30 Days of Gratitude - Days 13-17

(a list of 25...dad was put in the hospital on Monday and then played catch up the rest of the week)

1.  Thankful for a great team of leaders at GPC.  They truly are phenomenal and phenomenally led.
2.  Missionaries - who go and work to share God's love with those who are far away.
3.  Lists - WITHOUT lists I would be oh so lost, lol!
4.  Washing machine - I hate doing laundry, but I would REALLY hate doing it without a washing machine
5.  A dirty kitchen - it means we've eaten...which across the world and the US there are those who aren't.
6.  Photoshop - and having the skills to make it work for me.
7.  Instagram - helping me capture everyday snippets of life.
8.  Project Life - simplifying scrapbook/memory keeping for me in a way that is SO MUCH MORE DOABLE!.
9.  Self-grading math for the kids...enough said.
10.  My dad - although he's stubborn, I'm glad he's still here...which after Monday's scare, he might not have been!
11.  Doctors - and aggressive doctors who don't allow a stubborn patient to take over.
12.  Family and friends who check in, pray, and stand beside you when things are needy in your life.
13.  20 years of WONDERFUL MARRIAGE to the love of my life - Thomas!
14.  Sleep-by-number bed - the best anniversary gift we could have bought each other.
15.  My dogs - my sister had to put hers to sleep this week, so that makes treasuring mine all the more special.
16.  My husband working from home helps make difficult days better.  He has truly stepped up and helped while I was in 'limbo' land for this week.
17.  Time alone with Thomas - we might be getting old...and our time alone is somewhat less creative than it could be, but I cherish the time...nonetheless.
18.  A good word from the Lord from a wonderfully Bible literate speaker - Raymond Woodward (loved his Healing in His Wings sermon...something I've actually studied on!)
19.  Water - and my 10 bottles a day habit...okay, so that's a bit extreme...almost?
20.  Medicine - I wish Thomas and I didn't have to take any, but since we do...I'm glad we have it available.
21.  Freedom that we have today - might be less tomorrow...so I'm thankful for todays!
22.  Folded laundry - especially the kind that I didn't have to fold!
23.  CLEAN SHEETS - freshly clean, on a freshly made bed...and crawling up in the sheets...aahhhhhh....
24.  A hot shower after a long tiring day...perfection.
25.  Japanese Habachi grill - so glad I stepped out and tried it several years ago...LOVE it so much that we went there for our 20th anniversary dinner.
26...because I just can't stop being thankful.  I loved seeing Thomas and I choosing the same card for each other...I ALMOST bought it, but put it back because it felt too 'masculine' to buy, and then DIED laughing when I opened the same one from him.  SERENDIPITY!
27.  Back scratchers - especially when you've got a spot that you can't reach.
28.  Webinars for Zachary - that will hopefully make him a better essay writer!
29.  Dual Enrollment for Brandon - love that it's made him become much more responsible.
30.  Teaching Textbooks for Kaitlyn - she's finished an entire year of school already!

Menu Plan Monday - November 12

Breakfast:

waffles

chocolate chip buttermilk scones

scrambled eggs/bacon/toast

fruit smoothies with yogurt

pancake bites

cinnamon rolls

Lunch:

leftovers

grilled sandwiches

corn dogs

peanut butter & jelly roll-ups/bananas

pizza

pork tenderloin sandwiches

Dinner:

Parmesan chicken, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob

Spaghetti, green beans, garlic bread

Cream Cheese Chicken Enchiladas OR this one, black beans, rice

Potato corn chowder, chili-cheese corn muffins

Hamburgers, tator-tots, baked beans

Chicken & Dumplins

30 Days of Gratitude - Days 8-12

25 things to be thankful for (5 for each day):

1.  Staff retreat - AMAZING...such wisdom shared and unity gained.  A beyond fantastic experience!
2.  A clean home - I love knowing I've left a clean home for my family to come back home to.
3.  Food - I like food...and I love experiencing new foods...and I love cooking.
4.  God's amazing presence - He's such a big God yet he chooses to reside in me.  BLOWS MY MIND!
5.  My parents - I was raised so well and with such great parents to teach me the things of God, which TRULY matters in the long run!
6.  My doggies - I love them both so much!
7.  A nice vehicle - makes traveling so much more comfortable
8.  Autumn - GORGEOUS COLORS AND WEATHER...my favorite season, by far!
9.  Instagram - I love sharing my passion (photography) with others...and seeing peaks into my friends lives
10.  SO thankful that Brandon is developing his inner leadership abilities.  He's becoming so strong in his beliefs...and makes me SO proud!
11.  Laughter with friends - I love spending time with my friends and just getting to know each other better.
12.  Shopping with the girls - again, just the spending time with them makes it special!
13.  A weekend away - even though it was at staff retreat, the retreat being away left me feeling so refreshed, body and spirit!
14.  My parents - who watch my children for me whenever I need them to!  So THANKFUL they are close and so THANKFUL they are here for me!
15.  Kaitlyn and Zachary - who made sure the house was as clean to come back home to as it was when I left...they are so good!
16.  Biblical teaching - I love gaining more insight and wisdom about the word of God.  There is such a wealth to be discovered if we only spend the time seeking!
17.  Leadership - I am blessed with a great pastor and great leadership that leads by example.  Pastor pours into his people and I'm blessed to be one of those recipients.
18.  New purchases (such as a new shirt) that help me feel just a bit better about myself...no matter my weight.
19.  Learning to love myself - I'm thankful for some fantastic teaching of late that's helped me develop a healthier outlook on ME.
20.  Being in tune with God's spirit and allowing Him to use me as a vessel to speak into someone's life.  PRICELESS.
21.  Prayer - it's so vital, yet so forgotten at times.  I'm THANKFUL for a pastor & church that believes in the power of Prayer!
22.  Healing - It's the little touches from God that are sometimes quickly forgotten.  I don't want to forget God healing my back last night.
23.  Singing - I LOVE to sing praises unto God and I'm thankful to have been a part of music ministry for 26 years now!
24.  Coffee - silly, but my Keurig rocks the coffee making!
25.  Home - I LOVE my home.  I love being in it.  I love decorating it.  I love my family in it.  I'm a homebody and that's okay.

30 Days of Gratitude - Day 7

1.  I am so glad that I have learned somewhere in the course of time HOW to clean even a little bit.  I wasn't blessed with an organizing, cleaning gene...in fact, I probably have more hoarder than organizer in me...yet, I feel compelled to keep things REMOTELY clean.  I might not be the BEST housekeeper, but I'm definitely the WORST, like I was 20 years ago!
2.  I am thankful, that even though my president of choice didn't get elected, I still live in a nation that is free...and it's up to ME to make the most of what I've been blessed with!
3.  I am thankful for the Word of God, which is a continual source of strength and life that springs up within me when I'm feeling anxious, worried, or in need.  It's a lamp, for sure!
4.  I am blessed with this lovely thing called iTunes...and it's ability to create 'genius' playlists?  GENIUS!
5.  I am reminded today of how important connections are...whether on social network or in real life.  We help sustain each other...and we NEED one another.

30 Days of Gratitude - day 6

1. Election Day. Thankful for the privilege to vote. No matter the result
2. Thankful for at least one child interested in the process. Kaitlyn has been glued!
3. Beyond blessed with the ability to immediately pull up worksheets and electoral maps from online sources for us to have an impromptu school election night session.
4. Thankful that Kaitlyn FINALLY pulled a molar baby tooth that has been holding on by a thread for weeks now. With almost a full tooth underneath it!
5. Thankful for to have power to wash the thousand loads of laundry today.
6. I am ALSO thankful we caught ANOTHER break with our freezer only thawing liquid items that were in the door instead of the entire thing hen it wasn't pushed completely shut AgAIN! (Thomas MUST fix this...so...)
7. I am super thankful that I can make honey do lists that might one day be done, lol.

30 Days of Gratitude - day 5

1. I am blessed to be able to educate my children at home. I might not get it all right all the time, but we are doing well!
2. I like time change when it forces my body to evaluate its current sleep schedule. I apparently need more sleep!
3. I am thankful for musically gifted children. Brandon played the cello at church yesterday. It was beautiful.
4. Fall. I so ADORE fall. Every thing about it. The colors, the temps, the changes. Love it.
5. I am so thankful for the plethora of knowledge the Internet affords. Such a wealth of information at our fingertips at any moment. Google ROCKS!

Menu Plan Monday - Nov. 5

Mom is watching Kaitlyn & Zachary Thursday-Saturday, so I'm hoping the latter part of the week the meals will be self-sufficient and easy to fix.  Hopefully?

Breakfast:

cereal

chocolate chip buttermilk scones

scrambled eggs/bacon/toast

fruit smoothies with yogurt

pancake bites

cinnamon rolls

Lunch:

leftovers

grilled sandwiches

turkey rolls

chicken salad croissants

pizza rolls

pork tenderloin sandwiches

Dinner:

Forgotten Chicken, spinach salad, corn on the cob

Baked potato soup, firecrackers

Aussie Chicken, mashed potatoes, salad

Spaghetti, green beans, garlic bread

Potato corn chowder, chili-cheese corn muffins

Hamburgers, tator-tots, baked beans

30 Days of Gratitude - day 4

1. I am grateful and blessed to attend a wonderful church that is passionate about God and others!
2. I am blessed to be able to worship my Lord in song and praise.
3. I was so blessed to watch and hear Brandon play his first cello piece at church tonight - Heart of Worship
4. I love the laughter of friends and fellowship with Gods people.
5. I love knowing that I have a family in God's kingdom. Such security in knowing Him!

30 Days of Gratitude - day 3

1. I am blessed to be a part of a great ministry at my local church: Connection Course, a discipleship class series. It blesses me to teach and serve in this capacity
2. Every time I hear Thomas' personal testimony I am convinced that God is a phenomenal savior who has a specific plan and purpose for every life that submits their will to His. He is a testimony of grace, mercy, and the ability to change.
3. I am thankful that I have truly discovered the spiritual and natural gifts that God has entrusted to me. Not everyone is aware of their gift sets and I am grateful to not only know mine but I am thankful to be able to help others discover their OWN personal ministry and gifts!
4. Servant hood. It's been instilled in me since my childhood. I am thankful for parents who served God, their church, and others and provided for me a perfect example to live up to!
5. Every time I step into church I amazed that God would allow me to be a partaker of something so much bigger than I am. Every one seeks to be a part of something just like this, and yet I have had it all my life. Blessed!

30 Days of Gratitude - day 2

1. I am thankful that I was given a creative mind able to produce things that I envision in my mind.
2. I am thankful that I have been able to develop organizational skills in my life that help me, my family, & others.
3. My children have always berms healthy. They are rarely sick and we have only had to have prescribed antibiotics for them 2 times in my entire parenting 'career'. That's pretty good!!
4. I thankful that Brandon has developed a love of music that goes beyond the normal genres of youth today. Today's genre of choice was Bluegrass. Love that he is so unique! I am also beyond thankful that he has accepted his uniqueness and has 'fit into his own skin'.
5. I am so glad that on the nights I'm unable to cook, though Thomas doesn't cook anymore, he will quickly order some great Jets pizza!
6. I'm also glad to have a partner to help me in my photo shoots now. :-)