Giving Thanks

Tonight was the yearly Thanksgiving dinner at the church. I always love this dinner, for many reasons. One, I love the idea of being with family, all sitting at the same table, eating and talking together. Not that we don't do that anyway, but not nearly as often as we should. Another thing I love about this dinner is the music. I must say, I was a little let down by the music this year, however it still moved me. I always have to fight back tears as I sit there singing with my husband and kids, songs thanking the Lord for all we have. I also love the automatic reflection that is triggered by the whole experience. I sit there and think of how blessed I am to have my best friend as my partner for life. I am blessed to have two girls, who in my mind define "beautiful" in every since of the word. And I am blessed to have loving family surrounding us in every direction. My heart overflows with love and happiness when I think of all that we are blessed with. What a great night to celebrate!

Morgan insisted that I take her picture next to

these ugly blue mats!

Then she made Makinley do it, but Makinley said she wasn't going to smile because she thought it was goofy too!

Mi casa

How's that for being bilingual?!?! Today I am so thankful for my house! We have lived here for 3 years now and I absolutely love our house. When we bought it, it was hideous! It had mauve carpet everywhere and navy/mauve wallpaper in the kitchen and the master bath. Luckily we could see past all of that and had confidence that we could make this our home. We had all of the floors replaced before we moved in and since then I have repainted or wallpapered every room, except the guest room. (Thankfully the walls are white in there, not my choice, but tolerable!)
There are still things that I want to do, but I feel that what we have done, reflects who we are and what we believe in. Our house is very warm and cozy on days like today, when all you want to do is sit on the couch and wrap up in a blanket. It is bright and airy in the summer when the sun radiates through all of the blinds as the kids run in and out of the backdoor. It is fun and lively when we have friends over to socialize and giggles pour down from the playroom as our kids enjoy their own space. Our house is a happy place and I am so thankful that we have been blessed with it!

George and Goody

Well, today is the day to express my thanks for my wonderful parents. George and Goody are their nicknames, they are better known as Terry and Marsha. In a world where divorce is so prominent, I consider myself very lucky to have parents who are still in love with each other. My parents have always shown each other respect and love in all that they do. They have always stood by each other and worked through everything as partners. They present themselves as one solid front that cannot be penetrated. They have always given Wade and I everything that we needed and more. Especially at Christmas! Our Christmases have always been so fabulous! There are tons of presents! There is no way that we could ever give to them like they give to us and to our kids!
My dad was an administrator in the Carrollton Farmers Branch school district most of my life. He was very respected for his dedication to his teachers and students. He was very hands on and stayed on top of all of the latest research to make sure everyone was getting what they needed. I can only hope that I can become half of the educator that he was!
My mom stayed home and kept kids at our house when we were young. When we moved to Carrollton when I was in middle school, she became a school secretary and then moved into the finance department at the ad building. She modeled complete and total dedication to hard work and giving 110%.
A while back my parents decided to retire and move to Holly Lake in East Texas. I have to say this was not in my plan for them! I was very upset and because of that, there was a lot of bitterness towards the whole situation. I realize that I don't make the plans:) I also know that the bitterness I had was for purely selfish reasons. I was used to seeing my parents at least every other weekend, and I wasn't interested in changing that. I felt like my family wasn't important to them if they were willing to pick up and leave. I expressed my concerns and sadness and guess what? They didn't change their plans!
Now that they have been gone a while, I feel differently! Don't get me wrong, if I found out they were moving back tomorrow, I would throw the biggest party ever! However, now that they live in 903, I see things in my parents that I haven't seen before. My dad, who is fidgety, seems relaxed. He loves being outside and making sure that all of the wildlife has the proper nutrition. In fact, he makes his own bird food! (Something that only people who live in the 903 area code do!)
My mom has surprised everyone with her golf skills. My dad, brother, husband, and Papaw have all played golf for their entire lives, but never once has my mom expressed an interest, until moving to Holly Lake. Now she plays several times a week and wins almost every tournament that she plays in! My dad is so proud of her and he beams when he talks about her golf game. He doesn't say much about his own though....wonder what that means?!?!
I love my parents very much and miss them everyday! However, given that my aunt and uncle just relocated to China for the next 3-5 years, I have realized that I don't have it so bad! They are close enough to visit for the weekend or for the kids to go to Grammie Camp! And as the holidays approach I am so excited thinking about how much time we will get to spend with them! Thanks mom and dad for everything you have done, and continue to do for us! I love you more than words can say!

Random!

Okay today I am thankful for my memory stick. Not just that I have one, but that I found it today! Most of my important documents are stored on it and today it was MIA! I keep it in my purse so that I always have it. I went to get it out, and couldn't find it! I panicked! All I could think was, Laura (my curriculum partner) is going to kill me! I had it out the other day in my classroom...but surely I didn't leave it there! I took everything out of my purse and sorted through it all, no memory stick. I looked in my cabinet, on my desk, in my computer....no stick! Finally I checked the outside pockets, which I never put anything in, and it was there! Whew! What a relief!

Thanksgiving or Christmas?

Well, after reading Robin's blog about decorating her house for Christmas, I must say I got the bug! I have my Christmas tree up and my mantle partially decorated! Is it weird that there are pumpkins around my tree and fireplace? HAHA! My kids were not very happy that I pulled out the Christmas stuff. This morning Morgan said something about Thanksgiving and Makinley replied, "it's not Thanksgiving around here, it's Christmas!"(With a huff and a roll of her eyes!)
I have assured them that we are still having Thanksgiving!
I am so glad to have begun this process though. We go to Holly Lake the weekend after Thanksgiving, so I can't put out my things then...The next weekend we are going to Dallas to stay in a hotel and go to the Adolphus Christmas parade, so I can't do it then. That means it would be the middle of December before I got around to it! That is too much work to only get to enjoy it for a couple of weeks!
So while we are thankful for the fall and everything November brings...Bring on the reindeer and the jingle bells!

Bring on the Cold!

Today we got to bust out the sweatshirts!!!! Yahooooooo! I love wearing sweatshirts, fleece, or anything else that feels like a big blanket! The exception to that is coats...I hate coats. Coats are only needed walking from the car, to the door of wherever you are going. Then what? You have to carry it, no thanks! I don't like my kids to wear coats either. Why? Because who ends up carrying those? ME! So it is a good day when the weather is cold enough that everyone can put on their sweats and go shopping!

The Reading Police

Today I spent the day with my literacy strategist friends at our monthly meeting. Some refer to us as "The Reading Police", which is quite funny actually! I love when we have our meetings and we can spend the day together. We are all very close but we have our cliques, just like every other group. We sit with the same people, go to lunch with the same people and plan with the same people. My clique started as 4, but has grown as new people have come along. These are my peeps:
Laura: my curriculum writing partner, my 3-5 support, my friend that I know I can ALWAYS count on, the nicest person I know
Pat: the crazy one who always knows how to make everyone laugh, the one I trust to take care of Makinley while she is at school
Genie: the time manager, the one who makes sure we are always on task, the one I share kid stories with since she has nieces and nephews who are little
Kim: my roomie from CKH, the one I vent with, she is so real and "gets" me
Hollye: my sarcastic buddy, we always have a crass comment to share with each other:), the one who seems to always be smiling or laughing
Casee: the quiet one, she is a great listener and really thinks about what you are saying, very passionate about what she does

I am so thankful for all of them. They make my job so much easier and so much more fun! Thanks girls for all you do!

For Him

Corey often tells the story about coming out of Sunday school and his dad asking what did they talk about today. He would reply with the always popular, I don't know. And Johnny would follow up with, "Well were y'all for Him or against Him". Thankfully the answer was "for Him"!

Tonight Makinley finally committed to being for Him!!! I was at home with the girls while Corey was helping his family at MeeMaw's house, and had just put them in the bed. I was in the kitchen and heard Makinley calling me from the top of the stairs in a panicked voice. She came down and said that she just didn't feel right but she couldn't explain it. (As many of you know, this is 1 of about 5 nights where we have answered questions about accepting Christ, often pushing bedtime back to 10:00. She has had a clear understanding of everything for quite a while, but hasn't been sure it was the right time.) I just stood there and looked at her and all of a sudden she blurted out, "I am ready". I asked her what she was ready for. She confirmed that she was ready to ask Jesus into her heart. I asked her a few questions to make sure that she was really ready and then said "Let's do it!" She and I prayed together and now her light is shining!!! She was very giggly after we finished and said that she felt so good. I told her that meant that she made the right decision. She called Corey and told him and I could hear him on the phone with her. He was so excited! We both were. There is a lot of responsibility with raising a child to live on this earth, but even more when you think of where they will spend their eternity! I am so proud of Makinley! I am proud of Corey and I for making God the focus of our lives and for passing that on to our daughters. I am also thankful for all of the people who have set such wonderful examples of how to raise a family that walks with Christ!

King Size Bed

It takes a thunderstorm to remind me to be thankful for my king size bed! Last night we got home late and it had already began to rain and thunder, so the girls climbed in our bed of course. It didn't take long for Corey and I to be hanging off opposite sides of our own bed! I'm not sure how much sleep either one of us got, but the girls seemed to be in dreamland. Go figure!

I Saw God Today

I see God everyday when I look in the eyes of my daughters, but there is something about this time of year that allows me to see Him more. I watched leaves drift from branches high above, I saw the color palate change from greens to warm browns and yellows, and I felt the cool crisp air as I stepped outside this weekend. What a wonderful blessing! How could anyone not believe in God with all of these beautiful changes happening right before their eyes?!?!? I love the fall! I love the leaves! Their weightlessness as they fall silently to the ground and their crunch as you walk through them. Leaves remind me that we are constantly changing and to appreciate everyday that we have. So today I give thanks for God making Himself evident to me every time I look outside!

Easy clothes and Ponytails

Today we did not get out of the house! That might not seem so great to some of you but it was a perfect day for us. We have not been home in the evenings for about 2 weeks! We run from one engagement to the next and are constantly worn out. So today we stayed in easy clothes all day!
We did however get the house cleaned! The other night I had a meltdown about having too much to do so Corey came up with Family Clean up day. This morning we made a list of all of the chores that needed to be done and everyone got to choose their chore. Makinely chose to sweep, clean the toilets and bathe the dog. (Hey SHE chose her own chores!!!) Morgan cleaned the windows on the front and back doors, wiped off the kitchen counters and table, and unloaded the dishwasher. Corey emptied all the trash, dusted, and cleaned the bathroom counter. I mopped, washed and folded clothes, and vacuumed. Everyone laughed and had so much fun working together. And now everyone is stress free! What a day to be thankful for!

Filter

Today I am thankful for my filter. I am referring to the filter that is located between you mind and your mouth! It is what blocks things that you are thinking from actually pouring out. Now, not everyone is blessed to have this filter! I have a few friends who know to call me before they go running their mouth, so that I can screen their responses to things.
Everyday we make choices about what we say to others. I have been thinking a lot lately about the impact one comment can have on someone. I try to be very careful with what I say and the image I portray. Thank you Lord for my filter, because there are times that if I said what I was thinking, you might reach down here and slap me!

Rosetta Stone

I am so excited!!!! I am on the road to becoming bilingual! Corey's mom and dad bought us all the Spanish version of Rosetta Stone. Tonight we went over and loaded it on the computer. I have already done my first set of lessons and I feel so accomplished!!!! I love it! I have been obsessed with becoming bilingual since I moved to my new school this year. We have a bilingual class in each grade level, and I feel totally helpless. I made it my goal to learn Spanish. I am constantly asking my bilingual teachers, "How do you say...". I have note cards all over my desk with words that I need to know or have learned from being in classrooms. Becoming bilingual will make my job so much easier! And I love how it sounds! I can't wait to be able to ramble out some kind of impressive statement. Here is what I got tonight:
El nino come.
La nina bebe.
Las mujeras nadan.
Los hombres leen.
And yes, I know what they mean!!!
I am so thankful for my new language!!! Thanks Karen and Johnny!

My little M&M's

Makinley and Morgan are the light of my life! I don't know what Corey and I did before they came along.
Makinley is a carbon copy of me, inside and out. We look alike, we talk alike, and we argue alike! We both don't like our foods to touch on our plate. We both LOVE new crayons and any other school/office supplies. And we both are creative. She does however have a lot of her daddy in her. She is a thinker! She asks tons of questions ,to the point that your ears hurt. The thing is, they aren't silly questions that you can just blow off...they are questions that give her a deeper understanding about whatever the topic is. Corey's mom swears that Corey was the same way. She can also figure out math problems in her head that I didn't even know she understood! That, she definitely gets from her father! Makinley is a tender-hearted people pleaser. She wants everyone to be happy all of the time. She always befriends the underdog and wants to help them in any way that she can. She loves animals and has decided that she wants to be an animal trainer when she grows up.
Morgan is her daddy, through and through. She looks like him, acts like him, and is very passionate like him. When Morgan is mad, she is MAD, but when she is loving, she is the MOST loving person I know. She is a wonderful snuggler. She and I take naps together on Sunday afternoon and I treasure them each week. Morgan literally wakes up every morning with a smile and a giggle. SHE DID NOT GET THAT FROM ME OR COREY!!! Morgan loves school, but not so much for the learning that takes place, it's more about the friends! Morgan LOVES her friends! Like Makinley, Morgan wants everyone to be happy too. Morgan also loves animals. She loves to talk to Ranger and she calls him her brother. She loves on him and hugs on him every morning. I have encouraged Morgan to consider nursing or being a vet because she is so compassionate, but right now. she is sticking with being a mermaid!
My girls mean everything to me! They are so sweet and are getting to the point that they enjoy each other. They play together, draw together, and play school together. They also love to read together! You know that I love that!!!! They each bring something unique to our family and I love them more than I thought could ever be possible. I love every minute that I am with them, and count the minutes when we are apart. My life has a purpose because of them! I am so blessed to have my M&M"s!!!!

Let's see...

Today, and everyday, I am thankful for my husband. Corey and I have been together a REALLY long time. We have been married for 10 years, dated for 5 years, but have been best friends for 27 years! When Corey and I were 5 we lived a house apart. We spent our childhood riding bikes, shooting hoops, and sitting in the tree in his front yard. We listened to a lot of Van Halen and used cut up straws as "cigarettes". I can't explain how wonderful it is to be able to laugh about childhood memories with your spouse, because they were there. It is something that I am truly thankful for. I always knew that Corey was the one for me, it just took longer for him to realize it! I kissed him on the playground once, and he still denies it!
In middle school my family moved to another town, but our families still got together once a month. One night, when we were 16, our parents had a dinner party we were instructed to take our little brothers out to eat. We went to the Burger Box on 303! (I know, very exciting!) He had a girlfriend at the time but wasn't very happy with her. On the way home while he was shifting his 5 speed, I strategically placed my hand so that he would bump into it every time he shifted. (Hey, I couldn't wait forever! 16 years was long enough!) He dumped the girlfriend the next day, and we have never been apart since!
Corey is a wonderful husband and father. He works incredibly hard everyday to ensure that we don't go without. He celebrates my successes and picks me up when I am down. I cannot imagine a day without him in my life! I am so grateful to have him in my life and for all he does to make me a better person. Love you babe!

I'm Thankful too!

Okay, Robin and Jean have issued a challenge to post something they are thankful for each day of November, so I have decided to follow suit.
Lately, I have been thinking a lot about my faith. This is partly because Makinley is doing a lot of thinking herself. She has been asking a LOT of questions, not sleeping, and crying because she doesn't know what to do. Corey and I have been very careful to answer her questions and give her all of the information that she needs, but not TELL her what to do. We assure her that she will know when she is ready, and that just stresses her more. Despite that fact that this is hard, I am so grateful to get to experience it! It means that we are doing something right! It also reminds me to be thankful for our Christian families. The families that taught us the love of Christ and how he gave it all up so that we could live eternally. The families that made sure that church was a priority in our weekly schedules. The families that still encourage us as we pass these truths on to our own children. It scares me to think about how our lives would be if we had not had the upbringing that we were privileged to! I am so Thankful for our families who love the Lord and who loved us enough to share Him with us!