gratitude

#56 a friend to share an unplanned dinner out and a little Christmas shopping with

#57 parents celebrating 45 years of marriage...thanks for never giving up

#58 a little dreary, cold, damp and sometimes misty, weather ~ it feels a little more like winter during Christmas

#59 experience ~ that teaches me it is OK to be this unprepared for Christmas this late in the month

#60 only three and a half days of work left before a much needed extended break

#61 my church family

#62 the courage to begin a tablecloth by cutting the fabric I have had for more than a year, not nearly as difficult as I was making it

#63 grandparents that live close enough for movie nights and Christmas shopping...have fun girls

#64 a new perspective

#65 chickens that decided it is a good thing to lay eggs again

#66 in the middle of mountains of work, they still ask me to play (and I get to be the nana)
#67 warm flannel sheets to crawl into

#68 a sleep doctor that gave my husband a new life

#69 family movie night

#70 JESUS...the only gift that really matters

Merry Christmas!

Thank you Ann for hosting such thankfulness!

a new season

Thankful this morning for the ordinary...

#41 a new season, crisp air allows windows to be open through the night and early in the day

#42 a weekend of rest

#43 a little bit of knitting

#44 a walk and a bike ride with my husband


#45 bacon cooking with open windows...what makes that so wonderful?

#46 one little girl that "loves ironing",(her words)

#47 school on the porch

#47 autumn breezes

#48 watching one son score a touchdown, glad I didn't blink at the wrong time

#49 children that must dawn a hat and gloves on the very first cool morning and go outside, usually to ride a bike ~ this happens like clock work every year

#50 anything baked apple (it's definitely Fall)

#51 a morning walk (or bike ride) that happens here...
#52 too much work, because it seems better than too little work

#53 a new haircut for Locks of Love...

before

after

#54 a dog that survived tick paralysis

#55 new (to us) furniture

She is twelve...

What happens when you forget to prepare half of the meal for a birthday party? Sound scary? Instead of eating lunch, you eat supper. This happened yesterday, FOR REAL. We had family in for lunch to celebrate Hannah's twelfth birthday. On the menu was homemade burritos and I was way behind in my preparations.

Instead of getting everything done on Saturday I chose to take the girls to the beach to play with a new friend that was in town and we stayed for a very late supper.

We called home to check on all the men, who had been gone for the day, and asked them to go finish the grocery shopping for lunch on Sunday. We rolled in late, tired, relaxed and glad we had made time to visit with friends.

It was too late to bake the cake so I would have to get up early before church to get that done. Cake finished, I made grits to have with breakfast, they are her favorite. Didn't have time to start the burritos, they will have to wait until after service.

Once back home, I cut up all the toppings, mixed the dough and plugged in the tortilla press. Ran to my room for something and had a eureka moment...We are missing all of the hot "stuff" that goes in the burrito. No meat, no refried beans and worst of all the meat's still frozen.

How does this happen? In a state of panic, I stand at the microwave willing it to work faster. These are the things that make me crazy, why does my brain not work like it used too? In the light of eternity it really does not matter. My family will have a good laugh and memories are made. And above all else, I am still grateful because He is God and I am not.

An on going list of one thousand gifts...
#31 the defrost setting on my microwave

#32 movies like this

#33 a Savior that paid my debt

#34 a freshly washed dog

photo by one of the children

#35 a mopped kitchen floor

#36 a Sunday nap (no,I did not have one yesterday)

#37 children choosing to have a good attitude when things don't go their way

#38 cousins choosing to homeschool

#39 understanding family

#40 Hannah's new bike

Multitude Monday

An ongoing list of one thousand gifts...

#16 a day of rest

#17 ice cold air conditioning

#18 a country lane to walk for exercise

#18 a daughter who turns twelve this week

#19 the right to vote

#20 goat noises

#21 good memories

#22 kitties that wait at the back door

#23 flowers in bloom

#24 a clean car

#25 to know that Fall is coming

#26 too much work

#27 my dryer on a rainy day

#28 finding money

#29 a friend dropping by

#30 teachable moments

Thank you Ann, for hosting this very profitable list that is a constant reminder of just how blessed we truly are.

blessed...and very much so

Today I am joining Ann @ Holy Experience on her journey to 1000 Gifts. I have a hard time committing to something every week, because my time is not always mine. So this may or may not happen consistently; but non the less I am grateful.

Starting at the very beginning...because it's a very good place to start.
I have read this list in various places and it is feeling contagious at this moment. I am blessed and very much so...

#1 My Savior Jesus Christ, without you I can do nothing

#2 a wonderful husband to share this journey with

3# 5 healthy (and mostly happy) children

#4 homeschooling

#5 freckles, they cover a lot of flaws

#6 the music that fills our home every day

#7 fresh cut grass

#8 ice cold watermelon

#9 a repaired,instead of new, refrigerator

#10 farm fresh eggs

#11 freshly mopped floors

#12 sheets on the clothesline

#13 medicine that eases my pain

#14 parents that love and support me

#15 baby goats

Thank you Ann, for hosting this very profitable list that is a constant reminder of just how blessed we truly are.