Happy Thanksgiving!!

Praying God's continued blessings on each of you and your families. Enjoy this special day and give thanks for God's faithfulness yesterday, today and FOREVER! Enjoy this classic Michael W Smith song

Ahhhhh

Well, the good news is I found a dentist today and he was able to take me this morning. I had a cracked tooth that he was able to fill in and then I'll have to go back before Christmas to have a crown put in. Fun times my friends!

Managed to go to the supermarket and got all my ingredients for my pies, made a ton of returned phone calls and emails and feeling much better about things in general. I packed like a maniac last night.. luckily going to Florida means shorts, t-shirts and bathing suits. Anything else you need you can just pick up - at least that's my philosophy.

Well - off to tackle a few more errands before little guy is home from school and then finishing my evening with a trip to get my annual mammogram -- the perfect ending to a "dull" day. I guess that mammogram will get me more comfortable and ready for the full body pat down I'm going to receive at Newark Airport later this week. Ha Ha

S-T-R-E-S-S

I have a lot to be stressed about... way too much to do - not even sure why I am sitting here and blogging, and yet here I am. So many good things happening this week... thanksgiving and spending time with my husband's family, and then off to visit with my family for a few days in Florida. I know that by Thursday and Friday of this week, the stress I am feeling at this very moment will be just a memory... if I can just tackle one day at a time it will all be ok.

So, here's just a glimpse into what's happening:
- Today a cavity or cap, fell out and I have a gaping hole in the back of one of my teeth... not good 4 days prior to Thanksgiving! Oh, and we switched dental plans and have to hunt down a dentist in the next 24 hours.
- I am room parent and am organizing my son's Thanksgiving Party, craft, snack, etc. Can someone shoot me for picking a craft where I have to draw/cut out 180 leaves!? And no, we don't have enough time during the party to just let the kids do it.
- My dryer died last week... the good news is that I haven't had to do laundry the last few days... the bad news... I almost have to climb over the laundry pile in my bedroom to get into bed.
- Good news - a new dryer is being delivered Tuesday.. just in time for me to wash some clothes before packing for Florida.
- Pies, pies, pies! I LOVE to bake so the highlight of my Thanksgiving is making the desserts. On tap for this Thursday is homemade apple pie, pumpkin pie and a special request from one of my nephews, red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting. A special note to my family... I am sorry to announce that the leftovers of said pastries will not be heading to Florida with me.

So -- quite a lot happening, but I am thankful for it all. I am thankful for a sound mind, for a Savior who loves me, provides for me and never leaves. He knows my frustrations and is walking beside me.

Hope to update you all as the week goes on.

Kid Stuff

"Mom!" "Mom!" I rolled over to look at the clock to see that it was 4:00 am. "Mooooommmm!" I dragged myself out of bed and into my son's room to see what was wrong. He had been home sick 2 days last week with a stomach virus from which he has finally recovered. I was just praying he wasn't getting sick again.

"What is it, Chris?"
"The tooth fairy came!" Oh yes... last night he lost his third tooth and he excitedly and expectantly placed it under his pillow last night. Thankfully, the tooth fairy remembered to do her job and left a little something for my lil guy.
"I'm so happy she did, honey. How much did she leave? "
"Well.. can I turn my light on to count it?"
"No! It's 4 AM!"
"I'll just feel the coins and figure it out"
"Sounds good to me... next time just tell Mommy when you wake up.. not at 4:00 am."

Thankfully he fell back to sleep right away.. Unfortunately the tooth fairy can't say the same.

Cookie Class

Last night my hubby blessed me by coming home from work early so I could attend a 3 hour baking class where my friend, Melissa, is the owner/pastry chef. I L-O-V-E to bake and have wanted to do this for a long time. Last night's class was on Christmas Cookies... we made 3 types - the infamous sugar cookie, peppermint cookie (they look like candy canes) and sugar plums. We made all the dough, decorated like pros and of course sampled the fruit of our labor. It was great! I learned so much! And can I just say, that I love icing cookies!!

I had planned on showing pictures, but we've pretty much devoured what I brought home. Nothing made me happier then when Chris said to me today "thanks mom for making these yummy cookies - they are just so delicious!" I'll be sure to snap some shots when I make another batch for Christmas... I'll have to do it quickly before they disappear again!

We Did It!

Made it successfully through our first sleepover. I'm exhausted, but have a very happy boy this morning (for those wondering... we have no school today or tomorrow and that's how I was able to do a sleepover in the middle of the week).

This song has been in my head the last two days so thought I would share it. It's called "You are God Alone ".... although I didn't link the kids Shout Praise version of this song, it is one of my favorites.

Coming Of Age

Tonight Chris is having his first sleepover. I've put it off since he is only 6 but he and his buddy have been asking me and the other mom for the longest time and we finally agreed. So.... Chris' little friend will be arriving around 6pm tonight and staying (fingers crossed) until tomorrow morning. I guess we'll have to wait and see how this all works out... I'm already exhausted because I am an insane mother who insists on cleaning before this little guest arrives (as if he will notice and if my house will even be recognizable by tomorrow morning!)

Road Block

Today has not gone as planned and, if I am anything, I am a planner. I have my lists, TWO calendars, my label maker, etc. I try to be organized and nothing gives me greater satisfaction then checking something off my list and having my day go according to plan.

So, right now I should be sitting in my Beth Moore Bible Study, sharing wonderful insights with friends and then watching this week's video. Obviously, that didn't happen. I was all ready to go... had my workbook and bible with me in the car so that after I dropped Chris off at school and voted, I would be on my way. And it was going great until I was a few miles from my house. Then there was a road block. Heavy construction... repaving roads. Single lane. No one moving... no one even crawling. No side roads to turn off. I kept thinking "if I just wait a little longer and then it would start moving. Maybe I'll just miss the worship part." Then time passed and I thought, "well, maybe I'll just miss the small group discussion." But after 35 minutes of moving maybe 1/2 mile, I realized that even if by some small miracle, the police man waved all the cars on my side of the road through, I would still be arriving at bible study well beyond the start of the video and it really wasn't worth the 40 minute journey.

So, as soon as I was able to finally get to the highway entrance, I was able to take some back roads towards my home. About 5 minutes into the trip home, I hit ANOTHER road block! By this time, I was thinking, "how come every plan I have today is not going my way!?" Luckily, I didn't have to wait as long at this road block, but it just really confirmed in my heart something about me and MY plans. Obviously, God has other plans for my day. And even though the plans I had in place were good and positive, even God-focused plans --- they weren't what he wanted or needed me to do with my morning. The whole drive home, I was thinking of all the other things I could accomplish on my list when I got here. And while I was mentally reworking "my plan", I felt the Lord impressing on me what HE wanted me to do this morning.... and I knew that He and I would have some quality one-on-one time with no interruptions and THAT is the plan he wanted for me this morning.

So, I guess I'm grateful for the road block that opened the path for me to spend my morning the way God wanted me to spend it!