Thankfulness: Day 8

Every day we get to get ready, load up and carpool all together to work/school. Fridays are Tonys day off and I get up and leave while my sweet boys sleep. I get texts and pictures from Tony through the day telling me they miss me and seeing their sweet smiles and sweet daddy-son moments from their day.

Going back to work is and has been my hardest decision since becoming a mom. Staying home with my son was harder than I ever expected it to be - but it was sweeter too! I miss getting to watch him all day long; watch him play and figure things out, learn something new everyday. I miss cuddling with him in the mornings and after naptime. I miss sharing lunch and snacktime. I even miss catching up on housework during his naps. My sweetest moments of my days were sitting on the floor with a cup of coffee next to me and Grayson on my lap while we watched Disney channel....

This summer Tony and I started to budget and pray for what and how God would provide provisions for us.  He answered us so clearly that I needed to go back to work for this season. So I began the job hunt for a few months - constantly discouraged with each unanswered email or application. God answered my prayer for a job in my obedience to go back to work.  He knew that this season would not come easy for me.... and He so sweetly provided me a job here at Houston's First Baptist so that I could be nearer my husband, carpool as a family and be surrounded by Christ followers who would encourage and support me.

I still miss everything about being home with Grayson... but I'm learning to appreciate things about working too.  It is only by God's grace that we were able to find a little church academy for Grayson to attend that was affordable by our budget and between work/church and home. Grayson has learned SO MUCH in the few short weeks that he has attended and made many friends.  Tony gets to have Fridays alone with his son to bond, which he didn't get before. And I am being able to make new friends and get "out there" more.

I have easy days and hard days, good and bad, about leaving for the office all day everyday.... But on the easy/good days - I will praise and thank God. On the hard to leave and bad days, I will still praise and thank God for this job!

I will choose to be thankful for this job that God graciously provided for me. I will choose to be thankful for God's will in me going back to work.  And I will patiently and joyfully wait on the Lord to call me back home to my child (and some-day-future children).

Thankfulness: Day 7

Now more than ever I am so very thankful for my MOM.

I have always had such a close relationship with my momma. It was just the two of us for so long, I took for granted what I had.  My mom and I had a running monthly "mom/daughter date" for as long as I could remember.  We'd go out to eat or get coffee/dessert, walk the park... It was never anything big or eventful, just talking (nonstop) - catching up on life and lessons learned.... I will never ever forget those moments; and will always be incredibly thankful for them. My mom became my very best friend in those moments... not many middle school or high school girls get to have that and I am so thankful that I did. I knew that whatever I did, no matter how big I messed up - my mom would always be there to talk to, no judgment or condemnation, just a listening ear, shoulder to cry on and constant encouragement. My mom has always been my biggest cheerleader and supporter.  I'm not saying she did everything right, what mom has?... but her presence and constant just "being there" for me... I am so thankful I had that - have that.

Now that I'm a mom, I am even more so thankful for her. Hearing her tell of how I was as an infant and toddler and how much she cared for me (I was a high maintenance baby) - I am in amazement at her and her strength. She did it alone. She cared for a colic-y baby on a heart monitor needing constant supervision and care and doctor/hospital visits alone. I am thankful for her commitment to me and her strength to be a single parent in those early days.  On days when Grayson is hard to handle - I think of my mom and push through it. I'm thankful I have her to look to on the hard days.



I'm thankful that because of the great relationship I had with my mom, I have a strong drive to have that with my own children! Oh that they would want to talk to me and share with me their secrets. I pray that I can have that special relationship with my children - that I could walk around the park with my son and talk of life and point him to Christ. Thank you mom for all you did and do and will do with my children.

Thankfulness: Day 6

I am so thankful for our church! I remember when graduation day was approaching at Southwestern for Tony and we had no idea what God had next for us.  I remember coming to Houston for the first time hating the weather and the humidity, but quickly falling in love with this church: the people, the leadership, the students and the pastor. I'm so thankful God placed us here! I'm so thankful that I get to lead middle school girls in a small group.  Thankful for friends and "family" that we have here.  While I miss our family dearly, I will thank God for placing us at Houston's First and thank him for the call that he has placed on Tony.

Pastor Gregg said in his message this last sunday to pray and praise instead of worry and whine. We cannot worry while praying or whine when praising.  I'm more of a worry and whine kind of person... But as I have survived almost one week of being thankful, finding thankfulness - God is teaching me to pray and praise more and more.  I'm learning to choose to pray and praise, more than worry or whine. 

How about you? Are you praising Him today? What are you thankful for? :)

Thankfulness: Day 5

If you've read the first few thankfulness posts, you will begin to see a theme: Tony. I am so completely thankful, grateful and blessed to have Tony as my husband.  He loves me as Christ loved the church, completely unconditionally and sacrificially; he serves me selflessly and leads me spiritually.  He is my greatest blessings and gift from God. I could never have enough words to express my thankfulness to God for such a husband, nor words to express to Tony how thankful I am for him and for the way he loves me and leads our family.

 

Thank you sweet husband! Thank you for putting up with me as your wife and partner for life. Thank you for choosing me! Thank you for allowing me to be the mother of your children. Thank you for inviting me to church 12 years ago. Thank you for inviting me into your family. Thank you for (trying) to make me laugh everyday and find the fun and the silly in life. I appreciate you more than I ever tell you and more than you could know.

 

 

 

Thankfulness: Days 3 & 4

This weekend was lovely! Saturday Tony let me sleep in and him and Grayson went and got me starbucks to wake me up with. We enjoyed each other in the morning and facetimed with Nana and Papa; and that evening we got to get family pictures taken!

In my mind I had the perfect poses and shots that I would love for family photos (thanks to Pinterest); but that's not how a photo shoot with an active (almost) 20 month old works! He wanted to run and jump and roll around in the open field... duh! ;)  It was quite exasperating and lots of work for us and for our sweet photographer.  It was so easy to get frustrated and just want my way in the moment.... but if I look from God's eyes... I saw a loving family getting to play on a beautiful fall evening at sunset in a big open field, capturing sweet family moments.  Our picutres may not be perfectly posed - but they are full of fun and love... and that is what I want to capture to my core.
 

Thank you sweet friend for the sneak peak photo! Can't wait to see them all! :)

Day 3: Sunday driving to church I could not help but be so very thankful for a beautiful fall morning, getting to walk into church with my precious boys and a pumpkin spice latte in hand. I am so very blessed.

Last night my amazing husband deep cleaned my car (it had gotten BAD with cheerios and dried spilled milk everywhere!) and I was able to clean while the boys played before dinner.  So this morning as I am off to work, I am ever so thankful for a clean car, clean house, and laundry done to start our busy week! So thankful the Lord blessed me a husband that likes clean and order as much as I do!

What are you thankful for today?

Thankfulness: Day 2

Today I am thankful for the opportunity and time to get my hair done.  This may be a vain thankfulness - but as a momma, and now a working momma, it is hard to find the time and/or sacrifice the time away from you family for a simple hair appointment. So I am thankful for a husband that sacrificed his Friday night so that I could get my hair done before family pictures and holidays.

Finding Thankfulness

Every year when November rolls around you start to see the 30 days of thankfulness pop up everywhere on blogs and status updates. And every year I never participate b/c I know that I'm thankful for everything in my life, yadda yadda yadda. Really though, if I look and try a little deeper, do I really find something each day to be thankful and grateful for? I think once I made it past day 10 of the things I should be grateful for (Tony, Grayson, family, job, etc. etc.)... could I really dig in deep to find things to be thankful for?.... especially on the hard days. 

So this year I'm going to join the bandwagon of 30 days of thankfulness.  Not for the blog or for the readers (if there are any readers.... hello, anybody out there?), but for me - to force myself to find thankfulness. I'm not a natural "find the good in things" person; so I'm hoping this will help me during a season in life right now that I really need to find reasons to be thankful. I think it will help me appreciate this chapter in my life instead of grumble through it.

Day 1: Today, I'm thankful for First Fest last night. For just the selfish reason of having a tough couple of days and getting to get out and have fun and watch Grayson be completely joyful in a bounce house. So thank you First and all the amazing people that made it happen!

So, who's with me? Will you challenge yourself to find thankfulness with me this month? Praying for the challenge and encouragement this brings and what God will do in my heart through it.