A Life of Gratitude

Today I am thankful that I have made it to 9 weeks! Only a few more weeks of the first trimester and hopefully only a few more weeks of morning sickness! This week the baby is the size of a grape. It has little ear lobes and fully formed eyes. Its amazing what is happening inside my womb. I'm ready for the second trimester but I don't want to rush all thats happening in there. Its truly a miracle.

About a week ago Bryan and I purchased a Rainbow Vacuum Cleaner. We are not ones to usually spend a lot of money on something like this but the demonstration was so impressive and showed us how filthy our home truly is. So, we splurged and got a terrific vacuum cleaner for our family. I am so glad we did! Bryan has been "Mr. Clean" this week! He has cleaned every room, top to bottom. I doubt our house has ever been this clean. I helped but Bryan did most of the work and I am so grateful! Today I am thankful for our new vacuum and for my husband. I love living in such a dust free environment!

I've been so tired with this pregnancy. Last night I went to bed at 9:15. The night before I went to bed when Dylan went to bed at about 8:30. This isn't like me, I always stay up so that Bryan and I can go to bed together. These past few weeks though, I just can't keep my eyes open. So, today I am thankful that I am able to go to bed early and I am so appreciative of my husband for putting me to bed each night. I guess its hard on a body to make another person but I miss spending quality time with my husband each night. Hopefully I will feel more energetic in a few weeks.

Recently while watching TV or surfing the internet, it has been hard to miss all the horrible things going in the world around us. Even in our surrounding communities and our church families there are things happening that are heart-breaking. It is sometimes hard to believe that God is still in control but HE IS! Today I am thankful for Psalm 27:13-14. Its says "I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." I am so thankful that the bible tells us that we can be confident, we will see the goodness of the Lord. God has not abandoned us, He is in Control! We just have to be strong, take heart and wait for HIM!

Whew...what a weekend! I've been really sick this weekend so I spent the morning in the hospital. I was getting fluids and new nausea medication because this sweet little baby is giving me a fit! As I write this blog, I'm feeling a lot better and I was able to keep some chicken noodle soup down! Although the hospital experience wasn't a very good one, I am thankful that I live in an area where hospitals are accessible and medication is available. I am grateful that I am feeling better now. I hate being so sick and unable to take care of my family. Hopefully I'll be back to normal soon !

I've been so sick this weekend. I am so thankful to have my precious hubby here to help me. Not only has he taken good care of me and Dylan but he has also been cleaning everything so that we will be ready for our Furnture Market renters to arrive this week. I don't know what I would do without him! Thank you Bryan! I love you so much!

Yesterday I was able to see our sweet little lima bean for the first time on a sonogram! It is tiny and all you can make out is the head and the body but its already adorable! The heartbeat was 174 and I could see the little heart flickering! Its amazing how seeing the baby makes all the sickness seem so minimal. Today I am thankful for the opportunity to see our sweet little baby. I am so grateful that everything is forming as it should. It is so surreal to believe that a little human is growing inside me...its such a miracle! Thank you Father, for this sweet little child. Thank you for the ability to see it and hear its heartbeat. You are creating the perfect little brother or sister for Dylan, thank You for such a miracle. Amen.

Today I am thankful that I am feeling pretty good! Its been a few weeks since I could honestly say that and it probably won't last but I'll enjoy it while it last! I'm especially grateful because this is a fun day. I get to have my first sonogram today to see the baby and hear its heart beat. I'm glad that I'll be feeling good for this experience. Dylan and Bryan will be going with me. I am so excited!

This morning at 7:30 (every day, same time, like an alarm clock) Dylan came into my bedroom, climbed into bed and laid down with me. Most mornings he wants to me to hurry and get up but today he just laid there and talked. We talked about the birds singing, Daddy being at work, Mitch giving kisses, how old we all are, and even our dreams. We didn't come out to eat breakfast until 8:10. What a precious 40 minutes! I enjoyed listening to my little boy talk, he has such a terrific vocabulary. He is growing so fast and I am learning to cherish these times. So, today I am thankful for sweet moments with my "BabyMan" who isn't a baby anymore. Thank you God, for precious moments with Dylan. He is growing so fast and becoming such a smart young man. I will cherish each of these moments that You give me. Thank You! Amen .

When I was putting Dylan to bed last night he was sitting on my lap and asked to sing a song. So, I said "sure!" He started singing "You are my Sunshine!" It might have been the most adorable thing I have ever heard. I was nearly brought to tears as I listened to his little voice. He is so sweet and innocent, so precious! Today I am thankful for my sweet little boy, Dylan and his loving heart. He brings me so much joy.

Ok, its officially SPRING!! This has to be my favorite time of year! I love when all of the flowers begin to bloom and the trees fill up with new leaves. It is such a beautiful time of year. Spring reminds me of when Jesus said "Behold, I am making all things new." Just like new life and renewal come each spring, Jesus gave us all the opportunity for new life and a new start when He died on the cross, was buried in the tomb, and then ROSE again. So, today I am thankful for the daffodils, tulips, and flowering trees that I've seen the past few days. As I look at them I am remind that Jesus is ALIVE!

Today I am thankful for Sunday afternoon naps! Bryan is out golfing so Dylan and I are going to take a nap. There is just something wonderful about resting after a busy morning at church, especially when you're pregnant. I'm so thankful for the ability to relax this afternoon before we head back to church this evening.

Just a little while longer I wanna pray Can't get You off my mind so I came to say Thank You Lord just for loving me Many times as I do forget Every need that You have met Oh thank You Lord, I know You're showing me You are there when I am down and out You're holding me, Your love is so amazing Oh it changed me Here I am with all I am Raise my hands to worship You I wanna say thank you, oh thank you For everything, for who You are You cover me, You touch my heart I wanna say thank you I could have died in my sin but You saved me Didn't have any hope at all You gave me peace divine, strength to carry on I should have been the one to pay But instead You took my place My Jesus, words cannot explain Even though I don't deserve Your love for me You look beyond my fault and You showed mercy I wanna say thank you for the sun I wanna say thank you for the rain Everything You do is beautiful I'm so grateful for Your love ~The Katinas

Today I am thankful that God is so sovereign and powerful! I don't have to worry about tomorrow because the Maker of Heaven and Earth is in control! Praise God! Praise the LORD, my soul;    all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul,    and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins    and heals all your diseases,   who redeems your life from the pit    and crowns you with love and compassion,   who satisfies your desires with good things    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.   The LORD works righteousness    and justice for all the oppressed.   He made known his ways to Moses,    his deeds to the people of Israel: The LORD is compassionate and gracious,    slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse,    nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve    or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth,    so great is his love

Yesterday at church we were given paper plates and asked to make a list of all of our material possessions. Of course, that list could go on and on but some had longer list than others. We were reminded that everything on our plates is a gift from God, we don't deserve any of it! Its so easy to take for granted simple things like the sheets on our beds and silverware we eat with but these things are blessings from our Heavenly Father. Regardless of how full our plate is compared to someone elses, we are all truly blessed. Afterall, anything other than hell is a blessing because hell is what we really deserve. Today I am thankful for our material possessions. I am often tempted to want more of some things and bigger versions of other things but I forget that I have so much. Thank you God, for all that you have given me and my family.

Today I am thankful for all the information available on the internet about pregnancy. I absolutely love reading about how my baby is developing. At 7 weeks pregnant, the baby is the size of a blueberry. Its eyelids are forming, both hemispheres of the brain are growing, and its liver is already producing red blood cells. It already has a pancreas and an appendix. I can't believe how fast the baby is growing! Thank you God for the miracle thats happening in my body!

I have been thoroughly enjoying the Life Action Summit we are having at church this week. It's awesome! NO, wait....GOD is Awesome!! Last night we discussed being broken. Most people probably think that a broken person is someone that is weak or sad but in reality, a truly broken person is someone who realizes how much we need God and with God we are incredibly strong. Today I am thankful that God has shown me that regardless of how good we try to be or perfect people think our lives are, we are all in need of brokenness. I've been able to see that I do not live a life of brokenness but I desperately want to. Brokenness is not an emtion but a choice. Today I choose to be broken and humble so that God can work in my life.

"10 seconds in God's presence will change you forever if you let God have His way in you." Green Street Baptist Church is fortunate enough to be having a Life Action Summit at our church this week. This involves a team that has come from all over the nation to help lead our church family into a time of true revival. The summit began yesterday and I can tell that this is going to be an expereince like none other! I am eager to spend at least 10 seconds in God's manifest presence and I pray that it will change me, my family and our church forever! Revival: A time of spiritual refreshing. An encounter with the manifest presence of God. As Christians we often "go through the motions" and waste time doing a lot of "good" things. Sometimes all the "good" stuff is an enemy of the BEST stuff. I'm praying that the Life Action Summit will revive us and help us to become focused on the things of God, on God Himself. We were created to bring pl

Yesterday Bryan and I were able to go on a double date with Brandi and Daniel. We went to see "Little Fockers" at the Dollar Theater and then had dinner at CiCi's pizza. It was so nice for all of us to get away from the kids for a while and engage in adult conversation. We had a great time! Today I am thankful for good friends and fun times. Also, thank you to the Grandmothers that enjoyed babysitting our sweet babies!

Today I am thankful for this beautiful day. Although I've been feeling pretty yucky, I have been looking forward to some nice weather! Its a gorgeous day today and it just puts a smile on my face! Thank you God for such a lovely day!

Today I am thankful for the anti-nausea medication, Zofran. When I went to the doctor on Tuesday, I expressed how horrible the morning sickness was making me feel and that I hadn't kept any food down since Saturday. Dr. Horvath prescribed Zofran. I had taken this with Dylan so I was hoping she would prescribe it again. I started taking the Zofran on Wednesday and I haven't thrown up since. I still don't feel very well but at least I'm not throwing up and can still function. I'm so thankful that this medication is available to me.

When I was pregnant with Dylan, I was really sick for the first 12-14 weeks but I had to work every day with 20 wild Kindergarteners. Now that I am feeling so yucky with this pregnancy, I have been thinking back and I just don't know how I did that. Today I am thankful for the ability to have a "lazy Thursday!"  I am so glad that I am able to be home with Dylan today and every day. It makes dealing with the morning sickness so much easier. Dylan and I will be laying around in our pajamas and playing with trucks today. I am so thankful for the way God has redirected my life!

Last night Bryan, Dylan, and I were driving back from CVS and the song "Hosanna" by Hillsong United came on the radio. My sweet Dylan was singing out! It was so cute! Today I am thankful that my little boy is learning the words to songs that glorify our Heavenly Father! If it warms my heart, I'm sure his little voice warms the heart of God! Here is the song, in case you've never heard it. Imagine Dylan's little voice singing along !

This morning I was in the bathroon (again!) and my sweet Dylan came in to check on me. He said, "Mommy, what's wrong?" I said, "I don't feel very good but I'm ok." He looked at me and said, "I love you so much Mommy!" Then he ran out to tell Bryan that his mommy is sick but will feel better soon. His sweet little heart made me feel so much better for a few minutes at least. Today I am thankful that my little boy has a compassionate heart. He cares so much about the people around him. We must be doing something right!!

Wow, I am so amazed at how quickly a baby grows inside a mother's womb! I recieve weekly emails that tell me what is happening each week with my baby. This week (week 6) the baby has a heart beat of 100-140, the lungs and jaw bone have begun to form, and the leg and arm buds have formed! How awesome is that!?! Today I am so grateful for the miracle that is taking place inside of me. What a privilege it is to carry on one of God's precious children! Even if I have to be sick every day, it is worth it!   Thank you, Father, for the the miracle you are preforming in my womb. Please protect my sweet baby as it grows. Amen .

Well, it may sound odd for me to be thankful for morning sickness (which is in reality "all day" sickness!) but according to BabyCenter.com having morning sickness is a sign that the mother has plenty of the pregnancy hormone which leads to a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby! So, although I do not like the way I feel, I am so thankful that my baby is developing and my body is doing what its supposed to! When I was pregnant with Dylan I was really sick and I couldn't have asked for a more healthy happy baby boy. So, I'll do whatever it takes to get another happy, healthy baby here!

Today I am thankful for the weekend. Although I am a stay at home mom these days, I still look forward to the weekend when Bryan can be home with us! We have a busy a weekend in store. This morning we are taking Dylan to swimming lessons and then skating. This afternoon we have Grayson's 1st birthday party to go. Tomorrow we have church and then we'll be having a cook-out with the Almodovars! I love doing things as a family, spending time with friends and going to church! So, I am thankful for the weekend when all of these fun things take place.

Today I am so grateful for the time I am able to spend with Bryan and Dylan. Yesterday afternoon we went to Bumper Jumpers. We had so much fun! Dylan slid down every slide on his belly. He did it so much that he ended up with rubber burn on his belly, poor guy. When we were done bouncing we went to Olive Garden for dinner. YUM! It is so much fun to spend time with my little family. We had a terrific time yesterday. I am so thankful for the opportunity to make memories together!

Today I am thankful for Good Health. I have had some crazy things go on in my body the past few years but overall, I am a healthy person. Our bodies are so amazing, so many things could go wrong...good health is such a blessing! We take our health for granted but today I want to express how grateful I am that my son, my husband, and I are healthy! Lord, thank you for creating my family and me. Thank you that each of us are healthy. I pray that the sweet baby in my womb will be healthy as well. Amen.

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" 1 John 3:1a How awesome is it that we are called children of God!? God created us in His image, He knows our names, He is active in our lives, He always has our best interest at heart, and He knows all of our thoughts but loves us anyway. We often take for granted the fact that we were created by an all powerful God who desires to have a relationship with us. Today I am thankful that God created me and calls me His child. That in itself is an amazing blessing!

Today I am so thankful for my little family and the times we get to spend together. This morning Dylan went into the bedroom, laid down with Bryan, and told him that he was going to make muffins with his Mommy. Dylan said "I making the muffins for you, Mommy, and Dylan. When the baby comes we'll have to change it and feed it. The baby will eat muffins with us, won't it?" How sweet is he?! I just love my little family so much and I cherish these precious moments together!