24 Days of THankfulness - Day 12

Day 12

Housewife confessions: I don't love washing dishes, or cleaning the bathroom, or doing laundry. Very rarely do I get in the mood to "just clean", even though I always feel proud of myself after I've spent time doing it. If you know my mother, you should know I did not inherit a single organzied or clean gene from her. Nope, not one.

I find myself complaining to myself about how much easier life would be with a dishwasher or a garbage disposal, and then I make myself thank the Lord for it.  So today I'm thankful for my house. My house has a wonderful front porch where I can swing with Adrian and snuggle with him in the hammock. I love that porch. My house has walls which we got to paint ourselves, and I love my sage living room and my happy green kitchen and my beachy blue bathroom.  I love my curtains that I found for a good price. I love how I have more space. I love how God has given us a better place to feel homey in.

...And I love how when God calls us to or provides for us to move somewhere else, I will sure have earned that garbage disposal and dishwasher.

Shame on me for not thanking Him for the little things.

”You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, 
that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. LORD my God, I will praise you forever.”
Psalm 30:11-12

24 Days of Thankfulness - Day 11

Day 11

Today I'm thankful for my nieces and nephews. There is really no way for me to explain how excited I am about this new "chapter" in my life - the part of the story where the Lord brings new children into our family. We have certainly been blessed with some precious ones! I can't even imagine what holiday celebrations will be like in 5 years when even more kids are added to the family.

Two years ago we were blessed with our niece Samantha Rose (Nick's brother Peter's daughter):

And this year we welcomed two new nephews,

baby Levi Daniel (my sister Kayla's son):

And baby Jack Elijah (Nick's brother Peter's son):

It is really sad for us to have these precious babies spread out and living quite far away from us, but that's what holidays are for - which is one more reason for why I'm thankful for this holiday season!

A branch of my family tree that I didn't have to birth, but through you I can experience life and childhood again and show you all that you're worth.

-Unknown

24 Days of Thankfulness - Day 10

Day 10

Today I'm thankful for our military. I'm blessed to live in a town where most of our friends are marines and soldiers and military wives and I'm honored to have them in our lives. Recently, most of my friend's husbands have been deployed (all at the same time), and I know that it has been difficult to not have those precious husbands and daddies in the home as they serve our country.

In an effort to not be cheesy, I'm really grateful for all of you and the sacrifice each of you make. And to Dana, Sarah, Julianna, Marivel, and others - I love and admire you so much. I'm also thankful for my husband who served in the marines and the national guard and for how that helped shape him and make him into the wonderful man I'm married to today :)

No one is more cherished in this world than someone who lightens the burden of another. Thank you. ~Author Unknown

24 Days of Thankfulness - Day 9

Day 9

Today I am thankful for modern technology.

Seriously. I know it may be cheesy, but I have NO IDEA how moms 50 years ago did it without taking pictures of their babies every second. I love being able to document everything that's going on in Adrian's life. He is just growing way too fast for me!

Nick and I love being able to look back on pictures and videos of him when he was a newborn. It was only almost 8 months ago, but it seems so far away now.

I love my camera, I love my blog, I love facebook, I love my baby video monitor and everything else that helps me record every important moment in this journey of parenting.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”        

Jeremiah 1:15

24 Days of Thankfulness - Day 8

Day 8

Today I'm thankful for the Lord! I'm thankful every day for the Lord (of course) but I'm thankful for how He picked me up out of the darkest part of my life and has given me hope. I have seen Him be faithful to His promises over and over and over again, and He has been faithful even when my faith has been weak.  I'm thankful for how He has given me more than I deserve, and I am thankful that there is NO END to him.  I'm thankful for His people, I'm thankful for His church, and I'm thankful for His plan - even though I have no idea what it is!

God is GOOD to me and He has been GOOD to my family! I have not always been a good steward of His name, but He has blessed us anyways and I praise Him for that.

I want you to know Him too. If you have been reading my blog and have questions, please email me and I'd love to talk to you!

^"1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!² Let Israel say,
"His steadfast love endures forever." ³ Let the house of Aaron say, "His steadfast love endures forever." ⁴ Let those who fear the LORD say,"His steadfast love endures forever." ⁵ Out of my distress  I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. ⁶ The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? ⁷ The LORD is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. ⁸ It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. ⁹It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes. ¹⁰ All nations surrounded me;
in the name of the LORD I cut them off! ¹¹They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;
in the name of the LORD I cut them off! ¹² They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns; in the name of the LORD I cut them off! ¹³I was pushed hard,^[a] so that I was falling,
but the LORD helped me.¹⁴The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
 ¹⁵Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous:"The right hand of the LORD does valiantly,
¹⁶the right hand of the LORD exalts, the right hand of the LORD does valiantly!"¹⁷ I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.¹⁸The LORD has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death."

Psalm 118: 1-18

24 Days of Thankfulness - Day 7

Day 7

Today I'm thankful for autumn. I LOVE autumn. Seriously.

I especially love spending time on the porch pushing Adrian in his swing. We love being outside.

Thank you, Lord, for the beautiful weather!

I will be so sad when it's over!

"The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”  

Psalm 50:23      

24 Days of Thankfulness - Day 6

Day 6

Today I'm thankful for my family (que "we.are.faaaamily...nah nah nah nah)! The fun thing about being married is that you get a whole new bunch of people to add to your own category of family. I have a wonderful mom, a great mother and father-in law, two awesome brothers-in-law, two sweet sisters-in-law, and 7 amazing younger siblings. The best thing is that my family is getting BIGGER! I can't wait to meet the precious men and women the rest of my younger siblings will marry. Our family reunions (on both sides) will be so great. I'm so blessed!

I'm looking forward to seeing my family at thanksgiving and Nick's family at Christmas. So so fun!

I love my family!

"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God".

Colossians 3:15

24 Days of Thankfulness - Day 5

Day 5

Today I'm thankful for my marriage. I know, I know, I already mentioned Nick (and I'm still thankful for him) but I'm thankful for the marriage I have with him.

I've said before that I never had very high hopes about marriage. God really outdid himself with mine. Of course, it isn't always perfect (and if you say that yours is and that you never fight, I'm making very skeptical eyes at you right now), but I still go to sleep at night really happy.

One of the sweet romantic things Nick does for me: he leaves post-its around the house for me to find. Nothing makes me feel more loved and special :)

So handsome. I love him.

Nick and I were talking the other night about that couple that was in the news recently who died one hour apart, holding hands. We went to sleep wrapped in each others arms, laughing hysterically about how obnoxious we'll probably be when we're old, making fun of each other's dentures and bodily functions :) I have a lot of things to look forward to, and I can only hope to have a happy marriage of a long amount of time. How wonderful would that be?

*sigh* Only 5 days into this thankfulness thing and I already feel like the richest woman ever. Funny how that works, huh?

"You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!"

Psalm 118:28-29