Giving Thanks

She's cute. I'm a dork.

Took baby to the big park by the community center. We ride our bike and wear our helmets. She is so good about getting her seat belt on and wearing a helmet. She amazes me how chill she can be about things that could so easily cause a melt down. Not saying she doesn't have those but she's easily distracted so they don't last too long.

Mixy Mixy! She says this any time she wants to help in the kitchen. She does all the mixing :)

Enjoying the fruits of their labor...

So thankful for these goofballs

She LOVED this. I haven't had to plop her in the sink in a long time but she got into something (I'm writing this post 4 months later so I can't remember what she got into! Bet it was either paint or some kind of poop issue.) But she loved this so much and still asks for sink baths.

A favorite snack...avocado cubes with pretzel sticks. Yum!!

Now onto Thanksgiving day. We spent it with Jake and Jinny at their beautiful home in Springdale. Jake fried the turkey and we had all the sides. We played ping pong on their new table and laid around afterwards with big full bellies. 

We played croquet for the first time and Jonah spent about 45 minutes building the last obstacle. It was so hard to get the ball over!! But so much fun. Their backyard is huge and they have big plans for a pool and hot tub! 

There's not a day that goes by that I don't feel grateful. Mostly for my family but also I'm grateful to be alive and have a future that I look forward to. Watching my babies grow and imaging what is to come. It's simple and pure and it's all I really need. These last few years have been the toughest I've ever experienced but also the most joy as well. It's overwhelming when the two worlds collide but if I've learned anything it's that nothing is permanent. Nothing lasts forever. I used to not know that or believe that I guess but I do now. It truly makes each day a tad sweeter with this realization. 

I'm so thankful for the people in my life. I would be nothing without them. I'm so thankful for Justin for being my best friend. I'm thankful for my brothers and proud of the men they've become and will become. I'm thankful for my mom who I love so much.

Sweet simple thankful memories:

Hearing sweet Jojos voice tell everyone in the house "I miss you! I miss you!" even when she saw them 2 minutes ago

Snuggling louie after a grooming session and smelling her sweet clean smell. She is always so snuggly and lets me hug her as long as I want

Listening to Jonah call Justin "dadda" and hearing their long conversations about minecraft

Sitting on the couch only to suddenly be sat upon by Jonah and then JK senses a cuddle sesh and comes running in from another room demanding her spot on my lap and then little one smells out hugs and kisses and comes bolting in and jumps on top and then I get all the love from all the babies and it's the best feeling in the world.

Making popcorn on a Friday night while the kids build their pallet and seeing them snuggle in together

Crawling into bed at night after just putting clean sheets on 

The first sip of coffee in the morning..mmmmm

Going on a long run when the temperature is perfect and the feeling of gratitude and pride that overtakes me. I have come a long way.

Each moment we have is a gift from God and I am constantly reminded of that. I am a work in progress and I am thankful that each day is a chance to start over and be better.