Day 15

Kind words are like honey -- sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.  Proverbs 16:24

My 28 thanks:

1. Kind words from friends.

2. The Word of God and the peace and wisdom it brings.

3. The book of Proverbs.  Solomon's wisdom is still useful today if we would only listen.

4. Pandora, specifically the Hillsong United station.

5. Pools

6. Friends (and adoptive Mamas) who invite you over to swim in their pools.

7. Fruit!  Pineapples, watermelons, strawberries...summer fruits are the best!

8. Friends who encourage me. (P.S. Thanks for all the encouragement after my post yesterday!)

9. My kids didn't say, "I'm bored" at all today.

10. Even though she wasn't happy about it, Madelyn picked up her room.

11. I beat level 117 on Candy Crush today!  Finally!!

12. Zachary cheered for me when I beat the level.  He was jumping up and down in excitement...he may have been more excited than I was!

13. Summer days

14. A break from school

15. Air conditioning!  It is really starting to get hot out there.

16. My kids love swimming and being in water.

17. I forgot to wear sunscreen today, but I didn't get too toasted.

18. My kids get along with everyone they meet.

19. They don't pick fights with others.

20. They follow the rules, no matter where we are.

21. They have the best laughs in the entire world!

22. I made "white spaghetti" for dinner tonight.  It's tri-colored cheese tortellini on a bed of angel hair pasta with alfredo sauce.  Everyone loves it and no one complains.

23. The girls in my small group were attentive during the lesson tonight and easily answered all the review questions.  They are a great group of girls.

24. They all enjoyed the game of jumping rope with an Oreo stuck to their foreheads.

25. I am really good at sticking Oreos to people's foreheads.  We couldn't jump rope enough to get them to fall off!

26. All the girls I talked to were excited about going to camp next week.

27. I saw both Madelyn and Zachary raising their hands in worship tonight.  It brought a smile to my face and joy to my heart.

28. I told Madelyn that during the summer only, if she isn't tired, at night, she could read in her bed by flashlight.  She was so excited, she finished her whole library book in her bed before falling asleep.  I love my little reader!  

Day 14

This always happens to me.  I hit a wall.  I lose my inspiration.  So, it has happened and I have not an excuse in the world.  Here I am on day 14 when I should be on day 17.  I'll be honest.  I lost my focus.  I made it about me and how I feel instead of the Lord and how great He is despite how I feel.  It is good I am doing this because my default setting is to pity myself.  Why doesn't he/she like me?  Why wasn't I invited?  What did I ever do to make him/her unfriend me?  When you are dwelling on yourself, there is NO way you can dwell in the Lord.  There is no way you can dwell on the Lord's goodness when all that consumes your mind is the worthlessness of yourself.  My dad has a saying, "Facebook is of the devil."  I think he takes that stance too far, but you know...he has a point.  I compare myself to everyone else.  Their weight, their tan, their clean house, their thousands of friendships, their weddings, their vacations...everything. I can't compare to all that.  Then I see parties, weddings, get togethers, lunch outings, baby showers, wedding showers...that I haven't been invited to.  My world falls apart in an instant.  I recognize I need help.  I am resting on Psalm 121.  The Word is better than any worldly therapy.

Psalm 121

¹ I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot slip—
    he who watches over you will not slumber;
⁴ indeed, he who watches over Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord watches over you—
    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
⁶ the sun will not harm you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will keep you from all harm—
    he will watch over your life;
⁸ the Lord will watch over your coming and going
    both now and forevermore.


My 28 thanks:

1. The Lord is patient with me.

2. The Lord has plans for my life and they are good.

3. The Lord will watch over me in all my ways.

4. No matter who turns away, the Lord is always there.

5. The Lord does not slumber, so He is never caught off guard.

6. In my weakness, the Lord is strong.

7. The Lord has blessed me with meaningful friendships.

8. I saw my friend Amber in the Target parking lot today.  I have missed her and it was good to see her smiling face.

9. I saw my friend Valarie at Target today.  We had a nice long conversation and I might have even made her late for her kids' swimming lessons.

10. Valarie always encourages me.  Every conversation we have, I walk away believing I can do whatever I set my mind to.

11. Matt's allergy nose spray was way expensive, but he felt so much better after taking it, so it was totally worth it.

12. We spend longer than I anticipated at the library.

13. My kids love the library!

14. I found the last book of the series I have read this past week at the library!

15. They didn't have Beth Moore's So Long Insecurity, it was checked out.  Now I have something to look for next time I am there.

16. I found a DVD of The Muppet Show at the library!  I am excited to watch it.  

17. How cool is it that the library has movies that you can "rent" for free!?

18. Matt is so great to me.  He listens to my pity parties with concern and then lets me cry.  He also helps me move on.  I need him in my life.

19. I drank a lot of water today.

20. Water is not always my first choice, but I always feel better when I drink it instead of anything else.

21. Matt got tickets to tonight's RedHawk's game through his job. (FREE!!)

22. The game was a lot of fun!

23. The kids had a great time at the game too!

24. I got to meet Quincy, Matt's new coworker.  I hear a lot of stories, so I am glad I have a face now to go with the stories.

25. The little boy in front of us got a foul ball.  The excitement on his face was adorable!  (Madelyn was upset that she didn't get it, but it would have just ended up on her floor and this kid was ecstatic!  I'm glad he got it!)

26. The weather for the game was really nice.  Not too hot and just the right amount of breeze.

27. The RedHawk's lost the first game, but they won the second game!

28. I got to talk to my friend Angela on the phone today.  Talking (in my opinion) is better than texting or messaging on facebook.  It is more personal.  I love talking to friends on the phone.  

Bonus:  I've been really struggling with this blog.  I have had a block at about number 11 every. single. day.  Not today.  Today, I could have come up with several more. 

Day 13

Today was the Prickett family reunion in Dill City, OK.  Probably most of you have no clue where that is.  It is a tiny town in Western Oklahoma.  Just Southwest of Clinton.  There isn't much left of it.  Even the school system merged with Burns Flat schools years ago.  But it is where my mom's family grew up and where they call home.  If you are ever driving down Hwy 152 and see a big red barn on the side of the road, that is the Prickett family homestead.  That is where the old farm house used to be where 10 children were born and raised working the land.  My great-uncle, Jimmie, lives in that red barn.  It is actually a house...he doesn't live in a barn!  :)  My great-uncle, Frank lived in the house next door with his wife, Daisy and a collection of clocks including several cuckoo clocks.  My Prickett family is amazing.  They continue to leave behind a Godly heritage and I am so proud to be a part of it!

My 28 thanks:

1. My mom's family has a strong Godly family legacy.

2. The Prickett family reunion today was refreshing.

3. The kids had a great time too.  As the only kids there, they were a huge hit with all the family!

4. In my life, I was able to meet all but 2 of the 10 Prickett "children".  My Nana was the 9th born.  Two of her brothers passed away before I was born, but the other 8 I knew and loved dearly.

5. My Papa is an amazing man.  He is kind, dependable, hard-working, determined and strong.  I love him very much.

6. My aunt Louan has lived in El Paso, Tx for most of my life and unfortunately, I didn't get to see her often growing up, but now she lives with my Papa, helping him out.  I get to see her so much more now and I am so blessed to have her as a part of my life!

7. My cousin Cricket was at the reunion today with her husband, David, and her son, Madison.  She is a joy to be around.  She makes me smile and she is so loving and generous.

8. My cousin, Kay is a dear woman.  She has always been so kind to me and it was great to see her and catch up today.

9. My great-uncle, Jimmie, is a hoot!  he is outgoing and loves to talk.  He never misses any opportunity to tell others about Jesus or encourage them in the faith.

10. My great-aunt Anna is such a loving person.  The love within her shows all the time.  She watched her husband, Jimmie, as he encouraged us to continue on the Godly heritage of the Prickett family.  Her pride and love for him was evident.  She is a special woman. 

11. My great-aunt Mary Lou is a precious woman.  She is always joyful and she always has a smile on  her face.  Her bright blue eyes and her expressions remind me of my Nana. 

12. My mom grew up as an Army brat, so when she settled in Oklahoma she made sure we were at every reunion, get together, wedding, funeral and holiday dinner that was held.  She loved to be with her family and she instilled that importance and love of family in me.  For that I am very thankful!

13. My cousin Ray is a fun guy.  He and my mom share a birthday, just one year apart!  We had a nice long conversation at the reunion.  I enjoyed talking to him because I know my mom loved him a lot.

14. My cousin Jane is such a sweet lady.  She moved to Cordell to take care of her parents, but has stayed around after they both passed because she feels home with her extended family.  She is a good friend to my Aunt Louan.  They both miss Texas so much, but know that they are where they are meant to be for now. 

15. My cousin Lynn is an interesting man.  I always enjoy talking to him.  His wife Marjorie is such a sweet woman. 

16. Even though Lynn's wife, Patsy, passed away 19 years ago I have a couple of memories of her.  She was a kind woman.  I still have the piggy bank she hand made for me when I was born.  I treasure it.

17. My cousin John and his wife were at the reunion.  He looks just like a Prickett, a whole lot like his namesake, my great grandfather, John Simpson Prickett.  I never met John much, his parents, Elmer and Naomi, lived on the East coast and I was never able to go there for a visit, although my parents did once and the pictures were beautiful!  I am so glad I have gotten to meet John a few times as I have gotten older.

18. My cousin Christa, John's sister was also there.  My interactions with her have been limited by distance, but I am glad to have met her on a few occasions now.

19. My great-aunt Helen still comes to reunions.  She married Joe in 1981 when they were both in their 50s and missionaries.  She has the sweetest, most loving and giving spirit I have ever met.  She was a missionary to Kenya and later she and Joe spent years in Trinidad and Tobego.  Her life has made an impact in the eternal realms.  I am blessed to call her family.

20. I love hearing stories of the past about my family.  It keeps the ones who have gone on alive in my heart.

21. God placed me into an amazing family.  I am truly blessed to be a part of this Godly heritage.

22. I got to laugh out loud when they told a story about throwing corn cobs at each other for fun.  Apparently, you have to make your own fun when you grow up on a farm. 

23. I was just saying the other day that my house is getting too small for us.  I am so blessed that I didn't raise 10 children in a two room farm house!

24. My "too little" house has electricity, unlike that farm house my Nana grew up in.

25. I have, and grew up with indoor plumbing.  Can I get an Amen?!?

26. Growing up in a two room farm house with 9 siblings builds character and relationships with others.  We need more of that today.

27. After the reunion, we visited the family members who have already passed away at Page cemetary.  It was windy, but peaceful.

28. I know my Prickett family members will greet me in Heaven one day.  I will see them again!

Bonus thanks:  I got to visit in person with Kendra for a few minutes as I delivered her pillow.  Even just those few minutes made my day!  She is truly my best friend.

Day 12

I started my day in the Word.  I don't do this as often as I should.  I like to sleep, so by the time I get up and moving the kids have woken up and my day has already begun.  I try to squeeze it in during the course of the day which obviously doesn't work, since I am behind...again.  Just when I think I am back on track and get even the tiniest bit comfortable, something happens.  Whether it be a natural disaster, vacation or just the consequences of my own decisions, I get off course.  It's something I definitely need to work on.

My 28 thanks:

1. The Lord loves it when I spend time with Him.  I love it too.

2. Even when I get behind, He still loves me and welcomes me back with open arms when I get back on track.

3.  I have realized that getting behind isn't failure; quitting is failure.  In the past I would have given up, but this year, I am going to finish strong.

4. I got some really great athletic shorts from Wal-Mart.  They are super comfortable.

5. I decided they will be the perfect shorts for Silver Dollar City...so I get to go back and buy some more!

6. I cooked breakfast for everyone this morning and then cleaned the kitchen.  It feels good to be productive.  Lucy would be proud.

7. Dad and Lucy bought Madelyn new colorful ponytail holders.  She loves them and so do I because now she won't use and lose mine.

8. Zachary skied again today.  He even stood up this time!

9. Sarah got out her phone and video taped him skiing.

10. Sarah and I get along best when we are tubing I think... :)

11. Apparently we bond during perilous situations.

12. We push each others buttons, most sisters do, but we love each other and I am blessed to have her in my life.     

13. I got new shampoo and conditioner today.  It smells really good.

14. Sarah and I had ourselves a little therapy session tonight.

15. My friend Angela Rodriguez.  She is a good friend.  She calls me out of the blue and she always listens to me without judgement.  I need her in my life. 

16. My friend Kendra.  We are like soul mates.  When we get together, it is like no time has passed.  We understand each other perfectly and we get angry when someone hurts the other.  We are fiercely loyal to one another.

17. My friend Rachael.  We don't get to see each other often, but when we do, we have a great time laughing with each other.  Also, she made me soap.  She is a cool friend.

18. My friend Angela Lewis.  She always answers the phone when I call.  That is a big deal to me because it makes me feel important.  She makes me laugh and she has a great, contagious laugh.  She is a good friend to me.

19. My friend Nicole.  She is younger than me and growing up we knew each other, but the age difference was so much that we hung in different circles.  She is a loyal friend, always offering to watch my kids even though she has 3 of her own.  She is kind.  She and her husband, Dan are so generous.  Matt and I are blessed to have Dan and Nicole in our lives.

20. I had myself a pity party tonight I am so glad my sister was here to attend it...and talk me through it.  To be honest, it has been extremely hard to come up with even 20 reasons to bless the Lord tonight. 

21. I am reading about David in 2 Samuel.  Although he was anointed king, he still had troubles.  He should have been happy, right?  But people he loved stabbed him in the back, despised him, and rejected him...even his own son!  When this happens to me I need to remember I am in good company.

22. Jesus was betrayed by one of his best friends.  He probably wasn't invited to weddings he wanted to attend also.  I am in good company.

23. My Sanuk sandals are the perfect shoes for wearing at the lake.

24. We made it home safe and sound from the lake.

25. The kids and I got in late, but still got to spend time with Matt.

26. I get to sleep in my own bed tonight.

27. Zack and Rachael were at my house when I got home.

28. Rachael is sweet to Madelyn.  She watched the entire recital DVD with Madelyn and enjoyed it.

Day 11

I totally wrote this entire blog, saved the update and then found out none of it saved!  Good grief!  Good thing I had it all "blogged" in my pink glitter notebook.  Here it goes again...

Today was a great day, I woke up at the lake house!  We slept in, ate a late breakfast and headed out for the lake late in the afternoon.  It was a fun day!

My 28 thanks:

1. I started catching up on my One a Day Bible again last night.  I didn't mean to get behind, but I will get caught up soon.

2. I have been reading about the life of King David.  Last night I read about David and Bathsheba.  I am so amazed with the love and forgiveness of our God!  His love covers a multitude of sins.

3. There were very few boats on the water today.

4. We were able to find smooth water for skiing.

5. Zachary was so brave and tried to ski today.

6. The first try, he followed my instruction to NOT let go of the rope.  Unfortunately, he left his skis behind and was drug underwater behind the boat. Don't worry, my dad is a pro at pulling young skiers and he was perfectly fine...and begging to go again.

7. The second try, he was on top of the water in a squatting position for a full 4 seconds!  I was a proud mama!

8. After skiing, Zachary was all smiles.  He was so proud of himself!

9. I was able to ski a really great run today.  I love skiing and wish I got to do it more often.

10. Madelyn gave skiing another good try today.  She will get it soon.

11. We had some great tube rides today!

12. While riding the tube, Zachary and I hit some big waves..  He looked at me with a huge smile on his face and shouted, "That's what I call fun!"

13. My kids are a lot of fun!

14. I am sore after dancing with the troupe girls last night.  I love it!

15. I made the girls do crunches last night and today my abs are sore.  I love when my abs are sore because even though I am not skinnier, it makes me feel that way.  :)

16. Being sore didn't hold me back from skiing or tubing today!

17. Sarah and I had a crazy fun ride on the tube that ended when she wiped out.  We had a good laugh about her fall.

18. Hot showers after a long day in the lake.

19. None of us got sunburned today.

20. I got to talk to Matt tonight.  I am sad that he isn't here, but he is having a good time as a bachelor while we are gone.

21. My MIL gave me her favorite lotion that they don't sell anymore.  It is Moroccan Argan Oil by Organix.  It smells so good!

22. Not only does the lotion smell good, it is keeping my skin from peeling.

23. We are all sitting together watching the Hobbit as I write this.  I love watching movies with my family.

24.  Today I had to drive the boat up on the trailer for the first time in over a year.  I didn't do a terrible job.

25. It was so overcast today that at times we were cold out in the boat.

26. I knew I would get behind on my blog while out at the lake house where there is little to no internet access.  I took a pen and notebook with me and "blogged" the old fashioned way.

27. I finished the sequel to the book I devoured last week.  I can't wait to get home and start on the third book.

28. I got to sit on the screened in patio tonight.  The weather was great!  There was a cool breeze, it was quiet for just a little bit until the kids found me...and there were no bugs!

Day 10

A year ago today, we were up early and on an airplane to Los Angeles, Ca.  We were so blessed to be able to take our kids to Disneyland!  I can't believe it has been a year already and at the same time, it feels like forever since we were there. 

My 28 thanks:

1. The financial means to go to Disneyland.

2. Memories from Disneyland.

3. Walt Disney.  What a visionary man!

4. The kids still talk about our Disney vacation.

5. I got to run a ton of errands today without kids.

6. Target had the exact size shorts I needed to exchange for.

7. The Target I went to is very close to the meat market.  Two birds/one stone.

8. I was right on budget at the grocery store.

9. Day 2 of my summer dance classes went great!

10. The Jr. Troupe girls told me several times they enjoyed the dance I taught them.

11. I spent two full days with no cell phone.  It was totally relaxing.

12. I was able to make it to the lake house at a decent time even though I left home later than I expected.

13. The kids got to stay up until I got the the lake house.

14. Both of the kids were excited to see me.  They both hugged and kissed me when I came in the door.

15. My kids weren't sunburned after 4 days at the lake.  Dad, Lucy and Sarah took great care of them while I was gone.

16. Pinterest.  I have found many great new recipes on that website.

17. Some pins I have found are recipes from the Pioneer Woman.

18. The Pioneer Woman is awesome.  She has never failed me!

19. I tried one of her recipes out on Matt tonight and it was a hit.

20. Memory foam pillows.

21. Memory foam mattress toppers.

22. Lucy bought memory foam mattress toppers for the two queen beds at the lakehouse!

23. I listened to Heart all the way to the lake house tonight.  It was awesome!

24. I don't mean to brag...but, well, yeah, I kind of do... I can still pull through a center split.  :)

25. I can also still do a mean grand jete.

26. A dancer complimented me on my new Ariel tank top tonight.

27. Matt's last birthday present, NBA 2K12 for PS3, came in the mail today. 

28. The delivery was great timing. Now he has something fun to keep him entertained while the rest of us are at the lake for the week.

Day 9

I didn't purposefully schedule my two days of summer dance classes for the week my family was going to the lake house.  I hate that it happened that way because I would love to be at the lake house right now chillin' with everyone, but I have a job to do...and it's a fun job.  On the bright side, my kids get a break from me for two days and really get to feel like they are on vacation.  When I get back to the lake house tonight, at least one of them will hug me and yell, "Mama!" and it will be awesome.  Awesome that they missed me, but more awesome that they know how to have fun, behave and be obedient without me being around.

My 28 thanks

1. My dad, Lucy and Sarah love my kids.

2. Although it is possible that they weren't ecstatic about the idea of keeping my kids at the lake house without me or Matt for two whole days they did it and mostly didn't complain. 

3. It's not easy to take care of two young children at the lake house when you are fixing boat trailer tires and skiing and tubing and putting sunscreen on them and making sure they are sitting down while the boat is moving..see, it's a lot of work.  My family is awesome!

4. My kids are having a great time at the lake house without me and Matt!  

5. I got to sleep in this morning.  Till 9!  It was amazing!

6. I was on call today for disaster relief, but smarty pants here left her phone charger at the lake house.  It's impossible to make phone calls from a phone with a dead battery.  Thankfully I only received one phone call and Danielle was gracious enough to make the call back for me.

7. I don't really know Danielle.  I know who she is and I could pick her out of a police lineup if need be, but she has no clue who I am.  She seems to be extremely sweet and I hope we get to know each other personally very soon.

8. Traffic on I-35 seems to have finally started moving again.  There were way too many people backing up I-35 taking pictures of tornado damage.

9. It is clear to me that many people have dedicated hours of their lives getting the damage and debris cleaned up.  In just one month so much has already been accomplished.

10. Matt and I had another good laugh over something crazy he said.  "Things that aren't as funny as they used to be are funnier now."  We've been laughing about that one for days now.

11. Miss Connie LOVES getting me out of my comfort zone to teach the troupe girls.  I am glad she does!  Her confidence in my abilities has allowed me to have confidence in myself and to identify my talents.

12. Everyone needs someone in their life who instills confidence.  I am thankful I have Miss Connie and the other teachers to speak that into my life.

13. I was able to go into the dance studio for a couple of hours this afternoon.  My goal was to find music for my first hour which was just progressions and to run through the dance I had choreographed.  However, I found some music and choreographed a whole second dance to teach to the Jr. Troupe girls.  I surprised myself!

14.  Last year I freaked out about teaching choreography to the troupe girls, but this year I was prepared.  I had a full 2 minute dance choreographed for them and it took almost the whole hour to teach it.  I was proud of the work I put in and the results it produced.

15. The troupe girls are fun to teach.

16. In a pinch, Kidz Bop music can work really well for progressions. 

17. I'm getting all kinds of e-mails from Pastor Kara regarding Camp WOW.  It is almost here and I am so excited!

18. The storm that came through overnight did no damage to any of my property or possessions.

19. The Lord has been so faithful in keeping us safe and sound this storm season.

20. My sunburn from Saturday and Sunday has already turned into a tan.

21. The Santa Fe gets better gas mileage than I thought it would.  I went 320 miles on a tank.  Actually, my low fuel light wasn't on yet...so I could have squeezed a few more out of it.

22. Matt loves his new job.

23. He will have been there a month on the 20th and he has had no work related stress!

24. Matt came home from work no later than 6:00 this whole month!

25. He would have never wanted to leave his last job, but the relocation news made it necessary.  I can tell he is much happier without the stress staying at work until 9:00 to finish financial close.

26. 79 cent big gulps at 7-11.  Hey, if I want to be unhealthy, at least I can do it for cheap.

27. Dancing is good exercise.  I am sore today after doing my own choreography with the Sr. Toupe girls.

28. If I drink a big gulp and dance in the same day...it's kind of like I didn't have the big gulp. Right?  I say yes. 

Day 8

We all woke up sore this morning.  I guess that is the price you pay for taking a beating while tubing.  It's worth it.  Today is Father's day.  I have a fantastic father in my life.  A man of character and integrity.  I love him so much.  Matt is such a great daddy to his kids!  Happy Father's Day!

My 28 thanks:

1. My dad is awesome!

2. My dad is a man of character.

3. My dad is a man of integrity. He is true to his word.

4. My dad works hard all the time.  He is always working on something.

5. My dad raised 2 teenage girls on his own.  I believe he needs a standing ovation for that one!

6. My dad has been through a lot in this life, but you won't hear him complain about it.

7. My dad is an awesome grandfather.  He became an instant grandpa when he married Lucy and he loves ALL his grandchildren the same. 

8. My dad puts the needs of others before his own.  Always.

9. My dad fixes things for me.  He doesn't know it yet, but this week he will be helping me replace my windshield wipers.

10. My dad knows about computers and is always upgrading my stuff.  I don't know how to do any of that, so I love it!

11. My dad taught me how to love the Lord.

12. My dad loves the Lord with his whole heart.

13. My dad supports me all the time...usually after giving me a hard time about what I have decided to do...he's ornery like that.

14. Because of my dad's godly example of what a husband is, I was able to identify a man with all the right qualities to become my husband.  I thank God for that.

15. Matt is a godly man that I and my children can look up to.

16. Matt is a kind and patient daddy to our children.

17. Matt sacrifices things he wants for our needs.  Ya'll we just this year upgraded to a flat panel TV because we were previously too busy getting out of debt and taking care of real, tangible needs. 

18. Matt is good with money.

19. Matt likes math, so I don't have to do it very often.

20. Matt can play piano and I love it when he plays.

21. Matt is a great son.  He is always talking to his mom and helping her buy stuff on ebay!  He loves his family.

22. Matt is trustworthy.  He says what he does and he does what he says.

23. He gets that from his dad.  Weyman is a man of his word.  He is a great father in law.

24. Weyman is a fantastic grandfather.  My kids love him.

25. Weyman gets in the floor with his grandkids.  He builds elaborate train tracks and plays Banjo Kazooie for hours on end just to make Zachary happy.

26. Weyman is the hardest working man I have ever met in my entire life.  He works outside all day and then comes home and works at home.

27. God gave me great men in my life.

28. In a world that has minimized the role of fathers in the lives of their children, I am so blessed to have three men in my family who love the Lord and are invested in the lives of their children and grand-children. 

Day 7

When I was a kid, we spent an entire week at the lake.  We slept in tents and we went out on the boat every single day for hours.  We cooked every meal on a little Coleman propane camping stove and we had a blast!  I miss those days.  Now my parents have a little double wide in Sulphur near the Lake of the Arbuckles.  Don't get me wrong, I love having A/C and no bugs crawling in my ears, (Yes, that actually happened...My cousin Ross might still have nightmares of me screaming bloody murder in the middle of the night from inside the little pup tent we were sharing...but I digress).  It just isn't the same.  Some of my best summer memories are from our weeks spent every 3rd week in July with all the Shoffstalls.  Now we are making our own memories.

1. I was able to wake up before anyone else and pack up everything we needed for our little weekend getaway.

2. I didn't forget anything but 2 pounds of hamburger meat.

3. I can fit so much in the back of my Santa Fe!

4. I fall in love a little more with that little SUV every day.

5. My dad is so handy.  He still keeps the boat he has had since I was 6 in working order.

6. Someday, I will buy my dad a new boat.  How awesome would that be?!?

7. My kids love to be at the lake. 

8. My kids love to swim and they don't mind the dirty lake water!

9. My kids really enjoy riding the tube behind the boat. (but who doesn't?)

10. Matt is adventurous.  He can take any beating my dad throws our way when we are on the tube.

11. Matt and I survived our tube ride.  There was one wave...well, we thought it might be our last, but we fought for it and stayed on!

12. I rode on the tube with my sister's fiance Chad.  I thought my dad was gonna kill us! I have a battle wound from that ride.

13. I rode on the tube with Zachary.  His laughter make me so happy!

14. I didn't have to cook supper!

15. My sister and Chad made fajitas and they were fantastic!

16. I got a pair of hot pink running shorts for only $7 at the Sulphur Wal-Mart.

17. I am not a Wal-Mart fan. (Target did not pay me to say that...) The Wal-Mart in Sulphur is small and quiet and being in that store does not make me want to get an elective lobotomy.  (Wal-Mart in Sulphur did not pay me to say that...)

18. I only got slightly pink after being outside in overcast weather today.

19. Memories of years and years of lake vacations.  Believe me...we can all tell you some stories.

20. New memories of lake vacations at my parent's lake house.

21. A lake house to stay and play...with A/C.

22. Sunscreen.

23. Zachary fell asleep on the boat.  He was standing up with his head on the seat next to my arm.  It was a pretty funny sight.

24. Overcast days on the lake.  A break from the beating sun feels nice.

25. My family.  They really know how to have a good time.

26. I don't have to fix my hair or wear makeup when I am at the lakehouse.

27. I backed the boat trailer into the water to pick up the boat and it only took me 4 tries to get it straight!  I had help.  Chad was telling me which way to turn the wheel...  Backing in a trailer is hard work!

28. We watched Oz (the new one) with my parents and the kids last night.  We enjoy watching movies together.

Day 6

Today is my husband's birthday.  And it's flag day too...so Happy Flag Day everyone!  I love birthdays!  I love picking out gifts I know the recipient will like and then wrapping it up in colorful paper.  I enjoy the anticipation I feel as I wait for the gift to be opened.  I really like cake, so that is a plus since birthdays usually involve cake.  Also, ice cream is good.  There really isn't anything I can think of that I don't like about birthdays. 

Happy Birthday Honey!  I love you!

My 28 thanks:

1. Today Matt gets to celebrate another year of life.

2.  My husband is my very best friend.

3. He makes me laugh every day.

4. He is a hard worker.

5. He is funny.  Really.  I'm not the only one he makes laugh.

6. He is dedicated at his job.  At his last job, he was one of only two accountants who was offered relocation to Houston.  They really wanted him to move because he is dependable and always does his best work.

7. He doesn't mind doing dishes.

8. He usually mops the kitchen floor because my back can't take it.

9. Matt is one handsome man.  :)

10. He is the BEST dad.

11. He is a man my daughter can admire...and in the very distant future a man whose example she can use to know how to choose a worthwhile husband.

12. He is a man my son can emulate.  He will know how to be an amazing husband and terrific daddy just by watching his own dad.

13. He is tall, which means my kids will most likely be tall.

14. He is good at video games which means he can play with the kids and not make them mad.  I do not possess this skill.

15. He has the most beautiful eyes.  Seriously, take a look next time you see him.

16.  He has awesome teeth.  He never wore braces but his teeth are almost perfectly straight.  He also has had very few cavities.  This is one reason my kids have really health and strong teeth.

17. Aside from his eyes being beautiful, they also posses near perfect vision.  This is one reason my kids have awesome eyesight.

18. He is healthy.  We hardly ever go to the doctor.

19. He totally irons his own clothes...and doesn't complain about it.

20. He is the nerd.  In Dave Ramsey speak, this means he does all the work when it comes to budgeting.  I like this because doing all that work would be torture for me.

21. He loves the Lord with all his heart.

22. He is a fantastic Sunday School teacher.  I know sometimes he feels like he is not doing a good job or that he is not making a difference, but I see the way those boys look up to him.  He is totally making a difference.

23. He keeps me accountable for all my dreams, goals and aspirations.

24. He supports me 100%.  He may be more excited about my dream of applying to dental school than I am.

25. He is my biggest encourager and number one fan.

26. He lets me have the nice car while he drives the not-so-nice car to work every day.

27. He knows me.  He knows my faults. He knows how much I weigh...everything about me and he still loves me!

28.  His guy friends are good, fun guys.  I don't feel like I have to run and hide or go out with the girls when they come over.  He has great friends...and their wives are pretty great too.

Bonus Thanks:

   I have been blessed with nearly 10 years of marriage with this amazing man.  We have loved life together for over 12 years.  I can't imagine my life without him. 

Day 5

Day 5 and already getting behind!  Well, get used to it because timeliness is not a strong suit of mine!  I feel like I should have something more important to say, but I'll just keep it short and sweet.

My 28 thanks:

1. Zachary always wakes up, runs to me, snuggles and says I love you in the morning.

2. After about 5 seconds of that he says, "I'm hungry." Every. Single. Morning. He's always been a hungry boy, I think that means he is going to be tall. 

3. Zachary loves to talk.  He can't keep quiet.  It doesn't matter what he is doing, watching TV, eating dinner, playing his DS, riding in the car, you name it; he is talking while doing it.  I don't know where he gets it.

4. Haha!  Actually, I know exactly where he gets it and so do you if you know me at all!  He gets it honest from his Mama...just like I got it honest from mine.  We're a talkative bunch.

5. Parts of my Mama live on even though she is gone.

6. Madelyn is a sweet girl.  She is always thinking of others.

7. Madelyn has a heart for young children.  Even though she is still a pretty young child herself, she comes alive when she is helping care for babies and toddlers.

8. We visited Matt at work today and got snow cones from the vendor in the parking lot.  They were wonderful!

9. I had no idea what to make for dinner, but Matt called and offered to grill chicken.  We had a delicious dinner and I didn't have to do all of it! 

10. Zachary ate two bites of chicken.  Progress!  He is usually such an herbivore. (Herbivore is a much cooler word than vegetarian...)

11. I started and finished a book today.  I've missed the thrill I get from devouring a book.

12. Madelyn and I watched So You Think You Can Dance again today.  I was able to watch closely and take some good notes. 

13. I love dance!  It is so beautiful.

14. I love watching Madelyn dance.  At first she wasn't sure she loved it, but one day I saw her face change and now she looks so happy when she dances.

15. She wants to be involved in my choreography.  Sometimes I have to remind her that it will look so much better when the girls are doing it! 

16. We drove by the State Capitol today and the kids are excited about checking it out this summer.

17. I am so thankful for Dave Ramsey and his financial peace ministry.

18. Because of Dave (and our hard work following his program) we were not scared when Matt found out his job was relocating to Houston and there was a chance we would be out of a job later in the year.

19. Because of Dave's ministry, we were able to get out of debt (everything but the house) two years ago.

20. As a result of being out of debt we were able to save and pay cash for two cars on separate occasions.

21. We have been able to live our lives free from financial fear.

22. Although I am the free spirit (Matt is the nerd...duh) and the budget "meetings" make me nervous sometimes, I am always happy with the end result.  No bill surprises us and we tell all our money where to go.

23. Because Financial Peace has worked so well for us in our lives, we are constantly looking for opportunities to tell others about the program and how it has changed our lives.

24. Since we live our lives free from financial fear, we also don't fear the future or retirement.  Talk about freedom!

25. We already have Christmas budgeted for and have been able to purchase some Christmas gifts!  We like to shop ahead!

26. We had movie night tonight with the kids. (apparently this is becoming some kind of summer tradition... but no popcorn this time; I know, sad) Madelyn picked out Monster's Inc because she had seen about 15 minutes of it at church Wed night and she also has a thing for Sulley.

27. There are so many good movies coming out this summer, we are going to have to budget especially for going to the movies!  The kids are mostly excited about Monsters University and Despicable Me 2.

28. Going to the movies occasionally is something the kids enjoy very much and it is worth the money to see the smiles on their faces.  But we still go to Tinseltown because it saves money! 

Day 4

I love my 4th grade girls.  I love teaching them the units in our girls ministry.  Tonight was different, we are doing a summer series and even though it is way different than my usual Wednesday night teaching, I had a blast.  Off The Rails is a fun series.  Tonight we talked about the parable of the prodigal son.  It's a story we've all heard and one we all love.  You can never be to old to appreciate the fact that no matter what we have done, no matter what we are currently doing and no matter what we will do in the future, our heavenly father loves us!  We can't earn it, we don't deserve it and the best news of all...we can't lose it!  Our heavenly father loves us NO MATTER WHAT.  Even when we deny him or reject him he STILL LOVES US.  He is watching and waiting for us to come home where he will welcome us with open arms.  What an amazing God we serve.

My 28 thanks:

1. The parables of Jesus are still useful for teaching 2000 years later.

2. God loves me!

3. His love for me is unconditional.

4. I don't deserve God's love, and there is nothing I can do to earn it, but He loves me anyway!

5. No matter what, I cannot lose God's love. 

6. Tonight, I watched Zachary dance, sing, and raise his hands during praise and worship.

7. Zachary enjoyed his new class tonight.

8. Zachary made a really cute Father's day craft for Matt tonight in his class.

9. Madelyn enjoyed meeting Ms. Shea and Mrs. Danielle in her 3rd grade class tonight.

10. I watched as Madelyn walked over to her brother during praise and worship to help him feel comfortable in his new environment.  She is a great big sister (most of the time)!

11. We went to the Omniplex (Okay, okay....Oklahoma Science Museum...who even calls it that?) today and had a great time!

12. I finally got to go to a planetarium show!  Every time we have been the planetarium has been closed. 

13. The kids enjoyed the planetarium too!

14. My cousin lives two streets away from me and had a shelter put in tonight!  Now I have a place really close to home to go when the weather gets bad!

15. The kids and I have been jamming out to PFR in the car the past couple of days!  I love having a CD player in my car!  Admit it, you loved PFR's song, Great Lengths, as much as I did...right?

16. I love watching weird TV shows like Toy Hunter and Storage Wars with Matt.

17. Barry on Storage Wars makes me laugh.

18. Both my kids can brush their own teeth! 

19. Both my kids can buckle their own seatbelts!

20. I love having mostly self sufficient kids, it  makes life so much easier!

21. I have the awesome responsibility of teaching God's word to young girls.

22. The girls in my class make me laugh.

23. I asked the girls what they think is the dirtiest animal on a farm.  One girl told me a cow mixed with a rooster.  Where do they come up with this stuff?

24. I was able to take a father's day craft home with me.  I plan to make my daddy a nice little corny father's day gift.  I hope to make him laugh!

25. I put on a pair of capris I haven't been able to wear and they fit!

26. The burritos I made for dinner tonight were delicious!

27. I signed Madelyn up for Kids Camp tonight!  She is going to have so much fun!

28. I get to go to Kids Camp this year too!  I am crazy excited!

Day 3

Today has just been...today. 
No major failures, no major breakthroughs, no major revelations and no major frustrations.
I welcome days like these.  Especially after days like yesterday.

My 28 thanks:

1. Summer means sleeping in!  Sleeping in is good.

2. We went out shopping for a little bit and the kids were well behaved (mostly).

3. Zachary told me his flip flops were sweating because of his grubby feet. It made me laugh.  He is a funny funny kid.

4. While out, I found Madelyn a swim suit for $4.50. 

5. I love Target, especially the clearance racks!

6. It is hard to beat the prices at Gordman's.

7. I found a pair of Fossil sunglasses at Gordman's for $18!  The best part is, I have birthday money so I didn't have to walk away...I actually got to buy them! 

8. Sonic Happy Hour...need I say more?

9. The JJ Heller cds I ordered from Amazon came in the mail today!

10. Amazon has great deals!

11. JJ Heller's music is so mellow.  I love it!

12. My new car has a cd player!  You never know how much you use it until you drive a car without one for a few years.

13. I bought stuff that wasn't on my list at the grocery store and I still came in under budget!

14. Madelyn was a big help at the grocery store.  She even helped me unload the car and bring groceries into the house.

15. Loading groceries into the back of the Santa Fe is so much easier than loading them into the trunk of the Grand Marquis. 

16. Matt and I think the same things are funny.

17. Matt wears ear plugs when he mows the yard.  I didn't know this until today.  When I asked him about it he looked at me like I was crazy and said, "Yeah, that lawnmower is loud. I'm not trying to lose my hearing."  I don't know why, but I thought that was funny...it made me laugh.

18. I love laughing; laughing is my favorite.

19. Madelyn still loves playing with dolls. I just want to hit the pause button because the last 8 years have already gone by too fast.

20. We discussed possibly taking a Christmas timeish mini-vacation to Great Wolf Lodge. 

21. Zyrtec works really well for my allergies. 

22. I am excited about my choreography to Call Me Out by Gungor.  It's a fun song and it will be a fun dance!

23. I got to take a shower before the kids got up this morning. The water was hot and the house was quiet.  It was a great shower. 

24. Tomorrow is Wednesday and I get to participate in Off The Rails.  The kids are saying amazing things about the series so I am excited to be a part of it!

25. Madelyn asked to watch So You Think You Can Dance with me today.  It makes me happy that she loves dance.

26. Zachary has a mathematical brain.  He figured out 8+8 all by himself today.

27. My friend Stefanie had her baby, Levi, last night and he is precious!

28. Zachary just crawled up in my lap to love on me and then called me his "little elephant".  I have no idea why he called me that, but I love that he (even at 5) still enjoys climbing in my lap and cuddling with me. 

Day 2

Today I failed.

Yesterday I said I was gaining maturity...today I threw maturity out the window and my phone on the floor like a two year old throwing a tantrum.  Yesterday I was happy to see that I was becoming known as and easy-going person who is doesn't get offended easily...today I went off the deep end. 

We all have our good days and our bad days; but even in the bad days there are things for which we can bless the Lord. 

My 28 thanks:

1. I live in a country of abundance.

2. Because of that abundance, I had a nice phone to throw when I got angry.

3. Although I shattered the screen of said phone, I had a screen protector on it which is holding everything in place until I can get it fixed.

4. The phone still works with a shattered screen.

5. Because the phone still works, I was able to take all the phone calls from the church today for tornado relief.

6. I am so thankful Kara thought of me to take tornado relief calls.  I wanted to help, but it is difficult to get out in the middle of such wreckage with two small children.  Taking calls from home is perfect.

7. Madelyn's friend was able to come over today.  She stayed a lot longer than we originally thought and the kids were ecstatic about it!

8. The kids washed my car the old fashioned way with rags and a bucket of soapy water.

9. They thought it was fun!  Yay for free labor!  

10. They played outside in the sprinkler for a long time and had a blast.

11. Who knew running errands with three kids would be easier than with two?  I was able to run to two banks and the post office with absolutely no trouble. 

12. The laughter coming from the back seat of my car was contagious.

13. My husband's new job is amazing!

14. He found out that he is going to get vacation for his years worked, not just at this job, but his entire work experience.  Next year he will get 4 weeks vacation...I have no idea what to do with that much!

15. The Lord gives us everything we need.  Then he gives us more!  

16. My friend's pillow was thrown into clean trash and was able to be salvaged.

17. I was able to make my friend spew water out her nose because of a funny text.

18. I like it when people think I am funny.

19. Tonight was daddy/daughter night.

20. I love spending time with my Dad...even when he gives me a hard time.

21. He is so calm and logical...and when he is angry, he makes sure he throws things that are cheap...not expensive phones.

22. I have a lot to learn from my Dad.

23. If it weren't for daddy/daughter night, I wouldn't get to see my sister, Sarah, as much.  I love my sister.

24. When Sarah gets married she will live on the south side of the city again and maybe we will see each other more.

25. I made tacos for dinner, but because of daddy/daughter night I didn't get to eat them.  Madelyn's friend ate dinner at our house and thought the tacos were great.  

26. I love being complimented on my cooking.  I'm no Pioneer Woman...but I have some things I cook very well!

27. My husband did the dishes and cleaned up dinner while I was out last night.  He's a good man.

28. He didn't get mad when I told him what I did to my phone.  He is usually calm like my dad.  Did I mention he is a good man?

Everybody's doin' it

So, since I am jumping on the bandwagon, I will share with you a little ditty my Mama used to sing:

Everybody's doin' it,

doin' it, doin' it.

Pickin' their nose and

chewin' it, chewin' it.

I know...gross, but it's the first thing I thought of when I thought about starting to add in a 10,000 reasons component to this blog.  Everyone else is doin' it.  So, here I go too.  To the best of my ability, I will strive to post 28 thanks a day.  At the end of 1 year, I will have blessed the Lord 10,000 times.  Being a pessimist in recovery, this is just what I need to remember what I am thankful for.  

And Day One begins:

1. We bought a new car last week.  We saved and saved then we paid cash.  It is a 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe and I just might be in love.

2. Unfortunately the reason we were able to purchase the car was because my cousin's husband passed away and she had to sell it to get out from under the payments.  I loved Sid.  He was an amazing man, husband and daddy.  He will be missed.  I am thankful that I know I will see him again.

3. Because we purchased a car, we were able to bless some really great friends with one of our cars.  And just when they needed it most.  I love win/win/win scenarios. 

4. We had a garage sale Saturday at my sister-in-law's house.  We made almost $200 and were able to donate what didn't sell.

5. Madelyn promoted to the 3rd/4th grade girls Sunday School this morning.  She was so excited to go to her new class and we have enjoyed hearing about how much fun she had and what she learned.

6. Zachary was happy we ate pizza for lunch today after church.  He was even happier that we were able to use coupons to make it cheaper!

7. We invited friends to have lunch with us.  Zachary was so excited to eat lunch with his best friend Alexander.

8. Mazzio's has free drinks on Sundays.

9. Mazzio's always gives out a ton of coupons that save you big time, especially when coupled with free drinks.  Today we saved $16.50 not counting what the drinks would have cost.

10. I am doing very well and learning to be frugal.

11. Madelyn was invited to go swimming with a friend today.  Her friend's family was displaced by the tornado on May 20th, but they are always looking for ways to be a blessing to others!

12. Madelyn and Allison are great friends!  I am so glad she has good Godly friends with great parents in her life!

13. I get to teach summer dance classes next Monday and Tuesday.  I'm not ready yet, but I have my music picked out and I've been praying for guidance in choreography.  It is going to come together this week and it is going to be so much fun!! 

14. Last year I was petrified of teaching the "big girls" in the summer.  This year I am excited! 

15. My aunt Louan spoiled me for my birthday.  I love having her in my life!  She connects me to my Nana and Mama.  She misses them as much as I do.

16. Louan heard Pastor Ted on the radio.  She told me how much she enjoyed listening to him talk.  It made me realize what a great church I am a part of.  We've had our ups and downs but I love that I can finally look back at all the changes and disappointments and see the blessings that have come out of it all.

17. Zachary's friend Alexander got to promote to the 5 year old class today.  Zachary and Alexander were both so happy to be in class together!

18. Pastor Kara calls me to help because she knows I am willing.  I love having a reputation of someone who loves to help!

19. Mr. Zach joked with me today about my teaching.  He doesn't really know me, but apparently I also have a reputation of being someone who knows how to joke around and doesn't get offended easily.  I want to be known as an easy going person who doesn't cause drama or get upset easily.

20. I was supposed to work in the nursery today, but because of some confusion, I wasn't needed.  Don't get me wrong...I enjoy the nursery, but since I didn't get to work the nursery, I was able to head home and grab Madelyn's swim suit for the afternoon that I forgot and I was also able to make it to my Effective Parenting Sunday School class.  I love that class, so I was glad I didn't have to miss it!

21. The other night I had some frightening tornado nightmares.  Today in church I was reminded that God hasn't given me the Spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.  

22. I was also reminded that God thinks about me.  Not only does he think about me, but he only thinks good things about me!

23. I saw my friend Amber at church today.  I hadn't seen her in a while but I didn't know how much I had missed her until I hugged her neck.  She is a fun friend!

24. I saw my friend Janelle at church today.  She has moved all over and I am sure she has some stories to tell.  We didn't talk very long, but it was so good to see her.

25. Maturity.  I still have a long way to go, but I am getting there.  

26. We had a family movie night tonight.  We watched Lilo and Stitch

27. We had popcorn with our movie.  The kids love it when we have popcorn with a movie.  Who am I kidding?  I love it too!

28. I am almost finished shopping for father's day and Matt's birthday.  I love giving gifts!