Thankful

 Just like that, in the blink of an eye, October flew by as did November. Halloween and Thanksgiving have come and gone. We're pretty much done with the SEC football season and flag football games. Cross country ended last month. We are halfway through baseball academy and hunting season. Every day flies by. And while I may botch up every other month with this blog, I usually nail it in November with daily "thankful" posts. As you can see, I didn't do that this year (but we got family pictures taken and Christmas cards ordered for the first time in years so there's that.) so I'll play catch up in one ginormous blog. Sit down, relax and count your blessings while you read all of mine/ours.

Day 1- Family time. We had surprised the boys with a Luke Bryan concert (E's favorite musical artist) then we spent the weekend, just the 4 of us, at deer camp. We got home Sunday in time to go trick or treating with friends. As the boys get older, it makes me cherish our family time together even more.

Day 2- Sleep. I deal with insomnia and neck pain so, on the rare occasion, that I sleep through the night and wake up feeling rested I am grateful.

Day 3- I am thankful that P is part of an active youth group. The youth pastor holds devotions before school twice a month. Every Wednesday night is jr high youth night (where he plays guitar in the worship band) and there are many other activities to keep the tweens encouraged and growing in their faith.

Day 4- Date nights with the boys. We try to make a conscience effort to do things with the boys 1:1 so they know how special they are. I got special 1:1 time with each boy this month as did Rob. We love that bonding time with them and don't take it for granted.

Day 5- Modern medicine. I have been diagnosed with dyshidrotic eczema, which causes my hands (especially my left one) to itch, crack and burn. It's an autoimmune disease but it's brought on by an allergy to metals. Over the past few years, I have tried multiple topical ointments to no avail. I finally, as a last ditch effort, tried Dupixent injections and that has been a game changer. Every two weeks Rob gives me an injection in my stomach and it has pretty much healed my hand. Yay for one less thing keeping me up at night!

Day 6- Lazy mornings. I am not good at sitting around. However, I really love lazy mornings, where I can enjoy a cup of hot coffee without being rushed out the door. I am an early riser but I like to take it slow when I wake up. I don't want to talk or do anything really, until I've had my cup of coffee. Unfortunately, as a full time teacher and mom of 2 active boys, getting up and out the door in a rush is usually how every morning starts.

Day 7- Friends. Throughout my life I have been blessed with awesome friends. Some friends are for a season and others are lifelong friends. Some live close by and I see them often, while others live in other states and I only see them once a year at best. But, no matter how often we see each other or talk, I am thankful for all the friendships the Lord has blessed me with.

Day 8- My nieces. I never thought I'd be an aunt, but I am so glad I was wrong. I get to FaceTime with them at least once a week and spoil them rotten. Unfortunately, I don't get to see them as often as I'd like but I'm still thankful for the strong bond we have.

Day 9- My Mother and Father in law. I have been blessed to marry into a great family. Both my mother and father in law love me unconditionally despite my flaws. They are some of the most non-judgmental people I have ever met and know no stranger. They love me like their own and I couldn't ask for better in-laws.

Day 10- Our oldest. He first made me a mom and I am so thankful for all that he brings to our lives. He is kind hearted, mannerly, loves sports, is musically talented and has a heart for the Lord. He is a great cuddler and foot massager. He is always asking how he can help me and is my road trip "ride or die". I can't imagine our lives without this sweet boy!

Day 11- A double dipper. Frist, I am thankful for our veterans who sacrifice so we can enjoy our freedom. I don't take that freedom for granted and I am so thankful for our soldiers. Second, I am thankful for my teaching tribe. I'm not gonna lie. This year has been a rough one. But, when push comes to shove, I know my co-workers are there for me. I had to rush out of my classroom at lunch yesterday due to P being in the ER with severe abdominal pain. My assistant principal stepped in to take over my class. My para helped with the everyday routines and took my bus duty after school. My teaching partner comforted me and got things together for my class to do. I am thankful that they ease the stress on a daily basis.

Day 12- Laughter and priceless memories. I flew to Cali for a memorial service and got to spend the weekend with my parents. On Friday my mom and I picked my aunt up and spent the morning shopping. Then we grabbed lunch from our favorite hole in the wall Mexican dive and played several rounds of Uno. I am thankful for the precious time we spent together and my only regret is that it didn't last longer.

Day 13- Celebration of life. Last month my good friend's husband passed away from ALS. This month my friend's 17 year old son died 2 days after getting his license when he overcorrected his car and slammed into a tree. Both lives were cut too short and left a void in a lot of peoples' lives. But I am thankful that we can celebrate their lives. I am also thankful that we can grieve and comfort each other during this difficult time as well.

Day 14- Modern transportation. I often think back to my childhood and my grandparents. I did not have a strong bond with my dad's parents because they lived in Illinois and flying was a luxury that we couldn't always afford. My mom's parents lived within driving distance but it was an all day road trip full of lots of winding roads. Today when I want to go somewhere that's longer than a road trip I simply get online and book my flight. Within hours I can get wherever I want/need to go. I am so thankful for that convenience. 

Day 15- My parents. I have such a strong bond with them and am so thankful for all that they've done for me throughout my lifetime. They have demonstrated unconditional love in their 49 years of marriage. They daily put the Lord first in their lives. They both have a servant's heart and love giving to/helping others. They spoil their grandchildren and are very hands-on grandparents. I am so blessed to call them mine!

Day 16- Extracurricular activities. I am thankful beyond words that our boys were not brought up playing video games. They don't have much desire to play them. They both would rather be outside and are on a daily basis. They are involved in football, cross country and baseball. They both play musical instruments and are very good at playing their respective instrument. I love that they don't sit around and watch life pass them by!

Day 17- Our youngest. For awhile we thought P may be an only child. But, as he's done since the beginning, our youngest surprised us. He is quick-witted and has made us laugh since he was an infant. He's a natural athlete and loves playing every sport. He gives 110% in everything he does and enjoys learning new things. He's a huge help in the kitchen and often asks to help make meals. He gives the best hugs and writes the sweetest notes. Our lives would be very boring without him!

Day 18- My younger brother. He is a great brother, who FaceTimes us regularly to check in. He's an awesome dad, always patient with his girls. I am in awe of how he parents and strive to be more like him with his parenting style. He is a great uncle and always makes time for the boys. I am thankful for the role he's played in my life and how he's become such a good friend to me over the years.

Day 19- Thanksgiving break. I am thankful for a week off to rejuvenate and relax.

Day 20- My gym. When I found out last year, around this time, that I won a free one year membership to Fit Body Bootcamp, I didn't understand the magnitude of how much it would change my life. I just knew I needed a change in my lifestyle. I am so thankful for this gym, the coaches who pour so much into each client, my workout buddies who hold me accountable and the family it has become over the past year of my life. 20 pounds down and I feel better than I have in 10+ years!

Day 21- My brother in law. He is quick-witted, a phenomenal singer and doesn't think twice about helping others. The boys love using him as a jungle gym and I love our "dates" to El Som, where we catch up on life, just the two of us. I am thankful for the brother that he is to me.

Day 22- YEC. I am thankful that P asked me to be a chaperone at a local youth conference. It was a great 48 hours spent building friendships and drawing closer to the Lord. My favorite part of the entire time was listening to about 5000 tweens/teens sing old hymns. What a special time in God's Word and bonding with the jr high group! My favorite quotes from the weekend: "People can argue your opinion, but they can't argue your testimony. Your testimony is your most powerful tool." and "God loves you unconditionally. That doesn't mean He loves your sin unconditionally."

Day 23- Hot meals. P and I decided to drive separate from the vans heading back to church. We didn't want donuts for breakfast. We wanted to stop at Cracker Barrel for a hot meal. The restaurant was short staffed and it took way longer than anticipated for our meals. But we were thankful for the waitress who chose to come to work that morning and serve us. And I was thankful for the hot meal I enjoyed because I know a lot of people don't get to enjoy that luxury.

Day 24- A 2 vehicle household. After Hurricane Ida, our neighborhood had a lot of debris piles. With those debris piles came unwanted guests. A mama rat decided that Rob's truck would be a great, warm place to have her babies. The family of rats caused THOUSANDS of dollars worth of damage to his truck. It was in the shop for over a month as insurance dragged their feet in approving the repairs. We did our best to make it as a 1 car family. But I am so thankful that we now have Rob's truck back. You don't realize what a blessing conveniences are until you don't have them!

Day 25- Family and feasts! I'm not good at relaxing and taking it easy. But there's not a lot to do at deer camp so it forces me to do nothing. Today I am thankful that I relaxed all day, spent time with family and enjoyed the best feast I've had with them. I was fat and happy all day!

Day 26- Time with friends who are more like family. This morning I got up and drove a couple hours to meet up with one of my closest friends and her parents. We enjoyed lunch at Olive Garden and got to catch up in life...in person instead of over the phone. I got to give them lots of hugs and share lots of laughter. I am so thankful for friends who are more like family than friends!

Day 27- Christmas magic. Our elf, Shooby, made his appearance this morning. And with him came the Christmas magic that I enjoy every year. The boys love finding him and laughing over his pranks. For 9 years, he's created memories for our boys' childhoods that, hopefully, they'll remember for a lifetime.

Day 28- 4-legged family members. As I write this, our boy is frustrating me because he's being a social butterfly with the neighborhood dogs instead of listening. Our mutts drive me crazy and are so quirky. But they also make us laugh and love us unconditionally. When I've had a long week, Rebel will climb up on the couch and cuddle next to me, keeping me warm and helping me doze off. I am so glad we rescued them and that they are members of our family.

Whew, if you're still reading, thanks for sticking it out with me. Although, I am thankful for everyone and everything in our lives, I have saved the best two blessings of my life for last. Hopefully I won't get too sidetracked by life to blog about them. Stay tuned to see what/who they are.......

A few pictures of our many blessings in life: