Thursday - Gratitude

Today I am SO thankful for good friends - reliable friends - that I'm able to call in a pinch.

Tonight is a RARE night that the hubby and I were going to leave the kiddos with a sitter and go to a concert.  We don't go out. Without kids.  Like, ever.  So I've really been looking forward to tonight.

Well, because of a miscommunication with the sitter {okay, it was me not confirming times with her} she thought that I wasn't going to need her, and made other plans.  Dangit!  Since locking the kids in their rooms with a snack wasn't really an option that was going to work for us (well, the baby certainly wouldn't go for that!) I was almost resigned to the possibility that I would have to stay home, and send hubby out with someone else.  Either that, or I could just call John Tesh and see if he could reschedule the concert...wait, that probably wouldn't work either.  :)

I have some really great friends, but most of them also have school-aged kids, and it would be hard to ask them to come over and babysit for 4 hours on a school-night.  But then I remembered that I do have 1 kidless friend, who has helped me out in so many ways just in the last week alone.  She comes over and just starts washing dishes, straightening up, offers to vacuum, ran errands for me...seriously, this is a great girl!  5 minutes and 3 texts later, she's confirmed to come over tonight, help the kids with homework and stay til 10 - or whenever.  10 o'clock! As in PM.  Oh, my goodness, we're going to be out past our bedtime!

So, I have a date tonight.  With the most amazing man I know. {Isn't it a great thing that I'm still excited about dating my husband after 12 years?!) 

And I am so grateful to Tracy for making it happen.

P.S.  I am also extremely thankful that Chloe slept ALL NIGHT.  Let me tell you, in case you were not aware, that a full night's sleep makes a HUGE difference in my attitude.  Uninterrupted sleep = happy mom, and happy mom = happy family.  Much better all around.  Take note, Chloe, my dear.

Thank You - My Husband

I owe my husband a million thanks.  I am so grateful for him every single day, but life gets so busy that I don't often remember to stop and tell him how much he means to me and how much I appreciate what a great man he is.

James and I began dating almost 12 years ago.  We have had really good times, some bad times, and have grown stronger together through it all.  He is my best friend, my better half, and I'm so glad that he is my partner in life.  He understands me, and loves me anyway.  He supports my crazy ideas and keeps me accountable to follow through with what I start.

He is an amazing father to our 3 kids.

(and we make some pretty darn cute kids).

He is the hardest worker I know, doing whatever it takes to make sure that I get to stay home with the baby.

He makes me want to be a better woman.

He makes me laugh, and I love it when I can return the favor.

He makes me feel like the most beautiful woman on Earth.

He is my shoulder to cry on, my hand to hold, and my ear when I need to talk.

James, my love, I wouldn't want to be on this journey through life without you.  You make all my days brighter and I love you so very, very much.

Thursday Thank You - Mom & Dad

There are so many things in my life that I am thankful for.  Little things...big things...I'm just filled with gratitude every single day.  So, every Thursday I will blog about something that I am grateful for.  These will be my "Thursday-Thank-You" entries. And yes, I know I'm posting this on Friday, but I wrote it yesterday.  What with the birthday festivities and all I was just toooooo tired. 

Today is my birthday.  And today I am especially grateful for my parents.  Without them, I would not be here today; or anywhere, for that matter.

I think it's funny that I'm the one who gets all the birthday wishes.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to turn down a birthday cake (that would just be rude).  But all I did was show up to this world.  My mom is the one who carried me for 9 months, endured a 19-hour labor only to have an emergency c-section. I was stubborn from the get-go and I was not going to do things the easy way.  Well, that, and probably my big ol' head wouldn't fit.  Sorry, Mom.  And my dad was there holding her hand...gone were the days of the men-folk sitting in the waiting room while mom delivered.  Nope, he was right by her side helping her through.  But finally, after all that, here was a perfect little angel daughter. Ahem...
 

Me - 7 Months

So let's skip ahead to raising me.  I don't think that I was really a difficult child.  Really.  But I guess I wasn't exactly perfect either.  Maybe I caused 1 or 2 gray hairs on my parents' heads.  But you know, they probably deserved it.  They were mean parents.  They had rules.  They had expectations.  They were involved in my life and asked me questions about what was going on with me. It was terrible.  

But, as it turns out, they actually were and ARE amazing parents. I am so thankful now that they loved me enough to make rules, set boundaries, hold me responsible for my actions.   So, here are a few things that I would like to thank my parents for:

Attending every school function & field trip
Reading to me at bedtime
Dinner as a family every night
Knowing where I was and what I was doing at all times
Making me think that my ideas were wonderful
Teaching me right from wrong
Teaching me manners
Supporting my decisions - the good ones, the bad ones, and the really bad ones
Sometimes letting me learn the hard way (see: really bad decisions)
Having all the answers. Always.  (Again, see: really bad decisions)
Teaching me about being frugal, and how not to be wasteful
Teaching me to recycle (before it was cool)
Teaching me to change my own tires and oil
Family vacations, camping, sailing
Giving me a bedtime, and sticking to it most of the time
New Years Eve with homemade Chex Party Mix and Martinelli's Sparkling Cider
Unconditional love for me
Loving each other

This definitely isn't everything - There are a million more things to put on this list.  


Mom & Dad - thank you for being wonderful parents.  For instilling values in me that guide me through my life every day.  I only hope that I can do as well raising my children. I love you both so very much. 

:-)

Mom & Me

Dad & Me (Wonder where my babies get their chubby cheeks??)