A Life of Gratitude

Tonight Bryan and I saw the new movie "Courageous." Our church bought an entire theater at the Palladium so that we could go as a church family to see this awesome movie. That placed was packed! 200 Green Street Baptist church members filled the theater. The movie was outstanding. I laughed and cried. I felt like clapping and jumping out of my seat. Its truly a must-see! Today I am thankful for wholesome, Christian movies like "Courageous." I pray that this movie will touch the hearts of parents, especially fathers all over the United States and beyond.

This afternoon my good friend, Torria, brought her kiddos over for a playdate. We talked so much about food while she was here that we just had to take our two families out to Outback for dinner! The food was yummy and the company was even better! Today I am thankful for good friends and tasty food!

This evening at church I was in the Ladies Bathroom (what's new!) when I heard a 5 or 6 year old little girl talking to her mom. She was sounding out the words on the dispenser hanging on the wall. She said "Mom, what is a t-a-m, tam-p, tam-p-on, a timpon?" Everyone in the bathroom was laughing since we all new the word she was trying to sound out. Her mother just responded to her by saying "You'll find out soon enough." I thought that was a good answer, its best to preserve her innocence as long as possible.  In today's world children learn things sooner and sooner so, I'm thankful today that children are still innocent about some things. I am also grateful for laughter! That sure was funny!

Scrapbooking is one of my favorite hobbies! Today, while Dylan napped, I worked on a scrapbook I've been making of all the fun things we've been doing while we wait on Baby Evan. It is so much fun to make a collage of our memories to look back on for years to come! Today I am thankful for my scrapbooking hobby and the memories that I've been able to use in the scrapbooks!

This afternoon Dylan and I were leaving the house to run some errands. When Dylan walked around the car to open his door, there was a huge Pit Bull standing beside the car. Dylan immediately began screaming, crying and running towards me. Of course, the dog chased after him. I finally got Dylan in the car and the dog ran away. Dylan was so scared! It took him several minutes to cool down. I felt so bad for my sweet little boy.  Today I am so thankful that God was watching over my baby when he walked around the car. It wasn't really a big deal but it could have been so much worse. I'm so grateful that the dog wasn't mean or so scared of Dylan that he attacked him. God is always watching over us!

I know I've probably said this before but today I am grateful for family. After church today we went to the Davis Famly Reunion. We had a yummy covered dish lunch with lots of folks on my mom's side of the family. The food was delicious and it was really nice to see everyone. I am so thankful to be a part of a big family.

Today I am thankful for these adorable photos that were taken at Dylan's photo shoot. He was picked to be a little model for Sara-Anne Photography. I think the photos turned out great!!! I've got such an adorable little boy!

Today we took Dylan to ride "Thomas the Train" at the NC Transportation Museum. He got to ride the train and meet Sir Topham Hat. He had so much fun!  It was pouring down rain the entire time we were there. I was very proud of him because he never complained once about being soaking wet! Thankfully, Bryan and I each had a small umbrella to use and they were selling "Thomas the Train" umbrellas in the gift shop. That was, without a doubt, the best $12 we've ever spent. Dylan was able to walk at his own pace with his new umbrella and keep himself from being completely drenched. There were lots of kids (and adults) that were whining about the rain but our little guy never even mentioned it. Today I am thankful for umbrellas!! Without those umbrellas our day trip would have been ruined but we had a very nice time together, even in the rain!  The Umbrella!!! The best $12 we've ever spent!   Dylan and Daddy riding Thomas the Train   Dylan and M...

During MOMS (mothers of many seasons) we discussed being fearful. Most people, especially women, struggle with fear. Fear steals our faith and sucks the joy out of our lives. A lot of times fear is not real at all; it is often made up completely in our minds by all the "what-ifs" that we ponder. Although we don't want to admit it, fear comes from a lack of trust in God. It doesn't have to be this way. We do not have to live in fear. God is trustworthy. He is sovereign in the good and the bad. He is worthy of our trust. He holds the world in His hands. He loves us and knows what is best for us. When the fear starts to seep in, we have to choose to remember WHO God is. Psalm 77:11 says "I will remember the deeds of the Lord, yes I will remember your miracles of long ago. I will ponder all your mighty work and meditate on you mighty deeds."  I struggle with fear, like most other women, so today I am grateful to for this reminder. Life isn't easy. Bad th...

I can't believe I'm 34 weeks pregnant! We only have 6 weeks until we meet our little guy. Dylan is getting so excited! According to AmericanPregnancy.com, Evan is approximately 17 and 1/2 inches long and nearly 5 pounds. He is gaining body fat and his central nervous system is maturing. He is also urinating regularly! Today I am thankful that I've made it to 34 weeks. Most babies born between 34 and 40 weeks do extremely well. Its nice to know that even if my water broke tonight, Evan will most likely be just fine. I'm also thankful that I've had a healthy, normal pregnancy. Now I am getting so excited about meeting our second son!

I just started reading "Heaven is For Real" by Todd Burpo. I've only read 10 chapters so far but I've already been affected by this book. Its the true story of an almost 4 year old little boy who is really sick and has a heavenly experience. The chapters I read today tell about the boy's struggle with a ruptured appendix and severe infection. As I was reading I couldn't help but put myself in the mother's shoes. I cannot imagine going through something like that and watching helplessly as my child suffers. Today I am thankful for such a healthy child. So far, ear infections and a few boo boos have been the worst of what we've dealt with. Its such a blessing to have healthy children. Its something I have definitely taken for granted. Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You that Dylan is such a healthy, happy little boy. I pray that Evan will be a healthy little boy as well. As my children grow, please place Your hand of protection over them. Please allow them ...

Our family has the privilege of sponsoring a child in Guatemala through World Vision. His name is Ever Rolando Toxocon Saban. He is a 3 year old little boy with an adorable smile. Our monthly donations help provide water, food, clothes, and education for Ever Rolando. We also get to send him notes and small gifts. We  love to pray for him too. Today I am thankful for World Vision and other similar ministries that provide ways for us to help those less fortunate around the world. Matthew 25:40 says "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." I am so glad that we are able to help meet Ever Rolando's needs. It is truly a blessing to us as well.

Dylan had his first soccer game today. He has been so excited for weeks about playing soccer! Other than being a little silly (and I guess most 3 year old boys are silly) he did really well. I think he enjoyed himself also, which is the most important part! Today I am thankful for fun activities for Dylan to be involved in. Its also terrific that this activity helps use up some of that stockpile of energy he has!

Maybe its "nesting" or maybe I'm just a little OCD all the time but I love a clean house! Today I am thankful that I was able to spend time cleaning our home this morning. Everything is put away and clean! There is just something wonderful about a clean home!

With a little over six weeks left in this pregnancy, I am feeling rather large! As Evan gets bigger he is getting more cramped in there which causes my entire belly to move when he does. It is such an interesting sight and an amazing feeling! I have been having a hard time sleeping due to my little guy's kick-boxing but I don't mind too much. Today I am thankful for every little (or big) kick and roll. I love feeling Evan move! Pregnancy is such a miracle!

Tonight while taking a bath, Dylan was using his bathtub markers and pretending to write a "letter" to God on the bathtub wall.  As he was pretending to write he was also speaking. He didn't realize that I was listening. Here is his letter: "Dear God, Thank you for my Baby Evan. Thank you for my Mommy. Thank you for my Daddy. Thank you for my baby in my Mommy's belly. Thank you that he will come out soon in the hospital. I hope he brings me a toy. Thank you that I can give him a toy. Thank you for making me and my Mommy and My Daddy and My Evan. I love you. The End." How cute is that??!! Today I am thankful that Dylan knows who created him. I am grateful that He is choosing to talk with his Heavenly Father without being prompted. I pray he always desires to do so.

This may sound silly but its true....today I am thankful for my dishwasher! It seems like I've been loading and running that thing non-stop lately. I was thinking about how much I hate loading and unloading that dishwasher when it occured to me that I would really hate washing all of those dishes by hand! I definitely take that dishwasher for granted! I am so grateful to have my dishwasher!

Today I am thankful for these beautiful Maternity Photographs that Robin Sink took for us. They turned out great! It is so nice to have photos to help us remember such a special time in our lives. I know I will enjoy looking back on these pictures for years to come!

Today I am thankful for my little helper, Dylan. As my pregnancy progresses, my back pain increases so Dylan has become a big helper! He has begun putting his dishes away in the dishwasher, making his bed, emptying the dryer, buckling himself in his car seat, pushing the laundry basket to the appropriate rooms, helping take Mitch outside, and much more. I don't know what I would do without him these days. He helps me so much. I'm sure he'll be even more help once his little brother arrives! 

Ten years ago today I was riding the UNCG park-n-ride bus to school. I remember hearing about the first plane on the radio that was playing over the speaker. Everyone on the bus was completely silent, listening to the news. It seemed like a joke or an accident but then we heard that another plane had hit the towers. I remember honestly being afraid of what the rest of the day might hold. Some of my classes were cancelled that day, others allowed us to watch the television as news unfolded. 9/11 was a day that most people will never forget. I pray that phrase is true....I pray that we will never forget! I fear that in many ways we do forget until the anniversary rolls around. In the days that followed 9/11 people seemed to genuinely care for one another, to help one another, and to pray for one another. That sense of love and togetherness has faded in many cases. Today I am thankful for the memory of 9/11, the reminder that we are not invincible, that we need ...

 This afternoon my friends threw a wonderful Baby Shower for me! I was truly amazed by the turn out! I had so many friends and family come that there weren't enough seats. I felt so loved! The food was yummy and the games were lots of fun. I recieved so many nice gifts. We have almost everything we need now for Baby Evan! This shower was such a blessing to me! Today I am thankful for my loving friends and family who showered me with love and gifts. I am so grateful for the opportunity to celebrate the arrival of our second son! All of the gifts are much appreciated too! Yummy Shower Food!!!! Look at that spread!   We had a great turn out =)  We played some fun games too! This one is drawing a baby while holding the paper on your head. You should see those drawings! Silly Monkey! We got so many nice gifts! Thank Heaven for Little Boys! Me and My Mom =) These ladies threw the Baby Shower for me! Thank you Darcie, Kate, Leah and Allison!

I just read a post on Facebook about a family that is only getting to spend a few hours a week together. The father in the family is working 6 days a week, 13-15 hours per day. The children rarely get to spend any time with him. That is so heart-breaking to me! Today I am thankful for Bryan's job. He is able to be home every night, every weekend, and every holiday. He gets to work from home 2 days week and take vacations twice a year. It is such a blessing to be able to spend so much time together. The years when our children are young are so precious! I am so grateful that Bryan is able to be an active part of their lives!

 MOMS (Mothers of Many Seasons) started back today! I love attending these weekly meetings to learn about God and fellowship with other mothers. Today we discussed who we as people are and Who God is. The speaker told the following story that is a wonderful illustration. During a terrible storm a man notices a viper caught up in some brush along the creek. The man reached into the rushing water and pulled the snake out. The viper immediately bit the man. He threw the viper back into the brush. The viper was still stuck so the man repeated this kind gesture 2 more times. After being bit three times, a bystander came up to the man and said "You fool, why do you keep trying to rescue that viper? Its only a snake!" The man looked at the bystander and said "Its not about what he is, its about who I am." We are much like that snake. God continuously reaches out to us and we repeatedly push Him away. Thankfully, God is much like the man in the story. H...

Tonight was the Fall Kick-Off at Green Street Baptist Church. They had 5 or 6 big bouncy castles, sno cones, cotton candy, popcorn, and drinks. All of the kids had such a great time before going to their new Wednesday night classes and I learned how to make cotton candy! Dylan seemed to really enjoy his new Mission Friends class and I know he will love the KidStreet Choir as well! Today I am thankful for our church! All of the Pastors and Staff work so hard to provide a Christ-centered, exciting atmosphere for children and adults alike. I love to see how excited Dylan gets about going to church! There is nothing more important than learning about the Savior of the world and cultivating a relationship with Him. I am so grateful to be a part of Green Street Baptist Church!

Today was my 29th Birthday. I woke up this morning to my sweet little boy saying "Happy Birthday Mommy!" (What a wonderful way to wake up!) I had a really busy day today. Dylan and I spent the morning with good friends and then had lunch at Panera. While Dylan napped, I had a pedicure and then walked leisurely around the mall...something I haven't done in years! When I got home Dylan and Bryan were singing "Happy Birthday" and had a surprise Birthday cake for me. Dylan was so excited about the candles! We had a yummy dinner at Kabutos and then spent the rest of the evening dancing and singing together. I got beautiful flowers, precious Birthday cards, tons of Birthday wishes on Facebook, and Bryan even arranged for me to get my hair done on Thursday.  Overall, it was truly a spectacular day! My sweet little family made my day so special! Today I am so thankful for the wonderful day I've had. I am also grateful for the the Birthday wishes I received from my ...

Since Bryan had the day off, we were able to spend Labor day together. We went to Sci-Works this morning and had a lot of fun. We saw animals, played with all sorts of fun things, and even touched a snake. We ate lunch at Chick-fil-a, took afternoon naps, got ice cream this evening, and then watched "Underdog" together. We had a great family day! Dylan even told God thank you for his fun day when saying his prayers tonight. Today I am thankful for my little family. Pretty soon we'll have another member of our family which we are all super excited about but, for now, I am enjoying these sweet moments with my family of 3.

Two years ago today I ended up in the emergency room because of my back pain. The doctors did some tests and found a small fracture along with my bulging/leaking discs (which were found later with much more extensive tests). Due to all the back pain, my doctor took me out of work. At the time I wasn't exactly thrilled that I was being taken out of work. The pain was severe and I definitely needed to be out of work but I was so worried that I would be bored while sitting at home and that my students would be stuck with a bad substitute. I didn't realize then how much I would go through with my back. It was the beginning of a long road. God certainly knew what He was doing that day. Today I am so thankful that God is at work even when things seem so chaotic and crazy to us. I am thankful that I was taken out of work that day. Two years later, I am still out of work for my back pain and God is still at work at this situation! I am...

My brother and I have birthdays a week apart so my mom had us over for dinner this evening to celebrate. I requested my favorite birthday cake from the Fancy Pastry! I know, I know....it is silly but today I am thankful for that yummy cake! I've been craving it for weeks! Give me a break, I'm 32 weeks pregnant!

Since Dylan slept over at a friend's house last night, I had a "free" day today. I actually slept until 8:45am! (That is really late for me these days!!) I was also able to have my quiet time, take a long hot bath, read several chapters in a book, and watch a chick flick! Today I am thankful for a "free" day. It was nice to spend a few hours doing whatever I wanted. I have to say though, I really missed my sweet boy! I was so happy to see him when he came home!

Dylan is having a sleep over tonight with his best friend, Cora Beth! He has been so excited!!! Today I am thankful for good friends. I'm so glad that my sweet boy has little friends and I'm also grateful that Bryan and I have such wonderful friends. Brandi and Daniel were brave enough to take their 2 children plus Dylan to dinner and then allow Dylan to sleep over. Thanks guys!