#7- I am thankful for hot tea
Okay, this may seem like kind of a lame thing to be thankful for in the grand scheme of life...and well, it is, but I am thankful for it nonetheless!
I have been drinking hot tea for as long as I can remember. I don't drink coffee (unless it is a fancy one filled with sugar and chocolate and things that make it not taste like coffee) but I do like apple cider, just not as much as hot tea. There are flavors I enjoy well enough but what I really prefer is Lipton's regular brew with sugar. That is it, nothing fancy! Other tea lovers probably are more cultured than I am, using loose leaf or finding special flavors or knowing the perfect brew time and temperature, but I am perfectly content with my microwaved cup of water with a tea bag dunked for as long as it takes for me to remember to come back to add the sugar. Usually I have to reheat it. But I know when I have a good mug of tea. My husband always gives me a strange look when I declare that out loud when I take a first sip. He so doesn't get it. He has the nerve to call it hot, brown, sugar water.
It is so much more than a warm drink that has a flavor that I like. It is a comfort. Drinking tea is full of memories. It is something I share with my mom and my sister and something that reminds me of both of my grandmothers. One of my favorite gifts I have ever recieved was Mrs. Tea (basically, like a coffee maker that brews a teapot of tea and keeps it warm). My mom, sister and I got it from my grandmother as a Christmas gift and we have used it for years. It was discontinued but one Christmas, my dad surprised me with my own Mrs. Tea that he found on Ebay. My mom, sister and I still always have mugs of tea when I spend time with my family. When one of us is making a mug for ourselves we offer to heat up a mug for the others. I still even have my favorite mug to drink from at my parents' house. It is a Suzy Zoo mug that she got for me before the first day of school when I was still in high school. At Christmastime we always drink out of the Christmas mugs, you just have to.
I almost always start my day with a mug of tea (notice I don't say cup, those teacups are just too tiny). I often have a mug when I am winding down and there are times I will have it in the middle of the day! It doesn't matter the season or temperature (though my consumption is definitely increased when it is cold or rainy). Pregnancy is throwing a kink into my hot tea enjoyment because decaf just isn't as good as the real stuff...but I still savor it. I am honestly bummed when I reach the end of the mug and would drink a lot more if the calories from the sugar didn't get me.
So you see, it is so much more than a favorite drink. It is an experience, a cup of memories and thoughts of my family and a pleasure. So I am thankful for hot tea.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Thankful Today #6
Sorry this is a day late
#6- Thankful for the time my guys have together
Saturday was an unusual day for me in that I had multiple events that my husband and son didn't go to with me. I had a luncheon and right before that, dinner plans were made for that evening to celebrate a friend's belated birthday. So, there was plenty of guy time for my two. The lunch time involved naptime for the little guy but the evening time involved eating Chicken Express (their favorite, not mine), playing outside and watching football. J was in bed by the time I got home but I got plenty of stories this morning about the fun he had with Daddy last night.
Someone asked at church this morning if J was at the age where he wanted me all of the time and I said "absolutely not, Daddy is the absolute coolest person in his world." But I don't say that with jealousy or bitterness at all. I LOVE that my son cannot get enough of the time he spends with his daddy and that he wants to be just like him. He mimics the actions Daddy does, repeats what he says and constantly talks about him. I am absolutely grateful that it is a good thing for my son to want to be like his daddy. I couldn't think of someone with better character, demonstration of faith and kindness to be the main example for my son as he learns to be a man of God. I know that is not the case for a lot of families in our world and it is something that I should and do have great appreciation for.
The cool thing is not only does my son adore my husband, but my husband adores my son even more. He loves his time with J and makes a very consistent effort to make sure he allows for plenty of time with him. If it will be a particularly full Tuesday away from the house, then my husband makes sure there is extra time on Monday or Wednesday to be with J and he is fully participating when they are together. They wrestle and rough house and do everything active boys do, but spend just as much time snuggled in the recliner reading a story together. He looks for ways to share experiences with J, not just the things my husband likes to do but will figure out the things that a 2 year old would value doing. There is no part of parenting that he is not fully involved in. He takes his role as J's father very seriously but loves every part of it, even the hard stuff because it is a part of getting to be J's father.
I am absolutely thankful that my son and husband adore one another and for how they enjoy their time together.
#6- Thankful for the time my guys have together
Saturday was an unusual day for me in that I had multiple events that my husband and son didn't go to with me. I had a luncheon and right before that, dinner plans were made for that evening to celebrate a friend's belated birthday. So, there was plenty of guy time for my two. The lunch time involved naptime for the little guy but the evening time involved eating Chicken Express (their favorite, not mine), playing outside and watching football. J was in bed by the time I got home but I got plenty of stories this morning about the fun he had with Daddy last night.
Someone asked at church this morning if J was at the age where he wanted me all of the time and I said "absolutely not, Daddy is the absolute coolest person in his world." But I don't say that with jealousy or bitterness at all. I LOVE that my son cannot get enough of the time he spends with his daddy and that he wants to be just like him. He mimics the actions Daddy does, repeats what he says and constantly talks about him. I am absolutely grateful that it is a good thing for my son to want to be like his daddy. I couldn't think of someone with better character, demonstration of faith and kindness to be the main example for my son as he learns to be a man of God. I know that is not the case for a lot of families in our world and it is something that I should and do have great appreciation for.
The cool thing is not only does my son adore my husband, but my husband adores my son even more. He loves his time with J and makes a very consistent effort to make sure he allows for plenty of time with him. If it will be a particularly full Tuesday away from the house, then my husband makes sure there is extra time on Monday or Wednesday to be with J and he is fully participating when they are together. They wrestle and rough house and do everything active boys do, but spend just as much time snuggled in the recliner reading a story together. He looks for ways to share experiences with J, not just the things my husband likes to do but will figure out the things that a 2 year old would value doing. There is no part of parenting that he is not fully involved in. He takes his role as J's father very seriously but loves every part of it, even the hard stuff because it is a part of getting to be J's father.
I am absolutely thankful that my son and husband adore one another and for how they enjoy their time together.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Thankful Today #5
#5- I am thankful for Fridays
Fridays are my favorite day of the week, without question. My husband gets Fridays off because he works on Sundays and I have tried to not schedule things on Fridays so that we have time together as a family. Things come up of course but we really try to protect that day and it has become our day of relaxing together. It is nice having a day off that is different from a lot of people because we are able to avoid having events planned like there always seem to be on Saturdays and Sundays. They are usually a great time for us to connect and rejuvenate after the week.
Today was no exception. It started way too early with the little boy waking up at 5:50. He made the request for Daddy to bring breakfast tacos home after he finished exercising and of course Daddy obliged! We got some cleaning done together, all while listening to music and watching a two year old dance around the living room. He also "helped" sweep and everything seems to be more fun with his involvement. We then tried a new place in town for lunch and the afternoon was a quiet one, trying to make sure our little guy got a nap. This evening we went to the last home game for our local high school's football team, which we love doing as a family. It was a chilly night so it was perfect for snuggling under the blanket. Add on being given a foam finger and souvenier football and there was a very happy toddler.
Fridays are our break and retreat. And for those days, I am thankful.
Fridays are my favorite day of the week, without question. My husband gets Fridays off because he works on Sundays and I have tried to not schedule things on Fridays so that we have time together as a family. Things come up of course but we really try to protect that day and it has become our day of relaxing together. It is nice having a day off that is different from a lot of people because we are able to avoid having events planned like there always seem to be on Saturdays and Sundays. They are usually a great time for us to connect and rejuvenate after the week.
Today was no exception. It started way too early with the little boy waking up at 5:50. He made the request for Daddy to bring breakfast tacos home after he finished exercising and of course Daddy obliged! We got some cleaning done together, all while listening to music and watching a two year old dance around the living room. He also "helped" sweep and everything seems to be more fun with his involvement. We then tried a new place in town for lunch and the afternoon was a quiet one, trying to make sure our little guy got a nap. This evening we went to the last home game for our local high school's football team, which we love doing as a family. It was a chilly night so it was perfect for snuggling under the blanket. Add on being given a foam finger and souvenier football and there was a very happy toddler.
Fridays are our break and retreat. And for those days, I am thankful.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Thankful Today #4
#4- I am thankful for my home.
I have a house and yard that I am unbelievably grateful for. Ours is a wonderful house for us. It is just the right size, is incredibly nice and has a back yard that is perfect for a little boy and a puppy to run around in. But I should be grateful for four walls on a stable foundation with a roof in a neighborhood that is safe, because a lot of people don't have that. And I am, extremely grateful.
But that is not what I am talking about when I say I am thankful for my home. When I say home, I mean what I find rest in each day. It is the place where I hear "Mama!!!" when I walk into the door, the place where I find peace, security and confidence, the place where I can be in my worst moods and best moods and still be loved the same. It is where my husband and my son are. And I am grateful for that place.
I have a house and yard that I am unbelievably grateful for. Ours is a wonderful house for us. It is just the right size, is incredibly nice and has a back yard that is perfect for a little boy and a puppy to run around in. But I should be grateful for four walls on a stable foundation with a roof in a neighborhood that is safe, because a lot of people don't have that. And I am, extremely grateful.
But that is not what I am talking about when I say I am thankful for my home. When I say home, I mean what I find rest in each day. It is the place where I hear "Mama!!!" when I walk into the door, the place where I find peace, security and confidence, the place where I can be in my worst moods and best moods and still be loved the same. It is where my husband and my son are. And I am grateful for that place.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Thankful Today #3
#3- I am thankful for the sweet, simple moments that made me smile today
I have been in kind of a down mood. Probably because I am 5+ months pregnant and sleeping is becoming less and less comfortable, causing me to be permanently tired. It is easy for me to get in a funk and let certain things get me down. So, I have been particularly glad for this blog project today because it caused me to appreciate things more.
Like this morning-
My husband got home from working out and our toddler was still asleep. He went to get cleaned up and the dog had already woken me up to go out and to eat so I went back to bed to watch the news (I don't normally get to do that because my son is usually the one who wakes me up and I don't watch regular television with him). Soon though, a smiling little sleepyhead walked down the hall and climbed into bed with me. He was greeted with the surprise of donuts that Daddy brought home and milk, quite the treat! Soon all three of us were settled into bed, eating donuts and sausage kolaches, watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Then our "puppy" decided to figure out how to jump up on the bed. Our 65 pound, all legs, bloodhound puppy joined us in bed. The combination of an active two year old and huge puppy was more chaos than anything else but it sure made me smile.
This afternoon-
The sun came out. It was cloudy and rainy for the entire day yesterday and for all of this morning with a significant drop in temperature. It was glooooomy. So, it sure was nice this afternoon to look outside and see the sunshine. Now it is a beautiful sunny evening with cool temperatures.
This evening-
Just watching my son eat spaghetti was something that made me smile. He was just so cute eating it and then his messy face afterwards was pretty adorable.
So today, I am thankful that everyday there are little things in my life that make me smile.
***I had to come back and add another smile:
My little boy and I were reading a book together (he loves to read books with us). He wanted to read it again, after I finished, so I asked him to read to me. He said "you nuggle me and I read to you". So, I snuggled my little boy as he read his favorite Dr. Seuss book to me. The page read "BIG O, little o, what begins with O? Ostrich, oil, orange owl. O...o...O" and had a picture of an ostrich pouring oil from a can on an orange owl's head (don't ask me, its Dr. Seuss. He's weird). My son's interpretation of that page was "bird pouring apple juice on his head. We then read several more books while snuggling on the couch. As we finished one, he'd run to his bookshelf and get another and climb back in my laugh.
I am thankful.
I have been in kind of a down mood. Probably because I am 5+ months pregnant and sleeping is becoming less and less comfortable, causing me to be permanently tired. It is easy for me to get in a funk and let certain things get me down. So, I have been particularly glad for this blog project today because it caused me to appreciate things more.
Like this morning-
My husband got home from working out and our toddler was still asleep. He went to get cleaned up and the dog had already woken me up to go out and to eat so I went back to bed to watch the news (I don't normally get to do that because my son is usually the one who wakes me up and I don't watch regular television with him). Soon though, a smiling little sleepyhead walked down the hall and climbed into bed with me. He was greeted with the surprise of donuts that Daddy brought home and milk, quite the treat! Soon all three of us were settled into bed, eating donuts and sausage kolaches, watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Then our "puppy" decided to figure out how to jump up on the bed. Our 65 pound, all legs, bloodhound puppy joined us in bed. The combination of an active two year old and huge puppy was more chaos than anything else but it sure made me smile.
This afternoon-
The sun came out. It was cloudy and rainy for the entire day yesterday and for all of this morning with a significant drop in temperature. It was glooooomy. So, it sure was nice this afternoon to look outside and see the sunshine. Now it is a beautiful sunny evening with cool temperatures.
This evening-
Just watching my son eat spaghetti was something that made me smile. He was just so cute eating it and then his messy face afterwards was pretty adorable.
So today, I am thankful that everyday there are little things in my life that make me smile.
***I had to come back and add another smile:
My little boy and I were reading a book together (he loves to read books with us). He wanted to read it again, after I finished, so I asked him to read to me. He said "you nuggle me and I read to you". So, I snuggled my little boy as he read his favorite Dr. Seuss book to me. The page read "BIG O, little o, what begins with O? Ostrich, oil, orange owl. O...o...O" and had a picture of an ostrich pouring oil from a can on an orange owl's head (don't ask me, its Dr. Seuss. He's weird). My son's interpretation of that page was "bird pouring apple juice on his head. We then read several more books while snuggling on the couch. As we finished one, he'd run to his bookshelf and get another and climb back in my laugh.
I am thankful.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Thankful Today #2
#2- I have the opportunity to vote in an election today and I was raised to see this as an important responsibility.
It can be hard to convince someone of the importance of exercising their right to vote. It is very easy to think that one person's vote really is not that important amongst thousands. I personally think that can be argued, but that shouldn't even be the reason someone votes. The reason we as Americans should vote is because we CAN. We have the right to do what millions of other people living across this world would give anything for, which is have a voice in who influences our laws, economy, rights and well being. People in countries in the Middle East literally choose to risk their life to go to the polls, because they find value in their vote even though their system has corruption. Our nation's history is filled with stories of men and women who sacrificed greatly to give people of both genders, of all races and all beliefs the opportunity to vote in the United States. I wonder how ashamed they would be of our nation now, or dumbfounded, to know how few people take the opportunity.
Voting has never been a question for me. My parents vote in most, if not all elections, in their town and provided the example that voting is something that someone should always do. My dad took me to vote in the first election I could participate in, the 2000 presidential election.
It can be hard to convince someone of the importance of exercising their right to vote. It is very easy to think that one person's vote really is not that important amongst thousands. I personally think that can be argued, but that shouldn't even be the reason someone votes. The reason we as Americans should vote is because we CAN. We have the right to do what millions of other people living across this world would give anything for, which is have a voice in who influences our laws, economy, rights and well being. People in countries in the Middle East literally choose to risk their life to go to the polls, because they find value in their vote even though their system has corruption. Our nation's history is filled with stories of men and women who sacrificed greatly to give people of both genders, of all races and all beliefs the opportunity to vote in the United States. I wonder how ashamed they would be of our nation now, or dumbfounded, to know how few people take the opportunity.
Voting has never been a question for me. My parents vote in most, if not all elections, in their town and provided the example that voting is something that someone should always do. My dad took me to vote in the first election I could participate in, the 2000 presidential election.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Thankful Today #1
November is the month that reminds people to be thankful. I have seen a few people make a commitment to express thankfulness for each of the days in November and it inspired me. So here is the first of my daily posts of what I am thankful for:
These aren't going to be in a particular order, one that I am most thankful for over another, but Day 1 is the thing I am most grateful for and deserves my greatest and unending expression of thankfulness.
It is based off of this verse:
These aren't going to be in a particular order, one that I am most thankful for over another, but Day 1 is the thing I am most grateful for and deserves my greatest and unending expression of thankfulness.
It is based off of this verse:
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. Colossians 2:6-7
#1- I am most thankful that I have received Christ Jesus as Lord and that I have a foundation that is rooted and continues to grow, am able to be strengthened and therefore can and should live a life that overflows with thankfulness.
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