Thankful November: Week #3 & 4

Well hello again! Had to figure out a way around paying to upload photos to this little blog, and thanks to my sweet friend Heather, it has been solved....{If you are running into the storage limit error message, then check out her post on how to fix it easily!}

So, I realize its wayyyy past November, its already the 7th day of December {whoa!}, but I wanted to finish my thankful November posts. I'm kinda crazy like that. Got to finish what I start... plus I am still in a major Thankfulness mindset, because Ann Voskamp's Book One Thousand Gifts is still rocking my world. I am a really slow reader, and I keep re-reading. oh well, I'm seriously loving it!

"When I give thanks for the seemingly microscopic, I make a place for God to grow within me. This, this, makes me full, and I magnify Him with Thanksgiving."

-Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts

I am continually and constantly thankful for this guy and this gal, and to the God that allowed me to be their wife and mama. I pray He continues to stretch and grow me so that I am worthy of partnering with him, and guiding her. 

I am thankful for a warm day at the park for a another BIG Caroline First - swinging! It's not her favorite park activity... she much prefers the slide in someone's lap... But hey, she looked cute doing it :)

I am thankful for a girls craft night with sweet friends! Blessed and thankful for women to share pinterest ideas with, talk about recipes, gain mommy wisdom from, and walk through life with. This is priceless to me. 

I am thankful for christmas baking! {And Pinterest, lets just be honest, I am thankful for it!} These are chocolate covered nutterbutter reindeer that I made for our sunday afternoon decorating Chick-fil-A for Christmas. Yum! {and EASY!}

I am thankful for this girl's growth. While I would prefer to figure out how to slow down time, I am thankful for her health and happiness, and the fact that she is now pulling to standing! {The crib is now down low, thank goodness! The morning I went in and found her like this I almost had a heart attack thinking that she could have flipped herself over. Probably not in all reality, but in Mommy Brain world she could have!}

Thankful for Bella's playfulness. And for a sunday afternoon picking out a Christmas tree with my precious ones. It is a favorite family tradition. {I think Bella loves it most of all... our herding breed-city-dog, poor thing, was trying her hardest to herd these sheep who were already in their pin.}

Thankful for this girl's giggles. Music to my ears that I want to bottle up and remember forever. Giggles at Bella's barks, and Daddy's tree chopping, and Gram's photo taking, and Mama's silly goofiness. 

Thankful for playtimes. Pure Joy. 

Thankful that Christmas is on its way. Thankful for the craftiness that kicks into full swing in my brain during this time of year. 

And most importantly thankful for Emanuel. God with us. Thankful that HE is coming. Thankful for the reason for this advent season. 

"Joy is the realest reality, the fullest life, and joy is always given, never grasped. God gives gifts and I give thanks, and I unwrap the gift given: JOY."

-Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts

I am trying, unsuccessfully some days, to focus on the real gift this Christmas season, and to daily wake to unwrap God's free gift: Joy.

He has already given.

My gifts, and the Joy that they provide, are in front of me.

I realize the fullness of the Joy they provide when I simply give thanks to the Giver.


Be thankful sweet friends. Unwrap Joy.