1,000 Gifts - November 18, 2012

We celebrated husband's birthday on Friday. It's a milestone year for us...we were born 14 days apart. That means that mine is coming soon...

Someone asked me how I feel about turning 35. My response..."Eh...it's coming one way or another, so I've decided to not think about the number quite so much."

Problem is, there are plenty of aches, pains, wrinkles and gray hairs to make me think of the number.

And still, I am grateful.

Grateful to be alive.

Grateful to be able to run...long distances or short.

Grateful for my sweet babies.

Grateful that husband was born November 16. 

Grateful that he is my husband.

Grateful for Saturday night church so I can enjoy waking up slowly with my kiddos.

Grateful for Saturdays where we do simple things...run errands...and still have fun.

Grateful for growing up and growing old...I am learning so much. And perhaps if I was still young, I would still be immature and, well, dumb.

We have 20+ people coming for Thanksgiving. And I LOVE it!
I love having everyone here at our home for Thanksgiving! It's such a great time. Usually I do something amazing like set the oven on fire or we have to make an ER run. Yep, good times.

This year we have no plans for excitement...and we decided not to fry a turkey considering all the possibilities for disaster.

I just love having everyone together. Come one, come all.

And I'm grateful...for HIS 1,000+ gifts.

1,000 Gifts - November 8, 2012

3. My husband who works so incredibly hard. Every. single. day.

4. Memories of running on a track, round and round, looking at this scenery.

5. Coffee. In the morning. That is delicious and hot. And has flavored creamer. Who knew that having flavored creamer (and not having it for a week) would be so impactful.

6. Christmas...it's coming. And I cannot wait.

A lot to process...

Husband and I just returned from our amazing vacation to celebrate 11 years of marriage, 11 years of hard work, 11 years of joy and sadness, laughter and tears, ups and downs, and three, beautiful babies (who aren't quite babies anymore).

I'm still processing a lot of the vacation...not because it was so strenuous or difficult, but because I prayed a lot on the trip.

By the time husband and I got to our vacation, I was so stressed and worn down. I was incredibly emotional before we left...about leaving the kids, about the things we had to get done, about the what ifs that could happen...you name it, it was weighing on my mind.

I had three fever blisters at once to prove it.

I got to the ship (we took an amazing cruise) exhausted and almost in a fog.

I was overwhelmed.

But God was not, is not overwhelmed with me. Nothing about me surprises Him. And so I spent a lot of time praying. I run. I run a lot. Running is my stress release. And when I run, I pray. Sometimes right out loud for the people I pass to hear...

God showed me a lot of things as I ran and prayed. And I am thankful for those things.

I also began reading this book..."One Thousand Gifts" by Ann Voskamp. Highly recommend. Highly. I'm not finished, but I am more than half-way there.

More details to come, but I have a new list of things I'll be posting about.

You see God showed me in some areas that I struggle with, those struggles are borne out of my lack of gratitude. They're also borne out of fear. Neither of those things come from God, but from the enemy of my soul who wants nothing more than to do me harm.

So, I'm beginning a list. A list of 1,000 blessings. 1,000 gifts from the supreme gift-giver. The lover of my soul.

I gave you my first blessing in my last post.

Today, I give you #2:

Our sweet babies running, sprinting to greet us when we pulled up from vacation. Wonder Woman jumped into my arms like something you would see in a Hallmark movie. And then came Superman followed by the Homerun Kid. To see their joy. To feel their love. To love them right back and so much more. This is a gift. A gift that words don't accurately describe.

And I am blessed.