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

Day 21

The journey continues.  No one benefits from my chronic insecurity.  Day in and day out I am focused on making decisions based on what I know to be true about myself and not how I may feel.  I may only be on day 2 of making these conscious decisions, but already I stepped out of my comfort zone and gave it my all...and with confidence.

My 28 thanks:

1. I found what I think will be an amazing florist to do my sister's wedding flowers.

2. I got my teeth cleaned today, they are now squeaky clean.

3. My hygienist told me my teeth are gorgeous.  :)

4. Getting your teeth cleaned is more fun when you have spent two weeks getting to know the hygienists and assistants in the office. 

5. The dental office didn't have mint polish (which I request because the fake fruit flavored stuff is nasty!) so they used vanilla.  It was surprisingly refreshing, not at all terrible and it didn't gag me.  Yay!

6. Both my MIL and FIL had birthdays this week!  I have been blessed with the best in-laws ever!  It is such a blessing to be a part of their family.

7. My Stars girls are so full of life.  They are precious and I love teaching them!

8. Kind words of encouragement from friends.

9. Compliments!  I am hard on myself and I expect others to be hard on me too.  Compliments are good for the soul. 

10. My friend and teaching assistant, Amy, helps me so much.  She makes class more fun.  I can say random stuff in class and I can count on her to laugh. 

11. Leftovers made dinner easy and no one complained.

12. My three year olds are going to keep me busy this year, they have big personalities!

13. My 1st and 2nd grade ballet class went very smoothly. 

14. Zachary enjoyed his first soccer practice even though he left his water bottle at the dance studio.

15. My aunt celebrated her birthday on the 29th!  She is far from home and her kids as she lives with my grandpa to help take care of him and I know it is hard on her at times.  I am so blessed that she has been in my life in a greater capacity for a couple of years.

16. Moore is getting a Dairy Queen for the first time since the old one closed in 1998!  Too bad they won't still have their Dennis the Menace cups they used to use.  :)

17. Zachary enjoys watching old episodes of Goof Troop.  He laughs and laughs.  I love the sound of his laugh.

18. The Hillsong United CD Zion.  I have listened to it non stop since buying it two weeks ago. 

19. I love to listen to worship while I am working out...it really does keep me moving.

20. 5 day weekends!

21. The kids want nothing more than to spend the night with Grammy and Poppy.  I love that the love their grandparents.

22. I got in on the big soap sale at Bath and Body Works.  I love their fall scented soaps.

23. Zachary got to play at the play place at Sooner Mall.  He is almost to big. :(

24. Matt gets to spend part of his long weekend with friends. 

25. I laughed so hard at Duck Dynasty I almost cried.

26. Matt has a good job.

27. He supports me 100% as I pursue dental hygiene school.

28. It's only 2 months (and a couple of days) till my sister's wedding!