Thankful Thursday

This week I am actually getting around to writing my "Thankful Thursday" ahead of time- so it might actually get posted on Thursday. What a concept!

This past week has been a challenge. Calling it a challenge somehow makes it sound better than it actually was. It was a hard week. I have been struggling with what, if anything, to say about it. It is one of those times where I am not sure if I can say anything nice, so it may be best to say nothing at all. I think there is a part of me that is still mad about the situation, and I don't want to say things out of anger or frustration.

This week did remind me, however, just how much I have to be thankful for. My life feels like it is just overflowing with blessings this week.


I am thankful for my church family. They were so supportive of us this week, and really showed us what it means to have "family". On Tuesday, five of the youth girls came over to help me clean my house and get it back to it's usual state. Their help was amazing. They were all so happy to help, which made their help even more of a blessing. We scrubbed and scoured and steam cleaned and mopped, and by mid afternoon the house was sparkling clean. I enjoyed the fellowship even more than the fact that the house was clean again. I am just so blessed to have these girls in my life!

Last Wednesday eve, the family that we buy our milk from put a bunch of home canned foods and fresh meat in the back of our van. It was such a blessing to have them want to help with what we were doing.

I am so thankful for children who are wonderful helpers, and who work with willing hearts. Jacob had gone outside to play and came in to use the bathroom. When he was headed back out I noticed him carrying a wet washcloth to the laundry room. I asked him what he was doing and he told me that he had tracked some mud in, so he wet a rag to clean it up. The next day he had asked me if he could play with playdough. I told him that he could. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed him carrying a rag into the school room. I watched to see what he was doing, and he was wiping the table after he was finished! He then went and got the sweeper and swept under the table. Yesterday the dog had gotten in the bathtub with muddy paws (not to take a bath, but just because he likes to get in the tub and try to make the faucet drip). Jacob saw this and decided to take it upon himself to clean it up. I am so amazed with how he is maturing, and developing a sense of responsibility. What a neat thing to watch!

I am so thankful for children who are not selfish. I am thankful for children who were so willing to give up their own beds and their rooms so that someone else would have a warm place to sleep. I am so amazed and humbled by the heart of my children. After spending the last week helping someone in need, Jacob came to me today and said "All I want is a bed. I don't care if it's a tall bed, a small bed or a sleeping bag on the floor. I am thankful for a good place to sleep and my mommy and daddy."

I am so thankful for my child who uses his building blocks to build a pulpit so that he can preach the "Word of the One True God". I am thankful for godly men and women that he can look up to, and learn from. I am thankful that he is excited every week to go to church.

I am thankful for my chubby baby. I am thankful that we always have more than enough food to eat. I am thankful that he doesn't know what it means to be uncomfortable or cold and hungry.

I am thankful for a husband who puts his family first and always works hard to make sure that we are provided for. I am thankful that he leads our family to follow God's Word. I am thankful that he has such a generous heart and that he would do whatever he can to help others.

With a Thankful Heart,

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Thankful Thursday- Late again!

I am going to have to start writing "Thankful Thursday" ahead of time, or we may as well call it "Thankful Friday"! :) Thursdays always seem a bit busy.

Linda, the youth girl that works for me, comes on Thursdays, and we enjoy having her here so much that I never have a moment to sit down and write. She is such a blessing to our family. It's not the work, although it is certainly nice to have help with the housework, but it is her company that just blesses us immensely! She has such a sweet heart and joyful spirit, that being around her makes it impossible to not smile. She has such patience with letting the boys help her, and they think that helping her clean the house is one of the most fun things they could ever do! Seeing her so joyful in her duties, shows them that work really is a good thing, and I am so thankful to have a helper with that kind of attitude!


I am also so thankful for brothers who are the best of friends. I love watching Jacob and Joshua play together, and have serious conversations together, and genuinely enjoy the company of one other. These two rarely ever quarrel, and they seem to understand each other in a way that only best friends can. I am so thankful that they have each other!


I am so thankful for little boys who want to work! Sure, it's more fun with Linda, but they are usually such willing helpers anyway.


I am thankful for my baby dear. He went through a short spell of being a bit of a handful, but he seems to have left that phase behind and returned to being the most delightful little one. I think he would be happy to sit and rock and sing with me all day long! I am so thankful for a little one who loves to give hugs and loves to be hugged. We love our baby dear!


I am also so incredibly thankful for the visit I had with my dearest friend this past weekend! I am so thankful to have a friend who I can share so much of my heart with. I am thankful for my husband for allowing me to go and visit her, and for being willing to take care of the boys so that I could go. I am so thankful for my friend's family, who were all so welcoming and such wonderful hosts and hostesses!

In Christ's Precious Love,

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Thankful Thursday- albeit late!

Yesterday was a busy day and there was no time to write a post, but I wanted to take a minute to remind myself of the many things I have to be thankful for. And so, it is Thankful Thursday on Friday!

I am thankful for new glass milk jars! A dear friend was able to get the farmer that she buys from to sell us ten brand new glass milk jars at cost! What a huge blessing!

I am thankful for my growing box of sewing patterns. It feels so nice to be able to make things for my family to wear.

Titus and Hannah dropped by for a visit and brought a bag of apples for the boys. I am so thankful for little boys who appreciate such simple sweet things as a delicious apple for a treat!

I am thankful for the farmer who plowed the entire road leading to our house, and our lane all the way up to where our vehicle was parked AND all around our mailbox. What kindness!

I am so thankful for my big boy, who still loves to cuddle with me. I know he won't always be little, so I want to remember to cherish these moments while I have them.

I am thankful for the infectious laugh of little Joe. You almost cannot hear him laugh without joining along!

Above all though, I am thankful for my heavenly Father, who loves me so much when I am so undeserving. Even when I fail Him, over and over again everyday, He continually pours out blessings and love on my life. I will never be able to comprehend the magnitude of His love for me. I think of how much I love my children, and am reminded that as much as I love them, it is merely a drop in the bucket compared to how much He loves me.

With Love and a Thankful Heart,

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Thankful Thursday

I love little reminders to be thankful for the blessings in my life. It is so easy to get bogged down with the stresses and burdens in daily life and lose sight of the blessings all around us.

Fresh, real milk...straight from a cow. Many times when we pick up our milk for the week, we see that it was milked that morning. I am thankful for the delicious cream and for how much the boys love drinking their fresh milk!

I am so thankful for the warmth of home...even when home is often chilly because it is a drafty ole farmhouse! No matter the weather outside, I can always count on the warmth that comes from being surrounded by my family.

I am especially thankful tonight for a little boys who was thrilled to have new "nannies" that mommy made for him! He has been asking for plain nannies, with no characters or patterns (yes, he truly is a good boy, with an amazing heart and desire to follow God!). He said they were the most comfortable nannies he has ever worn. He was just beaming. It makes my heart feel so good to know that such a little thing like new nannies could make him feel so special.

In Christ's Love,

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Thankful Thursday

I love "Thankful Thursdays". I know that I have said this before, but I just love the reminder to take a step back and remember how much we have to be thankful for.

I am always thankful for my friends, but over the past couple of weeks I have had some wonderful reminders of why. I am thankful for the support that I receive from them and for the support that I am able to give back to them. I am thankful for the friends who make me laugh when I am needing it most. (you know who you are ;)). I am thankful for the encouragement they give when I feel discouraged. I am so thankful for the patience they have with me, I know I can be a bit of a trip at times! I am thankful for those friends that I have that I know will stand by my side no matter what...the friends that see my heart in everything that I do.

I am incredibly thankful for the best of friends that a girl could ask for. For the man that has stood by my side for seven years, through the worst of imaginable, and through the best. The man that has encouraged me to grow and to find "myself" when I felt the need to. The man who has dreamed with me, cried with me, rejoiced with me and laughed with me. The man who was there with me when my life was shattered into a million pieces, and who then helped me put the pieces back together again into something rather wonderful.

I am thankful for the four little boys who fill my days with joy, laughter, frustrations, celebrations, and so much more. I am thankful for the precious gift from God that they are. I am thankful for the privilege of teaching them, and watching them learn. I am thankful for every "light bulb" moment, every silly song, and every cuddle.

I am thankful for the amazing life that I have. I am thankful for a God who loves me despite my imperfections. I know that everything that I have has come from Him.

I know how much I have to be thankful for. There isn't a minute that goes by that I am not aware of that.

Love,

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Thankful Thursday

Thankful Thursday...isn't it funny how a reminder comes along to be thankful, just when it is needed? I love how God works. I am increasingly convinced that He has quite the sense of humor...

Today I am thankful for stinky diapers. Really. Why? Because without the precious blessings that created them, there would not be the gross, awful, stinky mess.

Without them, there would be no messes to clean up, no diapers to change, and no grubby hands to clean.

I am thankful for my son, who when he saw that I had a plastic bag with gross diapers inside, said, "I would be happy to take that for you." I sure love that boy.

I am thankful for the mountain of laundry to wash, because it means that we are blessed with an abundance of clothes to keep us warm.

I am thankful for a sink full of dishes, because it means that a yummy meal was enjoyed.

I am thankful for a cranky baby who in 30 seconds will be smiling sweetly at me and be thrilled to receive hundreds of kisses.

And I am thankful for the encouragement I receive from my friends who are so patient with me even when I am utterly ridiculous.

"Because a thankful heart, is a happy heart. I'm glad for what I have, that's an easy way to start. For the love that He shares, cuz He listens to our prayers. That's why I say 'thanks' every day!"

Love,

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Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for so many things this wonderful Thursday morning.

I am thankful for my home, and for the freedom to make my home the perfect home for me. I love visiting other people's homes and seeing the different ways they choose to decorate and run their homes. It is so neat to see different people's personalities expressed in the colors they use and the way they decorate. You can tell so much about priorities and what they love, just by being in their home.

I love that my home is decorated in just the right way for US. We are such a mix of things, and it is neat to see that around my home. Our house has traditional, dark wood molding, but we chose bright, bold colors for the paint on the walls...We have somewhat formal furniture in some rooms, but really comfortable furniture for the living room. It's just who we are. We tend to be somewhat old-fashioned and traditional, but we are not without "spunk". We can be a bit "proper" but at the same time, we are not "stiff".

You can see our faith expressed all around the house. You could never walk into my home and wonder if we are Christian...I like that. Just to clarify- I'm not saying that these things make us Christian, I am saying these things are in our home BECAUSE we are Christian.

I love that we have pictures of our family, all throughout the house. I love being surrounded by pictures of my most cherished blessings. I love seeing the baby pictures of my Jacob, and pictures of the brothers together. I think my favorite pictures are the family pictures. I love seeing the first one, of just the three of us, and then four, and then five...I can't wait to have a new picture with Jamie included.

What I love most about my home though, is that it has nothing to do with the physical structure. We could be in any house, anywhere in the world, but my "home" would be the same. This place is only my home, because I am surrounded by the blessings that God chose to put in my life. And that, to me, is really something to be thankful for.

Love,

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Thankful Thursday

Today I am thankful for my oldest son, Jacob. He has become my little right hand man...He's always right there, wanting to help me with something. He loves the early afternoons when his brothers take a nap, and he gets to work on things with me.


Lately his favorite thing to help with is working in the kitchen. He loves to help me when I bake. He is learning so much that it baffles my mind! The other day, we were making bread and I told him, "We need five a half cups of flour." I put in one cup and then asked, "Do you know how many we need now?" I really did not expect him to know the answer, but he said, "We need four and a half!" I was flabbergasted!

Another day, we were baking something, and I had read the recipe out loud before getting started. I went to add the baking soda but instead reached for the baking powder without thinking. Jacob said "Wait Mommy! That's baking powder!" Again, I was amazed! How'd he get so smart???

The other day while we were working in the kitchen he asked if he could have an apron, too. I remembered an apron that I had that wasn't too "girly" and I knew it was on the smaller side, so I tried it on him. Oh he was so excited. He LOVED it. He kept saying, "I really love chickens. Chickens are my favorite" He was so proud of HIS knew apron. So, now his apron hangs on the back of the laundry room door with mine. :)



Jacob has always enjoyed his role as older brother, but now that he has grown even bigger, he is enjoying getting to help even more. The other day I was sitting down to feed Jamie, and he asked "Can I feed him?" I was hesitant at first, but then thought, "why not?" So I sat down beside him and let him feed his baby brother. I loved seeing little Jamie look up at him with this adoring look. So precious!




I just love watching Jacob interact with his brothers. They look up to him so much, and he seems to really enjoy getting to teach them things, and help them with things. I am glad he is there to set a good example for them. I am glad Joshua has him as a best friend, and that Jacob is always there to help him with things, or to encourage him. I am glad Joseph has a big brother who is patient with him, and who likes playing with him.

I love you, Jacob! And I am so thankful that God has blessed our family by making you a part of it!

Love,

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Thankful Thursday

I have so much to be thankful for. This is something that I always know but honestly, sometimes I think I take it too lightly.

The other day, I was having a busy day, and not feeling particularly well. I was looking for an easy solution for dinner. As I looked through my freezer, I picked one of several roasts and decided to "just throw it in the crockpot". I didn't think much of it until a friend mentioned something about how nice it would be to have a roast...She mentioned how they were having to stretch their grocery dollars...

I had such a pang of guilt in my stomach. I didn't feel guilty for having the roast, or even that we could eat a roast on a random Monday. What made me feel guilty was my flippant attitude about it. So many people are struggling, and I just "toss" in a roast without a thought for what a blessing it is to have the roast in the first place.

Has painful as it was to see my attitude, it was a wonderful reminder that I have so much to be thankful for. I am thankful for the abundance that we have, but more thankful that even though I don't always see it, it has been there. I'm thankful for my husband, who lovingly provides for us, and thankful for my children who think peanut butter and jelly on my homemade bread is the best lunch in the world.

And...I am thankful for this adorable little guy who is now SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!!! Yippee!

Love,

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Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for tiny baby hands...ever so kissable. I love to just sit and hold those precious hands!

I am thankful for...sweet baby cheeks. Oh how I love those chubby cheeks! I love seeing pieces of each of his brothers in him. Joshua's face, but with darker eyes. Dark hair like Jacob. He seems to have the same strong willed nature of Joseph...

I am thankful for...cute little toes! I know that one day, before I am ready, those feet will not be so little! Soon, they will run through the house, just like the others. Someday, he will walk on these feet, play, run, and jump. They will be bigger than my feet before I know it. But, he will always be my baby.

I am thankful for this precious bundle of joy! For everything that he will become, and for the very special little person he already is! I love you, Jamie-kins!

Pax Christi,

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Thankful Thursday

It seems I can hardly turn around without being reminded of something else that I am thankful for. I think if I tried to list all of the little things that seem to make my life so wonderful, I would never finish that list!

It also seems that every week, I write about how thankful I am for my boys. I can't help it, but when I think of the things I am most thankful for, they are always right up at the top of that list. Don't get me wrong, there are days (and probably moments every single day) where they drive me up the wall. Especially when I have spent all day working around the house, and everything looks so wonderful and then I turn around to see this:
But, the good always outweighs the bad. My boys are amazing, and they are just full of reminders of how much God loves me.

The boys were happy to help with baking today. We decided to use the last of the pumpkin and make Pumpkin Butterscotch Muffins and Pumpkin Bread.



We had a decent day with school today, although I did have to keep reminding Jacob to slow down and do things carefully. I am just so thankful for his eager attitude towards learning!

I am thankful for my coffee, lol, which I am about to drink another cup of, even though it is four o'clock in the afternoon.

I had a few picture frames laying around that were needing pictures in them, and as I was looking through our family pictures I came across these from about two years ago:

I can't believe how much these two have grown! Can you believe that little baby is JOSHUA????? It's hard to believe that he was ever anything but big and rambunctious!

And what a babyface on my Jacob! He has grown so much and really become a "big kid".

I am off to clean up my messy kitchen. Little boys + measuring cups + flour= big mess.

Love,

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