Thankful for Hair Color!!!!

today i am very thankful for HAIR COLOR!!!   i know this might sound like a "shallow" thing to be thankful for, but, well....it's sometimes the "little things" that mean so much!   i have only been highlighting my hair for a few years....mainly because i have always been TOO CHEAP to do it!   (remember, i tell the truth!)   

anyway....remember that we went to legoland a couple of weekends ago?   well, i had one of those "you've got to be kidding me" moments.....   forrest (10) and i were competing in the "junior fire academy" attraction in which we had to power our firetruck (by pumping mechanism) all the way down the track to the "burning building," jump out and pump enough water to put out the "fire," then jump back in our firetruck and propel ourselves back to the finish line!  whew, i am tired just remembering how hard we worked!   anyway, i am a little competitive, and so i gave it my all....and we won!   (beating MEN too, by the way).   so throughout the duration of this attraction, the legoland ride attendant is commentating what is happening on a loudspeaker for all to hear.....  and as we cruise to victory, he says "truck #5 is the winner.....woo hoo.....and i think it's all because of the GRANDMA (ME!!!!!!!)"     WHAT ON EARTH?????   since when do i look like the grandma to a 10 year old boy....   i looked at him and said "MOM!!!"    i only wish that i had gotten wyatt (2) and said "HE'S MINE TOO!!!!"

so that was when i made up my mind that it was time for new highlights!  as soon as possible!!!!    and today was the day!  yay for haircolor!!!    i think it looks pretty good!!!!   thinking it's time to contact legoland about the "pain and suffering" their insensitive employee has caused me.......

Thankful for Sloppy Toddler Boy Kisses......



a perfect example....SWEET!!!!

today mom, wyatt and i were shopping, and she asked wyatt for a kiss, so wyatt gave her one of his sloppy, open mouth, more like a lick kisses!   very cute and sweet!   and WET!!!!   she said "i can't wait for you to learn to kiss the right way...." and i laughed and agreed with her..... those kisses are pretty wet!   but then i remembered that before we know it, he will stop giving those sloppy toddler boy kisses!  

maybe this is where he learned
 how to give sloppy kisses!

before we know it, we'll be lucky to get a quick "peck on the cheek" as he is off to do something else!   and then we'll be lucky to get a quick hug goodnight!   but maybe this is just one of the little blessings that his "little something extra" will give us..... a little bit longer with his sloppy toddler kisses......

Thankful for God's Word

today i am thankful for God's Word.....the Bible.  i believe that every word in the Bible is absolutely true, and inspired by God Himself.   being raised in "the Bible belt," most everyone i knew growing up believed the Bible and went to church.   it is amazing to me the number of people who do not believe the Bible or have a personal relationship with Christ.   without that relationship, life would be very scary to me!  

i am thankful that 18 years ago God called me to start a ladies Bible study that is still going....certainly not because of me, but because of the hunger for God's Word that the ladies in our church and community have!   but He has blessed me so much through that ministry.....  i so look forward to ladies Bible study days!   i have always found my very best friends there!   i strongly encourage you that if you are not involved in a Bible study, please find one to join.  they are even available online!    you will be blessed!   it is probably one of the things that i will miss the most when we move next summer.....

i am thankful that no matter what challenges i face, God's Word is constant, always there to encourage and exhort me in my walk with God.   i firmly believe God has plans for each of us!   "for I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." (jeremiah 29:11)    if you don't have a personal relationship with Christ, please leave a comment....i would love to talk to you about Him!   blessings......

Thankful for Fall Festival Fun!

i so love the fall weather that we have been having! we managed to squeeze in not one but two fall festivals this week! i just love how our church and so many other churches in our area offer wonderful fall festivals for families to enjoy together!  

today tim had a golf tournament for his agency, and the boys and i were on our own, so we went to a huge fall festival at the beach! we had a terrific time....the boys played games, forrest bounced in all the bouncy houses, wyatt rode a plasma car (need this for Christmas!)..... we ate YUMMY food and we rode the hayride! it was a beautiful fall day! too bad tim and ethan we were not with us!!!

Thankful for My Parents

today i am thankful for my parents!   they were told that they would never have any more children after my sister carla was born.....and then i came along 7 years later!   SURPRISE!!!    and of course now they say they don't know what they would do without me (most days!)....  i am fairly confident that i have kept them "young!"    my sisters were 11 (pam) and 7 (carla) when i was born!   carla ran away from home because i was a girl!   (she was a tomboy and wanted a brother, i think).   pam has always been very nurturing, i can remember that she took care of me!  

my parents have been such a huge source of support to me and my family through the years.  they will do anything for you!   i am so thankful that God decided those doctors were wrong, and blessed me with them as parents!  

i think that they get crazier about each successive grandchild!  just when you think they couldn't love one more, another one comes along and their love just grows and grows....   they say that there is nothing like having grandchildren.....  

we are so blessed.....

Thankful for My Sons

i have been blessed with 3 wonderful, amazing sons!     God has great plans for these 3 guys, and i am so thankful that He chose me to be their mama!!!!  



ethan is a college freshman at the university of west florida, and yes .....we are following him over there!  not really following him, but we will be joining him in pensacola next year!   he is funny and smart, he loves history and writing....well.....he loves school!    he is studying archaeology and can't wait to experience his "field school" hopefully next summer.  he plans to travel the world....




forrest is a fun-loving fifth grader who loves LEGOS, reading, science and history!   he also loves to play with his little brother!   there is no telling what forrest will decide to do with the rest of his life.... from astronaut to archaeologist to doctor to therapist....the sky is the limit for forrest!   

and then there is wyatt who is 28 months old....our little bonus baby "surprise" gift from God!   we know that God has great plans for this little guy as well..... he certainly spreads joy to most everyone he meets!  


thank you God, for these boys!!!!

Thankful for My Hubby......Thankful for My Savior

i tried to post last night, but blogger would not let me!  i decided that if i can post daily for Down syndrome awareness, i can certainly post daily thankful posts!  

so yesterday's post was "thankful for my hubby!"   tim is an amazing, godly man, who i know is my gift from God!   only tim would put up with me!   he is my best friend, he loves God and desires to serve Him in every area of his life.  he is a tremendous daddy too!   he is a hard working man of integrity.  i'm so glad that God chose him for me!  

we have been married 23 years, and have known each other 24 years.  marriage is never easy, but always worth it!  i am thankful for the unconditional love and grace that he extends to me every day!  

today i am thankful for the gift of salvation.  i am thankful that God, in His infinite grace and mercy, provided forgiveness of our sins through the death, burial and resurrection of His son, Jesus Christ.  without Him, we would be doomed to an eternal death because of our sins.  but through His sacrifice, we are redeemed when we ask for His forgiveness!   "redeemed, redeemed, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb....."    "grace, grace, God's grace, grace that is greater than all our sin....."    those old hymns say it so eloquently......  

do you know Him and His forgiveness?   if not, please leave a comment and let me tell you more about this free gift of salvation that is yours for the asking!