Thankful

Thankfulness in review.....

21st - Today I'm thankful for our church. Matt and I worked on the children's ministry during service today as parent helpers...also known as crowd control.  This ministry meets the elementary students where they are, with messages that they can relate to, and gets the kids excited about God and church. They have a variety of mission projects in which the kids can participate, which helps them think beyond the borders of this town, which I think is wonderful!

20th - Today I'm thankful that the Aggies had yet another great win over Nebraska. I'm amazed at the outpouring of support by the Ags...we broke both the TAMU attendance record AND the college football student attendance record. And managed to win without scoring a touchdown. And haven't allowed a touchdown in 6 quarters. I love this school, love being an Aggie, and am so very thankful that this is where God wants me to be right now!

19th - I'm thankful for music. I attending the Skillet/TobyMac concert last night and it was such a wonderful event! My vision of heaven is one where I can praise God while jamming out and dancing....much in the same manner as we did last night, only on a much grander scale.

18th - I'm once again thankful that I am an Aggie. Today marks the 11th anniversary of the Bonfire collapse where 12 Aggies lost their lives. I can't believe it's been 11 years, because I can remember so much about that day like it was only yesterday. Running downstairs in our fourplex to wake up Jules to tell her, phone calls, trips to the hospital, floods of emails from students....the memories. I'm saddened by how much it seems that campus has changed since then...there's a part of the Aggie culture that's gone forever now. But I'm thankful to be part of a university where, regardless of what side of the Bonfire issue you land, there's no question about the support we have for each other....in good times and in bad. Always remember.

17th - Today I'm thankful for a daughter who is growing and thriving! Jacey had her 4-month check up today (there will be a separate post solely for this check-up) and she's doing wonderfully!

16th - Today I'm thankful that there are individuals out there doing exactly what God wants of them. For example, Kellen had the meet the coach night tonight and I was reminded of the incredible time commitment some folks invest to work with my kids. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

15th - Today I'm thankful for a job where people care enough about me and my health to buy light covers for the lights in my office that are supposed to reduce migraines. They were installed today and my office is lit, but much dimmer than it has been for the last 6+ years.

14th - I'm thankful for quiet and restful Sunday afternoons. The kind of days where, after church, one kid naps, the other works on Sparks and practices his scripture, and you sit in a chair holding your infant, doing your Bible study, while the TV plays (or doesn't...whatever) in the background and you just ENJOY EACH OTHER AND THE MOMENT. There is a reason God designed a day of rest...and I would be well-served to remember that more often!


13th - I'm thankful today for my in-laws. I am so fortunate not to have any of the somewhat 'normal' (but oh-so-unfortunate) in-law issues that many folks seem to face nowadays. They love me as if I was one of their own kids, and adore my children...doing for our family so often and spoiling not only the kids, but me! Today, thank you for the sunglasses, shoes, top and pretty toes!!
--As a bonus thankful...I'm thankful that the Aggies pulled off a win over the Baylor Bears!
--I'm also thankful for the brownies, ice cream and chocolate syrup that helped me through watching the bizarreness that was that football game!

12th - I'm thankful for hot chocolate on a cool day. Shallow perhaps, but it's nice to take time to be thankful for the little things, right?

11th - Today I'm thankful for veterans. Those folks who give of themselves so that I, and others around me, can do whatever it is that we do. A I would like to give a special thank you to my countless uncles and counsins who have served and are serving, and a specific thank you to my daddy (Air Force) and my hubby (Marine).

10th - I'm thankful today that Kellen is meeting with our paster to discuss getting baptized. He's not a perfect kid, but I'm not a perfect mom and we certainly don't live in a perfect world. It's a good thing we both realize that the one good and perfect person in the world died for us!

9th - I'm thankful that, right now, my kids get along wonderfully. I am under no illusion that this will always be the case, but I'm sure enjoying it now! (Note: this is not to say that they don't fuss with each other, but they genuinely like each other, and I can't ask for more!)

8th - I'm thankful that on a cool day, with iced and foggy windshields, that I have a vehicle. One that fits all my kids, their car seats/booster seats and their gear. One that fits a few more people, even with my family loaded. One that starts regularly. One that has working brakes (odd thankful, you might think...except in high school my boat didn't always have reliable brakes and I'm always thankful when brakes work consistently). One that is, in general, in good working order. One that gets me from point A to point Z (not B, because I have 3 kids and there is no such thing as a simple trip any more).

7th - I am thankful for friends. Friends that you see a lot, and those that you don't. Friends that no matter how long it has been since you've seen them or talked, when you do it's as if no time has lapsed at all. Friends that you don't have to clean your house for. Friends that know you inside and out, and still love you. Friends that call you to the carpet and hold you accountable.

6th - I am thankful that I went to A&M. I am part of a culture unlike any other. One where a ring and a common experience connects you to others. It's a large network and a small world, and I love running into Ags wherever I go. I'm looking forward to the football game tonight. Gig 'em, Aggies!

5th - I'm thankful for my job. I love, love, love my job. I get to interact with students every day all day, and it keeps me young (not that I'm old or anything, just to clarify). As an advisor, I meet students where they are and help them move to where they need to be. It's a longer journey for some than others, but I love the adventures along the way. God continually confims to me that I'm exactly where He wants me to be, doing what He wants me to be doing. And can it get any better than that?

4th - I am thankful for Jacey. She's the child I never knew I always wanted. Our oops baby. And I can't imagine our life without her. She's a sweet baby. An easy going baby. A baby who will clearly communicate to you when something is wrong (when she's wet, dirty, hungry, etc), but other than that will just laugh and smile at you. She has a great laugh. She has a wonderful smile. My heart melts when she looks at me and smiles that big ole smile of hers and coos to me. She loves her brother and sister, and loves snuggling with all of us. I love her precious baby smell...the smell that makes me want to just inhale her hair and skin because it smells so wonderful. I would be content to sit and hold her for hours - and she would let me. She has baby soft hands and a strong grip, and I'm reminded that she's been entrusted to me to raise when she grabs hold of my finger and doesn't let go. She's not quite as adventurous and her brother and sister, not liking it too terribly much when Daddy plays with her in his rough-and-tumble daddy way. In that respect she is very different than her siblings. She's made me throw some of my 'I'll never....' out the window, and that's ok. She still doesn't sleep through the night, VERY different from her brother and sister, who were doing so consistently at 6 and 7 weeks old, and that's ok, too. She's brought out a protective nature in Kellen and Tatum that I don't think existed in this magnitude before, and I love to watch them both interact with her. I'm so glad that God knows what I need way more than I do, and I'm glad that He decided we needed another kiddo!

3rd - I'm thankful for Tatum. She's a wonderful mixture of girly girl, complete with all things pink and beautiful long hair, and tomboy. She'll be the first to try something out, slide down a huge slide, zip line right there with the 'big kids' and shake it off when she has a bump or bruise. She's stubborn and strong willed, which will serve her well later in life when she has to stand up for what she believes in. She loves making Mommy and Daddy proud, which she did yesterday when she got a wonderfully awesome Happy Note from school. She adores her brother, and wants to do everything he does. She dotes on her sister, wanting to help with her, hold her, give her lots of hugs and kisses and even share her toys. She loves to play dress up. She loves her stuffed animals and her lovey, and she loves, loves, loves to read. She likes coloring, crafts, and playing with Play-doh. She likes cats (which is odd because we don't have one and she's rarely been around then) and acts like a kitty cat quite often. She loves tea parties and playing in her kitchen. She reminds us to say night-night prayers with her and gets upset if we forget and is the first to say our 'good morning' prayers on the way to school. Despite the current discipline issues Matt and I seem to be having with her, she is a great little girl and I'm so blessed to have her!

2nd - I'm thankful for my son. He's all boy. He likes to play sports and try different things. He has an amazing and compassionate heart. (His Sunday school class is collecting toys, so he decided to go through them and prep some to donate to kids in the hospital because 'they need toys to play with in the hospital, and I have other toys'. He tried to convince his sister to do the same, telling her, "Giving things to other kids will make your heart happy!") He loves the Lord and was saved last week, and will soon be speaking with our pastor about getting baptized. He got upset at a kid at school for drawing a picture of Jesus in the clouds getting shot and falling to the earth, because "...you shouldn't draw things like that about Jesus and it really made me upset". He's smart - super smart. He likes to invent and build things (like robots out of cardboard). He loves to read. He likes superheroes. Did I mention he loves to read? His book of choice at night is his Sparks book or his Bible. He gives hugs and kisses for no reason. He plays with his sister(s) and puts up with Tatum's antics. He makes lunches for Tatum (and sometimes me) every day...he helps her with breakfast and helps with Jacey as much as he possibly can. I am so blessed and thankful to have the son I do!

1st - I'm thankful that I've been saved by a God who knows me and loves me anyway. One who loved me so much that He sent His perfect Son to die for all the yucky things I have done, ever will do, or even think about doing. One whose love won't change no matter what I do - or don't do.