Thankful Series Continued…Short Week

Today I am really thankful for a short work week. I was sick yesterday and my boss is letting us off at noon today. So I really only worked about a day and a half. Hooray. But the reason I am so thankful is that this morning is the last morning for the week I have to take Charlot to daycare. She loves it there but I love lazy mornings with her and the hubs. I cannot wait to sleep in tomorrow morning relax on the couch a bit watch a little thanksgiving day parade before heading out to our family Thanksgiving celebration.


I truly live for mornings that I get to spend with the two of them that aren’t hurried that are calm and easy. I look forward to Friday, Saturday and Sunday with few plans and plenty of family time. I cannot imagine spending my holiday anywhere else. So Charlot and Hubs WATCH OUT THIS MOMMA WILL BE WITH YOU ALL WEEKEND LONG!!!

Thankful Series Continued...For New Experiences

 Today I am especially thankful for these two people. They are the hubs grandparents and they are two very special people. They recently celebrated 60 years of wedded bliss. 60 years wow that is a really long time. These two are still so in love today you can just see it in their eyes when they look at each other and their family.

To celebrate this event they came up with the idea to take us all away for the weekend. Nothing fancy just good quality time spent as a family. I have been apart of this family for quite a while now and this is the first time we have had the chance to do something like this. Let me tell you it was a blast. Really getting to know your family on an even more personal level is a gift no one can take away.

The guys spent most of Saturday evening cheering the Tigers on to their win over Ole Miss. And the ladies spent the evening making new Christmas wreaths. Charlot, well Charlot spent the evening keeping Christopher on his toes. (Christopher is RaRa's boyfriend, and Charlot's Best Friend)

Here are a few pictures from the weekend. But they truly don’t do justice to love and joy shared during our time together.

Thankful Series Continued…The Power of Prayer

As I sat in the church pew yesterday and really listened to what the minister had to say. I started to reflect on what he was saying the title of his sermon was “Putting Christ in His Place.” He spoke about how important it was to really live a Christ centered life and how easy it was to be distracted, he said much more but this was the just of it. As I started to think about this I realized that this was something I have been really trying to do over the past month or so. Yes I am a Christian and have been for a long time but I do think that I had become distracted by all the other things that come with well Life.


Earlier this fall I saw myself coming and going and not really slowing down anywhere in between. I saw I was short with my temper, long with drama, and just not really that happy. I just broke down one night and prayed and prayed, I needed help I wanted to be a better person than I was being. Now I am not saying that the Lord has totally changed me but I do feel I am working on it with his help. But I will say that I have noticed I am happier in my marriage, I don’t seem to sweat the small stuff as much, relationships that I desperately needed to work on are getting more attention, I am a more patient mom, and seriously I am happier.

I guess it just took my ministers words to point out to me that the changes I had said I wanted to make were starting to happen. Funny how the Lord put things out there and they sometimes have to slap you in the face to realize it.

So Happy Monday and I hope each of you have a delightful week!

Thankful Series Continued...oh the things she says!

I am thankful for everything about this little girl that the good Lord blessed us with. But I really have to say the things she says tend to top the list! I mean I can be having a really bad moment and I can bank on Charlot to put a smile on my face! Here are some of her most recent and best examples.

After supper one night she was in the living room playing I was cleaning the bathroom. She comes running in and announces "I am building a house!" "How awesome sweetie" " Momma it is a asome house cause it is chocolate!" This kids knows me too well!

During supper one night, "I better not drink this water" " really Charlot why?" "It will hurt my tummy I better drink your tea." This is said as she is giving me a super cute grin and nodding her head. How do I resist that?

I walk in from Zumba class. She is dancing in the middle of the room! I ask did you and daddy have fun? "Yes!!! We ate supper and CANDY!!!" Wow hubs she sold you out too quick.

The kid loves donuts, especially chocolate ones with sprinkles! One particularly rough morning (she is not a morning person) she says to me "I need to take donuts to Telpha's" "Charlot there is a difference between wants and needs, you want to take donuts" "NO I NEEEED to take donuts or Telpha won't feed us" really kid??? Guess what she got donuts, just call me a sucker.

Last but not least...we pray each night before we get in bed and each night I ask her who she wants to pray for. Her answer is pretty much always the same "Uncle Zach" she knows he needs her prayers, hahaha! But tonight in a moment of trying to encourage her to say anyone else? "Hummmmm maybe Pap and grandma" "ok very good sweetie" We start to pray and all of a sudden she says "Lauren momma Lauren needs prayers!!" It was very urgent apparently she knows uncle zach's girlfriend better than me!

Thankful Series Continued...Freedom

Today is Veterans Day and I can't think of a better thing to be more thankful for. My freedom. Because without the sacrifices of these brave men and women we wouldn't have this freedom. The freedom to speak publicly, bear an arm, vote, worship in our chosen way and so much more. 

I don't have a ton of experience with the military. My uncle is in the Navy and has served several tours of duty and one of my other uncles served during the Vietnam war. But I never have experienced the day in and day out worries of a husband or wife, son or daughter being gone. 

This spring the realities of war were brought to life for me. A young wife and mother that I grew up showing with and was very active in FFA in high school. I had been following her blog as she and her husband were preparing for his deployment, and as she was going through the deployment with her girls. I will never forget that May afternoon when I read her sisters Facebook post in disbelief. The post simply stated that my friends' husband had been called home to be with The Lord, that he wouldn't be coming home to his wife and daughters the way they had planned. 

I had never had the privilege to meet her husband but I felt like some one had sucked the air out of my lungs. I couldn't imagine what she and her girls were going through. That night I hugged my hubs a bit tighter and realized I needed to be more thankful for him, because he was here. What I have taken away from this story is the strength of this young wife and mom I have continued to follow her thoughts and stories through Facebook and her blog, she is truly amazing. 

So thank you to all the men and women out there who sacrifice each and everyday so I can live without fear and live with freedom. And thank you to your loved ones their sacrifices are great and honorable as well.

She doesn't know I am linking this up so I hope it is ok, this is the website to my friends blog and her thoughts on Veterans Day, it is quite inspiring! Www.troopsteachingsandtots.blogspot.com