Thankful Thursday

Happy Thanksgiving! I love this day where I got to ponder with family all the amazing blessings I've been given.

This week one of my freshman students was so excited to show me the new outfit he'd been given. Through being part of the Big Brother Big Sister program, he was given $100 to spend at Gordman's.

"Hey Mrs Robertson, Do you like my new outfit?"

I realized this student probably rarely ever gets new clothes, and that might be the least of his worries. I already knew I was pathetic, but this sure put my birthday disappointment in perspective, especially when I had a meeting with his dad later that day. The dad didn't know his own son's birthday. He probably has too many other big things in life to worry him.

I felt so humbled. How must it feel to be a parent and not be able to provide your kids with nice new clothes? Can you imagine not feeling like you had enough food for your kids to eat?

Today not only do I feel extremely grateful. I feel encouraged to give. I'm sure people in need will be more grateful than I understand when they're are blessed by people giving to them.

 

Thankful Thursday

I have been given much!

My kids drawers and closets are loaded full of winter clothing thanks to a friend who shared her little boy clothes, a sister who shared her little girl clothes, and people who've given great practical presents.

I have lots of tomato products frozen and a few canned (in jars my mom gave me) because of great people sharing their tomatoes.

I have apples I'm hoping to preserve some way and fresh apple cider made with this

thanks to Maggie letting us join her family at their annual apple picking day. What a wonderful time it was! It was a little taste of heaven in my mind.

I have two coupons for free milk thanks to Chicks Dig Deals! I actually won my first ever blog giveaway!

You'd never know by all the things I've been given that I have a hard time "letting good in." Looks like I'm doing pretty good at that and maybe need to get to work on my giving skills!

Thankful Thursday

Thankful doesn't come close to describing how my heart overflows when I look at the last two pictures on this post. I am so undeserving.

Thankful Thursday

I often pray for my kids' safety. Several days ago I was thankful God listens and given a heavy reminder to keep at it. I was also reminded to keep watching my kids and to do my best to keep them safe. Sometimes when I should be watching them, I go into la la land. Probably an issue I should address.

Let's just say the VERY heavy solid oak dressers we have are now nailed to the ground. I can't stop thanking God for the ottoman and black stool Elliana had moved there a couple of days before. They stopped the dresser from landing right on top of Wyatt, who was sitting there happily playing, pulling out all the drawers at once. Didn't phase him one bit when everything started tilting.  I can't say the same for myself.

My stomach still churns when I think of what could've happened, but then I just thank God for keeping us safe and for very helpful reminders.

Thankful Thursday

A year ago my schedule on days I worked looked like this (if I was running on time):

8:00 leave home
7:45 drop kids off at daycare (We drove to a different time zone, which was nice for the mornings but terrible for after work.)
8:00 arrive at work
3:45ish leave work
3:50 pick up kids from daycare
6:00 get home - on a good day - the days I'd get groceries before coming home - because when you live so many miles from a grocery store you don't waste the trip - it'd be much closer to 7

Consider getting home between 6 and 7 with two kids, who usually go to bed at 8, who still need to eat supper, and possibly having groceries to unload and put away along with unloading all the other bags work and daycare related, and a lot of the time Brad wasn't home yet! ... I'm exhausted just remembering it.

Now this year:

7:20 Leave home
7:25 Drop kids off daycare
7:45 Arrive at work
3:30ish Leave work
3:40 Pick kids up
4:00 Home! Somedays I even make it before 4

On top of that I'm not having to haul around a pump; bottle up, store and freeze milk; wash pump parts and make sure I don't forget to take enough milk to daycare for the baby to eat when I leave in the morning. I love breastfeeding, but I really don't mind not having my taken up by all of that. 

I actually have a little time to make supper, Brad's usually home for supper, and I have lots of time to spend with my kids before I have to put them to bed! Hallelujah!

To all of you working, pumping mothers and to those who drive long distances to work, my heart goes out to you.

Thankful Thursday

To the kind, generous people who let us pick their produce, we are thankful for you!

Thankful Thursday

I figured being thankful was a good way to tell you about a wonderful weekend we had recently with our friends Brad and Shelli. I still smile inside when I think about what a nice time we had.

We went to visit some friends who basically feel like family.

We were blessed with wonderful conversation, beautiful countryside, and fabulous food.

They let us ride their horse, Derby.

Shelli and I felt bad for Derby with that load he had to carry.

(Brad and Shelli actually raise quarter horses if you're in the market for a horse. Although Derby can carry a heavy load, he's not for sale.)

We got to take in some fossil beds,

which led the Brad's to some deep discussion.

How these guys could stand there and talk when all I could think of was how I could keep myself from passing out from the heat is beyond me.

Our nice friends doted on our children and took cute pictures of them.

They even let them poor water all over their table repeatedly.

Then when we left Elliana's precious taggie at their house, they mailed it to us, along with the prized water containers. Not all friends would give up their way to take salad dressing to work for someone else's kid!

It makes a person feel pretty special to have friends like that.

 

Thanks for having us Brad and Shelli!

We love you and are praying for you!

Thankful Thursday and Major Issue Breakthrough

As you probably know, I just finished reading Beth Moore's book, So Long, Insecurity. I knew I was/am insecure and figured she would tell me I needed to learn "who I am in Christ" to help me get over it. I've heard about all the amazing things I have in Christ so many times, but I've always felt like I can't seem to get it through to heart in order to truly make a difference how I live and think.

In one chapter, Moore writes a prayer and in the prayer was a line that slapped me in the face. I can't copy it from the book because it was due back to the library. I should have written the line down before I returned the book, but because I didn't you'll get my version.

Lord, forgive me for thinking of myself as chopped liver, when You made me.

WOW!  Let me reverse it for you.

Lord, I'm not chopped liver because YOU made me!

I guess He did make liver, but you get the point. How about a positive spin on it.

Lord, because You made me, that makes me valuable. Thanks!

I had never thought of it as sin to think of myself as I did and sometimes still do. Instead of hearing how I needed to think that God views me as His child, as a masterpiece, as something beautiful, etc, I first needed to hear that thinking of myself as pitiful was sin.

Do you know how much this changes for me?  Not only does it change how I view myself, it frees me to view others in much better light.

As for myself, I have a renewed sense of being created by God for a purpose. I may feel like my neck line is unattractive but He made it that way on purpose and maybe even for a purpose. I may feel like I'm incapable of organizing a big event, but I don't have to feel bad about that anymore! I have a renewed curiosity about how He gifted me. I think some things I try to do because I see other people doing them and want to be like them, but I don't want to be that way. I want to use the gifts God's given me. Now I just need to figure out what they truly are. Hmmmm.

As for my view of others...this is amazing to me. If I don't view myself poorly (e.g., spiritually, physically, financially, organizationally, etc.) I can quit feeling so terrible about myself when someone is better than me. I can appreciate how God made them and not be mad at how He made me. I guess on rare occasion I do think I am better than someone else, so now I can quit thinking that too. I find it awkward to try to act like I don't think I'm better than someone when I really think I am. We're all perfectly created by God for a purpose that He has in mind. We're all equally valuable.

My heart still needs work in order to be truly, completely changed to quit thinking so destructively, but I feel like I'm at least on a new path. It's a great feeling. How fun that God can use a book club to work on me.

Would you like to join me in singing the song that just popped in my head?
   

He's still working on me.

To make me what I ought to be.

It took Him just a wink to make the moon and stars.

The sun and Earth and Jupiter and Mars.

How loving and patient He must be.

He's still working on me.

Thank goodness and thank you for joining!

This little breakthrough and the book club are what I'm thankful for this Thursday, and speaking of which, check out the last few posts over at the book club blog.

Thankful Thursday

Maybe we do look alike after all.

Wish you could've heard her giggle when we turned the camera around and saw how our picture turned out.

Thankful Thursday

Recently my mom told me something about how it was nice I had such a handy husband, which made me realize I really take that for granted. I don't think your husband is bad if he's not handy, I just hadn't realized that not all men are as handy as mine.

It has never occurred to me that not all husbands would come up with the idea to move their washer and dryer upstairs to make more storage room down stairs and reroute the plumbing, duct and electrical work on their own.

I guess not all husbands make solid wood furniture. (He's got some extra wood lying in our garage if you'd like him to make you something, for a small fee of course.)

It never realized that not all husbands maintain the cars, landscape, fix what needs fixing and can paint without masking.

I did know that not all husbands can take care of any electrical need or want you may have. That however is quite alright, because then you can call my husband to help you out! He's very hardworkin' and handy, and I'm very thankful for that!

Thankful Thursday

I get attached to the people who watch my kids when I'm working. I may have gotten extra attached to the families who watched Elliana and Wyatt while we were out West because they were some of the few people I got to know while we were living there. They were friendly faces, liked my kids (or at least made me think they did) and worked with me through the challenges of potty training.

God really brought them into our lives. A few weeks before I started working I really didn't know who would watch our kids. Then my sister's neighbor said her friend's son was moving to the area. Talk about providence.

          

 

Elliana got a lot of practice learning to share with Jordyn and had fun playing with her too. She now has a baby in her stomach too just like Dixie did.

I still needed someone for days when I was only working 20 minutes from our house, not 40 minutes. Brad's mom made a phone call to someone who made a phone call.

A few phone calls later this wonderful family dropped in our lap. It was also very divine. I met them one day and asked them if they could watch our kids the next. Nothing like a few days notice. I would often just want to stay at their house instead of going to work or going home. Wyatt may have gotten held more by them than anyone else in his lifetime and Elliana learned about "chopping" (cutting) and gum among other things.

Then I had "Aunt Katie." How many people will say "ya sure" when you call them at the last minute to see if they'll watch your kids for the day? Katie saved the day for us many times and our kids had a blast in the process!

Today  I'm also thankful that I don't have to rush to get ready and haul my kids to daycare for a few couple of months! 'Tis a wonderful thing to work in the field of education!

   

Thankful Thursday

Today I'm so thankful for this little boy.

I'm also thankful he is so much cuter than the first time I saw him, one year ago today.

Can you believe I was actually really nervous about his appearance after that sight?  I actually made a mental note that I would still love him even though his lips and nose were enormous, and I did love him. (I'll spare you all the other entertaining details going on at that time, but if you're interested you can reminisce with me by reading this Thankful Thursday.)

I love being a mom to a boy, especially this little boy. I think he loves me too because he actually initiates to give me hugs and kisses. It's priceless. Don't worry he's not a sissy boy. He also makes a great tractor sound, even "drives" his watermelon across his tray, and takes eating very seriously. I'm pretty sure he's going to be a smart kid too. You ought to see him look at his books. I could go on all day.

I love you Wyatt!

Happy 1st Birthday!

Thankful Thursday

We are a four meal a day family:

1. Breakfast
2. Lunch
3. Supper
4. Ice Cream (after the kids are in bed, of course, and lately accompanied by an episode of Seinfeld)

It's that fourth meal I am thankful for today. It started our first year of marriage eight years ago, and I'm sure it keeps us happily married. How could you sit and enjoy ice cream together if you're not getting along? It's not possible. I'm tempted to go into a lengthy discussion of how this meal has evolved over the years, but since I realize people have short attention spans on the internet I'll spare you the details.

Thankful Thursday

As you may or may not know, we are in transition between jobs and cities. We're working on starting an electrical business in a city we don't even live in while I finish the school year with my current job. We initially figured Brad would probably need to be in Lincoln a lot while the kids and I stayed out West. It was like a reversal of last year where he commuted to farm out West and I stayed in Lincoln with a one year old and a baby on the way. We survived, but I wasn't excited about not having Brad around again.

Well, God has worked things out for us amazingly, and Brad has yet to make a trip to Lincoln without us. God has provided excellent work for Brad out here; and at the same time when jobs open up in Lincoln, Brad has almost always been able to do them on a weekend when going to Lincoln was already our plan.*

Here's the best example of this. Last weekend we had our annual March Madness vacation planned. We "vacationed" in Lincoln this year. At the beginning of the week, Brad already had two service calls** scheduled for while we were there. Then the day we left, someone we didn't know called because they had a smoking electrical panel and saw our number in the phone book! The phone book has A LOT of electricians in it. We put our number in it because we figured people who know Robertson Electric might need it to find our number sometime, and we doubted any new people would call. Someone actually did! (It was quite an exciting moment for us. It doesn't take much around here.) The point is - Brad was able to add another service call to his day while we were back and didn't have to make an extra trip. It's just one of those times where you felt like you could see God working things out nicely for us.

All of that wordiness is just to say I'm thankful that God has timed things well for us in this area so I haven't had to be running a zone defense with the kids for a long stretches of time. I know God's timing isn't always how we would like it to be, but I've really been thankful these last few months for how God has orchestrated things in a way that's encouraging to me. (Let me tell you, it doesn't always feel that way. I'm hoping to explain that all for you on Monday. It's gonna be good.)

Speaking of timing, I liked this story about God's timing in Haiti.

-----

*Now listen, if you live in Lincoln and have electrical work you'd like done, please don't be afraid to call because you think we're living out West still. Brad knows he may need to make an unplanned trip, and we have several more times when we're already planning to come to Lincoln between now and when we move back completely. We'd be more than happy to serve you and I can deal with running a zone defense every now and then!

**One of those service calls was for some very nice Bright People who are selling their home in SW Lincoln. If you're looking to buy in that area, let me know and I'll share their information with you. Their home now has a ceiling fan in the master bedroom, which is a big plus if you ask me.

Thankful Thursday

It's FINALLY nice enough to spend time outside and that makes me thankful for so many things. I'm somewhat of a nature lover so I feel a little over exuberant this time of year. I'm especially a bird lover and you would not believe all the birds we've had flying by this week! WOW!

What nice weather means is I can resume walks with my little girlfriend. She has amazing taste in clothes and shoes and is great for unlimited conversation. Her baby tends to do a lot of the same things my baby does, and she NEVER hurries.

We enjoy the wide open spaces and the nature around us,

arrive at our destination,

and turn around to walk back down the driveway.

Some days a half hour walk with a girlfriend is just what a mama needs.