15/93

My babies turned 15 yesterday. It's sort of hard to comprehend really that they are becoming young women. We had a good time yesterday. Kelly called from Iraq in the morning to wish them Happy Birthday. I took them balloons and candy to school and after school we took cupcakes to celebrate with my grandpa at the nursing home. He turned 93 yesterday and the girls are his birthday babies. Later Kelsey, Chloey, Shelby, Lindsay, my mom and me went to McMenamins for dinner. We ate on the rooftop, inside and had a really good time. Then we came home and had ice cream cake and the girls opened their gifts/cards. It was kind of a low-key birthday but it was fun!

Gratitude - Day 28

I actually did it, I wrote a blog of some sort or another for 28 days straight!!

Today I have left the best for last. I am grateful for God. I am grateful for knowing Him early in my life. For trusting and believing His words and for miraculous things that He has done. I am thankful for all that He has provided for me and my family. I am grateful for His love and mercy and for the sacrifice of His son.

Gratitude - Day 27

Today I am grateful for pain relievers. I have a massive headache today but I took something so hopefully it will be gone soon!

Gratitude - Day 26

Today I am grateful for love. I am grateful that I was loved as a child, loved by my husband, loved by my children and friends and most especially loved by God. I am grateful to be able to give love to my family, friends and even to people I don't know. I want to live my life in a spirit of love and to have everyone who comes in contact with me to feel loved. Some days it is easier to be loving than others, but it is a goal. Here is a song that I heard that made me think about being grateful for love.


Love Never Fails
Brandon Heath
From the album What If We

Love is not proud
Love does not boast
Love after all
Matters the most

Love does not run
Love does not hide
Love does not keep
Locked inside

Love is the river that flows through
Love never fails you

Love will sustain
Love will provide
Love will not cease
At the end of time

Love will protect
Love always hopes
Love still believes
When you don't

Love is the arms that are holding you
Love never fails you

When my heart won't make a sound
When I can't turn back around
When the sky is falling down
Nothing is greater than this
Greater than this

Love is right here
Love is alive
Love is the way
The truth the life

Love is the river that flows through
Love is the arms that are holding you
Love is the place you will fly to
Love never fails you

Gratitude - Day 25

Today I am grateful for my sisters. I feel kind of sorry for women/girls who don't have sisters. I guess if you don't, you don't really know what you're missing but I can't imagine not having sisters. My sisters and I are all VERY different. I was thinking about this the other day and I realized that I am the type that makes myself crazy planning things. I worry that I won't make the right decision or that what I am doing won't work right or whatever. I end up planning so much that I have a hard time starting something or making a decision but when I do, it turns out pretty awesome.

My next younger sister is also a planner but she gets in and does things easier that I do. Her issue is perfection. She spends so much time trying to get everything perfect that she makes herself a little crazy but everything she does turns out beautiful.

My youngest sister is not so much a planner as a doer. She just jumps in, full steam ahead. Which can be good and bad. Sometimes she makes the rest of us crazy because of the lack of planning but she does get a lot of things done and isn't afraid to try new things.

So, today I am thankful for my sisters. We are there for each other and all our assorted children and I can't imagine my life without them! And, happy 40th birthday today to my "baby" sister!

Gratitude - Day 24

Today I am thankful for my house. First, I am thankful to have a house. I'm thankful that our children all have grown up with a yard to play in, a place to ride bikes, and great neighbors. We moved into our house in November of 1984, one month before Lindsay, our oldest, was born. My in-laws purchased the house as an investment and we rented it from them until they retired 8 years later. Then in February 1992, we bought it from them. We lived here for another 9 years and then did an extensive remodel. We added a second story, doubling our square footage and going from 3 bedrooms, 2 baths to 6 bedrooms, 4 baths. Thankfully my dad and my husband (and I) did a lot of the work so our cost wasn't huge and now we have this great house with lots of room and we didn't have to leave our wonderful neighborhood!

Gratitude - Day 23

Today I am grateful for my grandson, Holden. He is 13 months old and I just love him so much! Being a grandparent is so different. You can just have fun and love them without all the pressure of the raising of them. He is such a sweet, funny, happy, busy, smart and totally adorable baby boy! After growing up with two sisters and having five daughters it was quite a surprise to have a grandson. I only wish that he didn't live so far away but we've made the best of it. Either I've gone there to visit or they have come here about every three months or so. He's coming to visit next month and I can't wait!