thankful thursday

yesterday was a beautiful day.

sunny, clear and in the 70's here in southern mississippi.

layla and i took full advantage of it and spent all day roaming the neighborhood

and picking up every rock she could fit in her chubby little hands.

about our 2nd time around the neighborhood she spotted a couple cute little boys.

and of course she wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to go introduce herself.

as we approached, the mother and i began sharing small talk.

she asked if i was a stay at home mom and i told her i was.

i asked her the same.

she replied, yes.

i notice some big yellow ribbons hanging on the columns of their house so i asked  if

they had recently sent someone away that she knew or welcomed someone home.

they had just sent her husband to Afghanistan.

last month.

for a full year.

my heart went out to her.

my heart goes out to him, and their adorable 3 year old little boy.

they sacrifice so much for us.

(and i complain when my husband is gone for 2 nights in a row)

i'm thankful for her.

her husband.

others who are serving our country so we can rest peacefully at night.

i'm also thankful for their families, children, grandparents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles,

and all those who have to be away from their loved ones.

i am so blessed.

these pictures are priceless...

thankful thursday

i've been homesick more than usual this past week.

the fact that i've been pretty sick with a nasty cold probably doesn't help.

(doesn't everyone want their mommy when their sick?)

and i'd imagine being 7 months pregnant, feeling large and husband working lots of nights away

doesn't help either.

every time i pass my computer i want to skype with my family.

but i know they all have busy lives and can't sit and chat just whenever is convenient for me.

but when i get that short hour of their time, it means the world to me.

gives me a little fix a what it would feel like being home at that moment.

it's not like this extravagant event either.

it's simply sitting down with my mother while she asks how my week has been.

how potty training is going.

how our mississippi family is here.

and her concern for every little thing going on in our life.

or when my dad gets on and tells me how cold it is.

(only he could work in -10 degree weather)

and when he makes the silliest faces and sounds that make Layla laugh hysterically.

my parents are amazing.

i miss them so much and wish i would have cherished the 20 years that i lived close to them.

i am who i am today because of their example.

their courage.

their responsibility.

their integrity.

their compassion.

their faith.

and so much more.

i'm thankful for you mom and dad.

thankful thursday

when you have a 2 year old, that usually sleeps 10-12 hours a night on a regular basis,

then one night

all the sudden

is up ALL night crying

there has to be something wrong.

--

yesterday was a long day.

i don't think i've had a day like it since Layla was an infant.

she begged me to hold her all day,

begged me to sit down with her and watch Barney, Dora, and Backyardigans.

so i did.

she wouldn't eat, she'd only drink water.

and while giving her a warm bath

(in hopes that it may soothe her and help her feel better)

she started complaining about her ears.

i made an appointment right then.

--

come to find out, my poor baby has a double ear infection.

the left ear has already ruptured (sp?)

i felt like a horrible mother.

i should have known something was up while she cried all night, the night before.

so it's easy to say, that today i'm thankful for her wonderful pediatrician

and for modern medicine.

they were able to fit her in shortly after calling.

and i've never seen a doctors office so full with sick kids.

(after one dose, she's already been asleep for 11 hours, thank the heavens)

thankful thursday

Lance is such an amazing father and husband.

He has long stressful days at work, and it would be so easy for him to just

come home, lay on the couch, and watch TV.

That's something he does not do.

He leaves every bit of work at the station and comes home happy to see us, and ready to play!

This is what our evenings are like when I'm either making dinner, or cleaning up the kitchen.

I'm thankful for you, Lance Tyler.

thankful thursdays

one of my new years resolutions is to not only be thankful for the things and life that i have but to show more appreciation for it.

i'm going to push myself to do "thankful thursdays" so i can be reminded weekly of how blessed i am.

that way, i'll have less time to dwell on the things that i don't have.

 (i find myself doing that way to much)

---

for my first "thankful thursday" post, i want you all to know how obsessed i am with making sure things are in their exact place and kept clean.

 
but I'm also thankful for messes like this...

because it means having a healthy toddler, that likes to explore.
because it means we've been able to provide for our Layla, and she's able to enjoy her home {and room}
and because it means we have cute little friends like this to come over and play with.

{we just love little miss "brook brook," she sported Layla's headband like this all day}