Thankful Thursday

Welcome back to Thankful Thursday, a feature started by Louise at Talk Nerdy to Me, where we look back over our week to remember our blessings.  It is so good to see the good things that have happened, especially if you have had a particularly tough week. Being grateful is good for the soul. Here are just a few things that I am thankful for...

1. Spring Break

This is our second week of Spring Break. Our neighbours went back to school (they were out the week before we were; our school isn't near us) and it rained for a lot of the the week, so the kids were bored and boring.  I was so happy for when we finally got some sunshine!  I am thankful for quiet mornings and waking up when we wanted to though.

2. Birthdays

This past Monday was Grama T's birthday. That is, my Hunny's grandma. She turned 97!  She lives in an assisted living home, so she has her own apartment room with kitchenette or she can join the catered meals in the dining room. I don't know many 97 year olds who can still live that independantly (even if she is losing some of her abilities)!

Our family went down to visit her on the weekend with flowers (Hunny remembered her favourites are pansies) and the kids drew her cards and pictures. I am kicking myself for not remembering to take a photo of her with the kids though! Oops.

3. 24 years in Christ

Twenty-four years ago on March 23rd, I accepted Jesus into my heart! I grew up in a Christian home, so it's not like I didn't know the Bible stories or didn't believe them, but I needed to make that decision on my own; I needed to encounter Him on my own. And He made Himself so real to me when I was listening to a song about His death. It was Palm Sunday and I remember every year and marvel at that night. How great is the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called Children of God! (1 John 3:1)

4.  Busy days driving

 I had to drive Bryn over to a friend's house, and then drop Abi off at her friends, come home and then head back out and pick up Bryn, and then go out and babysit my nephews, all right after eachother. It was crazy busy!  And very rainy!  I am so thankful for safety as I drive in the rain and when it is darker and when there are so many construction sites on the roads I tend to drive! We take driving as a given, an automatic ability when you are older, and don't consider being thankful that we made it to our desination safely.

5. nails

Can we just take a moment and marvel of the miracle of my nails?  This is three weeks of not biting! Three Weeks!!! Can we get an Amen?  I am pretty pleased with myself, thankyouverymuch! I am thankful for nails and for self control.

Now I need to trim them (it's getting hard to type!) and then slap some Jamberry designs on them!

6. new music

I have been listening to PRAISE 106.5 FM ever since I was a teen (and back when it was KLYN) and it is what we have on in our vehicles when we are out driving; Christian music has been a HUGE part of my life growing up (and one of the main venues that I was able to make that choice 24 years ago...see above!) Praise is based out of Lynden, WA, which is just half hour from here, so it is "local" enough to mention both sides of the border. 

But I was very happy to hear of an even more local Christian radio station that started up!
The Valley Stream is a sattelite radio station that is based out of Abbotsford, woohoo! They have four different channels available (Contemporary, Gospel, Rock and talk shows like Focus on the Family, Dr. Tony Evans, and Beth Moore); I have been listening to the Contemporary channel and have heard so many songs I had never heard before and so much more variety! I am very happy!  Check them out if you are looking for Christian music online: The Valley Stream.

7. cards

I got my creative groove back and managed to make a whole pile of cards this week! 62 to be exact!  It helps when you are making them in batches. (I would often make 10 of the same design at once) I am ready for upcoming birthdays again!

I love being creative! And I love making cards!

8.  sibling love

I love it when they actually play together and help eachother out! Sometimes it feels like all they do is tattle and get annoyed and try to irritate eachother!  I am thankful for moments where it looks like they are actually a loving family!

9. Five feet tall

It was bound to happen eventually: my 13 year old is now as tall as my mom! Soon she will overtake me! Now, granted both my mom, and my mother-in-law and myself are all short, but it is still exciting to reach the height of an adult! I don't know how tall my kids will be, but I am sure they will all be taller than me! (or I hope so!)

I am thankful for small things like this! They make me smile!

10. Sudden plans

I didn't think we would have much happening this week (last week felt more busy) but we still managed to get some friend get togethers and sleepovers in. As I mentioned in #4, Bryn got to go to his friend Forrest's house, and then I dropped Abi off at Hannah's for a sleepover and Kai got picked up for a sleepover (it was nice to have an 'early' night at home with the two Olders gone, but my Hunny and I didn't get to snuggle up on the couch and watch HGTV together, haha, as I came home late after babysitting.) And then we had Kai's friend over here and it was a good and fun week after all. But I do think the kids are ready for back to organized events like school!

Some weeks are just amazing and some are just quiet and maybe a bit boring. I am so thankful that we are given more blessings no matter what and have so much to be thankful for. How about you?