Thankful Thursday

* ONE *

Piano Lessons

* TWO *

My adorable nephew

* THREE *

My Father's World Curriculum

I love that my children are being washed in The Word.

* FOUR *

My old VCR.

Yes....I said VCR.

It plays VHS tapes.  Ever heard of it?

We blew off the dust and checked out VHS tapes from our local library.

Rainbow said, "This is the best day of my life!  I've never seen Rectangle Dvd's before!!"

* FIVE *

Back-to-School Photos

Regardless of the fact that we homeschool year-round.

It's still fun. 

Happy Thursday!

Thankful Thursday

Good afternoon, everyone!

It's beautiful day here in Arkansas, and I am loving it.  I have many things to be thankful for, and here are just a few:

1. Grace

My God is a mighty God.  He is mighty in power.  He is the highest authority and the greatest judge.  We show our love for Him by keeping His commandments.  That is exactly why this concept of the abundant grace He gives to us is so amazing to me.  We are SAVED by GRACE through FAITH!!!  I mean...WOAH!!!!!  Thank you, Jesus!  It's nothing that I've ever done or can ever do to deserve to be saved or receive your love...it's only through the GRACE found in Christ Jesus, found by salvation.  

2. My Job

First off, I'm so grateful that I have a job.  I am thankful that I have not only the ability to work, but the opportunity as well. I am so glad that the work I do everyday is helping those who are less fortunate.  I love that I can make a difference.  I am thankful that I work with some awesome people, too.  I have an awesome boss, an awesome coach, and get to work with my best friend.  I'm telling you, I am blessed!  It's not exactly a walk in the park, but hey....it's called "work" for a reason, right?  ;)

3. My soon-to-be In-Laws

Meet my fiance's wonderful parents: Charles and Carol.  They are just great.  I mean it.  They are some of the most caring, generous, and loving people I've ever met.  If you told them that, they'd probably tell you to hush.  They really are that humble.  But regardless, I just love, love, love them!  I am so thankful and blessed to have them as a part of my life.  My girls just love them to pieces.  They've taken them in as their own and loved them just the same.  I could brag on these two all day long...so I'll end it here.  Haha!

4. This Kid's Computer Game w/ Dora @ the Public Library

No kidding.  It is awesome.  I had a lot of paperwork to do and print.  We all know kids love to be loud.  And we know libraries are quiet.  Kids and libraries don't usually mesh.  Well thank you, library of the 21st century, for capturing my child's attention!  It seriously saved my tail while running errands on a deadline.

5. Minnie Mouse Cookies

These are the "Ready to Bake/Ready For School" Minnie Mouse cookies by Pillsbury.  I found them at Wal-Mart yesterday.  Seeing as I got my mickey mail today for my honeymoon next month (Eeeeee!!!!!!), we decided to celebrate.  And well, my girls love Minnie Mouse.  :)

Thankful Thursday

Well I missed What I love Wednesday, and I'm barely making Thankful Thursday.  Technically it's Friday, but it's still Thursday for me.  Haha!

1.  Body Gospel by Beachbody - This workout program is awesome!  I was extremely hesitant to do it initially because I thought it just sounded so incredibly cheesy!  But after starting it, I'm realizing that I'm getting a very good workout without feeling like I'm killing myself.  I started TurboFire in the beginning because I wanted something hardcore.  But I felt like I was killing myself just to get through half of the workouts.  I would find myself playing around and taking too much time just to start my workout.  And not to mention that my joints, especially my knees, were hurting constantly.  I realized that maybe, just maybe, I had picked a workout program that was too intense for me to handle yet.  This was very difficult for me to admit, even to myself.  I have the tendency to think I can do anything.  So through my shame, I had a talk with my upline coach and she surprised me!  She basically told me that I should re-start my 90 days with my mom's program, Body Gospel, with no condemnation whatsoever!  So I did and I think that's the best thing I could have done for myself.  I'm not fiddling around before my workouts because they are only 30 minutes long.  I'm very tired and worked very good by the end, but I don't feel like I'm about to hyperventilate and kill over.  And the next day, I have some muscle soreness...my not to the point where I can barely move.  This program is going to help get me back into shape and raise my fitness level.  Maybe after a round or two of Body Gospel, I'll be ready to tackle TurboFire.  But in the mean time, I'm happy with this.  

2.  My Mom - In light of Mother's Day this weekend, I thought I would mention my mom.  We butt head a lot.  But regardless of how much arguing we do or don't do, she is always there when I really need her.  And if she can't be, she does her best to make it up.  While I'm struggling to try to make it going through this divorce, she has opened her home to me and the girls.  I'm very thankful that I always have a place to call home.  It's true what they say, "Home is where my mom is."  

3.  My friend, Erin C. - I love the fact that if I'm lonely and just need someone to talk to for no apparent reason, I can call Erin up and ask her to meet me at McDonald's so the kids can play together in the play place.  If she has the ability to find any way to get there with her kids, she's there in a heartbeat.  We will let the kids play and get a kiddy ice cream cone, and we will sit there and just talk about everything under the sun.  And I mean it, we will talk forever!  And whatever was on my mind, making me sad, getting me down, making me bored...is completely gone.  We will talk about our issues, talk about what we are happy about.  When we are done updated each other on the latest, it's time to bring on the jokes!  Needless to say, I am very thankful for Erin and her friendship.  

4.  Google - Seriously.  If it weren't for Google search, I seriously doubt I would have a completed cover letter, resume, and reference list to turn in tomorrow for a job I'm applying for.  

5.  Hope - It's all that's been getting me through.  The hope that tomorrow will be better.  The hope that I will be able to provide for my children.  The hope that I will find someone, someday who will love me like my husband was supposed to.  The hope that all is not lost, and I will live again.  The hope that I have in God for my salvation.  Hope...the last light in the darkness.

Thankful Thursday

My list of things I'm thankful for this week:

1.  My Grandma - I don't have a picture for her because she is so incredibly camera shy.  But this woman is phenomenal.  She is such an inspiration and a huge help to me.  She herself rose above a difficult divorce years ago.  She always keeps a positive outlook and doesn't ever seek revenge.  She has such a sweet spirit.  She has helped me with my kids so much and saved my sanity.  She is amazing.  There is no one I have ever met that is quite like her and I love her with all my heart.  I don't know what I'm going to do or how I'm going to function when the Lord calls her up.  She has been my rock through so many of life's trials.  

2.  Friends - They make life wonderful.  Chrissy has been there for me through a lot and always has my back.  I know that she will be there at the end of the day helping me through anything, getting my back no matter what.  Erin C. is always up for hanging out and taking the kids to play.  She loves to escape everything we me whenever its possible.  She is one of the few who has always kept contact with me regardless of what was going on.  There are others worth mentioning.  But that will be another post on another day.  

Chrissy and I at the Miranda Lambert Concert!

(Circa April 2012)

Erin and I 

(Circa June 2007)

3.  Razors - For without them, my legs would never be smooth.  LOL!  Ok seriously, I am very thankful for my razor.  I know, it's extremely random.  But I really don't know how I'd survive without one.  It is one of my best friends, hands down.  C'mon, everyone likes to be clean.  

4.  Disney on Ice!!! - Chrissy won tickets from Cool 104.7 radio station this morning to the show tonight at Verizon Arena in Little Rock!  So we took Rainbow and her daughter, Riley to go see it.  The girls had a blast!  And they were totally worn out by time we got home from the massive amount of excitement!  

5.  God has a plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a hope and a future:  this is my final thing I'm thankful for this week.  I have been through a lot in my 24 years of life.  I learned what it meant to love with all my heart, and to have that same heart shattered.  I've experienced the love that comes with being a mother.  I've learned that the easy way usually isn't the best.  I've learned that you'll sacrifice and wait if something is worth having.  I've learned that life usually isn't fair and that maturity comes at the price of your innocence.  I'm not perfect and I've never claimed to be.  I've made mistakes in my life and done things I'm not proud of.  I've gone against the grain and ignored warnings from those who love me.  And now here I am.  I realize that everything happens for a reason and God never closes one door without opening another.  A couple of months ago, I was waking up and just trying to survive till my head hit the pillow.  A couple of weeks ago, I was ignoring everything and I was numb.  A few weeks ago, I let my wall down and exposed myself to everything I ignored so I could deal with it.  A few days ago, I finally let go of all the bitterness.  I let go.  Completely.  No more hopes and dreams and wishes from the past at all.  Nothing.  And here I am today feeling alive.  Very much alive.  I realize now how true this one saying is - "You can't embrace the future if you won't let go of the past."  Well I did.  And I'm ready to embrace the future.  And I refuse to feel guilty or accept guilt that anyone tries to push on me because I am.  Everyday I have a little more hope that my future will be much more wonderful than my past.  Especially today.  Today I am so incredibly happy and there is no way to put it into words.  I haven't felt like I do right now since I can even remember.  There is so much possibility.  I do not fear tomorrow.  I know I will love again.  I just know it.  And I've got a feeling that I'll be ready when it comes, too.  

Thankful Thursday

What am I thankful for this week?  Well I have a list!  And this is my first "Thankful Thursday", with many more to follow!

1. My children - Rainbow 3 years, Ladybug 5 months

2.  Speech Therapy - I'm so glad  my daughter has the opportunity to get help so we can fix any issues before they become a problem.

3.  Pedicures - My mother bought me a gift certificate for a spa pedicure and I had the opportunity to use it last weekend.  I felt like a million bucks!

4.  Sno Cones - Perfection when it's hot outside.

5.  My Brother, Marcus - He's so good with his nieces and loves them.  We had a blast seeing him today at Larry's Pizza.  Rainbow got to play games, win tickets, and trade them in for a prize.  I don't think she realizes she wins her prizes.  She seems to think Marcus gives them to her. :)

What are you thankful for?