Count your blessings

I'm thankful for:

1. a beautiful day at the park on Monday
   
2. Clara saying "Thank you" and when I asked what for she said "Thank you for taking me to bible study" completely unprompted. WOW!
   
3. 3 of us having a complete meltdown in the car on the way home from bible study. Oh, it was bad . . . but the payoff was when I asked the kids how they felt when I yelled at them Clara said "You weren't listening to God". She is starting to get it!
   
4. celebrating God's and each other's forgiveness in a spontaneous trip to Paradise Bakery
   
5. continued reminders of how wonderful my husband and marriage really are
   
6. the lessons God is teaching me (oh so painful!) in how not to act.
   
7. a good day today of not losing my temper
   
8. booking the trip to spend Christmas in Virginia
   
9. Mary Kay playing Chutes & Ladders and Candyland with the kids
   
10. spending time teaching Christian today without getting irritated. Baby steps.
    

"As people spin faster and faster in the pursuit of merely personal happiness . . .

. . . they become exhausted in the futile effort of chasing themselves." -Andrew Delbanco
I'm thankful for:

1. finding that I no longer resent that I am the one who has to take the trash out each time
   
2. learning for certain that Thomas is allergic to soy
3. the weather finally cooling down a little
4. my Mom coming out here last week. I don't think I loaded the dishwasher once!
   
5. a great trip to San Diego . . . seeing the joy on their faces as they watched Shamu jump out of the water, Jeff helping them overcome the fear of the ocean, seeing family I hadn't seen for years, . . . I could keep going!
   
6. getting back into an early morning rhythm so I can have some personal quiet time before starting the day
   
7. Christian and Clara playing nicely together
   
8. not totally losing my mind at my children in spite of the exhausting schedule we've been keeping
9. hope that I will be able to conquer everything I need to with the kids, the house, the schoolwork, etc as I get into the rhythm
   
10. a quiet moment to reflect on thankfulness while the kids play outside