A Life of Gratitude

The weather has been absolutely beautiful so we spent almost the entire day outside! We were at the park all morning with some friends from church and then this afternoon, we played on tricycles and scooters. The boys always enjoy being outdoors and today was no exception. These boys are sooo funny! Evan has gotten so good at riding his tricycle! Dylan's bike is in storage so he has been riding the tricycle too. Sometimes they ride it together.... My little guy giving me "lady flowers." Dylan and Evan were so sweet to bring their mommy some flowers. Evan calls them "lady flowers" because Bryan taught him to take flowers to ladies. He just kept on bringing me lady flowers! I think both of them would have stayed outside the rest of the night! Today I am thankful for the gorgeous weather we've been having. The boys and I just can't get enough of it. I am also grateful for a fun time with friends at the park this morning and a re...

This morning I got to have breakfast with my best friend, Melissa. We haven't seen each other much the past few months because life has just been so busy and I live so much further away now. We enjoyed yummy bagels together and chatted for 2 and a half hours even though it only felt like 10 minutes! It feels so good share life with a best friend. I truly believe God gives us, especially women, friends so that we might point each other to Him and build one another up, laugh and cry together, and share our hearts with someone that really cares. At least that is what my best friend does for me! Today I am thankful for cinnamon crunch bagels and girl talk. Come on, give me a break, I'm 15 weeks pregnant so yes, I'm thankful for bagels! Mostly, I am thankful for a kid-free morning to spend with my best friend. It's not often that we get time to talk without being interrupted by our little ones. I am also incredibly grateful for a friend that prays for me, cares for ...

Tonight we visited a family friend at the Hospice House of Davidson County. As solemn of an occasion as it is to visit someone that is about to pass away, I was really impressed by the Hospice House. It was a beautiful place with a very peaceful feel to it. It really is such an amazing ministry for families who are losing a loved one.  I had never experienced the Hospice House before but I did have the privilege of meeting a Hospice nurse when my grandfather passed away. She was absolutely wonderful. She helped my grandfather breathe his last breath comfortably. She was also very comforting to my family as we said goodbye to him. Today I am thankful for the incredible ministry Hospice provides. Losing a loved one is one of the hardest parts of life so organizations like the Hospice House are such a blessing! So many families have been touched by the precious people involved with Hospice. 

Last night my friend, Kady, and I went a Kari Jobe concert in Durham, NC! We had a wonderful time! The concert was outstanding. There is something amazing about Christian concerts. Instead of it being all about the artist, its all about God! We spent 3 hours praising God with 1,300 brothers and sisters in Christ. It was just a little taste of Heaven. Today I am thankful for a fun night of worship. I've been thinking of those songs all day today. There is no better way to start a week than by singing God's praises! I am also grateful for a girl's night out! Kady and I really enjoyed ourselves! I hope we can do it again soon! If you haven't heard Kari Jobe, you're really missing out. Here's a link to one of my favorite songs.

“Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?" (Isaiah 43:18-19 MSG) I heard the verse above from the Message Bible yesterday on KLove. When I heard it, I immediately loved it! I felt like God was speaking right to me. There is no point in spending any time going over what has already happened. Its much more productive for us to let us go of the past and look at the new things God is doing. If we pay attention, we can see that He is always up to something! As we continue to wait for everything to work out with buying our new house, it can sometimes feel like the waiting will never end. I often find myself thinking back over the steps we taken, all of the things that have happened, wondering what I could have done differently, etc. But now, I feel like God is telling me to stop. Stop looking back. Be alert. Be present in the here and now. He is doing somethin...

Dylan and I got to go on an impromptu mother-son date this evening! We had to run some errands in Greensboro and then to go to church in High Point so Evan stayed home with Daddy and Dylan and I set out on a little adventure, just the two of us!  As part of our errands, Dylan went to a doctor's appointment with me. He even got to hear the baby's heart beat! He was so excited. Tonight while saying his prayers he thanked God for letting him hear his baby's heart beat! He also prayed that it would keep growing and stay safe in Mommy's belly.  We also went to Chick-fil-a for dinner. Dylan kept saying he was enjoying our "date." It was adorable. As I tucked him into bed tonight I told him that enjoyed our time together today and he said, "let's go on a date again tomorrow." Sweet boy! I'm so glad he likes spending time with his Mommy! Silly Boy! I can't believe how big he is getting! Today I am thankful for some alone ti...

I can't believe my little monkey, Evan, is almost 2 and 1/2 years old. He has grown and changed so much in the past few months. Although he'll always be my baby, he really isn't a baby anymore. He talks very clearly and in complete sentences. He is a great helper and very sweet little brother. He loves to learn, play outside, throw balls, collect rocks, and play with trains. He also has more energy than any individual I have ever encountered! This afternoon I enjoyed rocking my little guy in the rocking chair while he was watching his favorite cartoon, "Team Umizoomi." After a while he said in a quiet little voice, "I love you, Mommy." As my heart melted I said, "I love you too." He quickly responded, "And you love Dylan too, right Mommy." So I said, "I sure do!"  I pray that he will always know how much I love him and his big brother!  Today I am thankful for my sweet little boy, Evan.  Its amazing to watch this pr...