10 Things I'm Thankful For . . .

It's the day after Thanksgiving and I'm ready to reflect on all the things I'm thankful for.  So, while many people are out starting their Christmas shopping on Black Friday, I'd like to relax and take a few minutes to express my thankfulness during this Thanksgiving time of year.

1.  I am first and foremost thankful for my God, who loves me so much that He sent His Son to die for me.  What greater gift is there than that?  He is amazing and He is faithful and I am thankful He calls me His daughter and continues to bless me. 

2.  I am thankful for my family.  I have the most amazing family and I am so grateful for each and every one of them.  My husband loves me and takes care of me.  My parents are such a great example to me of both what godly parents and a christian marriage should look like.  My brother is so incredibly caring and loving.  And my extended family is full of laughter and love.  I truly love them all and thank God for blessing me with each of them.

3.  I am thankful for my friends, both old and new.  It is so nice to have friends that, even if you haven't seen them in a long time, you can still pick up where you left off and it's like no time has passed.  My friends are always there for me when I need them, ready to lend a helping hand or say a prayer.  I couldn't have asked for better people to cross my path and "do life" with me. 

4.  I am thankful for  my job(s).  In this economy, I am blessed to have found a job, and a job I really love at that.  I recently started working retail at Michael's and I am having such a good time doing it.  It is nice to work with adults and I like every person I work with, which is a blessing.  While I still miss teaching, this is a great opportunity for me to have in the meantime.  And, I've met some really great people I wouldn't have met otherwise.  I also am working at Futures, a tutoring company, and am thankful for the opportunity to continue working with children.  After being unemployed for so long, it is wonderful to have a job and be busy again. 

5.  I am thankful for Tanner, our dog.  He is just so lovable and sweet.  He brings us joy and keeps us laughing.  We couldn't have asked for a better dog.

6.  Silly though this may sound, I am thankful for indoor plumbing.  I'm not sure I could have survived back before indoor plumbing existed. 

7.  I am thankful for laughter.  It is so nice to be able to laugh joyously and loudly.  I am thankful that in these difficult times, there are things to laugh at - even ourselves!  Laughter really is the best medicine.

8.  I am thankful for good books.  I love reading - it is one of my favorite ways to pass the time.  I'm always reading (or rereading) a good book.  I'm thankful that there are so many good books to read and for the ability to be able to read and enjoy them.  Books are such a nice escape from real life.  I love getting lost in someone else's story.

9.  I am surprisingly thankful for learning things the hard way.  I feel like when you have a life lesson to learn, when you learn it the hard way you remember it better and hopefully don't have to learn it again.  So, if it's a lesson I need to learn, and because I only want to learn it/be taught it once, I am thankful for learning things the hard way.

10.  Last, but not least, I am thankful for good doctors.  During this season of my life, I have been struggling with some stomach issues and I am thankful for doctors who take the time to figure out what is wrong and who are able to make it better. 

So there it is.  Ten things I am thankful for.  What are you thankful for during this holiday season?

Contentment

     I want a baby.  This is not new news.  I have wanted a baby for . . . well . . . ever.  I've always known I wanted to be a mom.  And, I always thought that by now I would be.  But, apparently God had other plans for my life.  Having a baby is still a major part of my plan, but it will have to wait.  Andrew and I have talked about having children and while the mere thought of kids freaks him out, he seems to be okay with the idea.   At least, he's adjusting to the idea. ;o)  Right now, our main hold-up on following through with children is our finances.  Everyone always tells me, "You'll never be able to afford a baby."  (As in, why wait because you'll never be "there".)  However, if you are struggling to pay all of your bills and feed just the two of you and a dog, a baby might not be the smartest move.  Hence, no baby. 
     I titled this blog Contentment because I am trying to be content with my life how it is now and stop wishing it was different.  I truly believe God is trying to teach me to be content with what I have instead of always wanting more.  I also know that God's timing is perfect and, generally speaking, completely different from our own.  I know in my heart that God made me to be a mom and that someday I will be, but for now He has other things for me to do. 
     The hardest part of being content right now is seeing all of my friends (with exception of a very few) having babies.  I am truly so happy and excited for them, but at the same time I'm so completely jealous (which I feel really bad admitting!).  I feel left out.  I feel like I'm losing common ground with my friends.  I just feel like everyone is moving on with their lives and progressing through all of the different stages (marriage, dog, house, baby 1, baby 2 . . . ) and we are stuck.  I don't like the feeling of being stuck.  I want to move on to the next stage.  But it's okay.  We will move on when God says it's time for us to move on.  I know that God knows the deepest desires of my heart and that He is faithful.  I'm holding on to His promises and believing that, in His perfect time, we too will have a beautiful baby to introduce to the world. 

South Korea

Andrew traveled to Seoul, South Korea at the beginning of October for work.  While he was only there for a few days, he really enjoyed the opportunity and took lots of pictures.  Here are the sites he saw:

Seoul Tower at night

one of the ancient palaces in Seoul

looking at the Seoul gate from inside the palace courtyard

the Imperial Guard in traditional dress

entrance to Inner Courtyards

where the King had his office

architecture of the palace

King's main throne

ceiling in the palace

King's secondary office throne

King's living quarters

building for formal entertainment

Korean traditional dress

Seoul gate from outside

Seoul gate from outside

statue of the King that invented the Korean language

the King also invented a planetary tracker

King also invented a sundial ad calendar

famous Korean admiral

the admiral developed the first iron warship in the late 1500's

view from mountain where tower is located

360 degree view from Seoul Tower

360 degree view from Seoul Tower at night