Thankful for: Family

I am so thankful for this little family of mine! I know I'm becoming a better person as a member of this family. I'm trying to become more patient, more giving, and less self-centered as I serve my family. Claire and Jordan bring oodles of joy to me every day! They certainly make me smile, and they also know how to make me laugh! Life is better with family - immediate and extended. Take five minutes to share a moment of your love and your life with a family member you don't usually see or spend much time with. They'll appreciate it, and family bonds will be strengthened. Family is Everything.


On a side note, Jordan and I went to a friend's house last night to watch the LSU vs. Alabama game. I knew it was going to be a party, but I didn't understand the seriousness of this party until we got there! They had a big screen out in the back with the TV picture projected onto it. They had couches, chairs, and camp chairs outside. There was food galore. They had real, plastic LSU Tiger cups for each family to take home and use again and again. And there were lots and lots of people!

Jordan let me wear his LSU shirt, and he was left with his Montana State shirt. - At least it's the right color! It was amusing that some people actually noticed that his shirt said Montana State. Claire stayed home with a babysitter, which was super nice because we didn't have to keep tabs on her, keep her warm, keep her entertained, or keep her up late, and Jordan and I were able to stay and watch the whole game! The LSU fever is certainly contagious around here! I'm definitely still a Red Raider fan, and Jordan is definitely still an Aggie fan, but Geaux Tigers!

Thankful for: Laughter

I love to laugh Ha Ha Ha Ha
Loud and long and clear
I love to laugh
Ho Ho Ho Ho
It’s getting worse every year
The more I laugh
Ha Ha Ha Ha
The more I fill with glee
And the more with glee
He He He He
The more I’m a merrier me!

I really do love to laugh, and I love to hear people laughing! It makes the world a happier place. Laughter can make each of our own little worlds a happier place.

Yesterday afternoon, I walked out of the mall and heard two guys laughing, and they were clear across the parking lot. I smiled and thought, "That's so nice to hear people laughing!"

Let's remember to laugh. Maybe instead of getting mad, just laugh it off. Maybe instead of crying, see if you can laugh. Maybe instead of losing your patience, try to laugh. Hopefully it will brighten your day, and maybe it will brighten another person's day, too.

And in case you need something to laugh at today, look at these pictures! What a funny, Halloween-bucket-turned-hat wearing, magazine-reading little girl!

Thankful for: Imagination!

I am thankful for imagination because it makes life more exciting! Without imagination, Claire wouldn't ride this horse around our house. And the great thing is that she rides more than just her horse! She'll put anything between her legs, (a big car, a pool noodle, even a receipt while in the car), and say "giddy-up!"


She also does Ride-a-Little-Horsie with her own dolls, and sometimes she wants Jordan or me to play that game with her dolls.

I'm thankful to see Claire's imagination taking shape. I'm thankful for other people's imaginations because they have developed new and improved products and ways of doing things that I know I take for granted on a daily basis. (I'm thinking of the dishwasher, digital cameras, and duct tape, to name just a few!)

Thankful

I love the month of November.

Yes, it's my birthday month, (and that helps a lot), but I also really love Thanksgiving. Maybe it's because my birthday sometimes falls on Thanksgiving, so, as a kid, I always looked forward to when that would happen. (And I do happen to know that the next time it will happen is 2013, and I'm still excited now, as an adult!!!)

Maybe it's because we always got to see lots of family members at Thanksgiving, which was always near my birthday. And having lots of family members around generally meant I could have a family birthday party, even if it wasn't my birthday yet.

But I like to think that I've grown up a bit now, and I love the month of November for other reasons. I love being thankful. I'm happy when I'm thankful. And the more thankful I am, the happier I am. As I express thanks and gratitude, I come to recognize the Lord's hand in my life, and I know that He has blessed me so abundantly. I also realize that I should share my joy, happiness, and abundant blessings with others.

Also, I love to notice the little things, the simple pleasures of life. I'm thankful for the big blessings I have, but I'm also thankful for the small ones. But small is the wrong word. I'm thankful for the sweet, simple joys I get to smile about throughout each day.

So during this great month of November, I'll share some of the things I'm thankful for. It will help me be more aware of my blessings, and maybe it will help you notice some, too. Let's be thankful together. Let's enjoy this wonderful, thank-filled month of November.

Wedding Guests

I have lots and lots and lots of pictures of {mostly} family members at Brock & Crystal's wedding. I'll skip the commentary. Enjoy!