Thankful Day 22 - Grocery Stores

For a large percentage of the world, walking in to a grocery store as we know it would be akin to witnessing a miracle.  Fruits, vegetables, dairy, breads...ready-made and all in one location.  I am grateful for such a miracle in my life.

Thankful Day 21 - Painter

I have done my fair share of painting in the past 10 years--enough to know that I don't enjoy it. Even more than enough to know that Chris professes that he is no longer helping.  It is a lot of work to prep the room, tape it, paint, touch up edges, and clean up.  I am grateful today for a painter who is working on two rooms for me.

Thankful Day 20 - Airplanes

Air travel is amazing and convenient, but I am mostly grateful that there are airplanes that always bring my husband home to me.

Thankful Day 19 - Friends

I am thankful for my friends, my girls' friends, cyber friends...all kinds of friends.  They make life fun and interesting and are a great blessing.

Thankful Day 18 - Health

I am thankful for a healthy body and for good health in my home.

Thankful Day 17 - Washing Machine

As I listen to the swoosh of my washing machine, I can't imagine how much my life would change if I had to do laundry by hand.  I DO know my kids would have a lot less clothes.  My washing machine, along with all the appliances in my home, make my life incredibly easier. 

Thankful Day 16 - Heated Seats

To the person who invented heated seats, I love you.

Thankful Day 15 - Brothers

I have FOUR brothers--they're all great.  My girls won't ever have the experience of being teased by a brother of their own, but their uncles don't mind giving them a taste of what it is like.

Thankful Day 14 - Sunrises and Sunsets

I love the colors of the rising and setting sun--so glorious.  I am thankful for the new days they usher in and the successful days they bring to a close.

Thankful Day 13 - GPS

Being directionally challenged, I am grateful for a GPS that gets me where I need to go.

Thankful Day 12 - Books

I love to read.  I usually have five or six books checked out from the library at one time.  I read Christian fiction books, manuals, magazines, the daily newspaper, and blogs mostly.  I am grateful that my children are picking up on this trait as well.  I had to say to Misha the other day, "You are not allowed to read another book until your project is finished."

Choir Concert

I was a little sad when Amy decided that she didn't want to continue with band this year, something about not especially liking the band teacher.  I'm hopeful that she'll want to take flute lessons or be in band again someday.  Until then, she was thrilled to be in choir.  She even auditioned for and made it into the Honor Choir at school!  Amy's first concert was held on November 10th.  Chris arrived home from work in Denver not too long before it started.  I told him to come just for Amy's portion instead of sitting through the band, orchestra and other stuff.  With a little sly texting in my purse, I sent a message that they were moving through the program fast and that he'd need to be there sooner than we'd talked about.  He slid in to the seat next to me just as the 7th grade choir started and left shortly after to get some projects done at home.  Amy and her choir did great.  The entire concert was a tribute to all the men and women of the Armed Services.

Thankful Day 11 - Freedom

As a citizen of this great nation, I am profoundly grateful for the privileges, rights, and freedoms that belong to that status.  I am grateful for those who serve this nation and are willing to sacrifice for me. 

Thankful Day 10 - Citizenship

I am proud to be an American. 

Gaining my citizenship was a long, arduous process that took over six years.  I am so grateful to stand and sing the national anthem of the United States of America--it is emotional for me every time.

Thankful Day 9 - Dates

Chris and I have made an effort to go on dates every week.  (It helps to have a daughter who can babysit for us.)  I love spending time with him, having fun, and taking a break from the normal activities in my life.

Thankful Day 8 - Technology

I love that I can connect with family and friends online.  Technology is amazing and truly simplifies my life.

Thankful Day 7 - Sisters

I am so thankful to have three girls who are great sisters.  They all have beautiful brown eyes and smiles to light up the world, yet they are as different as they come. 

I am thankful for my sister.  She is three years older than me, and growing up I always wanted to be doing what she was doing and going where she was going.  She was a great example and friend, especially as we left home and were living adult lives and could have had a myriad of other friends.  We chose to be friends.  I'll have to remedy the fact that I don't have many pictures of her and I together.

Thankful Day 6 - Institute Class

I have been amazingly enriched by attending Brother Lehman's Institute class at the church.  He is a fabulous teacher who enriches my life every week with insights, scriptures, knowledge, truth, and hope.

Thankful Day 5 - Treadmill

Yep, I really am going to say that I am thankful for my treadmill.  It helps me stay healthy, sane and balanced.

Thankful Day 4 - Kristen

I am so thankful for Kristen.  I love that she has such a kind and generous heart.  Chris and I have always commented that she has a mind that is perceptive beyond her years--there is so much that she just gets.  As the third girl, she brings a lot of drama and flair and style.

Thankful Day 3 - Misha

Ah My Misha.  Always she will be "My Misha" in my mind.  Not sure why, it just fits.  Misha has such an amazing presence in our family.  She eschews the girly-girl attributes that her sisters so readily embrace and loves to be her own kind of girl.  She has a bright mind that seeks to understand the why, what, when and how of things.  I am thankful for her and the blessing and balance she is in our home.

The Three Little Goats

One Friday afternoon, while I was waiting with Misha and Amy to pick up Kristen from her dance class, I watched these three little goats playing in the field next to us.  They reminded me so much of my children.  One little goat just couldn't keep his nose out of the others'  business and he would run up and butt them for no reason and without any warning.  It was pretty funny to watch.  And since I had my camera handy...

Best Worker

Granted there are weeks when Kristen isn't so amenable to Saturday chores, but generally, she is quite happy to pitch in and help with chores.  We have four bathrooms in our house.  I clean the master bathroom, Amy and Misha trade off between the basement bathroom and their upstairs bathroom, and Kristen cleans the main floor powder bathroom.  She also vacuums the living room and has to clean her bedroom.  She likes to dig in and get her chores done early on Saturday morning, whereas her sisters have been known to procrastinate well into the day.  I like Kristen's style.

Thankful Day 2 - Amy

"You’re a GIRL! I was certainly surprised. I thought for sure that you would be a boy. Dad and I went for the ultrasound yesterday morning at 8:30 am. The technician, Kaylene, who did the ultrasound was great and answered all of our questions. She asked us whether or not we wanted to know your gender if she was able to determine it and we both said, “Yes.” I was completely prepared for her to say that you looked like a boy, but instead she said you were looking like a girl. I didn’t believe her at first, but she said that she was 99% certain. The transition was amazing. We immediately started referring to you as “she” and “her”.

As I laid on the bed watching the ultrasound, seeing your heart, hearing it beat, seeing all of the parts of you working so wonderfully, little tears kept spilling out the corner of my eye. We are thrilled about you." Journal entry Friday, July 30, 1999

Once I knew that our first child would be a girl, I dreamed of a brown-eyed, curly-haired little girl. As I held Amy in my arms after she was born, I was amazed by this sweet girl with a curly-cue of hair on the top of her head. I am so thankful for the wonderful blessing of Amy in my life.

Thankful Day 1 - Christopher

My path didn't cross with Christopher's until I was 29.  There were many times when I tried to convince the Lord to hurry up his plan.  Chris was a recently returned missionary when I met him and not even on my radar as far as a potential date let alone husband!  Chris was persistent and convincing and oh so worth the wait.  I am thankful to have him as my husband, my partner, and my best friend.