8

Learning and growing as a person… I am so glad that I get to keep trying every.single.day! I think back to when I was first married.. I had so much to learn about being a wife. I am so glad B gave me time to learn. And I think back about our early days as foster parents–we knew nothing! I am so glad I get to keep moving forward! Even my jogging… I never knew I was a runner, it took me 30+ years to figure it out!

9

I am thankful for my “family”. Obviously I am thankful for my given family & the one I married into. But, this “family” is the one who stays around by choice! I am so glad I have friends who will drop anything if I need them. I have friends who have played huge roles in the lives of my kids. I am just so thankful for those people who have loved me like their own.

10

I am thankful for books. I used to get myself in trouble.. I would get caught reading under the covers time and again. And then I got a bit older, but the trouble didn’t go away, it just morphed. No more was my mom worried about my sleep.. So, unchecked, I would stay up all night reading and pay the price the next day (that’s a bad habit I still haven’t quite kicked!). But, I am so glad that books are there! V is becoming a reader–watching him dive into a new subject and devour a book makes me a combo of proud, delighted, and envious! So, thanks to the authors, librarians and the inventor of e-books!

11

I am thankful for the foster care system. It is so broken, yet still helped to create my beautiful family. I am thankful for all of the underpaid, over-worked people who picked their passion over a paycheck and who are working for kids and families. When you think about it, it’s pretty amazing that a family can be revived after abuse or neglect, and it’s beautiful to see the adoptions in the cases where it doesn’t work out. It certainly leaves a lot to be desired, but “the system” is still something to give thanks for.

12

I am thankful for hand me downs and recycled toys… I am thankful that I found a community of moms who pass things along and share.

13

I am thankful for the quiet moments alone with B. He is an amazing provider and it’s fun to watch him be a dad. But, I love our pillow talk. I am thankful for those nights that we can’t get through a show from the DVR because we’re too busy pausing it to chat and catch up. I am thankful for the nights that we don’t really talk, but are just together–just being near one another and feeling sure of our love. I am thankful for the one day escapes and the date nights and our travels alone. I am thankful for our life and love as a couple,

14

I am thankful for my neighbors. My car wouldn’t start the other day & it was so reassuring knowing that I could call on a handful of people who were right there and willing to help. I love the fact that I can let my kids go play & I know that if my kids are annoying or they need to go, the neighbors have no issue sending them home. I love the fact that we know our neighbors. Some only by their wave, but many because they are our friends. And I love that my kids have friends to play with here. When we bought out house we fell in love with the backyard, but now I find that the real gem is right out the front door. *Note, the other day I was thankful for the hood, this is the people 😉

15

I am thankful for the release of crafting. I never really knew how much it meant to me until I put more time into it. But, I love the feeling of having made something. I love showing my love with the gifts that I hand made. I love learning a new skill or trying out a different technique. Thanks to the wonder of the internet and the black hole that is Pinterest, I always have an idea to try out, and some of them even turn out pretty cool. As I type this I am laying under some wall art that *I* made. At least two of the kids are sleeping with blankets I sewed for them… And the neighbor kids count on me to have a fun project to try. So, I like to think that I make use of this… But, I am so grateful for crafts.

Today I am thankful for Facebook… I was late to join. And I still think it’s mostly a time suck. But, I love seeing all of the kids of my friends. I love reading about their day. I get to live through my world-traveling friends. I get to see what may lay ahead, in the posts of my older friends. I get to be the older, wiser friend as some have their first child or are just now getting married. It is silly and can be annoying, but more often it makes me smile.

I said I would try 🙂 nobody is perfect, lest of all me…

5th

I am thankful for the snooze button. Those last few minutes spent snuggling in my warm bed, knowing that I have a minute to relax still… I hardly ever fall back asleep, but I love having just a few more minutes before facing my day.

6th

I am thankful for A, the little dude I watch. He has been my buddy for nearly a year now. I love getting to watch him grow and learn and change. And I love handing him back to his loving parents in the afternoon. He has been such a joy for me. He also has allowed me to watch my boys interact with a baby. They will be great dads one day!

I am thankful for running. The inches I have lost, the feeling of pride, the hours of work… I do not love each run, but I love them all once they’re over. I am so glad to have become a runner.

A lot of my Facebook friends post 1 item they are thankful for each day in November. I am already a little behind (as always!), but I think I will attempt to do it on here.. And, maybe it’ll give me a route to getting into the blogging habit again, too.

November 1

I am thankful for our neighborhood (so much so that I am stealing this from a neighbor!). I love that there is a park, and there are kids and adults that we can socialize with. I love the fact that there is almost always someone walking or jogging at the park. I like the fact that I can borrow a cup of sugar. It’s a good hood.

November 2

I am thankful for giggles. With one girl, after the boys, the gender differences can be apparent. First, the singing… Bean & her friends will break out in song (and dance) randomly and often! The other thing is the giggles… They giggle so much and so often and over nothing at all!
I adore little girl giggles!

November 3

I am thankful for the little things that make B who he is.. I love his smell, his blue eyes, his sense of humor, his hugs, the way he parents our children, the way he provides for us… Of course, everyone is thankful for their husband. I am, too.. But, this is about more than a partner–he’s my other half

A few photos of my kidlets on their first day 🙂

 

I am sitting here singing my own little made up “Back to School” song.

Tomorrow is the day. And I am ready and I am excited. And *I* am not the one going back!

This summer has flown by. I never even managed to post photos or updates of our vacation. But, I assure you we did take one and it was pretty huge!

I never posted any of the fun day to day events that took place. I never posted about the movies and play dates and trips to the pool. But, I promise we had a lot going on.

I think that’s the problem. We can either do a lot, or I can post a lot. Seems that I can’t swing both. But, as the kids go back. I am starting to write my goals for the school year. I’m starting to plan and hope and think about what I can get done in those hours that I have the house to myself. I am dreaming about cleaning out closets and cupboards and starting to get things back to order. I know that most of these are plans that won’t get all the way accomplished, but at least I get a little bit of hope this time of year!

If you can believe it, I will have 4 kids at the same school again (yay!) in grades 1, 2, 5 & 6! We enjoyed meeting their teachers the other night and I finally feel like I know what I’m doing as the mom of elementary school kids (ya know, right before I have to start over again next year with middle school!).

I told D today that I was never able to sleep the night before school, this was true into college even. I was always excited and worried and anxious about what was to come. I hope that my kids share a bit of that excitement.

I promise I will post some photos tomorrow.

 

Hooray for back to school!!!!

Vin didn’t want to walk through the garage (?!?), but he only had one sandal. His solution? “I can hop. I can hop really well.”

Diva–when the husband brought me coffee

Runner–when I got in my miles for the day

Taxi Cab–when I did pick up from tutoring

Disciplinarian–when the tutor said that D is falling behind on his work

Rock Star–when I let B have a friend over

Neighbor/friend–when I loaned out luau gear

Sister–setting up plans for upcoming trip

Lifeguard–watching 6 kids swim

Referee–handling the feuds between the boys

Cook–lunch

Bank Account–letting the kids spend their allowance

Maid–picking up a bit around the house

 

The list could go on and on and on and today has been fairly dull.