{Monday}

/ Fiddle Dee Dee
I always love the Monday after a holiday weekend.  No, it’s really not because my kids are back in school (although I didn’t miss them when they left this morning), or because my husband is working out of town all week and I can be queen of his castle while he’s gone …..  I just love the quiet moments to sit back and reflect on what a wonderful holiday it was.
November is a month when so many focus on gratitude and thankfulness.  I’ve not been as vocal about it as many on my blog or Facebook, but it is a subject our family has talked quite a bit about here at home around the supper table.  This morning, as the children were dropped off at school, Audley left for the airport and I finished one tough weight session at the gym, all I could think about is how wonderful my life is.
No, my life is not perfect.  The laundry is piled high and beds need to be made, the kids are tired of eating healthy, the disposal in the sink leaks and has to be replaced, we live payday to payday and there are plenty of bills to be paid.
{But, I am rich.}
I am rich because I have a husband who loves, provides for & encourages me, healthy & happy kids, a roof over my head, food on my table, I have an extended family that is my biggest support system, friends who are like my own flesh and blood, and I am saved.
You know, it’s a pretty good feeling.
Over the holiday weekend we traveled to be with our families in Tennessee and Alabama.  It was a rushed trip, but one I very much enjoyed and treasured.  Mom and I spent time in the kitchen together getting the bulk of dinner on the table before the rest of my siblings arrived. My dad shared some treasured family photos with me that my grandfather took decades ago.  My children took advantage of every waking moment they had playing with their cousins.  We were able to enjoy time with Audley’s parents, our Samantha and her fiancé (just three weeks until her wedding day).  And we enjoyed traveling together as a family even though the traffic was less than desirable.
Here is a glimpse of some of my thoughts this morning as I reflect on our Thanksgiving …..

 

 

 My Mother & Daddy just married, over 43 years ago….  I am so blessed to have parents that have set a wonderful example on making a marriage last.
Momma made that beautiful dress that she has on.

 

And speaking of my momma making dresses, my Madeline tried on the wedding dress that Momma made all those years ago.
And I had always thought my son favored my father ….
There is no denying that Bradley is definitely his grandson.  The girls said “they even have the same ears!”
There is also no denying that it doesn’t take much for us to have a lot of fun.  From chess to bocce ball and playing with chickens everyone is content to enjoy themselves when we get together as a family.

 

 

My cute little niece showing me how to pick turnips.

 

My sisters are my biggest supporters in my weight-loss journey.   I am so thankful for the support that they offer on a regular basis.

 

 

I’m also thankful that I can spoil my little nieces and nephews …. momma may not let them have a cupcake, but Aunt Jen will!

 

And I am ever so thankful for the entertainment and joy my children young adults bring into my life everyday.

 

 

Heaven only knows they don’t get along every minute of the day, but at the end of it I know without a doubt they really love each other.
And I am ever so thankful that while my kids are getting older, they still have the heart of children which is why we stood in line for almost an hour at Bass Pro Shops in Atlanta on Black Friday because they insisted they wanted their picture made with Santa and then they rode the carousel.

 

While there are so many other wonderful things in my life, it only takes a few minutes to realize that I am rich indeed …. and, oh so blessed!

 

And it has been wonderful to reflect on it today.
What are you thankful for?!

7 thoughts on “{Monday}”

  1. Oh this wonderful family-filled and family-honoring post has left me wearing a big old smile. Of course, your kiddos had to wait in line to see Santa…that's the REAL one!

    I really enjoyed seeing your parents' photos and the beautiful clothes that your mother made. She and I are much closer in age than you and I. Isn't it great that in Blogdom we don't have these age differences? I think so anyway.

    I am thankful for many of the same things you are thankful for…we sometimes struggle with finances, but we are rich. Very rich. We have a Father who owns the cattle on a thousand hills.

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