Day 22 - 06.28.11

1. Finally! The living room & dining room are done! Well, except for the boxes that Jeff is going to carry to the basement, and the necessary addition of a new desk (I'm currently working from a very old elementary-school-style desk that I picked up at a thrift store for Braeden). It's as done as I can get it, and that is a good thing. I even vacuumed! lol

2. Two of the girls in the youth group @ Kimball were baptized last night.

3. Dexter's hot spots are finally healing up, and Fritz (one of my cats) seems to have healed from his battle wounds as well.

4. I'm so grateful that Braeden has Grannie & Peepop, and that he's been able to spend a few days with them this week. They have quite the Mutual Admiration Society going on. :)

5. Every day I'm getting a better sense of where I am and where things are. I know you have to be laughing at me, but I have the worst sense of direction, and I am so glad that I have the summer to get my bearings before the craziness of back-to-school hits.

Day 21 - 06.27.11

1. Fresh pineapple!!!

2. I can actually see the living room. Except for a pile of boxes that are too big for me to carry downstairs by myself, it's pretty much furniture-ready.

3. The problems with the phone line are driving me crazy. Since the 15th, I've had exactly one and a half days that the phone line actually worked. (For some bizarre reason, the internet is cooperating.) In my eleven-millionth call to customer service, they told me that I wouldn't have to pay for all the time the line was down. That was a good thing. Also, the CS reps were more helpful cooperative than usual.

4. In reference to #3 - I am really thankful I have a cell phone!

5. I am so thankful that my husband works so hard for our family. His job can be a stress and a strain, but I am so glad that he finally found something he truly loves to do.

Day 20 - 06.26.11

1. I finally got a little cooking done. Granted, I didn't get to grill like I wanted b/c of the flaky weather, but the chicken got cooked before it spoiled, and I managed not to overcook it (like I so often do when I bake it)

2. I tried a different route than usual to bible study, and it backfired. Now I know which way not to go. :)

3. I feel blessed to be able to give. I don't have much, but I don't want to be stingy with what I do have, either.

4. I've only got one semester of school left! (yikes!) Just one more semester of stress and craziness before I get to start a totally new career. I'm terrified and thrilled all at the same time - and thankful that I was even able to get into the nursing program in the first place!

5. I had a relatively lazy weekend. It was nice not to be crazy-busy for a couple of days.

Day 19 - 06.25.11

1. I was really lazy. That was a welcome change from all the busyness of late.

2. I went exploring and now have a slightly better sense of where things are. I also found a Big Lots - cool! - that may have some shelving that will fit my needs.

3. The weather was better - warm, but not oppressively hot, either.

4. I'm thankful for Jeff, who was very sweet when I was feeling rather down.

5. I have been uncertain as to where I could exercise - this house is old and the floor creaks when you walk across it, so working out upstairs could potentially wake the whole neighborhood! The basement isn't really an option because the ceiling is too low. So I decided to give it a try in the living room, and even though I was certain I must have sounded like a herd of elephants, I didn't wake up Jeff. Even when the furniture is in place, I'll still have more space than I have before. Yay!

Day 18 - 06.24.11

Think I can keep this up for a month????

1. B wanted ice cream, so I got him Moose Tracks, and then found Starbucks Java Chip on sale! Woot!

2. I got a lot of unpacking done. I can actually see the living room now.

3. B had a new chapter book that he loved. He kept coming in the room and reading excerpts he found to be particularly funny. I loved hearing him read and hearing him giggle like that!

4. The phone is out (again) but my internet is working well and consistently.

5. I enjoyed such good meals yesterday - a salad with strawberry, blue cheese, bacon, and hot viniagrette; the aforementioned Java Chip ice cream; and a baked potato with bacon, blue cheese, and sour cream (can you tell what I'm craving lately? lol). I'm so thankful that God provides such a variety of food not only to nourish us but also for us to enjoy!

Day 17 - 06.23.11

1. I have a kitchen full of healthy food (not counting the five bags of chips that Jeff & B bought, of course!)

2. When you ask God to show you what you need to change about yourself, He will defintely answer that prayer! It's not always comfortable, but it's one that you can count on always being answered! lol

3. The weather yesterday evening was breezy and pleasant, which made it much more pleasant to sit in my car the two times it wouldn't start.

4. The car did cooperate when I needed to be somewhere on time.

5. Dexter's hot spots are looking a little better. Hopefully I'll find his medicine today.

Day 16 - 06.22.11

1. I have fully functional phone and internet service!!!!!

2. We had a great time last night - dinner with friends can't be beat!

3. If I can get enough stuff moved, I should be able to get my new-to-me sofa & loveseat this weekend.

4. The rain is much needed, and it's cooled things off a bit.

5. It's nice and quiet right now. I truly love and appreciate peaceful moments like this.

Day 15 - 06.21.11

So today is a struggle... it's been a rotten day. Maybe this will be a good exercise, eh?

1. Jeff actually got to work. He's been on call the last three scheduled nights - not so good.

2. The phone & internet may have been down all night, but at least the power didn't go out with the storm.

3. I got a lot of unpacking done. We piled all the boxes in the living room, and I think there might actually be a place for a couch in there after all - which, by the way, I hope to pick up this weekend.

4. I found the last bit of missing kitchen items - the ever-crucial cutting boards and pots & pans. I needed those pretty badly!

5. Braeden was really cute last night, saying "yes ma'am" and "please may I" and other such sweet things. Love that kid.

Day 14 - 06.20.11

1. In the process of moving, I found my debit card. It had been missing for some time, but I knew it had to be in my car somewhere... Turns out it had been in my car - in a grocery bag that I carried around for a while before moving to my closet. I'm just really glad I had enough sense to look through the stuff in the bag before I threw it away!

2. As ridiculous as it sounds, there is something oddly comforting about having a stove and dishwasher nearly identical to my previous set. It means I don't have to figure out how to best load a new one. (Yes. It's the little things that make me happy! lol)

3. We're having a fine time exploring the area. Last night we went to an ice cream place called Bruster's that was quite tasty, and I showed Braeden his new school. I've found a Big Lots that I didn't know was here, plus lots of other favorite restaurants (like Bojangles!) and other stores that are pretty close as well.

4. I am so glad there's not a deadline to UNpack.

5. I found the book we are using for our women's Bible study. Now I have two days to catch up!

Days 9-13 - 06.15-19.11

I have been out of touch the last few days with the move, so I'm playing catch-up. Here are five days' worth of gratitudes, all crammed into one post. I promise to be back on track tomorrow!

1. I'm done. The move is over. (Except that I will have to go back to get the wind chimes that didn't make it on the truck.)

2. All four of our pets made it safely here and are adjusting.

3. It took a few tries, but I finally got the internet up and running in time to go back to work as scheduled. The land line isn't working, but it's nowhere near as critical as the internet service.

4. I have assignments for my last semester of nursing school that can be completed before school starts in August. This is a huge relief, and will take off so much pressure and stress later on.

5. After much poking and prodding, I am going to finally start building my portfolio as a photographer. Leave a comment and I'll pass along info about a great deal!

6. We received such a warm welcome in Chattanooga! It's been so nice to feel wanted and appreciated. Our friends at Harvest were truly excited to have us in town.

7. I found the local Wal-Mart(s)! They are are enormous!!!

8. I am ten minutes from school, fifteen minutes from the hospitals, and twenty minutes from Harvest. That is so nice.

9. The kitchen sink at the new house has great water pressure - enough to sufficiently power the spray nozzle. Now I can wash my hair in the sink when I need to!

10. Thankful for Scott, Charlie, Kevin, Tony & Ann, and Mom & Dad for helping us with the move. We'd never have made it without their hard work!

11. My car cooperated for most of the moving transit. I think it only refused to start once.

12. The boys have their "man cave" and they think it's the coolest thing since sliced bread. I'm not sure I understand the appeal of hanging out in an unfinished basement, but Jeff & Braeden seem to love it, so I'm happy.

13. Although I know it will difficult to find a place for all my stuff, God seems to have answered my prayer for contentment with the situation. I really am at peace with it, despite my initial misgivings.

14. I have fruit and vegetables in the house. For weeks I've been eating out of the pantry or grabbing fast food. My body was screaming for fruits & veggies, and I finally have some!

15. My piano made it here in one piece, and there is even room for it after all.

16. My old desk won't fit, and we haven't the money yet to order the one we want - but I have a nice spot to work at the table by the window. I like it.

17. I like the wall colors in this house. The living room is chocolate brown, the dining room is a lovely red, the bedroom is a grayish-plum, and the kitchen is a light tan. Soooo much more interesting than walls that are all the same color.

18. We had a really nice Father's Day. We ate CiCi's for lunch, caught a matinee of Green Lantern, and then went to Harvest for church. It was such a wonderfully pleasant Sunday.

19. Braeden has such a sweet Daddy. I'm so grateful to have married a man who loves his son as much as Jeff does.

20. Chattanooga already feels like home, even though we've only been here three days. I didn't really expect this to be the case, but it just feels right to me. We might actually put down roots and stay here in Chattanooga.

21. I had feared that my asthma would become a problem again, since this is a much older house than I've lived in for a while and I tend to have problems in older homes. Thankfully, it doesn't seem to be flaring up again.

22. I am so grateful for my dad - he is such a godly man, and he has always been there for me. He is generous to a fault and I am so thankful for his example.

23. Between the black-out shades and the black-out curtains in our room, it is almost pitch-black in there in the middle of the day. This means Jeff can sleep well during the day, and the lights from the cars won't bother me at night.

24. My bed seems to be doing just fine on the bed risers. As heavy as it is, I was afraid it might not do well on the plastic boxes, but so far it's holding. Soon I'll start figuring out how to get my scrapbook stuff underneath it.

25. I found my Bible! I was feeling so lost without it, and I could not remember where I'd packed it! This morning I found it in my backpack, where I'd put my laptop. I'm so glad to have it back - never thought I'd miss it so much!

That's all, folks! Tomorrow will be back to the regularly scheduled gratitudes. :)

Day 8 - 06.14.11

Wow. I am really tired! This week has been some kinda crazy!

1. Jeff got put on call - not great, but he had signed up for overtime this week, so he'll at least get his regular pay.

2. Because Jeff was on call, he was able to come back to Marion County to grab a load of stuff to take back to the new house, which was hugely helpful to me.

3. Braeden's room is completely packed. There's only about one box left of stuff in the kitchen, and my office is almost done, too.

4. I found some medicine for Dexter's (my golden retriever) hot spots. I am starting to think that the flea treatment actually made matters worse. Poor guy is constantly itching, but he seemed to love the balm I put on his skin.

5. It's been fun to "discover" things I'd forgotten I had - like letters from Nanny, pictures Braeden had drawn, and other assorted fun knickknacks and such.

Day 7 - 06.13.11

1. I am making progress on the packing. There's still a lot to do, but I'm in better shape than I'd expected to be.

2. I found a desk that will fit our needs, look good, and isn't terribly expensive. Whew!

3. My dog is so sweet. I am his person, and he is pretty much devoted to me. :)

4. Coffee. I think I've used this one before, but since I was up until after 1am packing, I am really thankful this morning (again) for coffee.

5. My husband is so precious. He's bending over backwards to try and help me figure out a way to set up my scrapbook stuff. He even put his clothes and shoes in the basement so I could have as much space as possible upstairs. How sweet is that?

Day 6 - 06.12.11

What a day!

1. Thankful for the sweetness of a little boy who was terribly generous to my little boy.

2. Thankful that God answered our need for a couch. We'd about decided to get a cheap futon at Wal-Mart, because we couldn't find anything quite in our price range that we liked enough to actually purchase. As it turned out, we now have a sofa and loveseat that are exactly what I would have chosen if my budget hadn't been an issue! Not only did God provide, but He also gave me my heart's desire!

3. My car started every time I needed it to today!

4. The first round of boxes has been unloaded at the house, and I even squeezed in a quick grocery run (since Jeff is staying there this week instead of driving all the way back to Marion County).

5. So grateful that the owners of our new rent house went to great lengths to clean it and take care of things before we moved in. It is going to take so much pressure off of me.

Day 5 - 06.11.11

1. A gullywasher of a rainstorm
2. New bagless vacuum cleaner

3. "rock-out" songs (Braeden's term)
4. All the cool furniture my dad has made for us over the years

5. By the end of this week the move will be over (and my stress level significantly reduced - I hope!)

Day 4 - 06.10.11

I have to admit, today is a bit of a struggle for me. I'm tired and grumpy and feeling really overwhelmed and decidedly ungrateful... so don't laugh it if seems like I'm stretching here, okay?

1. I am thankful that my cats adore my dog. In fact, he is the first "person" they come to when they walk in the door. Dexter never complains about the attention, either - he just sniffs them and occasionally returns a head-butt. It's cute on a ridiculous level, and never fails to make me smile in a gooey, mushed-out sort of way.

2. I will have two refrigerators in our new rent house, plus room for a freezer. It will be so nice when school starts again to be able to cook twice a month and store all the food in the freezers. I can't tell you how long I've wished I had room for a chest freezer, and while there isn't room for much of anything else, I can definitely put that freezer in the basement!

3. We'll have a fenced-in back yard, so Dex can run loose for a change. After our current crazy neighbor killed at least one (and probably two) of our dogs, I've been scared to death to ever let poor Dex off his leash. Now he'll be able to get some exercise.

4. No TV. I realize how strange that sounds... we currently have an older big-screen TV that simply won't fit in the living room, so Jeff is going to put it in his "man-cave" in the basement. Eventually we'll buy a flat-screen to go over the fireplace, but that's going to be a few months out. This means I won't have to listen to the TV for at least a little while. It really grates on my nerves; I prefer peace and quiet, or at most, Christian talk radio. Years ago I got used to not having cable or satellite, and I still prefer it that way.

5. I get my thyroid medicine refilled tomorrow, which hopefully will make me a little less tired and a lot less grumpy.

Day 3 - 06.09.11

1. I am glad that my car decided not to start in the cool of the day instead of the middle of the afternoon. It would have been miserable to sit in the stuffy car for ten minutes while the system rebooted had it been any earlier in the day. Now I have a moment of peace to reflect (and not sweat too much!) and yes, I am writing this post while I wait!

2. I am thankful for a great time of Bible study with sweet, godly women.

3. Books! What a great treasure we have in words and stories!

4. So glad for the Internet that lets me stay connected with people I would otherwise had lost touch with long ago.

5. Payday is good. :)

Day 2 - 06.08.11

Since gratitude moments can come at any point in the day, I've decided to schedule my posts for 8 AM with my thanksgivings for the previous day. Seems to make sense to me, anyway. 

1. I am extremely thankful for air conditioning. 'nuff said.

2. At work tonight, Jeff was given the Rapid Response Team pager. This is a first for him, and a big deal. I'm so proud of him, and so thankful for the way he works so hard for both his patients and his family.

3. I'm thankful for relationships that are strong enough to withstand a major trial. I love you, and you know who you are! :)

4. I love quirky T-shirts that make people laugh. Besides being fun to wear, it's so neat to be able to watch others smile when they realize what your shirt says! Case in point: Expressions of Vader

5. Today was a good day in a long series of really tough days. Just made me feel like singing praises to God - which I did, while also thanking God that nobody else was around to hear me!


"I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify Him with thanksgiving." Psalm 69:30

Day 1 - 06.07.11

1. Cats that knead their paws on your belly and purr really loud.

2. Listening to my son read aloud.

3. Finding something rather expensive that was feared to be lost.

4. Chocolate chip pancakes

5. A husband who loves the Lord - and loves me, too.

An introduction ... and explanation

I'm reading a book by James MacDonald called Lord, Change My Attitude before It's too Late. One of the first attitude adjustments is to replace a complaining spirit with a thankful one. I freely admit that I am a pessimist and this is an area that really needs some attention. At the end of the first section is a fill-in-the-blank for the things for which I am grateful. Instead of writing them and hiding them away, I thought I would share in a more public manner.

Knowing me, some will be serious, and a lot will be silly. I may give an explanation for some of my more bizarre blessings, and others will be more self-explanatory. However, on each day I will express my gratitude to God as well, since He is the creator of all that is good.

Please feel free to join me. I'd love to know what makes your heart sing!


"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (ESV)