Thankful Thursday

Today I'm thankful for:

• four more days of Christmas vacation and the fact each day that passes gets us closer and closer to summer vacation
• Daddy H and the kiddos who let me sleep until 10am -- woot!
• the fact that we are headed to the grocery store together and that we can actually buy what we WANT to eat for the next week, instead of trying to feed 5 of us for a week on $40...
• my gigantic, enormous, comfortable cotton pants that I'm wearing right now...
• the stacks and stacks of clean laundry on my kitchen table

What about you?
What are you thankful for today?

New Year's Resolution

I totally let the ball drop with this blog in 2009.

I was doing great when life was going well.
I was grateful when times were good.

It's easy to be thankful when you have everything you need.

But then, when our dream of moving to the beach died and our financial situation got even worse, all of a sudden I forgot to be grateful.

That sucks.

Even in the weeks when I wasn't sure how we were going to make it until my next paycheck, there were several things I should have been grateful for...

But I was too wrapped up in feeling sorry for myself that I didn't take the time to write (type) them on my blog...

And now I can't even remember what they are...

I'm going to resolve to post at least three times a week
on this blog throughout the new year...

And always on Thursdays... I am going to call them "Thankful Thursdays"...

Each Thursday, I will find something for which I am grateful in my life...

I resolve to post each Thursday
whether things are going well or not
whether I am happy or sad
whether I have the time or not...

Anyone want to join me?

Let's start tomorrow, okay?

Wordless (Almost) Wednesday...

Today I am grateful for...

Sunshine instead of rain...

Only seven (count 'em) days of school

until Christmas break begins!!!



So, what are you thankful for today???

Which Line Are You In?

I am often in the wrong line...

I find myself complaining

about

a lot of things...

I should try to keep this image

in my mind...

Because what struck me the most

is how horrible it feels when

a parent complains

but how

wonderful it

feels when they

express

their

sincere

gratitude

for what you've done

for their child...

Today I experienced both

which is unusual...

I get a lot of

complaints

and very little

compliments...

And as I sat here

thinking how nice it would be

to get more compliments,

I realized that I spend

a lot more time

complaining

than

complimenting...

I need to work on that...

How about you?

Back in the Saddle...

The irony of my last post on this blog just struck me...

Since last April (has it really been that long??)
so much has happened in our lives...

Here are some random thoughts/things for which I am grateful for at this moment...

1. sometimes it takes a while to see a person's "true colors", and although at first it might hurt, it's better for all involved to know what they are really like
2. my friends are the greatest friends a girl could ask for
3. i miss so many of my high school/college friends and wish they lived closer
4. our dream of living at the beach wasn't meant to be
5. last april #5 crushed my spirit... looking at it now though I fully realize it wasn't meant to be and therefore shouldn't have been...
6. i love my kids so much it hurts
7. daddy h has a full-time job with benefits, sick days, and vacation pay for the first time ever
8. thanksgiving vacation is awesome, but not long enough
9. dogs can make anything better
10. houses look cozier when they are decorated for Christmas
11. a clean house is a wonderful thing even if it only lasts 5 minutes
12. having little in the bank makes you focus on what really matters

I need to get back to this blog... it's good for my heart and soul...

So, is anyone out there even still reading this thing??? I don't blame you if you've given up!

:-)

Neighbors

Yesterday morning, Daddy H was putting the finishing touches on our fence.

As I was cleaning, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace.

Throughout the last week and a half, no less than five of our neighborhood "guys" have come over to help Daddy H with the fence...

And it struck me...

How blessed are we to live in a neighborhood

where

• neighbors actually know each other
• neighbors look out for your kids when they are riding bikes
• neighbors volunteer to help with each other's home improvement projects
• neighbors spend evenings in each other's backyards just because...
• neighbors overall get along so well with each other

I'd say we are pretty blessed in this area, and since we don't have any family nearby, our neighbors (and friends for that matter) are even more special to us.

Now, don't get me wrong... our neighborhood isn't anywhere near perfect!

Just like any other neighborhood,
we've got

• HOA issues
• nosy neighbors
• complainers who criticize others
• gossipers who only make themselves look like fools...

But I simply refuse to waste my time focused on THOSE people
when so many of my neighbors are SO AMAZING!

We are SO blessed!

I Have Been Blessed...

This song hit me like a

ton

of

bricks

tonight on the way home from dinner...

I am going to write these lyrics down

and hang them

in a place where I can see them every day

I need to remember

that no matter

what annoys me at home

what frustrates me at work

what saddens me on the news

what bothers me about others

I

have

definitely

been

blessed!

--------------------------------------------

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

----------------------------------

Song by Martina McBride