November 24

I am thankful for tired feet, and sleepy eyes, not only for my own kids, but mine as well, as it means a day full of memories made. We spent the afternoon with family down at the Alligator farm. The kids loved it, but were also tired, and after awhile all the gators started looking the same. Dinner was here at our house, gathered round a picnic table by the fire pit. Good times.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, Savannah is looking forward to the turkey showing up on her advent calendar, as now all the numbered leaves have fallen. We made little hand print turkeys one day for a craft, and I told Savannah they would show up on Thanksgiving.... I had hoped to get them laminated by then, but no such luck....

Dinner will be served at Grandma's house. We will all eat and drink too much. Most of all though, we will be united with many other families in many other homes across the country, saying thanks.

November 23

I am thankful for safe travel for family driving in. I am thankful for school thanksgiving feasts that take care of lunchtime needs. I am thankful that my children still nap when they really need it, and even sometimes when it is mom who really needs it.

November 22

I am thankful for a washer and dryer to help clean up car seats that get "very disgusting" very quickly.... what is it with young children having to gag themselves? I will never understand that one at all....

I am also thankful that in the middle of lots of family in town and all, we are still able to have some downtime for two tired little girls. When we travel or when others come in town, there tends to be lots of activity, lots of out of the normal schedules, and lots of "rest needed" moments. Though I am thankful for family and excited that they are in town, sometimes naps are a necessity.

November 21

Today I am thankful for some girl time. Though the relationships, circumstances, and the atmospheres all change, girl time is a precious time. It may not be sleepovers at friends houses like in high school or a weekend getaway, but even just spending a few hours with other women we love, really makes for a great time.

Thank you too, Mrs Phyllis for ten years as Nursery Director..... and thanks for giving us a reason to throw a party.

November 20

Today I am thankful for quiet days at the beach, picnics at the playgrounds, and boat rides on the river. I am also thankful that each and everyone of those things was made all that more special with family in town for the Thanksgiving holiday.

I am also thankful that when I forget my camera, my wonderful sister-in-law does not forget hers, and the wonderful pictures that she captures can bring back such wonderful memories for years to come.

Is that too many wonderfuls?

November 19

Today I am thankful that I have such a wonderful family. It was the first time meeting cousin Emma, and the last time we saw Jude he was only one. It was great to see the little kiddos and let all the cousins play. Except for one little tired kiddo, they all played wonderfully together. Emma even let me hold her quite a bit, which I hear is a very rare thing.

November 18

I am thankful that my brother and sister and their kids all made it in safely today from Seattle. A six hour plane flight with two kids three and under was a major accomplishment.

November 17

Today I am thankful for my church once again. I feel like I say this every Wednesday night, but Wednesday's Grow U has really been a blessing to me. Time to actually have a bible study group time without the kids in the background... and the kids LOVE going to their class too. I know that it is a lot of extra work for all the church staff and the volunteers that make it work each and every week.

I also went to the mom 2 mom program Wednesday morning at the church. I am not sure what to think. It is hard to make it in time with dropping Savannah off at school, getting to church and getting back afterwards to pick up Savannah. I felt rushed. The childcare for Zoe though was as usual top notch and she really had a lot of fun. Between the feeling rushed and the extra amount of driving, I am still considering whether or not to go back.

November 15

Today we had a typical Monday. I am thankful that I had the chance to finish knitting my big project so that I only have the hat on my needles right now. I am also thankful that Little pint napped while Savannah was in vision class. We also had a nice lunch with Dad and spent some time playing outside.

It is a huge blessing to be able to stay home with the girls, and I am thankful to have the opportunity while they are young.

November 14

Today I am thankful for a Sunday at church, and that no kids were sick keeping us home. I am thankful that even with Randall and Takako coming later this week Grandma wasn't going nuts with the house cleaning and stuff, and actually took some time to enjoy lunch with us.... out of course cause the kids would mess up the clean house before company comes.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to find our neighbor the entire weekend.

November 13

We spent a good part of the day working in the yard. We bought several different bushes- jasmines to name one- and started trying to increase the planter around the front tree in order to decrease the amount of grass that the association can annoy us about. Every year at this time we get the annoying letter as the grass gets attacked by bugs at this time of year. Anyways, I am thankful that my husband is a hands on kind of guy, one that when the shovel breaks the main water pipe into the house, not only does he know how to turn off the main water, he knows how to cut the broken pipe out, find the fix at Lowes and put it all back together with as little inconvenience as possible. For that I am very thankful.

November 12

I am thankful that my kids are into Signing time with Alex and Leah right now. We don't own any of the DVD's but we rent them from the library and they ask for them over and over again by request. At one point I was asked if I was ever going to do a second language with Savannah if I did home school her, and I didn't think I would. Maybe she really would like to learn sign language. A visually impaired child signing.... I know there is a deaf blind sign language, but I just can't help but think about the jokes, what did the blind man say to the deaf woman....

November 11

Today was a nice restful day at home cause the schools were closed for the day. It was rather nice to just stay in the pajamas till noon, and let the kiddos play. I am thankful that Savannah becomes more and more able to play independently with her sister.

Originally we were supposed to go to the park with several other moms but everyone else came down with a cold. So I guess I am really thankful too that we haven't gotten sick.

November 10

Today I am thankful to report that I finished the Thanksgiving tree. The laminating wasn't the best job but I am still happy with it and think it turned out very well. In fact I might even say that the laminating made it more realistic. (The store that did it for me was having trouble with their laminator... and the thinker parts of the tree (where it was two of three layers of paper) it didn't melt the laminate quite hot enough. There are also some wrinkles in in where it did laminate. In my experience though it is really hard not to get wrinkles. I am not being picky about it at all. Even if I remake it for next year and laminate it again, that would be okay.)

I am also thankful that my God is a God of second, third, fourth, and 400th chances. That when we make mistakes in life we are not beyond His reach, that He can meet us wherever we might be at that time.

November 9

Today I am thankful for my home, though at times messy, (and even when clean only for an hour at most), there are thousands upon thousands that do not have a home, even a well worn one. My heart goes out to them.

Thank God for my health too, that I am well enough to put in a few hours of cleaning and make the mess a little less.

November 8

I am thankful that today I accomplished the laundry. Though we have not added anyone else to the household I swear the laundry as of late has become a much bigger task. Maybe it just means that we need to pare down the closets some, send some outfits back out the door, bless someone else.

I am also thankful that I managed to get some organizing done in several other places in the house, even though it was more along the lines of put stuff away, it feels good to find a corner of the sewing table every once in a while....

November 7

Thank you for all the birthday wishes.

Thank you Little baby for falling asleep really early after several days of lack of sleep catching up with her. It was a long day full of scream fests.

November 6

Today there are many things that I am thankful for, but above all -

Thank you God for the sweetest most beautiful 5 year old I could ever ask for.


In bible study last week we were asked "what does the last five years mean to you, and to your walk with Christ?"


Five years ago, Savannah was born. Everything that could possibly change, did. We have walked as a family a long twisted road that we never expected we would ever have to walk. It is never the dreams of a parent-to-be to have a visually impaired child. Yet as I sit here, I can only be thankful that we were blessed, not just by the child, but by the journey that we have walked with Jesus and His saints by our side, and wonder what the future holds.



How about you? How would you answer that question?

November 5

Today the dog spilled the cereal bowl of milk (he grabs it off the table himself), it was cooler than usual outside, the van sliding door stopped working right, breakfast was at 10, the two year old fell asleep in the van at noon, dealt some more with the "service plan" for the school system, Vision seemed to drag on forever, enjoyed the company of grumpy non-nappers who were disappointed we weren't going to grandma's house, and attempted to deal with final preperations for a birthday party.

And I would love to say I did so gracefully, and never lost a beat. However, it once again just proves that I am not perfect and that I, like everyone else, am very much in need of a savior. For that I am thankful.

In all those things I listed above, there is potiential to wear down one's soul.... but there is also the amazing blessings in each of them too.... I mean, I have a happy healthy dog that spills the milk, I have a jacket to wear while outside, I have a door on the van that can stop working right, breakfast was served.... and that God gave me a beautiful girl five years ago tomorrow for which I get the privledge to plan a party for.

November 4

Today I am thankful that Savannah's school meeting went well yesterday, and that there is a school system that is willing to help us navigate through all of this school stuff.