Thankful wrap up

I have slacked big time with this blog. Remember a few months ago where I tried to list everything I was thankful for?  Probably not because it has been so long-apparantly I forgot too.  November was also a month long test to see if I could faithfully blog everyday---extreme fail. So here are the other things I am thankful for:

Day 22: I am thankful for warm clothes--it's freezing

Day 23:I am thankful for Michael Ann and her family-Don, Matthew, and Christi.  They became part of our family thanks to Uncle Bob and I will be forever grateful to him for bringing us together.  Michael loves us and treats my kids like her own. She is always thinking of us and gives the BEST advice on parenting and dealing with neurotic moms.  We love her and we love her family.

Day 24:I am thankful for finding a church that preaches the gospel and for the opportunities awaiting our family as we seek to serve there.

Day 25:I am thankful for coffee. Warm coffee with lots of cream (Joe calls it cream with a touch of coffee--he simply does not understand what he is missing)

Day 26:I am thankful for sunshine when we get to see it around here!!

Day 27: I am thankful for a funny but sweet marriage proposal on November 27, 1999. There was a sunset, we were on a hill in the middle of his ranch, the word"hitched" was used,....very romantic.:)

Day 28:I am thankful for my health and my family's health. We get broken bones and sprained ankle occasionally but nothing major and for that I am thankful.

Day 29:I am thankful for the friends the kids have made since we moved here and just a little envious how easy it is to make friends when you are five or eight...the same can't be said for someone in her thirties:)

Day 30:I am thankful for a God who continues to bless us even though we do not deserve. He is faithful and always giving more than I can think or imagine..

Day 21 of Thanks

Day 21- I am thankful for the beauty of God's creation. We are studying Genesis this year in Bible Study.  Growing up in a Christian home and school, I often breeze over the creation account but as I dug in deeper and listened to our leader bring in the science of how intricate God planned everything, I see His handiwork so much more amazing.  We were blessed to move to Maryland where there are 4 seasons (in sharp contrast to Texas where there are just two). So we saw the leaves turn brilliant colors and last spring when we visited we saw the gorgeous cherry blossoms blooming. I love that I am able to see a lake everyday with the backdrop of hills and jaw-dropping sunsets. And now we are looking forward to the snow covering everything this winter!  Thank you God for the beauty of this earth.

Day 20 of Thanks

Day 20- I am thankful for email, texting, and yes even facebook. There is alot of negative things being said about each one of the these forms of communication but I don't know how I would have kept in touch with all our friends and family back home on a weekly and (sometimes) daily basis. I know talking in person or over the phone is preferred but as busy as life gets, SOME form of communication is better than a quick and often INTERRUPTED conversation due to sibling rivalry and other forms of distraction.  So yes I am thankful to share glimpses of life on a weekly basis in the form of social media and then catching up over coffee (or another beverage) when I am back in the great state of Texas!

Day 17-19 of Thanks

I am behind again. Surely you can understand four children out of school for the week, husband out of the state for 5 days, AND a big ugly boot holding my ankle together to be a good excuse not to blog?  So here are the latest "thankfuls":

Day 17-I am thankful for the friends that were already in the area and for that matter, all the military friends we have made all over the United States. There was a time that a very innocent girl of 23 entered the life of an Marine officer's wife and it was an eye-opening experience that revealed some not so nice things about my headstrong "tendencies". But this 23-year-old girl made some really good friends along the way and came out a 28 year-old woman with very good memories. I met Meara Clark and Jen Williams in Quantico, Virginia while our husbands went to TBS.  I met January Rhinehart, Christiane Kling, and Carrie Stocker while our spouses were in artillery school in Fort Sill, Oklahoma.  I met Kristen Benson, Deanna Sanders, Whitney Murphy, Amy Young, Ferah Shea, Andrea Coltey, and so many others while we were in Jacksonville, North Carolina. I shared the "down and dirty" of life with these women.  We supported each other during long training periods and very long deployments.  There is a different kind of bond when you deal with life and death on a daily basis. So here we are in Maryland surrounded by some of our military friends once again-the Young's, the Murphy's and Carrie. How amazing is that? I am very blessed indeed.

Day 18-I am thankful for the necessities of life that I take for granted everyday. I don't think I often think about how convenient and easy it is to get something to eat or drink clean, safe water WHENEVER I want. I don't have to walk miles to get anything. Yet I get frustrated when I have to wait in a long grocery store line or when a store doesn't have the item I need at that moment. I tend to think only of my "first world" problems and not think about those who don't have ANYTHING at all. I am trying to work on this and even found a place where the girls, Joe, and I can help locally and on a weekly basis to give physical food as well as spiritual food to those whose lives aren't as terribly convenient as ours  is.


Day 19-I am thankful for wine. Enough said--it's been a LONG five days:)

Day 12-16 of Thanks

So I took a big fall on November 12th and hurt my ankle. My right (driving) ankle is now in a boot and I have been out of commission since Monday so please excuse the days I have missed.  I will now try to catch up with this post:

Day 12-  I am thankful for my friend Sarah.  She and I have many wonderful memories of living together at Texas A&M but most of all she and I have shared life-the good, the bad, and the ugly.  She gives the best advice and it is always spoken with love and a spiritual perspective.  Sarah is a very accomplished person and I admire the grace with which she handles all her obligations.  I am looking forward to many more years of memories.

Day 13-I am thankful for trials. I know this is weird and I am not trying to be the "look at me, I am so spiritual" girl. I am actually thankful for my perspective on trials. James 1:2 is by our front door on our "Family Rules" board. It says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,^[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds".  James goes on to say in verse three and four why we are to be joyful-" ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."  This past week in BSF, our leader said something that really struck me.  She said that whenever we face something with true faith in Christ, these are the treasures we get to lay before the Lord when he comes back.  I have faced many situations in these recent years where I had no idea what it was going to look like at the end. But I have started to look at these times with some excitement for what the Lord is going to teach me. I am not perfect through any of this. I have days where I just drag my feet or throw a huge fit but I am getting a little better with the spiritual side of the trial and seeing the eternal perspective in it.  Thank you Lord for being so faithful and patient in teaching me this.

Day 14-I am thankful for my nieces and nephews--all 14 of them.  Katie, Ryan, Sarah, Aaron, Megan, Catherine, Jacob, Christen, Gwendolyn, Emma, Andrew, Jackson, Harrison, and Grayson.  They range in age from 2-20.  I love each one of them. They are all so different but all so beautiful.  I am honored that I get to be their aunt. My older neices are so good with my kids and all the cousins love each other so much. This move has been especially hard on the cousins and my kids since they are all so close.  I love that they love my kids and that we have so many people at family gatherings (Joe differs with me on this)!  It's crazy and loud but so fun to watch. 

Day 15- I am thankful for my spiritual mentor-Jamie Beesely. This sweet woman prays constantly for so many including me.  She was my Bible study leader and she is such an amazing woman of God. She lives her life with such grace and with such a love for her heavenly father.  She is not afraid to be real and let you know that you are not alone in what you might be going through. I miss going to lunch with her and the powerful prayers she prays over me each time. God was so good to send her in my life. 

Day 16-I am thankful for my Christian heritage. I, like so many others, figured out in my twenties how good I had it growing up. I was taught about God from the very beginning. He was always in our house and at my grandparents house as well. I found out that this is so rare when I finally got to college. I couldn't wait to get there and away from the "boring, old Christian school" my parents sent me to. I now see what an amazing gift this was. I was taught by some pretty amazing teachers who loved me and my family so much. I was given a love for music because of Mr. Reherer. I was given a love to read (and edit) because of Miss Elmer. I was given a hunger for math because of Mr. McCulley. I appreciate history because of my mom who I had the privilege to have as a teacher there. I learned so much about the God's Word from Pastor Sahl's (extremely) hard Bible classes.  And Mr. Sims provided such a fun and loving environment for those early years. I had so many opportunities and amazing spiritual leaders but yet was so ungrateful and unappreciative of everything I was given in junior high and high school. I listened to my unhappy peers and thought surely it must be better than THIS.  But I see it now. This was God's plan for MY life.  He placed me in my family and that school for a purpose. I know now that God was preparing me for the life I was about to embark on. He has a plan for my life and I need to be content in all my circumstances and know He wants what is best for me even if I don't see it as "best" at the time.

Day 11 of Thanks

I will probably get in trouble for this but I am thankful for all the Veterans who are serving or have served this great nation.  I get very weepy when there is a Veterans celebration because I live with one. Joe doesn't like the attention but I am so very proud of him and the years he served as an officer in the Marine Corps.  There were MANY separations but he loved every minute he was in.  I had the hardest time with the uncertainty of IF he was coming back but I look back and see the mighty hand of God leading me so gently and lovingly to trust Him only. So today I honor my husband and all those who lived so gracefully his favorite verse: "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends." (John 15:13)

Day 10 of Thanks

Today I am thankful for my brothers-Clay, Clegg, and Caleb.  Clay is the oldest of all six of us and assumes the role very well.  He is the person I call when I need reassurance that what the pediatrician said is true. He has a busy schedule but never lets it get in the way of helping others.  Clegg is the fifth in line and is a quiet but incredibly strong. He roomed with me for a year in college and we had so much fun. He makes me laugh so hard and I love his sense of humor. He has crossed the country with us more than once to help us move and we have made quite a few funny memories from these trips.  Caleb is the baby of the family. He has a different sense of humor but it still makes me laugh. He is a grown-up now and I am so proud of the choices he is making. These three men, above all, love the Lord their God and I am blessed to be their sister. 

 

(Clegg and Jenny with our kids)

 

 

(Clay in striped shirt being a good sport after being hit with a confetti egg)

 

 (Caleb) 



Day 9 of Thanks

I am thankful for my in-laws who have passed onto eternal life. I will be forever indebted to them both for raising a wonderful son who shares their compassion for the down-trodden and forgotten. Joe and Laura were amazing friends to me and so much more. They showed amazing generosity and love toward me from the very beginning and I was always made to feel part of the family. I regret that they cannot see their grandchildren grow up and, in turn, our kids can't experience what truly wonderful people they were.  And just so I remember: 

Last week I went to volunteer at the girls school.  There was a parade of costumes and then a party in each classroom. I was a little frazzled going between each girls class and got to Laura's class with just enough time to set up a game I was in charge of.  Her group of desks were right behind me and I could see her interacting with the little boy who sits next to her. He was in a Batman costume with a mask so I didn't see his face but thought it was strange that Laura was gently telling him over and over not to put his paper in her face. It was the same tone she uses to get Audrey to calm down when she is screaming.  A lady came up to me at that point to tell me what a wonderful helper Laura is with Jake and I was a bit confused because she acted like I should know who Jake was.  And then the little boy next to Laura took off his mask and Laura said, "Mommy this is Jake".  You see, Jake has Down Syndrome and Laura is his desk buddy. Jake has his own aid and this was the lady who came up to me to give Laura accolades.  Apparently Laura volunteers to help Jake all the time and plays with him even though some of the other kids do not.  And you want to know what I found surprising most of all? My little Laura is the one who tells us everything about school and even what everyone else is doing at school but she never mentioned that Jake has Downs.  I don't think it ever occurred to her to even bring it up because it didn't seem "different" to her.  She has a gift and I almost lost it that day in her classroom because I was so proud of her but so thankful that God blessed her with this "talent". And I also cried later because I realized we named her exactly right. You see, Joe's mom, Laura, was the woman we named Laura after. She died of cancer ten days before I had the girls.  She was a special lady to so many but she was an exceptional Special Education teacher for many many years. This was her passion and she excelled at it. Her "kids" loved her and she loved them.  So our Laura is just taking after her grandmother and that puts a smile on my face (and a tear in my eye).

Day 8 of Thanks

I am so thankful for my group of friends in Boerne--Lori, Leanne, Leah, and Kim.  These women have been in the "trenches" with me.  We are a tight group and as an added bonus, all of our husbands and kids are good friends.  I have such a deep admiration for each of these ladies and am so thankful for their godly encouragement and the grace with which they live their lives.  I wish I had a picture with all of us together on my computer but alas I do not, so I will put up my favorite pictures I took this summer of each one of them:

 

Leah and Todd

 

Kim is really THE MOM in Audrey's eyes:)

 

Leanne always does this to Joe

 

Lori dancing with my girls and hers

 

(These were all from Family Camp at the beach that we gather together every summer for and make the best memories)

 

 

Day 7 of Thanks

I am thankful for our home here in Maryland. It is more than enough room for all of us and has amazing views.  God was so good to put us in this  neighborhood that has a great school and (mostly) nice people.  We also love that we finally have a fireplace for those chilly nights (and days).

Day 6 of Thanks

I am thankful on this Election Day to live in a country where we have the freedom to vote and have a peaceful transfer of power from one person to the next.  We often take for granted that there is not an uprising or military takeover whenever a leader is elected.  AND I am so thankful for the freedom we have to worship God and to have His word so accessible to us. God bless America.

(My little Patriot on the Fourth of July)

Day 5 of Thanks

Today I am thankful for my sisters, Whitney and Alyssa.  I couldn't have chosen better friends.  They are the epitome of true servants.  Plus, they know every ugly thing about me and still love me!!  They are coming at the end of this month and I am so excited to spend some time with them!!

A month of "Thankful's"

I am a little late to the game and I have seen people do this on Facebook, but I wanted to join in on a once a day, "I am thankful for_______________" in this month of Thanksgiving.

Day 1:  I am thankful for being able to study the Bible with other women in BSF every Thursday.

Day 2:  I am thankful for my husband who is the best friend and best father anyone could every have.

Day 3:  I am thankful for my four children and the joy they bring to my life every single day of their little lives.

Day 4:  I am thankful for my parents who provided a good home for me to grow up in. It was not the perfect home but it was where God placed me and where I was taught to love Him and get to know Him.  They just left last week after spending eight days with us which was such a treat.

And now I am caught up...stayed tuned.

 

(Just had to add the picture of our trip into DC to see the changing leaves)