Gifts of Gratitude Day 8

So, I'm finding I'm not the best at being a regular "blogger". We've had a lot happen in the last month and I'm just not good at being consistent with this. But nonetheless, I will keep at this even though it may not be as regular as I hoped! We have a lot to be thankful for right now. We just moved closer to Dave's job and our church. Its so nice being so close to everything again! Love having our friends close by! And I just found out that I am STILL cancer-free!! It's been 3 years now! That's the longest stretch I have had yet! SO much to be thankful for!!
Yet despite all of that, I am still struggling to have a thankful spirit. Get ready for some brutal honesty people. There are days that I struggle to find the joy in motherhood. *GASP* I know, I know....that's a terrible thing to say. But let's face it. It's the truth. Now, don't get me wrong, I love being a mom! It was always my dream job. Its just also a lot harder than I anticipated. Ha! And there are days (especially lately) where I literally feel like I've ran a marathon at the end of the day. Motherhood is exhausting- physically, mentally, and emotionally. I'm attempting my first year at homeschooling (which is not going all that well), running a household, and the mother of 3 precious children- one of which is a 3 year old boy that has been exerting his strong will as of late. There isn't a day that goes by lately that this mommy doesn't feel like an utter failure at the end of the day. But despite all that, I know that this is just a phase in life and that it won't last forever. I also know that in order to make it through, I need to look at my own heart and change my attitude/behaviors instead of trying to change my children's. Kids learn by example. So I know that I need to constantly be checking the example that I'm setting and make adjustments accordingly. Definitely easier said than done!
Life itself is hard. That is a fact and something that won't change until our Lord makes his appearance again. Even though that's true, he is a gracious God and gives many many moments of joy even though we don't deserve it. As I've been sitting here typing, my precious Luke climbed into my lap, after having a massive meltdown that included an "I don't like you Mommy.", he snuggled in and apologized (without prompting). Those moments are grace-filled blessings for me. They remind me of the joy that is in motherhood and life. They remind me too of God's great love for us and that he cares even about the small things. I'm so undeserving of his love, yet he lavishes it upon me despite it. Thank you, Abba, for your many displays of grace and love! So even though mommyhood may not get easier, I know that this is my calling and I will keep clinging to those "grace moments" and the joy that comes with it. And if you're a struggling mama out there, know that you are not alone! I'm not one that hides what I'm feeling or going through. I believe that a lot of our struggles are the very same. But we won't know that unless we share! So I hope you get some encouragement from my ramblings! May God give you "grace-filled moments" in abundance!

Gifts of Gratitude Day 7

Today I tipped and cut a bucket and a half full of beans. There is nothing like the satisfaction of seeing the product of your labor. I'm so thankful for a plentiful garden and the knowledge I'm am acquiring this year. This is my first attempt at a garden and so far its going pretty ok! I'm not always good at remembering to weed and check it every few days, but hopefully those reminders will become more instinctive with time. It is really fun to see the end result! Even though we are in a drought, our garden is producing! I'm so thankful that the Lord provides, even amidst a drought:)

Gifts of Gratitude Day 6

I know I'm a few days behind, but in my defense, I've been busy being in a wedding!!! My beautiful SIL got married this weekend!! It was a gorgeous wedding and so much fun to be a part of! Nothing makes me happier than seeing two very deserving people pledge their lives to one another in front of God and family/friends. They are such wonderful people and it was truly a joy to be a part of their day! I miss her already! But I'm SO happy for her:) I was exhausted though after a very busy weekend! I think I'm finally recovering! It was great to see family that we don't get to see often too. This family is HUGE! I love it! What a great weekend! I hope she enjoyed her day even more than we did!

Gifts of Gratitude Day 5

Today I decided to write about my fantastic hubs:) Handsome, isn't he? This man has been with me through thick and thin. Words can't describe how much I love him. He married me, knowing that I would possibly be battling cancer for the rest of my life. Didn't phase him a bit. I'm still in awe by that. We just celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary! He did it well this year! He planned a short getaway for us over the weekend. He tried to surprise me, but I ended up finding out. No big deal. I was SO excited! We try to get away for our anniversary, at some point, each year. Its so great to have family around that's willing to watch our kiddos for us during this time! I'm truly honored to be MMM's wife. He's so much fun and keeps each day interesting! He's also a fantastic daddy. Our kids just adore him, and I can't say I blame them ;) There's never enough time in the day to spend with him, but I take every moment I can get. I am so thankful for the gift the Lord has given me in MMM. I know I don't tell him that enough:)

Gifts of Gratitude Day 4

I actually have two photos for today!

This photo is actually from a week ago. But I stumbled across it and had to write about it. It was such a great night! S went to VBS here in Darlington. The curriculum was created by the band "Go Fish". It was wonderful!! She had so much fun and the Gospel was really emphasized! Love it! At the end of the week, Go Fish came and did a concert for us! It was a blast! I really think MMM (my abbreviation for the hubs- check out my "about us" tab to find out what it stands for!) and I had more fun than the kids! We were dancin' and really having fun. At first, the kids were a bit embarrassed by us, I think! Ha! It didn't take long for them to get into it though! I am so thankful for the great family night we had, worshipping God in a totally fun way!

This photo is of my beautiful flowers I received for my birthday! My sweet SIL, Rachel, gave me the beautiful mixture bouquet. And one of my besties, Kara, gave me the beautiful roses! It was so sweet of them! I LOVE flowers! They add so much to a room and naturally brighten the mood! So thankful for friends and flowers!! :)

Gifts of Gratitude Day 3

Day 3

Again, I'm sorry for the late post. This was from yesterday. Yesterday was my birthday!! I had such a wonderful day full of love, shopping, movies, pizza, and cake! Each birthday for me is a reminder how truly awesome and gracious our great God is! I was told, after my cancer diagnosis at the age of 16, that there was a major possibility that I wouldn't make it past 5 years (my 21st birthday). I'm thrilled to report that I just turned 29 yesterday :) I have told my husband that I'm not very excited about turning 30. But in a way, I am. Since I'm really trying to focus on what I'm grateful for lately, I am now going to start saying that I am excited about turning 30...well maybe excited is too strong of a word ;) Ha! But in all seriousness, it is so awesome that God chose to be gracious to me and extend my life. I pray that He alone is glorified in that, and that He will continue to use my life in ways that will bring glory to him!

Gifts of Gratitude Day 2

Day 2

So I realized that I forgot to post last night. I had my picture, but forgot to upload it! So here is yesterday's picture. I don't remember if I said, in my last post, but my goal is to blog everyday for a year about things I'm thankful for in my life. So here is day 2!
These are my favorite three men :) I had NO idea how I would handle being a mom to a boy...especially 2 boys! I grew up with just me & my sister. Boys are foreign to me! But let me just say, that now that I am a mama to two precious boys, I love it! Boys are SO much fun! Their energy level and curiosity can be exhausting, but they warm my heart like I never thought possible. L & A are just getting to the point now where they like playing with each other. Its SO sweet! I envision many years of "double trouble" from these two. And they are definitely their father's sons:) Goofy sense of humor and all! I wouldn't trade a moment for anything! And my hubs is such a fantastic husband and father. He's so much fun! The kids (and I) just can't get enough of him! Love my boys!