Thanksgiving Lunch with our Native Americans

Each of the younger kids had a Thanksgiving lunch at school.  The parents were invited to share lunch with their children.  Luke and I attended Kate's pre-k lunch on Friday.

Caroline, Luke and I shared lunch with Emily on Thursday.

Brett ventured out with Caroline on Friday to share lunch with the boys.

 

"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

1 Corinthians 15:57

 

Gratitude Journal

*For a restful weekend

*For our new series at church, "Be Rich"

*For a short school week

 

 

 

The Choice to be Thankful

 

This morning, I got to work completing a project I had started several weeks ago.  It is a thankful tree.  Each leaf on the tree has a specific verse about thanksgiving.  This idea and the verses come from a blog I follow and love called "A Holy Experience" written by Ann Voskamp.

 Keeping visual reminders around the house helps me to remember to choose a spirit of thanksgiving when the grumbling in my head starts to make it way to my heart.

 

My sister and I were talking on the phone a few weeks ago about trusting God's provision for you verses wanting more for yourself.  She gave me some great advice that I have started to put into practice.  She told me to write down specific verses on various topics that I feel I struggle with.  When faced with circumstances in real life that can cause me to stumble and eventually fall from the life I know God intends for me, I can turn to these verses that I have written down and choose to believe God's truth and put this truth into action.

 

An attitude of thanksgiving changes your perspective in every situation.  When you choose to find and focus on the good, you realize the blessings God has given you.

 

"For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving."

1 Timothy 4:4

 

Thankful Journal

*For the chance to share thanksgiving lunch with my girls

*For new opportunities for Brett

*For the support and friendship of the girls in my home group

 

 

 



All in a Week

Our week started on a bright note.  We attended a wonderful community night at our church where we had the chance to worship with our community group and celebrate communion together.

 

Monday, the little boys and Jake had dentist appointments for their 6 month cleaning.

Speaking of teeth, this little guy has been chewing on everything lately.  I wonder if he is getting ready to have some teeth pop through.

Tuesday was our Dad's birthday and election day.

By Wednesday, Luke was wore out and the stomach bug had hit our house for the second week in a row.  Poor Kate was sick all day!

The bug struck again late Wednesday night and claimed victim #4.  Poor Caroline threw up every 15 minutes from midnight until Thursday morning.  Brett and I didn't sleep at all.

The sick girls camped out in the playroom and are finally starting to feel better.

Both older boys also were home sick today with stomach aches.

I don't think I have ever used as much hand sanitizer as I have over the past week.  I am praying that Brett and I can stay healthy.

A couple of Kate's faces from this week!

She had chocolate all over her face after licking the icing bowl after we made Daddy's cake.

1.  Her smile

2.  Her mad face because I told her she was too close to the camera.

3.  Second attempt at the smile, without the eyes closed.

4.  Her silly face.

 

"You, O Lord, reign forever; your thrown endures from generation to generation."

Lamentations 5:19

 

Gratitude Journal

*For my washer and dryer, which has never done so many loads of towels and bed sheets as it has in the past two days!

*For apple pie with vanilla ice cream

*For a happy baby who loves applesauce, pears, and bananas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Birthday Dad

Today is our Dad's 38th birthday

We are so thankful for him.

In honor of his 38th birthday, we blessed him with 38 reasons we think he is AWESOME!

 

1. You work each day at growing in your understanding and trust in God, so that you can be the leader in our home that God had called you to be. I am so grateful to have this leadership in you.

2. You give me security in knowing that you love me no matter what happens in our chaotic and sometimes crazy life.

3. You are an amazing Dad to 8 crazy kids! Did you ever think you would have the awesome responsibility to raise 8 kids? Well you are doing a great job!

4. You look better today at 38 than when I met you.

5. You change diapers and bathe kids.

6. You wake early and get our kids ready for their day. You encourage them and prepare them mentally to face the challenges of the day.

7. You are a football, NASCAR guy who will watch a marathon of wedding shows with his girls!

8. You are loyal and true. You will support your cause no matter what another person may say.

9. You like it loud! You like to have music or the tv on in the background all the time. God knew what he was doing when he made you the Dad to 5 boys who also love noise!

10. You are stubborn, but this quality has gotten you to where you are today. You don't let things slow you down or keep you from getting things done. You will rake leaves knowing that there is a good chance of throwing your back out.

11. You are authentic and real.

12. You love our parents and are teaching our children to do the same by your example.

13. You like to do things that I don't. You encourage me to take risks in unknown areas of my life, but are patient in waiting for me to come on board.

14. You have a sense of humor and a great smile that can almost always turn my mood around.

15. You are able to take the emotion out of a problem and situation and always give me the proper perspective on it.

16. You will do whatever it takes to provide for us. You have worked more than one job, crazy hours, and jobs you really didn't enjoy to provide for our family.

17. You are honest and trust worthy.

18. You love bubblegum ice cream and have been known to make a Friday night trip once our little ones are in bed to get a treat for us at Baskin Robbins or Dairy Queen.

19. You are a fantastic cook. My favorite is your wings!

20. You always clean up the throw-up!

21. You are the homework King this year.

22. You are great with a computer.

23. You are content with what you have and grateful for the gifts you have been blessed with.

24. You are ok with eating chicken every night of the week!

25. You are crazy enough to stay up all night to clean carpets or paint rooms!

26. You enjoy a challenge like taking all of our kids shopping at Sam's Club on your own.

27. You admit when you are wrong and ask for forgiveness. A powerful example for our children that no one is perfect, mistakes are made, but acknowledging when you are wrong and asking for forgiveness is how God wants us to live.

28. You would rather be at home with us than anywhere else!

29. You would help anyone.

30. Even though I make fun of you for it, you are very capable at fixing many things.... The dryer and the car are just two examples.

31. You listen!

32. You call me everyday on your way home from work to see how the day was. When you travel, you leave me a hand written note for each day you will be gone.

33. You never work alone. You always have at least one of the kids along side of you having them help you out. These are the memories they will carry with them as they become adults.

34. You celebrate the accomplishments of others and always give credit where credit is due.

35. You pray for your family and friends.

36. You tuck your kids in at night.

37. Though we have moved a lot, you have made it possible for each new place to be called our home.

38. You are loved by many especially the 9 people, 1 dog, 1 cat, and 2 fish that live in our house!

 

Happy Birthday to my best friend.

It is a joy to spend this crazy life with you.

I love you!

 

"The winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock."
Matthew 7:25

 

Gratitude Journal

*I am thankful for the opportunity to celebrate my husband

*I am thankful for the opportunity to vote for our country's future

*I am thankful that Luke slept through the night last night

 

 



Halloween Revisited

When our little boys were sick with the stomach bug on Halloween, we told them we would have a Halloween party for them this past weekend.

 

 

It actually worked out really well because all the Halloween decorations were 50% off since Halloween was over.  I bought a treat we have never had before.....

A jack-o-lantern pinata!

 

 

 

 

The loot

 

 

 

"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall."

Psalm 55:22

 

Gratitude Journal

*For the little joys of life, like jumping in a pile of freshly raked leaves

*For eating on jack-o-lantern plates

*For an amazing night of worship at our church and receiving communion with my family

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



The Leaves Are Falling

With the cool weather and windy days this week, our yard was blanketed with freshly fallen leaves.

Dad went to work with the blower

and then the trusty rake.

 

The helpers

 

The spectators

Pure Fun

Pure Joy

 

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

1 Peter 5 6:8

 

Gratitude Journal

*For our little boys feeling better and able to enjoy the weekend

*For technology that allows me to share in the memories of my family through pictures

*For God's truths and promises

 

 

 

 

 

 

Halloween 2012

Well, Halloween is a bit of a downer here.

These poor little boys have the stomach flu.

What a day to end up sick.

 

So....only the girls went out trick-or-treating in downtown Watkinsville and we have promised the little boys we will have our own Halloween celebration this week.

At first, Caroline was not very happy about being a butterfly.

But, she slowly warmed up to the idea.

Especially when we spoke her love language.....time spent outside!

Here is our bat

 

We are thankful that our Dad was able to come home early from work today to take the girls out

trick-or-treating.  We hope our little guys will be feeling better tomorrow and we pray that the rest of our family remains healthy.

 

"It is He who sits above the circle of the earth...who stretches out the heavens like a curtain."

Isaiah 40:22