Thankful Thursday

What are you thankful for today??  I have so many things to be thankful for this week.

• I am thankful for the holy spirit that keeps me grounded on tough weeks like this.
• I am thankful for the blood Jesus shed for me, so that my future is gurranteed.
• I am thankful for my friends and family that cover me with prayers.
• I am thankful that God loves me so much he gives me the desires of my heart.
• I am thankful for income tax refunds, softball season, butterflies, blooming trees, and warm days.
• I am thankful for the two most wonderful administrators ever.
• I am thankful for a scrapbooking weekend, time to myself, and time with family.

 

Thankful Friday

I was really going to do a Thankful Thursday post yesterday, but I was so busy getting ready for my trip that I forgot!  Yes, a trip.  Thank God that we are getting out of town.  We are going to spend the weekend enjoying some old friends I haven't seen in a lifetime and my aunt and uncle.  I am extremely thankful that my income tax refund came in just in time to have a little shopping trip.  C desperately needs new shoes.  Her toes are pushing through her old ones.  I am also so thankful that the Writing Taks test is over.  Have a great weekend!!

Thankful Thursday

This week I am so thankful for the fact that I recognize the symptoms of SAD coming on and can make a plan to deal with them.  I am also so very thankful for my Dr. and my pastor's wife because they understand without judging me.  I am thankful for the pharmaceutical companies that invented antidepressants.  I can't wait to start on mine.  I am not ashamed that to say that I need a little help for the next few months to make my quality of life better.  Could I do without it?  Sure, I have many times before.  I just decided that this year, I wanted to life a more full life and not "wish this season away".  I still hate snow and ice, so won't be thrilled if that happens, but the thought of it might not send me into a tailspin either.  Life is a journey, and I don't want to be holed up in my bed for three months waiting anymore.  I want to feel joy and laughter.  What are you thankful for today?

Thankful Thursday

This week I am thankful for .....frustration.  What???  Are you finally losing what little is left of your mind????  Well... maybe.....


I have been frustrated for the last few weeks over a situation.  Sometimes even just flabbergasted!  When they say that God works in mysterious ways, you better believe it.  I have witnessed this first hand with the changes he has brought about in my life in the last few months.  Last night I was frustrated to the point of anger.  I wanted to walk out on things that God has brought me to.  Today, I choose to embrace that frustration and know that through it, I will grow into a better person.  I will learn calmness, humility, patience.  Yep, me... You know those aren't my strong points.  I know that God is going to turn this frustration into something beautiful for Him. 

I am also thankful that I know how to cook a turkey!


What are you thankful for?   (Thanks so much if you left a thankful comment last week.  It was great hearing from you.)

Thankful Thursday

I have so many things to be thankful for this week. 

1. I am thankful for people that become missionaries, even to see no fruit or in dangerous, or life-threatening situations.
2. I am thankful for understanding friends that might not agree with my decisions, but respect me enough to know that my decisions are right for me.
3. I am thankful for friends who support me when others don't.  I appreciate their concern and encouragement more than they will ever know.
4. I am thankful for my daughter who even though she tries to do no work, manages to get a few chores done here and there that lighten my load and she is happy to live off ramen noodles.
5. I am thankful for my family and the inspiration that they are.
6. I am thankful for being so busy and having so much to do because that means I am needed.  It is a great feeling to know that you are needed.  
7. I am thankful for my job and the opportunities it gives me.
8. I am thankful for all the lessons I have learned about debt.  Hopefully, they will remind me in the future to stay out of it!!
9. I am thankful for beautiful fall weather.
10. I am thankful for you, my blog readers.  You never criticize and leave me the most wonderful comments that encourage me. Now, leave one and tell me what you are thankful for this week!

Thankful Thursday - Meal Planning

I am sharing things I am thankful for on Facebook everyday, but still wanted to share here.  As Thanksgiving approaches, I am taking a little time to stop and focus on the huge blessings I have in my life.  One of my blessings this year has been learning about meal planning. 

As most of you know, I have been trying to pay off a debt for the last ...(well, I won't say how long! cause it is just embarassing!).  I will make the final payment in December!!!  I have been blessed as I have learned about money, and how to control it and not let it control me.  I will admit that sometimes I  still let it control me.  It is important to take a look at how you spend your money.  The past few months have been eye opening at how much I spend in some areas.  I spend an enormous amount of money each week eating out. 

I have learned to use coupons, shop specials, and plan meals.  I am still working on the planning part, but there is a wonderful service out there called e-mealz.com that can help you.  I used a lot of their ideas and then made my own plan.  (Cause I couldn't afford to pay for theirs, even though it is really cheap.)  It took a lot of time (like an hour) and quite frankly, I didn't want to devote the time to doing it.  But after I got started, it took very little time each week to update, therefore freeing me from eating out and saving me tons of money.  I have also tried to include my daughter in planning and cooking.  Sometimes she participates and sometimes, she plays barbies or holds her cat!!  But she is learning and I want her to learn these important skills.  I have discovered that I like cooking several meals at once.  That way we have lots to eat off during the week and I don't have to spend so much time cooking each night.  Tuesday night as our hobo dinners were cooking, I cooked up the rest of the hamburger and added ground turkey and bagged it up for nachos and spaghetti, made some fried potatoes and scrambled eggs and assembled 8 breakfast burritos for us to take to school and heat up, got beans sorted to make some lima beans and ham in the crockpot, and made a big batch of tuna salad for my lunches.  It is nice to come home to a fridge full of "ready to eat" food.  Almost like going out to eat!!

Thankful Thursday

It is very hard to write this post this week since it has been such a horrendous week.  I have had two melt downs already and it is just Thursday.  I am sure there will be much more conflict as the weekend goes on and my daughter is grounded from the skating rink, I try to fix food for the upcoming week, and I get things ready for another work week...   It seems that there are too many demands on me and I am folding under the pressure.


But as I tried to think of something to be thankful for, I thought of my sweet friend who lost her mother this week.  I know how she is hurting.  I recognize the numbness.  I feel the pain.  I smell the death.  The fear of the unknown overwhelms me.  The joy that Jesus holds for us amazes me.  So many things all wrapped up and tangled together.  It makes me pause for a while to think about what is important in life.

So to my mom...
I am so thankful for you.  I am so thankful for the way you loved me. You loved me like I was the most wonderful person in the whole world.  Even when I made huge mistakes, you loved me.  I am so thankful that you spent your life working so hard so that we would have a home.  I am so thankful that you took me to church when I was a kid and instilled Christian values in me.  I am so thankful that you taught me right from wrong.  I am so thankful that you disciplined me and instilled in me a self discipline that would carry me through my life and enable me to be successful.  I am so thankful that you packed me up, drove me to college and dropped me off in that dorm room with a schedule in my hand - even with me kicking and screaming "no" the whole time!  I am so thankful that you spent hours talking to me on the phone listening to my nothingness, just cause I needed unconditional love and friendship, even when we had to pay for long distance!  I am so thankful that you supported my decisions throughout my life, even the wrong ones.  I am so thankful that you loved all my foster children so much and spent time with them, fixing their hair, reading to them, sewing for them, giving them the love of a grandmother.  I am so thankful that you didn't say I told you so!  I am so thankful that you "adopted" Ciara and adored her.  I am so thankful that you came to stay with us for the last 7 months of your life so that we could have every second we could with you.  I am so thankful that you amazed all the doctors and fought so hard to live when they thought it was obviously past your time and you were saying, "I'm sorry I can't  stay with you longer."  Thank you for being such a wonderful mother.  I am thankful for everything you did.

To my sweet friend Patty,
There are no words to describe the loss.  Time will give you peace, but sometimes it will sneak up on you and take your breath.  Sometimes you will feel like a lost orphan in a world full of relatives.  Sometimes you will feel like no one understands or cares or loves you at all.  Mother's are special and there is just no replacements. Right now you are numb from the "surprise" of death, and it will get worse before it gets better.  It will get better.  There is peace.  Our mom's are in a place that we can't even imagine.  There is no more pain or sickness.  No more restrictions.  Only Glory!!  Be thankful for the wonderful mother you had.  Pass her legacy down to your children.  Love you!!

Thankful Thursday

Boy it has been along time since I have done a Thankful Thursday post.  It isn't because I haven't had plenty to be thankful for.

This summer was one of the best of my life.  We relaxed, got things done, and got a little ahead.  Usually I am just so lazy in the summer that I get way behind.  I am thankful for all our wonderful blessings of this summer.

• We were blessed with a swimming pass.  We went swimming every chance we got and we loved it!

• We were blessed financially.  As I struggle to budget my money while I strive to pay off bills it helped so much when unplanned events came up.  Plus, it helped so much to make us not feel too deprived!!
• We were blessed with great health.  No doctors appts. for us for sickness.  Ciara didn't even have cavities at her dentist appt.  
• We were blessed to get to hang out with wonderful friends daily.  I loved talking to the lifeguards.  They became our friends, esp. the "boss".  Several of the people who swam daily became buddies to Ciara and I both.  Also, I finally found someone to play games with.  She doesn't mind my messy house at all.  We throw some food at the kids and they go play and we get to play cards to our heart's content.  Wish we had more time together now that school has started, but we are trying.

Now that school has started we have experienced many new blessings.

•  CIARA HAS ALL A'S AND B'S FOR HER THREE WEEK GRADES!!!

• Ciara is doing great in 4th grade.  She no longer wants to eat lunch with me every day, she wants to go with her friends.  She is getting her  homework done in usually an hour's time (thank you God), and she loves, loves, loves all her teachers.  She is getting up and getting dressed on time also!  Woohoo!!
• Even though mom didn't turn in the registration papers in time, her gymnastics instructor managed to squeeze her into a class.  This is her 7th year and she loves it.
• I have a great schedule and wonderful students this year.  

We are looking forward to all the fun things that this school year will bring.

Thankful Thursday

Wow, I have so much to be thankful for.  I have been loving my summer.  It is so great to relax a little.  I have been sleeping late, working out at the gym, creating, and being pretty lazy.

1. I am so thankful that my aunt and uncle came to see Ciara play in her softball game last week.  Even though it was sooo hot, I still love watching her play.  Plus, I did a major cleaning on my house before they got here. 
2. I am thankful that the little ticker at the top of my blog got to move.  It should have been moved back the other way three weeks ago, but I just refused to give in.  Thankfully, tonight I got to move it a little more to the right.
3. I am thankful that all our baby kitties are so healthy.  Please let me know if you want one.  They are five weeks old today and they are solid black and beautiful.
4. I am thankful that Ciara has survived the first 4 days of summer school, even though the bus doesn't pick her up, drops her off way away from the house, or she just left the school taking other kids with her one day.  
5. I am thankful that I survived my fight with the treadmill.  I am hoping to get the nerve up to hop on again!!  I swear, it was just like a biggest loser moment that they would replay over and over to humiliate someone!
6. I am thankful that we have had such great weather this season.  So far, there have been no runs to the shelter or scary moments.  Just hot, hot, hot.
7. I am thankful that my friend will let me put my cards at her shop and hopefully some will sell so I can get some extra spending moolah!!  I need the money badly, so go down to the Candy Cottage and buy some cards and some candy!!  I have been working on a way to package them, and finally decided to stick them in a basket.  I plan on taking them down there tomorrow.
8. I am thankful that it is almost time for the new Stampin' Up! catalog to come out.  I plan on having a party next week to get some retiring stuff that I want and then I already have a hostess for the new catalog.
9. I am thankful for my sweet daughter, who has to always learn the hard way!  Every day is a drama and exciting with her around!

Thankful Thursday

Well, we sure have a lot to be thankful about tonight!!
Four little beautiful baby kittens were born ON MY BED this evening!  I can't believe it.  They are all solid black like their momma.  We got them off the bed and into a box in the kitchen.  She has her food and water and litter box close by.  I don't know if she is through or not.  We left at 5:30 and came home around 8:30.  Ciara was supposed to find her shirt for tomorrow and walked into my room to look on my bed.  She found a huge surprise. 

 

       I am also very thankful that she did this while we were gone and I didn't have to watch, although Ciara was mad that she didn't get to watch.

I am thankful that my daughter is such a great softball player!!  She helped her team win 2 games this week.  She also had her last gymnastics practice this week.  Her recital is next week.  Things are winding down for the school year.  It is really busy, but we are having so much fun and enjoying ourselves.

Thankful Thursday

Is it Thursday??? Finally???

I am thankful that TAKS IS OVER!!

It has been a rough couple of weeks, but we are done.  Nothing we can do about it now.  It is finished.  The tests have been turned in.  Pass or fail, it is over.  This year has been more stressful than any other and I am so thankful to have this part of the school year over. 

Ciara worked on her Math test til after 2 and her reading test til after 3.  That is perseverance for a 9 year old.  I cried when they told me she wasn't finished at 3:00.  So I sat in the hallway and started praying for her.  I was so glad when she was done.  She got a set of nails at pretty nails to celebrate her hard work.  I am so thankful for all she has learned this year and how she has grown. 

I am thankful that after spending three days of testing kids, I get to get back to the "normal" routine and do what I love best- TEACHING!!  I am inspired and worked on lesson plans today to have some fun mixed in with the learning.  I even made a keynote presentation for our phonics lesson next week.  If anyone has any old magazines, send them my way.  Tomorrow I plan on making a poster with our new poster machine and making a tree of blends to practice with.  We will see how that idea pans out!!

I am thankful that the snow cone place is open again.. Just love some wedding cake snow cone with extra cream.  I promise not to buy one every day!!  Someone keep me accountable for that - puhleeze!! 

I am thankful that it is not yet ten pm and I am headed to bed!! 

Night, night everyone!!

Thankful Thursday

I actually tried to write a Thankful Thursday post yesterday before I realized it was only Wednesday.  So I have had a whole day to think about this!!

1. I am so thankful that we are beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel as far as TAKS goes.  We are a week away.  I believe we will survive.
2. I am so thankful for my daughter.  She might not meet everyone's expectations, but she meets mine!  I love her so much, just the way she is!
3. I am thankful for my sweet step-mom.  I am so glad I have her support and can talk on the phone to her any time I need her.
4. I am so thankful for DVR's so I can watch my shows on my own time.
5. I am so thankful for my sweet friends who said prayers for my friend Beverly this week.  She is doing much better.  She has had many people help her out and she is not as depressed and feeling as hopeless as she was two days ago.  
6. I am thankful that today is PAYDAY!!  No explanation needed there!!
7. I am thankful for my sweet Heart to Heart partner.  We went to supper again tonight.  I enjoy getting to know her.
8. I am thankful that softball season is finally here!!
9. I am thankful for a soft gentle rain.
10. I am thankful that God never gives up on us.

Have a great Thursday my sweet blogger friends.  You are the greatest!!

Love ya,
Steph

Trying to be Thankful Thursday

I know I really need to do a Thankful Thursday post, but in my heart I need to vent.  So I will try to do both.

1. I am so thankful that I am not raising _____.  Come on, fill in the blank with the worst kid you know.  I am thankful that my kid isn't them.  It has been a hard week for parenting, but I guess it could be worse!!  ( I know some of you probably put my kid's name in that blank, but it is ok if it helps you appreciate your child more.)
2. I am thankful that I am not seriously ill and hospitalized.  I am just in a lot of pain, some went away today and hopefully more will go away tomorrow.  Let's just say that I had every side effect the antibiotic can give me!  Woo hoo!!  Lucky Me!!  ARGH!!
3. I am thankful that Premier Designs Jewelry gives such great hostess benefits.   Even if only one comes to your party and you barely make a party with orders, you can get  a lot of free stuff.  
4. I am thankful my pantry and freezer have food, cause I have no money to go to the store or out to eat.
5. I am thankful that my electric has stayed on during this bad weather.  $500 worth of it stayed on!!
6. I am thankful that my depression only comes around during the winter.  Unfortunately, this is one of the worst winters we have had in years.  I don't want to see anymore snow or ice or rain!!!  Did you hear me, maybe I should say that again.  I DON'T WANT TO SEE ANYMORE SNOW OR RAIN OR ICE!!!  Got it now???
7. I am thankful that I can see postive things in my child - cause evidently no one else can.
8. At the moment I really am thankful for every painfree breath that I take.  I seem to take that forgranted when I am not reminded of it!!
9. I am thankful for my friend who wraps me up in her love, supports me unwaveringly, and loves me unconditionally.  You know who you are.  
10. I am thankful for computers, facebook, email, blogs, cell phones, home phones...  It allows people who say they love and care for me to reach out and touch me.  It allows me to do the same to them.  If I haven't reached out and touched you lately, it is just because I was in too much pain to raise my arm.

Thankful Thursday

This week I have so much to be thankful for. I am mostly thankful that God loves me unconditionally when I am such a failure. He created me, He knows the hairs on my head, He knows my failures and my successes, He knows my thoughts-good and bad, and yet he loves me. I have had to cling to that this week. There have been moments when that was all I knew for certain. Sometimes storms come and the only thing we have to hold on to is the fact that God loves us. This has been a week of "bad weather" but God's love, mercy and grace is getting me through. Here are some more things I am thankful for.

1. Sleep - I took a two hour nap today. It was so wonderful and needed.
2. mouse traps that don't show the mouse. Not that we have caught one yet, but it will be so great when we do. I did see another stinking mouse tonight.
3. My daughter. She is so beautiful and she loves me so much. She is such a surprise some days, but even at her worst, I am glad she is with me.
4. My friends-they have held me up and supported me. Wish they would have given me the xanax earlier, but it is so great to know they care.
5. My students. They are fun and so loving. Today one told me that if he won the chicken cup on the game show tomorrow he would give it to me for my coffee. That is so nice. I WANT A CHICKEN CUP!!
6. The little girl who gave Ciara a smell good heart to decorate her locker with.
7. Jessica - she helped me clean my house. Now I have to find some more money so I can get her to come back!!
8. Thankful tomorrow is FRIDAY!!!

That's all I can think of tonight. I am really tired and ready to get some more wonderful sleep.

Good night all,

Thankful Thursday

I know it is time for me to do a Thankful Thursday post. God gave me a reality check on my whining yesterday and told me that I have a lot to be thankful for and it could always be worse.

1. I am so thankful for my daughter. I am thankful God saw fit to trust me to raise Ciara knowing that she would not fit any molds of anything I ever thought about when I wanted to be a mommy!
2. I am thankful for Mexican food and alka seltzers!
3. I am thankful that Ciara loves her teacher.
4. I am thankful that I work at and Ciara goes to a school that is small enough to care and big enough to have resources available and is focused on the future.
5. I am thankful for my friends who keep me lifted up.
6. I am thankful that Ciara and I have always been safe when driving.
7. I am thankful there is no violence in my life.
8. I am thankful that I didn't wake up with acid reflux last night
9. I am thankful that Ciara feels such joy when she plays with her kittens and that we found them after they got lost this weekend, but really, to wake up and find them in the dining room was a shock!
10. I am thankful that I have experienced depression and God can use me as a tool to relate to others that are depressed. No, I'm not!!! Yes, I really am. Yes, I am thankful. I am mostly thankful to be able to recognize depression so I can deal with it.
11. I am thankful for the sweet students in my class this year that have so much potential.
12. I am thankful for bills, cause it means I am making it.
    
13. I am thankful for my nice soft bed. I wish I could spend more time in it!!
14. I am thankful for my friends who do card swaps with me. We are making some really beautiful things and having a great time doing it!
15. I am thankful that it is World Card Making Day on Saturday and I am going to offer a free card to anyone who comes over between 1 and 6. This card is so stinkin' cute that you won't want to miss it. It doesn't matter if you have never made a card before, come try and it will be so fun.

There are so many more things that I have to be thankful for. I am glad I had the opportunity to sit down and think about it for a while. It is always good to reflect on the positive and not focus on the negative.

Thankful Thursday

I do have other things going on in my life, but am way too tired to upload pics and write about them, so thinking of a few things to be thankful for is all I can do now.

1. I am again, so very thankful for my friend Vicky who has helped me all week in bible school. This has been an eye opening week for me as I have learned some truths about myself. It hasn't been easy and not always fun, but I so appreciate Vicky's loyalty and faithfulness to be there every day and help. She has kept us organized and made our days much brighter.
2. I am thankful bible school is over tomorrow:)
3. I am thankful that I got to teach bible school.
4. I am thankful that bible school is over tomorrow!!
5. I am thankful for my cousin, Trey, who came to visit with us. He was so brave to come stay away from his family with his little cousin who picks on him (Ciara) and go to a bible school at a church where he didn't know anyone, but the fat lady (he was in my class). He says he didn't learn a thing, but I hope he learned at least one thing, that I really love him. (enough to go to the store when they are closing to beg them to open the door so I can buy some peanut butter that is on sale this week so I can fix my starving cousin a sandwich)!! Oh, and I think you learned that you don't like lemon bars....
6. I am thankful for my Aunt Venita who helped me bead necklaces for the kids to have as a parting gift tomorrow. She made it fun, and it was so much better having her help.
7. I am thankful for my Uncle Robert who deserves more payback revenge than he will ever get. I am glad he let Ciara crawl on him for a while, so I could string beads.
8. I am thankful that bible school is over tomorrow. Have I mentioned that yet???
9. I am thankful for the Lomaxes and Ridens who were Ciara's softball coaches. They never screamed at the girls or made ugly remarks. They were very kind and patient and the girls loved it.
10. I am thankful for all the softball coaches who threw the swimming party tonight. It was a great end to Ciara's first season of softball. I am even thankful for the pizza, even though I got to eat at K-Bobs, nanabooboo:) Dora

Thankful Thursday

1. 
   I am thankful that school is out tomorrow.
2. I am thankful that I finished making memory books for the three ladies who were retiring and they turned out really good. (will post pictures later)
3. I am thankful that my turn at thirsty thursdays is over.
   
4. I am thankful that school is out tomorrow!!!
   
5. I am thankful that my daughter loves playing softball and found her uniform in time to wash it for tonight's game.
   
6. I am thankful for my usually wonderful health (now I have a cold, but I know I will be better soon, probably as soon as school is out!)
   
7. I am thankful that my daughter passed 2nd grade.
   
8. I am thankful for my daughters wonderful health. She will be getting her perfect attendance certificate tomorrow for the 4th year in a row.
   
9. I am thankful for banana pudding, of which I have tons left over from the retirement party.
   
10. I am thankful for good friends who won't make you babysit even though you promised before you got sick.

Thankful Thursday

1. I am thankful that I don't have cancer.
2. I am thankful that I don't teach 5th grade.
3. I am thankful that humans are sweet and innocent when they are in 3rd and 4th grade.
4. I am thankful for personal days. I took one today. Dropped Ciara off at school, went back to bed, read a little of a book, ate a snack, went to play day, took some pictures, went home and laid around in bed reading a book, went to pick Ciara up, played with her a little, took a little nap, went to a softball game, fixed grilled cheese. Wonderful day!
5. I am thankful Ciara is loving softball.
6. I am thankful school is almost out.
7. I am thankful I have friends who are also worried about their kids going to an amusement park tomorrow also, and I am not alone. I know, I know, chill:)
8. I am thankful I almost have enough money to pay all the bills this month and I am not already way short.
9. I am thankful that I found a yoga show on tv and can tape it and learn it, ha ha, I hear you laughing, but this is something I have wanted to do for a while now.
10. I am thankful American Idol is over. Can you believe KISS and Steve Martin???? I told Ciara that I once went to a KISS concert, and she thinks her mom is crazy. I wonder what things she will do when she grows up????
    

Thankful Thursday

I never take time to be thankful for all that I have, so now is the time to start.

1. I am so thankful that I have a daughter. Not even at our worst times do I ever regret the decision I made to adopt her.
2. I am so thankful that I have a fantastic relationship with my step-mom. She is my best friend and is always supportive of me.
3. I am so thankful that I have two wonderful aunts in my life. They help me not to feel so alone in this world.
4. I am thankful that I have a big wonderful house, even though the roof will never be paid off, (maybe even the house will never be paid off), and it is so messy I can't even begin to deal with it!
5. I am thankful that I have a little shop to have my friends over to "play".
6. I am thankful for my job. I haven't always loved it, and never dreamed I would be a teacher for 22 years, but deep down, I think this is what I was meant to do.
7. I am thankful for my blogging friends who love me and keep me in line.
8. I am thankful someone thought up scrapbooking so I would have something constructive to do with my time and moolah!
9. I am thankful that there are restaurants that fix food for us and my daughter doesn't have to depend on me cooking all the time.
10. I am thankful for my student who said, Ms. Harbin, someone should have taken you to the prom, you are fun and nice. (Think it is way to late to undo those years of damage, but it is a nice thought.)