martina wrote it just for me. I am SO blessed. Sometimes I forget just how blessed I am. I get cranky or I wish I had more things, or I just fail to recognize just how very blessed I really am.

Then a day comes along that helps me to remember - a day like yesterday. My birthday. I have always loved my birthday, ever since I was a little girl. Even the year I turned 8 when we had to postpone my birthday party because I had the chicken pox. My birthday has a different 'feel' to it. Kind of like the way I feel on Sundays. Where it seems like the sun is just shining a little bit brighter and I just feel happy all over. It feels like you want to walk around town and shout "It's my BIRTHDAY!!" even though you know people would look at you like you were crazy.
Yesterday I was totally blown away by all the emails, phone calls and cards from so many caring people. It reminds me how lucky I am to have so many special family and friends in my life. I feel like I'm so spoiled too. I had 4 different birthday celebrations! 4!!! It's like I'm a kid all over again.
#1 Last week Bob, the girls and I went out for a birthday dinner.
#2 My scrapbook friends came over and we celebrated. (that was so much fun!)
#3 Dinner and dessert at Mom's house Tuesday night to celebrate both Mom's and My birthdays.
#4 Birthday lunch / pool party with my in laws yesterday.

Oh, and the girls and I also splurged on going to Friendly's last night. Bob was working and we didn't feel like cooking so we went to Friendly's. YUMMY! The girls were so excited to get big candy shop sundaes!

So thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who made me feel special and loved yesterday. It feels good to be celebrated, it feels like being a kid again!

I am so blessed ... and I feel like I've found my way ... I thank God for all I've been given, at the end of every day ... =)