Giving Thanks: Part Three

I wasn't really sure what I was going to write about today.  I didn't want to give a generic thankful answer because I really wanted to go outside the box and come up with something new.  Of course I am thankful for my faith, family, and friends, but there had to be something else to write about.  Something that is unique to my life.  And then it came to me.

I am thankful to be a stay-at-home-wife.

From the day Chris and I were married I have been lucky enough to be labeled as such.  Not many people are able to have this opportunity, and not a lot of people want to have it.  I am part of very unique and small group of women who are able to do this.  Who want to do this.

I love staying at home during the day.  I love the freedom it gives me as well as the opportunities.  And I love that when Chris gets home I can be waiting for him at the door, with a home cooked meal on the table.  

Does that make me old fashioned?  Maybe it does to some people, but not to me.  I've always wanted to stay at home ever since I was a little girl.  My goal in life was not to be a powerful business woman, but a loving wife and mother.  And God has blessed me with the opportunity to be just that.  

I honestly believe that being a stay-at-home-wife is preparing me to be a stay-at-home-mom.  Not only am I able to establish a daily routine but I am also free to experiment to see what works best for my family.  And once Chris and I make the decision to start having children, I will be blessed with the time to prepare. 

It is so easy to forget that being able to stay at home is a blessing.  There are some days where I honestly don't feel like doing anything and get bored pretty easily.  But then I remember that I am allowed to have a time out and relax for a day.  My chores and experiments will always be there tomorrow.  

But, I cannot forget the real reason I am able to do what I want: My husband.  Without God blessing Chris with a job that is able to provide everything we need and more, I would not be able to stay at home.  

{And the best part is that Chris has a job that he loves, so the money is only an added bonus}   

Giving Thanks: Part Two

This is going to be such a great week.  I can't believe this crazy election season will all be over tomorrow night!  I know that I am not the only one tired of the constant political ads between my favorite shows, turning on the news and only hearing about what each candidate is doing, and reading countless posts on facebook about someone's personal political beliefs (yes, I'm guilty of that too).  I am counting down the hours until it's all over and we can all go back to our regular day-to-day activities.  I'm more excited about that than my actual birthday tomorrow!

I am so thankful that we live in a country where difference of opinions are a good thing.  Where voting in elected officials is not a luxury, but our duty as citizens.  Some of us take this for granted, we figure that our votes do not count or that we don't have to vote because someone else will.  But our voice does matter and what we think is important because we, as citizens, get to decide what kind of country we want to live in.  Not a lot of people in the world are as lucky as us.  We, as a nation, decide our fate.  How many people get to say that?  So, first and foremost, I am extremely thankful that I get to cast my vote tomorrow.

I am super excited to get a sticker tomorrow!

On a completely different note....

I also have to give a huge shout out to my husband who stayed up late last night teaching me the in's and outs of HTML.  Without him my blog would just be another blog on the internet, but now I'm finally learning how to personalize it and make it my own!  I still do not understand how to code but I am one lucky girl since my husband doesn't mind helping me out.

{Thanks babe!}  

It's still a work in progress as I figure out the do's and don'ts, what looks good and what doesn't, but I'm pretty happy with it so far.  So poke around and see what's new here.  I hope you like what you see!

Giving Thanks: Part One

It's that time of the year again!  I cannot believe that November is here already.  Where has the year gone?!?!

I love November.  Not just because it's my birthday month (yay!), but because so many good things happen during it.

I love the cold weather it brings and the fact that election day is always on the first Tuesday of the month (yeah, I'm a bit of a goober). 

 It is always exciting to know we all get an extra hour of sleep thanks to daylight savings and we can curl up in bed, under the covers, and stay warm for just a bit longer.  

The leaves are gorgeous shades of reds, greens, yellows, and oranges this time of year!  I always love driving down country roads and taking in the sites.

We have one day this month to eat gloriously rich foods with family and friends and not feel guilty about how many calories we've had until the next day.

After Thanksgiving I can put up all my Christmas decorations!

And who doesn't enjoy the feelings of gratitude and general happiness towards others?  

On the topic of gratitude and happiness, every year I write down what I am thankful for.  God gives us so many blessings and it is easy to get caught up in life and to take what He gives us for granted.

This year has been pretty amazing so far and getting married was definitely the highlight.  I would say the first thing I am thankful for is my wonderful, hardworking husband, but I think that's a given.  Instead, I'm going to tell you how thankful and overjoyed I am to officially be a part of my husband's family!  They are some of the nicest, most giving, and wonderful people I know.  I met them a few months after Chris and I started dating in 2009 and have been a part of the family ever since (and now, it's official!).

This family photo is from December 2010.  Our niece was about
three weeks old in this picture!  

I'm officially part of the family now!  Unfortunately our
brother-in-law couldn't be there but he was definitely missed!

My entire family at our wedding.  This doesn't include
all the cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, or our
brother-in-law, but this is most of our immediate family!

We also had one other addition to our family: our nephew.
My youngest sister was able to visit the family in the hospital
and get pictures of him.  I'm a little jealous that he is awake
in this picture because every time I've seen him he is fast asleep!

Stay tuned for part two of my four part series!