Day 32

These days, I am becoming very conscious of what I am thankful for.  Sometimes I find it funny.  Like when the light stays green as I come up on it and I make it through the intersection without even having to slow down.  I love that!  I always thank God when that happens...but now I think, "should I put that in my blog?"  Haha! 

My 28 thanks:

1. Green lights!

2. Getting to whiz through an intersection like I own it!  :)

3. I can thank the Lord...even for the very small things.

4. The Lord cares about the small things.

5. Small things can be very important.

6. I love, love, love my 1st and 2nd grade ballet class.  I could teach it every day of the week if they would let me!

7. I finally finished So Long Insecurity by Beth Moore.  I had to renew it 3 times from the library, but I got through it and let me tell you something: It is a life changing book!

8. I renewed the book 3 times, but always on time and I never incurred a late fee.  If you know me at all...you know this is a BIG deal.  :)

9. All my library fines are under $50 so they won't report me to the credit bureau. 

10. One of our library cards has no fines on it, so we can still check out books.  Haha!

11. Some days a few of my 28 thanks are goofy (think...today), but the Lord loves even the goofy things I am thankful for.

12. My friend Sallie's husband, Jon, is a lung transplant recipient.  He recently battled some rejection issues, but through prayer and faith, his medical issues have been miraculously resolved and he is doing much better.

13. My friend, Justin, from high school was recently diagnosed with a rare form of cancer.  He had surgery to remove the tumor and they also removed part of his rib where they think the cancer originated.  The doctors believe with the surgery and treatment he will soon be in remission.  This is a huge miracle!

14. My God is in the healing business.

15. I was able to go an a walk with my friend Nicole.  We always have great conversation together.

16. My in-laws dropped everything to drive from Chickasha and attend grandparent's night at my kids' school.

17. Mrs. Thedford, Madelyn's teacher, loves her.  Every time we talk to her, she tells us how excited she was to see Madelyn's name on her class roster.

18. Madelyn has had favor with all her teachers!

19. I am having to work on my creative genius since Madelyn wants to be Vanellope Von Schweets (from Wreck it Ralph) for Halloween.  I am currently accepting creative help on this matter...feel free to weigh in. 

20. Some day my kids will be too old to want to "celebrate" Halloween.  (Do you know how much candy I could buy with the money I spend on costumes...so they can GET candy...for FREE??)

21. It rained for the first time in over 20 days!

22. My family and I stood outside for a long time just watching and smelling the rain.

23. I got an amazing roast at the meat market.  It was delicious and SO easy to clean up.

24. Lucy is really enjoying her photography class.

25. I just remembered that I have had so much to be thankful for lately I forgot one!  My dad went skydiving last Saturday.  He really enjoyed it and he lived to tell the tale! 

26. I am now not the only one in my family brave and exciting enough to jump out of "a perfectly good plane".  Some people just don't know how to have a good time!  :)

27. I bought my favorite ice cream at Braum's last night, Pistachio Almond, in case you were wondering.  Everything in moderation, I always say.

28. 50 more days till my sister's wedding!

Day 31

Well folks, it may have taken me 3 months...but I have made it through a whole 31 days.  I think that might count for all 28 of today's thanks!  :)

My 28 thanks:

1. I can remember where I was, what I did and pretty much every single detail of Sept. 11 2001.  Because of this, I will never forget the lives lost, the sacrifices made and the way the nation rallied together.

2. In 12 years we have not had another Sept. 11th experience in our country.

3. My kids have never known the fear I experienced that day.  I pray they never will.

4. I was able to reconnect with a friend I thought I had lost forever.

5. We are making plans to see each other soon.  It will be nice to see her sweet smile and laugh with her again.  I have missed her.

6. My 4th grade girls had a fun evening in class last night.

7. I think my class is where the girls learn to let loose and get a little crazy.  I'm not sure what this says about my teaching ability, but I kind of like it.  :)

8. They were able to draw some fantastic pictures tonight.  I hope they will be a blessing to Awaken.

9. We would have gotten home by 8:45 if we hadn't stopped to talk to several friends on the way out of the church.

10. Matt and I are both starting to break out of our little introverted shells and start initiating conversations with people.

11. It is so nice, the response you get when you initiate conversation!  Who knew??  I've always waited for people to talk to me, so this is a nice change.

12. I had life giving conversation with a lady at church tonight.  It made me see a dear friend in a different light.

13. I have a hardworking, honest, loyal and trustworthy husband. 

14. He also makes me laugh.  My life would be boring without him in it.

15. I have completed 12 of 40 required dental hygiene observation hours. 

16. I got to see another side of the profession today.  I was introduced to the world of phone calls and sterilization of instruments. 

17. I am slowly learning patience.  I wish I were in dental school right now!  All in God's timing.

18. I got to see Hope's sweet baby boy.  I am WAY to young to feel so old!  I remember when Debbie was holding tiny sweet baby Hope.  Yikes!

19. The Kid Mo song, Shine Your Light is totally going to help my girls memorize their verse for our next unit, Fruit of the Spirit.  I love songs that make hiding God's Word in your heart easy and lasting.

20. I have opportunities every day to shine the light of Jesus.

21. I can choose to love instead of hate.

22. I can choose to hold my tongue and pray for others when I read hateful posts on facebook.

23. Freedom of religion.  I can choose to believe in God and have the right to worship Him freely.

24. Clean sheets.

25. I was so proud of Zachary at church last night.  I had picked up a hula hoop and carried it across the room to hang it up where it belongs. I had to pause and watch as my little guy picked up several hula hoops off the ground and hung them up without being asked.  He is always looking for ways he can help.

26. Madelyn rocked it out on stage last night at church.  She looked like she was having fun up there.

27. The kids really enjoyed the game and music at church last night.  I have fun just watching them have fun.

28. I have successfully made it through 31 days of thankfulness! 

Day 30!

I live an ordinary day to day life.  I don't do anything particularly special...but I am pursuing my dream, raising my children (who I happen to think are particularly special) and living for the Lord.  I don't always enjoy every aspect of every day...but I love this life I have been given.  Sometimes I have to convince myself that last sentence is true, especially when my first world problems seem so enormous to me. (like not getting tickets to Wicked...)  On this journey called life, I have had ups and downs; I have had unexpected turns, and at least once, I experienced a dark valley.  My God lives, my God loves and my God restores.  I have much to be thankful for.

My 28 thanks:

1. I was able to get back to my dental hygiene observations after 12 days. 

2. Every day I observe, I am more sure of this career.

3. God never wastes an experience.  He is always ready to use my life to bring glory to His name.

4. Madelyn aced her second AR test.  In only two tests, she has accumulated 9 points.

5. Madelyn loves her Tuesday night Tap/Jazz class with Miss Tiffany.

6. Matt grilled chicken for dinner.

7. I made healthy side dishes to go with the chicken.  We had lots of veggies with no added salt.

8. I am learning to meal plan.

9. I go to the grocery store on a mission, with a comprehensive list.

10. I have decided to consciously choose healthier meals and food.

11. Wheeler's meat market.  Since I can't have Matt's grandfather's home grown calf meat...this at least is a close second.

12. My top 2 picks (out of the top 4) won on So You Think You Can Dance.

13. Madelyn was as excited as I was about the SYTYCD results...maybe more so!

14. I accidentally had my DVR set to record first run & reruns of SYTYCD.  It recorded the finale twice.  This is great news since the end of the 1st recording and the beginning of the 2nd was actually the President addressing the nation.  (P.S. I am not complaining about the President's address...I am thankful that I recorded the show twice so I didn't miss anything.)

15. Stories in the Old Testament can teach us lessons for today.

16. By the end of the month I will be fully caught up on my Bible reading.  I have a plan.  :)

17. Proverbs 20:18-- Plans succeed through good counsel.  I am so thankful for good counsel in my life.

18. My dad gives good, Godly counsel.

19. Pillow talk.  Matt and I always have the best conversations after the kids are in bed.

20. The fair is coming!  I love the fair!

21. Rain is forecasted for this weekend!  I blame thank the fair!

22. I saw 80's forecasted for the weekend!

23. I made it a whole week on half a tank of gas. 

24. I don't know how to explain this, but...I feel good.  I don't cringe when I look in the mirror and I am learning to accept myself.  This is definitely something supernaturally miraculous.  :)

25. I am only 11(ish) pounds away from my goal weight.

26. I won't ever be "perfect" but I love that I have set realistic and healthy goals for myself.

27. God is doing a good work in me.

28. He will be faithful to complete this good work. 

Day 29

   Back in April, I uncharacteristically left my garage door open for one hour between returning to my house from running errands and taking Zachary to pm pre-k.  In that one hour, (in broad daylight with my car in the garage) thieves stole $1000 worth of tools, bikes and lawn equipment.  I was scared and Matt was mad, but from that mistake and its consequences, we became very conscious of our coming and going as well as the status of our garage door...even to the point of driving back by the house to make sure it was shut. 
   Monday, I left the house to take the kids to school.  I planned to go to the Y to workout but I forgot a water bottle.  I pulled out of the driveway, and my mind was apparently focused on coming back to the house for water.  As I drove around the curve leading to my house after dropping off the kids, I could see immediately that my garage door was OPEN...and had I had my heart rate monitor on it would have been maxed out.  I did it AGAIN!  I opened the door to my house and took a quick look around the kitchen.  Once I determined that it appeared no one had entered my home, I left the door open...just in case, and checked the garage for missing items.  Nothing was missing in the garage so I shut the garage door (and made sure it shut all the way before walking away) and checked the entire house for any intruder that might have been hiding in a closet. 

                   Note to self:  Next time grab something that can be used as a weapon before opening closet doors searching for a possible intruder... 

    Once I discovered no one had entered my home, I relaxed.  I did NOT go to the Y.  I figured my heart rate had been elevated enough already... I know people who would say that was just luck.  I wasn't gone long enough for anyone to enter my garage and take things; I was just fortunate that I forgot my water and immediately came back home.  I know better than that.  God orders my steps.  Sometimes I make mistakes and don't close the garage, but God is always going before me and looking out for me.  I am thankful for His protection...I'm going to make mistakes, but God's got my back. 

My 28 thanks:

1. God cares about me.

2. He goes before me, He knows what lies ahead and what mistakes I will make, but He has a solution.

3. There was a hedge of protection around my home Monday morning.

4. I have been reminded how important it is for me to watch the garage door close...to not get sidetracked or in too big of a hurry that I forget to protect my possessions.

5. Although I drove away from my home with the garage door open, nothing was missing.

6. I called the eye doctor to discuss some issues I am having with my contacts and prescription.  He was able to fit me right in.  Within 45 minutes of my phone call I was in the office.

7. He tweaked my prescription a little...I think I might not be so lopsided.  It's kind of a test, I hope we can figure this out.

8.  My friend Amber aced her interview and was able to start a much needed a prayed for job immediately.

9. Just as I was starting to get irritated, I found pre-printed bridal shower invitations at the 6th store I went to!

10. 5 of the 6 stores I looked in for invitations were located in the same general area.

11. The kids were really excited that they got to wear hats to school for spirit week.

12. Madelyn put together a whole Minnie Mouse outfit to go with her mouse ears hat.

13. I am a Mama to a little girl who loves to dance!

14. I am a Mama to a little boy who loves Star Wars just like his Daddy!  Now if only we could get him to watch one of the movies (the original trilogy...duh...) instead of the ridiculously cheesy Droids cartoon.

15. Zachary loves to play video games with his Daddy. 

16. Madelyn is reading on a high enough level that I can start introducing her to some of my very favorite books.  Within reason...no Jane Austen quite yet... :)

17. After only two AR tests, she is over halfway to her 6 week goal!

18. Matt and Zachary spent a whole hour together outside blowing bubbles.

19. Madelyn had a really great night in ballet.  She was excited to tell me all about it.

20. Matt has a job that stretches him and makes him better.

21. He prepared for a presentation he gets to make in front of several people in his company. 

22. Matt has favor at his job.

23. His company is paying for him to take a few software classes at a local vo-tech.  He loves learning things that make him more efficient at his job.

24. Matt's job is community service oriented. 

25. Another friend of mine has started a 10,000 reasons blog.  I love reading what my friends are thankful for. 

26. The grass is starting to turn yellow.  This means fall is on the way and we won't have to mow as much!

27. Cooler temperatures are on the horizon.

28. I recently discovered that a ring I got for Christmas from my in-laws 4 years ago, but was too snug on my ring finger, fits perfectly now!  It will be the perfect wedding ring alternative when I start putting my hands in people's mouths on a daily basis.  :)

Day 28

The second time's the charm?  I got this whole day typed up except for number 28.  I was thinking about how to say what I wanted to say and in the mean time clicked the save button.  Blogger decided that was the perfect time to have a massive error and my day was gone.  So, here it is again...

My 28 thanks:

1. Only 54 more days till Sarah's wedding!

2. We had no plans for our Sunday except for church and lunch.

3. We had pizza for lunch.  I LOVE pizza, but I ate slowly and was able to control myself. 

4. After lunch we went to Kohl's to look for some shoes for Matt. He found exactly what he was looking for.  They were on sale AND we had a 20% off coupon.  He got them for $2 under budget.

5. Lucy invited the kids over for a day of play at her house.

6. She invited her son, Michael's, kids over as well. 

7. Madelyn helped take care of baby Blake which she, or course, loved.

8. Zachary played outside all day with Brody.

9. They had a great time picking up all of Grandma's shells out of her garden.

10. A spirit of discernment

11. Friends who I can make laugh.

12. I stepped out of my comfort zone and invited a friend to lunch this week.

13. Making plans with friends for a weekend away.

14. I didn't have a chance to eat breakfast at home.  Thankfully, my Sunday school provided bagels and they were delicious!

15. Matt and I were able to take a Sunday afternoon nap in a quiet kid-free house.

16. We were also able to clean 1 1/2 hours off of our DVR.

17. Matt and I get a kick out of Duck Dynasty...but...He will never be allowed to grow a beard like the Robertsons...

18. When we went back to pick up the kids, I helped my sister stuff envelopes even though I told myself I wouldn't... It was a big help to my sister.

19. Matt helped stuff envelopes too.  He can be a sweetheart when he wants to be!  :)

20. Matt came up with a bedtime routine trade off for the kids.  It worked like a charm.

21. Zachary doesn't like carbonated beverages.  He thinks they are spicy.  I hope this lasts forever.

22. When Zachary thinks I am not looking, he bows his head, clasps his hands and prays for his lunch.  Sweetest thing ever!

23. I was given the OK to start planning and preparing for Sarah's family bridal shower.

24. Fall means all our favorite shows start up again soon.  We can't wait for Biggest Loser and Once Upon a Time to start...

25. Avatar: The Legend of Korra starts on Friday!  We are way too excited about this!

26. We are leaning to live on purpose. 

27. The Lord always provides for our family.

28. The Lord always protects our family.

 

Days 26 and 27

Day 26

Weekends are busy.  Actually, I haven't been on the computer since Friday afternoon and here it is Sunday evening at 10pm.  I will try to catch up by posting my thanks for Friday and Saturday tonight and I will get to Sunday's thanks tomorrow.  :)  

My 28 thanks:

1. I got to eat dinner with my sister.

2. My sister has fun friends.

3. Her friends made tying ribbons on invitations fun.

4. We tied a ton of bows.  A lot was accomplished.

5. Watching the Norwegian fox song with Jessi is a lot of fun.

6. I love my sister.

7. I love that I only have one sister.

8. My one sister won't get married ever again! 

9. Zachary had a fun guys night with Daddy while I was helping Sarah.

10. Madelyn gets excited about seeing Sarah and her friends.

11. The bridal shower invitations (for one shower) are done! 

12. Christina has done most of the work for this particular shower.  I am infinitely thankful for that.

13. Lucy has been a trooper, letting us put wedding invitations all over the place in her formal dining room.  Hopefully, we will be done soon and she can have her room back!

14. Madelyn took her first AR test and made a 100%

15. My kids make me proud every day.

16. I am learning to step out of my comfort zone.

17. Matt came home early from work!

18. Sarah and I met with the florist today.  We finalized plans and made the down payment.  One more thing to check off the to-do list.

19. The wedding to-do list is getting smaller and smaller.

20. Jennifer at A New Beginning Florist is one of the nicest ladies I have ever done business with.

21. She is genuinely interested in doing the best ever job for Sarah's wedding.  I would totally recommend her.

22. I am excited to do business with her since her store at 4th and Telephone in Moore was majorly damaged during the May 20th tornado.

23. My sister's wedding invitations may be labor intensive, but they are super cute.  She and Chad did good.

24. I started the guest list for the family shower.  I may be a little behind, but I am quickly getting back on track.

25. The new series of LEGO mini-figures is out.  Matt found 5 of the 6 we wanted immediately!  That never happens.  :)

26. He and Zachary were so excited they came straight home, hung another type tray on the wall and put all our LEGO mini-figures in it.

27. I am a really cool wife.  I let my husband hang type trays on the wall containing LEGO mini-figures and I actually like it. 

28. Zachary loves LEGOs.  I'm pretty sure that means he is going to be a super smart architect or something. 




Day  27

My 28 thanks:

1. Our only plans for the day lasted until 12:30.  We had the whole afternoon unplanned.

2. The breakfast at the Family iD conference was delicious.

3. Panera Bread breakfast sandwiches.  Who knew they were so good?  Probably everyone but me! 

4. The conference was really fantastic.  I had my doubts and we weren't planning to go early on, but I am so glad we decided to do it.

5. Greg Gunn is an amazing man.  I am so glad we met him 4 (ish) years ago to do our life insurance.  He introduced us to Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover which has brought us to the place we are at now in life.  We will forever be grateful to Greg Gunn.  His Family iD ministry is just icing on the cake.

6. Matt had to leave the conference early, but it was okay, because my friend Nicole was there to keep me company and listen to all my remarks. 

7. Zachary played his first soccer game of the season.  I had to miss it, but Matt said he did a good job.

8. Zachary is improving at soccer.  He actually kicked the ball on the field...although I am told he does still wander around daydreaming some of the time.  :)

9. Madelyn had a good time spending the night at Grandma Lucy's house. 

10. We didn't have to wake Madelyn up early to go to the conference because she stayed the night at Grandma Lucy's house!

11. Lucy celebrated her birthday on Saturday.  She has been a blessing in my life.

12. I was told AGAIN that it looks like I have lost weight!  Yay!

13. OU won their football game.

14. The game was ugly, but it's okay because I didn't get to watch it...it was background noise as I was tying ribbons.

15. I tied 108 ribbons around 108 wedding invitations in 2 1/2 hours.  All by myself!  :)  It's a good thing I love my sister!  It's also a good thing my sister has such an awesome sister!  :)  Ha!

16. Madelyn read a lot of her book while we were at my dad's house watching the game.

17. Zachary is really good at entertaining himself. 

18. He cleaned up all the toys at my dad's house without being asked.

19. He was so excited about "helping" me tie the invitations.  He made sure I always had an invitation and ribbon right in front of me as soon as I was finished with one. 

20. He has a servant's heart.  He is always happy to help.

21. My kids were so tired when we left the house after the game that they went right to bed.

22. I rarely have any problems getting my kids to bed at bedtime.

23. It is never too late to starting being intentional about your family.

24. Matt and I have a plan for our family and it is exciting.

25. We got all our errands run during our free afternoon.

26. We were able to purchase a gift for one of Sarah and Chad's showers...TWO whole weeks early.  I think that is some kind of record for us.

27. Chick-fil-a ice cream cones.  It was such a hot day and they were so cold and delicious.

28. One of our errands was getting the oil changed in Matt's car.  As it was being worked on at Sear's, we went in the store to purchase the shower gift.  After we checked out, we were given a coupon for an oil change that ended up saving us $15.  It was perfect timing. 

Day 25

Look at me...Day 25. 

My 28 thanks:

1. My dance classes were awesome!  I get to teach some great girls this year.

2. Zachary played Littlest Pet Shop on the Wii all day long.  He had a blast and I enjoyed hearing what he named his pets. 

3. Madelyn is reading on a 6th grade reading level! 

4. Madelyn loves to read.  It makes me so proud of her.

5. Zachary's teacher is always complimenting him on his sweet spirit and kind heart. 

6. My kids know how to respect their teachers. (and all other authority as well.)

7. I got lots of ideas about how to help my family eat healthier.

8. I am the gatekeeper of my children's eyes, hearts, ears and mouths.  If I don't teach them what is right, how will they learn?

9. I choose to teach my children good eating habits, it will only benefit them now and in the future.

10. I have a love/hate relationship with half day kindergarten.  On one hand, I don't see how they can learn all they are required to learn in only 2 1/2 hours a day.  On the other hand, the moments I get to spend with my son after school is out for the day are precious. 

11. Zachary has a free spirit. 

12. I get to have one on one time with Zachary every day after school.  This won't last forever, so I am enjoying it!

13. I can have sad days, but they always pass.

14. Grace to make it one day at a time.

15. Friends who cheer me up.

16. Ladies who remember my mom and think of her fondly even after 17 years.  I hope she knows she is still missed.

17. I can choose not to be offended by others.  More often than not, offending me was not that person's intent.

18. Matt cooked dinner.

19. It was almost ready when I got home from the dance studio.

20. Matt's job is flexible, so he is able to get Zachary to soccer practice on Thursday.

21. Zachary is loving soccer practice this season.

22. Matt says Zachary is improving and actually kicks the ball now.  Yay!

23. I did laundry all day and NONE of it was left on the floor in piles...I put it ALL away! 

24. Laundry is less stressful when you do it that way and don't have to look at piles for a week...trying to talk yourself into putting the clothes away...who knew?  :)

25. I haven't washed church name tags on anyone's clothes lately!

26. I had a couple of  "laugh out loud" moments.

27. Memories that make me laugh.

28. Laughter is good for the soul.  It can pick you up when you are down and it can make someone else's day brighter.

Day 24

I'm putting it all out there today.  I want to dance.  I just really want to dance. 

The saying goes, "Those who can, do; those who can't, teach."  I teach dance, but I want to DO it too!  What I lack right now is the confidence and you all who have been reading for a while know that I am working on it.  I am getting my dancer's body back.  Passion can make up for a lack of perfection which is good, because even before kids, my body wasn't "perfect", but it was fit...it was trim.  Fit and trim is my goal, not perfection.  I am hoping that by recital time in May, I will have obtained my dancer body, I will have choreographed an entire dance...and hopefully, I will be give the OK to perform it at the recital.  Maybe I will get the chance to share it with you also?  We shall see...

My 28 thanks:

1. Dance as an art form.  I love it!

2. Dance as a ministry.  I need to be a part of it!

3. We woke up a little late but still made it early to school. 

4. I got a package in the mail that I had been waiting on for a while. 

5. Zachary's Skylander toy that we sent in for out of a bag of chips came in the mail.  He was ecstatic!

6. We left church at 8:45. 

7. Candy Crush is good brain exercise...especially level 181.  I am completely sure that once I beat this level, my brain will be good and strong... :)

8. Grandma's spaghetti.  I am not sure where this recipe originated...but I am so glad it exists!

9. The grocery store is mostly empty when you go at 9:30 at night.

10. Sales!

11. My new outside owl.  It lights up using solar power and looks super cool!

12. It was on clearance at K-Mart!

13. Women of the New Testament we can emulate.

14. People who have a servant's heart.  I try to be one.

15. I can choose to serve.  I don't have to teach my 4th grade girls on Wednesday nights, I GET to.

16. The book of Psalms.  David knew how to pour our his heart to the Lord.

17. The Bible isn't a book of fairy tales and make believe, the stories are Truth and give life.

18. If you let it, the Bible can change your life.  I want it to change me.

19. Matt received a huge compliment from his former boss.  She didn't realize how much work he really did.

20. My husband is a dedicated and hard worker.  He never complains about his workload.

21. My Sanuk flip flops are crazy comfy.  Best $$ I ever spend on a pair of flip flops...even if they aren't really fashion forward...

22. I am looking forward to fall, but I will miss my flip flops!

23. Spelling.  I am so glad I am a good speller.  Misspelled words and misused grammar drive me crazy!

24. God cares about us and what we are going through.

25. He will never leave us or forsake us, even in our darkest hours.

26. Jesus is my best friend.

27. He sticks closer than a brother.

28. God gave me my talent and He expects me to be a good steward of it.

Day 23

I'll be short today since I took up a lot of your time yesterday! 

My 28 thanks:

1. My house was full of kids yesterday.

2. They all played well together, there were no fights, injuries or mishaps.

3. We bought a new kind of (fake) chicken at Sam's for Zachary to try.  (he is very picky about his fake chicken) He tried it and liked it!  It might have been because Alexander and Ana liked it too...but I will take what I can get.

4. All my fall decor is out of the closet.  I haven't decorated with it yet, but the first step is done.

5. I found owls in my fall decor that I forgot I had!  It was a fun surprise!

6. Even though I still haven't watched two SYTYCD episodes, I watched the final dances last night and for the first time all season, I got to vote!

7. Madelyn was excited to go to dance last night!  She loves Miss Tiffany's tap and jazz class!

8. Matt got home a little early from work.  It made the evening seem longer.

9. I got Madelyn's flower girl dress ordered!  I was almost too late, but it will get here in plenty of time and it wasn't as expensive as I thought it would be.

10.  My new mattress gets more comfortable every single night.

11. Penny print deals at Snapfish. 

12. Courage, I'm gaining some.

13. People who motivate me.

14. Love.  I have friends and family who love me.

15. Madelyn was so excited to watch my wedding video.  I had to leave the room because, let's face it, it is hard to watch yourself on video, but she loved it.  I am glad she is interested in our love story.

16. Madelyn is already talking about going to college.  She is driven.

17. Zachary believes he can do anything.  I pray I never quench that spirit in him. 

18. He is not daunted by the high standards expected of him by the end of kindergarten. 

19. A friend from my old CW days reminded me how fun it is to be zany.  Sometimes that word describes me quite well. 

20. Although I am working towards my goal of dental hygiene school, I am thankful for my time spent in the field of social work...hopefully I planted some good seeds and helped some people.  It also taught me what I DON'T want to do for the rest of my life... :)

21. God can use every detour we take for His glory.

22. God uses every experience we have to mold us into who He created us to be.

23. Even though I walked away from my dream 13 years ago, it is being restored!

24. Restoration...of my dreams, my security...everything.  God is good.

25. My mom's old recipes.  My family likes most of them and I can feel a small connection to her.

26. Loose fitting clothes...especially clothes that weren't loose only a few weeks ago. :)

27. I have gotten to be a stay at home mom for the past 5 years.  I have gotten to see and take pictures of every school assembly, awards presentation and party.  All that will change when I get into dental hygiene school so I know how important it is to cherish every single one of those moments.

28. My steps are ordered by the Lord.  He has great things in store for me!

Day 22

Over the long Labor Day weekend I went for a visit to the booming metropolis of Dill City, Oklahoma to visit my aunt and grandpa.  We relaxed, talked and looked at fabric catalogs (Hey...there's so much pretty fabric out there).  We agreed that she needed to make me at least 18 quilts because I absolutely could not make up my mind as to which fabric I liked best.  I always enjoy my time out there.  She always has Christian radio going in the house and we sing along with every song.  One of her favorites is "Remind me who I am" by Jason Gray.  I've always liked the song, but it wasn't until she had me watch the video that it hit me, This should be my theme song! 

If you haven't watched it yet, take a break, go to my last post, watch it and then, come back here. 


Pretty powerful video huh? 

Now, read the lyrics:

 Verse 1:
When I lose My way,
And I forget my name,
Remind me who I am.
In the mirror all I see,
Is who I don't wanna be,
Remind me who I am.
In the loneliest places,
When I can't remember what grace is.

Chorus:
Tell me once again who I am to you.
Who I am to you.
Tell me lest I forget who I am to you.
That I belong to you.

Verse 2:
When my heart is like a stone,
And I'm running far from home,
Remind me who I am.
When I can't receive your love,
Afraid I'll never be enough,
Remind me who I am.
If I'm your beloved,
Can you help me believe it.

Chorus:
Tell me once again who I am to you.
Who I am to you, Whoa.
Tell me lest I forget who I am to you.
That I belong to you.

Bridge:
I'm the one you love,
I'm the one you love,
That will be enough,
I'm the one you love.

Chorus:
 Tell me once again who I am to you.
Who I am to you.
Tell me lest I forget who I am to you.
That I belong to you, whoa
To you.

You see, I am learning day by day that how I think about myself isn't what matters.  What God thinks about me is what matters.  More than anything.  I need to renew my mind to think of myself the way God thinks about me. 

I am HIS beloved.  I am not worthless, I am not unworthy, I am not rejected; I am a beloved child of God.

My 28 thanks:

1. I am a beloved child of God

2. When I forget who I am, the Lord can remind me that I am His beloved.

3. I was able to go out to Dill to visit with my family and celebrate my Aunt Louan's birthday.

4. My Aunt is an encourager.  I always feel better after going out there.

5. long holiday weekends

6. I got to visit with my Great Aunt Mary Lou.

7. Her daughter Rosalind was there.  We had a nice visit; I haven't seen her in several years.

8. My family is so talented.  They are entering all kinds of quilts, hand made clothing and flower arrangements in the county fair. 

9. Who knows, they are probably entering all kinds of desserts in the fair also, now that is something I can do...cook, I must have inherited that from them. 

10. The kids stayed the night with their Grammy and Poppy Sunday night.

11. Matt and I were able to accomplish all kinds of things while it was just us.

12. We joked about being old... (Hey, it's labor day, let's go to Sam's...that will be fun.)  Haha!

13. We had a lunch date at Schlotzky's.  It was wonderful.

14. I am catching up on my Bible reading.  Somehow I got really behind...(*gulp, almost 2 months), but Matt was kind enough to remind me that I am doing better than him...He is 9 month behind!  I feel better now!

15. I didn't cook all weekend.  Although I enjoy cooking, I also enjoy taking a break.  All weekend I was either blessed by others buying or cooking my dinner. 

16. My husband cleaned the whole kitchen. 

17. We went through our Christmas stash and were excited to discover we are halfway done with both the kids' Christmas gifts. 

18. Some of my sister's table centerpiece items were delivered!

19. Yesterday was the 2 month mark.  Only 60 more days till the wedding!

20. The scale moved this morning!  I was happy to see a different number at the end of my weight!

21. The scale doesn't define me, but some days it can make me really happy!

22. When things don't work out sometimes you are blessed enough to be able to look back after 6 years and discover why.  The house we almost bought 6 years ago was amazing; it had lots of room and a loft we were planning to use as a playroom.  We loved it, but had to back out of the contract after the inspector discovered issues with the A/C.  On May 20th that house was demolished, nothing is left.  We are so thankful we were protected from that.

23. I love fall!  I am ready to decorate my house in fall colors...and owls...and candy corn. 

24. Music is a very effective form of ministry.  It speaks to some people in a way that preaching can't.  I love listening to music that is full of God's truth.

25. Crossroads Kids Ministry.  My kids love going to church.

26. Mrs. Debbie.  Madelyn loves being on Kid Crew with her.  Madelyn doesn't always believe in herself (wonder who taught her that?...oops...) but Mrs. Debbie believes in her and encourages her. 

27. Change.  It isn't always fun, but it is necessary.  I am always excited when a change is complete and I get to take in a whole new experience.

28. God is working on me and I am changing for the better!

Jason Gray - Remind Me Who I Am