30DOT: Day Twenty-Two

Can't believe it's been a WEEK! Need to improve on that bad habit of letting time get away from me.

To see the original 30DOT post, you can go here.

79 a perfect fall sunset shillouetting the farm-scape
80 lunch dates with DaHubby
81 looking into DaHub's eyes without glasses following his LASIK surgery. Falling in love with him all over again.
82 a good night's sleep
83 sun streaming in my kitchen door wall
84 sealed upnwindows means it's cozy in here now
85 having lunch with the Vikings at their school
86 hanging with the Vikings in their classrooms
87 random hugs from unknown kindergartners
88 repeating perfect spelling tests from Flicka after a rough start

89 no more bus crying from Pojke
90 discovering some formerly-unknown employee/spouse perks of DaHub's new job
91 the feeling of optimism after some goal setting
92 another DaHubby wood project: a new sitting bench by our entrance
93 the smell of blankets and clothes dried outside
94 long holiday weekends
95 veterans on Veterans' Day...and the rest of the year too
96 a full-moon lit night hike for the first time as a family

Day Fourteen

See what 30 Days of Thanksgiving are all about here.

68. cozy days reading in bed

69. comfort food like mac and cheese

70. warm laundry, freshly folded

71. a long, lounging, steamy shower

72. the wet, windy smell of fall

73. leftover birthday cake

74. vacuumed couches

75. a clean desk

76. a clean sink

77. clean floors

78. an easy to-do list on a lazy day

Day Thirteen

See my original 30 Days of Thanksgiving post here.

47. Flicka cleaning the house
48. My new mud room locker room...
49. ...and my handy hubby.
50. Spending nearly the whole day alone with DaHubby for his birthday
51. Snuggling on the couch
52. Before-bed hugs from Flicka
53. Backyard campfires
54. The smell of onions, garlic, and celery sauting
55. Really good batch of potato soup
56. Care packages from grandparents
57. Visits from grandparents
58. Waking up at 5:30am with Pojke next to the bed..."what's wrong?" "Nothing, I just want to spend time with you."
59. Good, well written stories
60. An electric blanket and flannel sheets

61. Family around the table - even with some joining via Skype LOL

63. Giving the Vikings "underdogs" on the swings and listening to them squeal!

64. The rich farmland giving way to its stark (but still beautiful) winter sleep

65. A quiet morning alone

66. A good night's sleep

67. Listening to God's whisper in a moment of parental frustration and having that "new sudden idea" work to calm a sibling storm

Day Nine

Read my original post here.

40. chocolate chip cookies
41. a warm bed while listening to cold rain
42. the Vikings' teachers and principal
43. a tech-savvy hubby
44. moose tracks ice cream
45. free coupons to Pizza Hut
46. good reports at parent teacher conferences

Day Eight of Thanksgiving

See my original 30 Days of Thanksgiving explanation here.

31. bright cold mornings with long warm shadows
32. comfort food leftovers
33. the ability to read
34. Reese's peanut butter cups
35. golden orange sunsets
36. "cheesy taters" aka scalloped potatoes with ham
37. family that loves me NO MATTER WHAT
38. little "work angels" that look out for DaHubby for me :)
39. tangerines

Day Seven of Thanksgiving

See my original explanation for my 30 Days of Thanksgiving here.

21. for the children's ministry at our local church
22. for a true day of rest for all four of us on Sunday
23. for music and a message that fits *exactly* with the worries and concerns I've been having
24. for the innocence of my children...
25. ...and the recent encouragement of several fronts to defend that innocence.
26. the most amazing start-gazing reward for taking out the trash the morning of instead of the evening before
27. the ladies of my Bible study who make this newbie feel welcome by having someone saying "hello" each Sunday
28. for lil' ones who were thrilled with their "Dollar Store"/homemade costumes
29. for new friends found here who make us laugh and remind us all is well
30. for a good landlord (can I get an amen? LOL)

Day Three of Thanksgiving

My original explanation is here.

11. productive quiet time
12. time alone with DaHubby while kids are in school
13. Pojke's teacher who has been a Godsend this year during his difficult transition from being home all day with me in Michigan to full-day kindergarten without me here in Illinois
14. that Pojke was able to go back to bed for another 2 hrs after waking up yet again during the night as has been his habit since school started
15. for friends who FedEx missing papers from Michigan so I can get my new IL license plates :)
16. "open sky" which seems increased after the local corn and soybean harvest
17. the smell of onions, garlic, and sausage browning while I made jambalaya tonight
18. 100% on Flicka's spelling test so she experiences the "return" for working and studying hard
19. a little more "financial comfort" than we've been used to the last few years
20. friendly state employees at our local branch of the IL Secretary of State :)

Day Two of Thanksgiving

See my original explanation here of how I'm trying to be more thankful daily (using this as my inspiration) for the 30 days before Thanksgiving. My goal is 100 things. What will YOURS be?

1.Sun and rain at the same time
2.The sound of my kids laughing
3. Feeling crafty
4.Working in kitchen with DaHubby
5.The way DaHubby problem solves
6.The smell of bananas
7. DaHubby building stuff
8.The feel of fleece on a damp day
9.The maple-red of autumn
10.People who donate their time to kids

30 Days of Thanksgiving

In 2007 and 2010, this was the bloggy home of "30 Days of Thanksgiving" (30DOT). I've organized it different ways...it could be the 30 days including the weekends or one year I did it without.

I've also participated with my dear bloggy friend, Pam, who hosts her weekly Thursday Thanks Tank. And, I've made it a habit for several years to challenge myself to write down 100 things I'm thankful for each Thanksgiving.

And, then I found A Holy Experience and fell in love with Ann Voskamp's writing. And, I've having spent the last three weeks trying to get through her book "One Thousand Gifts" which has re-ignited a desire in me to try to be thankful on a daily basis.

This quote from Ann's book reminds me of the heart behind what Pam does on her blog:

"Now, in the Bible a name...reveals the very essence of a thing, or rather its essence as God's gift...To name a thing is to manifest the meaning and value God gave it, to know it as coming from God and to know its place and function within the cosmos created by God. To name a thing, in other words, is to bless God for it and in it."

And, I was so convicted over this quote as well:

"I, too, had read it often, the oft-quoted verse: 'And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ' (Ephesians 5.20. And, I too would nod and say straight-faced, "I'm thankful for everything." But in this counting gifts, to one thousand, more, I discover that slapping a sloppy brush of thanksgiving over everything in my life leaves me deeply thankful for very few things in my life."

So, I'm combining it all together.

Over the next 30 days, I'm going to start counting up my (at least) 100 things I see around me each day for which I am thankful.

Will you join me?

A week goes by...

...and where did the time go? The daily chaos at the Viking Hus continued but in a good way...

*Lord, thank you for my new job. Even though it's part-time, even though it's temporary through the holidays, and even though the pay is not great, it was Your perfect timing for something to fill our recent "gap" financially.

*Thank you for the environment at work. The quiet, the mental challenge, the adult conversation, the wonderful people have all been a change of pace and a blessing this past week one way or another.

*Thank for our continued great weather. I can't remember the last time I wore flip-flops in mid-November in Michigan.

*And, God, thank you for the safe travel this past weekend. I was *so* tired but You got us home safely.

*Thank you for watching out over my step-mom who is in the hospital. Thanks for the people caring for her - help them to keep her in mind at all times. Mend her body quickly and guide the doctors' hand so that quickly happens as well.

*Thank you for DaHubby again, Lord. He's been wonderful taking over the "momma duties" and working as a "house husband" the last week. He's doing a great job. Help me to keep up with the standard he's setting once it's all back in my hands. And, remind me often to thank him and encourage him along the way because I know that eventually it'll begin to drag on him too.

*I praise You, Lord, for the situation You presented for DaHubby's living arrangement in Illinois. It's better than we could've imagined space-wise and money-wise. Just please keep Your hand over him during the longer commute than we anticipated.

*And, also for the conversation with a possible renter for next year if the house doesn't sell in time for the kids and I to join DaHubby. I've been trying to "let go and let God" with regards to my stress about the upcoming move and you've been answering each fear one by one. You are awesome that way! We are still without unemployment and food assistance but I have faith those things will work out in Your timing as well.

God's working things out for the good of those who believe! How 'bout you? What are YOU thankful for today??

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to [His] purpose.

Monday memories

Many thanks to my in-house uber-geek for whippin' this up today! A blast was had by all!

So what are YOU thankful for today?

Home sweet home

The Viking Hus is tired from our whirlwind road trip Saturday morning 'til tonight. So, I'll keep it short and sweet...

Thank you Lord for all the really nice people along the way.
Thanks for the traveling mercies and Your hand of protection through icky Chicago traffic. LOL
Thank you for the restfulness at the hotel. I may not have slept that well but being "off duty" from momma chores and the like was a wonderful break from the grind.
Thanks for your beautiful Creation and the wonderful weather!
Thanks for my hubby - a wonderful traveling partner.
Thank you for Your hand that kept DaHubby safe, as well as accident/injury free at his recent temp job which resulted in the bonus check that financed the trip.
Thanks for the fun that was had, the laughs shared, and the snuggles obtained.

God is great!

So, what are YOU thankful for today?

A slip up and catch up.

I generally write my blog posts after the Vikings go to bed. However, I missed the last few nights as our schedule left me falling asleep on the couch right after the kids went to bed.

So, to make up for lax blogging...

For Wednesday...thank you, Lord, for the people who work for the state of Michigan within the unemployment/job assistance office as well as the people at the food assistance office. In this economy, they work *really* hard under less-than-stellar circumstances while trying to maintain a positive and polite attitude. While we didn't get the answers we would have wanted, everyone was polite and helpful.

For Thursday...Lord, you sent us two God-moments...what others might refer to as coincidences. Lord, you sent me a part-time, temporary that fits *perfectly* into the next 8 weeks. And, then, as we were talking about our trip to Illinois this weekend and whether we should go, the phone rang and it was one of Mike's future fellow Exelon employees. It completely answered our uneasiness about traveling and, while it was a change of plans we didn't expect, we could see Your will!

And, for today...a day off! Finally! Flicka's off school today for end of card marking. We slept in, met a new friend of DaHubby's for breakfast, and have been hanging around the homestead getting things done.

So, what are YOU thankful for today?

Election Day

I am thankful beyond words that people I know...friends, family, and others...daily defend my right to have walked into my local ice rink and, within 10 minutes, cast my vote in the 2010 elections.

Whether "my" choices win or lose, democracy doesn't get much better than this! *big smile*

"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." - John Quincy Adams

"Freedom is when the people can speak, democracy is when the government listens." - Alastair Farrugia

Girlfriends

Despite what many might believe, I actually have a tough time making friends with other women. Being a non-shopping, clothes-hatin', non-wine-drinking, no-men-bashin', low-maintenance, no-make-up-wearing girl doesn't exactly make me the first person new female neighbors flock to. LOL

However, I have a few girlfriends that God's blessed me with that really "get" me...or find me silly enough to have put up with me for many years out of sheer entertainment value! LOL

At the top of the list...Lisa. We've been friends since we were 8. That would be nearly *cough, cough* years of knowing each other. While she began as the one who I was always with when I got in trouble, she became the one that lead me OUT of trouble in my adult years as I wander a bit after college. Her kids are perfect angels as far as I'm concerned and I'd walk to Northern Michigan to see them all at any time.

And, as for the one who really WAS the one I was always in trouble with...Jodi! Since junior high, I've been following her adventures through life, through her military service, through her family, through her work and have to say - NO ONE works as hard or plays as hard as she does!

As for Jill, I knew her in high school but we didn't become friends 'til she suddenly got placed across the hall from me in my dorm sophomore year at MSU. Jill and her brother are the ones that led me back to church and to Christ and I am forever in their debt. I should see her and her family more. I miss seeing her kids and her cool hubby...but we keep in touch.

Shelagh met me in a low part of my life. She proved herself to be more loyal, more patient, and a better listener than anybody I know. She also worked her tail off and continues to work for the University of Michigan in a much better, more prestigious job than when I met her! LOL

All the friends above are long-distance from me and have been in my life for 14+ years. But, I am also blessed to have two local buddies that I couldn't have made it through the last few years without them.

Mel and Amy are my momma-idols and sounding boards. They both have adorable kids who are some of the best little people I've ever met. No crazy idea, question, or thought I've had has ever made them laugh...unless I meant for it to. LOL

When I've been bummed out, overwhelmed, exhausted, or just plain lost, one or both come to my rescue. In a bind, they are the first ones I call for help. When I was an hour away from home last month and my child care plans unexpectedly fell through, I called them.

These six ladies have cried with me, laughed with me, drank with me, held me up, set me up (LOL), and came when I called. They bless my life beyond anything they can imagine. I hope I can be as good of a friend as they have been to me. A great big *MWAH* to you all!!

So what are YOU thankful for today?

A Thank-You Journal

I'm currently in a Bible study on Wednesday mornings that's reading "The Power of a Positive Mom". One of the suggestions in the first half of the book is to cultivate an "attitude of gratitude" in your kids.

I have been meaning to start it with the Vikings back when I read it the first time but we're still finding our groove with first-grade worksheets/reading homework, the Sunday school worksheet (aka "God Time" sheet), and Bible memorization.

So, tonight, DaHubby was able to pick up some of my slack and grabbed Pojke for a pre-bedtime book so I could do Flicka's "God Time" exercise for the evening. So, I impulsively grabbed a small spiral notebook and when I went to tuck my little raiders in, I asked them to tell me 3 things they were thankful for.

Pojke: God, toys, and for replacing the burned-out bulb in his bedroom ceiling light. (LOL)

Flicka: for taking them to the Y swimming tonight, for meeting new people, and for being able to "help" me teach 3rd grade Sunday school this morning. (Awww.)

So, today I'm thankful that this exercise was initially successful. I'm also thankful for DaHubby pitching in, and for being able to get a peek into the Vikings' hearts.

What are YOU thankful for today?

Yea, what he said...

This is not technically on thankfulness but more about "mindfulness," I suppose. But, powerful nonetheless and a must-see especially for those of us techie, smart phone, Facebook, Twitter devotees...and well worth the 15 minutes spent watching.

So, what are YOU thankful for today?

Thankful for those that listen to His call

It may seem odd but I'm thankful tonight despite my sister-in-law being rushed to a hospital earlier tonight.

Peggy has spent the last 33 months in the fight of her life but she came out victorious! She's been cancer/leukemia-free (and technically "male" for the rest of her life thanks to her little brother's stem cell transplant LOL) since August 2008.

But, it's been a long road back and life has hardly been back to "normal" for her. Peggy's back to work but she's definitely dealing with a new "normal." That new normal includes still getting the seasonal cold which for her still can become a major problem.

Which brings me back to the hospital trip today.

Peg was rushed to Chicago (about a 90 min drive from here) via ambulance to be with the original team who treated her for her leukemia to treat what initially seems to be a case of pneumonia.

And, MAN, am I thankful for that team! That team (as well as Peg's great and mighty God) brought her back from the brink of death. Peg, her immediate family, and those of us in the extended family have been blessed beyond comprehension by the work these medical folks do.

And, while I'm praying tonight for Peg, I'll be praying for that team, thanking God for gifting those folks the way He did, for the strength and wisdom He provides them, and thanking Him that they followed His calling into a field where life and death are an everyday deal.

So, what are YOU thankful for today?

My in-house handyman

One of my favorite things about DaHubby, after his musicality, is how darn handy he is. Not only is he crafty-capable but he does beautiful work.

DaHubby has, among other things, built houses, built boats, remodeled our old kitchen, re-roofed that home, and re-wired our current home.

So, as we face the very-near possibility of selling our house in the next 8 months, it is nice to be having conversations about fixing this or that, replacing major things like counter tops and floors, or talking about painting rooms knowing that whatever he attempts will not only work but make this house more beautiful for the next people who own it.

So, what are YOU thankful for today?

Jobs found

I don't think it's any big news to anyone that this recent economy stinks. And, it's no big shocker that Michigan has gotten hit with more than its fair share of the bad news. Finally, the county I live in has one of the highest unemployment rates in Western Michigan. And, my county's rate has been higher than all but four of the counties in the Upper Peninsula.

Nearly every block around my neighborhood has 3-5 houses for sale, many left vacant either through foreclosure or someone who's moved on to their new home and is paying double mortgages.

Yet, this family is still praising God that, despite DaHubby's layoff in early February, we are current on all but one bill - and that creditor is aware of the problem and is working with us. In addition, due to our Dave Ramsey training, we still have NO credit cards and have created NO new debt during the last 8 months.

Our extended family has also been hit by the financial squeeze but, like I mentioned yesterday, the tide is turning to better news. Just this week, I found out that DaHubby isn't the only one with a new upcoming job! My sister-in-law and my niece both have new employment.

And, for today, I am heartily grateful for that.

What are YOU grateful for today?