Thanksgiving is my absolute favorite holiday. I have wonderful memories of Turkey
Day at my MomMom's house with lots of food, family, and fun. My aunt, uncle, and cousins, from Ohio, would always come into town and we would just spend the entire weekend together doing house projects for MomMom, playing games, going to the park, etc. It was just so wonderful to be together. And MomMom was such a special woman. I miss her so much - she is who helped give me my love for cooking and feeding the masses. I had no idea when I was little that the masses would live under my roof! I know she has a front row seat in Heaven for all the antics of my boys and Mia and Zeke too.
Anyway, Thanksgiving remains my favorite because it is about the people and not the things. I love that it comes first because I really think that it would get lost if it came after Christmas. My rule has always been, "NO CHRISTMAS BEFORE THANKSGIVING DINNER!" That means lights, music, movies - everything! I'm sorry if you don't agree, but it really just does mean that much to me. The things that we are most thankful for do not change like technology does. Our salvation, family, love, friendship, etc. are all institutions fueled by God's love and we all know that He doesn't change. He is so constant and boy are we thankful for that! Those are the things that somehow get swept under the the tree skirt hidden underneath all the presents at Christmastime for so many people. PLEASE DON'T GET ME WRONG. I also love Christmas...I (especially now that I have children) just like to start off the season making sure the presence of thankfulness for those most important things in our lives doesn't get pushed aside. Once we eat Thanksgiving dinner - gearing up for Christmastime begins. We watch a Christmas movie - this year it is the new Veggietales "It's a Meaningful Life." Trust me - I am not a grinch by any stretch of the imagination!
This year I have more than ever to be thankful for - my immediate family is complete as we know it, we have four perfect little boys that God has let us borrow for a little while to raise, we all have our health, I am married to my best friend, we have been blessed despite our circumstances, and the list can go on and on and on...
Most importantly, we have a Savior that covers us from our baggage, from all of our yuck. Why wouldn't we want to proclaim Him in all we do and say?
So, I am interested in hearing what your Thanksgiving traditions are. Hope you have a blessed time with family and/or friends and that you can spend time sharing with them all the things you are thankful for!
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
So much....
to be thankful for. So much to pray about. So much that I can't sleep. Tomorrow, well I guess it's actually this morning, we take Toby for his ENT/Audiology appt. at CHOP. He is well into his therapy and is doing well. We love Maria, his regular therapist and she is so good for him. God certainly knew what he was doing by putting her with Toby. But, I've got to confess, I'm tired. I'm down right exhausted with things right now. This just hasn't been a good week. The pressures of life right now, plus the added "stress" of Toby's quirkiness is really weighing in. We just want to help him and when communication with your two-year-old is limited to less than what you can do with a 12-18 month-old, it gets very frustrating. All I can do is give it to God and sometimes cry with him.
It all became very evident this week how stuck I feel. And I have guilt over that, lots of guilt, because I don't want it to be about me at all. Without sleep Toby really can't function. If he doesn't get his nap, it effects the whole family. And when I say nap, I mean like three hours. So, if I go out in the morning with him, he will definitely fall asleep in the car, which ruins his nap (I have never been successful in transferring him to his bed). If he doesn't get a nap, the rest of the day is shot! It is such a vicious cycle. If we do go out with him, it usually has to be after his nap in the afternoon. We usually choose not to go places if he hasn't napped b/c really what is the point? I also feel bad, but it is so hard to go to other people's houses. I can't sit down and have a conversation, b/c I can't just tell him to stay in a certain area or not to go upstairs, etc. If we get together with people, I might be able to sit and finish one or two sentences if he is in his own environment with his toys, etc. I don't blame him - not in the least. In fact, in the last three months I feel as though I have learned more about God and life from those sweet blue eyes and his "language." I have learned about perseverance, appreciating the small successes, and seeing God's hand in all things. It's just hard.
I know it won't be like this forever, but trying to do what's best for him seems to keep us at home more than I would like. So if we turn down an invitation, please don't take it personally. If you don't see us at Bible class or another church activity, know that we are doing one at home and that we are trying to do what's best for the family. Please love our Toby and all his quirks because he is fearfully and wonderfully made. All of them are. And pray for us that God will give us the strength we need to get through each day, giving each of our boys what they need. Amazingly Ayden and Levi have always just had an understanding about Toby. That is God right there....they are so good to him and he loves his big brothers and wants to do everything that they do. And thank God that CJ is a good sleeper at night and is such a happy baby most times. I am one blessed Momma.
Please also pray for Shawn right now. Still unemployed - it's wearing on him. God has a plan for that too - we know - but it is hard to wait.
Blessings on you - what can I pray for for you?
It all became very evident this week how stuck I feel. And I have guilt over that, lots of guilt, because I don't want it to be about me at all. Without sleep Toby really can't function. If he doesn't get his nap, it effects the whole family. And when I say nap, I mean like three hours. So, if I go out in the morning with him, he will definitely fall asleep in the car, which ruins his nap (I have never been successful in transferring him to his bed). If he doesn't get a nap, the rest of the day is shot! It is such a vicious cycle. If we do go out with him, it usually has to be after his nap in the afternoon. We usually choose not to go places if he hasn't napped b/c really what is the point? I also feel bad, but it is so hard to go to other people's houses. I can't sit down and have a conversation, b/c I can't just tell him to stay in a certain area or not to go upstairs, etc. If we get together with people, I might be able to sit and finish one or two sentences if he is in his own environment with his toys, etc. I don't blame him - not in the least. In fact, in the last three months I feel as though I have learned more about God and life from those sweet blue eyes and his "language." I have learned about perseverance, appreciating the small successes, and seeing God's hand in all things. It's just hard.
I know it won't be like this forever, but trying to do what's best for him seems to keep us at home more than I would like. So if we turn down an invitation, please don't take it personally. If you don't see us at Bible class or another church activity, know that we are doing one at home and that we are trying to do what's best for the family. Please love our Toby and all his quirks because he is fearfully and wonderfully made. All of them are. And pray for us that God will give us the strength we need to get through each day, giving each of our boys what they need. Amazingly Ayden and Levi have always just had an understanding about Toby. That is God right there....they are so good to him and he loves his big brothers and wants to do everything that they do. And thank God that CJ is a good sleeper at night and is such a happy baby most times. I am one blessed Momma.
Please also pray for Shawn right now. Still unemployed - it's wearing on him. God has a plan for that too - we know - but it is hard to wait.
Blessings on you - what can I pray for for you?
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