Thanks 272/365

I am thankful that my husband appreciates a clean house. I am glad my kids have grown up appreciating a clean home and are now seeing what it takes to make that possible. I am also grateful to be able to pay them and teach them the value of hard work. Isaac picked up poop, scrubbed the bathroom, including tub, counters, floor and toilet. He also mopped the downstairs. Abigail polished all the cabinet fronts, cleaned all the light switches, and did laundry. I pray that they take these lessons with them into adulthood.
As bonus, we got to visit with Gramma and Papa in a very clean house.

Thanks 271/365

I am thankful for nights that are hard, the ones where you are so tired you say things you might not normally, cry a bit, and learn to rebuild and restore what it broken. Yes, in every good marriage there will be fights. Our kids watched part of movie without mom and dad because being one can be hard, even very hard. I am thankful for a God who heals, a God who helps mends wounds, a God who gives us a new day. I am thankful that what is impossible with men is possible with God. He keeps us united. We trust Him to guide, to restore, and to make stronger...for that I will always praise Him!

Thanks 270/365

Thankful for :

*Free golf passes to use on the last day in the 80s in PDX of 2017

*A surprise family picture from Rick and Linda

*An awesome school picture with a great smile that Isaac took today

Thanks 269/365

Sometimes the things we should be the most thankful for is the stuff we most take for granted. Today, we were really thankful for a new water filer. When you put in a new filter, you have to run through 2 gallons and dump it. It looks pretty gross.

Much of the world doesn't have access to water as clean as the water that comes out of our tap. In addition to that, they often have to travel far to get that potentially dangerous water. We push a button on our fridge that offers cold, filtered water and two different kinds of ice options to go with it. I am grateful for water!

Thanks 268/365

I am happy that Isaac has a dad to treat him like a young man and do "guy things" with. Today he took him to SportsClips to get a man hair cut (one mom would not have allowed if she was there). He went to bed happy and ready for picture day.

Thanks 267/365

I am so grateful for our church family. I am thankful Isaac is now in the middle school group with Bickle and friends he has grown up with. Today, I am especially grateful that they were gracious to me when I forgot Isaac has a trip to the corn maze. They allowed me to sign up over the phone and drive him there because we missed the bus. He thought it was really fun tromping through the maze in the dark by flashlight. Glad we made it.

Thanks 266/365

Thankful for a day with other moms to celebrate a birthday. It's comforting to be with a group of women who love Jesus and are going through similar life struggles. We are all in this together. It was also great to celebrate AnneMarie.
...and we got come good laughs in taking pictures.
...and I am thankful for new shoes!

Thanks 265/365

Thankful for the new high school that my be in our kids' future!

Thanks 264/365

Thankful for clean teeth, being able to suggest BSF to the girl at the front desk at the dentist, 25 cents for a Redbox, and belly laughs as a family during Captain Underpants ("Poopypants").

Thanks 263/365

I am grateful for being so in love with my husband. I am happy that I find him attractive and he works so hard to be desirable to me, both physically and with how he treats me. I love that even a drive down to the outlet mall to use our coupons could be so nice. I am thankful for his kindness, his devotion, his faithfulness, and his kisses. I am also thankful he makes me awesome sushi, helps with laundry and steps in with the children.

*Side note: I got to grade math pre-tests in Abigail's class. It's fun to discover that she is at the top of her class. She is smart and she is working hard.

*Though I didn't enjoy Isaac having a bad reaction to sesame oil, I am super thankful for medicine and an inhaler tonight! Isaac is thankful for that too...and for his new Chrome Book he got from school.

Chris says he is thankful for the following (and even shared it on FB):
"We just dug out this picture on the left, which was taken in 2001 (prior to kids). The picture on the right was taken a couple of months ago. Through hard work and eating right, we were able to lose over 30 lbs each...and keep it off. No magic pill or supplement, just hard work and eating right. Our kids were amazed by the difference. We reminded them it just takes disciplined, consistent, purposeful, choices that are driven by long term goals more than our desires in that moment (which, honestly, include the desire to sleep in, instead of working out and eating chips right out of the Costco bag instead of a salad)."

Thanks 262/365

Thank you, Lord, for guarding our son during pouring rain, pelting hail, and bolts of lighting while he was outside of his school looking for Dad's work, heading in the wrong direction. I am grateful that he was completely fearful, but managed to make a good decision and return to the school. I am thankful for our phones that lead us to him. I pray that he learns from today and chooses better in the future.

In the midst of that, I am happy we were able to make it home to Abigail and take her to the American Girl club at the library. I love that she loves that. I am happy Aubree and Kalya were together with her making really neat pencils wrapped in washi-tape.

Thanks 261/365

I am thankful for my parents and them being close enough to spend time with our family. I am thankful that my mom is getting fit and that they are healthy enough to travel and enjoy their retirement. It was a privilege to drive them to the airport as they left for Kauai.

Thanks 260/365

I am thankful for studying Romans. It's encouraging to see Paul, a "zealous" doer, be changed to a humble bondservant who eagerly, persistently prays for others and patiently trusts God's leading and direction. I pray that I grow in that this year. I pray that I am more earnest in prayer, especially for my family.

Chris is so thankful for a card he got from one of his staff that thanked him for being a faithful, godly leader. It is so encouraging for Chris to be affirmed that God is using him at work. He has a means of providing for our family, but the Lord is using him eternally.

Thanks 259/365

Thankful for a Sunday, fun day, with the Opfermans. I love how creative Isaac and Johnny get when they are together (making videos) and how imaginative Kayla and Abigail are (dancing/dressing up).

Thanks 258/365

I am thankful for a day with my kids, even though we did not get to fly in the planes as we expected to. It was exciting to have Isaac to have his very first ice cream at DQ after his blood test said he is not allergic to dairy. I also adore my little girl, "Gracie Gail", who got her very own library card. She has proven herself very responsible. Not only that, but she puts on a great show for us almost nightly. Tonight she used the Muppets CD and performed "...she built this city on rock and roll!!!"

Chris is thankful for a night with the guys for "football, fellowship & feast." It's so rare that he gets that time, and when he does it's special and memorable.

Thanks 257/365

Great job, Isaac, on getting your blue belt! It makes me so happy to see you push yourself out of your comfort zone by raising your hand to demonstrate your series of kids in front of the parents and students during testing today. I love that of all the students, you were one of the 3 who was picked to have their papers read aloud about what you are proud of accomplishing. Keep pushing yourself for the glory of God. We will be be at your side all the way!

As a side note, I appreciate Abigail's endless humor she brings to our life...dancing photo-bomb at Menchies, silly pictures during testing, and how she doesn't understand why models make weird expressions with their mouth open instead of smiling.