Thankful Thursday

This is my last Thankful Thursday post. It's been a great blessing to me to share what I've been thankful for. If you'd like to read the first three posts from this series, go here for #1, here for #2, and here for #3.  When I finished my post last week, I thought to myself, 'will I be able to come up with anything else to be thankful for?'  I hit all the big ones - Jesus, family, friends, chocolate.  What else is there in life to be thankful for?
(Sorry, no pictures this time)

First, I'm thankful for a roof over our heads.  It's a nice home, but in a not-so-nice neighborhood.  If we are still here when Jack is ready for kindergarten, I'll become a homeschooling mama.  I love the space we have, and that there is plenty of room for the three of us. This is a great house for a big family. There are plenty of not-so-thankful parts about this house, but not so many that I can't appreciate the good parts. 

Along those lines, I'm thankful for the means to pay for this house.  Since quitting my job as a teacher to stay home with Jack, I have not had to worry about finding part-time income.  Rick has budgeted us out the wazoo, and we are blessed to be able to live comfortably off of one income.  We have done some reading and studying of Dave Ramsey, who is the mastermind behind Financial Peace University.  (Some people refer to him as Damn Ramsey, which I think is hilarious, because at times, you do want to curse his name!)  Working very hard with what we had, we were able to get out of all of our debt.  Not many people can claim that, and I am VERY thankful to be in this situation.

I'm thankful for the holidays.  I love that they are a time our families set aside to get together.  We don't always get to see everyone throughout the year, so the fact that we will get together over the holidays is a real treasure.  We know we will see everyone eventually!  Also, the holidays give us a time to reflect on our blessings, Jesus coming to Earth to save us sinners, and His death and resurrection that covered our sins.  Wow.  What a great God we have!

And finally, possibly most importantly, I'm thankful for peanut butter.  It's my favorite food.  There is nothing better than chocolate and peanut butter, but it really does go with EVERYTHING.  Bananas, toast, graham crackers, bagels, apples....the list is endless.  (I'm pretty sure my father ate a peanut butter and pickle sandwich - I'm not willing to go there)

Thank you for taking the time to read my Thankful Thursday posts.  I hope that you were able to relate to one or more of the things I'm thankful for.  I've really been very blessed, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to share my thankfulness with all of you!  (And good for you if you read them all!!) HAPPY THANKSGIVING!  I hope you have a blessed day!!

I just realized that today's theme for I Heart Faces is Sun flares.

Let me reiterate that I am not a photographer.  But I remembered a photo of my son back in April that had sun flare in it, so I thought I'd post it today. I warmed it up a bit, but the flare is all accident. I like the bottom right corner.  Whatever that is called, I like it.  A sun spot?  I don't really know.

Thankful Thursday

Here we are with our third installment of Thankful Thursday.  This is when I take each Thursday in the month of November to say what I'm most thankful for.  If you'd like to recap, here is the post for the first week  and here is last week's post.  I love that I haven't run out of things to be thankful for! I don't think I could, really.


This week I'm thankful for my joyful attitude.  Or I could call it my eternally hopeful attitude.  I know my hope comes from the Lord.  I don't  have to constantly remind myself that He gives me a hope for my future, like some people have to do.   I don't even think about it.  It just is the way I'm programmed. Sure, I have been known to get into a funk now and again, but I've never suffered from depression, and I am always seeing the glass as half full.  My parents are both happy people as well.  We may have other generational curses (such as laziness), but as far  back as I know about, none of us has struggled with a curse of depression or pessimism. I am so thankful that God has given me a joyful attitude.  

I'm thankful for my In-laws.  When I married my husband, I married into a terrific family.  My father-in-law is a pastor of a small church in a small town, and they live a quiet life.  He takes care of his family, home and church with respect, patience, and a touch of humor. He has the biggest laugh, and his voice sounds like the voice of God.  (Jack is always captivated by him when he talks)   My mother-in-law is the sweetest woman I think I've ever met.  She will do anything for anyone, and doesn't think anything of her amazing generosity.  (And her pecan pie is the BEST ever!!) My sister-in-law is homeschooling a small army 5 great kids in their tiny home (anxiously awaiting the time when their new home will be finished). Those kids are AMAZING.  They are so kind, compassionate, friendly, funny, and beautiful (or handsome - I don't want to call the boy beautiful!) She is a role model for me as a mother.  My brother-in-law is very kind, and he has the same laugh as my husband.  When they get together, it can be an endless amount of fart jokes, or it can be an deep conversation about theology.  I love to see them spend time together.  I couldn't have asked for a better family to marry into.  They are supportive, encouraging, and loving.  What more can you ask for?

It may seem odd, but I'm thankful for Facebook and Blogs.  Since having Jack and getting into Facebook and reading blogs, I've reconnected with a TON of old friends, and I've learned so much about parenting, cooking, homeschooling, photography, cloth diapering, baby wearing...the list is endless.  Being an extrovert, I'm recharged by interacting with people. Being a woman, I like to share my feelings with other women.  The internet has allowed me to do that without even leaving my family room.  (often times still in my pj's).  There are two friendships in particular that have been reintroduced through Facebook that have been vital to my journey as a new mother.  All three of us had our first babies within a few months of each other, and we share common parenting philosophies.  When you're a new mom, you need to find a support team, and I've been blessed with two great friends who are my support team.

Wheww!  That's a lot to be thankful for!  I'm planning on posting next week for the final Thankful Thursday, but that's only if I figure out how to set a post to publish when I'm not around.  We'll be traveling to my in-law's for the holiday, so I won't actually be around on Thursday.  I hope you all have been able to take a little time to think of what you can be thankful for in your life.  It can change your attitude for the day when you stop to ponder the positive.  Again, feel free to link up to this if you're sharing a Thankful Thursday post.

One Small Step...

Jack took his first steps last night!  I think there were two real steps in all.  We captured the second set of real steps.  The first ones were a surprise to us, but as soon as he did them, I ran for the camera and set him up to do it again.

I thought he may walk before his 9th month was over, but he decided to wait until 3 days into his 10th month. He should be running around by Christmas, right?

If someone would like to tell me how to upload a video, I'll share my 6 second video with you. :) Until then, I'll share this picture of him standing by himself from last week. You'll just have to trust me that he took the steps.

New Skillz

Jack is working on his skillz.  His gross motor skillz that is.

Sorry, once a 6th grade teacher, always a 6th grade teacher.

He has taken to crawling over Mommy every time she lies on the floor.  (Why the third person you ask?  I don't really know) This game can go on over and over and over and over again with endless giggles and squeals of delight.  Once he makes it over one direction, he immediately turns around and goes the other direction.  Every once in a while, he stops to bite.  THAT'S not fun at all!!

I love to get down on the floor with him and see how many times he'll climb over Mt. Mommy.  He's getting a bit of rug burn on his little nose because of how hard he lands, but he doesn't seem to mind that at all.  He LOVES climbing.    And I love playing with my little man.

Here he is climbing over his cousin.  He really likes to climb over people!

I've never participated in this 'linky', because I'm not a photographer. But this week, I saw that the theme was "Autumn Beauty", and since I've recently had a lot of fun taking pictures of Jack in the leaves, I figured I'd go ahead and link up with this photo. This is one of my favorite photos of him. I did plan the outfit to match the fall colors, but that red hair is all his doing!

Important Growth Chart Moment

This may not seem like a big deal, but to me it's HUGE.  As of today, Jack has started taking undesirable objects out of his mouth. 

Let me explain.

Jack likes to put things in his mouth.  EVERYTHING in his mouth.  We can't stay outside long, because I get so  frustrated with having to constantly take the acorns that he can't seem to resist out of his mouth.  I keep a pretty tidy house (not CLEAN, but tidy) now because of his curious adventures he likes to take around all the furniture, but there are still small objects to be found on my floor.  Sometimes it's old food he's thrown or dropped on the floor, or sometimes its a tiny pebble brought in on a shoe.  Whatever it is, if he finds it, it ends up in his mouth!  He puts up quite a fight when I try to fish it out, and sometimes he ends up swallowing it before I can get my finger in there. 

But the time has come!!!!  Today, he had something in his mouth that he shouldn't have been eating, and he PICKED IT OUT OF HIS MOUTH!  He stuck out his tongue and got it out of there!  I know this will carry over to the food department, where he won't keep good food in his mouth that he should eat, but for now I'm happy about this new milestone.  Maybe we can spend more time outdoors!  (Just when it starts to get cold, right?)

Thankful Thursday

It's Thursday again! It may be a little late in the day, but I'm still thankful, none the less. If you weren't here last Thursday, let me invite you to check out last week's post. I am posting a Thankful Thursday each Thursday of this month, and you're welcome to link your post to my blog. You can even post it late! Lord knows I'm rarely on time anymore!

I'm thankful for my friends. That's a huge thing for me. I am an extrovert by nature, so I love to be around people. But I don't love to be around a LOT of people, just special people. And by special, I don't mean 'short-bus-special!' (Though, we've often left people wondering...)

I have friends who keep me accountable, encourage me when I'm down, are a shoulder for me to cry on, a listening ear for my venting, a partner in crime, a role model for me, as well as someone for whom I can be a role model. God has put exactly who I need in my life, when I needed them. I've often looked at my life and friends as God's tapestry. Friends are weaving in and out of my life to make a beautiful piece of artwork, but I can't zoom out to see the whole thing right now. I have (mostly) learned to look at the place where I am now and see it's beauty alone. I believe that God will continue to add friends to my life, and, sadly, He will take friends away. If I trust that it is His timing and will, I will be able to appreciate both of those times.

I am thankful for my family. I have a very supportive family.

I grew up always knowing that I was loved. I never questioned my value, because my mother drilled it into my head that I am valuable. I always felt beautiful, because, again, my mother drilled it into my head that I am a beautiful girl - inside and out. She was my constant supporter in everything and my biggest fan.

My sister and I haven't always gotten along. I remember a time when all I did was pester her and all she did was close her door in my face. I can't blame her. I was a bratty little sister. But since we've grown older (her MUCH older than me), we've become much closer. 700 miles separated us for quite a few years, and I believe that helped our relationship. Absence really does make the heart grow fonder. Now that we're only 50 miles apart, it's even better. But what has really brought our relationship to a better place is the birth of my son. We have that ultimate connection now - we both have sons.

Even if you're not a blogger, or if you don't want to link up to my (late posting) Thankful Thursdays, please take some time to think about what you are thankful for this month. If a person pops into your mind, TELL THEM that you're thankful for them. Who wouldn't want to hear that? Have a great week!

Thankful Thursday

Today is Thursday. (Thank you Capt. Obvious)  There are 4 Thursdays until Thanksgiving. (What would you do without me?)  I've decided to take each Thursday and express what I'm thankful for.  I have a lot to be thankful for, so spreading it out like this is a good idea.

I'm thankful for my husband.  Rick and I have been married for 4 years now.  We met on EHarmony (I KNOW!), and there's a fun story there if I ever get around to sharing it.  Though, maybe it's just fun for me, and the rest of the world (you know, the 15 or so of you who read this blog) may not find it as interesting.  Sometimes it seems like it's been forever that we've been together, but other times it seems like our wedding was just yesterday. I'm thankful that Rick and I complement each other so well.  When he gets down, I (try to) brighten his day, and when I'm not being very thoughtful, he reminds me to think of others first.  When I make dinner, he does the dishes entertains Jack so I can clean up in the kitchen.  He is a really great father, and I couldn't imagine my life without him.

I'm thankful for my son.  Jack is the best thing that has ever happened to me!  He is a constant blessing to me.  His little smile can melt my heart.  His dimples are going to be the death of me, I just know it.  He loves when I sing to him, and I love when he gives me kisses.  He loves to be with me, and I love that I get to stay home with him to watch him grow. Now, if only he would lie still during a diaper change!

I'm thankful for Jesus dying on a cross for my sins.  There are many, and I would be a lost person without His saving grace.  Because of his grace and love, I am a hopeful person.  I am thankful that He is the one who gives me hope and joy.  I am currently in a 'lukewarm' stage of my life right now, but I'm making changes.  I'm trying to get back into a habit of praying and reading every day.  My bible has become a little dusty, and I need to change that A.S.A.P!

I'm thankful for chocolate.   I can't imagine how much weight would not be on this body if I didn't have a love affair with chocolate.  Just imagine how cold I would get in the winter!  Chocolate and peanut butter.  Need I say more?

Ok, I'll save the rest for the next three weeks. Feel free to link up with this post if you're a blogger.  Maybe there is someone out there doing this already. 

Some Small Growth Chart Moments

Here are just a few things Jack is doing at 9 1/2 months.

• He has learned how to point.  He points at something specific that he may want or just think is neat, but he also points just to see his fingers point.  He'll study his fingers, marveling at the new contortions they're doing. 
• Jack is standing by himself now.  At first, he didn't realize he was doing it. He would switch a toy from one hand to the other, while standing, and not fall on his rump.  I even 'fought' him over putting on a jacket one time, the whole time he was standing without holding on to anything.  Now, I think he tests it out every so often to see how long he can keep his balance.  He does a great job!  My prediction was that he will be walking at the end of his 9th month.  We'll see!
•  His crawling is getting better and better because of his new sense of balance and strength.  He can crawl right over me (I call it climbing over Mt. Mommy) and through the bottom rungs of the kitchen chairs.  He also loves to crawl in and out of his big Fisher Price toy.  I think he'll be the boy who builds forts to climb into.  
• He loves to play the throwing game.  He will throw a toy off of his highchair endlessly!  When Daddy is holding him, he'll throw the toy (or spoon, vitamin bottle, or shoe...) down, and Daddy will lower him to the toy to grab it.  This game goes on until Daddy can no longer bend over.  Jack LOVES it.
• And as I mentioned in my last post, he's becoming quite the talker.  It's so adorable to hear him talk to his toys, mimic sounds from a toy, and talk to us as if asking us in depth questions.  Or maybe he's telling us something important at the time.  We just don't know . 

I am really looking forward to the holidays when we'll get to see all of our family.  My prediction will be that he'll be running around, trying to keep up with his many cousins come Christmastime.  We'll see!

"Ooidy!"

Jack has begun speaking a lot recently.  He's been a babbler for a long time, but something has changed recently.  His babbling has taken on a more conversation-like rhythm.  Sometimes it even sounds like I should be able to understand it.  I have to say that it is the cutest thing! 

Our conversations go like this:

Jack : Ooo ta da!!

Mommy: What's that, Jack?

Jack: Oooidy Oooidy da!

Mommy: Oh, I see.  Good idea, Jack!

Jack: Faa dadada ooi.

I could go on.  It cracks us up every time.  Even funnier may be his parents repeating everything back to him in his baby-language.  We're really enjoying this age!