Thankful for MY TREE

With the house emptying out, I was looking forward to putting up our Christmas tree.  The kids love decorating it, though they never last through the entire process.  As we pulled out the ornaments and began hanging them on the tree, I was very thankful for the story behind each one.  

I have ornaments from students I taught years ago and I can remember their faces with each ornament.  I have ornaments from parties and exchanges.  I have ornaments from special friends and as I hang each one I say a little prayer thanking God for the influence they've had on our lives.  I have ornaments from our very first year of marriage when we put up our first tree and had nothing.  Some of my most treasured ornaments are from my Grandma.  When we were little she began collecting an ornament a year for each grandchild.  She was good about writing the name and year on each one.  The first Christmas I was married, she gave me a huge gift bag.  In it was each ornament wrapped up in tissue paper to carry on and use for my tree.  I love these ornaments!  Even though I'm not that old :) some look antique, some look cheesy, some are barely staying together now and some are awesome!  My kids love hanging them and looking at the years..."Mom you were alive in 1983!"  (Well yes, and much earlier than that too)  It's very nostalgic to hang these on the tree.  So I've started the same collection for my children.  Every year they pick out an ornament.  We put their names on them and the year and then each year when we decorate, we make sure they specifically get to hang their own ornaments.  One day when they are grown and married, I will pass them on to help decorate their tree.  They love picking out their ornaments.  Each one tells a little more about each child's personality or interests.  One day my tree will look very different as those ornaments move on to their homes, but for now it is splendid!

Thankful for GIRLS NIGHT OUT

So on Friday, Caleb and his brothers and Andrew enjoyed a little Top Golf with each other.  Us girls countered that with a night out.  We don't typically counter their golf outings but this year we did and it was fabulous!  Though our hopes were to see a movie, Skyfall to be exact, we knew the chances of staying awake after some of us had shopped all night  earlier were slim.  So we opted for dinner at P.F. Changs.  It was delicious!  The company...Nancie, Natalie, Margaret and myself.  The food...unbelievably good.  The setting... nice restaurant, no kids begging for chicken nuggets and fries, no messes to clean up.  Yep, it was relaxing!  So thank you boys for graciously accepting our counter and allowing us a quiet, relaxing night out.  Much needed and much appreciated!

Thankful for THANKSGIVING WITH FAMILY

Thanksgiving might be my one of my favorite holidays!  I love that so many people take a break at once and reflect on things they are thankful for.  I feel like for a small moment, there is peace,  no chaos, no selfishness, no hatefulness, no baggage.  I know I probably have a Norman Rockwall vision in my head, but it has been there for years and I refuse to let reality ruin my Thanksgiving.
This year was our turn to spend Thanksgiving with Caleb's family and since he was on call, they all came to our house.  I loved it!  You see, there's a Donna Reed/Martha Stewart side to me that loves to host a party and cook a huge meal.  When I was in high school I worked for  a local caterer and loved every minute of it!  I would love to one day own my own bakery or restaurant.  In the meantime, I just enjoy hosting a good party.
Caleb's family doesn't know this, but they truly did me a huge favor.  I was dreading the holidays in general because all I really want is for my Dad to just walk into the room and tell a corny joke and then wrinkle his eyes when he laughs at himself.  Knowing that wouldn't happen, I was anxious to go through the holidays this year.  I'm pretty sure God was taking care of me and that He knew Caleb would be on call and we would get to host Thanksgiving this year.  The distraction of getting to plan and host this day was a huge blessing to me.  Oh, Dad and I had our moments of reflection.  Many times leading up to and throughout that day I remembered all the things he had given me that I had to be thankful for.  But it was pure joy to host my in-laws on Thanksgiving this year!
Mom always says Dad invested more in people than in things or money.  As I stood in my living room giving thanks to our Father with my extended family, I took it all in and then in my heart made a pledge to follow my Dad's footsteps and invest more in people.  The return of investment in great!

Thankful for GIRL TIME IN THE KITCHEN!

On Wednesday, both Nancie and Natalie were here to help with Thanksgiving preparations.  I loved having their company as we pulled out party dishes, set tables, and baked.  But I think the most precious thing was watching my daughter Hannah jump right in and help us out.  She baked cookies, made place cards for everyone, and used her designers' eye to create our centerpieces for the tables.  They were beautiful!  I love that she is enjoying helping me in the kitchen and she definitely loves a party.  The company in the kitchen made my day and was good for my heart.

Thankful for ADOPTION!

We have been blessed to adopt two beautiful little girls, both were born in the St. Louis area.  We went through a domestic adoption program in MO.  Each adoption experience was a little different, and we learned different things about the character of God and his design to adopt us into His family.  I am thankful to live in a country where families can choose to adopt and go through a process that looks out for the best interest of the child.  I absolutely dreaded all the paperwork, and it was just as bad as I expected, but it was there for a purpose.  Our system, though not perfect by any means, is designed to first protect the child, but also to protect the families involved in the process.  I am thankful for families who have a heart for adoption and whether or not they get to the point of bringing a child home, they support others who do in many ways.  I am thankful for birthparents who choose adoption for their children.  I know that is an extremely difficult process but the sacrifice they make by carrying those precious lives to term and allowing another family to raise their children as their own is a sacrifice born out of love.  I am thankful that both of our families are so supportive of our adoptions and have embraced these girls with open arms.  I am thankful for my sister and her husband who have brought into their home two adorable boys (twins!!!) they hope to adopt soon.  I am thankful for families like the Pendergrass' who serve as foster families for infants as they wait to be placed in a home.  Both of our girls stayed with them and we are forever grateful for their immediate love and care of these babies.  I am thankful for the hope adoption offers for so many families!

Thankful for LESSONS FROM MOM

As I prepared for the Thanksgiving holidays and getting to host it this year at our home, I realized how very thankful I was for all the things my Mom taught me.  She has taught me countless life lessons, but today I am thankful for the practical, elbow grease, kind of lessons.  She taught me to clean, which was probably the hardest thing for her to teach me because of my lack of interest in it.  She taught me to cook and to host guests.  She taught me to organize and plan ahead.  As I made out lists after lists of things to be done, I was grateful I knew how to do them.  I am not a "cleanie" by any means but I know how to get a house clean when necessary.  I know how to cook well and enjoy cooking many things.  Cooking the turkey this year was exciting, not scary.  I love to host a party and I know I got that from Mom and all the times she hosted parties, open houses, and just had friends over.  As I cross things off my lists (that's the best part!) I try to make sure I am passing on some of these lessons to my children as well.  So thanks Mom for all those times you made me help you in the kitchen, made lists for me, and stayed on me to clean my room.  Yes, a clean house feels so good!

Thankful for VISITS WITH FRIENDS...

Day 18... I love when friends pop in!  But when they drive 7 hrs to come see you, that's the best!  In October the Martins came for a weekend to visit and on Sunday the Johns came to visit.  Both of these visits were so fun for all of us.  I love the conversations that fill the house and the laughter that echoes.  I love how it seems like no time at all has passed since we last saw each other.  I love that our friendships are rooted in our faith and because of that our friends are like family.  God has blessed us with many treasured friendships over the years.  I am thankful for each one and the role they have played in our lives.  God brings us friends to love us, to encourage us, to strengthen us and to challenge us.  Whether it's been years since we've seen you, or we saw you yesterday, we are so very thankful for each of you!

Thankful to BE CLOSE TO FAMILY

Moving is hard.  However, I have really enjoyed being so much closer to family.  We were able to enjoy a couple of days in Granbury for a friends' wedding.  That's something that 6 months ago we would not have been able to do because we lived too far away.  We've made a weekend trip to Lubbock for a Tech game and to visit Mom.  We've had Grandma and Grandpa stop by to visit on their way home.  We made a quick trip to Abilene to pick up a bookcase from my sister.  We've had Grandma come help with the kids and we've sent some with her for a weekend.  It has been good for us to see family so much lately.  Looking forward to more fun family get-togethers!

Thankful for the LEGACY OF MARRIAGE...

Day 16... I am thankful for the legacy of marriage in our family and the importance that is placed on it.  Thinking back on both my side and Caleb's side, we have a beautiful history of marriage, of two people loving each other through good times and bad, with a high level of commitment to making the relationship work.
I was especially mindful of this as I drove down to Granbury to help with a friend's wedding on Friday.  We all have friends around us whose marriages are hard, and for them, at that time, they see few options.  I ache for them.  I know marriages have rough seasons.  I know we are all capable of letting our guards down and making poor choices.  I know we all can get so busy with everyday life, we stop "working" on bettering our relationship and we smother any bit of a flame with schedules and selfishness.  I know at the end of the day there can be very little good left inside of you to share with your spouse.  But I also know the value of mustering up that last little bit of kindness, the last ounce of giving left inside and sharing it with the one you once committed to for better and for worse.
I've been deeply impacted watching my mom grieve the loss of my dad.  The love she has for him has oozed out of her soul in such ways that I'm sure have been natural for her but have been touching for me to see.  Hearing her say how much she misses him, not just having him around, but misses him--her best friend, her love-- has reminded me to not take these moments we've been given for granted.  She misses their conversations, their prayers together, their adventures and their routines.  As bad as that makes me hurt for her, it is so encouraging to know the status of their marriage after 39 years... it was very good.
Looking back on parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and many generations, our families have taken their marriage vows very seriously.  They have set beautiful examples for us to follow.  We've been blessed in the security of their integrity.  I love Gary Thomas' book, "Sacred Marriage".  I try on a regular basis to remind myself of this...
        "What is God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?  What if, as de Sales hints, we are to accept the "bitter juice" because out of it we may learn to draw the resources we need with which to make 'the honey of a holy life?'"
Marriage is beautiful and ugly, blissful and frustrating, thrilling and painful.  I will leave another piece of this legacy for my kids and grandkids someday and I pray it is as beautiful of an example as the ones laid out before us.

Thankful for ELECTRONICS!

I'm just as shocked as you that this made my 30 Days of Thanksgiving list, which by the way are in no particular order.  When it comes to electronics/gadgets/anything-that-beeps, I'm really pretty simple at heart.  I would be fine with a few basics and not have to mess with learning new systems and figuring out how to work something before it works me into a frazzle.  You probably wouldn't know that about me though, because I married someone who is the complete OPPOSITE!  Yep, he's the one who keeps up with the latest technology trends, anticipating the latest and greatest.  He's the one that several years ago when I mentioned it might be fun to have a DVD player for Christmas, went out and bought me - ME - an XBox because "it does so much more than just watch movies, but you can watch DVDs on it too!"  He's also the one who drools at the latest copy of MacWorld magazine.  Years ago, as we came into the cell phone world, I was always happy with the free phone.  They were way less complicated and I couldn't understand why you would pay for a phone when you could get one for free and what else you would need it for except to make calls.
And then the iPhone came out...
It was July 2007, the iPhone had been out about a month and Caleb had a fabulous idea.  "Let's each get iPhones for our anniversary."   Hmmm.  It's not the free phone.  This went against everything within me.  But being the good wife I am, and knowing how very happy it would make him, I gave in.  And within 24 hours I was hooked.
Today, I now live in the big city.  On pretty much a daily basis I am driving in traffic I'm not familiar with, going places I've never been to, and doing it confidently!  Before I head out, I can search my google maps (no, I have not upgraded my phone to the new map system) for whatever it is I am looking for.  I can plug the address into my built-in GPS in my van.  And I conquer traffic, detours and endless construction because of electronics.  Then I come home and blog about it on my Mac and Facebook with instant community.  I love my electronics!  And I love the man who has eased me into this world of wires and wireless and buttons and touch screens!  It's kinda fun.

Thankful for SARAH JANE!

Last year we received another blessing through adoption, our sweet Sarah Jane!  I love that her snuggles melt away the cares of my day and that she LOVES to snuggle.  Her laughter is contagious and her eyes light up when she sees a familiar face.  I love watching her toddle around following her sisters or brother and trying very hard to mimic everything they do.  I love that God gave her a desire to help others and she follows me around all day to "help" me with chores.  I love that when she goes to bed at night and we say a prayer with her, she holds tightly to my neck, but when I lay her down, she gently releases and smiles.  I am enjoying every day of watching her personality develop and love how God reveals a little more of who He created her to be!

Thankful for EDEN!

God placed in our hearts a call to adoption several years ago, and after an 11 month emotional roller coaster (maybe a post for another time), God gave us Eden in March 2009.  She has been rockin' our world ever since!  I am so thankful for the many things Eden brings to our lives.  She has the ability to make someone's day in a split second.  She is not intimidated or bashful and because of that is quick to share a compliment or kind word.  She interacts with people/strangers as if they're her best friend.  I love that she loves music, that she loves to praise, that she loves to laugh.  God added a completely different dimension to our family when He gave us Eden and I am so thankful for that!

Thankful for HANNAH!

Oh my sweet Hannah!  About 9 1/2 years ago we were blessed by the birth of Hannah.  I am so thankful for the sweet sister she is.  I am thankful that she loves to read and is excelling in school.  She is meticulous about the work she turns in.  When she does something, she desires to do it well.  I love that she is a helper by nature.  She loves to help her friends, her family, and people she doesn't really know.  We had such great hospitality at the hotel we lived at a couple of months ago and I made the comment that we should write them a note and tell the staff thank you.  Hannah suggested we also bake them cookies after we get settled.  She didn't let me forget that, and just last week she went with me to deliver the cookies she had baked for them.  I am so thankful God gave me Hannah too!

Thankful for ANDREW!

Almost 12 years ago I gave birth to a big (10lb 11oz to be exact) bundle of joy!  Andrew has enlightened our world ever since.  He loves to learn.  I love the random facts he will spit out about whatever we are discussing.  It blows my mind some of the things he knows.  I'm grateful for the leader he has become and his desire to lead fairly and with encouragement.  I love that he adores his sisters and they in turn think he is hilarious!  I am so thankful that he tells me about his days, the good and the bad.  I love that he has a tender heart for his friends.  I love that he will try new things and that he can figure out technology faster than I can spell it.  I am so thankful for the man of God he is becoming and I'm excited to see God using him in the days ahead.

Thankful for MY BROTHER & SISTER...

I've had the pleasure of spending a little bit of time with both my brother and my sister in the last few days.  We're all so busy with kids and families and work, it is rare we get to visit in person.  I have always appreciated each of them and have enjoyed watching what God is doing in each of their lives.  They have both chosen spouses who have loved them well and have shared their passion for Jesus.  I have 8 adorable, super smart nieces and nephews from them and can't wait to see what God will use them for in days to come.  I am thrilled to live closer to them and hopefully have a few more frequent visits.  I am thankful for the memories of home we have together and thankful for the way we take care of each other.  I am thankful for a sister who tries really hard to stay up late with us and brother who harasses her when she can't.  I am thankful for the laughter that inevitably fills the room when we are together.  I am thankful for the love they have for our Savior and the many ways they share that love with others.  I am thankful for the spouses they chose and the children they have and that we get to all be in this family together.

Thankful for MOM & DAD...

God put me into the hands of my parents about 35ish years ago.  Each day I can look back and find another reason to be thankful for my MOM & DAD.  Words from each of my parents creep into my mind on occasion and it floors me when I actually hear them come out of my mouth.  

I still feel like God took my Dad to heaven way too early.  I know He has a plan and He knows what He's doing, but my itsy-bitsy mind is certain I had more to learn from my Dad.  And I've watched my Mom walk each day of this journey since Dad went on to heaven.  She has carried herself with grace, she has been brave and she has been strong.  I know these days have been harder than she could've ever imagined but she has clung to her faith.  Dad would be so proud of her.

I'm headed west today, ready to love on and be loved by my Mom.  I love that as I grew older, we became friends.  I love that I still learn from her.  I love that I still learn from my Dad.  I love that one day we will be free from the pain of loss because they taught me about my Savior.  I love that their priorities were always love God, and love your neighbor.  Oh I'm so thankful for MOM & DAD!

Thankful I'm a MOM!

Not much else is can beat a hug from one of my kids followed up with an "I love you so much!"  Or as Eden would say, "I love you more better than cupcakes and ice-cream and macaroni & cheese!"  Every day I am so thankful I am a MOM.  Though, somedays I do have to remind myself how thankful I am.  God has made me a mom to four of the most beautiful kids who, for now, think I am the best mom ever.
Being Mom is the hardest job I've done.  It takes all kinds of knowledge, flexibility, creativity, patience, endurance, forgiveness, and elbow grease!  There are things I do everyday over and over no matter how I feel.  There are things I do only because my child needs/wants me to and as little as possible.  There are things I do that are downright hard, but they are the right things to do.  There are things I do that I never dreamed of doing that I love.

I have two children God gave to me biologically and two children God gave to me through adoption.  Each child, with their beautifully individual personalities, compliment each other to make up our family.  I am honored at the chance to raise warriors for the Kingdom, especially these warriors.  My job, hard as it may be, is the absolute best job in the world! So very thankful I'm a MOM!

Thankful for MUSIC...

So very thankful God gave us MUSIC!  For my entire life I think music has been an important part of who I am.  As a child, we listened to music while we cleaned house on Saturday mornings and we sang in the car on road trips.  I can remember laying on the floor in front of my "jam box" waiting for great songs to come on the radio so I could press record and forever have them in my cassette collection.  When my great-grandmother would visit she would always request that my siblings and I sing for her.  I love to sing, I love to dance, I love MUSIC!  If you spend much time in my house, you will hear music of all kinds from rap to country, from blues to bluegrass, hymns to contemporary Christian.
There are songs throughout my life that have had special meaning and I will cherish for very specific reasons.  The most recent has been "10,000" Reasons by Matt Redman.  In June, Caleb, the kids and I took a trip to California with my parents.  At the end of our trip, we attended my Dad's graduation ceremony from King's University.  That Sunday morning before graduation, we worshipped with the church that supported the university.  We sang that song a couple of different times during the service and I loved it.  I'm not sure if I had heard it before that, but I really loved the lyrics.  I was standing next to my Dad singing.  I had done this many times throughout my life, but this day I particularly remember thanking God for that moment to worship along side my Dad on such a special day.  If you knew him, you knew when he sang he worshipped from deep within his soul.  He held nothing back.
That night, at the graduation ceremony, we were blessed by the time of worship in the ceremony.  They set aside a special time to worship and praise the God that got them through the schooling they had completed and the God they had studied so intensely.  We sang "10,000 Reasons" again led by the same worship leader from that morning.  And again, it was good, this time worshipping next to my Mom.  Such joy that evening and pride in what my Dad had accomplished!  We had 10,000 reasons for our souls to sing...
I loved that song, and when I heard it on the radio the next week, it took me back to that time in California with Mom and Dad.  But 8 days from that graduation night, my Dad's earthly strength failed.  The end drew near for him and his time came.  I guarantee that Dad's soul sang the praises of his King unending, and will sing for 10,000 years and then forevermore!  This song has touched me like no other.  When I hear it, I have confidence my Dad is singing forevermore, I cry because his time came to soon for me, and I belt out from somewhere deep within because of all the 10,000 reasons my heart will find to praise Him.
God has blessed my soul over and over again.  I'm certain that weekend in California He gave me that song as a gift.  Oh, I know that song has been special to millions of other people, but that weekend, He gave it to me.  Music will always speak to me and I am so thankful for that!

Thankful for THE FREEDOM TO VOTE...

I voted today.  I worked out in my head the best option of the candidates available today and voted.  I chose, nobody chose for me or threatened me because of my choice.  I'm thankful for my FREEDOM TO VOTE.  We  live in a country where we get to choose a lot of what we do and think.  We can choose our career paths, we choose our mates, we choose our behaviors, we choose our religious beliefs.  We have access to unlimited information in the world and we get to make choices for ourselves based on that information.
Just because we get to choose doesn't mean there's always the best choices to choose from.  Sometimes you have to choose the better of the choices knowing it may not be the very best for the situation.  There's a lot to be changed in this country and I'm not convinced it's going to be changed by one man.  This country will be changed by each American stepping up to the plate of responsibility and owning their actions.  Americans will have to want better for each other and take care of each other before there's a need for the government to do so.  Americans will have to be respectful of each other and honor each other. As a country we will have to strive to thrive because we are all full of motivation and self-initiation, not wait in line and raise our hands for bigger handouts.  It has to be more important to each of us to serve than to be served.
The governmental system is not perfect or even fair sometimes, but every year I get to play a part in choosing that system along with every other registered voter in this country.  I am intrigued by the political arena.  I have a secret desire (well not so secret anymore) to jump in there and make things better.  I choose not to.  I choose to educate my children on the state of this union from home so that when their day comes they will have a foundation from which to base their vote.  And today I am thankful I get the opportunity to cast my vote for the direction I think this country should take.  Wherever you stand on your political beliefs, I do hope you appreciate your freedom enough today to vote.

Thankful for FAMILY TIME...

Day 4 of my journey to catalog my thanksgivings this year brings me to FAMILY TIME!  I love our little family, which many times doesn't feel so little.  I love just hanging out with them.  We've had some fun times doing that over the last few months.  We spent about a month in a hotel before we could move into our house and let me tell you, we had lots of family time there!  There really was no room for solitude, we were always together.  It was great hearing about the kids' first days at school and watching them interact with each other.
We enjoy playing games together, being outdoors together, reading together, and watching shows together.  Recently I introduced my kids to "A.L.F." via HuluPlus.  They LOVE it and have begged ever since that first episode to watch more.  So the other night we treated them to episode 2.  All 6 of us were snuggled up on our bed (our tv is the only one hooked up to watch Hulu) and laughed so hard at that crazy little guy.
I'm thankful I have the time to enjoying just hanging out with my family and watching them learn and grow.  I'm thankful for each personality in our family and how they contribute to our time together.  It's good every now and then to forget about the piles of papers, the laundry, the dishes and the cares of the world and just play with each other.

Thankful for my IN-LAWS...

So, I'm still behind  in my thankful posts but this one was from Day 5.  I'm thankful for my IN-LAWS!  Yep, you read that right.  I married into a beautiful family.  I have heard horror stories about friends who did not have a good relationship with their in-laws.  They quite frankly couldn't stand each other and family gatherings took all the self-control they could muster to be in the same room with each other.      I am sad that they miss out on the blessings another family can bring.
I knew early on I was dating a man that came from a very gracious family.  I will never forget, there was a time when we had broken up and I was just about as devastated over losing the relationship with his family as I was about losing him.  They have welcomed me as a complete member of their family, not just a partaker in family gatherings.  They have celebrated with me, mourned with me, bragged on me, shopped with me and laughed with me.
Caleb's parents and brother stopped in to see us Sunday afternoon.  I was experiencing a wave of sadness and self-pity that afternoon and Caleb asked if I would rather they all take the kids out that night and give me some time to myself.  Are you kidding?  I assured him it would do my heart good to be loved on by them and I was right.  I am blessed to have a whole other family I love, more brothers, more sisters, adorable nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, a precious grandmother and a beautiful couple who love me like their own.

Thankful for FACEBOOK...

I missed a couple of posts over the weekend, which means I have lots to be thankful for!  I'll try to catch up with the next few posts.  I am thankful for FACEBOOK!  I know that sounds so crazy and probably shallow, but keep reading.  I'll never forget my sister roping me into this world of Facebook about this time 4 years ago.  I was grieving a failed adoption.  We had gone to the hospital in St. Louis to bring home a sweet baby boy who had some medical pretty significant medical issues.  When we arrived, we learned that the baby was showing signs of being much healthier than was expected (Thank You Jesus!) and his biological parents could not part with him.  We can look back on that instance and be incredible grateful for God's sovereign hand, but during that time there was grief.  Rebekah had been on Facebook a little while and convinced me it would be fun to connect with a few people I hadn't heard from in years.

Oh My!!! I remember how addicting it was at first.  Do you remember those first few weeks when people would noticed you were on FB and would friend you?  It was exciting to see who in the world you could connect with from years gone by and what they were up to now.  This connection, this community of people who at one time or another had influenced me, was a huge blessing during the valley I was walking through.  And they had no clue!

I've watched over the years since, and I've witnessed community coming together over and over during times of hurt and loss, celebration and accomplishments.  I've watched friends shower words of encouragement and love over the loss of someone special.  I've seen people struggle through sickness and have thousands of friends and complete strangers praying for them all across the world.  I've seen hundreds of sweet adorations over new baby pictures and hundreds of Birthday well wishes.  I love that friends ask for prayers and I get the opportunity to pray for friends I would've never otherwise had.  

I love the community that FB provides.  I DO believe that a live-in-person hug is way better than a "Like" and so I will never give up dinners with friends, parties, and random pop-in visits.  But I am so thankful for a FB community that allows me to keep up with friends and family in ways I would've never had the chance to.  

Thankful for CALEB...

I just got the most hilarious text from my husband and I am still laughing over it.  A little bit of background (so that the text is just as funny to you)... several months ago my son was having fun with SIRI on Caleb's phone and told her, "from now on, call me Captain Awesomeness".  SIRI replies with, "OK I will call you Captain Awesomeness".  The kids thought that was so funny and I'll admit it gave me a good laugh too.  Since then Caleb has repeatedly told SIRI to quit calling him Capt. Awesomeness, call him Caleb.  The greatest thing is, she complies for a short time and then within a week, she's back to her favorite nickname...Captain Awesomeness.  SIRI is not timid or easily embarrassed, she refers to him this way any time, any place.  She records his nickname in his "Contacts" in his phone so that when he shares his contact information with others, Captain Awesomeness is there for the world to see.    As an onlooker, and adoring wife, I think it's hilarious, but I do see how it can be inappropriate or incredibly awkward when he shares his contact information professionally.
Today he set out to the apple store to have one of their "geniuses" correct his contact information and take Captain Awesomeness out of his life forever.  Here's the text I got:
"Just went to Apple Store to try to fix Siri.  The guy at the Genius Bar said sorry can't help you Capt. Awesomeness."
Oh babe, I'm so sorry!  But don't you know they had a good laugh when he left the store.
As funny as this is, he has no clue how much I believe the nickname is quite fitting.  This particular year has been very hard for us all emotionally.  He has lead our family through joyful seasons and he has lead our family through grief.  He plays with us and he works with us.  He provides for us and he teaches us to give.  He has shown me grace over and over and picked up slack when I felt I had nothing left to give.  Through all the "bigs" in my life I have thought to myself, "I am so glad to have Caleb with me through this."  Through the "everydays", I don't want to share them with anyone else.
Marriage is hard.  It is continuous work, no vacations.  It has challenged me to be better, do better, live better and I couldn't appreciate it so much if it was rosy.
I met Caleb 19 years ago.  I thought he was pretty awesome then.  We've been through LIFE since then.  We have experienced some pretty amazing events and we've walked through the valleys, but always together.  He is my Captain Awesomeness and I thank God we get to share LIFE together!

Thankful for HOME

Today I begin a 22 day countdown to one of my favorite holidays... Thanksgiving!  And what better way to countdown than to recognize a few of the countless things I have to be thankful for.  Today I'm beginning with HOME.  I am thankful for home because that's where "family" happens, where we nurture each other, where we are most vulnerable and most comfortable.  
As a Mom, this is so important to me to make sure home is a good place for my family to come to at the end of a long day, that it is a safe place filled with joy and laughter and rest.  I take my job of creating this home very seriously.  
This year, our housing situation has been in a bit of an upheaval.  We knew in the spring we were moving to TX, so we began the process of sorting and trashing and packing.  For many weeks our house in MO was "out-of-sorts".  Games, books, toys, and so much more were all packed away.  Our trampoline had been vandalized and we didn't rush to repair it because we were moving.  There were many days our kids had to stretch their imaginations to find something to do.  
Between trips to TX to look at houses, planned vacations, and unexpected trips to TX when my Dad died, we spent many nights in hotels.  But nothing quite like our extended hotel stay when we actually moved down here and our house wasn't ready.  We spent almost four weeks at Homewood Suites (which is a fantastic place if you have to be somewhere that long).  During that time, I longed for home, for the feeling of security and comfort, consistency and familiarity.  I longed for a place to go to at the end of the day and snuggle in and call HOME.  
Well, we're not completely settled by any means but we have reached a place where we can now call it HOME.  I can call it home because of the familiar comforts that fill each room of the house, because of the laughter that has seeped into the walls, because of the tears that have covered the floor, because of the love that lights up each room.  But more importantly I can call it home because of the family that lives here with me growing together, sharing together, longing for that mansion in the sky together.  I'm thankful for HOME...