Making A Home And Family

I am thankful that these last few days I have been too busy living to post.

We traveled for my 6 week post-partum check up with a clean bill of health. Yesterday we spent our day baking pies and eating big meals with our families.

I hope to finish out my thankful posts for the month, but I will be focusing on family. This has been a great exercise in being aware how thankful I am and using that when I’m feeling down. It sure helps!

I really enjoy getting special things in the mail – even better if it comes on the big brown truck.

Yesterday before nap time, UPS pulled in and left a little package on my porch.  I assumed it was something I had ordered for the kids for Christmas.  I waited until nap time to open it, so I could hide it away without Val seeing it.  To my surprise – it was for ME.  I had ordered Zenschooling, but kind of forgot about it.  Hello Mommy Brain!

I am thankful for yesterday’s mail and the few minutes of quiet reading time that came afterwards.

It’s my brother’s birthday today, and I’m thankful for him in my life.
He’s a busy guy – husband, dad, son, brother, hard worker, hunter, fisher, hobby farmer, he’s always doing.
He came by my house the other night after hunting and sat around to talk. He played with the kids and the puppy. It was such a nice time to connect because it’s usually far and few between with his schedule.
I’m grateful for my brother and I’m thankful for the times I get to spend with him.

I am so thankful that I had an evening out. James and I took AJ and went to dinner with another couple last. They treated us to wine, which I gladly accepted. It was yummy and it was so nice to enjoy a dinner, at a table (mine is hubby’s office right now), have a conversation, and I didn’t have to cook or clean up.
After dinner was even better because we met up with a big group to see Breaking Dawn. How fun! I haven’t been to a GOOD movie in the theater in almost 3 years!!! Edward Cullen was a good way to break that streak.
So thankful for a great evening!

I am so so so thankful for the connections I have online.  I know, sometimes, we all “waste” time online but I have gained so many connections from the internet that I cannot even name them all.

First and foremost, I met my husband on the internet.  We went to the same school, but we really met on the internet through old school ICQ.  We chatted, we met at school, we went on a date, and it just kept rolling.  Who would’ve thought that 12 years ago in some chat room, we were actually meeting our future spouse.

I was part of Bolt and LiveJournal back in the day too, and I am still friends with some of those people thanks for Facebook or Twitter.  So many connections there that helped me process a lot of things with a group of people I felt safe sharing those things with.

Now I am a blogger, read others blogs, and I gain so much from that.  Tips how to cook, how to parent, how to homeschool, how to be a good wife, how to be a good person.  I have even met a few fellow bloggers along my path, and they were amazing visits.

I’m a member of the “Dingos” – a group of running moms who can’t even be put into words.  They accept you even when you haven’t ran in months and months, they accept you as the woman you are, helping you face the challenges you are facing, and I want to live next door to each one of them for different reasons.  A few of these ladies I have met in real life too, and it was like walking into a sister’s house.  All with open arms and the comfort of someone you’ve known for ages because even though we talk online – we have known each other for ages!

Also, I’m a sister in the Organic Sister‘s tribe.  She does coaching calls in groups about topics relating to relationships, raising children, being authentic throughout the holidays… These and the forums are a blessing.  They challenge you, but all within a sisterhood of wonderfully wise women who are all trying to get to the same place.  Happiness, contentment, and just being real.

I’m on Twitter where a whole bunch of mamas have my back, and I’m on Pinterest where I pin a whole bunch of things I want to aspire to be, do, get.  Of course, I’m on Facebook where I chat with people I know, people I’ve met, people I used to know from other sites, and I share info about my blog, my business, and even my farm there.

The internet is a blessing because it brings so many people together.  I am thankful for all the connections I have made this way.

I’m thankful that this morning, despite wanting to stay home, I got us ready and went to story time.

Val needs to be with other children, learn from other people, and I need that time to see other adults and families.

I came home, made lunch, and did day 1 of school from my curriculum that was given to us. We both loved it! And it’s not too difficult to do with a baby in arms.

It’s refreshing and motivating just to get out of the house and be among other people.

I am so thankful today for meeting other mamas in my area. They are so nice, understanding, and giving. One friend helped with Val and then held Aiden so I could spend time with Val at homeschool group today. She sent Val home with costume jewelry which she is in love with.

Another friend invited us over after homeschool group. She showed me her homeschool set up so I could learn from them. I am inspired! She also gifted us a box of curriculum for a month and an infant curriculum book. I feel so blessed!

How were you blessed today?

Where is the month of November going?  Wow, it’s already day 16 of my thankfulness journey!  It will be such a wonderful thing to have on my blog to return to, and I hope I am inspiring others to think of things they are thankful for too.

I am thankful for the days when my kids nap at the same time – even if it’s a struggle sometimes.  There is nothing sweeter than watching the sunset over the neighboring field while I pour myself a cuppa tea from my tea pot.  Jack Johnson singing to me from Spotify.  Catching up on my social media and maybe getting a chance to read a few pages in a book.

There’s something so soothing about a hot cup of tea though, isn’t there?  I’m so thankful I get to pour myself a cup at least once a day.  It helps me take a deep breath and relax for a bit.

How do you make time each day to relax?

I am thankful for my few hours alone (well, with my nursling) to go to book club.  My mom and sister watched V so I could go, and they also did some of my laundry because I still don’t have a washer and dryer.  That’s beside the point, but they needed a shout-out.

The book club was new and we spread the word to our friends on facebook.  We had 6 women there to have tea, share cheesecake and potato fries (thanks M), tell stories, and decide on book for a month’s worth of reading.  I always leave a girls night feeling refreshed, and this wasn’t any different.

I am looking forward to reading our new book and discussing next month with them.  What are you all reading these days?

I’m doing this post a little late, but better late than never right?

I am thoroughly thankful for all of my friends and family that took time out of their busy schedules to help us pack and move last month. It wouldn’t have been smooth or even possible as I was still healing from giving birth and bonding with my baby.

I don’t think you all know how important it was to our entire family to move to our farm while making the transition as easy as possible.

We appreciate and love you all.