Catch up

Kay, let's pretend I haven't been sick all week with no motivation to blog (not, I have been grateful, I just haven't felt like blogging.)
So, today I play catch up:

#18 - I am grateful for my dad and husband who went out in -17 degree weather to pick up my new-to-me couch and drop it off at our new house.  Yeah!!!

#19 - I am grateful for my father-in-law, who despite my ignorance of all his tools lets me use his wood shop to make all sorts of things.  We spent Saturday working on the boy's Christmas present, which I'm so excited for.  Another afternoon or two and it will be ready for the big night!

#20 - I am grateful for my sister Chloe, who despite my crankiness stands in the cold for two hours to take family pictures. 

#21 - This is silly, but I am grateful for Avatar.  No, not the blue people, but the cartoon, "Avatar: The Last Airbender."  I was so sick that day and Avatar allowed me to get in an extra nap.

#22 - I am grateful for good health. Especially after being sick, it feels so much better to feel better, even if it's just a little bit.

#23 - I am grateful for my mom and her house (which Silas still yells "My house" every time we drive up to it).  We spent the day Christmas decorating, listening to Roger Whittaker, and enjoying the season, and I loved it!

#24 - And, back to the present, today I am very thankful for the condo we will be living in this time next week. The basement suite is getting a little cramped, and with no furniture, keeping it clean is like keeping a garden clean in the middle of a hurricane.  I love the condo, and I don't even live their yet!

Egg Nog and Mandarin Oranges

Today I am most thankful for egg nog and mandarin oranges.  Actually, each of these deserves it's own day, but I'll throw them together and love them all the more.  I'm also grateful that they are only available for 2 months of the year, because otherwise I may take them for granted and not be aware of just how wonderful they are.  I think next year I am going to have to save up for a Egg Nog and Mandarin orange budget, because at $5 a carton and a box, we go through a lot of these Christmas joys.

Growing Up

Yes, I am 31 years old, I do have two kids and one on the way, I do own two houses and am married to a lawyer.  Still, there are some moments where I feel like I've just grown up a little bit more.  Today was one of those moments.  Being the 5th child of 8, I tend to get a lot of hand me downs.  Awesome! I love it.  Still, today, for the first time in our 7 year marriage, I bought my own couch.  Perhaps this is the first piece of significant furniture I have actually bought (I'm not counting the $150 Ikea kitchen table).  We started with couches from my sister Megan, which were my mother's before her.  The set was mismatched, because she had started recovering, and only gotten half way.  Then I decided to do the same, and only got as far as the pillows, so they were actually covered in three different fabrics. They were awesome.  Then, when we left for Michigan my mom gave us her 10 year old faded blue jean couches. They are actually really nice, but now they are 14 year old REALLY faded blue jean couches, and I'm afraid they won't look very nice in our nice new condo.  So, yesterday I took a big step and went out and bought a new-to-me leather couch.  Okay, so I got it for a song off Kijiji (I love Kijiji!) but still, no one gave it to me, and I feel so grown up.  I'm grateful for the moments of independence and grown-up-ness, and I'm grateful for the potential in the next few years of becoming even more so, with Jared working and all....

Midwives

I had an appointment with my midwives this morning. I am always grateful for the fact that I am able to deliver my babies with midwives.  Despite the less than ideal birth experiences that I have had, the fact that I have had midwives have saved the day both times.  I am excited to be planning another homebirth and am grateful for midwives that don't balk when I tell them for the third month in a row that no, I haven't gotten my blood work done, that no, I am not going to fill out the diet form telling them everything I've eaten for a week, that no, I don't want them to use the doppler to hear the baby's heart beat, and that no, I will not be having an ultrasound, even though I am 18 weeks pregnant.  I LOVE MIDWIVES!

Teaching

I am grateful for the skills I can have that can help provide for our family while things are a little tight this year. I am teaching Speech Arts to a homeschool group, and it has been great for so many reasons. I make a little money doing something that is very easy for me, and I really enjoy working with teenagers again.  Don't get me wrong, I love being at home with my boys, but I also loved teaching junior high before kids. I am grateful for the opportunity to teach again.  It is fun!

Permenancy

Today I am grateful that very shortly we will be in a home that we will be able to stay in for a while!  We will be moving into our condo in Cougar Ridge in just two weeks.  I can't wait. I've never wanted to live in a condo, to HAVE to walk my dog, to share yard space, but this will be our first real home since we left Michigan 2 years ago, and I am going to love it!  In fact, I can't wait.  Anyone want to help us empty our storage unit...?

I Belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Today we attended church in Westmond, Idaho.  I love the ward here and every time I go I am grateful for my membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  No matter where we've visited or lived in the world: Idaho, Michigan, Jerusalem, France, and so many other places, the church is the same. The gospel is true all over the world.  I am constantly blessed and always grateful for that constant in my life, and the blessings it brings me.

Family

On a Saturday away from the rush and push of every day life, with my family, it is easy to be grateful for this relationship in my life.  Each of my boys deserves a thankful day of their own, but today I am grateful for them as a unit.  The family I have is more wonderful than I ever thought possible.  I am so thankful that I get to be a part of such an amazing family!

Remembrance Day

Today I am thankful for all those who have fought with honour for freedom, across the world.  Today I wear my poppy with pride.  Today I will take a minute to sit in silence and think of those who have fought and died so that I can live free.  I will also think and pray for those who are not yet free, and presently fighting in far away places.  Sometimes it's easy to think all the world is as wonderful as my world, but there are people fighting every day to enjoy what I do.  Today I am grateful for my life here in Canada, for my ability to choose the things I want to do, and for all those who have made it possible for me.

Sandpoint

Today it is very easy to be thankful for Sandpoint, and my parent's cabin there.  We have run from our lives for a weekend, and are spending the long weekend in Sandpoint.  Sandpoint is special, because it's a place where we can go to do absolutely nothing. Sometimes I like doing nothing.  Now, we will surely be doing a little something, like Christmas shopping, while we are here, but somehow even shopping is less stressful in Idaho.  Here's to a great long weekend!

Autumn

Today is one of the surely last days of fall.  The snow from last week has all but melted and the leaves, which we didn't rake up before the snow, are dry and crunchy.  Perfect for raking, jumping in, raking again, and depositing in a garbage bag!  I am grateful for autumn, however fleeting it may be here in Canada.  I will always miss Michigan autumns, but since I'm here, I will enjoy what little bit of it I can.

Talking

Can I be grateful for the fact that Silas is talking?  Well, I am.  Just in the last few weeks Silas has really decided that talking is a much better way of communication than grunting or yelling, and let me tell you, it is wonderful. It has fully assisted in our most recent accomplishment, potty training.  It provides countless moments of entertainment, like every time he feels cold and cries out, "Cold-y, cold-y." He says every word like it is a whole sentence of it's own: "Egg.  Milk.  More.  Please."  He also loves egg nog, but calls it egg. milk.  He sometimes (often) does things just because he knows the word for it: like when he puts things "Back."  just because he knows "back," or when he asks for water constantly, just because he knows the word "water."  I love the boy no matter what, but I'm really loving watching him discover language!

Examples

Today my Aunt Nancy posted about how thankful she is for her son, who is on a mission.  Well, today I am also thankful for my cousin Ethan, and all the other boys who are strong and faithful and are such good examples to my boys, including their own older cousins.  In today's world it is easy to follow the world and make choices that aren't necessarily what God wants, but there are so many that are making good choices, and I will be forever thankful to them and the example that they are setting for my children.

Happy 40th Anniversary, Mom and Dad!!!

Today my parents celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary!  So, naturally, today I can't help but declare just how thankful I am for them.  I could go on and on about all the wonderful things they have done for me over my entire life, but let's just stick with the last year.  Just a few weeks ago we moved out of their basement and into our own, but for a year and a half before that my parents welcomed my entire family into their home while Jared was getting accredited in Canada and finding a job.  Every time I tell people that they cringe, like living with parents would naturally bad thing, but honestly, it was wonderful.  My boys, who had spent their short lives in Michigan before that, didn't know their grandparents at all, and living with them allowed them to really get to know and love them.  Both boys are just as happy with Bumpa and Grandma as they are with us.  Mom and I did the whole Raw Food thing together, which was awesome, because honestly, eating raw requires a LOT of kitchen prep, and I had my mom to do it all with.  My mom and dad are so loving and generous, and we would not have survived the last year and a half without them.  So, today, on their 40th wedding anniversary, I am most grateful for them!!!

Craft Fair with Renee

Today I am infinitely thankful for my sister in law, Renee.  We participated in a Christmas craft fair today to sell some of our wares, and we had so much fun.  We didn't sell a whole lot, but we paid for our expenses, got rid of a few of the things we had, and made a bit extra to boot.  I've still got a bunch of hats, so if anyone is looking for some, and you're in the Calgary area, let me know: I'm selling them cheap!

Anyway, back to Renee.  I love her.  She is Jared's oldest sister and one of my best friends.  We have so much fun together crafting, and cooking, and talking while we should be crafting and cooking.  She is always happy for me to drop by and stay all day, and Eli just loves her girls.  She is an incredible seamstress (she made my wedding dress, and both boys' blessing suits) and a wealth of information on such things. In short, I love her and am grateful that we have become such good friends and will always be happy that she is part of my family. 

Friday

Today I am thankful for snow.  I love snow.  Today we had the first real snow fall of the year. It was beautiful.  Eli looked outside and said, "Does that mean it's Christmas?!"  Then he spent a good hour outside playing in it.  Snow makes everything beautiful.  I have even bought myself a nice maternity snow coat, and found a free pair of snowpants I am going to make into maternity pants.  I am ready for the winter, and excited for the snow. 

Sold to the Lady in the Second Row

Today I am thankful for horses.  I sold one of my babies today.  My pony, Zephyr, who was supposed to grow up to be my forever steed, but never really grew UP.  She was miniature, which was quite wonderful for many reasons, but not the life long companion I was looking for.  So, today I finally found her a forever family.  So, I'm down to just one horse.  I think the only other time I've owned just one horse was when I first bought Magic, another one who never really grew UP and had to be sold because of it. 

In any case, I can never express just how much the horses in my life mean to me, and all the relationships I've built because of the horses in my life. When I'm on a horse's back I am happy.  That's it.  It makes me happy.  This morning, as I rode across the field, bareback, 16 weeks pregnant, in the crisp November air, I realized for the umpteenth time just how much I love what I have. 

A Thankful November

Kay, so I'm a few days late, but this month my wonderful friend Sarah challenged me to blog every day about something I am thankful for.  Finding things I am thankful for is easy, there are a lot of things to be thankful for.  Sitting down to blog about it will be the challenge. Who wants to join us???

So, today I am obviously thankful for Sarah!  More than 4 years ago, when I first moved to Michigan, Sarah was the first person I met.  She was nursing her baby in the Mother's room during Sacrament Meeting at church when I went in to nurse Eli, who was only 11 weeks old.  Our babies were born just a day apart: instant connection! I don't remember a whole lot about that conversation, but I do remember that she asked me if I had a pediatrician and what schedule I had Eli on.  Kay, maybe only she and I will think it funny that those two things came up, but trust me, it is funny.  Anyway, she was called as my visiting teacher with Irina Jamieson (who deserves a thankful day all of her own) and soon became a kindred spirit (she'll also totally catch the literary reference of that.) 

Today, almost two years since I left Michigan, Sarah still keeps me sane, checks up on me, and makes me feel loved!  She drives halfway across the country with a six week old baby just to meet up with us.  Eli still declares that his favourite cousins are her Ava and Violet.  I love her so much and will always, always be grateful that we ran into each other nursing our babies all those years ago!

One last Halloween Post

Well, in the end, Eli decided he wanted to be a Power Ranger.  So, in the end I frantically put together the pre-planned costume and we went trick or treating.  Silas switched it up too, since it was cold and he needed something we could fit over his winter snow suit.

 And the aftermath, complaining of headaches and intense need for water, both boys are scavenging for what will be kept and what will be tossed.