Not your "Typical" I'm Thankful for list..

Saw this on another blog (McMommy) and wanted to give it a whirl...

1) Jim Carrey in The Grinch!

2) Silly Dancing and those who are brave enough to do it in the middle of Old Navy so I don't have to and so we can be entertained while working!!

3) My wonderful iPhone!

4) Frosted Windows - so dreamy!

5) My awesome rain boots that helped me trek through the ice/snow/frozen slush while taking pics today. (YEP IT SNOWED ON THANKSGIVING HERE!! OUR FIRST THANKSGIVING IN MO!!!)

6)Chapstick as my lips stay incredible chapped these days

7)Hot Chocolate!

Ok now for a more serious Thankful list:

1)Amazing Heavenly Father

2)Amazing Husband

3)Loving and Supportive Family and Friends

4)Our Job

5)The school Semester is coming to an end

6)Salvation, Forgiveness, Faith, Love, Hope, & Joy

We have had a great Thanksgiving Day full of Joy, Fun, Food, Ice/Snow, and Love...Thank YOU Heavenly Father for all of it!

2010 Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving & Holidays in general will be drastically different for us this year as we will be here in Missouri far from home, family, and friends.

There are many emotions that come along with this. I know this is where we are supposed to be and that it takes sacrifice and that we will get to see our family and friends shortly after the holidays. But the thought of not seeing our family on the holidays is very saddening. I see all around us those who are excited about this time of year because they are getting to spend time with their families and be apart of their life long traditions and it makes it a bit harder for me.

However, I have given it over to God. I know this is where we are supposed to be and that it helps us to appreciate our times with families so much more. So when the day comes that we get to head home a few days after Christmas I will be beyond excited!! I have not seen my mom in over 6 months and I have never been this far away or spent this much time away from her.

I am excited that we will get to spend Thanksgiving Day with my brother Daniel. I am glad that we are here so that he is not alone on the holiday. I am also excited to have Christmas morning to ourselves this year as well. I think we will definitely be making that a tradition when we have children! (Which will be in a few years after we graduate!!)

So our Thanksgiving this year will consist of:

Thanksgiving Day:

Work from 6am-11am

Thanksgiving meal with Daniel (Turkey & Dressing from Cracker Barrel, Mac & Cheese, Green bean casserole, & I am not sure what else yet)

Work from 8pm-6am Friday morning

Black Friday:

Get off work at 6am

Sleep

Chili/Iron Bowl Game @ 1:00 with Daniel and his girlfriend Chelsea

Back to work @ 11pm-7am Saturday morning

Saturday:

Get off work at 7am

Sleep & Relax the rest of the day

Maybe the Harry Potter movie & some School work!!

Sunday:

Worship service

Nap

Youth service

Back to school on Monday...ugh!! I am so so so ready for this semester to be DONE!!!

So that is our Thanksgiving this year. It will be different but it is where we are at and I really am okay about it!!

You know life changes, it doesn't stay the same, and God has us right where He wants us and that is the most incredible, Peaceful feeling.

Thank You Father for our lives that are submitted to You, Thank you for providing all things for us!! We love you and are most Thankful for YOU!!

Our life these days..

Work work and more work...

We are both working at Old Navy and next week (Thanksgiving week) we both are scheduled to work around 40 hours and many of those will be over night hours. It should be an interesting week!!!

Studying...the semester is nearing it's end...PRAISE THE LORD!!! However, with the end of a semester comes lots of projects, papers, and reading to finish as well as lots of studying for exams. I honestly have no idea how I am going to find time to get everything done!! I cannot wait for Christmas break!!! I am looking forward to next semester thought because I should have less reading to complete!!

Church...we have made steps to become more involved and I think it makes both of us feel much better. We have turned in our forms for joining the Children's Ministry team for January, Hubby has been asked to be on the security team, and we went to our first youth service tonight. We do not plan to over commit, we know our limitations, unfortunately work will limit us the most, but it sure does feel good to be getting involved again. We do not do well to just sit on the pew. Although we have truly enjoyed this time of rest and being in the Word together in the sanctuary!!

We had a visit from my parents and two precious youth girls from our home church (Tay & Val) last weekend and that was really really wonderful!! It was so wonderful to be surrounded by those who love us!! It has been around six months since we have been surrounded by people who loves us. We will get to see Hubby's dad and family in a few weekend as we travel a few hours south to Tennessee to attend his cousin's wedding. It will be so good to see them, I know it have been really hard for Hubby not to get to see his dad!! We can't wait to get home around New Year's to see all of our family and friends too!!! The time is getting closer and the closer it gets the more excited I get!! It will be completely refreshing and rejuvenating for us I know!!

I am ready to get the house decorated for Christmas but Hubby wants to wait until after Thanksgiving. So I am honoring that and waiting patiently. That will be our tradition to put up Christmas the day or weekend after Thanksgiving!! The holidays will be hard for us this year, being away from our families will be truly tough, the many hours at work will however help to keep our minds off of it!! I do feel sad though that Neesie and Mom both will have no children home for Thanksgiving. I know that will be very difficult for them. I am praying that not only will God cover our hearts during the holidays aways but that He will also cover their hearts and all of our families hearts as we are away for the holidays!! We love and miss everyone so much and truly are excited to get home to visit!!

So I have been growing my hair out and let me just say that...IT IS DRIVING ME CRAZY...I do not like having long hair it is too much work and I do not like it sitting on my neck. I cannot wait to cut it!! I hope to be able to do that soon!! I will have to post before and after pictures!

I have been drawing nearer to God again and that feels incredible!! It's all about making the time to spend with Him, in His presence and in His Word!! I just want to be consistent in that!!

I have also been spending a bit more time at the gym as well as many times that is the only way I can stay awake to read. So I go to the gym and get on the elliptical and read my school books or my bible. I am thankful for the double motivation to read and work out. I need both!! This is the heaviest I have ever been and it truly is getting very out of control, I need to get a handle on it now before I have to get myself on the biggest loser show to lose weight!! I do not want to see the scale at 200lbs and I am too close to that for comfort!! Speaking of comfort, nothing is comfortable at this weight except pj's and lounge wear!! And none of my dressier clothes fit so I live in jeans and t-shirts while out and pj's while at home. I know my sweet hubby gets tired of seeing the sloppy loungy me!! So I need to loose weight so that I can fit into some of my nicer outfits!!!

That is all of the catching up I have for now. I am going to go and snuggle with my Hubby and watch Narnia Prince Caspian.

Likes/Dislikes

Current Likes:

~The weekend with my family

~Coffee

~My fleece sweatpants and over sized hoodie

~The way my hubby looks at me with such love

~Christmas music

~Christmas decorations going up around town

Current Dislikes:

~My weight

~My lack of clothes that fit

~The way I look in pictures

~Wearing anything other than my fleece sweatpants and over sized hoodie

~ My hair

Update

Completely and utterly enjoying our time with my parents. So So Thankful for them, their love for us, and their support of us!!!

Reminders

These are a few things that I have been reminded of recently.

Some of these reminders came through amazing Godly women who I am so blessed to have as my friends and some came from God himself:

>God has us where we are to replenish us.

>I do not have to be that strong leader just now.

>"look at all of these moments and feelings as sandpaper. Friction that is hard and uncomfortable, but will smooth away something unpleasant and make it into something beautiful"

>Return to that place of depth with God

>Quality and not Quantity

>I am prayed for

>I am Safe

>I am not alone in these things

Thank you Father.

Things I am excited about

* TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA TONIGHT!!

* ITALIAN FOOD TONIGHT!!

* PARENTS VISITING NEXT WEEKEND!

* SWEET GIRLS VISITING NEXT WEEKEND AS WELL!

* GETTING TO TALK TO FRIENDS!

* FEELING BETTER!

* TSO TONIGHT!!!

* WORKING WITH MY HUBBY AGAIN!

* GETTING TO SPEND THE WEEKEND WITH MY PARENTS!!! I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE THEM!!!

* WORKING IN CHILDREN'S CHURCH AGAIN STARTING IN JANUARY!!

* THAT JESUS IS MY BEST FRIEND (even when I do not treat him that way - BOO ME!!)

My eyes are opening

I so understand why God wanted me to come to college. My eyes are being opened to so many things that have changed me and will change our ministry!!

I am excited to be here.

God is good...All of the time.