20DOT - Day 3

Today I am thankful for Sophie Lee

This child brings LIFE to this place ... to this world.  

Seriously, no one makes me laugh as hard as this girl.  She is stinkin HILARIOUS!

No one appreciates life like she does - she finds joy and fun in even the most mundane parts of life.

No one has moves like Sophie - even as an infant, baby girl could bust a MOVE!

NO ONE but Sophie would help be chase a puking cat through the house trying to get the dadgum thing down into the basement so the carpets would be safe!!! 

(yes ... this actually happened, in this house, just this morning)

This girl is joy, music, adventure and rhythm ... all in one sweet little body!

Oh, the Blessing she is to me!!!

30DOT - Day 2

Today I am thankful for one Miss Hattie Grace Beverly

Eight years ago today ... well, the story starts a little earlier than that ... 

I've told the tale before - HERE, if you want to read it...

But ... eight years ago today, a case worker came to our door with a tiny toe-headed baby girl. And our lived were forever changed.  This poor sweet baby was angry, she was scared and scarred and hurting and broken ... but then God.

God healed her with His love ... He healed us all. 

This road with this girl has had it's twists and turns and pot holes and flat out rollercoaster like drops - many of which took us by COMPLETE surprise!  But our God knew and He led us through ... truth be told, He CARRIED us through.

Hattie my love, you have made your mama a better person. You taught me how to love. You taught me how to be selfless. You taught me how to face adversity with strength and grace. 

I have had adventures with you that I would have NEVER seen coming. Adventures that I would not trade for anything in this big wide world.

I see you face challenges head on and come through them without even blinking and I wonder where you get that tenacity - oh my girl, God has made you strong. He has a plan for you my love. I cannot wait to watch it all unfold.

I know things get hard for you - harder sometimes than it should. I would give anything to take on those hard things for you. I really would. But, my sweet girl, I would never ever, EVER change who you are. 

Because you are sunshine and light, laughter and love, dirt and divine, stubborn and strong, sweet and soft, loving and lovely, charming and charmed. You are strength personified. YOU are YOU ... and that is enough.  SO much more than enough.

Being your mama has Blessed me in more ways than I could ever even begin to explain.

I love you Hattie Grace ... always and forever.

Happy Hattie Day!!!

30DOT - Day 1

Thirty Days of Thanks!!!

I've heard tell that November is a month in which people attempt to blog each and every day of the month.

I've also heard tell of November being a month in which people share something for which they are thankful for each and every day of the month.

I've also heard tell that some (very lazy) people choose to combine these two activities during the month of November.

(I may or may not have made that last part up ... I ALSO may or may not be said (very lazy) person)

So, here goes:

Day 1 - Today I am thankful for a man who loves me well enough to tell me when it's time to just stop.

This morning, as I awoke with no voice what-so-ever, in a bedroom full of laundry (some waiting to be put away, some piled high waiting to be cleaned, and some somewhere in the middle - begging for the sniff test to decide upon which pile it shall be tossed), above a kitchen with a dishwasher full of clean dishes and a sink full of dirty, next to a living room full of toys begging to be put away, furniture begging to be dusted and a floor BEGGING to be vacuumed,  this man took one look at me and told me to get the girls off to school and then get back in bed.

**ahem**

Did I mention that my house was ... IS ... a mess?

As in unfit for human occupation mess?

Yeah.

But, he did not care. He looked at his wife and saw someone sick and downright weary and he took pity.

He chose me over clean.

Oh how I love this man of mine.

So thankful...