Day 7 of Gratitude

1. I am grateful for the police officers who patrol our campus and make walking downtown in the dark a little safer.

2. I am grateful for my car that not only provides me with transportation, but also with heat, music, directions, and comfort.

3. I am grateful for my arms that allow me to throw Bianca up in the air as she squeals with delight, cradle Alex as she drifts peacefully to sleep, wrap Harry in love and affection, and fully embrace my wonderful family and friends.

Day 6 of Gratitude

1. I am grateful for the fact that I live in America and have the right to vote.

2. I am grateful for the heat, coat, gloves and hat that kept me warm this morning and will continue to do so all winter long.

3. I am grateful for 95.1 Shine FM.  I love having a Christian radio station in Baltimore that helps me have church in my car every day.

Days 4 & 5 of Gratitude

Sunday
1. I am grateful for my BFF Stephanie, who is a wonderful source of support in my life.  She is one of my soulmates and one of the few people I know I could call at 3 AM.
2. I am grateful that my mom is able to watch my girls while I'm at work.  It gives me a sense of peace I might not have otherwise.
3. I am grateful for second, third, fourth, etc.... chances.  It's never too late to pick yourself up and start over again.

Monday
1. I am grateful for my boss, who makes coming to work a little easier.
2. I am grateful for my staff, who work hard and feel comfortable enough to share their personal stories with me.
3. I am grateful for purple office supplies, which just make me happy.

Day 3 of Gratitude

1. I am grateful for our home that is filled with love, laughter, and mess from a happy toddler.  It provides us with comfort, warmth, security and keeps us safe from the storms outside.

2. I am grateful for my church whose mission is to help people find their way back to God in a loving, hospitable, approchable way. 

3. I am grateful for the wonderful children's ministry at CCC that follows the Orange cirriculum and helps me better minister to my girls.  Hopefully they will come to know Jesus and have a fulfilling walk with Him because of this strong foundation.

Day 2 of Gratitude

1. As I sit at work with a grumbling tummy, I am grateful for the fact that I don't know what true hunger feels like.

2. I am so grateful that Father God hears me and allows me to have a relationship with Him even though I don't deserve it.  I am grateful for my Savior Jesus who makes that relationship possible.  I am grateful for the Holy Spirit who continues to live in and among us.

3. I am grateful for the Word.  With it, I will never be lost.  I will always have hope.

With a Grateful Heart

In this post, my friend Chelle challenged her readers to join her in 21 Days of Gratitude.  Taking the idea from Chance Scoggins, she will be following three simple rules:

1) For 21 straight days, name three things you're grateful for.
2) You can't repeat yourself in that time.
3) You must be specific. (Rather than saying, "I'm thankful for my health," say something like, "I'm thankful I was able to run around with my kids today.")

I love this idea, so I will be joining her in giving thanks over the next 21 days.

Today, I am grateful for:

~ The fact that our state escaped fairly unscathed from Hurricane Sandy.
~ My beautiful daughters who add more joy to my life than they'll ever realize.
~ My loving husband who is a great father and the rock of our family.

What are you thankful for today?

Starting Over Again

My status on Facebook today reads, "It's a new month.  Perfect time for a fresh start!"

I can't give proper credit for this image because I found it on several websites.  Apologies to the artist!!

I feel like I am heading into a new season in my life.  First, I am now a mother of two.  I am still figuring out what the perfect dynamic should be - how to split my attention and affection in a way that meets both of my girls' needs, as well as those of my husband.  It will be even more challenging now that I am back to work.

I am finally vested in my church's MOPS group.  I have been a member since 2010, but up until now I haven't been fully committed.  After evaluating all the activities and friendships in my life and pruning as a result, I realized that the relationships with these amazing Godly women I am surrounded by need to be nurtured and made more of a priority.

I am also finally committed to my church.  I loved it the moment I first visited two years ago, but I was emotionally torn by some conflicting guilt I had regarding my religious upbringing.  Earlier this year I felt compelled to go back to the church of my youth, mainly to explore the feelings I was struggling with.  After a few months, I realized my decision to move on from there was the right one for both me and my family.  Without a doubt, CCC is my church home now, and I look forward to growing in Christ there.

I will be discovering what work feels like for me now.  When I earned my promotion, I was already 6 months pregnant.  I admittedly wasn't truly focused and didn't give 100% to my new position.  Now that my leave is over, I need to concentrate on being a great manager and reassure my boss that she didn't make a mistake by hiring me.  But I need to do this with care and balance, knowing that I have workaholic tendancies.   

My BFF Steph and I will be venturing out on a new wellness journey next month.  We are working out the details now, but I am very excited about it.  I saw a quote on a friend's Facebook page that said, "There are 9 months until summer.  A new person is born in 9 months."  What a great sentiment!!  I can't wait to celebrate the birth of the new me.  (Of course, fitting back into my pre-pregnancy pants is my first goal!)

After a brief bumpy period with my hubby, I feel us coming back together again - our relationship stronger than ever.  He is truly a wonderful man, and I am so grateful that he puts up with me!  I am falling in love with him all over again and am committed to taking better care of our marriage.

I also hope to be better about writing.  I've neglected this blog and my journals for far too long.  (I know, I know - I always say that and never follow through!)  But it really does help to keep me balanced.  As my friend Chelle puts it, writing is free therapy!

So here's to a new season and a fresh start.  Isn't it wonderful to know that it is never too late to start over again?