The One Where I Share My Heavy & Thankful Heart

I have a lot to share.  A lot I would like to say...

but I usually don't.  I'm not sure exactly why.  It could be because I let fear get the best of me or it could because every time I turn around it's time for Monday's Top 5 or What I Wore Wednesday or Good News Friday....and blogging in between those days almost seems impossible.

More than anything I want my life to honor and glorify God.  I want my life to match up with His Words that are spoken in the Bible.  

What I speak, I want to be truth.  What I share, I want to mean something more than the things that are happening on this Earth.

With a To Do List a mile long, a desk with papers piled high, a sink full of dirty dishes and a suitcase waiting to be packed....

I just want to stop and take a second to be thankful.

I am thankful for:

This home that God has provided us with.

Friends that know how to brighten my day.

Children that are so sweet, smart and ridiculously too cute.  In my opinion.  

Parents that are so good to us and are still so in love.

They set the bar pretty high as husband & wife and as parents!

Coffee and for that pin I stumbled across to make my own homemade coffee creamer.

Yay for less toxins.

My sweet husband who leads our family so valiantly 

and who prays with me.

He tells me I'm beautiful all the time....and I don't know about you, but words of affirmation is definitely my love language.  

He gets me.

For the job that I have had the past 6 years...that came complete with an extraordinary boss who is also one of my best friends.

For my new job....that I can't even believe is happening yet.  We have prayed many months that our family would all be in the same town, but I had no idea how that was going to happen....and look at us now.  Thank you, Jesus.

This one may seem selfish, but I am totally happy that I have saved an insane amount of money to spend on a new purse.  Once I do purchase it I hope I will not be too scared to carry it for the fear that it may get dirty :) 

For my brother and his beautiful wife.  Over the past several years she has spent countless hours listening to me and my struggles....I will never forget what a good friend she was 

to me during those times.

I hate that she lives so far away, but hopefully we can make Canton our Annual Trip.

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You know, I think one of the hardest things about blogging for me is that I don't ever want to come across as ------> Hey, look at me or Hey, my life is perfect or Hey, I'm talking about "this" or "that" and totally forgetting about all of the other people in this world that are suffering...

because how can I forget?

I have things that weigh heavy on my heart.  Daily.  ...but I feel so darn helpless.

I have a grandfather that had a stroke in 2008 and suffered major damage.  He can no longer talk or write.  He now lives with my aunt in Austin.  What an angel she is? The task that she and her husband have taken on to care for him is just so selfless and gracious.  I'm thankful for them as well.

It is painful to visit him.  It breaks my heart because I know he has so much to say, but can't.  

I rarely visit and feel so guilty about it, but I just can't even .... Since I've been married...we are so busy raising our kids and following all of our "other kids" at their sporting events....but that is no excuse and I know it.  It just makes me sad.  I know he would want us to visit more often...

Then I have the sweetest, most faithful cousin who has a baby (well, he will be 2 this September)  that is suffering from Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS).  He is on the waiting list for a heart transplant.  The journey they have been on is just so unbelievable.  I can't even wrap my head around it.  She just powers through each day.  She has at times had to be away from her two older boys and also her husband.  I would say I don't know how she does it...but I do ... because I know without a doubt that she and I believe in the same God.  The God that is capable of miracles.  I see pictures of that sweet, precious boy and I think ---- He will live.  He is a strong, courageous fighter.

I care about him and I pray for him....but a part of me feels guilty because I have not had the privilege to meet him in person.  When they have been to town we have missed each other...

and I have not made time to plan a visit.  

 I feel guilty and selfish.  

I know I have good intentions and that I am doing the best I can...just like anyone else, but still....

To have such a close family while I was growing up.... what has happened? Is this normal? Do you just grow up and family members begin to go their separate ways 

and grow their own families? 

Or am I just way too busy? 

I feel unbelievably thankful for my family's good health.  

It makes me sad to think of all the suffering in not only my family, but in yours.  

Suffering is so rampant and unfair...

but in those times....is when God wants us to trust Him the most.

My heart is heavy and thankful at the same time.

I hope my family knows that I think of them often.  All of them.  

Even ones that I have not mentioned here...

I pray for your well-being...and for blessings to be poured upon your lives.

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Well, this post started as one thing and then completely took a life of it's own....

thank you for reading....if you made it all the way to here.  

I really want to be funny and uplifting....but today I have found myself being serious and a little sad. 

I apologize...I just have a lot on my heart 

and I don't want to be fake....

Life isn't always rainbows and butterflies.

I am happy and so thankful for many things..., but there are many people that cross my mind daily that are struggling...and I want them to know that they are not forgotten whether I'm cheering at a football game, vacationing with my family or sitting on my couch watching one of the seasons of Gilmore Girls for the 10th time....they are on my hearts.  

Winston

I believe it’s time to write a post about our beloved dog, Winston.  His full name is Sir Winston Charles Henry Peabody.  Santa delivered him to the kids at Christmas in 2010.  He is the cutest little dog, but boy does he bark and RUN AWAY!  His nickname is Houdini.  When we moved into our new house he discovered lots of ways to get out.  After many escapes we covered up all of his holes, but just last week he began digging to get out.  We have got to step up our game!  We are lucky enough to live in a small town with a ton of generous people that have gone out of their way to rescue him.  Today I would like to tell a few stories and thank those people.

·         There are a few people that have called us that I do not remember their name.  One kind lady lived near the football field.

·         Beverly Rodriguez and her family who live clear across town by Sonic took care of Winston after he followed them home.  We were out of town at a baseball game and they cared for him until we got back home.  I remember she said her son told her that it was Coach Sims’ dog and to take good care of him.  I thought that was sweet.

·         Jenny Jo Barker has called us a couple times to let us know he was visiting at the bank.  She said he just came inside and laid around while they worked. 

·         In one week alone we got calls from the funeral home, the courthouse, the bank and the fire department.  He wouldn’t stay in one place long enough for us to capture him. 

·         He has visited several of our neighbors who have captured and returned him for us including Susan Gibson, Coach Bo Helm & his wife Hayley and Chris & Angie Andrews.  The day he went to the Helm’s he must’ve just wanted to visit our old home.  The afternoon he went to the Andrews’ house Chris was cooking some good smelling food on his smoker and luckily Winston ran right up to him.

·         Not too long ago Winston was gone for almost three days.  This was the longest he had been gone.  Jason found him at the vet.  This time the gate was left open by a worker that had been at our house so fortunately we didn’t have to pay or go before the judge.  Kim Callaway was so nice to check on us and make sure we found him.

·         Bubba Thomas has also had the pleasure of dealing with Winston.  One day he saw Jason out chasing him and he stopped to help catch him and fix the gate.  Another day our doorbell rang and we opened it to find Bubba standing there with Winston.  That’s when I decided we were gonna need to make some goodie bags to hand out to all of the people that bring Winston back home.  

·         I think that was the same day that Jaime Mathews called her sister Jenny Jo to see if we had found him.  That was sweet of her to check on him.

·         Brandi Leija and her family are no strangers to Winston either.  When she worked at US Cellular she called when she saw him taking a little stroll downtown.  Another day Winston followed the Cross Country team to their house and Marcus Leija and Matthew Day brought him home.  Just the other night our doorbell rang after we were in bed and it was Cody Bodine and Landin Leija bringing him home.  Winston had escaped on his birthday and stayed out way too late.  Little party animal. 

We are so grateful for EACH and EVERY ONE of YOU!!!!  If I have forgotten someone I am very sorry.  I should have been writing all of this down…

One Step Closer...

This is the preciousness that I have been missing while away at school this semester. 

Enjoying the sunset at the golf course....on a Tuesday night.

I have been busy trying to better our lives.  I want the best for my marriage, my kids and my future clients.  I hope and pray that what I am pursuing will be a gift of myself that I can give to others…my time, my compassion, my genuine concern and desire to help them.

As of yesterday, I am one step closer to graduating and being home with my sweet family more because I passed the Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Exam or as we call it my COMPS exam!! I am so excited!

I am very thankful for Jason who steps in to be Super Dad!! He is so supportive of me, our kids and our future!!!

I am also thankful for all of my fellow classmates.  We are in this beautiful journey together and they have taught me so much.  Thank you all for sharing yourselves with us.  My professor, Dr. Yvette Castillo…. Dr. C is absolutely the most passionate and inspiring counselor/teacher/woman/friend I have met.  There has never been an encounter with her where I did not learn something valuable.  I have had many wow moments in her classes.  I would also like to thank Jay Anna Cherry for agreeing to work with me this semester…you have been such a blessing, thank you!

“If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Christ, if his love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you, if you have a heart, if you care – then do me a favor: Agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends.  Don’t push your way to the front; don’t sweet-talk your way to the top.  Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead.  Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage.  Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.” – Philippians 2:1-4 (MSG)

Thankful in November, Thankful Always

As the month of November ends, I am reminded of everything I am so very thankful for.  I love this time of year.  I enjoy reading all of the thankful posts on facebook.  We are all so busy throughout the year and to spend an entire month (or everyday) saying what we are thankful is so necessary to keep us grounded.   

Some of the things I am thankful for::: 

·   God’s grace and mercy – I know I say this often, but I truly am thankful for God’s grace and mercy.  Each day is a new beginning and I know that God is forgiving and loves me unconditionally. Because of Him I can accomplish the things I do during each day…because of Him I can love others how He loves me…because of Him I can forgive others as He forgives me….because of Him I know that I have peace and joy in my life everyday…I just have to accept it. 

·   My Husband, Coach Sims - He is for sure my better half.  He encourages me daily and reminds me how much he loves me.  I thank God each day for bringing him into my life. He exudes joy, patience, kindness, strength and wisdom…just to name a few.  He makes life fun and exciting.  He’s my best friend.

·   My sweet children, Olivia & Jonah – Life would not be the same without them.  They teach me how to slow down and enjoy life daily. They amaze me with their ability to learn new things.  They are growing so fast, but I try to remind myself to enjoy the messes and the chaos because one day they will be on their own and the house will be quiet.

·   My parents, Bobby & Gwen – They have always been there for me.  They would do anything for me and continue to love on me. They have sacrificed and worked so hard for us.  I appreciate them so much.  They are pretty awesome!

·   My brother and his wife, Thadius & Jenny –Best brother a girl could have and the sister I never had.  I wish we lived closer because I really miss them!

·   Our church and church family, North Groesbeck Church of Christ – Wow! They are incredible and have done so much for my family this past year! I could never thank them enough.

·   My J-O-B and my Boss, Shanna – I have the best boss.  Not only is she my boss, but she is one of my best friends.  She is always t here for me and I think she is great at her job! She does so much for our department and so many things go unnoticed. It can be a thankless job, but I appreciate everything she does! My job is wonderful because it allows me to help others while also being able to be there for my own children.

·   My home – I love coming home to a happy, cozy home, but what I love the most about it is who I share it with.   

·   My health – I have been so fortunate and sometimes I forget to thank God for this. I’m so glad I have remained healthy and hope I continue to.

·   Coffee – Man, I love coffee.  Brewing a cup in the mornings makes me happy.  Sitting down with my husband or friends to enjoy a cup is the best. Mmmmm.

Via Pinterest

·   Chapstick – Chapstick Addict.  I always have it near me….usually in my pocket.  I can’t leave home without it. 

·   Cupcakes – Aren’t they cute and yummy? Who doesn’t love cupcakes?

·   My Bible – This Great Book has literally saved my life many times! It holds life’s answers. I would be lost without it.

·   Hudl – I really am thankful for this.  It allows my husband to be home more.  He can work right beside me! I love it! Thank you Hudl!

·   Inspirational Women in my life – My Mom, my Mimi, Stacey Johnson (Thoughts Swirling), Angie Smith (Bring the Rain), Ann Voskamp (A Holy Experience), Joyce Meyer (Joyce Meyer Ministries), Beth Moore(Living Proof Ministries), Susie Davis (Susie Davis Blog), Heather Lindsey (Heather Lindsey Blog) and Emily Freeman (Chatting at the Sky).

·   TJ Maxx – Bargain hunting at its best.  I love a good bargain  and when I go out of town I love to get my TJ Maxx fix. 

 

Via Pinterest 

·   Books & Bookstores – I could spend hours in Barnes & Noble.  I feel like a kid on Christmas morning.  My reading list is a mile long and I may never complete it! I hope to have another reading nook similar to this one soon.  I’m in the middle of probably at least this many books J

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·   Google – This search engine has answered so many simple and difficult questions.  It’s a time saver.

·   Cheesecake – My all-time favorite dessert! My friend & boss, Shanna makes the best!

·   Pinterest – Oh my goodness! You can capture everything you loved, love and will love on this site. It makes me happy, it helps me procrastinate, it makes me feel like I can be crafty and it makes me feel like I will never complete my To Do List... 

I hope each of you had a great Thanksgiving with your family! May December be just as gracious to us all! 
 

Happy Holidays!