Thursday Thanks Tank #10

Here are some things I am thankful for today:

1. Jonathan is cast-free!! He got his cast off on Tuesday. I am thankful that the appointment went well and that his arm is healing correctly. I am very thankful for my friend that let us stay are her house and watched the youngest boys during the appt.
2. Smooth Traveling: We (the boys and I) drove back up to WA on Monday for Jonathan’s doctor appointment and then drove home to OR on Tuesday. It was a bit challenging for me being pregnant, driving that way and entertaining the boys. The boys were great! We even got stuck in some significant Portland traffic and the boys were able to handle long trip with minimal complaining.
3. My husband’s attitude: Truth be told, I back into something at a rest area on my trip. I was not happy. It was a bit emotional for me. Despite the dent and scratches on my bumper, my husband was very, very gracious and only said kind words to me.
4. Friendly Neighbors: We have had several people come and introduce themselves. We have even had 2 neighbors bring homemade goodies. I have been quite surprised by this outpouring of kindness. It feels like southern hospitality (and I am not in the South!). In all of our moving around (this is the 5th state), we have never had welcoming neighbors bringing treats. It speaks well for small town living in Oregon.
5. My Pantry: For the first time, I am enjoying a real pantry. It is so nice to have a pantry! I think that I occasionally just open the door an look in to see how much space I have for my food. (In the last place, my food was spread in different cabinets throughout the kitchen, depending on where I needed to put the pans and dishes.)
6. Company: On our first day in our house (moving day), we had 2 WA friends that just happened to be in OR. They drove an extra 45 minutes + (with the slight getting lost detour) just to welcome us in our new home. We have different friends that are coming this weekend. I am so excited to have them here and David is really thrilled to have guests for his birthday. In a few weeks some more WA friends will be in OR and are going to spend the night. I AM SO thankful for company! It is making my transition easier for sure.
7. Starbucks at Safeway: Okay, those of you that know me, know about my Starbucks addiction. (By the way, I attribute the addiction to CO and my friend Amy.) I am thankful for Safeway stores having Starbucks… and I am concentrating on the positive side of that since the only Starbucks in our little town is in the Safeway. All prices aside, looks like I will be a loyal Safeway shopper!
8. Prayer: I am thankful that I was reminded this morning (while in prayer) that I can turn over my stress in prayer.
9. Our new home: We are enjoying our new house. Head on over to the Owen Home blog to check out a picture.

This is my thankful list for today. Don't forget to do the same: Take a minute to be thankful today. Write down your blessings if you can and don't be afraid to share them with others!

Thursday Thanks Tank #9

I have a Thankful heart for little and big things. Here are just a few of the things I am thankful for today:

1. A good night’s sleep: Last night I went to be at 9:30! This is quite an accomplishment for me. I got 9 hours of sleep. It was fantastic and very needed. I feel much better today than I have for many, many days.
2. A nice cool breeze: The breeze is really nice to have on moving day.
3. Friends: I cannot stop feeling thankful for my friends. One day soon I will blog more in depth about some special ways my friends have blessed me. Right now I am very thankful for my friends who are always offering their help. I don’t even have to ask these friends – they offer before I ask. Thank you Kim and Michele for watching the boys during the moving days. I appreciate it SO much! And, thank you to my other friends who offered help if I need it. I know I could call and have more help in an instant.
4. Our Church: I cannot put into words how thankful I have been for our church here in WA. I am sad to leave it. I am thankful for the people there. I am thankful that my 3 year old has been asking all week about church (sometimes several times a day). We have missed church a bunch lately due to traveling back East and getting ready to move. I keep hearing, “Hey momma, wwwwwheeeen are we going to go to church?” I am thankful for that question coming from my sweet 3 year old.
5. My House: I am thankful for the new house we are buying. However, this morning I was thinking about how thankful I am for this house that I am leaving. When we were offered the place, my husband had just found out he had orders to go to Iraq and my youngest was a month or so old. I remember thinking, ‘Why would I want to move with a 2 month old?’ I am so thankful for this house. We had so much more space and it has been a wonderful place to be for the last 2 years. I am thankful that our friend let us rent it and has been extremely accommodating these last few months as we were job hunting and getting ready to leave.
6. My husband: He has been working so hard. I am so thankful for him and everything he is doing. I am thankful for his love, his patience, his diligence with his new job and the move. (We are almost there, honey!)

In-Flight Movie

Anyone been flying with kids lately? We just flew with our three boys (6,3, and 2). It was challenging at times but the boys did really well. On our last flight (which was close to 4 hours), there was an in-flight movie. I was a bit shocked and surprised at the selection. The movie shown was "Fracture." It features Anthony Hopkins and Ryan Gosling. Here's the summary from Netflix: "Anthony Hopkins stars in this legal thriller as Ted Crawford, a man who allegedly attempted to murder his wife and is now locked in a battle of wits with an assistant district attorney, Willy Beachum (Ryan Gosling). The D.A.'s convinced Crawford has blood on his hands, but Crawford is freed on a technicality, sending Beachum on an obsessive mission to prove Crawford's guilt -- even if he has to bend the law to make his case."
The movie is rated R. Now, I am not for censorship. I understand the airline has a right to show what they want to show. I know that many parents let their kids watch movies that I wouldn't let mine watch. All that said, this was a terrible choice for an in-flight movie. I imagine 80 percent of the movie was uninteresting to kids. However, in one of the first scenes of the movie, the main character (Ted) shoots his wife at pretty close range in the back of the head. The next image is her laying on the floor with blood all around her head. This really bothered me. You don't have to have the airline supplied headphones to understand and process that image. I believe my kids were engrossed in their own activites. But, I was stunned. What a poor choice for a movie! I just cannot believe how insensitive it is to the fact that families are flying and not just adults.

Happy Wedding Day Amy and Greg!

Much love to my friend Amy on her wedding day. I know it is a special day and you guys are beautiful. Have fun in Mazatlan, Mexico!

Thursday Thanks Tank #8

It is now about 11:30 at night and I am just getting a minute to wind down before bed. Even though I am writing late, I have spent a lot of time today thinking about this post. Here's what I am thankful for today:

1. My Massage: Today I went and had a massage. WOW!! I had received a gift certificate for mother’s day and I finally had a chance to use it. I have only had a massage one other time and it was about 5 years ago. This was simply incredible. I usually harbor a lot of stress in my back, shoulders, and neck. The relieved tension there was worth it. Of course, the whole massage was worth it! If you haven’t tried a massage, you really should. What a treat! If you are one of my friends in WA, I’ll pass on the name of the massage therapist. I think she has a gift!
2. Music: There is nothing like hearing a song that brings back memories. My husband found a tape that I had arranged for him years ago (when we were both in HS). He spent some time locating the songs on the internet and built an album. Hearing those songs brings back so many memories. I love how music touches my soul.
3. Family: I had an amazing trip to my hometown to visit family. We had so much fun! I am so grateful we were able to squeeze in the trip. I will be thinking about it for months to come.
4. Friends: I have been reminded a lot lately how many wonderful friends I have. While in TN, a group of friends pulled together a get-together. It was amazing to see everyone. When we left TN (10 years ago!), no one in the group had kids. Now, there were so many kids it was pure joyous chaos. I am thankful for those friends that still enjoy my company. I love them so. Also, last night (the night after returning to WA), some friends of ours here had a Going Away Party for us. I was a bit emotional about that (but I kept it hidden). I was touched by having so many friends come to say “bye” to us. Of course, I really refused to say bye to anyone. Once again, the kids way out-numbered the adults. It was crazy –but wonderful because the kids were so entertained all of the adults got to enjoy each other’s company. Our friends are so precious. I couldn’t be more thankful for ALL my friends located in so many places.
5. Cool Temps: After being (suffering) in TN’s 90 degree weather, I am really thankful for the cool NW temperatures. I haven’t sweat all day!
6. Marriage: Marriage is really on my mind this week. My dearest friend, Amy Jo, is getting married this weekend. I am constantly thinking about her and wishing I could make it to the wedding.
7. Modern Medicine: David had a pretty significant asthma attack while we were on vacation. I am very thankful for how effective his medicine works. David also had a contact reaction to peanuts in the airport. We noticed he was rubbing his eye. His eye got extremely red, the area around his eye began to swell and he had a couple hives under his eye. I am very thankful for allergy visine and Benedryl.
8. My Mother’s Day Gift Certificate: See #1. Man, that massage was awesome!!

Thursday Thanks Tank #7

I am thankful for my Family. We are visiting our families this week and we are simply having an amazing time. There is nothing like the joy of getting together with parents and siblings and letting all of the cousins play. I am so incredibly thankful for our families and that I am able to spend time with them.

Cousins on the Queen side:

Cousins on the Owen side: