30 Days of Thanks...Day 24

Today I'm thankful for simple pleasures.  Things that can turn a stressful morning into a little bit more manageable day...moments that just make you smile :)

And, today my simple pleasure was a wonderfully sweet, scrumptious pleasure.  If you haven't been introduced to Chick-Fil-A's Peppermint Chocolate Chip Milkshake, you have missed OUT!! 

In the words of Martha, It's a Good Thing!!

30 Days of Thanks...Day 23

Today, I am so thankful for FRIENDS!!  People that encourage me, inspire me, are there for me, and always make me laugh! 

I'm often reminded that many times friends are closer than family, and I would definitely count many of my friends as my family.

So blessed to have wonderful people in my life :)

30 Days of Thanks...Day 22

Today, I'm thankful for my Bradley!  He works SO HARD for our little family, and it makes me so very proud of him!  The past couple of months has been really busy for him - more so than normal.  We are doing a good bit of renovations to our home (pictures to come soon!) and we are doing everything ourselves.  He is in Seminary taking 2 extremely difficult classes this semester.  He has a very demanding job - demanding of his time, attention, energy.  And, Youth ministry!!  WHEW...Sometimes, I wonder how on earth he does what he does. 

 I love him more each day, and thank God for him every single day. He's by far my favorite :)

 How thankful I am the Lord put us in each other's lives 9 1/2 years ago!!  How blessed we are :)

I love you, Bradley!!

30 Days of Thanks...Day 21

Thank you Lord for all of your MANY blessings in my life!!!  We had our Community Thanksgiving Service tonight, and I was reminded how often it is to see the sadness, heartaches, frustrations, hurt, loss, and many rough spots that we go through...but, you know what?  There are too many blessings in our lives to even begin to count them.  So, today I give God the glory for all awesome things in my life He has blessed me with!  Thank you, Lord for reminding me of that!!!!

And, this songs sums it all up...I have always loved this song so much by Rachael Lampa - "I Am Blessed" - so I just had to share it with y'all :)  Happy Sunday!!

I may never climb a mountain,

So I could see the world from there.

I may never ride the waves,

And taste the salty ocean air.

Or build a bridge,

That would last a hundred years.

But no matter where the road leads,

One thing is always clear....

(chorus)

I am blessed,

I am blessed,

From when I rise up in the morning,

'Till I lay my head to rest,

I feel you near me,

You sooth me when I'm weary.

Oh, Lord,

For all the worst and all the best,

I am blessed.

All along the road less traveled,

I have crawled and I have run.

I have wandered through the winds and rains,

Until I found the sun.

But watching eyes,

Asked me why,

I walk this narrow way,

I will gladly give the reason,

For the hope I have today....

(chorus)

You've given me joy,

You've given me love,

You give me stength,

When I want to give up.

You came from heaven,

To rescue my soul.

This is the reason,

I know,

I know.

(chorus)

30 Days of Thanks...Day 20

I'm thankful for a wonderful day today with some of my favorite ladies!  We had a "Fall Garden Party Luncheon" with Lori today for all the bridesmaids and her closest friends before the big day next weekend.  We all wore our hats and pearls, and had so much fun!  It doesn't matter how old you are, it's always fun to dress up :)

My mother looked like a true Southern belle...doesn't she look beautiful??  And, Valerie didn't look too bad either ;)

Lori with our gracious host, Ms. Tammy!  LOVED her hat!!

The party should have been in a Southern Lady magazine...it was sooooo cute!!  Lots and lots of details that I didn't even get a picture of, but here are some of my favorites.  The "Thankful Tree" where we each wrote Lori a note of why we were thankful for her, then we clipped them to the tree.  Also loved the white pumpkins with Lori and Brandon's initials!

I wanted to grab this cotton bouquet and run with it!!! HA!!  It was made out of cotton and had pearls mixed in the cotton, with small tree branches sprayed white for the "stems"...LOVE IT!!!

Of course I would love a wreath!  Tammy had used all different pictures of Lori and Brandon in a sepia tone color to make this "Happily Ever After" wreath.  It was hanging on an old door behind the food table.

This picture does not do the food table justice...of course, it doesn't help that I took this picture AFTER we ate! 

Me with my 2 sisters :) 

It was a great day!  So thankful to get to share it with Lori!! 

This next week is going to be lots of fun and CRAZY BUSY!!! Have I told y'all our special events business, Judith B. and Company, will be doing the catering and floral designs...AND, Valerie and I are both in the wedding??  This is definitely a first - we have done LOTS of weddings, lots of catering, and lots of flowers...but, never have we been bridesmaids in a wedding we are doing...um, during the week of Thanksgiving at that!!  I wouldn't do it for anyone else though, than Lori! 

30 Days of Thanks...Day 19

Thankful today for people that make me laugh.  Laughter is truly good for the soul :) 

One of those good ol' laughing fits where you have tears streaming down your face, stomach hurting, and nothing in the world could stop you from laughing at that moment...it just makes me you feel so much better :) 

And, just in case you haven't had a good laugh lately, you need to watch and hear this baby laughing.  It'll make you at least crack a grin and chuckle...

30 Days of Thanks...Day 18

Yea!!  So thankful tomorrow is FRIDAY...that means no more school (for me anyway) until after Thanksgiving AND my house gets clean tomorrow by my sweet Elena! :)  What a blessing!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday full of thanks!

30 Days of Thanks...Day 17

Today, I'm thankful for "my girls".  So blessed to be called to work beside Brad and teach these girls about loving Jesus, loving others, and loving themselves. 

We have an AWESOME group of children and teenagers, and we feel like they are all of "ours".  But, my group of girls are extra special to me (no offense boys!!)...that's where my heart for ministry is, and rightfully so.

They teach me so much, and I love to hear how they see the world through their eyes.  I'm thankful to have a close relationship with each of them, and they feel like they can share their hearts with me. 

And, Lord have mercy they make me laugh!!  So so so very blessed to be a part of their lives!!

I love you, girls!

30 Days of Thanks...Day 16

Today I'm thankful for my Daddy who turned the big 6-0 today!!!!!!!!!

 We love you so much and are so thankful to call you Daddy!!!  We hope you have a wonderful birthday!

30 Days of Thanks...Day 15

Thankful for this beautiful season of autumn!!  Oh how I love it...

photo credit

~  I love the colors of the trees...I didn't take the picture above, but if I had had my camera with me as I rode to church yesterday, this would have been a similar scene of the gorgeous view as I drove up the mountain.  

~  I love pumpkins on my porch...just makes me smile :)

~  I love the crisp, cool nights

~  I love to come home to a steaming hot pot of soup and some corn bread...I usually only make soup in the fall and winter, and it's so comforting.

~  I love the smell (and taste!!) of hot apple cider...ahhh!

~  I love to spend Saturdays watching SEC football!!

~  I love to wear comfy sweaters

~  I love having a season that reminds me to be thankful!!