Gratitude

I really appreciate the encouragement from everyone - it means a lot to me! I feel like my last post was kind of complaining about stuff, so I think it is really important for me to write about what I am grateful for. Kris was right about the fact that I get to be home and be with Joshua, even though there is so much else to do - i'm not missing out on his accomplishments and development. He is a wonderful baby - here is my favorite recent picture of him. I'm considering contacting Fisher Price and asking if they want to use it when advertising this high chair.

So i'm super grateful for being at home with Joshua.

I'm so grateful for my wonderful husband and all he does for me - especially for how patient he is and how much he makes me smile. When we got married, he told me that he'd make me smile every day. And he has!

I'm grateful for my family and how supportive and good they are to me. I'm grateful that we make an effort to stay close and as my generation in the family grows up and has fat babies, that we're growing closer! :c)

I'm grateful for friends nearby and far away - especially for those friendships that have lasted for so many years in spite of distance!

I'm grateful for my calling as a Young Women leader at church - the young women are great examples to me and I enjoy learning from them when I teach and getting to know them better at activies. I've been really disconnected from them while I was really pregnant and then since Joshua has been born, so I'm finally getting back in the swing of things and I'm looking forward to it.

I'm grateful for our living situation, believe it or not, even with all of the headaches the job causes, we could never afford an apartment this nice, and the money it brings in allows Nathan to work part-time, so hopefully he'll be able to finish up school while we're here.

That's certainly not all I'm grateful for - I'm especially grateful for my faith and understanding of who I am and why I'm here, and where I'd like to be for eternity. My faith helps me to set goals for who I want to be, the things I want to do, and what is most important. I am grateful for direction and optimism and a clear understanding of forgiveness.

Well my dear little baby is sleeping - for that I am very grateful, too! Sometimes he has rough nights, but he's doing a lot better at sleeping for a long time, which is nice. I'm going to go get him some bigger diapers - he's already going to be in a size 4! That will help him sleep through the night better - lately he's been leaking every single night. I'm sure you wanted to know that :c)

Oh yeah - last night Nathan and I went on our very first date since Joshua was born. We went to The Best Little Roadhouse and then to Konditerei for expensive but delicious cake. It was nice to go out, and we REALLY appreciated Mindy for babysitting. Sadly, Joshua cried for about 35 minutes of the hour and 20 minutes or so that we were gone. Poor Mindy. He'd had a rough day, though. Barely any napping because we had to wake him up to go with us to the eye doctor, and then we took him to Willamette to see people, so he didn't have any long good quality naps. Hopefully that won't mess up the good patterns he's finally getting into!

Well as soon as Nathan is done with putting sealant on linoleum in an apartment, I'm going to Keizer to return a frame for Mindy, and then going grocery shopping, and then coming back here by 3 cuz Amber is coming over! I'm also teaching a lesson at church tomorrow, so I need to plan that! I'll get that started now.