counting my blessings - november 10, 2013

number ten


i am thankful for a god who made all creatures great and small...and who gives perspective in the midst of chaos.

life has been closing in. harrison had scarlett fever, then a bout of strep throat. he's on his second round of antibiotics. graham had an mri of his brain (under sedation), and now has scarlett fever. he's on his first round of antibiotics. we've attended oodles of appointments, a birthday party was hosted, dinner plans cancelled, a husband out of town, a house that is a disaster, so much laundry, and somehow we are supposed to be on a flight to iowa in the morning. i have not packed one thing. i have not even planned to pack one thing. i have not even thought about planning to pack one thing.

i am thankful that just as i was texting jeremy "i am feeling completely overwhelmed...putting out too many fires lately", he was texting me these photos...

two very large moose were grazing just ten feet outside our treehouse this morning.

i am thankful for this gentle reminder that Beauty is always surrounding us.

i am thankful that even in the midst of all the closing-in things i can chose to look for it.

i am so very blessed.

counting my blessings - november 9, 2013

number nine


i am thankful for a god who gives us grace.

i am thankful i am reaching a place in my life where i'm finally coming to terms with the fact that it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful.

normally being a day behind on my "writing one thing each day" posts would drive me so crazy i'd just give up completely. if the numbers don't line up - posting my 9th blessing on the actual 9th day of november - it's not worth counting at all. i'm a bit of a perfectionist, no? but this time i'm showing myself grace. i'm letting go of the perfection. i'm continuing on in the journey, remembering that the blessings are always worth counting. remembering that it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful.

i am so very blessed.

counting my blessings - november 8, 2013

number eight


i am thankful for a god who puts specific people in our lives at specific times.

i am thankful for harrison's first grade teacher.

ms. johnson is so special. she has a quick wit, which harrison loves. she is goofy with the kids, which harrison loves. she has high expectations for the kids, which harrison loves. she's the kind of teacher who stays late every night, grades papers on weekends, uses her lunch hour to call concerned parents. she's the kind of teacher who, every single day, receives hugs from kids who were in her class years ago...kids who still think of her fondly and come back to say hi. she's the kind of teacher who even reaches the tough kids. she's the kind of teacher who bends over backward to help a sensory kid adjust to school, who allows him to crawl under her desk and hide out whenever he needs to, who schedules early morning meetings to learn more about what she can do to help him, who adapts her teaching to benefit him.

she's the kind of teacher i prayed for.

we are so very blessed.

counting my blessings - november 7, 2013

number seven


i am thankful for a god who heals. in lots of different ways.

i am thankful for therapists. speech therapists. occupational therapists. feeding therapists. cognitive behavior therapists. actually, let me rephrase. I AM SO STINKING GOSH DARN HUGELY OVERFLOWINGLY THANKFUL FOR THERAPISTS! I WOULD NOT MAKE IT IN THIS LIFE WITHOUT THEM!

the specific therapists who have touched our lives in order of appearance are: rachel ottley, stacey barnes, rachel ottley, juliana padilla, rachel ottley, bethany kortsha, and dr. matthew ver miller. 

i am so very blessed.

counting my blessings - november 6, 2013

number six

i am thankful for a god who made mountains.

i am thankful we live in the mile high city!

we have the best of everything here - from the city to the mountains, the museums to the trails. this is a boy's paradise...skiing and climbing and biking oh my! and it's paradise for me too...hiking and sunshine and no-make-up-and-yoga-pants-everyday oh my! 

i am so very blessed.

counting my blessings - november 5, 2013

number five


i am thankful for a god who gives rest.

i am thankful i was able to take a quick nap today.

and i am thankful i am able to crawl into my warm, cozy bed tonight at 8:30 and sleep peacefully.

i am so very blessed.

counting my blessings - november 4, 2013

number four

i am thankful for a god who cares about families.

i am thankful for my family. jeremy, harrison and graham make my daily life so rich.

i am thankful for my parents.

i am thankful for their long, faithful marriage.

i am thankful we get to go visit them next week!

i am thankful for my brother. he's influenced me more than he knows.

i am thankful he chose an amazing wife who is a joy to be around.

i am thankful my boys have two cousins whom they love very much.

i am thankful for jeremy's parents.

i am thankful for their legacy of long, faithful marriage too.

i am thankful they live nearby and are always willing to help with the boys.

i am thankful for jeremy's brother. 

i am thankful my boys have an uncle zach and aunt val who love them dearly and who are dearly loved.


i am thankful, too, for my grandparents, aunts, uncles & cousins (those still here and those passed on) who hold such a special place in my heart and who have filled my life with many fun moments. i am smiling just thinking of them.

i am so very blessed.