Thankful Thursday: Look for the Helpers

With everything going on in the world today, it can be easy to want to say that everyone is horrible and that we're doomed. I completely disagree. I think our outrage against the individuals who commit these horrible crimes shows that we have far from accepted these actions as normal.

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” -Fred Rogers

Today, I'm thankful for the helpers. For everyone who worked so hard to let scared friends and family track down their runners. For the runners who finished a 26 mile marathon and ran another 2 miles to donate blood. For the people who ran toward danger to help, rather than away. For those who sat at home thinking, praying, and donating to causes as well as spreading the word to help others.

Thankful Thursday: Spring is Here!

I am SO thankful that Spring is finally here! As a family, we enjoyed sledding over Spring Break- but nothing made us happier than getting to spend HOURS outside without coats, gloves, or hats!

My son even found a four leaf clover.

I already felt lucky though ;)

Thankful Thursday

Better late than never?

Today, I'm thankful for my sister.

It's her birthday today and I have spent the entire day thinking of her and wishing that I lived closer and could see her today. She is hilarious, gorgeous, and I can't imagine a life without her.

If you scroll through our texts, they probably make no sense because they are all inside jokes, song lyrics, and TV quotes. I don't think we go more than a day without talking, and thanks to facetime we get to see eachother a lot more.

I love her and am thankful for her :)

Thankful Thursday #11

I think it will come as no surprise to anyone, that I am thankful for SPRING BREAK. We may not have been able to travel like we hoped to, but having the time off with my family has been so great.

I love that my husband was able to take the week off as well, because he will start back on nights after this, so we got a whole week of family time in.

I love my job, the kids love school, but there's something about a break that just makes life so much better. I'll get back in to the swing of things next week, but for now I'm going to enjoy the downtime and make some memories.

Thankful Thursday #10

Today I'm thankful for sick days. We've been rotating through a really rough tummy bug and my husband has missed more work than he ever has.

I'm so glad that he was able to be home with them (and that I could today).

Thankful Thursday #9

This week (especially today) I'm thankful for childcare. I am really lucky that usually my sister-in-law can watch my kids for me. The older ones before and after school and the toddler all day.

Nothing makes me appreciate this more than when she's sick or unable to. The mad scramble to find someone to care for not one kid- but 3 at varying times can be difficult. I have a great network of friends and family to turn to, but it's a real effort to it all arranged.

That happened this week and I was able to work things out, but it left me feeling grateful that this isn't the norm for me. I also like that I know that the youngest is getting one on one attention (though there are days I wish it could be from me), and that my kids are able to spend time with their cousin and aunt.

Today, my kids are in various other places while she is getting better. I hope for her sake (and mine ;) ) that she feels better soon!

Thankful Thursday #8

Even though I am complaining a lot about the state my house is in (not Indiana- though the cold will make me reconsider that! I meant how chaotic it is!), I am so thankful for all the progress we have made!

We bought this house 2 years ago as a fixer upper, but not so much that we needed to do so to live in it. It was pretty much all cosmetic (or so we thought) and in the past 2 years have replaced the roof, wiring, fuse box (to a breaker box), appliances, and now our kitchen is going through an overhaul.

I am so thankful for this house, however messy and chaotic it is, because for so long I didn't know we would be able to buy a home. Then when we were looking into buying a house it was hard to find one that met our needs but still fit our budget.

We garden, so we wanted a yard. We also have 3 kids (who will turn into 3 teens) and want a house they can grow into. All the homes we saw either had a big enough house or a big enough yard- not both. Until this one came along.

So though I feel on edge and wish would could just be DONE with all the difficult parts, I'm using this as a reminder that this home is wonderful and that I am so thankful to have it.




I'll be even more thankful in a few weeks when I have my kitchen back...

Thankful Thursday #7

With so many complaints about the internet, social networking, etc I have to say that this Thursday I'm thankful for it all. I love having instant access to information, I love the resources I am able to access, I love being able to find support and connect with friends.

I also love the internet for a couple personal reasons. One is that I met my husband online. Had we not instant messaged back in high school we would not be together today (and I wouldn't have my 3 amazing kiddos). I moved from CA to IN to be with him, so I know without the internet my life would be very different!

Using Myspace (remember that?) I found my siblings. We were apart for many years and had no idea how to connect again, and my younger sister and I thought we'd try to look for them on a whim. We had no idea how successful we would be! I'm thankful every day that I have them back.

The friends I mentioned last week are all because of the internet as well! We've met through mom's groups and Facebook and had I not been connected to those, I wouldn't have met them.

So I do think the internet has it's flaws, that people are capable of saying horrific and terrible things, and that it can interfere with real life- but I am thankful for the internet. I feel that the good it has brought my life outweighs any bad.

Thankful Thursday #6

This weekend I got to get together with some of my friends for a game night (which prompted Sunday's post about game nights), but really the feeling I had when leaving wasn't just that games are fun- it was that I have the best friends ever.

I am so thankful for my group of friends. I moved to this area when I was 18 and by then people my age had friends, I was far from family and I just felt completely alone. That feeling got worse once I had kids. I had my daughter young and felt like I was looked down upon by others and didn't feel like I fit in with other moms my age either. So I spent a lot of time alone.

I found a group of women who were just what I had been hoping for for years. They were funny, nice, and I have developed friendships with them that will be life-long. I am happy now and feel like I'm not completely alone any more.

I'm not just thankful that I have friends (though I am), I'm thankful for THESE friends. The ones that I can laugh with into the wee hours of the night, the ones I can cry to when I'm stressed or upset, the ones that band together to help each other, the ones that will watch your kids with no notice (and who you would do the same for).

They are amazing women and my life is much better now that they are in it.

Thankful Thursday #5

I am thankful for my siblings. I almost thought about adding this in with my Thankful Thursday last week, but I wanted a separate post for them :)

I am lucky enough to have a large assortment of siblings. I have my younger sister, who is my partner in crime. If we go more than a couple days without a text it is strange. FaceTime is the best thing ever too because I feel like I'm having a conversation with her rather than just a phone call.

I also have two amazing brothers. They are the reason I think that sarcasm may be genetic ;) and I love the time I get to spend with them. My kids ask all the time if we're going to Texas (where one brother lives) because they know that when we do, we get to see lots of family (and they get to play with their cousins!).

I also get to have a wonderful older sister too (I think I won the sibling lottery). It's nice to be able to connect with her and my kids love their cousins from CA too ;)

As if that's not enough, I was blessed enough to have great siblings-in-law as well. :D I'm thankful for each of them as well.

Thankful Thursday: #4

This week (and all weeks- I seem to sense a pattern here) I'm thankful for my parents. They are so supportive and absolutely love being grandparents. My only complaint is that we're so far away :(  Living so far from them is really difficult. We have to fly 5 hours and plan extensively for a visit, but every time we do it is so worthwhile. We don't even have to do anything big (though we tend to have a lot of fun), just being together is enough.

FaceTimeing on Thanksgiving :)

We've also found ways to be together when we can't. Facetime, email, and phone calls help to keep us connected even when it can be hard. Even with the distance, I'm thankful for their involvement in our lives and that I have them :)

Thankful Thursday #3

This week (and every week) I'm thankful for these cuties:

I have a 9 year old girl, 6 year old boy, and 2 year old boy who keep my life busy (and full of amazing things). 

I've heard the phrase "Wow you've got your hands full!" more than I can count, but I love the response "If you think my hands are full, you should see my heart." It's completely accurate. My hands are full, my house will never stay clean, there will always be laundry, and someone will always ask for something- but there's love that outnumbers all of that. 

Thankful Thursday #2

This week (and all weeks, some more than others ;) ) I'm thankful for my husband.

For the past couple of months he has been dealing with a broken hand. He got hurt at work and it kind of threw our whole lives into a mess. His schedule changed, our income changed, and we had to get used to something different while figuring out how to make ends meet, how to adjust for childcare, etc.

He's been amazing about it all. Even in pain he's been involved and helpful, he's taken over cooking many nights, taken over "kid duty" when I've needed him to, and it has been nice to actually see him again since his schedule and mine used to be opposite.

He's finally almost healed from his injury, and we're facing him having to move back to his regular shift. I feel like it is going to be an even more difficult adjustment for all of us because I know the kids and I are going to miss the time we get to spend with him. I'm so thankful for everything he does for his family.

Thankful Thursday #1

I have enjoyed having this time off with my kids, but since I'm back to work today I thought it would be fitting to remind myself that I'm thankful for my job.

It isn't an official teaching position, but I am able to work with children K-5th grade in a small group environment. I get creative control in what activities we do. We have to meet a specific standard each week (and a different one per grade level), but I get to try different methods to teach. I've found this is great sometimes {when the lessons go well} and not so great the others {when lessons I love fail}.

I am thankful for this job, for my coworkers, for the students I get to teach, and for the school I work at.

Even if it means going out in the snow... ;)