Art & Thanks

Here is the latest creation from our budding artist, David. This is his watercolor, experimenting with different brush sizes. Of course, I think it's beautiful.

Remember his bubble painting? Well, I left that paper tablet outside, it got rained on & the bubble painting is now gone. : ( At least I took pictures of it!

I haven't done a Thursday Thanks Tank in a long time. I tried to find out who was the originator, but I couldn't find it. So without any links to anyone else, here's what I'm thankful for this week (and every week, for that matter!):

Isn't she beautiful?!?!?! In 6 days she will be 15 months old. Having Elizabeth has been like having a first baby all over again because everything is so different. I am amazed when she does things at this age, because David did most things a lot later than this.

She loves to play with the building blocks (Mega Blocks) and can stack them and pull them apart with great gusto! She loves dolls and stuffed animals - she hugs & squeezes them with delight. She also likes to stack and knock down the Peek-a-Blocks. Her favorite PaB, though, is the one with a face on it. She is very relational and nurturing. She loves to touch David, who is now starting to say, "Leave me alone!"

Her vocabulary also blows me away. Newest words I have written on the calendar: baby, bye-bye, nite-nite, David, more, poo-poo, eyes, ears, nose, and all done. The other day when we emptied her diaper into the potty, she waved as I flushed & said, "Bye-bye, poo-poo!"

I asked her today where are her ears & she reached up & tugged on them! She's constantly pointing out eyes & nose on me, Dad, David, Grandma, toys, and cats.

I am thankful for all of my family, but today I just wanted to say thanks for one special little girl. I am so thankful to have her in my life, to be her Mommy. I love you forever, my little ladybug.

Thursday Thanks Tank

I saw this banner on a friend's blog a while back and loved the artwork on it. Reminds me of an abandoned gas station I once photographed south of New Braunfels, Texas. Anyway, since I've been counting down to Thanksgiving with what I'm thankful for, I thought I'd use this banner today and come up with the Top 10 Things for which I Am Thankful.
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1. I can't imagine what my life would be like if I didn't have faith in God. I don't think anything would be the same. I wouldn't have the same friends, I wouldn't be as close to my family (who all have a strong faith), I wouldn't be raising my children the same way. For that matter, I wouldn't even have these children... because I met my husband in a Christian Coffeehouse online!

2. I can hardly believe I have been married to my husband for almost 10 years already, but at the same time it's like we've always been together. I am so thankful that God saw fit to reach down and help us out of the mess that was "us" after the first year of marriage.

3. Even though he scribbled on the screen of my laptop with a ball point pen today, I am thankful for David. He is growing so fast, I am so thankful for the time I have with him.

4. Peek-a-boo, giggles & squeals. That's Elizabeth. I fall more & more in love with her every day. She is so full of personality and I am amazed by her every day, too.

5. My parents have always been supportive of me, but now they've gone beyond what I ever expected by happily welcoming me back home. I brought a husband, 2 kids, 3 cats and too much stuff back into their house & they seem to be enjoying it. I am very thankful for them & for them letting us live here for the time being.

6. For the rest of the family, both mine & Dad's, I am also thankful. Siblings, aunts & uncles, grandparents, cousins, nieces & nephews... it's great (and busy) to be a part of a big family!

7. I got to talk to my best friend on the phone yesterday. Between that and the friends that came to Dad's graduation, I feel so blessed.

8. I am so thankful that I can enjoy God's creation. Whether walking to the mail box or petting a cat, everything that God made makes me thankful.

9. Sleep is often interrupted for this mom, so when I get a good night's sleep, I am very thankful!

10. This may sound strange, but I'm becoming a little crunchy & I love it! Breastfeeding, babywearing, semi-co-sleeping, cloth diapering (and making some of them myself!), and making baby food... and I am thankful for the opportunity to do all those things.

This post has taken all day to write & I think I will not get much of #9 tonight, so I'm going to just cut it off there.

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Thursday Thanks Tank banner courtesy of Pam at Without Fear.