Today I am thankful for the evenings we spend together as a family. I have always been painfully aware of how quickly the kids will grow up and how fast they change. Consequently, we spend a LOT of time at home, on the floor, playing. I love our evenings at home. It is the time where I get to watch my kids interact with each other, I get to watch Reed’s imagination grow, and spending those few hours of quality time help me to feel more confident in my decision to go to work everyday.
Day 9
Today I am thankful for the love between my two kids. This morning I went in to get Reed up and heard him talking. As I walked around the corner I realized he was in Alison’s room. He had climbed up on her crib (not what I wanted to see) and had his hand in her bed. He was laughing and saying ‘Ali, Aa-li, Aa-liii’. They were both laughing and so happy to see each other. I wish I had a picture of this, but I don’t.
I love their relationship so much and I can’t wait to watch it grow as the years pass. Love, love, love those two sweet kids!
Day 8
Today I am thankful for an actual day of rest.
Now that we are home I can specifically say that we have been in Colorado on vacation the last week. We flew home yesterday and today Randy and I took the day off to recover from vacation. The kids went to school today because they are both routine oriented kids. They were both SO happy to go back and play with their friends. This left an entire day for Randy and I to hang out, hit the grocery store, go see a movie and eat lunch together. It was an awesome day capped off by Randy’s softball game where we got to play with friends and run around. What an awesome day!!
Estes Park, Colorado
We have been home from vacation for over a week and I am just now getting around to writing a post about it. Life is just busy…which is why we needed a vacation in the first place!
Vacation was truly vacation this time. We packed up the kids and got on a plane with my parents and headed for Denver. The 6 of us rented a house in Estes Park for 5 days and went with no plans and no agenda. It was wonderful. We stopped at a grocery store on the way into town and bought all of our food for the trip and then headed for the house. The day we arrived Estes Park got 6 inches of snow. Awesome. Neither of the kids had ever seen snow before. (As you would expect, they weren’t that excited about it. It’s wet and cold).
Aside from taking a day trip to Rocky Mountain National Forest, there really was no agenda. Randy and I got to have a date night while my parents watched the kids, but the rest of the time was pretty free-flowing. The only thing on the schedule was to take a dip in the hot tub once the kids were asleep every evening. 🙂
Here are some pictures below, but check out the full Picasa album for more.
Day 7
Today I am thankful for my church and my church family. We have missed church 2 weeks in a row and I feel a little out of touch and lost. Feeling this way has made me realize how much I depend on the support and help from our friends. I love attending church because of the specific connection I feel with God when I am there. I also love the way our pastoral staff challenges the congregation each week. I don’t just go to church to worship, but I also go to learn, to fellowship, to serve and to be filled. I get all of those things on a weekly basis and I can’t wait to get back to church next Sunday!!!
Day 6
Today I am consiously thankful for my incredible husband. I don’t know how women raise children on their own or with a partner who doesn’t WANT to be a Dad. When I spend time around other dads that aren’t as committed or as happy to be a Dad as Randy…it makes me appreciate him SO much more!
Randy is unbelieveably helpful with feeding and changing and playing and bathing and putting the kids to bed. The best part is that he WANTS to do all those things.
Randy, when I chose to marry you I knew I loved you and we would be great partners for the rest of our lives. What I didn’t know was how fantastic of a Dad you would be.
Day 5
Today I am SUPER thankful that I was out of the state and unable to watch yet another epic Aggie Football meltdown. I was so excited about this football season, and now I am just excited for it to be over. Next year we get to play in the SEC and at least we should rightfully lose to those teams!!!
Day 4
Today I am thankful for my job. My job is quite stressful and intense…but I really enjoy it. I have been doing the same job for 2 years and I’m ready for something new, but I still enjoy it.
The real reason I am thankful for my job today is because I am not at it!!! Today I am thankful for a vacation from the humdrum of everyday life. Today I am thankful that I have a good education that allowed me to get a good job…with a good vacation allowance!!! I can’t wait to show the pictures of what we have been up to the last few days 🙂
Day 3!
Today I am thankful for a day of rest. We have been going full speed ahead for too long and we are fully enjoying today with the kids and my parents.
Day 2
Today I am thankful for sleeping kids. Reed fell asleep on me and at the same time Alison was asleep on Randy’s lap. I was in complete Heaven. Love my sweet family!