Gratitude Schmatitude

Um.

Obviously I haven't been living up to this whole "Grateful November" thing.  I get distracted.  I'm forgetful.  I'm overwhelmed at the thought of moving (so much stuff!).  And so I spend my nights watching Once Upon a Time on netflix instead of blogging about things I'm grateful for. 

Also, I'm trying to read Les Miserables.  I now know way more about the Battle of Waterloo than I ever wanted to know (that was the ultimate sidetrack, Mr. Hugo, you are extremely passionate about Waterloo).

Rather than try to play catch-up, or to pick up where I left off and pretend I'm going to do it every day from here on out, I think I'll just call it a draw.  No more gratitude posts, no more guilt.  We'll just call it even and move forward. 

However.  I am, in fact, grateful for my kids.  And I happen to have a bit of footage from the past few days that I've been itching to share.  So you could consider this another gratitude post.  If you wanted to.

First up, I mentioned on Facebook that I sort of love that Ella says "Lock-a-bur" instead of Blockburger, and that Julia says "breafkist" instead of breakfast.  So I got that on video. 

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After we got them to speak the desired phrase, they wanted to have a little more camera time, and I let them.  Things get a little goofy, and nothing terribly exciting happens, but it's a good representation of a typical night at our house.  (Eggbert is a chick, in case you couldn't tell.  This becomes important as we discuss his favorite meals.)

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And to finish it off, there are few sounds more wonderful than that of giggling girls.  If you could bottle this up, I think you could solve all the problems of the world.  And I'm sharing it with you.  You're welcome.

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Gratitude: Day 4

We bought a house.

WE BOUGHT A HOUSE!!

We have lived in Michigan for 2 years now, and we are finally getting into a home.  We thought we might be in this apartment for 6 months, maybe a year.  I really wouldn't have guessed we'd live here for 2 years.  And now, we're moving!

When I get thinking about all the people we've met while we've lived here, I see that we were supposed to be here.  Especially when I think about our dear, sweet downstairs neighbor, Mr. Cooper.  Mr. Cooper has been like a grandfather for the girls, and he's been a wonderful neighbor.  If he bakes himself a pie, he gives us half of it.  He won me right then and there.  But he also loves sitting outside and watching the girls play.  He makes sure to have a box of chocolates in his cabinet because he knows the girls like to sneak one out.  He's just a good, good man.  And we'll miss him.  But, bonus!  We're moving less than 2 miles away!  So we can come back often. 

But this post isn't about all that.  This post is about BUYING A HOUSE!  We are so beyond thrilled to be moving into a bigger place.  A place with 4 bedrooms (That means a guest room, folks!  Come visit us!), a basement, a 2 car garage, and glorious, glorious counter space in the kitchen.  We will finally be able to unpack everything we brought with us, and everything will have a place to go.  And we will get our piano back! 

I'm so so SO grateful that we are finally here.  It's a time for much rejoicing!  And many! many! exclamation points!

Gratitude: Day 3

Today I'm grateful for the church.  More specifically, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

It's Stake Conference around these parts, and today was the leadership training meeting and the adult session.  At each of these meetings it really hit home how important the church is, how all of the programs and meetings are meant to help people come closer to Christ.  The leadership training focused a lot on self-reliance and welfare.  I absolutely love that they said over and over that we should be guided by the Spirit in all things. That people are what matters, and if the Spirit tells us to do something that isn't within the regular guidelines, we should listen to that prompting.  It was a great reminder of what this church is all about, and the need to look after the one.

Gratitude: Day 2

And in a follow up to yesterday's post. . . .

Today I'm grateful that we were able to get my car towed to the mechanic, where it was discovered that there was some wiring that wasn't connected properly, making it an easy and inexpensive repair.  You never realize how important a functional car is until you don't have one. 

Gratitude: Day 1

Remember how last November I had a month full of gratitude?  Well.  I've decided that was an excellent way to breathe new life into a sadly dwindling blog, find the tender mercies in my life, and bring in the holiday season (both Christmas AND Thanksgiving).  So here we go again.

Today Julia had the day off school.  The teachers at her school are smart and don't want to deal with tired, cranky kids the day after Halloween.  So I decided it would be a great day to head to the library, let them play for a bit and get some energy out.  But, we slept in, and there was a bit of lollygagging on my part, so we didn't make it out the door until 11.  And then I remembered that I needed to practice the organ.  So we made a detour to the church.  I got my practicing in, and then it was time to go to the library.

Except my car wouldn't start.

Cue panic.

So I called Clark, my go-to man when I'm in crisis mode.  He told me I should go find someone to jump it.

Cue tears.

Perhaps you know this, perhaps you don't, but I'm slightly. . . scared of people.  I hate to be a bother, I don't particularly like asking for help, and really I'd just rather figure things out on my own, thank you.  I get all nervous and flustered, and often I start crying, and then I'm really embarrassed, and then I cry more because I'm embarrassed, and it's a big fat downward spiral.

But avoiding people is not really an option when dealing with a dead car battery. 

So I put on my brave face (prayed the tears wouldn't leak out) and headed into the family history center at the church.  Where I found a sweet sister from our ward who was ready and willing to jump into action.

Her first response was, "I have an electric car.  I don't know if I can jump it."

Her second response was, "I'll call my husband and see if I can."

She called him up, got instructions, and the jump was jumped.

I'm so grateful that someone was at the church, and more specifically, that someone I know was there and willing to help.  No tears or embarrassment on my part.  Tender mercy, right there.

Let the gratitude begin!