Friday, July 29, 2011

Day 41 - 07.29.11

Where has the summer gone????

1. Braeden went "up da mountain" with Grannie & Peepop last night. I'm glad he has this last chance to spend time with them before school starts again.

2. I had a chance to putter around yesterday... I dragged B to Goodwill and found all kinds of things I could "fix." It was fun to imagine possibilities.

3. I am so glad I've only got one more semester left. For some reason, I'm really not looking forward to going back this time, so I am thankful I've only got a few months of this in front of me. Soon, it will be over!

4. Blue cheese. I love that stinky stuff!

5. My sweet cat, Fritz, was determined to sleep on my head last night. I swear he purred for an hour straight. I love that skinny little furball - he's got to be the sweetest cat I've ever seen. :)

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Day 40 - 07.26.11

1. I had the best time with Braeden last night. He curled up in my lap and we watched old X-Men cartoons on Netflix. I totally enjoyed my snuggle time!

2. After X-Men, we read Exodus 7 together. It's the beginning of the ten plagues, and Braeden was so interested in it that he wanted me to keep reading! I couldn't because my throat hurt, but I'm looking forward to reading together tonight. It did my heart good to see his interest. I've done a terrible job of teaching him about God, and I'm trying to do better.

3. It seems a lot of my gratitudes revolve around food... what does that say about me? ;) At any rate, I dug up an old recipe and made these uber-delish pumpkin muffins, and everybody dug in! Even Braeden liked them, which is saying something. I loved seeing my boys enjoy so much something I cooked. It's rare that we all like the same thing.

4. I'm thankful for the chance to work a few extra hours last week and this week.

5. I'm thankful that we were able to get all of Braeden's school supplies and enough clothes to at least start the year. Having a dress code for the first time meant a new wardrobe, but God provided enough for us to be able to get him what he needed.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Day 39 - 07.25.11

Mom fussed at me for not keeping up like I should be. Point taken, Mom. :)

1. I am thankful for my new church family @ HBC. It is so good to just to be with them; I never feel unwelcome or out of place.

2. I am thankful that Jeff has a stretch of four days off. He's worked awfully hard lately and I'm glad he gets a break.

3. I am thankful for the $23 pair of Nikes I found this weekend. I needed new ones so badly, and was thrilled for such an inexpensive pair.

4. I am thankful for the slight break in the heat. After heat indexes hitting well over 100, a temp of upper 80s feels nice!

5. I am thankful for my super-sweet little boy, who still cuddles with me and doesn't mind sitting in my lap. I know this almost-3rd grader will soon think he's too cool for that sort of thing, but I certainly do cherish it right now!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Day 38 - 07.20.11

1. I am thankful that summer doesn't last forever. It will be fall (and much cooler!) before we know it!

2. I am thankful for home-grown cherry tomatoes... especially since I didn't have to grow them!

3. I am thankful Jeff had the opportunity to hang out with some friends today. After the way he's worked so hard lately, he deserves a bit of a break.

4. I am thankful for the sweet secretary in the nursing school office, who helped me with paperwork that I sorta forgot to do on time.

5. I am thankful that I can at least still file for financial aid. Yes, it's going to be a little late, but at least I should still get it.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Day 37 - 07.19.11

So I might have gotten a little behind. Oops....

1. I am thankful that I've gone two weeks without having to refill the gas tank on my car. That is wonderful!

2. I finally had a chance to indulge my artistic side yesterday, and it felt so good to create something. I'm not the best at anything I do, but I manage to do fairly well, anyway, and I'm grateful that God gave us talents and abilities that could serve as an outlet for our tensions.

3. I got to see my bestest college buddy, Aimee (and her family) yesterday when they dropped in for their yearly trek from Illinois to Florida. I always enjoy our visits, even though they are brief.

4. God just keeps blessing HBC - providing needs in unexpected, yet often spectacular ways. Case in point: if we get the final approval to meet at David Brainerd Elementary, it will cost us 1/4th of what we were prepared to pay for East Hamilton High. How cool is that?

5. Money is excruciatingly tight right now, but I've been given the opportunity to work some extra hours this week and next. That little bit of cash will help a lot.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Day 36 - 07.12.11

1. I dragged Braeden with me to go shopping... we did a little dreaming at Hobby Lobby about how we'd like to decorate our own house someday. It was actually quite fun. Then we went to Office Depot to look at office furniture, and B had a blast "test driving" all the office chairs. I am thankful for his youthful exuberance, and the gentle reminder not to take life too seriously.

2. Air conditioning is wonderful, especially when it is so unbearably hot and sticky outside.

3. I finally located Dexter's hot spot medicine, and even thoug he's most cleared up at the moment, I am so glad to have that expensive stuff located to help him out when it comes back.

4. Braeden was watching Home Alone last night, and the sound of his giggles coming up from the basement made me smile. I love so much to hear his belly laughs.

5. Although I've still been busy, this week has felt more restful than any I've had in some time. For the first time all summer, it actually feels like summer break. Nice. :)

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Day 35 - 07.11.11

1. One of our cats went missing shortly after we moved. I called the vet office at the corner, thinking someone might have taken him there. Yesterday I received a call from a woman who thought she might have Spazz, and although it turned out not to be him, I was grateful that the veterinarian's office had passed along my info about the cat. Maybe, just maybe, he'll still turn up someday.

2. My living room now looks like a living room. Except for the five large bins of scrapbooks awaiting a cabinet of some sort, it actually looks pretty good. I'm looking forward to hanging pictures and adding a more personal touch.

3. Jeff took some overtime last night. I'm so grateful to him for working so hard for us.

4. One of my goodest friends is going to come up Sunday and we are going to see the new HP movie and then she's going to church at HBC with me - I'm sooo excited!

5. Jeff brought up a piece of my old, humongous, L-shaped desk that has a burn mark on it from where a candle sat too long - that I love anyway. There isn't room for the whole thing, but we were able to fit one "leg" of it into the corner. Add the nightstand from my bedroom suite that didn't quite fit into the room, and I have a reasonable place to work until we can afford a nice-looking desk. It's definitely a step up from using the old school desk from the 70s that I picked up at a thrift store for Braeden. I spend so much time at the computer that I really need a comfortable place to work.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Day 34 - 07.10.11

1. I have a couch and loveseat!!! (Thanks, Dawn & Jeff!!)

2. I finally found the handset to my phone. Now I don't have to irritate everyone in the house because I'm stuck on speakerphone.

3. We had a yummilicious lunch - chicken fajitas and homemade guacamole. Yum!

4. I did a little online shopping, and discovered that houses in my area are far more affordable than I'd realized. Maybe when we move in two years I will really be able to afford my own place. I am so excited at the prospect!

5. Last, but definitely not least - HBC got to meet in a building for the first time yesterday. It was so awesome to see our little group looking more and more like a church. Only nine more weeks till launch!!

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Day 33 - 07.09.11

1. I got to sleep in some. That was nice. :)

2. I finished reading a cool new book - Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. It's actually a young adult book, but really, really good. I *heart* reading.

3. I was absurdly lazy, and spent a good part of the day catching up on Doctor Who. I have really needed the time to rest.

4. Braeden came home from Grannie & Peepop's. I have missed him.

5. I found Peepop a new dog - all the way from Florida! He loves labradors and lab mixes, and a friend of mine from high school is hooking us up with a gorgeous lab mix from a shelter. I'm pretty excited about it. :)

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Day 32 - 07.08.11

1. I was able to get in some Bible study without too much interruption.

2. I had a nap. I have been so tired lately... doesn't feel like I can ever get caught up on my rest. The nap felt so good.

3. I discovered more episodes of Doctor Who on Netflix that I'd missed. Woot!

4. I'm grateful to Jeff for working so hard for us... and he almost never complains, even though I know he gets so tired sometimes.

5. I am thankful for our differences. Each and every one has unique quirks and personality, and that makes life so interesting!

Friday, July 8, 2011

Day 31 - 07.07.11

1. I finally have a working phone line!!!!

2. Our ladies' bible study was so great last night! I so appreciate these women, and their willingness to share with me in the areas that, despite having been a Christian most of my list, I am really quite clueless about.

3. I gave myself a birthday present - a totally new 'do! I've waited for several years to get my hair long enough that I could donate it to Locks of Love, and it finally got there. I have wanted to do that for ages, and I'm so thankful that my hair was finally healthy enough to be able to donate.

4. I am thankful that God included in his Book stories of people who struggled just like I do. I'm thankful I'm not the only one in history who's had hard questions. I'm thankful that I'm not the only only who had problems with doubt of fear. Mostly, I'm thankful that God is patient with me, and that He included stories of people like Gideon so that my faith could be strengthened.

5. I'm thankful that science and medicine have been able to deal with so many illnesses. Granted, we still have a long way to go, but it is easy to take for granted just how far we've come over the last few decades. I am grateful to God for giving us the creativity and intelligence to deal with the challenges we are faced with.

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Day 30 - 07.06.11

Wow... I've made it 30 days. I'm honestly a bit surprised at myself. And I have to admit, yesterday was an epic disaster. If it could have gone wrong, it did, and although the point of the daily gratitudes is to make thankfulness a habit, I struggled all day long with what my five gratitudes would be. It was just that bad. But here goes anyway!

1. Yesterday is over.

2. I took Braeden back to Kimball last night, and in the process got to see some friends that come in a few weeks out of the year from Florida. I nearly missed seeing them, but was grateful for the chance to visit a bit.

3. We got an unexpected refund on our water deposit. It wasn't a huge check, but it was still one bright spot in the day.

4. I saw one of my classmates @ Walmart yesterday. It was an unexpected surprise - she was the first person from school I've seen all summer.

5. I am thankful for family. Being able to gripe and moan a bit about my day to my Mom helped a little. I can always count on her willingness to listen.

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Day 29 - 07.05.11

1. I'm still really tired. I haven't quite recovered yet from the long study sessions and late nights of nighttime nursing classes. Thankfully, God is allowing me time to rest, and I was able to get a nap yesterday afternoon. It felt good.

2. Jeff & I went to eat with Mike and Jaime (the pastor and his wife). On Facebook, I saw that other members of our little church were also getting together to hang out. It really excites me to see the congregation just being together that way. I love the closeness of the relationships and I can't wait to see how they develop as time goes by.

3. I will admit that I don't see it, but I am really thankful that my husband thinks I'm beautiful and tells me on a regular basis.

4. Still no land line. Thankful I have a cell phone!

5. Thankful that Mom's first post-op appointment with the plastic surgeon went well. He took out one of her drains and said that everything is looking really good.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Days 26-28 - 07.02.11 - 07.04.11

Hopefully this will be my last lumped post for a while. I am home now and things should resume their semi-normal schedule (if there even is such a thing as "normal" in my life!)

1. Yesterday was my birthday. It was great - one of the best I've had in years. I stayed at Mom & Dad's until lunchtime (they fixed my favorite - bbq sandwiches, baked beans, potato salad, and strawberry cobbler). YUM!

2. Then I drove home through one heckuva thunderstorm - the rain-blowing-sideways, can't-see-three-feet-in-front-of-you type. Thankfully, we had a safe journey home anyway.

3. I got home, and had a rockin' good time with Jeff & B. We went to Olive Garden (one of my faves!), then saw Transformer (oh my wow!!!)

4. My little man fell asleep on my shoulder on the way home. So sweet!

5. I am so glad I was able to help Mom the last few days. I learned so much in the process that I can use in nursing school, and I think she was glad to have me, too.

6. I am also really glad to be home now. I missed Jeff.

7. Speaking of Jeff - he worked hard for me while I was gone. He fixed a curtain rod, took a bunch of junk down to the basement, and even cleaned up the mess in the kitchen that I hadn't had time to deal with before I left.

8. I'm really excited about what's going on with HBC. We needed $42,500 for our first payment for our startup supplies and materials. God did some pretty amazing stuff over the last week, because He pulled together almost $30K in just a few days - $10K over what we needed! How great is that???

9. I'm also really excited about the way God is growing our launch team. We're now at 30 people, and I just have this feeling that it's really going to start taking off now. I am soooo thrilled to have been a part of it from the beginning, because it's been such a faith-building experience to see how God's worked in this.

10. I struggle a lot with feeling unloved and unlovable. Dad & I were talking about it, and he gave me some advice of how to more easily make friends. I'm a lot like him, personality-wise, and I really look up to Dad. He's such a great leader. He shared with me some of the ways he overcame the same tendencies I have to be a social klutz. I'm really grateful to him for his advice.

11. My pets were so glad to see me. I'm grateful that God let some animals be our friends, and not just be for food or work.

12. God is showing me a lot through our ladies bible study. It's easy to assume that we are good because we don't commit the "major" obvious sins, such as stealing or murder or that sort of thing. But things like doubt and complaining are also sins, and they are the kind that do the most damage - yet we are blindest to them. I'm thankful for the people and books in my life that can point out to me the things I need to change about myself when I am too dense to see it.

13. In the words of Erma Bombeck: "You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness.  You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism." Glad I live in the good ol' U. S. of A. Maybe it's because my birthday is on Independence Day, but I have always felt a sense of pride in my country and my heritage. Although it saddens me to see the nation as a whole turn from God, I also take solace in knowing that there are still many of us here who love the Lord with all our hearts.

14. There may be someone who wants to buy some of my pictures! Dude!

15. I slept fairly well last night - in my own bed. I'm thankful to have a bed - especially one so cool as what I've got. Dad made it for us as a wedding present. I love it!

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Days 23-25 - 06.29.11 - 07.01.11

Here's another lumped post - you'll excuse me, right? After all, my mom had a mastectomy, and I've been putting my nursing skills to use to help take care of her. And since Mom has been the center of attention lately, she is also going to be the star of my gratitude posts.

1. I am extremely thankful that her surgery went well and so far her recovery has been uncomplicated.

2. I am thankful that she & Dad really like her doctors.

3. I am thankful for the day shift nurse who, on learning that I was a nursing student, spent time showing me how to take care of Mom and allowed me to do most of her care before she was discharged.

4. I am thankful that I was able to be there overnight in the hospital with Mom.

5. I am thankful to have the nursing classes that helped me to understand what the nurses said during report, and to have at least some idea of what to look for and what to do when it comes to taking care of Mom's drains and incisions.

6. I am thankful that Mom talked when she drove - by that I mean that she would say things like "right on red after stop," and those little verbal lessons have stuck with me even today.

7. I am thankful for all the hours we spent after dinner, with Mom washing the dishes and me drying them. I always enjoyed our talks during that time working together.

8. I am thankful that Mom loves to collect scrapbook stuff as much as I do, and that she's always been generous and made sure that I got stuff, too.

9. I am so very thankful that Mom passed along her love for reading to me. Right now I'm sitting in her study, which is literally filled to overflowing with books. If she has one, she has a thousand.

10. I am thankful for our daily conversations on the phone. We started that when I went to college, and I still talk to her almost every single day - often more than once!

11. I am thankful that she and Dad were compassionate enough to go through all the hassle of adopting my niece and nephew, to make sure they'd be cared for. It meant a significant sacrifice on their part, but I'm so glad they cared that much.

12. I am thankful that she always tries to have things I like to eat and drink when I come for a visit. Of course, I will probably forever tease her for the diet drinks down in the basement with an expiration date of 2007, but she tried, right? lol

13. I am thankful for all the time Mom spent when we were younger preparing for Sunday school classes. She made more visual aids than I can count, and was always such a help when I was the one teaching and needed an idea or two.

14. I am thankful for our shopping trips. Neither of us particularly enjoy shopping, unless the two of us can get together and hit the scrapbook stores and bookstores. It's even better in the wee hours of Black Friday, when we're both bleary-eyed and just barely alert enough to find whatever the must-have deal is.

15. I am thankful that Mom is also my friend. I love that I can always call her, whether I have a funny story to tell, need to let off some steam, or just cry a little. I'm also thankful that she does the same with me.