Day Thirty

Thirty Days of Thankfulness, Day Thirty


Today I am thankful for family.

I am thankful for the family I see very often, and I am thankful for those I don't see often enough. I'm thankful for the two new beautiful baby boys who have joined our family in the last few months. I'm thankful for great food on this Thanksgiving Day, and I'm thankful that we're HERE, with the people we love the most.















































Today was a fabulous day. Sure, the kids were crabby, I ate too much food, and the houses became overwhelmingly hot with all of the people filling them, but that's what this day is all about, right? I can't imagine a Thanksgiving without all of the chaos-it wouldn't be the same.

Day Twenty-Nine

Thirty Days of Thankfulness, Day Twenty-Nine


Today I am thankful to be back home in Michigan.

I'm staying in the home I grew up in, which hasn't changed much since I was little. There are familiar smells, sights and reminders of my youth everywhere. My children sleep in the bedroom I shared with my sister, and they play with our old Nintendo and dolls and games. This house was a great place to grow up, and I'm glad to be back here among my closest family.

Day Twenty-eight

Thirty Days of Thankfulness, Day Twenty-eight


Today I am thankful that I'm able to stay home with my children.

I know many families do not have the option of having only one income, and things may get tight for us here and there, but it's been so worth it for me to be able to wake up with my kids every morning and go exploring with them, or meet them for lunch at school. Today Alayna and I are having a Thanksgiving Feast at Greyson's school for lunch and then we're headed to Emerson's class for a party there. I love being able to help out at the schools, and I love the time I get to spend with Alayna.

Day Twenty-seven

Thirty Days of Thankfulness, Day Twenty-seven


Today I am thankful for my baby girl, Alayna.

Laynie wakes up every morning, with a smile on her face; she is such a happy little girl. She loves animals, almost to an obsessive level. She adores her brothers and sisters and talks about them all day long. She loves dresses, and makeup and perfume and ALL things girl. She has a laugh that is irresistible.

Alayna is growing up quickly and I'm not a fan. I've got to figure out a way to keep her little.

Day Twenty-six

Thirty Days of Thankfulness, Day Twenty-six


Today I am thankful for a few people I've never met. I've got a group of ladies, here on the internet, that I've been friends with since Greyson was a baby. We all live in different parts of the country, and most of us have never met, but we are a tight group. Our group began on a pregnancy website, and evolved into something magical. We talk about being moms and wives and friends. We talk about our joys and our troubles. We've gone through terrible things together and we've gone through some of the best parts of our lives together. We ask for advice when needed, and we share the little things in our lives. Our kids know each other through Skype and pictures and Christmas cards. Even though the closest person in the group is over nine hours away from here, with a text or a post on our private page or a phone call, I can talk to any ONE of them about ANYTHING. I think of them as my angels, scattered across this country.

Sydni, Taylor, Jackie, Joy, Maha, Char, Tara, JB, Jill, Melissa, Aimee, Holly, Heather and Becky: I LOVE YOU ALL!

Day Twenty-five

Thirty Days of Thankfulness, Day Twenty-five


Today I'm thankful for Grandma Lois.

Technically, she's not MY grandma-she's Jason's-but I'm totally claiming her as my own. This woman is fabulous. She is 96 years old and has the biggest heart I've ever seen. She always has something nice to say, no matter what the situation. You can read more about her here.

She's been through so much in her life, and I never tire of hearing her stories. I'm very proud to be a part of her family.

Day Twenty-four

Thirty Days of Thankfulness, Day Twenty-four


Today I am thankful for my Dad.

In my eyes, my dad can do anything. And the things he does, he's good at. He can paint you a picture, or track a deer through the woods, or take your car apart and rebuild it. He's always got some sort of project going on. And he has a good time, wherever he is.

He has coached my softball teams, taught me to shoot the basketball, suffered through choir concerts and plays, taught me to hunt and fish, designed t-shirts for a local ice cream shop, and walked me down the aisle. I've seen him get kicked out of Gus Mackers and he's had a whistle or two thrown at him during basketball games. He was behind the backstop when I was batting, always coaching me-pushing me to be better. He chased me around West Virgina to see my games down there, and even came to New York for a weekend tournament. He could sit for hours and listen to me play the piano, too, always putting his request in for his favorite song. He has done too many odd jobs around our houses to mention-everything from tiling bathrooms, to building decks, to hanging siding. He has helped us move FIVE times. I love that he is there when we need him.











He was my number one fan growing up and he might not know it, but I am HIS number one fan.