I Am So Thankful!

Every night at dinner, we go around the table sharing what we are thankful for.  For the last week or so, I have had a hard time coming up with something to say because I have been so overwhelmed by life.  This house, that house, money, contracts, politics, kids, school, cooking, laundry, etc.  It's as though I've been in a tail spin.

This weekend, the hubs took the older two kids to his parents house for a 'spur of the moment' Super Bowl visit.  For some reason, Mini C has slept the majority of the time since they left and it has given me a lot of time to reflect. 

As I looked around my house, scanned over a few blogs, and talked to a few friends I realized how thankful I really am.  I might have trouble seeing the silver lining in a crazy overwhelming day but, MAN, how did I luck out with a life like this?

I have a faith that I am so head over heels in love with.  My faith in Christ and His Will has grown and matured so much in the last year and I can say that it has truly become of utmost importance.  It may not always make life comfortable but I am reminded of what Pope John Paul II said,

"Do NOT be satisfied with mediocrity! The world will offer you comfort. But you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness!”

I have a husband who sweeps me off my feet on a regular basis.  After 5 years, 3 kids, 3 moves, 2 countries, 3 states, and 2 deployments, he continues to be my best buddy.  I have never been around another human being who has the same drive, dedication, work ethic, love, and passion as this man.  He never steps down when he's tired.  The way he understands what it means to be an American will always leave me speechless.  He always makes sure that I know that I am 'his woman' (that's a compliment for a girl from the south...haha).

I have a little boy who is sweeter than pie, a little girl who is the spit fire of my life, and another little girl who always makes sure that her mama knows that she is loved.  I learn more in a day than some will learn in a year.  They let me mess up.  They forgive me when I lose it.  They are so excited to see me EVERY. SINGLE. MORNING.  It's crazy!

I have parents, in-laws, brothers, sister-in-laws, and all sorts of aunts, uncles, and grandparents who encourage me to keep up the good fight.  Keep fighting for what is right.  When I get tired, they don't let me fall, they tell me to get up and keep going.  They are my teachers, my counselors, and my guides.  They are some of my best friends.

Lastly, I have my friends.  Ya'll, I have the best friends a girl could ask for.  Over the course of my life, I have somehow gathered quite a few friends who I would consider 'heart friends'.  These are the people who don't just love me because I am gorgeous, incredible, brilliant, and fun to be around, they love me because they know my heart.  They know what makes me tick at the most basic of levels.  They will fight for my heart, for my purity, for my soul at the expense of any hurt feelings or friendship.  They have their eyes set on the same thing I do.  They want me to achieve heaven.

As I write all of this out, I am mesmerized by the fact that He chose me.  He chose to give me all of these people to encourage and lead me to Him.  He knew that I'd have my struggles and with every one, another person has stepped up to help me stay focused. 

And for that, I am thankful!



What Are You Thankful For?

One of my most favorite things that has happened since P came home is our new dinner/bed time routine.  On Thanksgiving, we talked with them about what it meant to be thankful.  We made it a funny explanation followed by a lot of silly examples followed by even more silliness.  They got the point.  :-)

So, that afternoon at dinner, we all went around the dinner table telling each other what we were thankful for.  Little P (melt my heart) said that he is thankful that his daddy went far away to work and then came home.  Little C...well, she doesn't quite understand yet and said her kitchen (which is what she asked Santa for).

The next day, as we sat down to dinner, we had the idea to carry on the tradition and after the blessing, say what we were thankful for that day.  My hope was that it would bring an awareness to all of the things that we have/do on a daily basis that we should be thankful for. 

I have to say, I have been amazed at the insights that my little three year old has had.  On P's first day back to work, Little P said he was thankful that daddy went to work but then came home after naps.  The other night, he said that he was thankful that he saved baby sis (Mini C) when she got her hand stuck in the drawer.  And the funniest was that he was thankful that daddy got some more gas for the grill so we could have cheeseburgers.  It has been so fun to watch the wheels turn in his brain and hear the highlights of his day. 

Little C, on the other hand...well, she's still thankful for the kitchen that she asked Santa for...haha.

Another thing we have started is to switch of saying the blessing before we eat.  Both kiddos do great with the blessing but Little C is naturally louder than Little P so we wanted to give him a chance to say it as well.  So, every other night, they switch off saying the blessing.  It has given us an awesome opportunity to help them figure out certain words and to talk about what they are saying.  It's been so awesome!

And lastly, my most favorite tradition we have started is family bible story/prayer time before bed!  I think we all know that we want to teach our children about the Bible and praying but sometimes its hard to find the right time and place.  So, now that dad is home, he gathers us all in the living room, reads a story from the kids' Bible, we talk about it, and then say our night prayers.  I have been shocked at how much a 2 and 3 year old understand. 

I can't tell you how much I have LOVED being a family again.  Yesterday, I looked at my husband and asked him if he is ever so happy that he feels like his insides were going to burst.  That is how I have been feeling.  Being a parent and being married is hard and requires constant self-giving but the reward, when you are faithful, is beyond understanding!  I know we will have our times when it's not so great, but I hope that I always remember how thankful I am for the the man that I married and the kids that we have.  I cannot wait to see how our story unfolds.