Thanksgiving Blessings

My parents did a great job with us growing us reminding us that wealth is not based on money, but on God's blessings. And let me tell you this Thanksgiving, that I am a rich woman. Below are only a few of my "assets."

1. My friends. I am privileged to be close to many people, but those that are dearest to me enrich my life in so many ways. They pray for me, cry with me, give me perspective, protect me, listen to me and come along side me. At times they even correct my thinking and "set me straight." I am blessed to find these wonderful people in my family, at my work, from high school, and from my church. They add so much to my life I can't imagine myself without them.

2. My husband. I have said it many times before, but I will say it again now...I do not deserve the gift of my husband. He is an example of God's biggest mercy to me. He is loving, serving, disciplined, hard working, sincere, sensitive and strong, patient (with me, especially!), and a wonderful father to our children. All this and God brought him to me when I was least attractive.

3. My house. What a gift! I never in a thousand years could have imagined we could afford our dream house! And how fun it is to be able to fix the house up just the way we would like it, and then live in a place that is filled with the work of our hands.

And lastly, but DEFINITELY not least:

4. God's Grace. For those of you that have known me since high school, this will make more since...perhaps because you have seen me "in the pit." But one of my most precious blessings this year, as I look at the first 3 blessings I told you about, is God's grace and mercy to me. It is so exciting to worship a God who specializes in making beautiful things from our big mistakes. Because as far as mistakes go, I have made some pretty big ones!

Happy Thanksgiving, and remember to thank God for your great wealth today!

Traditions

This time of year I seem to spend lots of my free time thinking about memories from my childhood. I guess the holidays have plenty of fondness attached to them. And, as I think about my past, I wonder what memories my children will warmly visit as they grow up. I don't know if it was always this way, but especially now it seems that traditions are becoming very important to me. I want to have many fun, meaningful traditions that will not only make for some great nostalgia, but a way to teach my children life long lessons. So here are a few I would like to start (or ones I have started already). Please, if you have a family tradition, let me know what it is! I get such good ideas from people, and some of the ones we love so much were "borrowed!"

1. Christmas PJ's. This one is a twist on a Crouse Christmas. Everyone (including Mom and Dad) get to open one present after the Christmas Eve service. And it just so happens, that everyone opens the present with new, Christmas Jammies. Everyone then proceeds to change into new pj's, go to bed, and wear the jammies for a big Christmas Breakfast (and stockings) the next morning.

2. (this one I am still trying to work out exactly...) But I am thinking of having a "Praise and Thanksgiving" Bowl or Book where we right down during the year the things we are most thankful for. Then, on Thanksgiving (or over the week) we get them out and read them before/after dinner so we can see how God has provided for us during the year. Wouldn't that be a cool testimony of God's faithfulness?

3. Big Saturday Breakfasts. Usually provided compliments of Dad! We are usually all still in PJ's (or mom in work uniform if I am just coming home from a shift...). It is a fun, tasty, lazy morning tradition as a family. And perhaps it will be useful as our children grow up and get busy, because who makes plans for Sat. morning?

4. Mom and Dad Dates. Just like it sounds. Time for each child to spend indiviually with the parents, or with one parent alone. A time to just get all the attention and to really connect with our children one-on-one.

Ok, so everyone....you tell me. What are some of your family traditions?

Fall?

Where did fall go? I attempted to buy some "Fall/Thanksgiving" decorations in early Nov. to find the Christmas Decorations already out, and NOTHING harvest looking. Did we go straight from Halloween to Christmas this year? I LOVE fall, and after much thought as to why everyone was attempting to rob me of my fall, I understood. What better holiday for American retailers to cut back on? A season where you remind yourself what you have, what you are grateful for. What money is there to be made in that? I find myself caught in this world often. I am given bountiful blessings by God only to be distracted by the world's "need" for more. Not just things, but MORE of everything. So today, on a perfect fall day, I lit my pumpkin candle and enjoyed some of the biggest blessings God has ever brought into my life....my family. (see slideshow to see what I am most thankful for!)

Little Jason's?

Ok, everyone tells me that my kids look SOOO much alike. Well, here they are, at the same age, same place, same photographer. You tell me, who is who?

Snotty Noses

'Tis the season for snotty noses!

It has been 2 weeks now and EVERYONE in my family has been snotty. So this is now the second Sunday where we have debated the great "snot rule" at church. You are not supposed to bring kids if the snot is yellow or green. So, how green is green, or how yellow? Can you get away with a really thorough wipe before you bring them in to try to make the appearance they aren't as runny as they really are? Do you stay home every time the nose runs? In that case, will we ever go to church again? What about that cough? If I had healthy kids, would I want them playing around my kids? Can they even still be contagious at this point?

So, it is Sunday morning, and here I sit, watching my kid's noses. Perhaps I can find a sermon on TV where the minister isn't asking for money...

To Work or Not to Work?

Once again I am caught between a rock and a hard place. I work PRN (nights). For those of you not in the medical field, that means I work on an "as needed" basis in the evenings (7pm-11pm) or nights (11pm-7am). I sign up for a shift or two a week, and if they need me, the use me. If not,I don't work. I LOVE this, because I get to choose my own schedule. (No more "why did they schedule me on Tues.? I can't work Tues.!")

Well, the other part of working PRN is the occasional (or frequent!) call from work stating they need extra people (from others calling in sick, or just being busier than they thought). To be more accurate, they BEG. And to make it worse, they throw on all kinds of extra $ per hour...we are talking, LOTS! So, what is the problem? It is the decision process. Work, or not to work. Lots of extra money for Christmas, vs. no evening with kids and hubby. Extra money to pay off bills, vs. no sleep. Extra money just for fun, vs. no fellowship group...and on and on. I usually call Jason to get his opinion, with little help. "If you feel up to it, then go" is often the response I get.

And after all the wishy-washy back and forth, all I am left with is GUILT! And it is guilt either way...guilt that I chose to stay home and not make extra money for my family (and left work in need of dire help), or guilt that I went to work and left my family alone (and Jason to deal with the boys by himself)! It is a Lose-Lose battle!

Well, tonight. As you can most likely tell, I chose to stay home. The money would be GREAT, no denying that, but the plans for dessert with my fellowship group won out. Maybe next time I will decide differently. Maybe that is the blessing of being asked repeatedly...I can just do it next time!

I used to be a person who wondered why a woman would stay at home. Wouldn't it be boring? For those of you who have also contemplated this, let me give you a small peak at this boring life:

4am- Get up to feed Max, stumble back to bed 15 min. later.
6am- Hear the kids awake, but chose to ignore them.
7am- Get kids up, change 2 diapers. Max feeds.
7:20am- Still in pj's, mom gets to pee (with audience).
7:30am- Prepare breakfast, serve breakfast, clean-up breakfast.
8:30am- Everyone out of pj's. Mom gets to brush teeth and hair, but no time for a shower.
8:50am- Read books to Charlie after 1 hour of asking (begging).
9:10am- Max to bed for nap #1.
9:20am- Put load of laundry in washer. (can't shower, it will wake up Max cause it is right against the wall of his bed...)
9:30 am- Play blocks, cars, and "choo-choo's" with Charlie. Laugh and enjoy time alone with him.
10am- Check email. Charlie turns off power button in the middle of typing a long email.
10:10am- Max up, change diaper. Nurse.
10:20am- Feed Max oatmeal...hope some makes it into his belly.
10:45am- Let kids play in bedroom/bathroom while mommy showers.
11:15am- Clean up whatever they got into during shower (this day it was cotton balls).
11:30am- Run errand (hurry or else they fall asleep in car seats and mess up afternoon naps).
12:00am- Prepare lunch, serve lunch, clean-up lunch (this time you try to eat with them). Max feeds.
1pm- Try to get BOTH boys down to nap at the same time!
1-3pm- Mommy tries to write email again, blog, make some calls, pay bills, clean, move laundry to dryer, put clothes away from previous day, pick-up, or nap...
3pm- Kids are allowed up (whether or not they napped is up to them!)
3:15pm- Change both children's diapers while playing an exciting game of "peek-a-boo!"
3:30pm- Outside play or coloring, or something somewhat different than books and cars...
4pm- Jason calls, will be home by 5pm. Feed Max.
4:15pm- Try to think about what is for dinner. Ask Charlie what he thinks we should have. He responds "animal crackers!" and you regret the question.
4:30pm- Play on the floor with blocks, cars, books, etc.
5pm- Jason is home!!! Hand kids over and send the three of them outside to play.
5:15pm- House is quiet! Start dinner.
5:45pm- Call in Jason and children to have dinner. Mom assigned to help Charlie, Max in Jason's lap.
6:15pm- Bath time for Charlie, compliments of Dad. Max gets solid food from Mom and last nurse of the night. (Mom may leave for work at this time on some days...)
6:30pm- Max into jammies.
6:45pm- Charlie running naked through the house, Max down to bed.
7pm- Charlie into pj's.
7:10pm- Brush Charlie's teeth, read books, say "Thank you Jesus, Amen." Sing songs and into bed.
7:30pm- Jason and I start the cleaning process, dinner clean-up, toys up, etc.
8pm- Time to get stuff done! Jason grades, Mary does random housework or bills.
9pm- Watch t.v., quiet times, talk about funny stuff kids did that day, imitate them, and laugh! Talk about what else needs to get done tomorrow.
10:30pm- Collapse into bed and start over again!

Boredom??? I PRAY for boredom!!!