Thankfulness - Day 30

Ok, so I have missed a few days but A LOT has been going on!  I am thankful for all the many blessings I have been given in my life!  So many, that it is impossible to count or list them all!! I could be here forever doing that!!  I have really enjoyed sitting down and documenting things that I am thankful for this month!  I am thankful for the chance to be still and really appreciate all that I have - material and non-material!  I am thankful for things like making a 94 on my last unit test in first semester!!!! YES a 94!!!! I couldn't believe it!  I haven't made a grade that high all semester, cause lets get real, nursing school is HARD!!!!! However, I am thankful that it is hard (crazy I know) because I know that I am learning the information.  We are talking about people's lives here!! I am thankful that I get to spend the month of December enjoying the holidays with my family and for getting to celebrate and remember the TRUE reason for the season-- the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  I am thankful that I get to remind the boys that the presents are fun but that we need to recognize the real meaning of Christmas.  My goal is to find ways to really remind them about CHRISTmas instead of just the busyness, visiting and presents! I found a friend's blog that was talking about doing acts of kindness and other things for the month of December to really show the kids the true meaning.  I am going to try to work on that!  So I got off the topic which is thankfulness!  I am beyond blessed and have so much to be thankful not just in the month of November but everyday!
Thank you Lord!!

Thankfulness - Day 25

I am thankful for time with my hubby!  I feel like it is very important to have time with each other without the boys.  We have to have time for our marriage, so that we can demonstrate what a great, healthy, loving marriage is all about!  We can't do that if we don't put time into our marriage!  I am thankful for family that is willing to keep the boys while we take time for our marriage! Even if it is being curled up on the couch or in the bed watching tv (movie, football, etc.) it is important to me and I am thankful!  We don't always have to get out and spend money to have time together!  Thank you baby for an amazing 8 years together, I look forward to many many more happy years!  I love you!

Thankfulness - Day 24

Happy Thanksgiving!  It has been a great day with my sweet friend, Lindsey, her hubby, Alex and his family.  Thank ya'll for allowing me to tag along!  Why would I be tagging along with someone else's family instead of spending it with mine, you ask?  Well, my AMAZING husband (that I always talk about --I can't help it) is working and the boys went with my Grandma and Aunt to see my brother and his family in Texas.  I hate that Ryan and I didn't get to go, but I have had a ton of stuff to get done for school and Ryan is working most days.  But I wanted the boys to get to see Clay and his family.  I told them to hug my other babies for me and to bring me back sugars.  I doubt they do, I am sure they will hog it all! I don't blame them though!

So anyway, today I am thankful for Love and Freedom!  Without those we wouldn't have much!  I am thankful for an AMAZING Lord and Savior that loves me unconditionally. His love is never ending, never changing and never failing! Without him, I would be nothing! I am also thankful for the most amazing, loving, caring, hardworking, selfless, handsome husband that God gave me!  I truly can never say enough great things about the love that I have for this man or for the way he loves me unconditionally and works so hard for his family!! I am thankful for 2 precious, handsome, always bouncing, laughing, running, fighting boys that I have been blessed with!  Even on the bad days, hearing Momma I love you, melts my heart and reminds me that it is all worth it and I'm gonna miss these days one day! I am thankful for terrific family that I am so close with!  Without them, I would be in trouble! They always have words of encouragement, love, support, and remind me that I can do anything I set my mind to and let God control and be in the lead!  I am thankful for great friends that do the same thing as my family!  My friends are a wonderful, blessed addition to my family! I am thankful for our military that make all of our freedoms possible!  I don't think our military ever gets enough credit for all that they do.  They sacrifice their families, friends and sometimes they pay the ultimate price for this country!  Thank you is never enough for what they do.  I want to thank all of the men and women that have served, are serving and will serve! I have several veterans that are dear to my heart, my Uncle Mid (Vietnam), my brother Clay (Bosnia & Operation Iraqi Freedom), my dear friend James (Operation Iraqi Freedom)! Thank each one of you for all that you have done, all that you have sacrificed and your dedication to this country we call home! I love each one of you!

We have so much to be thankful for!  We are beyond blessed!  Thank you Lord for my MANY MANY blessings!  I also pray for those that are less fortunate than we are!

Thankfulness - Day 23

I am thankful for my health and the health of my family!! We have been blessed with good health!  We all have our little issues here and there but in the long run, we are healthy!  I am reminded a lot that when someone gets sick or something is wrong, that there is always someone having to face much harder circumstances!  I thank you Lord for the health of my family and I pray for all the families that are facing, have faced, or will face difficult circumstances in their life! 

Thankfulness - Day 22

I am thankful for the beautiful family that God has given me.  And I am thankful for the days where we can just go and do as a family and enjoy our time together!  These are the moments that I will cherish FOREVER!!! We took the boys hunting on my uncles land Sunday afternoon and Monday.  We didn't see anything :( but we had a lot of fun being together.  We taught the boys how to shoot some guns, which they loved!! We look forward to many more times like this!!

C-Man hanging out with me waiting to see something!

And I love that the boys got to do something that I loved doing as a kid.  Once we got in Harrisville, we always got to "drive" to the farm.  At first, it was us steering and an adult handling the peddles.  And as we got older we got to do all of it. This is where I learned how to drive and I cherish the memories.  We haven't been to the farm very many times since the boys have been around.  Unfortunately the rush of life keeps us from going down there a lot, but I pray that it changes some so they boys can enjoy all the fun things that can be done and have some of the great memories!

Pierce getting to "drive" down the driveway when we got to the farm!  He LOVED it!

I should have taken a picture of him concentrating with his tongue stuck out.

We call that "The Sanford Tongue" as Ryan and his dad do the same thing!

Too cute!!

This is what Pierce does when he is bored and isn't seeing anything!

He makes all kinds of noise with sticks and trees!! 

Gotta love him though!

Colton getting to "drive" on the way home! He is a pretty good

little driver, minus the fact that he got side tracked a few times

and would look away from the road!  C-Man you can't do that!

Love my family!! And I thank God everyday for blessing me with them!!

Thankfulness - Day 21

I am thankful that I get to enjoy the many beautiful creations that God has given us!  It is so nice to be about to sit outside in the country and just take in all the beauty! 

"Go saw all that he had made, and it was very good"

Genesis 1:31a

"This is the day the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Psalms 118:24

Thankfulness - Day 20

I am thankful for the sweet moments with my boys.

We ran some errands today, to get them these outfits! 

What do you think they are going to be doing?

Afterwards, we had a lunch date at Chick-Fil-A! YUM!

In their kids meals, they got 2 little books.

On the drive home, Pierce asked Colton to read one of the books to him.

I, knowing how they are, expected Colton to say no, but instead

he said yes.  So I got to enjoy listening to Colton read The Little Red Caboose

to Pierce on the way home. 

Listening to that make my heart swell up and smile.

I love to hear and see my boys being sweet to each other and

showing that they love each other.  They are brothers so that isn't 

the case all the time, so I really enjoy when they do.

Thank you Lord for blessing me with the 2 sweetest boys around!!

They are my heart!

Thankfulness - Day 19

I am thankful for prayer!! Prayer is SO powerful and meaningful!  I have seen many prayers answers and many not.  The ones not, just mean that God has bigger and better things in store for my life and others.  I am a strong believer in Prayer!! God wants to hear from us and know the needs/wants and concerns of our lives.

As I am sitting here writing this post, we got some news on something we have been praying about for a while!  It wasn't the news that we were looking for or hoping for BUT I know that God has a plan for us and will provide for us and take care of us.  Like I said yesterday in my post, God has never left me nor forsaken me so I am trusting in his word and his plans for our lives!

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."

Philippians 4:6

Thankfulness - Day 18

I am thankful for the wonderful times that I get with my family.  And for the chance to capture some of these memories in pictures!  I love my pictures (and my boys, even the big one... HATE pictures).. To bad most of the time momma wins.. hehe!  Here are some of the recent pictures that melt my heart!

What a sweet boy!  His smile is so sweet! LOVE HIM!

Even though this picture isn't the greatest (taken with my phone)

I still love it!  This is his hurry up momma smile!  What a character!

These 2 boys are so much fun! And this shows that they

can get along and love/like each other!

This little man has my heart too! He is so laid back and is precious!

Wish time would slow down there, he is getting too big too fast!!

Gotta love trying to get 3 boys to take a picture. This

is the best that I got.  Even though KJ looks mad he isn't.. he was wanting

play with the boys!

Again, not the best picture (for lighting) but this little man

melts my heart and makes me smile!

Where did my baby go?  He is growing into such a little man!

Its sweet and sad at the same time!  Melts my heart!

I have been blessed with many wonderful people in my life and time to spend with them all.  Even though the spending time with them part, isn't as good now that I am in school as it used to be but it will all be worth it in the end!!

Thankfulness - Day 17

I am thankful for the wonderful opportunity to meet some really wonderful friends in nursing school.  I have been able to find some amazing friends that have the same goals in life and are just as serious about school as I am.  They push me and remind me that this is all worth while!  They remind me that if this were easy everyone would be a nurse.  They are a great support system, and really understand where I am coming from when I am stressing.  They are wonderful study partners.  We have studied together since day 1 and I am very thankful for that!  I look forward to watching our friendships grow over the next 3 semesters!  God always puts the right people in your life at the right time!  I am thankful!!

Thankfulness - Day 16

I am thankful that my Lord and Savior is in control.  Even when the times arise that we think he has left us to fend for ourselves, he is in control.  I didn't really understand that until I listened to him and started down the road called Nursing School.  We knew that if I got accepted this fall then I would have to quit work and we would have to readjust our finances and how we lived and spent money.  However, God is in control and loves to do things HIS way!  I was laid off in March, which was a blessing in disguise.  We had no idea that 3 weeks later, I would get my acceptance letter.  God is amazing and always reminds us that he is in control if we will just have faith, trust and believe in him!  He has never forsaken me or my family and he will  never forsake anyone else! He is the Almighty God that always protects, defends and provides for his children!  And for that I am Thankful!!

"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Corinthians 10:13

"Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goe with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:5

Thankfulness - Day 15

As crazy as it sounds, I am thankful for all the laundry.  A friend of mine that I went to school with posted something on FB several months ago that made me think of laundry in a different way.  Here is what she said "Tired of doing laundry? As you wash each piece, Praise God for the person in your life that soiled it."

Wow!  Makes you think differently about laundry doesn't it?  I am very thankful for the people that mess up all these dirty clothes, even if it A LOT of dirty clothes, you know I do live with 3 boys :)!! Thank you Lord for putting these 3 special people in my life and allowing me the chance to do their laundry!!

Thankfulness - Day 14

I am thankful for family that is willing to help me out when I need it.  Having family that is willing to help makes it easier to get school stuff done!  Not that my boys aren't sweet (they are) but it is nice to be able to have a quiet house to do homework and study!  I study and do homework a lot at night after the boys have gone to bed but it is nice to be able to do it on the weekends during the day so that I can have the night time to spend with the boys and Ryan, as well as get some sleep!  Thank you to my amazing family and friends for always being there when I need you!!! Love you!

Thankfulness - Day 13

I am thankful for an amazing God that loves me unconditionally and always reminds me he is in control.  He likes to tell me at different times, different places and all sorts of ways.  I got both of these messages this week and they are so fitting!  God always knows what I need to hear and what I need to be reminded of at just the PERFECT time!!

"6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which

transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:6-7

"Be strong and courageous.  Do not be afraid or terrified because of them,

for the Lord your God goes with you, he will never leave you nor forsake you."

Deuteronomy 31:6

Thank you Lord for always speaking to me at just the right time and just the right moment.  Your perfect love amazes me!  And you always remind me!!

Thankfulness - Day 12

I am thankful for the days where I can hang out at the house with Ryan and the boys.  Life is crazy busy, which makes me cherish the slower days/times so much more!  Football season is the best time for lazy, cuddle days.  I love to curl up on the couch with Ryan and watch football (of course it is limited more now that I have a ton of studying to be doing), which makes me more thankful for the times that we get to do that.  The boys don't really join us on these lazy days until it is too dark to play outside.  They love being outside.  I love lazy, cuddle days with all of my boys!!  I am blessed!!

Thankfulness - Day 11

I am thankful for the many men and women that have sacrificed their lives and are still sacrificing for my freedom. Today is Veterans Day, so I wanted to take a minute and Thank all the service men and woman for all they have done, are doing and will continue to do!  They sacrifice so much in order to protect our freedoms.  They have sacrificed their lives, their families, their free time and many other things.  They have to leave their families for short periods and long periods of time.  And they are so proud and willing to do it!  It doesn't matter if it is something they don't agree with, they do it because they love this country that we all call home!  I am proud to know some service men that have put so much into their jobs.  Uncle Mid, Clay and James!  I can't imagine what ya'll have had to endure and how much ya'll have missed.  But I am very thankful for your service to our country and our freedom!  I hope that each one of you take a minute to pray for our service men and women as well as make sure that you take the time to take them for what they have done and continue to do!!

Thankfulness - Day 10

I am thankful to live in a country where I can worship my lord and savior freely!!  There are so many countries around the world that don't have this privilege.  Many people fought and died for the right for me and other American's to have the right to worship freely!  Most of all, Jesus died on the cross for my sins so that I would have the love, grace and mercy that I have!  Thank you Lord for sacrificing your son for me!!

Thankfulness - Day 9

I am thankful that I have the chance to hear the sweet words "I Love you" from the best 2 kids ever!  It doesn't matter how bad of a day it has been, how long it has been or anything.  At the end of the day when I put them to bed and they hug me and tell me I love you momma, that is the sweetest sound ever!  Colton and Pierce complete me.  God gave me 2 precious, very energetic, outgoing, funny, bossy, handsome boys ever!  I can't imagine my life without them, nor do I want to!  Even when things get tough, which they do often, I am reminded that I am blessed!!  I love those 2 boys with everything in me! And I look forward to watching them continue to grow and turn into amazing men of God!!

Thankfulness - Day 8

I am thankful to live in a country where I have the right and freedom to vote! 

Thankfulness - Day 7

I am thankful for the chance to follow God's will in my life.. Nursing School!! I never saw myself as a nurse.  Matter of fact, I remember saying as a kid, that there are enough nurses in my family, so why would I do that?  Well I didn't... for a long time.  I got married, had kids, had a great job, went back to college and got a degree and I was done!! So I thought.. Until I heard God tell me that he had something else in mind for me. At first, I was like really?  I had just gotten my paralegal degree and had a good job.  I was comfortable.  I was done studying and doing homework, so I thought.  Ryan told me he could tell I wasn't happy and that he wanted to be able to send me back to school to do what I really wanted to do. Um.. what is that?  Well after helping rehabilitate Ryan back from 2 wrecks withing 8 months, I could feel this urge/want to be a nurse.  I know crazy right?  The girl that said that she would NEVER be a nurse!! After Ryan and I talked about it, we both started praying about it.  What was God's will in my life, and was this something that God wanted me to do.  I heard my answer several times, but honestly, I kept thinking that it was what I wanted and not what God had been telling me.  One day in Sunday school, a question was asked.  How do you know if something is God's will for your life?  The answer?  That you have a complete peace about it and you have no doubts whatsoever!  You just know.  I pondered on that for the rest of Sunday school.  Then we got into church and I got out my pen and paper to take notes, like I do every Sunday. I had used the same pen for months and never knew what the advertisement on it said. I looked down at the pen and it said University of Southern Mississippi Nursing School!!  OMG was my thoughts! No joke! I got chills and excitement took over me! At that point, I realized that the answer I had been getting for the last little while was indeed God telling me what to do!  I was being called to be Nurse!  So the journey began.  I called to see what classes I needed in order to apply for school and I jumped right in.  I knew that if it was God's will I would want to shout it from the roof that I was going to nursing school and that is exactly how I felt!  I have been beyond blessed!  I got my acceptance letter 3 weeks after being laid off.. A God thing!  We never thought that we could make it financial with just Ryan working.. but we are... A God thing!! I wasn't sure that I would be able to juggle 2 very energetic boys, their school, a house, a husband AND nursing stuff but I am... A God thing!!  You see a pattern here?  God called me to do this and he isn't failing!  He can't fail, he is God.  He is a man of his word and is faithful! He always has been and always will be!  I can't describe how amazing it feels to be in nursing school, learning to help others and to know that I am doing what was meant for my life!  I could never do this without my Lord and Savior, his amazing love, grace and faithfulness.  And I couldn't do it without the most amazing husband and family! 

Thankfulness - Day 6

I am thankful for the house that I have.  It protects my family.  It keeps us covered from the heat, cold and rain!  We have food to eat, clothes to wear and warm beds to sleep in.  We are Blessed!! I am thankful for my amazing husband that works so hard to make sure that we are taken care of.  We have clean water to drink and bath with.  We have so much.  I pray that I remember to be thankful for all things.  There are so many people in this world that don't have any of the things that I said above.  It breaks my heart.  I pray that I raise my children to be thankful for all the things that we have, big and small! And I pray that I remind myself to be thankful for everything.  I am guilty of wanting things and getting upset when I can't always get what I want.  But the truth of the matter is, those things are important.  Lord, I pray that you humble me and remind me that there are people that don't have things that I have and that I should be thankful for what I have instead of always wanting!! Thank you lord for your many blesses that keep me safe, protected, fed, warm and comfortable!  You are amazing!!

Thankfulness - Day 5

Today I am thankful for the many wonderful friends that God has placed in my life!  I have amazing friends that are always there to listen to me, cry with me, pray for me and with me, support me, encourage me, laugh with me, shop with me (when I have money..haha) and so many more things.  God has truly blessed me with many godly friends, men and women!  I can't imagine not having all of the amazing people in my life!! Everyone needs people that they can talk to and have fun with!  My friends have been amazing as I have started this new journey that God has placed me on.  They have reminded me many times that I am following God's will.  They remind me that I can make it and they remind me to always trust God.  My friends are willing to push me when I don't think I can go anymore.  They can make me laugh when I really want to cry!  And there are even times that my sweet friends tell me I need to suck it up and put my big girl panties on!! I am thankful for all the sweet, soft and sometimes tough pushes that they give me!! Thank each one of you for everything that you have done in my life and for all the sweet words, thoughts and prayers!!  Each one of you are special to me and I thank God everyday for placing each one of you in my life!! I am blessed!!

Thankfulness - Day 4

I am thankful for the amazing family that I have been blessed with.  I have been blessed with an amazing mother that has always loved me unconditionally, even when there were times when I didn't think so (but that was the teenage years.  Love you momma). Momma always made sure that we had what we needed.  She was a hard working single mother raising 2 kids.  She did a great job.  Things weren't always easy but she worked to make the best of things! I have a father that loves me.  I have an great (shh, don't tell him I said that..hehe) brother that even though we always bickered back and forth and drove each other crazy I love him dearly too!  I have the most amazing grandma that I could ask for.  She is by far, the most selfless person that I have ever know!  She has always done anything and everything for us and never thought twice about it.  She never things about her self, she is always making sure that everyone else is taken care of!  I have an amazing aunt, who is my second momma!  Even when I did things that I knew weren't right when I was younger, she always loved me!  She is always willing to put things aside to help me out whenever I need her! I have amazing in-laws that are always there for me/us whenever they are needed.  I have amazing cousins, who are more like sisters, that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world.  I didn't have a biological sister but I have several that are sisters to me in my eyes! Without this family, it would be hard to do anything.  They are always my rocks and support in anything that I do!  God has truly blessed me with amazing family that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world!! Thank you Lord for this great family that you have given me!

Thankfulness - Day 3

I am thankful to have 2 amazing sweet boys that call me momma! They stole my heart the moment I laid eyes on them!  It is amazing how much you could love someone so much!!  I am thankful that God has entrusted me to love, cherish and raise these 2 precious boys!  He gave me an amazing husband to help me in this journey called parenthood.

Is it always perfect? NO
Is it always easy? Um, NO!
Is it challenging? YES
Is it rewarding?  Most Definitely
Would I trade it for anything? NO!!

Having 2 boys is very interesting to say the least! There is never a dull moment in my life with these 2! They have more energy than I can even describe, they love each other and seem to dislike each other all the time.  It is like a switch with them, but I am sure it is the same way with all siblings.  I always say its like a love/hate relationship.  But I know that deep down they love each other!

Colton, my first born!  He is such a sweet, loving, compassionate, funny, stubborn, smart, outgoing child!  He knows what he wants! He is very talented and loves to draw.  I pray that he continues to follow this gift that God has given him and see where it leads him! He is full of energy from the moment his eyes open in the morning till the moment they close at night!  He is his mother's child :)!! It amazes/(scares) me to see so much of me in him!! He has an infectious smile and demeanor!  He has brought so much love and joy to my life! 

Pierce, my baby boy!  He is my sweet, loving, cuddly, crazy, bug loving, outside loving, clown child! He is most definitely his daddy's child!  He looks just like him and most of the time acts like him (not that that is a bad thing!) He loves to be the clown and make all kind of crazy faces and expressions.  He is my laid back, go with the flow child.  He is a smart child but would rather be the clown (help me now)! He would rather be outside gathering lizards, frogs, tadpoles (any kind of creature) than be inside any day of the week!!

I am so thankful for all of the moments that parenthood has sent me through!  I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world!  There will always be hard times and will always be bad times, but the good, loving, happy times always out number those times!!  These 2 boys have brought more love and joy to my life than I can describe!  Thank you Lord for trusting me and allowing me to be called momma by the 2 best boys in the world!! 

Thankfulness - Day 2

I am thankful for the amazing husband that God has given me!  I can't imagine my life without this amazing man!! Ryan has the biggest heart and is always willing to do anything that he can for his family and is friends.  He is my best friend and is always making time to show me how much he loves me. And many times he doesn't have to do anything but smile at me or hug me to remind me of his love!! He can always make me smile and cheer me up even when I don't want to be cheered up.  He is a wonderful daddy to the boys, and I am beyond blessed and thankful for that!  He loves the boys and cherishes them! He is a hard working man that is dedicated to his family and his job.  He loves what he does and he is always willing to go the extra mile. I love him more now than I did the day that we took our vows, 7 years ago! Ryan thank you for being an amazing, godly man that always gives his all and heart to things that are most important to you!! I love you!!

Thankfulness - Day 1

I have seen people in Facebook document what they are thankful for this month since Thanksgiving is this month.  I thought it was a great idea and wanted to do it on my blog.  There is SO much to be thankful for!!  The list could go on forever and ever!!

I am thankful for my Lord and Savior.  I am thankful that he loved me enough to send his one and only son to die on the cross and bear all my sins!  That is AMAZING Love!! I am nothing without him, but through Christ, I can do anything and bear through the things that sometimes seem unbearable!! I am thankful that even when I am not my best or most faithful, he is ALWAYS faithful and there!  He never leaves me and never forsakes me!! He is always there to listen to me when I am down and need him.  He is there when something good happens and I praise him!! He is amazing!!!