Gratitude Is Inclusive

To be grateful for the good things that happen in our lives is easy, but to be grateful for all of our lives - the good as well as the bad, the moments of joy as well as the moments of sorrow, the successes as well as the failures, the rewards as well as the rejections - that requires hard spiritual work. Still, we are only grateful people when we can say thank you to all that has brought us to the present moment. As long as we keep dividing our lives between events and people people we would like to remember and those we would rather forget, we cannot claim the fullness of our beings as a gift of God to be grateful for. Let's not be afraid to look at everything that has brought us to where we are NOW and TRUST that we will soon see the guiding hand of a loving God.

__Henri Nouwen

For all things give thanks to God, because this is what God expects you to do in Christ Jesus (1 Thess.5:18)



If we take happiness from God's hand, must we not take sorrow too? (Job 1:10)






Some Sunday thoughts...

5 Things Friday

Five Things You Can Do While Nursing a Baby

1. Watch TV.
Daytime television has not changed in years.  There is just more of it now. 

2.  Read.
I've been reading my bible every morning while I give Baby T his morning snack.  I love this time.

3.  Sleep.
I sometimes fall asleep sitting up.  It's crazy how tired you are in the middle of the night. 

4.  Facebook.
There was no Facebook when I had my other two babies.   I got a laptop for my birthday and I love that I can now nurse Baby T and check everyone's status! 

5.  Sit in Carpool.
Yes, not my favorite thing to do, but a mom does what a mom has to do!

Life in Full Swing, How Do You Manage?

Life is in full swing here...


 Some updates on the Dandelion Dayz household - other than the fact that we have a new baby!  :)

The kids have started back to school and all activities.   Whew, B's dance schedule just might do me in this year.  Since she made the dance company (YAY!) she we have a lot more to do.  She does have an additional class and many opportunities to dance.   Which means many opportunities for me to volunteer. And of course driving back and forth.  I am very excited to see how she grows in her dance, though.  She loves it so much that I love it, too!

Bubby started back to Tae Kwon Do and is loving that.  He's training for his Orange belt.  He's had a rough start to first grade but I think we are doing great now.   A lot happened in August - new baby and first grade is big stuff for my sweet six year old boy. 

I'm so glad we took the month of July off  = NO ACTIVITIES.   Although, I seriously could barely move to take them to the activities.  I was SO pregnant and SO miserable.    I read a blog recently where the writer was kind of condemning a woman making the choice to be induced because she was uncomfortable.  Walk a day in my shoes, sister - that's all I have to say.  Come to think of it, I could barely even wear shoes because of my feet being so swollen!  It was difficult to take my kids to the pool and that was the coolest activity outside of our home that I could manage.  I think that my decision to be induced a week early was the best thing I could have done for the rest of my family.  I am slowly starting to feel like my normal self again. 

I head back to work in a week.  Sigh.  I have mixed emotions about that.  Maybe another post for another time. 

Hubby has been soooo busy with our business.  That is a good thing for sure as the economy has affected us.  So, while his time away from home is not good, the income is.   We are blessed to have income when so many don't.    I think he thinks I don't appreciate that he works so hard - well, let me state here on this blog that I do.  

Starting back to Awana and Y-Guides next week, piano lessons are on and basketball in another month.  With a new baby.   Not to mention our busy church life.   All which I LOVE so much. 

Whew.  I can't even think of all of that without getting a little overwhelmed.  I have to take it day by day.

Tell me - how do you do it all?  What is the one thing that saves you time and helps you manage your busy family the best?  I'd LOVE to know. 

Baby Updates

Well, I meant to post pictures of Baby T on Monday since that was his One Month Birthday! 

But...taking care of Baby T and the rest of this family of mine seems to put me behind...a lot.   You know that saying of how you deliver your brain with the baby?  Yeah, I think that is so true.

He's such a good sleeper.   Even at night I usually get a good 4-5 hour stretch of sleep.  My biggest issue is getting myself to bed early.  Last night if I would have hit the pillow the minute I laid him in his bed, I could have gotten 6 hours of sleep!  Yes, he slept for 6 hours straight at one month old!    But I went to bed an hour and a half after he did and so I did not get as much sleep.   I need to work on that a bit.   

Here are some recent pics of him  - it's hard to get them with his eyes open and he still looks at me a little cross-eyed but oh, he is so cute. 

And here are some of him with his Big Brother and Big Sister.  They LOVED taking these pictures.  They adore him.