Give Thanks

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 136:1

There is so much to be thankful for...not just during November, but each day our Lord wills us to wake! I am blessed to have a husband who shows me Christ daily, a baby boy who teaches me how to sacrifice and and serve, family who love endlessly, friends who walk through life with me, a job that allows me to see my role as wife and mother, a church who strives to glorify God, and this year I am especially thankful for 27 years with a father who left a legacy of love.

Today my cup is full, and even when it's not, I am still thankful!

This past week hit highlights of just a few things that I am most thankful for. I wasn't sure what this first holiday without Dad would bring...but thanks be to God that He goes before me and walks with me through each day. I can't say I wasn't sad, because I was...I can't say I didn't cry, because I did. However, when I laid my head down that night, all I could think of was that I was BLESSED to have 27 years worth of thankful days with him. There definitely was and will be tough moments, but I am MOST thankful this year that my Savior has overcome this world...and that means those tough moments! What a thanksgiving my daddy had this year!!

I'm beyond thankful...



for melt your heart smiles

for seeing the big things through little eyes

for complete joy

 for lifelong friendships

for a sense of accomplishment

 for an amazing little fella

for God-fearing women in my life

for sweet potatoes :)

for the feeling of being held

 for the wisdom that comes with age

for sisters

 for the sense of adventure

 for someone who will go with you on that adventure

 for a man who loves deeply

 for so many firsts...like a first Thanksgiving meal

 for little things that make us happy

 for a family journey

for my guy and his silly self! :)

 for times when you just feel like dancing

for laughter

for a new perspective

for a mommy's boy :)

for the feeling of little hands giving you a hug

for a grandfather's influence

for a sense of wonder

or even uncertainty

for the feeling of finding something new

for the way I remember my dad when I see this smile

 for God choosing me to be the mommy of this little guy

for a life with these two

for a grandmother's endless love

for all the things and ways that I have been graciously blessed.

My cup is definitely full! :)

Open Season

So, hunting season has officially begun and my little hunter couldn't be happier. Two weekends ago, I took on the great outdoors with my fella...the outdoors definitely won, but we had fun, I think!? :)

I got a stern look for talking too much and walking to loudly...have you ever heard of a silent walk through the woods?? Yea, I haven't either. We hunted early morning and early afternoon...both times seeing nothing. That afternoon, I told Bryant that hunting was like waiting for rain in the desert. He responded with a smirk and another stern look and said, "if you can promise me you will behave, and not talk and sit still this afternoon, we can go back to the camper." I gave him a huge grin and a promise and we were gone!

That afternoon we went back out for our last hunt of the day. I had given myself a pep talk of "being good" and was ready to sit in complete silence and not move a muscle. :) After getting in the stand, I had previously thought I was going to be attacked by a big buck that only turned out to be a squirrel...I told you I'm more "city girl"...I was on the verge of crying, shaking and sweating! After about an hour, we finally saw a spike. He came within 5 yards of my side of the stand, and the suspense of waiting to see something was over! B didn't shoot him, he's waiting on his daddy :)

I would not call myself a hunter, nor do I ever plan to shoot one of these little guys...but I LOVE having something to do with my husband. I told somebody recently...being married is a compromise...not just with the dirty clothes on the floor, or how you squeeze the toothpaste, but it's in all of life. If I want to love my husband whole hearted, I have to invest my life in his and spend time in his world.  I know you are probably thinking you are invested in his life, I don't mean the daily routines of life, because of course you are invested there. What I'm talking about is the things he loves. Hunting is something he wants to share with our son, with his dad and brother...why wouldn't I want to be a part? No, it wouldn't be MY 1st choice, but that's the point...it shouldn't always be about me. When my sweet kiddos leave the nest, I want to have a relationship with my husband that's bigger than our children...and I will only have that if I cultivate it and spend time investing in it. Even if that means being in the woods, waiting for deer that apparently know you are there...plus it's one place you don't have to fix your hair or wear make up! :)

 We saw a bald eagle by the pond...it was amazing!

Hunting will take a lot out of ya! :)
 

November Days

This pretty much sums up our week! A little crazy, but OH SO SWEET!

Happy Friday, friends!

Worn out...

There was never a child so lovely but his mother was glad to get him to sleep. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Life in the Woods

This past Saturday we spent the day in the woods. I'm a city girl. I prefer paved roads to dirt ones, I would rather sit in a heated building/car/room, etc. than "rough it," and my ideal Saturday doesn't necessarily involve a gun, sitting silent in long jons or walking through the woods while not "crunching" the leaves. HOWEVER, I am adjusting, rather well I might add, and this city girl is beginning to have a little love for the country in her soul!

There are 2 main seasons in our house...hunting season and getting ready for hunting season. We are in the latter. This year the boys gave up their membership to their long time hunting club and began to prepare our family land in Auburn for their new "home away from home." They have close to 400 acres of the most amazing views, it truly is incredible!

This weekend is where I developed my little spark of love for the "woods." B has been going most Saturdays to work, while little man and I have stayed back in the luxury of heating or air conditioning. I decided I wanted to go and see what he had been up too...

I will let the pictures do the rest, but know, on the way home I told B I wish we could buy some land and build a house, yep, you guessed... in the woods.

 This is the temporary "cabin" - I'm thankful my momma lives 20 minutes away and has a warm, cozy house!

 Big buck print