For This I am Thankful...

It has been a very long time since I have updated the blog and there are many reasons, but the biggest one would be time. Sometimes 24 hours in a day do not seem like enough for the craziness that seems to find me, especially lately. November is a big month for our home. We have Maddie's birthday, which was last Friday; our anniversary tomorrow (5 years married, 10 together in January); and then Thanksgiving to kick start the rest of the holidays. Since Thanksgiving is only a few days away, I thought it would be the perfect time to give my many thanks to all of you reading...especially those of you who are not a mile or two up the road.

It amazes me every year how one simple meal in November instantly has us putting our priorities into perspective. We do this by claiming how thankful we are for the people in our lives, the food on the table, our jobs, our homes, etc, while surrounded by loved ones around the dinner table. I think we are all guilty of being so consumed in the hustle and bustle of everyday life and/or the world that we really do lose focus on those priorities on all the other days of the year. I know for many reading this right now at this very moment, this has not been a pleasant year every single day. We have all had to fight our own demons and battles that others would never understand. This can be in the form of finances, health, stress, employment, family, relationships, etc. We get very caught up in the negative in our lives that we let that those things overshadow the true beauty of life and usually what is directly in front of us. I know I am guilty of this...

I learned something in church a few weeks back about how many people today do truly get so consumed in living this certain life that the world has etched for us...Girls must be a size 0 to be considered pretty or ever find love, whereas the guys must have big muscles, blond hair and blue eyes; your home must be filled with expensive decor to be of any value; you must make 6 figures in your employment to be considered 'successful.' When we do get caught up in all of that, we lose sight of anything that is right in front of us, often causing us to take those things or those people for granted. We forget to be thankful when we are provided with what is 'necessary' in life in order to get by or to survive because our minds are so set on thinking more is better and we always want more because what we have now is just never enough. Now I am not a hallelujah, praise the Lord kind of person, but I challenge each of us to try to be thankful and grateful for the beauty that God has placed in our lives, whether that was brought our way through certain people or certain moments.

I am blessed beyond words to have such an amazing family and support system behind me no matter what storms have found me in my life, causing all sorts of ruckus. Each of you reading this post is a very important person to me and my family and we are thankful for you. I am done ranting and raving and will move onto the pictures that I have slacked on posting. I promised many of you pics, so I thought this was easier than sending a million emails. There is our trip to Orlando to visit my Father and Lisa, Great Grandma & Great Grandpa's visit, Halloween and Maddie's Bday. I hope everyone is doing well! From our family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving and xoxoxoxoxo!!!

Happy Anniversary Justin..xoxo

Planting flowers with Great Grandpa

Kynsie impersonating Mommy working

Madison - Halloween 2013 - "Cat" from Sam and Cat on Nickelodeon

Happy 7th Birthday Madison

Madison's new room! Thanks to Nana and Pop...Ms. Maddie's teaching corner!

 

                                     

I said "make a silly face" and that was Kynsie's!