A Life of Gratitude

Bryan and I have been married for almost seventeen years. We've had the same small bed for our entire marriage and it was in my apartment before that. We've always wanted a larger bed but just never wanted to spend the money on it. A couple of months ago I spent weeks and weeks in bed after surgery and it broke my heart that all of my kids couldn't snuggle in the bed with me. So, we decided it was time to get a new king size bedroom suit. It was delivered yesterday and I absolutely love it! Our room is so beautiful! The very best part of our room makeover is that all six of us can lay together in it! Last night we tested it out by watching a movie together. It's still a tight squeeze and as these boys continue growing, it will be harder to fit us all on but, I am so grateful! There is no place I would rather be than right here with these precious ones. Tori  

 I love Valentine's day! It's extra special to our family because Bryan asked me to marry him nineteen years ago today! Each year we all give one another valentines. The kids always make them for one another and for us. It's so precious. I love watching them work so hard on their cards. Sharing all of our valentines with one another is the first thing we did this morning.  It's always so sweet to watch the kids give their siblings what they made for them. Their eyes light up when they watch their cards being opened. Tyson made this for me all by himself! It made my heart melt! All my little loves waiting to open their valentines. Look at all these cards! (and that sweet little face!) Tonight the kids spent time with their grandparents while Bryan and I went to dinner. He proposed to me nineteen years ago today at a Japanese restaruant so we always eat Japanese on Valentine's day. Tonight's dinner was wonderful! Today I am thankful for all the love in my life! Go...

Earlier this week we got a something new at our house!  Someone was selling this piano for only $50.00 so, we decided to move some things around in our house to make room for it. Tyson has been asking for a piano for a while! He couldn't have been more excited when we told him the news. Actually, all of the kids were thrilled!  The piano has become one of their favorite places.  It has been so much fun to watch them take turns playing the piano. It does get a little loud but I love hearing them experiement with it. I hope at least one of our kiddos will learn to play it!  Today I am grateful for the opportunity to purchase a piano at such a low cost. I never imagined having a piano in our home but after watching the kids (and their daddy) enjoy playing it, I am thrilled to have it! I believe it will be a wonderful addition to our home! Tori  

  Yesterday, as I was driving around town, I heard someone who called into the radio say that she always desires to be a thermostat instead of a thermometer. Her words perplexed me at first but after a few minutes I realized what she was talking about and you know what, its pretty powerful! We all know what thermometers and thermostats are but I thought it would be good to share a simple definition of each.  Theremometer: A device for determining temperature Thermostat: A device that regulates the temperature  In this crazy world we're living in, as Christians, we should be like a thermostat. We should be regulating the atmosphere around us, not reacting to it. That's easier said than done but, nonetheless, it should be our prayer that God would enable to control our emotions and keep our eyes on Him. Staying connected to the Father, reading the Bible, spending time in worship, praying, and fellowshiping with other believers will help us to be steady and controlled. The p...

This weekend Not Forgotten Ministries had our first annual Board Weekend Retreat. We planned this retreat several months ago so that we could get to know one another better, pray over the ministry, and plan for the year ahead. One of our volunteer's families hosted us at her family's gorgeous farm. The weekend was so beautiful! We were treated like royalty. It was truly perfect.  I adore this little welcome sign! When we arrived there were snacks and tea awaiting us.  We each had the most incredible chair massage while  the rest of the group drank our tea and enjoyed one another's company. I loved this flowering tea pot! \ We all had these precious gifts waiting for us in our rooms.  They were so thoughtful! We had an amazing dinner! Candlelight too! After dinner we walked outside for a bonfire. The house just looked so beautiful! This was one BIG bonefire! This morning a yummy breakfast. And this afternoon a delicious lunch! We spent the entire morning praying for t...

 Things are crazy in our world right now. Wouldn't you agree?  I went to bed last night with a hundred questions and concerns rolling around in my mind. I woke up this morning thinking about several times in the Bible when wild things were happening and even though the people may have felt uneasy and alone, they weren't!  The story that God highlighted in my mind is found in Exodus. The Isrealites had just been freed from a life of slavery. They were fleeing Eygpt after witnessing God fight for them through a series of plagues. Exodus 13:17-18 tells us that God led His people a specific way because He knew they would be tempted to give up if they went the shorter way. He led them in a longer, more difficult direction for their own good! When the king of Eygpt found out that the Isrealites had fled and they had lost all the slaves to do their work, the pharoh ended up changing his mind and sent all of his chariots, horsemen, and troops to overtake the Isrealites.  As ...

 Today is infusion day and I'm not sure I've ever been more grateful to recieve this treatment! I usually get Remicade infusions every 6-8 weeks to treat Ankylosing Spondylitis. For those who don't know what AS is, here's my definition (comprised of several official definitions but easier to understand).  Ankylosing Spondylitis is a rare auto-immune disease. Most typically the spine is the focal point of the disease but it also affects the ribcage, hips, feet, hands, and other peripheral joints. As with all auto-immune disorders, the immune system is attacking the healthy parts of the body. The difference with AS is that the body will try to heal itself by growing new bone in the spine and other joints. This can lead to spinal fusion. Chronic fatigue, extreme muscle stiffness, pain and difficulty when breathing, severe eye problems, muscle soreness, flare-ups on one side of the body, etc, also play a major role in AS.  The infusions, along with several other med...