Thankful- November 15

1. An amazing dinner last night with my BFF, Beck. Thankful for almost 12 years of friendship with the girl who has taught me more about unconditional love than anyone else I have ever known (save for my gracious hubby :) ).
2. The sounds of three kids playing together- laughing and enjoying each other. Mind you, it only lasts a minute or two before someone is crying, but it is bliss while it lasts.
3. The way Mark touches the small of my back, kisses me on the cheek and says "I love you".

Thankfulness

I might as well get it out there right away- this holiday season is going to be quite difficult. So much about the holidays for me revolves around family and to know that my Daddy will not be a part of them this year rips a hole in my heart all over again. I share my birthday this year with Thanksgiving Day. My dad never, NEVER, missed an opportunity to sing "happy birthday" to me. Last year he called and I didn't answer- he sang the whole thing on my voicemail. I remember thinking "I should totally save this." But I didn't. What I wouldn't give to still have that voicemail. Because we never lived around family growing up, Thanksgiving always meant just the four of us. My mom would make a feast made for 12 and we would eat for days :). It was quiet, quaint and special. And it was US. This year it's different. We have another new child to add. This year Halle Joy and Isabella will actually be eating at the kid's table. Markus and Katie will be fully feeding themselves and have much to say about everything they put on their plates. Mark and I and Boo and Dawn will be busy looking after kids and my Mom will be busy in the kitchen as always. But this year, she will not have my Dad to mash the potatoes. We will not have his ridiculous schedule that he writes the day before, planning when everything needs to be in the oven, for how long, at what temp, etc. He will not have the opportunity to make my Mom's eyes roll when he asks for "three fingers" of root beer in his frozen mug. Mom will actually get to take all the credit for an amazing meal; Dad usually got the credit simply because he would do the plating and that was the last thing people saw- him with his hands on their plate- so it was always assumed he was responsible for the meal. Us grown up kids will not share quiet laughter and stolen glances when Dad takes residence in "his chair" and sits in the way that always made us laugh at him. There will be moments where we forget that Dad is not there- and then we will spend the next hour fighting the guilt that comes at forgetting he is not there.

We will be together, but different. And Daddy will be missed.

It would be very easy for me to become extremely discouraged during this holiday season. But I am choosing today not to. I will choose instead to be thankful. Thankful that while this season will bring all sorts of sad firsts without Dad, there will be so many exciting firsts for our precious Zavion Michael. I will choose to be thankful, because I have three healthy, beautiful, amazing children and a husband that I fall more in love with each day. I will choose to be thankful because I live a drive away from my brother, sister and wonderful nieces. I will be thankful because we will spend the holidays together with my Mom- one of the most giving individuals I have ever known, and my Grandma- who a few years ago we never thought would see these days. I will be thankful because most importantly I have a God who remains by my side, encouraging me, teaching me, growing me and meeting me in my darkest of places.

My choosing thankfulness does not mean there will not be hard days. Hard moments. It doesn't mean there will not be times where I literally have to tell my feet to keep walking, one in front of the other. It doesn't mean that there won't be plenty of tears. But it does mean that I will keep perspective. Because in a season such as this, that is the best tool I have.

In light of all this, I am going to post things on here over the next few months that I am thankful for. Some will be humorous, some will be serious. But all will mean something to me, and will be another notch in my toolbelt of perspective.

And I will choose to be thankful.

Motoring

These two motor around on these toys all day long. It's a riot. Try cooking when they are underfoot.

It only took 16 1/2 months

LC3 Vision Statement by Markus

Markus being Markus

Love this dude. Singing songs, being random, hamming it up and reciting this week's verse.

Our evangelist

Markus on the front lawn, letting the entire neighborhood know that they should "Love God, love the people and love the world. Yes."

Just for me, and a haircut that wasn't

I just needed to get these stats down so I can throw the papers away :).
Markus, age 3: 33 1/2 lbs, 3'1"
Halle Joy, age 1: 22 lbs 6 oz, 29 3/4"

We attempted to get Markus his first haircut today. Did you catch the word "attempt"? We have been talking about this all week. He was super excited. Daddy would get his cut first, then it would be Markus' turn. And Miss Krista would even have a lollipop for him. We knew it could be difficult. Markus doesn't like new and out of his control... he did great watching Daddy, but as I began telling him that Daddy was almost done and it was almost his turn, we began the downhill slide. Markus kept saying "not yet Mommy, not yet". Well, it of course eventually was time. We got him up in the chair, Miss Krista got the apron on and that was the end. Kicking, screaming, crying, begging to go home. The promise of a lollipop and a special treat of his choice afterwards (I even offered Coldstone!) meant nothing. I was so torn. I didn't want to let him "win", but I also didn't want to push a new experience if he was genuinely afraid (which with Markus is a very distinct possibility). In the end, we gave up. According to Markus on his way home "I will be ready next time Mommy." We'll see.

Spring Photos