Gratituesday

Last July we moved out of state to a small town where we knew nobody.  Our closest friends were an hour's drive away and our closest family lived almost four hours from us.  It was quite an adjustment in the beginning (and sometimes it still is).  In November, we were introduced to a homeschool group.  Since then, we have been able to meet up almost every week with this wonderful group of ladies and children.  It has been such a blessing to the girls and to myself to have this group to interact with every week! 

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Gratituesday

On Sunday, we left Andy's family's house and started our trip back home.  My parents' live on our way home, so we stopped by to see them for lunch.  My little sister was there, as was my grandmother and uncle.  Shortly after we arrived, my cousin and her husband showed up.  My older sister wasn't able to make it for lunch, but she did stop by for a few minutes. 

I hadn't realized at the time that my parents had arranged everyone to be there, not only to see us since we live out of state, but also as a surprise for my birthday which is coming up later this week. 

We had a fantastic lunch, like a mini Thanksgiving!  We ate turkey, potatoes, gravy, stuffing, steamed vegetables, cranberry sauce and biscuits.  It was all so yummy!

I absolutely love chocolate (a bit too much!).  My mom made moist, delicious, mini chocolate, chocolate chip muffins for me and my cousin made an awesome chocolate bundt cake with chocolate frosting.  Yum!

My little sister surprised me with a gift - two bags of chocolate candies :)

It was such a fun and thoughtful day.  I had no idea they were planning something special for me!

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Gratituesday

It's Gratituesday!
Andrew and I have been married for seven years.  At our wedding, we received many wonderful and useful gifts.  Among them was a toaster oven.  This toaster oven had its quirks, but lasted us for the past seven years.  A couple of months ago, my mother-in-law came to visit and while she was here, the toaster oven basically stopped working.  A few weeks later, we were at a family gathering when my mother-in-law gave us a toaster oven which she had not been using. 

I used it for the first time last week and was delighted to not have to bang on the toaster (as I had to my previous one) in order to enjoy a piece of toast!  I am grateful that my mother-in-law shared this appliance.  Not only did it save us some money (thank you!) but I am also able to look around my kitchen at this and the other small appliances and dishes that she has given us and I am grateful to her and happy that I have a reminder of her daily!

She also birthed and raised the man I am married to and that is pretty cool too :)

Gratituesday

This week for Gratituesday, I thought I'd share how grateful I am for my little BIG helpers!

Arin and Ella love to help with all kinds of household chores.  Arin is great at doing laundry.  She knows how to sort clothes into the proper piles and load the washer.

Ella loves to help put the clothes into the dryer.  Arin is a wonderful helper with folding and hanging clothes and putting her stuff away.

Ella loves to help wash down the cabinets and oven door.

Arin can't wait until it's time to mop the kitchen floor (wish I had the same enthusiasm for this chore).  She even washes it in her Cinderella outfit :)  I mop the floor with diluted white vinegar with a few drops of orange essential oils, so it's safe for Arin to help!

Ella's favorite chore is to help unload the dishwasher.  There have been times when she's been very upset over something.  I open the dishwasher and it's like I've given her a new toy or something.  The waterworks will turn off and she'll come running to help!

One of Arin's favorite chores is to spray the windows so I can wash them.

They also love to help with baking and cooking.  Arin is the official "diaper getter and putter away" and she is a great helper with her sister. 

Now, if I could just get them to WANT to pick up their toys!

Gratituesday

It's Gratituesday!  Today, I am thankful for my sister-in-law, Angie.  As I was unpacking from a family get-together this weekend, I was thinking how awesome she is.  Not only is she my husband's sister, but also my brother's wife.  Good thing we get along so well since I am related to her twice!  She is an awesome hostess.  Her house is warm, comfortable and welcoming.  Angie always has a smile on her face, even when we are kidding her about things, which happens often :)  I am also super thankful that she sends hand-me-down clothes from her girls to mine (this has been a HUGE money saver for us over the years).  She is a great friend and fun to be around.  Happy Birthday Ang!

Gratituesday

Gratituesday has been hosted by one of my favorite blogs, Heavenly Homemakers, for as long as I have been reading her blog, which seems like forever.  I love reading once a week the things that she is grateful for.  I have often thought of joining in, but as you see, I haven't up until now. 

It was about a month ago that extreme exhaustion set in and I kept saying, "I guess the pregnancy symptoms are finally here."  Then, three weeks ago yesterday, I found out that the baby I was carrying had no heartbeat.  I allowed my body the next two and a half weeks time to pass the fetus, which never happened, so this past Friday, I had surgery to remove it.  During the two and a half weeks from finding out until sugery, I cried many tears, felt depression, had to force myself out of bed everyday and I couldn't wait until it was naptime for the girls so I could crawl right back in bed myself.  Though physically, I was zapped, mentally, I knew that I had to keep positive.  Our first pregnancy ended in miscarriage of our precious baby and I dwelled heavily on the why's, what if's, how come's and it drove both myself and Andy insane!  So this time, I chose to focus on the blessings in my life.

I am thankful for the love, support and encouragement that came in during this difficult time.  It is always an awkward conversation when you let someone know that you've miscarried, but I am so thankful that there were no unintentional, unkind words spoken to me in the past three weeks.  Instead, I had an overwhelming outpour of encouragement and sincere sympathing and concern from friends, family, long-lost friends, and fellow mommy bloggers.  The love came in so many forms: visits, emails, phone calls, daily texts, blog comments, Facebook comments/messages, etc.  It has meant so much to me and helped me during this time.

I am so thankful for my sweet little girls.  They always know how to make me smile.  They love me whether I am playing with them or simply laying on the couch with them.  The second of which happened more times than I can count over the past three weeks.

I am thankful for my doctor, who listened to me and allowed me to choose what I felt was right for myself.  She never pushed me, but supported each of my decisions.

I am thankful for the ability to travel.  I found it most helpful for my mental sanity to be surrounded by my friends and family.  Over the past three weeks, my sister and her boys traveled from Florida to spend half of the week with me.  The girls and I traveled an hour away to to spend the day with a friend.  We were able, as a family, to travel to Florida to spend the weekend with family and I was able to catch up with a great friend and also to attend a Mom's Night In with some great friends that I had not seen in seven months.  Andy's family was able to travel four and a half hours each way one weekend to spend the night with us.  We were able to drive an hour and a half to meet up with family for lunch one Sunday.  A friend traveled an hour to stay with my girls so I wouldn't have to take them to my doctor's appointment with me.  Andy's sister and brother-in-law were here overnight after my surgery.  We were able to travel to Florida to an awesome family reunion.  I am so thankful that I was not alone during this time.

I am thankful for my patient husband.  Because I had no energy and I had to force myself out of bed, most of my housework was put on hold, only doing what was absolutely necessary.  I can't even remember making a dinner for my family during this time.  I must have, but it was infrequent, which means we ate out A LOT.  Not even one time did Andrew complain.  I know he must have thought that it was time to "snap out of it" but he always spoke kindly to me.

I am also thankful that I did finally choose to have surgery.  Almost immediately, I felt mental clarity and my energy returned.  Though I am still taking it easy, I do not feel the need or even the want to be in bed all day long.

Thank you to everyone that has stood by our sides and given us comfort, support, love and encouragement during this battle.  It has been appreciated so much and been crucial for my mental health.