A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful for the one-on-one time I get to spend w/ the Blessings this time of year when we make our Christmas cookies. Each child chooses a type of cookie to make w/ me. We made the doughs yesterday & will be baking today. The Saint even used my hand mixer yesterday & did an AWESOME job for a 4 yo!

2) I'm thankful for online Christmas shopping! Matt & I are not big crowd people. Shopping online from home keeps us safe from cold/flu germs & mall shootings.

3) I'm thankful for the joy & dedication of The Archangel in writing a story lately. He & The Prophet have both decided that they would like to write stories. The Prophet is taking his time, but The Archangel has been diligently writing for the past couple of days & already has four chapters completed, as well as a summary.

4) I'm thankful for the creativity of The Princess. She sleeps in a canopy bed that was mine when I was a little girl. Unfortunately, the beams that hold the canopy have rotted & broken. (Well, the bed IS 38 years old, as I got it when I was two!) Undeterred, she has taken ribbons & yarn, strung them around her bed & created her own little string canopy...VERY cute!

5) And following Venerable Solanus Casey's example, I'm thanking God ahead of time on this last one...I'm thankful for the Saint's procedure tomorrow & the pediatric dentist who will be filling his four cavities under sedation. (The Saint will be under sedation, NOT the dentist!)

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities treaty DID NOT pass yesterday!

2) I'm thankful for great sales at the grocery store. For the past couple of weeks, our local Kroger has had sweet potatoes for 25 cents a pound & I love their clearance markdowns, esp. on organic & natural foods.

3) I'm thankful my "Bilbo Baggins" bread came out well yesterday! The Saint watched just the beginning of The Lord of the Rings the other day & really wanted some bread like Bilbo had on his table...a round, crusty loaf. I found a recipe to make, but was quite worried when it sat overnight & was still quite sticky & gooey. Thankfully, after adding more flour, it turned out delicious, even it if hadn't risen as much as it should have. (I think the recipe was wrong & I need more yeast than 1/4 t.)

4) I'm thankful for the joy old toys bring to the house! The boys got their old, wooden Thomas the Tank Engine box out of the crawlspace for The Saint to play with. All four of the Blessings have been getting along & building some great tracks around the living room AND they're actually cleaning them up when asked!

5) I'm thankful for the sights & sounds of the Christmas season. I am gradually decorating the house, a little bit each day & we always have Christmas music playing. At work, the activities director put up a beautiful tree in the lobby, to greet visitors when they walk through the door.

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful for the hope & promise of eternal salvation in God alone! With so many things going on in our country & world today, that faith in God's promises sometimes seems to be the only thing to help me carry on.

2) I'm thankful for my family's love & support! I am blessed beyond measure w/ an incredible family.

3) I'm thankful for little nudges & reminders from the Holy Spirit! I do struggle at times to be more aware of them, but when they do appear, there's no mistaking them.

4) I'm thankful for hugs & kisses from my Blessings! While feeling a bit down last night, The Saint gave me a big hug & kiss, then looked up at me w/ the sweetest smile, telling me that everything would be okay. How can I not feel better after that?!

5) I'm thankful for the healing powers of this meme each week! While it is tough at times to come up w/ five blessings, it's so worth it to help me realize that I truly am blessed in everything. Thank you, Judy, for hosting this each week!

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

My uncle, HelpfulGrammy's only brother, passed away on Friday, at the young age of 65. Today's Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings is in honor of my dear uncle.

1) I'm thankful for a beautiful celebration of my uncle's life. There were easily over 1500 people at his viewing Monday evening. There were also many who came for the funeral on Tuesday morning. My uncle, an avid baseball fan, player, & coach, wanted his funeral to reflect that. So, he was dressed in his complete (& I mean COMPLETE!) uniform, we sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame", the pallbearers were former players he coached, while two other former players spoke, & my cousin (his only son) read "Casey at the Bat".

2) I'm thankful for the faith & strength I've seen in my aunt & cousins this past week & a half w/ my uncle's hospitalization & passing. They & their spouses all have such strong faith in God & I know they'll need to draw upon that strength over the next year.

3) I'm thankful for the many memories I have of my uncle...family reunions, bonfires at their home, holiday celebrations, & so much more.

4) I'm thankful for the many people who came together to help put his funeral & luncheon together, making it easier on the family.

5) I'm thankful for the kind, humble spirit of my uncle. For all the activities, organizations, & experiences he was involved in, he easily could have been pompous & arrogant. Yet, through it all, he was a loving, humble man...a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, son, & friend to many. The examples he set will continue in all who knew him.

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful The Prophet has joined the Youth Ministry at our church. They had their kick-off bonfire Sun. evening & he had an INCREDIBLE time. He talked about it the whole way home & is looking forward to more activities in the future.

2) I'm thankful for The Archangel's dedication as a Mass Server. Each Sunday, he volunteers to serve if others do not show up. With all the struggles we've been through w/ his ADHD, it's wonderful to see him so active in church, doing such a great job, & enjoying himself in serving our Lord.

3) I'm thankful for little surprises from The Princess. When I got home from work on Sat., she showed me her straightened up room. Also, knowing how much I've been enjoying crossword puzzles lately, she found one in a coloring book & left it for me on my bed.

4) I'm thankful for the joy & entertainment The Saint provides for our family. On Monday, he found himself a "pet"...a pill bug which he carried around the house. At one point, he dropped it on the kitchen floor & when he got down to pick it up, I heard him say, "Pet, are you okay?" Later, he set it free on the front porch. As soon as he closed the door, he sighed & said, "I miss my pet!"

5) I'm thankful for the strength I am able to draw from God, esp. today! 

"The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The Lord is my life's refuge; of whom should I be afraid?" (from today's Psalm 27)

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I am SOOOO thankful for our Guardian Angels last Thursday when a man tried to get The Prophet's attention & was following us around a store. You can read the full detail in THIS POST.

2) I'm thankful for The Prophet's interest & skill in playing the clarinet in his homeschool band. You can see/hear his own song HERE.

3) I'm thankful for all the fun I'm having trying new healthy recipes for our family...granola, various breads (strawberry, raspberry), tahini cookies, pumpkin chili, & so much more! Not all of it goes over well, but at least most of the family is trying them.

4) I'm thankful that we had no damage from the strong winds & rain from Hurricane Sandy. Praying for all those on the east coast who have lost much & have a long road of repairs ahead of them.

5) I'm thankful for the Food, Inc. Discussion Group Judy started on Facebook. Last night, I posted a question regarding snacks for my picky eater & w/in minutes I had a TON of great ideas. I think I might even be enjoying some of them in the very near future!

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful for the beauty of fall & the opportunity to take some awesome portraits of our Blessings. I decided to do that instead of taking them somewhere...saved at least $75 & the portraits look great! These are the ones I had developed into 8x10s to hang in our family room.

The Prophet - almost 12

The Archangel - 9 1/2

The Saint - 4

The Princess - 7 1/2

2) I'm thankful for books. While I can see the benefit of an e-reader, I personally prefer to hold the actual book in my hand. There's just something about their feel & scent.

3) I'm thankful for the wonderful date I had w/ Matt Sat. evening. We went to see my nephew in Once Upon a Mattress, his last musical before he leaves for his mission in January.

4) I'm thankful that, even though we don't have much money, we have enough to make it in the crazy world. We don't have to have the latest technologies, a brand new car, or a larger house (well, a slightly bigger one MIGHT be useful!). What we don't have in possessions, we make up for in the closeness of our family (MOST days...LOL!)
 
5) I'm thankful for the laughter our Blessings bring to our home. Sure, we have moments of stress & chaos, but being aware of the joyous times makes it all worthwhile!

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful a great visit w/ Matt's dad & 93yo aunt on Sunday. I made lunch, Matt made one of his yummy desserts (sugar-free for his dad), & afterwards, while he & his dad took the kids outside, his aunt taught me how she makes her delicious Mexican rice.

2) I'm thankful for the beauty of this season. There are so many gorgeous hues of yellow, orange, & red bursting forth from the trees. I only wish our Hocking Hills vacation was a bit later, as the trees had barely begun to change when we were there at the end of Sept.

3) I'm thankful for a nice mother/daughter day at a craft show on Saturday. The Princess & I, along w/ my dear "Mom Therapy" friend & her daughter, shared a table to sell some crafts, & even though I didn't sell anything, it was an enjoyable day together.

4) I'm thankful for a GREAT conversation I had w/ The Prophet as we prepared dinner Monday evening. I know Judy is always talking about how wonderful this experience is, but this was the first time it's really "clicked" in our home. He will be 12 next month & he is showing such maturity (most times...LOL). I felt truly blessed.
 
5) I'm thankful for those "Mom Therapy" sessions w/ my dear friend. It's so wonderful to have our kids play together (or crafting, like our daughters do) while we share our joys & struggles as homeschooling moms.

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful to have finally found a pediatric dentist that I like (& is on our insurance) for The Saint's cavities. The down side is that he has four cavities, not two like we originally thought. Knowing how squeamish he will be, we've opted for complete sedation so they can be done all at once. I just don't want him to fear dentists for life after his first experiences.

2) I'm thankful for blankets, esp. on these recent chilly mornings where I'm not quite ready to turn on the furnace. I have a nice knitted one w/ fringe all around it. I drape it over my shoulders like a prairie shawl & it keeps me warm as I have my morning quiet time.

3) I'm thankful for Matt's sister treating us to a fun, fall outing at a local nursery last weekend...hayride, corn mazes, bouncy house, & more. We each got to pick out our own pumpkins, too. It was a great way to end Matt's vacation last week.

4) I'm thankful for a nice, clean basement...yes, I'm posting this again because it is still clean!
 
5) I'm thankful for thrift stores. Yes, I've said this one before also, but it never ceases to amaze me how much we can save! Last week, I spent just under $10 on a computer monitor, a purse, a lampshade, a pocket calendar, & a basket.

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.
1) I'm thankful for an incredible week of family vacation last week...we went to Hocking Hills for some hiking & shopping, got some home repairs done, spent an afternoon at the Fall Fun Fest at a local nursery, & so much more.

2) I'm thankful for my dear hubby, Matthew, who took a week off work to spend time w/ us.

3) I'm thankful for the many apples my parents have given us from their trees. I've made apple bread, applesauce, baked apple skins...YUMMY!

4) I'm thankful for a nice, clean basement, yes, we actually have a floor down there!
 
5) I'm thankful for thrift stores. With six of us in our family, clothes & other items can quickly add up. I've found some great thrift stores near us & have saved so much money!

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful that The Saint went to preschool PSR on his own on Sunday. The first week, I had to go w/ him & ended up missing most of Mass. All week we talked about him going by himself & thankfully he did.

2) I'm thankful for sweet hugs, kisses, & "I love my Mommy!" songs from The Saint. He is fascinated w/ arms & will hug & kiss mine, saying he loves my "fluffy arms!"

3) I'm thankful for a semi-successful garage sale we had this past weekend. All the stuff that didn't sell got boxed up & placed in the crawlspace to hold for another sale next spring.

4) I'm thankful for my recent discovery of Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen's writings. Yes, I've known for years who he was, but have never read anything he'd written until just recently. I'm reading "Your Life is Worth Living," a collection of his recordings in book form. WOW! What insight & inspiration I've found so far...& I'm only on chapter seven (out of fifty).

5) I'm thankful for the opportunity to listen to Judy as she was the guest speaker on last night's Ultimate Homeschool Expo. She shared a lot of great knowledge & inspiration for homeschooling moms. Thanks, Judy!

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful for The Prophet's interest in the homeschool band starting this week. He wants to play alto sax, but it's the most expensive of the beginner instruments. So, he's going to start w/ clarinet (we already have my sister's old one) & after a year, if he's still interested, he can easily switch.

2) I'm thankful for the homeschool band will be affordable for us. It boils down to about $5 a week for a 50 minute band class & we can make several payments spread over the school year.

3) I'm thankful for beautiful weather we've had this week. It's been great to open the windows & let in the fresh air. The only drawback...the kids are all showing major signs of allergies!

4) I'm thankful for the wonderful experience my nephew will be embarking on come January. He just found out this past weekend that his LDS mission will be in Milan, Italy, where he will stay for two years.

5) I'm thankful for the exercise my mind gets when I do the crossword & Sudoku puzzles in our daily paper. I'm also thankful for the dear employee Matt works w/ who sends the daily paper home w/ him.

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful for the rain we've had off & on the past couple of days. It's not enough to save many of the already drought-spoiled crops, but is still very welcome & much needed.

2) I'm thankful for the opportunity to pick up a few extra hours (at time & a half) on Labor Day. One of the other receptionists called off, so I was able to go in for her.

3) I'm thankful for some great clearance sales we found on organic/natural foods at Kroger this past weekend. Organic cheese & veggieballs (meatless) were marked down to 99 cents. They weren't bad either!

4) I'm thankful for The Archangel's interest in making pancakes & doing a great job by himself. Today, he used half white flour & half wheat flour, then added chocolate chips to the batter. YUM!

5) I'm thankful for the great talks I have w/ the kids when we take our morning walks. We start our school day w/ prayer & some type of devotional reading, then, weather-permitting, we take a walk around the neighborhood...no bikes or toys...just the five of us walking & talking. Even if someone complains about the walk at first, by the time w/ get going, everyone is enjoying it. Once the weather is a bit cooler, we're planning a day trip to a park...taking our schoolwork, lunch, & enjoying the fresh fall air. I can't wait!

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful that our van tire popped on our street, as we were arriving home Mon. evening, instead of further from home.

2) I'm thankful for great homeschool affirmations (articles, inspiration, etc.), esp. those that come when I'm feeling the worst about my/our efforts.

3) I'm thankful for a great photo shoot on Friday evening for our whole extended family...15 of us, including my parents, my sister & her family, & our whole family. My mom wanted to have these photos taken before my nephew leaves in November for his two year mission. The photos turned out AWESOME!

4) I'm thankful for great conversations w/ the munchkins in the van, esp. w/ The Prophet. He usually sits up front w/ me & we have some of the best talks then!

5) I'm thankful for blessings in disguise & the foresight to see the positive side of things that at first seem bleak & not-so-great! I've had several of these w/in the past week.

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful we have not had to turn the air conditioner on for the past five or six days. I just love having the house opened up (not to mention the $$$ we are saving by not running the air!)

2) I'm thankful for a decent start to our homeschool year. It's not been perfect & we are not to full schedule yet, just easing ourselves in...but it's gone well so far.

3) I'm thankful for laughter & fun times shared w/ family for HelpfulGrammy's birthday party on Sunday. She's a big "I Love Lucy" fan, so I made her a cake decorated w/ an image of Lucy & one of her quotes. We also went in w/ my sister & her family to get Mom a pair of tennis shoes that had scenes from "I Love Lucy" on them.

4) I'm thankful for a nice conversation I had w/ a resident's family member at work on Saturday. He seemed a bit lonely & sad, needing a kind ear to listen. Come to find out, they had been parishioners at our former parish & he remembered HandyGramps as the deacon there.

5) I'm thankful for this meme each week. It's way too easy to get down & focus only on the bad things happening in life. This meme encourages me to look at the good things that are happening, also. THANK YOU, JUDY for hosting it!

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful to finally be feeling better. Boy, that flu really wiped me out this past weekend!

2) I'm thankful Casinodad was such a BIG help to me when I was sick.

3) I'm thankful for the care & concern of the munchkins over the weekend. On Sat., The Saint came inside & brought me a little flower from the yard so that I would feel better.

4) I'm thankful for the much needed rain we've had the last couple days. It's not enough, but it definitely helps!

5) And, on today's Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, I'm thankful that Mary said "Yes!" to being the Mother of our dear Lord, for her loving example of Motherhood, & for Her prayerful intercessions on our behalf.

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful for an enjoyable outing w/ HelpfulGrammy & my sister yesterday. We went to lunch, did some shopping, & topped it off w/ ice cream.

2) I'm thankful for Casinodad's help each evening this week. I've been taking the munchkins to Vacation Bible School & we don't get home until after 8:30pm. He's had bedtime snack ready & even has done some straightening up around the house.

3) I'm thankful for the fun times the munchkins are having at VBS this week. Five churches in our area join together each summer & this is the first year are family has been able to participate.

4) I'm thankful for the growth I've been seeing in The Prophet this week as he's been a helper during VBS.

5) I'm thankful for my life & MANY blessings. While things are not always perfect, I am confident in my faith & trust the Lord to provide for all I need.

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful for much needed "Mom Therapy" yesterday! Two added bonuses: both of our moms were with us & my dear friend's little boy is doing GREAT after his hospital stay last week.

2) I'm thankful for my mom's sewing machine (which she passed to me a few months ago) & the many possibilities open to me by having it here.

3) I'm thankful for the opportunity to pray for vocations to the priesthood. Our parish has been hosting a chalice program in which families take weekly turns with a chalice in their homes. There is a prayer guide to go along w/ it & many wonderful reflections have been shared in our house so far this week.

4) I'm thankful to watch & listen as The Prophet & The Saint spend time together. Last night, it was so sweet to listen as our oldest read to our youngest.

5) I'm thankful for meeting a fellow Catholic yesterday at the library. She was parked next to us & when she saw my bumper sticker (for our local Catholic radio station), asked if I was Catholic. She introduced herself & asked if I would add a special intention to my Rosary prayers for the threat to our religious freedoms, handing me a small slip of paper w/ the prayer on it. I told her I would absolutely add it to my prayers.

Rosary Prayer Intention:

That we might have our constitutional freedom of religion upheld in every aspect of our lives as we are called to be good and faithful citizens.

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) I'm thankful that my dear Mom Therapy friend's little boy is smiling & will hopefully be coming home from the hospital today. Many prayers have been said for this sweet little boy since he was taken there two days ago!

2) I'm thankful for my faith-filled little man, The Saint. Yesterday morning, he came downstairs & told me he felt God. I asked where & he pointed to his tummy. Later, he also told me that he felt Jesus.

3) I'm thankful for the time we've been able to spend w/ Casinodad's dad, who has been visiting between us & Casinodad's sister for the past couple of weeks. The munchkins have really enjoyed their time w/ Grandpa.

4) I'm thankful The Archangel is enjoying his new ministry as a server at church. Each Sunday, he volunteers in case someone hasn't shown up & he's done a great job.

5) I'm thankful for the tent that enabled the munchkins to get past their arguing this morning. From the moment they all came downstairs, they were bickering & yelling at each other. Finally one of them had the idea to build a tent that takes up our whole living room...not one argument since!

A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings

My dear blogging friend, Judy, over at A Thankful Woman's Book of Blessings, hosts this meme every Wednesday. Simply list five things (or a prayer or any thoughts) for which you are truly thankful this week. Voicing my thanks helps put my life in perspective & realize that, no matter how bad things might be, there is still MUCH good surrounding me.

1) While I am thankful that we only lost power for 14 hours Friday/Saturday from the storms, we didn't lose any food from our fridge & freezers, & we only had minimal siding damage (which our neighbor has already repaired), I pray for those who are still w/out power, don't expect it for quite a while, & will most likely lose much of their food supplies.

2) While I am thankful for our home & excess belongings, I pray for those who have lost everything in the recent wildfires in Colorado.

3) While I am thankful for our country's freedom that we celebrate today, I pray for those oppressed within their countries & our own religious liberties that are being threatened right now.

4) While I am thankful for the recent, much-needed rains we received, I pray for those facing drought & dryness.

5) While I am thankful for the successful surgeries last month for several dear friends & my parents, I pray for those unable to afford needed surgery & those who have not survived surgery.