The thing I'm most thankful for this year

With Thanksgiving a week away, being thankful and counting my blessings is on my mind a lot. 

There are so many things in my life that I'm thankful for. Really, there are so many. I could go on and on about all of the wonderful ways God has blessed me and my family, but I'm going to just focus on one thing.

This year has been the first full year that I have been a member of Medway Community Church. Now, I've been a member of other churches in my life, but never have I been a part of a church like this. There is something uniquely wonderful about this little church.

This is a church where I feel like all of my needs are being met. I feel like it is my extended family and my home away from home. I feel like I belong here. My family belongs. And we love it. 

In addition to all of those wonderful things, it is a place where I am growing and being challenged in my faith. God's word is being preached and I'm seeing him work in my life and in the lives of others. I'm being humbled and renewed by His grace and mercies.

And the friendships. The friends that I've made in just a little over a year through the moms group, my community group and the playground outside are one of the biggest blessings in my life. Living away from family and being a mom of little ones is no easy task, but with friends like these, life is so much better. 

So friends, thank you for being such a blessing. Thank you for being there. For our texts. Our talks. Our play dates. Our runs & swims. Our coffee dates. Our hikes. Our family dinners. Our hand-me-downs. Our pedicures. The barn parties. The meals we share when we're sick or have babies. The babysitting we offer to one another. Our honesty & advice.

Thank you. 

And thank you God, for leading our family  just a couple of miles down the road to Medway Community Church. 

Mondayest Monday of Mondays? Not Really.

It's Tuesday now, so I can look back on yesterday in a better light and try to make  the most of today.  

Yesterday started like most other days and was looking great. Dropped Curly Girl off at pre-school and Ginger Boy and I headed out on some errands. We got everything accomplished that we needed to and I even scored my free Dunkin Donuts coffee because the Patriots won on Sunday [which is AWESOME for me since it's only been a few weeks that I've actually been able to tolerate coffee again... don't worry, it was decaf!] 

To top of the start to my day, my mom, who lives an hour away, texted me to tell me that she and my dad were coming for a visit and would be willing to do some housework while I was out. Amazing! This has never happened before. I told her where she could find the vacuum.

Thank you Lord that I picked vacuuming as the housework to be done for the day. My dad went to get the vacuum which we store in the laundry room in the basement. And that's when it started to turn into the Mondayest Monday of Mondays that I've had in a while.

My dad saw a puddle of water by the vacuum. Coming from the hot water heater. The 3 year old [almost exactly to the day] hot water heater. Ugh. Closer investigation revealed it was leaking. 

With us living on a single income, when things like this hit, it's not always easy. Especially with baby #3 on the way. I tend to just freak out internally right away. Not the best way to deal, but it's what I do. I know that I need to trust God and that he will provide for our needs, but it's sometimes easier said than done.

After that news, I went out grocery shopping, my parents moved some things out of the puddle-filled laundry room and took care of the kids, and Darling Daddy made some phone calls while at work about replacing the hot water heater. 

God provides, He really does! Our water heater was still under warranty and they'll send us a replacement! On Thursday. But that doesn't include installation of the new one and disposal of the old one... Great. Oh, and remember, it's only Monday... That means no hot water until Friday at the earliest...

I was so torn by this news. I was happy about my parents being there to help and my dad draining the entire water heater before it leaked all over the newly-finished basement. But I was not so happy about the news of no hot water all week. No showers. No dishwasher. No baths for my aching & itching pregnant body. Limited laundry. This put me into not the greatest mood for the next several hours.

Which in turn then put Curly Girl into a mood. That girl can read me like a book and knows how to push every button I have. She and I had quite the afternoon, many tears were shed and screams were heard throughout the neighborhood. It was a long time until Darling Daddy came home. Or at least it seemed like it.

[This is her pitching a fit about playing in the leaves]

To top this off, eatlier in the day Ginger Boy decided to give up his pacifiers forever. And his nap time and bedtime bottle. And then he climbed in and out of his crib right before bedtime - for the first time ever. Really?! Today?! Now we have to go into the night with some more potential battles to fight? Great.

But then, after some time, [and a good cry and solo trip to Walmart], I realized something. I could choose to remain in this bad, upset & nervous mood, upset about our living situation for the next week, and the potentially bad night of sleep we had ahead of us thanks to Ginger Boy deciding to grow up today, or I could change my outlook and mood and make the most of it. 

I'm so glad I chose to change my outlook and make the most of it, because today has been a great day. Like, a really great day. [And our night last night was great too!]

I decided, with the help of Darling Daddy, that since we have no hot water this week, I'm not doing the dishes. Paper plates and plastic utensils to the rescue!

Since we can't shower at home, or shall I say, we're choosing not to bathe in cold water, we've got to go somewhere else. YMCA family swim and showers to the rescue! [And then some fun play time in the family zone] The kids had SO much fun swimming. And it was actually really fun for me, and much easier than I anticipated. I think it'll become a weekly activity!

And before we went out on our swimming and bathing adventure, the kids asked if they could use money from their piggy & bear banks to buy something they wanted. So, I decided to let them each take $1.06 and head to the Dollar Tree. It was so fun! 

So even though I had one of the Mondayest Mondays of a Monday that I've had in a long time, I'm choosing to make the most of the week. God does provide when I just trust in Him.

I just need to keep looking to Him and I know He'll get me through times like these.

[Prayers that we can get the new hot water heater installed on Friday or Saturday rather than Monday or Tuesday are of course appreciated ;) ]

Summer Fun - Part 2

Well, since it's Columbus Day weekend and this post has been sitting in my drafts for over a month, I guess I should actually post it! 

Here's a look at some of our summer fun during the second half of the summer - you know, the half when I was extremely tired & nauseous a lot of the time :) We tried to make the best of it!

Swimming & picnics at Papa & Gaga's pool in North Brookfield

Curly Girl learned how to swim without her floatie! In water she can stand in :)

Dance parties out in the yard

Another trip up to Maine to go to our favorite beach - York Harbor Beach

While in Maine, we also celebrated Cutly Girl's half birthday. 4.5 is a pretty big deal ;)

We also spent our first two nights ever in a tent (as a family) and it went surprisingly well!

And we celebrated Darling Daddy's 33rd birthday while in Maine

Picnic in the park with friends

Swimming, sunbathing & lunch with some other friends. Curly Girl's "twin" :)

A visit to the spray park in Worcester

More playground fun with Ginger Boy

Lots of swimming success in some local lakes. I think being able to touch the bottom boosts their confidence in swimming

A visit to the Boston Museum of Science

After the museum we took a trip to Boston Commons, Fanuel Hall & Quincy Market - with the giant double stroller :)

Grape picking & jelly making from our local grapes that grow in our neighborhood. I only set the smoke detectors off for about 5 minutes straight when the jelly bubbled over...

Lots of tree climbing whenever and wherever she can find a tree

And then Curly Girl started preschool! And Ginger Boy got his first date with mom :)

All in all, it was a great summer! And we're excited for the excitement that will be added to our family next summer :)