I did it! I came up a reason to be thankful everyday this year! Since it was a leap year, that's 366 different blessings. I'm kind of proud of myself. What a year! Lots of good (baptism, new home, new pet, healing for my sister, friends adding to their families, family vacations) and some not-so-good (drama and inner-turmoil leading to counseling and self-evaluation, unexpected car and home expenses, death, national tragedy). As always, I feel like there are things I could've done better and changes I'd like to make. Last year, I put my list of goals out there for the world to see. I didn't realize in doing so that I would be putting myself under a microscope. So, I will not make that mistake again. Instead, I'll keep my goals to myself. Maybe if I actually succeed in accomplishing one or two, I can share with you my achievements. For those of you writing up your own resolutions, I wish you much luck in reaching your goals. May you all have a very happy and blessed 2013!
Day 343- Laura Troup, and the work she does filling in while Otter Creek is between worship ministers.
Day 344- Straight No Chaser tickets for half-off
Day 345- The "friend and family discount" at the vet
Day 346- Another fun "12 Days of Anniversary"
Day 347- 19 years of marriage to an incredible husband!
Day 348- After-school tutoring
Day 349- Taking the kids to their first concert: Toby Mac!
Day 350- Dinner party and preview of Gatlinburg trip 2013
Day 351- The bravery and quick thinking of faculty at Sandy Springs Elementary that helped keep kids safe. It was a horrible tragedy to lose 20 kids and 6 teachers and staff, but it could've been SO much worse.
352- My kids cleaning my kitchen
353- Cat videos
354- A beautiful Lessons and Carols service in Vespers
355- Turning off the alarm clock for 2 weeks
356- A TV show Reagan and I can watch together (Once Upon A Time)
357- Our first Christmas tree in 4 years
358- Elaborate Christmas lights displays
359- Children excited about Christmas morning
360- The ultimate Christmas gift: a Savior is born to die for me
361- Happy children, full bellies and warm beds
362- I survived "the talk" with Reagan
363- The generosity of the Edgeworths, helping a family in need
364- Our Christmas ornament collection
365- Sunshine, after several days of cold, dreary weather!!
366- 66 years of marriage for Tim's grandparents!
Showing posts with label Thankfulness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thankfulness. Show all posts
Monday, December 31, 2012
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Thankfulness Journal #10
Only two more posts to go! I'll wrap this up tomorrow! Days 312-342 cover November 7th through December 7th.
Day 312- The election is OVER, and the political ads and arguments are going away!!
Day 313- Hot soup on a chilly night
Day 314- My new iPhone and the microphone feature for texting and email
Day 315- Sharing Santa Claus stories with Reagan, now that she knows the truth
Day 316- A home for my family to sleep in at night
Day 317- I don't have to defrost the windows or heat up the car in the morning
Day 318- Ms. Lee's suffering is over
Day 319- O Lord Our Lord, and the descant with a high Bb
Day 320- Getting stuff cleaned out of the basement and the ability to give someone a baby swing for free
Day 321- A Cappella music
Day 322- A great group of young ladies for our Young Women In Song and Harmony festival, and the opportunity to work with them
Day 323- We brought home our new puppy!
Day 324- A beautiful memorial service for Lee, full of laughter among the tears.
Day 325- Luna slept through her second night at home with us!
Day 326- A night for Tim to play video games in our basement with his closest friends
Day 327- A day for our nation to be thankful for all of their many blessings
Day 328- There's nothing I want so desperately that I'm willing to loose sleep and fight crazy crowds of people just to save a few bucks
Day 329- No long car trip or awful traffic for the holidays
Day 330- The opportunity to host the 6th grade girls covenant group, and be witness to the their sweet hearts and spirits for the Lord
Day 331- Reagan's quick thinking; jumping in the cold pool to grab Cooper after he jumped in
Day 332- Both of my babies were born healthy, and I've never suffered the heartache of loosing a child
Day 333- Target's $5 gift card deals
Day 334- Christmas music
Day 335- Someone found my keys after I left on them on the roof of the car and turned them in to a Kroger
Day 336- Better organization in our pantry!
Day 337- The opportunity to buy gifts for someone less fortunate than me.
Day 338- A husband that's better at talking sense into an irrational, dramatic child than I am
Day 339- Band teachers
Day 301- Singing Christmas carols at the Children's Hospital, and the little boy with Down's that ran up onto the stage
Day 341- Back pain relief. This is the first time I've had my back REALLY popped in almost 4 years.
Day 342- The bravery of the men who defended Pearl Harbor 71 years ago
Day 312- The election is OVER, and the political ads and arguments are going away!!
Day 313- Hot soup on a chilly night
Day 314- My new iPhone and the microphone feature for texting and email
Day 315- Sharing Santa Claus stories with Reagan, now that she knows the truth
Day 316- A home for my family to sleep in at night
Day 317- I don't have to defrost the windows or heat up the car in the morning
Day 318- Ms. Lee's suffering is over
Day 319- O Lord Our Lord, and the descant with a high Bb
Day 320- Getting stuff cleaned out of the basement and the ability to give someone a baby swing for free
Day 321- A Cappella music
Day 322- A great group of young ladies for our Young Women In Song and Harmony festival, and the opportunity to work with them
Day 323- We brought home our new puppy!
Day 324- A beautiful memorial service for Lee, full of laughter among the tears.
Day 325- Luna slept through her second night at home with us!
Day 326- A night for Tim to play video games in our basement with his closest friends
Day 327- A day for our nation to be thankful for all of their many blessings
Day 328- There's nothing I want so desperately that I'm willing to loose sleep and fight crazy crowds of people just to save a few bucks
Day 329- No long car trip or awful traffic for the holidays
Day 330- The opportunity to host the 6th grade girls covenant group, and be witness to the their sweet hearts and spirits for the Lord
Day 331- Reagan's quick thinking; jumping in the cold pool to grab Cooper after he jumped in
Day 332- Both of my babies were born healthy, and I've never suffered the heartache of loosing a child
Day 333- Target's $5 gift card deals
Day 334- Christmas music
Day 335- Someone found my keys after I left on them on the roof of the car and turned them in to a Kroger
Day 336- Better organization in our pantry!
Day 337- The opportunity to buy gifts for someone less fortunate than me.
Day 338- A husband that's better at talking sense into an irrational, dramatic child than I am
Day 339- Band teachers
Day 301- Singing Christmas carols at the Children's Hospital, and the little boy with Down's that ran up onto the stage
Day 341- Back pain relief. This is the first time I've had my back REALLY popped in almost 4 years.
Day 342- The bravery of the men who defended Pearl Harbor 71 years ago
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Thankfulness Journal #9
I've decided to speed this up just a bit so that I'm finished with the countdown on New Year's Eve. That's why there are 30 today instead of 20. Days 281-311 cover October 7th through November 6th.
Day 281- Diana Reed (A long-time member at Otter Creek. She and her husband established the Wayne Reed Center, that houses an early childhood intervention program for underprivileged kids and their families, several years ago. For the last 20 years, she has faithfully taken care of her husband, Wayne, who's battled ALS. She suffered a stroke unexpectedly after a routine pain management treatment that was tainted with fungal meningitis and passed away. Her funeral was today. Such a huge loss to so many people.)
Day 282- Milo and his bottle caps
Day 283- Vickie Foltz (Even though I never met her, what she brought to MNC is invaluable.)
Day 284- Curbside brush pick-up
Day 285- Hearing how much Reagan's teachers enjoy having her in class
Day 286- Titanic (the movie)
Day 287- A new, quiet pool pump
Day 288- No rain on my trip to SC
Day 289- Dr. Johnson (Jeannie's doctor, who took away her nausea)
Day 290- My MIL's guest room
Day 291- Strawberry tea from Ice Creams & Coffee Beans
Day 292- The Walking Dead marathon with Jeannie
Day 293- Reagan made her first airplane ride all alone, and she did GREAT!
Day 294- Survived my 20th high school reunion
Day 295- Beautiful fall drive back home through the mountains and God's paintbrush
Day 296- Paint! (Tim painted the kitchen, living room, hall and foyer while I was away.)
Day 297- Modern technology! I watched a giraffe in SC give birth via webcam. AWESOME!
Day 298- David England, filling in as worship minister
Day 299- Reagan's not afraid to develop her own sense of style
Day 300- A whole weekend alone with Tim
Day 301- Memory foam pillows
Day 302- Seeing Reagan's reaction when I told her that her dad had finally caved on the dog issue, and we were going to pick out our new puppy!
Day 303- The fact that my flight isn't being cancelled because of Hurricane Sandy. Many choruses and quartets may not be able to get to Denver to compete.
Day 304- The opportunity to "crown" the new Harmony Classic winners by giving them their medals, and remembering our achievement winning this award last year
Day 305- Trick-or treating with the McKnights (even if I couldn't be with them this year. I look forward to it every year!)
Day 306- Winning the Harmony Achievement medal and singing with the 12th best chorus in the world!
Day 307- Women like Ann Gooch, that have done so much to bring Sweet Adelines to women all over the world
Day 308- The opportunity to watch the 10 best choruses in the world compete LIVE
Day 309- A great week in Denver with my wonderful chorus and fabulous weather
Day 310- Peace and solitude, after several days surrounded by lots of people
Day 311- The women that fought for the rights of women everywhere in the 19th and 20th century, and allowed me the opportunity to vote today
Day 281- Diana Reed (A long-time member at Otter Creek. She and her husband established the Wayne Reed Center, that houses an early childhood intervention program for underprivileged kids and their families, several years ago. For the last 20 years, she has faithfully taken care of her husband, Wayne, who's battled ALS. She suffered a stroke unexpectedly after a routine pain management treatment that was tainted with fungal meningitis and passed away. Her funeral was today. Such a huge loss to so many people.)
Day 282- Milo and his bottle caps
Day 283- Vickie Foltz (Even though I never met her, what she brought to MNC is invaluable.)
Day 284- Curbside brush pick-up
Day 285- Hearing how much Reagan's teachers enjoy having her in class
Day 286- Titanic (the movie)
Day 287- A new, quiet pool pump
Day 288- No rain on my trip to SC
Day 289- Dr. Johnson (Jeannie's doctor, who took away her nausea)
Day 290- My MIL's guest room
Day 291- Strawberry tea from Ice Creams & Coffee Beans
Day 292- The Walking Dead marathon with Jeannie
Day 293- Reagan made her first airplane ride all alone, and she did GREAT!
Day 294- Survived my 20th high school reunion
Day 295- Beautiful fall drive back home through the mountains and God's paintbrush
Day 296- Paint! (Tim painted the kitchen, living room, hall and foyer while I was away.)
Day 297- Modern technology! I watched a giraffe in SC give birth via webcam. AWESOME!
Day 298- David England, filling in as worship minister
Day 299- Reagan's not afraid to develop her own sense of style
Day 300- A whole weekend alone with Tim
Day 301- Memory foam pillows
Day 302- Seeing Reagan's reaction when I told her that her dad had finally caved on the dog issue, and we were going to pick out our new puppy!
Day 303- The fact that my flight isn't being cancelled because of Hurricane Sandy. Many choruses and quartets may not be able to get to Denver to compete.
Day 304- The opportunity to "crown" the new Harmony Classic winners by giving them their medals, and remembering our achievement winning this award last year
Day 305- Trick-or treating with the McKnights (even if I couldn't be with them this year. I look forward to it every year!)
Day 306- Winning the Harmony Achievement medal and singing with the 12th best chorus in the world!
Day 307- Women like Ann Gooch, that have done so much to bring Sweet Adelines to women all over the world
Day 308- The opportunity to watch the 10 best choruses in the world compete LIVE
Day 309- A great week in Denver with my wonderful chorus and fabulous weather
Day 310- Peace and solitude, after several days surrounded by lots of people
Day 311- The women that fought for the rights of women everywhere in the 19th and 20th century, and allowed me the opportunity to vote today
Friday, December 28, 2012
Thankfulness Journal #8
Only a few more days left in 2012. Days 261-280 cover September 17th through October 6th.
Day 261- Don't need a crown or root canal right now
Day 262- The army of angels that protected Pierce when he went missing 2 years ago today.
Day 263- A family dinner on our screened in porch
Day 264- A friend for Pierce to ride bikes with
Day 265- Hearing Pierce recite Green Eggs And Ham as a form of protest when trying a new food
Day 266- The kids are old enough that we can leave them home alone for a couple of hours so we can have a little date.
Day 267- And So It Goes (A Billy Joel song that our quartet, Simplicity, is singing)
Day 268- Michelle's dad is no longer suffering
Day 269- A hen houseguest
Day 270- A baby sleeping in our hammock
Day 271- I successfully colored my own hair
Day 272- OC's Living Water Yard Sale
Day 273- A standing ovation for Simplicity and tears from the audience!
Day 274- A great weekend with the quartet
Day 275- Prayer and anointing over Jeannie that calmed her before surgery
Day 276- Jeannie's surgery, that was supposed to be lengthy and complicated, went smoothly and was over much sooner than we thought.
Day 277- First text from Jeannie post-surgery: NO NAUSEA!!!!
Day 278- Denice Trice (A dear friend that has been battling cancer for 11 years now. Her faith is amazing and so inspiring.)
Day 279- Jim Arns (One of MNC's coaches and director of 6-time International champs, Melodeers Chorus. He always brings out the best in our chorus!)
Day 280- Ms. Lee (Another friend that has been battling cancer. She is such a sweet, sweet lady, and was such an encouragement to me earlier in the year.)
Day 261- Don't need a crown or root canal right now
Day 262- The army of angels that protected Pierce when he went missing 2 years ago today.
Day 263- A family dinner on our screened in porch
Day 264- A friend for Pierce to ride bikes with
Day 265- Hearing Pierce recite Green Eggs And Ham as a form of protest when trying a new food
Day 266- The kids are old enough that we can leave them home alone for a couple of hours so we can have a little date.
Day 267- And So It Goes (A Billy Joel song that our quartet, Simplicity, is singing)
Day 268- Michelle's dad is no longer suffering
Day 269- A hen houseguest
Day 270- A baby sleeping in our hammock
Day 271- I successfully colored my own hair
Day 272- OC's Living Water Yard Sale
Day 273- A standing ovation for Simplicity and tears from the audience!
Day 274- A great weekend with the quartet
Day 275- Prayer and anointing over Jeannie that calmed her before surgery
Day 276- Jeannie's surgery, that was supposed to be lengthy and complicated, went smoothly and was over much sooner than we thought.
Day 277- First text from Jeannie post-surgery: NO NAUSEA!!!!
Day 278- Denice Trice (A dear friend that has been battling cancer for 11 years now. Her faith is amazing and so inspiring.)
Day 279- Jim Arns (One of MNC's coaches and director of 6-time International champs, Melodeers Chorus. He always brings out the best in our chorus!)
Day 280- Ms. Lee (Another friend that has been battling cancer. She is such a sweet, sweet lady, and was such an encouragement to me earlier in the year.)
Thursday, December 27, 2012
Thankfulness Journal #7
Ok, I feel the need to give some commentary on my entry for day 259. Many of you out there are horrified at the mere suggestion of the S-E-X word. I'm sorry if you feel embarrassed reading what I was thankful for that day. I thought about censoring my entry for your benefit. But why should I be ashamed? It's a God-given gift. So, I let the record stand. That's all I have to say about that. Days 241-260 cover August 28th through September 16th.
Day 241- Sarah Walker's testimony (A lady that I didn't know personally, but I read some of her blog during her fight with cancer. She died today. What remarkable faith she had.)
Day 242- Because so many people heeded evacuation warnings in New Orleans, there have been no deaths from Hurricane Isaac. (Not that day, but there were a few deaths from the storm when it was all over)
Day 243- Reagan's science teacher, Mr. Modglin. Even after a long day of school, he was still energetic and enthusiastic when he spoke to us about teaching at open house.
Day 244- Our last day of commuting
Day 245- Our new pool!!
Day 246- Sitting on my screened-in porch with coffee, watching the rain
Day 247- Friends that will clean my windows and refrigerator, scrub the mildew off of our pool chairs, clean the ceiling fans, and unpack the kitchen.
Day 248- A 10-minute drive to MNC rehearsal
Day 249- A garage! We got into our car during a rainstorm to go to church tonight and never got wet.
Day 250- Got all of mine and Tim's clothes into our closets without buying any extra storage
Day 251- First full week in our new house
Day 252- A friend I can accept criticism from and who isn't afraid to give it to me when I really need it.
Day 253- My first Praise Team solo and the fact that my stage fright is mostly gone
Day 254- My first book club meeting!
Day 255- Pull-Ups. I had 3-year-old Cooper in the car (who'd just begun potty training), and we were waiting in the school pick-up line when he announced that he needed to poop. I couldn't get him to a bathroom in time.
Day 256- Back in Vespers!
Day 257- Nearly 38 years of perfect teeth
Day 258- Another year of life (My birthday)
Day 259- Orgasms
Day 260- Birthday cake and flowers from my quartet
Day 241- Sarah Walker's testimony (A lady that I didn't know personally, but I read some of her blog during her fight with cancer. She died today. What remarkable faith she had.)
Day 242- Because so many people heeded evacuation warnings in New Orleans, there have been no deaths from Hurricane Isaac. (Not that day, but there were a few deaths from the storm when it was all over)
Day 243- Reagan's science teacher, Mr. Modglin. Even after a long day of school, he was still energetic and enthusiastic when he spoke to us about teaching at open house.
Day 244- Our last day of commuting
Day 245- Our new pool!!
Day 246- Sitting on my screened-in porch with coffee, watching the rain
Day 247- Friends that will clean my windows and refrigerator, scrub the mildew off of our pool chairs, clean the ceiling fans, and unpack the kitchen.
Day 248- A 10-minute drive to MNC rehearsal
Day 249- A garage! We got into our car during a rainstorm to go to church tonight and never got wet.
Day 250- Got all of mine and Tim's clothes into our closets without buying any extra storage
Day 251- First full week in our new house
Day 252- A friend I can accept criticism from and who isn't afraid to give it to me when I really need it.
Day 253- My first Praise Team solo and the fact that my stage fright is mostly gone
Day 254- My first book club meeting!
Day 255- Pull-Ups. I had 3-year-old Cooper in the car (who'd just begun potty training), and we were waiting in the school pick-up line when he announced that he needed to poop. I couldn't get him to a bathroom in time.
Day 256- Back in Vespers!
Day 257- Nearly 38 years of perfect teeth
Day 258- Another year of life (My birthday)
Day 259- Orgasms
Day 260- Birthday cake and flowers from my quartet
Wednesday, December 26, 2012
Thankfulness Journal #6
Days 221-240 cover August 8th through 27th. Summer is almost over!
Day 221- Old-fashioned hymn sing @ OC
Day 222- The kids' last day of summer vacation
Day 223- First day at a new school, and a happy ending when Pierce was accidentally put on a bus.
Day 224- Tracey Moore's 50th birthday and time with old friends
Day 225- OC's Back To School Blessing service
Day 226- Both kids had a great first full day of school
Day 227- All the wonderful memories we've made in this house
Day 228- Heard from Maria Ballard (Pierce's Ed. Aide from DuPont Hadley that was fired at the end of the year). She found a job at another school.
Day 229- A stomach bug (afraid the intense cramps I was having was from another kidney stone)
Day 230- Reagan got to experience a movie at a drive-in
Day 231- Reagan is old enough to watch some of the more grown-up movies
Day 232- Great Is Thy Faithfulness and He's Always Been Faithful
Day 233- Fantastic IEP meeting at Brentwood Middle!
Day 234- A POD to hold all of the boxes we've packed until our move
Day 235- Matching doors on all of our closets and bedrooms
Day 236- Having a husband to come home to (sang at the memorial service of a friend's husband)
Day 237- Fun with Cooper
Day 238- Melissa McAdory's hand truck/dolly
Day 239- Last Sunday to drive across town for church
Day 240- My programmable crock-pot
Day 221- Old-fashioned hymn sing @ OC
Day 222- The kids' last day of summer vacation
Day 223- First day at a new school, and a happy ending when Pierce was accidentally put on a bus.
Day 224- Tracey Moore's 50th birthday and time with old friends
Day 225- OC's Back To School Blessing service
Day 226- Both kids had a great first full day of school
Day 227- All the wonderful memories we've made in this house
Day 228- Heard from Maria Ballard (Pierce's Ed. Aide from DuPont Hadley that was fired at the end of the year). She found a job at another school.
Day 229- A stomach bug (afraid the intense cramps I was having was from another kidney stone)
Day 230- Reagan got to experience a movie at a drive-in
Day 231- Reagan is old enough to watch some of the more grown-up movies
Day 232- Great Is Thy Faithfulness and He's Always Been Faithful
Day 233- Fantastic IEP meeting at Brentwood Middle!
Day 234- A POD to hold all of the boxes we've packed until our move
Day 235- Matching doors on all of our closets and bedrooms
Day 236- Having a husband to come home to (sang at the memorial service of a friend's husband)
Day 237- Fun with Cooper
Day 238- Melissa McAdory's hand truck/dolly
Day 239- Last Sunday to drive across town for church
Day 240- My programmable crock-pot
Tuesday, December 25, 2012
Thankfulness Journal #5
Here's 20 more things I was thankful for this year. These cover the days July 19th through August 7th. Hope all of my friends and family are having a wonderful Christmas!
Day 201- Opportunity to help the youth group bake cookies. I was also blessed to have several people tell me how much they love watching Pierce and Reagan interact and what great kids they are.
Day 202- Thankful for the opportunity Pierce has had to participate in a mission trip.
Day 203- Thankful for a husband that still loves me even after I act like a brat.
Day 204- Watched Tim baptize Reagan and got to hear Scott Hamilton's testimony
Day 205- Breakfast for dinner
Day 206- Reagan gets excited about a Bible study
Day 207- Extra funds for an emergency
Day 208- Chaperoned the youth group's "Mystery Trip" and climbed to the top of the world's largest treehouse.
Day 209- Start of the summer Olympics! And, thought the AC was broken, but it was just a tripped breaker.
Day 210- Saw the final Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises
Day 211- Thankful for everyone that works with Otter Creek's middle school youth group; mainly David Knox, Zac Smith, James Curtis and Hannah Whitney
Day 212- Brentwood Middle; what appears to be a great new school!
Day 213- MNC's accomplishment as the 2011 AA International Chorus Champions.
Day 214- CAMP NIGHT!! The chance to see how much my kids LOVE camp through pictures and videos
Day 215- Learning how to get my camera out of auto mode
Day 216- Got our bonus room packed up in a few hours
Day 217- Great face-to-face talk with my mom
Day 218- Wilson life group is back after a summer break
Day 219- Last day of counseling, and I finally found Ben and Jerry's Key Lime Pie ice cream!
Day 220- Free boxes
Day 201- Opportunity to help the youth group bake cookies. I was also blessed to have several people tell me how much they love watching Pierce and Reagan interact and what great kids they are.
Day 202- Thankful for the opportunity Pierce has had to participate in a mission trip.
Day 203- Thankful for a husband that still loves me even after I act like a brat.
Day 204- Watched Tim baptize Reagan and got to hear Scott Hamilton's testimony
Day 205- Breakfast for dinner
Day 206- Reagan gets excited about a Bible study
Day 207- Extra funds for an emergency
Day 208- Chaperoned the youth group's "Mystery Trip" and climbed to the top of the world's largest treehouse.
Day 209- Start of the summer Olympics! And, thought the AC was broken, but it was just a tripped breaker.
Day 210- Saw the final Batman movie, The Dark Knight Rises
Day 211- Thankful for everyone that works with Otter Creek's middle school youth group; mainly David Knox, Zac Smith, James Curtis and Hannah Whitney
Day 212- Brentwood Middle; what appears to be a great new school!
Day 213- MNC's accomplishment as the 2011 AA International Chorus Champions.
Day 214- CAMP NIGHT!! The chance to see how much my kids LOVE camp through pictures and videos
Day 215- Learning how to get my camera out of auto mode
Day 216- Got our bonus room packed up in a few hours
Day 217- Great face-to-face talk with my mom
Day 218- Wilson life group is back after a summer break
Day 219- Last day of counseling, and I finally found Ben and Jerry's Key Lime Pie ice cream!
Day 220- Free boxes
Monday, December 24, 2012
Thankfulness Journal #4
You may have thought I forgot about my Thankfulness Journal. While I have been lax in sharing these with you, I have been faithful to keep writing down my blessings this year. We only have ONE WEEK LEFT of 2012! Eek! So, I will bring you the rest of my Thankfulness Journal in daily installments from now until New Year's Day. Days 181-200 run from June 29th to July 18th. Here we go...!
Day 181- AIR CONDITIONING (Temp reached 109!)
Day 182- Night time walk on the beach
Day 183- Pixar (got to watch the latest movie, Brave, with the family)
Day 184- Found a sand dollar on the beach and watched the sunset over the ocean with Reagan
Day 185- A visit with Tim's family, especially his Papa who is in bad health; also, getting to feed flamingos!
Day 186- Our country, and the freedoms we are privileged to enjoy; also, fireworks over the ocean
Day 187- Universal Studios Express Passes. Cut our wait time in line by about 75%
Day 188- Reagan was chosen to get a wand at Ollivander's in Harry Potter World. She said she would remember it for the rest of her life.
Day 189- How great my kids have been on vacation: no bickering, begging, whining, or complaining
Day 190- A fantastic vacation with Tim and the kids
Day 191- A fun art camp for Reagan
Day 192- Cooler temps and a dreary, drizzly day
Day 193- Fried Cheesecake
Day 194- Reagan's first all-nighter at the Youth Group lock-in and subsequent naps from BOTH kids
Day 195- The kids got to visit with mom and Jeannie
Day 196- 7 straight days of rain after 2 weeks of 100+ degree temps
Day 197- The look on Reagan's face as she told us she wanted to be baptized
Day 198- Made my first purchase for the new house: a hammock for the screened in porch
Day 199- MNC's talented music team
Day 200- Learned that the song I've been humming since Reagan told us of her decision, and that I've been wanting to sing after her baptism (The Lord Bless You and Keep You) is on the worship schedule for that day!
Day 181- AIR CONDITIONING (Temp reached 109!)
Day 182- Night time walk on the beach
Day 183- Pixar (got to watch the latest movie, Brave, with the family)
Day 184- Found a sand dollar on the beach and watched the sunset over the ocean with Reagan
Day 185- A visit with Tim's family, especially his Papa who is in bad health; also, getting to feed flamingos!
Day 186- Our country, and the freedoms we are privileged to enjoy; also, fireworks over the ocean
Day 187- Universal Studios Express Passes. Cut our wait time in line by about 75%
Day 188- Reagan was chosen to get a wand at Ollivander's in Harry Potter World. She said she would remember it for the rest of her life.
Day 189- How great my kids have been on vacation: no bickering, begging, whining, or complaining
Day 190- A fantastic vacation with Tim and the kids
Day 191- A fun art camp for Reagan
Day 192- Cooler temps and a dreary, drizzly day
Day 193- Fried Cheesecake
Day 194- Reagan's first all-nighter at the Youth Group lock-in and subsequent naps from BOTH kids
Day 195- The kids got to visit with mom and Jeannie
Day 196- 7 straight days of rain after 2 weeks of 100+ degree temps
Day 197- The look on Reagan's face as she told us she wanted to be baptized
Day 198- Made my first purchase for the new house: a hammock for the screened in porch
Day 199- MNC's talented music team
Day 200- Learned that the song I've been humming since Reagan told us of her decision, and that I've been wanting to sing after her baptism (The Lord Bless You and Keep You) is on the worship schedule for that day!
Friday, June 29, 2012
Thankfulness Journal #3
We are nearly half-way through 2012! Our summer has been crazy busy, but also a blessed one. Before we take off on yet another adventure, I thought I'd give you part 3 of my Thankfulness Journal. Enjoy!
Day 125- Reagan's love of singing
Day 126- Organization in Pierce's room
Day 127- Passionate women on MNC's Music and Management teams
Day 128- My iPod isn't dead yet
Day 129- Cloud cover and cooler temps while working outside
Day 130- Nearly 6 garbage bags full of clutter to take to Goodwill
Day 131- We found Tim's wedding ring! Missing for 1&1/2 years.
Day 132- A free meal (My chicken and goat cheese pizza was missing the chicken, so I got it for free)
Day 133- A completely empty inbox!
Day 134- Family that makes me feel special on Mother's Day
Day 135- Nothing on the agenda
Day 136- Not having a job out of the house, so I can do things like help a neighbor, visit a friend in the hospital, etc.
Day 137- Hearing Reagan get a case of the giggles
Day 138- The cheering and chanting for Pierce's friend, Kristi. She has cerebral palsy, and she sang a song in the school talent show.
Day 139- An extra casserole in the freezer that I could take to a sick friend
Day 140- Gorgeous gardens on a tour that raised money for a Lupus organization
Day 141- Watching TV in bed
Day 142- Free flowers!
Day 143- A bench in our shower
Day 144- Meeting Phil at Otter Creek, and hearing him greet everyone with, "God bless ya! It's good to see ya!". He's one of the most friendly, gracious, optimistic people I've met recently.
Day 145- Getting 2 of my landscaped beds weeded and cleaned up
Day 146- Watching Reagan with Pierce and the way she's learned to be a "big" sister to him.
Day 147- An extra freezer
Day 148- Our quartet performed at a retirement facility. Such sweet people.
Day 149- Men and women in our military that have made the ultimate sacrifice protecting our country; especially Tim's cousin, Kyle Jackson
Day 150- The "Kids Bowl Free" program
Day 151- After church jam session outside on a beautiful summer night
Day 152- A good Key Lime pie
Day 153- A new housekeeper
Day 154- Beautiful weather and good company while checking out the tree house exhibit at Cheekwood
Day 155- A nature hike with friends
Day 156- A short but productive Chorus Management Team meeting, where some of my responsibilities were delegated elsewhere.
Day 157- Mr. Bond The Science Guy that inspires Reagan to say, "Science is fun!"
Day 158- Reagan made honor roll for the year.
Day 159- Camp Discovery and how much Pierce loves it
Day 160- Having Andrea as a roommate for Summer Singsation and getting to know her better
Day 161- MNC's spark is back!
Day 162- Great offer from FIL on his house in Brentwood
Day 163- Mother/Daughter pedicures
Day 164- Shopping with Reagan
Day 165- Yes Day
Day 166- Reagan is at a really fun age right now
Day 167- Discovering the Blooming Idiots garden and getting 5 sacks full of daylilies
Day 168- Improvements made to the tool/garden shed
Day 169- The fantastic dad that Tim is to our kids.
Day 170- Reagan had a blast on her first youth group sleep-away trip!
Day 171- Learning how to be a duck
Day 172- A busy summer
Day 173- Encouragement from my MIL
Day 174- Watching Pierce run up and give Jamon Martin a big bear hug; so thankful for him, Otter Creek Church Camp, and how much the kids LOVE it.
Day 175- The first responders to the WTC attacks (visited the memorial today)
Day 176- Catching up with friends from way back, Matt and Emilee Harris
Day 177- St. Paul's church, that took care of all of the search and rescue/recovery and cleanup volunteers after 9/11.
Day 178- Safe flights home from NYC
Day 179- Mom and Dad's 42nd anniversary
Day 180- My brownie portion-control baking method (brownie batter frozen in cupcake tins. Only have to bake six at a time.)
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Thankfulness Journal #2...And What I've Learned About Myself Since New Year's Day
We are more than 1/3 of the way through 2012. As you may remember, at the end of 2011, I posted a rather lofty list of goals that I wanted to accomplish this year (If you don't remember, here is the link: http://musings-from-melmac.blogspot.com/2011/12/lotta-mo-betta.html). Here's what I've learned about myself since then.
#1: January is one of the worst possible times for me to attempt anything life-changing. Winter in general is just not my season. Ever heard of SAD? Seasonal Affective Disorder. I am on medication daily for depression (a topic I plan to write about later this year), but my symptoms are always worse when the weather turns cold and the days get shorter. Maybe this would explain my failure in the past to stick with New Year's resolutions...well, that, and the fact that I'm chronically lazy. Also, January to March are the three busiest months for Metro Nashville Chorus. Regional contest is at the end of March, so extra rehearsals for us AND my quartet are thrown in during those months. When you add to that mix that I have a couple of different leadership roles in this organization AND we had a very successful membership drive at the end of January (I am the Membership Coordinator), I felt like I had little energy to devote to anything else for a while. I'm so easily overwhelmed, that the stress becomes crippling to me. I don't want this to sound bad. I absolutely LOVE singing with this fantastic group of women! Those busy periods for us are temporary and few, and when we see what we've accomplished, the hard work is completely rewarding for all involved.
#2: I don't handle criticism well. Getting those goals down and publishing the post made me feel a little like Jerry Maguire after writing his "mission statement". I panicked a bit, knowing that everyone was watching to see if I'd actually follow through. Yes, I did say at the end of that post that people were welcomed to hold me accountable. Now, I realize I should never had said such. Truth be told, there are VERY few people from whom I can take criticism. I take a chance by writing this blog and showing my personality on Facebook. To make myself so bare and vulnerable like this, I guess I should have a thicker skin. I don't, and I've begun to wonder if the pain with the fallout is worth the risk I take. I can't keep people from expressing their opinions about me, but I won't be offering any open invitations to do so again. In the future, I will have designated "accountability partners". On the other hand, I will take encouragement and praise from almost anyone. I may not always believe you, but feel free to try. :)
I hope these don't sound like excuses, though I guess they kind of are. I'm just trying to figure out where I've gone wrong and how to do this better in the future. I'd like to focus on the positive for a bit, so I don't think I will give a status update goal by goal. Instead, here's what I HAVE accomplished.
#1: I have managed to keep up a "Thankfulness Journal"
#2: I have made great strides in getting my photo albums up to date. The 2012 Family Album is current, as are both of the kids' school albums!
#3: I've tried to improve relationships by texting more, and my hens are making monthly dates to get together.
#4: After a couple of very difficult months (that I WON'T be talking about here), I've become more keenly aware how fragile the the mother/daughter relationship is. I've begun counseling that I hope will help me be a better mom to my soon-to-be teenage daughter.
And now, for your reading pleasure, here is the next installment of my Thankfulness Journal. Enjoy!
Day 68- An awesome dentist and hygienist that's gotten me over my dentist phobia
Day 69- Redbud trees have started blooming
#1: January is one of the worst possible times for me to attempt anything life-changing. Winter in general is just not my season. Ever heard of SAD? Seasonal Affective Disorder. I am on medication daily for depression (a topic I plan to write about later this year), but my symptoms are always worse when the weather turns cold and the days get shorter. Maybe this would explain my failure in the past to stick with New Year's resolutions...well, that, and the fact that I'm chronically lazy. Also, January to March are the three busiest months for Metro Nashville Chorus. Regional contest is at the end of March, so extra rehearsals for us AND my quartet are thrown in during those months. When you add to that mix that I have a couple of different leadership roles in this organization AND we had a very successful membership drive at the end of January (I am the Membership Coordinator), I felt like I had little energy to devote to anything else for a while. I'm so easily overwhelmed, that the stress becomes crippling to me. I don't want this to sound bad. I absolutely LOVE singing with this fantastic group of women! Those busy periods for us are temporary and few, and when we see what we've accomplished, the hard work is completely rewarding for all involved.
#2: I don't handle criticism well. Getting those goals down and publishing the post made me feel a little like Jerry Maguire after writing his "mission statement". I panicked a bit, knowing that everyone was watching to see if I'd actually follow through. Yes, I did say at the end of that post that people were welcomed to hold me accountable. Now, I realize I should never had said such. Truth be told, there are VERY few people from whom I can take criticism. I take a chance by writing this blog and showing my personality on Facebook. To make myself so bare and vulnerable like this, I guess I should have a thicker skin. I don't, and I've begun to wonder if the pain with the fallout is worth the risk I take. I can't keep people from expressing their opinions about me, but I won't be offering any open invitations to do so again. In the future, I will have designated "accountability partners". On the other hand, I will take encouragement and praise from almost anyone. I may not always believe you, but feel free to try. :)
I hope these don't sound like excuses, though I guess they kind of are. I'm just trying to figure out where I've gone wrong and how to do this better in the future. I'd like to focus on the positive for a bit, so I don't think I will give a status update goal by goal. Instead, here's what I HAVE accomplished.
#1: I have managed to keep up a "Thankfulness Journal"
#2: I have made great strides in getting my photo albums up to date. The 2012 Family Album is current, as are both of the kids' school albums!
#3: I've tried to improve relationships by texting more, and my hens are making monthly dates to get together.
#4: After a couple of very difficult months (that I WON'T be talking about here), I've become more keenly aware how fragile the the mother/daughter relationship is. I've begun counseling that I hope will help me be a better mom to my soon-to-be teenage daughter.
And now, for your reading pleasure, here is the next installment of my Thankfulness Journal. Enjoy!
Day 68- An awesome dentist and hygienist that's gotten me over my dentist phobia
Day 69- Redbud trees have started blooming
Day 70- Big hot water tank for long showers
Day 71- My bed with clean sheets
Day 72- Reagan's good health (missing the first day of school in nearly 4 years)
Day 73- The way my perennials just come back every year
Day 74- My first visit of the season to Bates Lawn And Garden Center
Day 75- The cherry trees are in full bloom
Day 76- Homemade French toast
Day 77- The chance to dig in the dirt
Day 78- Encouraging words from life group
Day 79- Watched Dancing With The Stars with Reagan
Day 80- Another healthy baby for Misty and Vince!
Day 81- Friends that can help out at the last minute when you have a crisis
Day 82- Noticed the first iris bloom!
Day 83- Fellow MNC quartet, Tessitura won a 3rd place medal at Regional Competition
Day 84- MNC got an -A when we performed for evaluation at competition!! And, I watched Azalea City Chorus win their very first medal! Pure joy!
Day 85- Came home from Chattanooga, and my wisteria vine is just starting to bloom for the first time EVER! I bought it 5 years ago.
Day 86- Pierce is able to go to the dentist now without having to be drugged and physically restrained.
Day 87- A friendly stranger at our door that isn't here to break-in, sell something, or hand me Jehovah's Witness pamphlets.
Day 88- The last time I took the car in for service, I was told it wouldn't be under warranty. I was expecting the worst with having the entire fuel injection system replaced. When Tim called about it today, he asked what the total would be, and they said NOTHING!!!! Turns out this IS UNDER WARRANTY!!! They said it could've cost us $6-8,000.
Day 89- Cooler heads prevailed
Day 90- Watching Reagan play Mario Cart with her daddy
Day 91- The lawn mower cranked.
Day 92- Laura Camp led a prayer during the communion (Sunday morning)
Day 93- Opry Mills is open again nearly 2 years after the flood!
Day 94- Hanging out at Chili's after MNC rehearsal
Day 95- Much needed rain shower
Day 96- Hearing how much my kids love my pancakes
Day 97- A day at the zoo with the kids
Day 98- Reagan got the chance to camp out in a tent and sleeping bag AND have a lemonade stand!
Day 99- He is risen!!!
Day 100- Our guest bath with a shower that's hooked up to it's own separate water heater (Main water heater died today)
Day 101- Easter candy on clearance for 50% off
Day 102- The light from the sunset streaming in through the stained glass windows in the church sanctuary during Vespers
Day 103- New tankless hot water system...an endless supply of hot water!!
Day 104- The Harry Potter books and movies, and sharing them with Reagan
Day 105- April scrapbooking goal accomplished: kids' school books up to date
Day 106- The Sunday School class we've been attending, Parents of Teens
Day 107- Roasted marshmallows over a fire and making s'mores with friends
Day 108- A last minute, lunchtime movie with Tim
Day 109- Gail Srygley, 5th grade Wednesday night teacher whom Reagan just loves.
Day 110- Discovering Once-A-Month cooking years ago. Tonight's dinner came from the freezer and I cooked it weeks ago.
Day 111- My Angry Bird cupcake toppers turned out just as I imagined
Day 112- The group that Tim volunteers with, Rebuilding Together
Day 113- 7th grade boys at Otter Creek Church of Christ
Day 114- Tim's flexible schedule
Day 115- The gift of parenthood (Pierce's birthday)
Day 116- Wildflowers on the side of the interstate
Day 117- A much needed massage after 12 hours of driving and 3 nights sleeping in a hospital recliner
Day 118- 21 years ago, I wanted to go to the prom so bad, I finally gathered up the courage to ask a friend. (21st anniversary of mine and Tim's first date)
Day 119- Reagan has a daddy that loves spending time with her
Day 120- Blessed by our youth group leading worship this morning
Day 121- Sweet email from a friend telling me what a great influence Pierce has been to her son
Day 122- One of Jeannie's clots has dissolved!
Day 123- Tim got a great, long-term contract with Vanderbilt
Day 124- A surprise visit from Misty AND getting a baby-fix with newborn, Maggie!
Day 124- A surprise visit from Misty AND getting a baby-fix with newborn, Maggie!
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Thankfulness Journal
As I said in my post about goals for this year, I read The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin a couple of months ago. In it, she talked about starting a journal in which she would write down one thing every day that she was thankful for. She wasn't able to maintain it for the entire year, but I thought it sounded like a great idea. So, I'm giving it a try. We are 67 days into 2012 (UNBELIEVABLE!), and while I've forgotten to write something down EVERY day, I have been able to go back and fill in the blanks. I'm trying not to repeat myself and find 365 different things to be thankful for. To do this, in most cases, I'm very specific about each blessing (for example, instead of saying I'm thankful for Reagan, I said one day that I'm thankful that she made honor roll. She has so many amazing qualities, that I can make several entries just about her for the year if I'm specific). And, as usual, some are serious, some are silly. Reading these, I realized that some of them didn't make much sense unless you had some background, so I tried to give some explanation in parentheses. Raising a son with autism is stressful, not to mention the fact that both parents and my sister are constantly dealing with chronic health issues. As I said just yesterday on Facebook, if I didn't look for those bright spots everyday, I'd have driven off a cliff long ago. Look for more "Thankfulness Journal" posts to come!
Day 2- Housekeeper
Day 3- Chorus rehearsal is back!
Day 4- Winter school break is over!!
Day 5- Chic-Fil-A Chicken Minis
Day 6- Date Night
Day 7- Newborn puppies (A stray dog had puppies in our back yard. She finally trusted me enough to hold one of her puppies!)
Day 8- Mom and pups were picked up by a local Pet Rescue and went home with a foster mom.
Day 9- Dinner with Hen Friends
Day 10- Breakfast with Tim
Day 11- Clearance sales
Day 12- Simplicity (The quartet I sing with)
Day 13- 30 Rock is back!
Day 14- Tim's job (even though he had to work all day today on a Saturday. Just 3 years ago, he was laid off from a job he'd had over 10 years.)
Day 15- Rock Band with the Life Group
Day 16- Martin Luther King, Jr.
Day 17- My health (My sister, Jeannie, had another health crisis today)
Day 18- Heated car seats (High's only in the 30's all day. Brr!)
Day 19- Reagan made honor roll
Day 20- Alton Brown's 40 Cloves And A Chicken recipe
Day 21- Dinner with Bunco girls
Day 22- A Sunday nap
Day 23- We can use the hot tub again!! (Finally clean after sitting empty for over a year)
Day 24- Goodbye, World, Goodbye (absolutely love singing that song with Metro Nashville Chorus!)
Day 25- Prayer labyrinth in Vespers
Day 26- Steve and Becki (a hen friend) made it safely to China to get their adopted son
Day 27- Misty (another hen friend) and baby are okay after pregnancy complications
Day 28- Time in Gatlinburg with old Antioch friends
Day 29- Brad and Valerie (they kept the kids while we were away)
Day 30- Mom came home from the hospital (She'd been there with pneumonia for over a week)
Day 31- Cooper's adoption is official! (Becki and Steve's son)
Day 32- Dad and Jeannie arrived safely in Nashville
Day 33- Mama dog and puppies are safe at the rescue (after being mistreated by the foster mom) and we got to visit them.
Day 34- Metro Nashville Chorus retreat!
Day 35- Came home from MNC retreat to a clean house
Day 36- Found out the kids will be going to camp on the same days this year (meaning that Tim and I will be able to get a little vacation!)
Day 37- Jeannie had a successful surgery AND Tim made it safely to Utah for his snowboarding trip.
Day 38- Free housing for Dad and Jeannie from Natchez Trace Church of Christ while Jeannie recovers from surgery
Day 39- Got Old Navy jeans from Goodwill for only $7.50
Day 40- A week of free chiropractic care
Day 41- Steve and Becki are home with Cooper!
Day 42- Tim home safe from snowboarding
Day 43- Opportunity to sing on Otter Creek's Praise Team
Day 44- Grandma Osburn's Apricot Nectar Pound Cake recipe (Fond memories of this cake, and Reagan requested it for her birthday)
Day 45- Thankful for Ada Winford!!! (Metro's autism specialist that helped me with one of Pierce's teachers that was being difficult)
Day 46- Reagan's 11th birthday
Day 47- Clipping thyme from my garden in February
Day 48- Reagan's sweet friends
Day 49- A McKay wedding instead of a funeral (funerals seem to be the only reason we get together)
Day 50- Song from worship: When The Night Is Falling
Day 51- Discovered Downton Abbey
Day 52- Daffodil bouquet
Day 53- Mom's safe travel to Nashville
Day 54- Driving with the windows down in February
Day 55- Jeannie's pacemaker adjustment took her nausea away instantly!
Day 56- Ms. Lee felt well enough to come to coaching (a chorus member in her 80's who's been battling cancer. She's been carpooling with me to rehearsals lately)
Day 57- Roberson's thoughts during today's communion
Day 58- Pierce's great experience at Chadwell Elementary (working on Pierce's school scrapbook)
Day 59- Simplicity sang very well for MNC
Day 60- Opportunities that women have at Otter Creek to help lead worship
Day 61- Got to meet Cooper at the Nashville Lawn and Garden Show (2 for 1; met Cooper AND went to the garden show, something I look forward to every year!)
Day 62- All of my friends and family are safe from bad storms and tornadoes and had no damage.
Day 63- NyQuil and earplugs (because of the train at Petticoat Junction, the location of our scrapbook retreat)
Day 64- 86 completed scrapbook pages!
Day 65- Jeannie did NOT have a stroke (went to the ER displaying symptoms of a stroke, but it was ruled out. There are other serious issues, but at least it isn't a stroke.)
Day 66- New John Mayer song on iTunes
Day 67- A cute haircut for $12
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
It's The Little Things
Yes, it has been a long time since my last post. One of these days, I'm going to get back into the habit of regular blogging. Aywho, tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Last year, I posted a list of things I'm thankful for. I'd like to do that again this year, but with a twist. Since my list of serious blessings from last year still apply, I would just be repeating what's already been said. So instead, I'd like to list those minor, more trivial things in my life that bring me joy. By the way, I was inspired after I heard a DJ on the morning show I listen to ask his listeners to call in with their "silly blessings".
1. My sense of humor. In my humble opinion, I think I have a pretty good one. My husband's sense of humor is very similar to mine, so sometimes, all it takes is repeating some random TV or movie quote to crack us both up. Let's face it; to survive parenting (especially parenting an autistic child) you've got to be able to laugh in many situations.
2. Coffee. Do I really need to explain this one? I especially love the Starbucks Caramel Macchiato that my husband brings me every Saturday morning (when I'm in town, that is).
3. iTunes. I used to fantasize as a kid, when I recorded my mix tapes from the radio, that one day, I would have the infinite tape on which I could record the mix tape that would never end. iTunes gets pretty close to my childhood dream. I currently have 5,334 songs in iTunes, with 51 different playlists. I can put hundreds of songs in one list! My love of music leads me to the next item on my list...
4. The Bargain Bin at McKay's Used Books. Yes, they have books, which I love, but my favorite thing is the CDs you can find in their Bargain Bin. They get so many CDs, that they can't take the time to buff out the really scratched up ones. These go into the Bargain Bin. I've found CDs here anywhere from 92 cents to a nickel! Then, I take my finds to another CD trade store down the road where they will buff the scratches out for $1 a piece. You have to be a little picky. There are obviously some CDs that are beyond repair. But, I've found some great stuff. Like the Sleepless In Seattle Soundtrack for 5 cents! Harry Connick, Jr. CDs for 19 cents! When I'm done with them, I can trade them in for another pile. I'm getting music practically for free!
5. Netflix. I pay a little money each month, and I can catch up on entire series that I missed out on the first time around, such as Lost. I also get a huge library of movies, right at my fingertips.
6. Clean sheets. I love crawling into bed when my 400 thread count sheets have been freshly washed.
7. Long, hot showers. 'Nuff said.
8. Babysitting co-op. About once a month, we get free babysitting when we send our kids to a friends house. We reciprocate by keeping their kids on a different night. Our kids all like to play together, so it's a win-win for everyone!
9. Facebook. Such an easy and fun way to reconnect with old friends and get to know new ones better.
10. My irises and daffodils. I have a few thousand of both. They never let me down, and they are the most dependable plants I have. They just want to be divided every few years, but other than that, they are happy as clams. The best part? They were FREE, planted by the previous owner!
So, these were the first 10 things that popped into my head within about an hour's time. I know in the past I've mentioned posts that I would like to continue. It would be fun to keep this "silly blessings" thing up, but I obviously can't make any promises. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
1. My sense of humor. In my humble opinion, I think I have a pretty good one. My husband's sense of humor is very similar to mine, so sometimes, all it takes is repeating some random TV or movie quote to crack us both up. Let's face it; to survive parenting (especially parenting an autistic child) you've got to be able to laugh in many situations.
2. Coffee. Do I really need to explain this one? I especially love the Starbucks Caramel Macchiato that my husband brings me every Saturday morning (when I'm in town, that is).
3. iTunes. I used to fantasize as a kid, when I recorded my mix tapes from the radio, that one day, I would have the infinite tape on which I could record the mix tape that would never end. iTunes gets pretty close to my childhood dream. I currently have 5,334 songs in iTunes, with 51 different playlists. I can put hundreds of songs in one list! My love of music leads me to the next item on my list...
4. The Bargain Bin at McKay's Used Books. Yes, they have books, which I love, but my favorite thing is the CDs you can find in their Bargain Bin. They get so many CDs, that they can't take the time to buff out the really scratched up ones. These go into the Bargain Bin. I've found CDs here anywhere from 92 cents to a nickel! Then, I take my finds to another CD trade store down the road where they will buff the scratches out for $1 a piece. You have to be a little picky. There are obviously some CDs that are beyond repair. But, I've found some great stuff. Like the Sleepless In Seattle Soundtrack for 5 cents! Harry Connick, Jr. CDs for 19 cents! When I'm done with them, I can trade them in for another pile. I'm getting music practically for free!
5. Netflix. I pay a little money each month, and I can catch up on entire series that I missed out on the first time around, such as Lost. I also get a huge library of movies, right at my fingertips.
6. Clean sheets. I love crawling into bed when my 400 thread count sheets have been freshly washed.
7. Long, hot showers. 'Nuff said.
8. Babysitting co-op. About once a month, we get free babysitting when we send our kids to a friends house. We reciprocate by keeping their kids on a different night. Our kids all like to play together, so it's a win-win for everyone!
9. Facebook. Such an easy and fun way to reconnect with old friends and get to know new ones better.
10. My irises and daffodils. I have a few thousand of both. They never let me down, and they are the most dependable plants I have. They just want to be divided every few years, but other than that, they are happy as clams. The best part? They were FREE, planted by the previous owner!
So, these were the first 10 things that popped into my head within about an hour's time. I know in the past I've mentioned posts that I would like to continue. It would be fun to keep this "silly blessings" thing up, but I obviously can't make any promises. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Friday, November 19, 2010
My Cup Runneth Over
With Thanksgiving around the corner, I thought it only fitting that I list just a few of the things I'm thankful for. Nearly two years ago (can't believe it's been that long!), Tim lost his job, and I wrote a series of notes on Facebook listing some of my blessings. It was such a comforting exercise; I encourage everyone to do it sometime when you're feeling pessimistic or that life just isn't treating you fairly. Maybe I should make this a regular feature...
1. Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior, and one day, he will take me away from all of the pain in this world and home to his Father.
2. I have a wonderful husband who loves God, me and his children. He loves me more than I deserve, even when I am completely unlovable.
3. I have two great kids. Yes, Pierce's autism is a challenge for us daily, but this kid loves like no other kid I know. Reagan is the happiest, nicest, most compliant child you can imagine. I am so blessed to be their mom.
4. Every day, the four of us are able to get out of bed healthy and happy.
5. We have very little debt. Our mortgage is paid off! My car is too, but now we're looking at a new car, so that's about to change. Oh well, on with the positive stuff!
6. I have parents that love me and punished me when I needed it. They taught me about the love of Jesus. They pray for me, Tim and the kids every day. And, even though they are far away, they are some pretty great grandparents to my two kids!
7. I have a sister that has defied the odds, and continues to fight a critical illness every single day. She enjoys encouraging others, even when she feels she doesn't have anything to give. I love her bunches!
8. I have a fabulous mother-in-law. She lavishes me with praise to the point that I have a hard time believing I'm as great as she thinks I am. She's the reason Tim is as awesome as he is!
9. I have a sister-in-law that is a great inspiration to me. She has overcome adversity and continues to grow into a wonderful person. She's a fantastic mom to my niece, Elise!
10. I have my "hens"; my Steel Magnolias bestest of best friends who would do anything for me and I for them.
11. We are part of a great church. Even more important, we are part of a small group/life group that I love.
12. I have finally found an outlet for my love of singing; a place where I feel somewhat talented and have something to contribute. I love the Metro Nashville Chorus (and my quartet, Simplicity)!
13. I have a roof over my head. Though I have my complaints about the constant projects and repairs that come along with a fixer-upper, my family has a place to call "home". There's air in the summer, heat in the winter, electricity and indoor plumbing. There are so many people that would love to have it as good as my family does.
14. I have never known hunger.
15. All four of us have closets full of clothes.
16. I live in America. We are free to worship whatever god we choose.
17. We have men and women that fight for that and many other freedoms every single day. I don't think we can thank them enough.
18. Pierce has been in school since he was three-years-old, and every year, we've had awesome teachers and educational aides. They genuinely care about my son, and do all that they can to help him. Reagan's had great teachers, too!
19. I'm actually pretty good at growing things.
20. I would not have chosen to be a mom of a special needs child. However, I now have knowledge and insight that I can use to help other families that are walking the same path.
I know I can go on and on, but I want to get this posted, so I'm going to stop here for now. Positivity is not a quality I exude; it takes some work for me. I need to work harder to be thankful all year round and not just because a date on the calendar inspires the country to do so. I hope you will join me. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
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