30 Thankful Days {#12}

Hey! Before you banish me to the ends of the earth forever for taking soooooo long to get my "30 Thankful Days" in, allow me to point out a couple things...

#1. I NEVER specified that those 30 days would coincide with the 30 days of November {even if that was my original idea}

#2. I am a busy prego. mama with 2 littles, lots of church and school activities and the normal, chaotic Christmas frenzy topped off by boiling hot temps. Sooo...just give me a little break, k?! {ha!}

#3. It's my blog and I get to do it my way! {Neener-neener}

Ok, I digress...

Today I am super-dy-duper-dy thankful for:

#12. A Mini-Vaca. from my Kiddos/

Shopping Date with Hubby

A recent, rare pic of just me and my ♥

I love them to death. Really, I DO! 

And sometimes I enjoy them so much that I think I might just go InSaNe!!!

Once in a while {or in my case a very rare blue moon} I get the chance to escape my house and babies, just for a little bit, and recharge my batteries. 

NO "octopus arms" needed to carry the million things that come with kids or escort said kids safely to their destination.

NO hefting and un-hefting of big lug kids at 30 sec. intervals.

NO diaper bag.

NO strapping and unstrapping of munchkins in car seats.

NO multiple trips to the "little ladies' room". {Ok, maybe, but today it is the tiny princess in my tummy's fault}

NO whining, fussing, crying, pleading for toys, candy, etc.

NO sharing of treats with greedy sugar goblins.

On the other hand...

Adult conversation...I think I had forgotten what that was.

Holding hands with my hubby.

Eating a WHOLE...well, anything!

Roaming stores without a care in the world--without wondering what my kids are getting into {aka. breaking!}, without wondering if they are safe and still at my side.

Part of me would like to tell you about the wonderful, romantic, relaxing outing that we had today. How hubby and I got all "gussied up" and enjoyed a beautiful candlelight dinner in an elegant restaurant and then strolled along under a sky full of stars. 

But, it didn't actually go like that. {You're shocked, right?!}

We went to class. {Only 1 more left!}

Then, instead of taking our babysitter home, we took ourselves to the store to do Christmas shopping. Yep, for those "snotty-nosed rugrats" that I was trying to get away from. 

First we hit a couple of gas stations attempting to find that all-elusive fuel for our car.

We got a snack at McDonald's and searched the aisles of the nearby toy store. Then we went into a bigger store to buy such glamour items as diapers, eggs, butter, and yogurt.

On the way out, hubby bought me a toffee crunch ice cream bar, and I admit, I didn't get to eat the whole thing...but I got to share it with my sweetheart.♥

On the road home...one more gas station where we had success! Gasoline at the gas station, who would've thought?!

Keepin' it real. Multi-tasking. Enjoying each other's company just the same. The day was special because I shared it with my best friend. Those are the things that really matter. 

Oh, and getting Christmas presents for the munchkins is pretty important, too. Don't believe me?! Ask my Clara and Ethan :)

30 Thankful Days {#11}

Christmas! It's coming--THIS MONTH!!! Where has the year gone?! I say that every year and yet December always seems to sneak up on me, especially with little kids growing up before my very eyes. The days seem to slip by so quickly.

I am thankful for Christmas, of course, primarily for it's true meaning. Christ came to Earth as a wee little babe. He came "to seek and to save that which was lost". "For God so loved the world..." But mostly, God loved ME! Jesus was born in a manger for ME!

#11. The CHRIST of CHRISTMAS

So thankful that I know the Christ of Christmas. He saved me by His wonderful matchless grace at the ripe old age of 5. I am blessed beyond measure to barely remember my life without Him as the most integral part of it. He walks beside me everyday. He's always there for me and understands me better than I understand myself. He's my very best friend and I can go to Him night or day--never a dropped call, busy signal, or bad connection either. 

I also greatly enjoy all the other fun things we do to celebrate Christmas. The exchanging of gifts with those we love, feasting on all kinds of Christmas goodies, laughing and playing, and most of all, seeing the shining bright eyes of my children and watching the wonder through their eyes. 

We don't have some of the typical Christmas things down here, like mounds of snow and freezing temps. No gallivanting in the drifts nor tingling sensation of thawing fingers and toes. No wrapping ice cube-like hands around steaming mugs of hot cocoa or throwing another log on the fire is needed here. {Honestly, can't say I am too heartbroken to be missing the cold part, but Clara would LOVE to have some white fluffy stuff!} Last year, Christmas was one of the HOTTEST and muggiest days of the season, reaching nearly 100 degrees. Nice and toasty, don't you think?!

Our Christmas includes sprinklers, watermelon, and sticky, drippy popsicles. Our Christmas calls for T-shirt and flip-flop attire. Our Christmas is a scorcher where you really don't want to turn that oven on to add more heat to your all ready sauna-like kitchen and house.

BUT, we DO have the same Christ at Christmas. The same joy and celebration of His birth. We DO have the same Bible to read the miraculous Christmas story to our children. We DO have food, friends, and family. We DO have a home filled with love and laughter. We DO have plenty to be thankful for. We DO plan to have a fabulous {albeit hot and sticky} Christmas! We hope you do, too!