Oh give thanks....for He is good!

Have any of you been keeping up with the thankfulness challenge that is floating around on Facebook? The challenge is to express your thanks for your blessings for the thirty days of this month. I have not been a good example of this, but I am resolved to do better and I would encourage you each to develop a more thankful spirit as we move into this blessed time of year. Today I am thankful for one of the most challenging parts of my life right now: my job. I had a long, tiring week at work. There were many ups and downs; many uncertainties and discomforts. But my Lord was always there and He reconfirmed daily that I am in the center of His will. Thank you Lord for your faithfulness.

I'm thankful for other things, too. Peanut found her toes this week. She started eating cereal last week and peas this week. I introduced her to solid foods earlier than I wanted to but she is always grabbing for my fork or my phone or anything that was on her eye level and shoving it in her mouth. It seemed like it was time. She loves cereal! She hates peas! I'm not pushing her to go after solid foods just yet. Thankfully, she still has time and I am very grateful that I am still able to provide all her nutritional needs through nursing. This is a great blessing and provides many wonderful bonding moments for us. I'm so excited to watch her grow and learn.

 At my husband's request, we set up our Christmas decorations this week and it was a special bonding moment for all of us as I pulled out the ornaments I have collected over the years and reminisced over where each one came from. I told her about the ornaments my parents got for my first Christmas, the Life Saver man I made for my Grandma when I was 5 that was recently returned to me, and the ornaments I made on arts and crafts days when I was being home-schooled or part of the Girl Scouts. I told her about the ornaments Dearest and I received for our first Christmas together, which was also the day of our engagement! Traditions and memories are so important and are such an integral part of building a solid foundation for our children.

In other news, please check out all the new exciting things that are going on over at
http://proverbs14verse1.blogspot.com/2012/10/celebrating-new-look-giveaway.html#comment-form. They have a new blog design and are hosting a wonderfully inspirational giveaway, which includes some delightful treasures. Who wouldn't love to have a beautiful Lilla Rose flex-clip AND a free blog critique from Wise Woman Consulting AND a DVD of a recent interview with America's Top Mama, Michelle Duggar, on the art of Hospitality? Visit the site, read the reviews, enter the giveaway, and prepare to be impressed with a Godly perspective on womanhood. Whether you win or not, you won't be disappointed!

Peanut is asleep and Mama and her Dearest are rapidly losing the fight to stay awake, so off to bed we should go.

Coming Up Soon: pictures from our recent trip to the apple orchard and pumpkin patch with my dear friend Sharla and her son, as well as my Mother's dee-licious recipe for applesauce! I'll give you a little advance notice - no measurements are required :-)