November 4: Carrie

I'm thankful for the "blogosphere". I feel linked to fellow moms, fellow teachers, and fellow humans in a way that hasn't been possible before I discovered blogs. I feel like the last 6 months have really been a time of change for me; changing from a "what's going to happen next gotta get to the next thing rush rush rush" life view to one of "live IN the day-enjoy what you've got and make time for life TODAY".

My blogs. My favs. I have a kindred soul in Dana, AKA Mommybrain. From Ali I learn amazing scrapping techniques and soak in her life philosophy. Pioneer Woman continues to amaze me with her photography and her food makes my husband happy. Matt blows me away with the rawness of his grief for his wife and his love for their child. Kolby's Tage just continues to amaze us all with his tenacity for growth. And one of my first blog love's is Nate. Here are his words today that I am going to repeat.

A Life Of Thanksgiving
I'm stealing this idea from a friend because it's something I need in my life right now.

The Thanksgiving holiday is one of my favorites...food, football, family, friends and lots of fun. But, originally, it was meant to be a day to pause and give authentic thanks to God. Unfortunately, for many, including myself, thanksgiving is more of a one-day holiday that a way of life. I don't know about you, but I've been blessed beyond comprehension, and even in the unwelcome moments of life, I have so much to be thankful for.

What would it look like if I ONLY spoke words of gratitude the entire week of Thanksgiving? If I went so far as to look at a pile of laundered clothes that awaits my folding and putting up, a task I normally hate, and instead think and speak out loud, “God, thank you for these clothes, for providing covering.” When my daughter voicing her grumpiness, “God, thank you that she has a voice that works and you are shaping her own unique personality.” If every time next week I see a person, I tell them why I am thankful to God they are in my life.

So, starting this Monday morning and going through this Sunday evening, I'm challenging myself to live an entire week full of thanksgiving.

Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. (Ephesians 5:4 ESV)

Anytime I'm tempted to think/say/do something negative (filthy, foolish, crude or otherwise unthankfull), I will instead choose, in that very moment, to give thanks to God for His blessing in my life.If you'd like to join me, please leave a comment saying so AND repost this (in our own words, if you'd like...no need to link me) on your blog, twitter, facebook, etc. and challenge your friends to do the same.

Even if you're not reading this until after Monday morning, it's never too late to take up a good challenge. And, keep in mind that nobody who takes this challenge is going to make it an entire week without missing the mark...so, when that happens to you, just pick yourself back up and start again!

So, to start, I thank God that I have the opportunity to tell our story on the web for all to share!

November 3: Shawn

My job. I'm so happy that I love my job! I enjoy the people I work with , and my schedule is GREAT!

OK-Carrie is going to interject here. Shawn REALLY loves his job. AND his co-worker Louie. Louie started right after Shawn, his wife was due with their first baby the Aug after Oliver was born. The two guys have totally bonded. Completely. For those of you who enjoyed Oliver's two year party at KidsQuest, you have Louie and his wife to thank, they held E's first birthday party there. I owe Louie a debt of gratitude for sharing with Shawn the journey of parenthood. Here's E and Oliver at Ollie's first birthday. He wouldn't quit running long enough during his 2nd birthday party for a picture...

November 2: Oliver

(I'm going to speak for Oliver here, and write as well about what he's thankful for this year.)

My Bi. Mom and Dad aren't sure why I call it my "bi", but my blanket is my favorite source of comfort. Mom made it for me from soft fuzzy fabric, and I reaallllly love snuggling under it (preferably nakie!). Even when it was 90 degrees in my room at night this summer, I STILL wouldn't go to bed without laying under my bi. It gets dragged around the house all day, I try to take it to school (Mom won't let me, party pooper!), and it gets pretty dirty. I don't care though, it's my bi, and I'm not going to be over it any time soon.

The 26 Days of Thanksgiving

Ok, I'm a bit late on the bandwagon here, but there is a Facebook thing going on where you post once a day something you are thankful for. I'm going to take it a bit further, and do something like Ali Edward's "December Daily" album. While I love the idea of recording our holiday season and traditions, I'm not sure the December Daily is the approach I want to take.

Recently, I got our family albums all organized and set up so that I don't feel the need to scrapbook chronologically (Stacy Julian's Photo Freedom system, AMAZING!!!!), and my photos are organized in the same way so that I can feel free to pick and choose what I want to do. This allows me to either create pages for our category albums (The Story of Us, People We Love, Things We Do, Places We Go) or mini-albums like my annual Halloween album (I'll post picts of last years and this years soon). I can now find any photo, any memory, pretty quickly. It will allow me to pull pictures for the following idea...

The idea for my "26 Days of Thanksgiving" is to make a simple mini-album with what Shawn, myself, and Oliver are thankful for every year; what an amazing legacy to give our son as he grows! Since I might not get to it ASAP, I'm going to use this lil ol' blog to post my picts with my "Thankful For" statements, and it allows me to do some blogging for all of you (ok, only like three people actually read this anymore...I've been bad at posting since school started!)

To get the ball rolling, here is my first "page"

November 1: Carrie

My Memory. I am so thankful to have a memory like a steel trap. One that helps me remember exactly what my son's voice sounds like when he's making gestures like this:

Which is pretty funny, since I didn't even go that day with Oliver and Dad to the fair! "No, no, mine tractor!" still rings in my head when I see this picture. Thank You God, for a memory that allows me to keep what is important right in my mind.

All About Meme: I'm scuured!

Ok, I love this one. Supahmommy and Mommybrain's prompt this week is an ode to the season. What am I most scared by? What is my scariest memory? ect...You get the idea.

Since having Oliver, the idea of anything happening to him can literally make me want to vomit and bring me to tears instantly. I used to read a lot of blogs written by families with sick kiddos, but I can't anymore. Hits to close to home. Oliver has this HUGE lump in his neck (OK, maybe only huge to me, but still...) and every time we go to the doctor I have to be reassured yet again that it is nothing, he's just a lumpy boy. Recently, we had an incident that I won't go into where Oliver could have been serioulsly hurt. I couldn't sleep for two days with the thoughts of what almost happened to him. That is what scares me most, that I can't be there every second to protect him, that accidents do happen, that life is a crapshoot. Okey dokie...On to something lighter...

This guy. Seriously, getting this image off the web is actually raising my blood pressure and adreneline right now. Have you seen the movie "Signs"? I love an alien flick as much as the next person, but the way M. Night Shamalyn put this one together (you never really see the freekin thing until the end...) just about put me into cardiac arrest. I saw it with my brother David, and I think I left fingerprint bruises on his arm where I kept grabbing him.

It's quite a good movie, about a man and his faith more than about aliens if you'd believe that one! But, boy oh boy, the part where it passes in front of the camera on the news, the hand under the pantry door, the basement scene...All of these images AND my crazy insane imagination worked me up to the point where I was SURE one of these bad boys was on the landing to our stairs. I seriously couldn't sleep, was frozen in bed, and was panicking in the middle of the night after I saw this one. Shawn thought I was a complete ninny, but he couldn't SEE the shimmer of it's cloaking device, he couldn't HEAR it's rattling breath, he couldn't FEEL the distubance in the air where it waited to spray poison in my face. COME ON PEOPLE!!! IT'S RIGHT THERE!!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!

I will not be proofreading this post. I can't bring myself to scroll up and see that damn alien again. Seriously.

On Saturday...

*I'll post about the 1/2 marathon that I totally kicked butt on...

*I'll post some Oliver goodness...You should see his "sad face"...OK, fine. Teaser shot:

*I'll get this lil ol' blog caught up and STAY caught up!!!

See ya Saturday!

Why I "run"...

I'm "running" a half marathon in 9 days. In 9 days I will be pushing my body to keep a steady 4 miles an hour despite blisters, burning calves, and low energy levels. Why?

I am doing this because I want my husband to believe that when I say I will do something, I WILL do it.

I am doing this to say I did something BIG that I HATE to do. I HATE running, I HATE pushing myself physically. I did 8 miles last Sunday, and the only way I got through it was because I was starving at mile 5 and powered through my last three miles so I could go get food. Sad.

I am doing this because I hoped it would get easier and I would become a "runner". Yeah, right. I still hate it on the days I'm not feeling it.

I am doing this because I want another baby, but I'll be damned if I get pregnant weighing what I did a month before I delivered Oliver.

I am doing this because, selfishly, I want some recognition. Recognition for sticking with something. Recognition for taking positive steps in my life.

I am doing this because my sister Megan rocks, and her positive outlook on life is one I'd like to emulate.

I am doing this to be a positive example for this lil man...