Sunday, November 11, 2012

Thankfulness Day 11

Today I am thankful that I live in a place where I have access to good medical care. I am thankful that I have insurance to cover most of the cost and I am thankful that we can afford the premiums. Where we live we are 20 minutes away from not 1, not 2, but 3 hospitals. So luckily, we can seek out the best care for a particular situation. We don't have to take the one doctor in town's diagnosis and treatment because it is so far to another doctor. We have lived in places where this wasn't the case. I say all this to say that tomorrow Miss Lillie Claire will be visiting one of the doctors in the area. She has been sick for going on 3 weeks now. First it was a double ear infection. Got over that, then on our trip to the doctor to recheck the ears and get vaccinations, she picks up a bug  and has had a bad cold ever since. The cold is better but she just still isn't right. She got up again this morning, felt a little warm, and cried and fussed for 30 minutes. I finally gave her some more Tylenol, but it has gotten to where to make her feel better she has to be on Tylenol. This isn't right and I hope I can get her some help tomorrow.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Thankfulness Day 10

On a lighter note today, I am going to write about my two favorite modern conveniences. I am thankful for both.
Favorite #1    Indoor plumbing- I love it. I know being a woman, it really makes my life easier and more enjoyable. I love not having to trek out into the back 40 to do my business several times a day. I love being able to wash my hands or dishes or clothes anytime I want without pumping or pulling up water from a well. That doesn't sound so bad, but think about having to do all that just to wash your hands when it is 20 degrees outside. Think about having to bundle up, to take a toddler out to potty in the middle of the night. On a related note, I am thankful that we don't have to use the Sears-Roebuck catalogue anymore, if you know what I mean.
Favorite modern convenience #2 - Air Conditioning  Don't get me wrong, I like to be warm in the winter too. It is just that I hate to be hot worse. You can put on more clothes, it is frowned upon if you walk around naked all day. Since I had my kids, I am extremely hot natured. Like I need strong deodorant and refrain from raising my arms if wearing a sleeveless shirt, hot natured! I wasn't like this until I had babies. Now three babies later, I barely need a coat in the winter. I never use the heated seats that my suburban is equipped with because I would roast! We don't even live in the south, (Central- which is really northern Kentucky, is not the real south) and I can't imagine how bad it would be to not have air-conditioning!  Actually, I can since I was around 8 or 9 when my grandparents finally got AC.
Thank you Lord for giving man the brains to come up with these two wonderful discoveries! I am very thankful! :)

Friday, November 9, 2012

Thankfulness Day 9

Since today is the 9th of November and my ninth day of Thankfulness, I will say that I am thankful to still be here and in good health. I turn 36 years old today. Just writing those numbers gives me anxiety and I have to take a deep breath! I never thought I'd be a person whose age would bother them....WRONG!!
Since the day after I turned 25 and realized I was then closer to 30 than 20 it has been an issue. I've never considered myself a vain person, but last year I hated that I had the number 3 followed by a 5 in my age. I dared my husband to mention it. He did anyway, but since then I think he has come to a better understanding! This year, since he is a smart man, he didn't mention the numbers involved!
That being said, I lost my mother when she was 51 and we lost my father-in-law when he was 43. Darrel got diagnosed with colon cancer 5 or 6 years earlier than that. So we "get" that we are lucky to be 36 (:-/) and still healthy. I would love to think that we will get to grow old together and see grand kids, but the truth is I just don't know. None of us do, which is why I am VERY THANKFUL that the Lord has blessed me with good health and another day on this earth.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Thankfulness Day 8

Trying to get caught up today!
Day 8
Today I am thankful for my sweet, kind hearted, well behaved children. I have already mentioned that I am thankful for my kids, today I am thankful for their personalities, souls, behavior. I'm not sure how to describe it. I would likely love them just as much if they were holy terrors, but I am thankful that isn't the case.
They are so much more than I deserve! I believe in discipline, but that is only half of it. It is a lot of luck too. They are just so pure and innocent right  now. I wish I could keep it this way. They really don't ever do anything to be mean, or hurtful and have a hard time understanding when others do. They are the kindest little people I have ever known, and I've known a few. Remember I taught school for 5 years and have numerous nieces and nephews. So I realize not all kids are this way. We always get compliments on how well behaved they are. I encourage this because I have never been someone who likes to be embarrassed. I didn't want to be embarrassed by my students when I was teaching and I certainly don't want to be embarrassed by my own children. The Lord helps me so much with this. I need to take more lessons from them. Like Jesus said, we should become as little children. They love to go to church, although with the addition of LC, we don't attend nearly as often as we should or as I would like. They always think of others and ask others how they are and they genuinely want to know the answers. They both love doing things for others and for the most part want to make others happy always. I am so thankful for the way they are. Lillie Claire, you have a lot to live up to! ;)

Thankfulness Day 7

This is late, but I am not used to posting more than like once a month, so pretty good for me!

Day 6
I am thankful for my little sister! Well, she isn't actually little anymore, she just turned 33 a few days ago. She will always be little to me though! We have a great relationship now and have since we have been adults. This despite the fact that I fantasized about sitting on top of her and beating her half to death on a regular basis as a child! I guess it is normal to fight, but man could she push my buttons. As an oldest child, I blame it on the "baby" syndrome. She was always getting me in trouble and tattling on me. Thus why I couldn't stand her a large portion of the time when we were young. Anyway, we have been through a lot together and it has made our bond so much stronger. She is such a good person, creative out the wazoo, and a great friend. I love her dearly and am very thankful for her!

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Thankfulness Day 6

I am thankful for growing up in a loving home. I had parents who loved my sister and I and each other. I saw firsthand that my father was crazy about my mother. They both worked hard to give us everything we needed and a lot of what we wanted. This isn't just in reference to material things although that is part of it. We had plenty to eat, nice clothes, a warm house - all the basics and then some. We took vacations and went shopping and went out to eat. They raised us in church and to know right from wrong. We knew the limits and what was expected of us. We had stability! This isn't the case for far too many kids today and even back when I was a kid. I am thankful that I didn't know anyone had a different reality. I am thankful that I didn't have to be the parent in our parent/child relationship. I didn't have to worry about the fact that my parents drank too much or took drugs. I didn't have to worry if my mom or dad was coming home at night. We attended church together and ate dinner almost every night together. I was surrounded with love and support. If only every child could be so lucky! I can honestly say that I had an awesome childhood, and although things wouldn't always be so peachy, I am forever thankful to the Lord that I didn't experience those hard times as a kid.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Thankfulness Days 4 & 5

Day 4
Since yesterday was Sunday, I thought sharing that I am thankful for living in a country where we can openly attend church and worship our Lord. I hope we as a nation don't fall down the wrong path and end up losing that right. We have turned away from what our forefathers intended when it comes to government and God. He is a necessary part of everything and trying to turn away from that principle is leading to the downfall of America. I am thankful that right now, today, we have that freedom. I pray that my children and grandchildren never know what it is like to live without being able to worship and follow God openly.

Day 5
We are made in God's own image. So I have to think that when God sent his son to Earth with the knowledge that he would one day have to die for others, he must have been heartbroken. I know people who have lost children and can't imagine the pain and torture that must be. I am thankful for a God that would allow his son to die that I might live and for Jesus and his willingness to follow through with God's plan.

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Thankfulness Day 3

#3 I am thankful to live in the United States of America! We are so blessed that we take it for granted in this country. I wish we all respected what others have sacrificed for us more. All those founding fathers who really risked it all to try to set up a better future for all of us. All the men and women in uniform and their families over the years who have fought and died so that we could be where we are today. Such a blessing that most of the world will never know! I pray that this country can return to a place worthy of pride and respect from the rest of the world. Go vote and vote for the person who will do the best job to try and uphold Christian beliefs! No one is perfect, but we as Christians should feel called upon to vote for the man who will most likely follow what is right, not what is popular.

Friday, November 2, 2012

Thankful Days # 1 & # 2

I'm not going to do a facebook post for each day in November, but I do want to take this opportunity to list the things that I am thankful for in my life. I try to be grateful for all the many, many blessings that I have been given and try to not take those for granted.

I missed posting November 1st and 2nd so I am going to combine those two days, for without one I wouldn't have the other. :)

#1 I am thankful for my awesome husband! I have loved him and only him, my entire adult life! We got together as seniors in high school and have been together ever since. We have been through a lot and had several struggles and we are still here. We have been together for 18 years and celebrated 16 years of marriage in May of this year. No small feat these days! I love him as much today as ever. He works so hard for our family and is a great provider. We are a team and I'd go to the ends of the earth for him. He is also a wonderful Daddy!

#2 I am thankful for 3 beautiful, HEALTHY children. We realize what a blessing good health is when we are sick for a few days. Think about what a blessing it is to have healthy children! That is why every time I am asked by the cashier in the checkout line to donate to a children's charity, I DO GLADLY! I am so thankful it isn't me sitting in a hospital room with a sick child, or in a waiting room anxious to see if one of my babies has survived some tragedy, or sitting at home wondering how much longer we have with one of our precious gifts. I pray we never know what it is like to be in one of these situations.