Happy Thanksgiving weekend to our Friends & Family!
We have been blessed to spend some time with extended family that we don't see too often. It is always fun to catch-up and shoot the breeze. Today I'm feeling lazy, sitting around talking and getting some sewing projects worked on. There is a part of me that wishes I was getting a lot of things "done" right now, and the other part of me is so very thankful for the time to relax and just be for a day or two.
The last couple weeks have been filled with work, preparing for upcoming concerts, swimming lessons, daily upkeep in life, and now more adoption paperwork. I started feeling a little like the burning of my candle at both ends, was turning into a full out fire. My candle was burning out a little too quickly. It's busy times like these where I realize it is hard to find what I'm thankful for, instead it is easier to feel stressed and complain about the little things. With Thanksgiving around the corner though, I kept reading good ol' facebook and saw what everyone else was thankful for - what a good reminder for me to keep thankfulness at the forefront of my mind. It of course is easy for me to be so very thankful for my family, friends, job, house, and all the other things that I'm blessed with every day. But, I do find it hard to be thankful for the things that are so terribly out of my control, such as our adoption process or Jon's search for a new job.
I have found myself thinking a lot about my dreams and the realities in my life. Am I thankful for these things? Do I spend enough time thanking God for the ability to dream? Do I spend enough time thanking Him for the realities in my life that may or may not be what I had imagined? The answers to these questions are probably "no" much of the time. Instead, I am fully human, and I become frustrated and ask the question "why?" instead of the simple statement of "thanks."
So this weekend I have decided to say "thanks." instead of "why?" for my dreams, as well as my realities....
dream * a house full of children
reality ~ a house with one child, sad he doesn't have siblings to play with, using his parents as his play partner
Thanks ! for a HOUSE with a FAMILY. Caleb is a wonderful little boy, full of life. Each moment we get to spend with him is a blessing. This time is something I take for granted much too often. My dishes, laundry, and "me" time can always wait - I only get so much time with my little boy before he grows up on me! I'm also thankful for a child who understands love so much that he is willing and ready to share that love. Hopefully soon Caleb! Hopefully soon!
dream * stability and feeling settled in our 30's
reality ~ in our (almost) 10 years of marriage, one of us has been either looking for a job or not happy in a job. We want to feel settled in a town, ready to raise our family, be happy in our careers.
Thanks ! for a wonderful job in the school district I am currently in. I didn't think I'd go back to teaching and I'm soooo very grateful for the push I received from my boss! Had he not talked me into applying, I wouldn't be in this job that I very much enjoy. I am also thankful for the stability that my job creates, therefore Jon can take the time to look for a job so that he can find a good fit.
dream * adoption
reality ~ paperwork. time lines. uncertainty. stress. nerves. knowing we will not physically have another child (most likely). knowing we will have many obstacles to face in the future years.
Thanks ! God is making this possible. Without Him we would not be able to complete this process. It is taking a lot of time and money and it is a purely crazy process, but in the end, we will get to bring our children home - how can I not be thankful for this?
Dreams. Realities. Thanks.
So many more I could speak of, I'm sure, but why go on and on? Point has been made to myself. I need to continue to give thanks, for both the good and bad in life. He is the reason I can have my dreams and my realities, and for that, I am truly Thankful.
In Christ,
Mara
We have been blessed to spend some time with extended family that we don't see too often. It is always fun to catch-up and shoot the breeze. Today I'm feeling lazy, sitting around talking and getting some sewing projects worked on. There is a part of me that wishes I was getting a lot of things "done" right now, and the other part of me is so very thankful for the time to relax and just be for a day or two.
The last couple weeks have been filled with work, preparing for upcoming concerts, swimming lessons, daily upkeep in life, and now more adoption paperwork. I started feeling a little like the burning of my candle at both ends, was turning into a full out fire. My candle was burning out a little too quickly. It's busy times like these where I realize it is hard to find what I'm thankful for, instead it is easier to feel stressed and complain about the little things. With Thanksgiving around the corner though, I kept reading good ol' facebook and saw what everyone else was thankful for - what a good reminder for me to keep thankfulness at the forefront of my mind. It of course is easy for me to be so very thankful for my family, friends, job, house, and all the other things that I'm blessed with every day. But, I do find it hard to be thankful for the things that are so terribly out of my control, such as our adoption process or Jon's search for a new job.
I have found myself thinking a lot about my dreams and the realities in my life. Am I thankful for these things? Do I spend enough time thanking God for the ability to dream? Do I spend enough time thanking Him for the realities in my life that may or may not be what I had imagined? The answers to these questions are probably "no" much of the time. Instead, I am fully human, and I become frustrated and ask the question "why?" instead of the simple statement of "thanks."
So this weekend I have decided to say "thanks." instead of "why?" for my dreams, as well as my realities....
dream * a house full of children
reality ~ a house with one child, sad he doesn't have siblings to play with, using his parents as his play partner
Thanks ! for a HOUSE with a FAMILY. Caleb is a wonderful little boy, full of life. Each moment we get to spend with him is a blessing. This time is something I take for granted much too often. My dishes, laundry, and "me" time can always wait - I only get so much time with my little boy before he grows up on me! I'm also thankful for a child who understands love so much that he is willing and ready to share that love. Hopefully soon Caleb! Hopefully soon!
dream * stability and feeling settled in our 30's
reality ~ in our (almost) 10 years of marriage, one of us has been either looking for a job or not happy in a job. We want to feel settled in a town, ready to raise our family, be happy in our careers.
Thanks ! for a wonderful job in the school district I am currently in. I didn't think I'd go back to teaching and I'm soooo very grateful for the push I received from my boss! Had he not talked me into applying, I wouldn't be in this job that I very much enjoy. I am also thankful for the stability that my job creates, therefore Jon can take the time to look for a job so that he can find a good fit.
dream * adoption
reality ~ paperwork. time lines. uncertainty. stress. nerves. knowing we will not physically have another child (most likely). knowing we will have many obstacles to face in the future years.
Thanks ! God is making this possible. Without Him we would not be able to complete this process. It is taking a lot of time and money and it is a purely crazy process, but in the end, we will get to bring our children home - how can I not be thankful for this?
Dreams. Realities. Thanks.
So many more I could speak of, I'm sure, but why go on and on? Point has been made to myself. I need to continue to give thanks, for both the good and bad in life. He is the reason I can have my dreams and my realities, and for that, I am truly Thankful.
In Christ,
Mara
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