November Thanksgivings - D30

Today I'm thankful for modern medicine...'nuf said!

November Thanksgivings - D29

Today I'm thankful for music. It may sound strange, but imagine a world without it or a world in which there was only one type of music. I love how music can change your emotions in an instant, how the words can speak to you differently depending on where you are in life, how music can take you back to a place in the past with just a few notes. I love how much Caleb loves music, and I hope that it will be a big part of his life.

November Thanksgivings - D26-D28 / Weekend Wrap Up

Oops! Things got a little busy over the holiday weekend, and I completely neglected posting my Thanksgivings for the end of November.

D26 - I'm thankful for date morning with my husband. It had been WAY too long since we'd gotten out of the house together and without Caleb. Fortunately, we got a much needed alone time while my parents and sister and brother-in-law watched Caleb. We went out to see the new Harry Potter movie.

D27 - I'm thankful for opportunities to reconnect with old friends. Saturday night I went over to my friend Meagan's house to catch up with my best college friends. Even though we haven't all been together in I don't know how long, the night was just like old times. Thanks Meg, Mandy, and Chris ;)

D28 - I'm thankful for a safe trip home. Even though we hit a bunch of traffic on the turnpike, we managed to make it back in about 4 hours {just 1/2 hour longer than usual} and that included a stop at Chipotle to bring lunch home. Mmmmm...Chipotle! A special treat that we hadn't had since leaving Arizona. Reminded me that it's well worth the 20 minute drive to get to the nearest one so we can make it a regular outing again.

D29 coming later today.

November Thanksgivings - D25

Today I'm thankful for family traditions. As I was making the pumpkin bread and cranberry bread (traditions from Andrew's family), I felt so grateful that Caleb will have family traditions that incorporate traditions from both sides of the family. In my family, mom gets up early to put the turkey in the oven. By the time everyone else is awake the whole house smells wonderful. Here's Caleb helping Memaw baste the turkey.

He did a great job! We had a fantastic Thanksgiving with wonderful food and great company. Happy Thanksgiving!

November Thanksgivings - D24

Today I'm thankful for my car which will allow us to travel to be with family this holiday! This will be Caleb's first Thanksgiving with my family, so I'm especially looking forward to it. I pray for safety and patience for all those who are traveling this holiday weekend.

November Thanksgivings - D23

Today I'm thankful for all the beauty in the world around us and I'm thankful that I have been able to travel to the majority of the states in this country. We are very blessed to live in a country where we are able to easily travel from state to state. And I'm always amazed at how much diversity there is in the landscape of this country. All beautiful, but so different.

November Thanksgivings - D22

Oops...forgot to post this yesterday. Today Yesterday Everyday (really) I'm thankful for teachers. Of course, I come from a family of teachers (mom, sister, cousin), so I'm especially thankful for them and the work that they do. But I'm also thankful for all the people who decide to go into teaching not for the summers off or for the nice hours {Soapbox rant: Anyone who has ever taught will know that that is an illusion since the planning and preparation it takes to teach your 7 hours a day takes at least as long as the day itself.}, but instead because they love their subject matter, they love kids, and they want to make a difference in the world. Kids know which teachers are there for the right reasons. We all have at least one teacher who has made a significant impact on our lives by going above and beyond the tasks outlined in the job description. To all the teachers and former teachers out there, thank you!

November Thanksgivings - D21

Today I'm thankful for another day in paradise.

November Thanksgivings - D20

Today I'm thankful for those little moments in life that happen when you least expect them. Those moments when you're traveling through life at the speed of light just trying to keep your head above water, and then BAM! You have a moment of clarity and you become aware of some amazing, yet completely ordinary, way that God has worked in your life to bring you to this moment or to bring a particular person or people into your life. Those little glimpses of how God is working in your life bring me peace in times of chaos and uncertainty.

November Thanksgivings - D19

Today I'm thankful for a whole weekend of family time. Nothing but Andrew, Caleb and I enjoying some time together as we gear up for the busy holiday season.

November Thanksgivings - D18

Today I am thankful for my sewing talent. I never knew how much I needed a creative outlet until I got back into sewing. It's been 9 months sewing on my new machine, and I can't believe that I'm still so in love with creating things. Here's some of my most recent stuff {I have tons more, but blogger is being dumb right now so I'm giving up and going to bed}.






Sneak peek of a Christmas gift that I'm SUPER excited about!

November Thanksgivings - D17

Today I'm thankful for Andrew's job. I feel very fortunate that this opportunity worked out the way that it did.

November Thanksgivings - D16

Today I'm thankful for my crockpot - that glorious piece of kitchen equipment that allows you to virtually cook on autopilot. In the morning, you drop in some meat, veggies, and a few seasonings. You head out for the day and completely forget about it until you come back home several hours later and are greeted with glorious aromas wafting through door as you open it. Another short wait and dinner time rolls around. Voila, you pull a perfectly scrumptious FULL MEAL out of thin air and onto the table in minutes. It's like magic - a busy mother's dream appliance.

November Thanksgivings - D15

Today I am thankful for modern technology, which makes it easier to keep in touch with family and friends. Having lived some distance from family for the last 7+ years, I've come to realize just how important these things are. Especially now that we have Caleb. Thanks to cell phones making "long distance calling" a thing of the past, we are able to talk to Caleb's grandparents every night even thought they live hours away by car and by plane. The computer and Facebook (and this blog) allow us to keep in touch the friends who we've had to say, "goodbye" "see you later," to. Caleb loves looking at the pictures of his friends when they are posted on FB or blogs. To all the family and friends out there in internet-land, know that we love you and miss you dearly!

November Thanksgivings - D14

Today I'm thankful for lazy Sundays spent lounging, eating, watching football, sewing, and laughing with my two favorite people in the world.

November Thanksgivings - D13

Today I am thankful for my mother-in-law and father-in-law. For seven years I lived 3000 miles from my family, but right down the street from them. Andrew and I were only married for four of those years, but even before that they welcomed me into their family and treated me as their own daughter. While I missed having my own mother and father around for holidays and special events, I was comforted to know that my other mom and dad would be there. When I injured my knee in the months before Andrew and I were engaged, they came with us to the hospital and stayed through the hours of my emergency room stay. When I defended my dissertation, they were there. When I missed home for Thanksgiving, my MIL called my mom to find out what special dish would make me feel like I was home. When Caleb was born, they watched him nearly every day for the first 11 months of his life so that I could finish school. I couldn't have asked for better people to be my in-laws, and I'm proud to call them mom and dad.

November Thanksgivings - D12

Today I'm thankful for my sister. Even though she's 2 years, 364 days younger than me, we feel like we're connected like twins. And you certainly can't deny the resemblance. Anytime we go out together, it never fails, we are always asked if we are twins. I can't imagine how annoying it is to actually be out with a twin or to be a parent of twins with all the constant questions!

Anyway, she's like my other half, and I don't know what I would do without her. Love ya, D!

November Thanksgivings - D11

I'm thankful for my parents. For everything they've taught me about life and love. For being role models for a healthy marriage and a fabulous example of parenting.

November Thanksgivings - D10

Today I'm thankful for my freedom and for the men and women who have risked or given up their lives so that we can have those freedoms. I pray for the men and women in our armed forces today that they may be safe and return home safely to their families. And I pray for the families who have lost a loved one in our military that they may be comforted knowing their loved ones died heroes giving their lives for their country.

November Thanksgivings - D9

I'm keeping busy with putting together our holiday cards now that I got our pictures from Uncle Matt. Today, I'm thankful for having a photographer in the family. There is no way that we could afford to have professional photos taken every year, but since my brother-in-law is a professional photographer he graciously takes and edits pictures for us each year. We had this year's shoot with him back in mid-October, and the pics were hand delivered this weekend! Here are some of the ones that won't be going on our holiday cards. Those will be revealed when you get your card in the mail or on here Christmas morning.

All pictures courtesy of Matthew O'Haren Photography.