Thanksgiving Eve

It seems fitting that I would write a post about all I'm thankful for after going such a long time without writing. I'm overwhelmed by how quickly the times goes. I'm also grateful for the time I am given. My little people continue to overwhelm me with gratitude. Our health, wealth, joy, and challenges are something to rejoice over. I don't take anything for granted and I can only pray my children will have a depth of gratefulness that can't be taught, but only given through looking at the world through the perspective of love. We are not here on this earth to satisfy our own desires, to have fun-filled days with no worries is not reality. Life is hard. This world is filled with so much darkness, hurting people, anger, death, judgement, hatred, discourse, jealousy, and self seeking. Being grateful for what we've been given amidst all circumstance is very hard. It can't be done through our own human nature. It really takes a love and trust in the creator of all things, the one who is Jesus. When we take our focus off ourselves we can begin to see what He has given us. Starting with creation is a good place.
I am thankful for the Country in which I was born. The community in which I live. The seasons in this windblown State of Nebraska. The star-filled sky I can see out my backyard. The business my husband can call his own. The builders who trust him. The School my kids attend. The streets I can run on in my town, streets that aren't filled with fear. I'm grateful I live in a neighborhood that has filled-up the last few years with Families who value work, their children, respect their neighbors, and are also grateful for this life. 
I am thankful that the people we are surrounded by through friendship are those who look at life through love. They see each other. They aren't focused on what they can gain, but what they can give. I am grateful my children will grow-up in this kind of environment. They will grow up being cared for out of who they can be, who they should be, and what they have to offer others. They are surrounded by groups of people who don't look at life out of what there is to gain, but out of what we can give. Thanksgiving can only truly be celebrated when we see through this lens. This world is not hear to serve us. We can't change the world, we can only change ourselves. When we rally those around us who want to do the same, only then can we create a ripple effect that will leave an impression on the generations behind us. Changing the future lens should be our goal. Living life out of what we have and not what we don't have, isn't that something that could shake-up this life! 
My prayer tonight is that God would instill bravery in my children and the children of those who surround us. Thanksgiving in all things would come naturally. We would hear voices of proclaiming what a wonderful life we live. We would not let the worries of this world keep us from being grateful. Amen.

Happy 10th Birthday Molly

I have twenty-six pages from 2004 filled with almost 41 weeks of moments, pains, emotions, and anticipation for the baby growing inside me. The baby that would make me a mother. Words written on my desktop computer in the middle of the night. I would print the pages onto clear vellum paper and wait for them to dry, so I could glue or hole punch with a fancy tab them into the "baby book." I remember thinking (and I'm sure it's written somewhere on pages 20-25) that this baby would have to be a girl.  All the detail that I had time to put into the baby book would only be appreciated by a girl. 

A baby girl I was given on October the 3rd. The most beautiful baby I had ever seen.

Molly has been making list of things to purchase for party, games to do, agenda for the evening, and following up on who is attending. She has kept the party talk to only a whisper when she is alone with a invited guest so that no uninvited guest will overhear and have hurt feelings. She has discussed with me how the conversation should go if she were to be asked by an uninvited friend about her Birthday Party plans. If only she could invite everyone to her sleepover! 

A toothless 6 year old with her best friend Holly

In regards to all the Birthday talk Don says, "How did this day come? Who knew it would come so fast?" This stops me. I go on and on about how quickly the time goes, but until Molly came I didn't know how fast it really went. I was not prepared for how fast ten years goes. Now that it is here, it means I know how fast the next ten will go, and the next ten doesn't have us celebrating with a sleepover. 

My mind only works in five year increments. Today I am forced to look at the last ten with my firstborn and again I am in awe at what a beautiful girl we have in our lives! Happy Birthday Beautiful Molly!