I've been debating whether or not to do the month of Thankfulness posts this year.  With chronicling pregnancy #3 on Mondays, Britt posting on Tuesday, and Ruth posting on Wednesday, I hate to double up post in any one day.  Plus, with the work on the basement and other things going on, I've just been a little busy to actually compose a post.  However, sometimes when we are busy, it's most important to stop for a moment, and remember how blessed we are, and to remember to be thankful for these blessings.  So with that said, here are my thoughts for the first 10 days of Thankfulness.

Day 1 - I am thankful for Gary's new job.  After nearly 3 years of unemployment, he has been blessed with a great job that he truly enjoys. After 3 months on the job, he's already meet several of the goals they've set for his first year.  In fact, while pleased, they have been surprised, and told him to slow down, and just work on building relationships right now, not to push selling right now.  Though he's working long hours during harvest time and he comes home tired, he comes home happy and excited to talk about his day.
Day 2 - I am thankful for perspective on money.  This goes along with the job, but after 3 years of realizing just how little you can really live on, a good paycheck is such a stress reliever.  This job pays better than any job we've had before it's true.  But even when we've had work, doing the budget and paying bills has been a huge stresser for me.  We aren't rich now, we aren't making a killing, we still have to budget, pay back several people, and can't just blow money.  YET, we can enjoy a date night a couple times a month, we can go out and get Gary a new pair of work boots without robbing the electric bill.  Even if Gary were to never get another raise, I think we could have as many children as we want and live comfortably.  And while doing the bills is never "fun" it's not the stressful, anxiety provoking experience it use to be.
Day 3 - I am thankful for this house.  Gary and I have dreamed of owning a house practically since we got married.  However, it wasn't our first priority.  After the unemployment set back, we didn't foresee being able to own a house until Britt was 10 - 15.  While that was a little sad for us, because we have great memories of growing up in the same home for many years, we just didn't see being able to pay off debts and save up toward a down payment on a house in the really expensive Florida market.  However, this house was a real blessing.  Not only is it well made, and adequate for our needs, but it is big enough to grow in.  It's a beautiful home, in a great area.  I cannot thank the Chastains enough for housing Gary for a month, helping him find this place, everything they did to help him navigate getting the house, and getting it ready for move in.  Gary's parents did alot to help with the move, and get us situated once we got here.  Moving so far from both of our families is made much easier by having a good, safe place, all our own to move into.
Day 4 - I am thankful for Gary.  He is the calm, easy going half of this marriage.  No matter what life throws at us, he is the one who says we will adjust, cope, and keep moving forward.  He is the rock in this relationship.  He sacrifices endlessly for everyone else.  He works hard to provide for us, doing whatever he can do to make life easier.  After a long day at work, he sometimes comes in and wrestles with the kids, cooks seafood for supper, and takes over the house, so that I can go and soak in the tub and head to bed early.  He is great at picking up the slack.  He loves me no matter how unlovable I may be on any particular day, and some how thinks he got the better end of this deal, when I clearly know better.
Day 5 - I am thankful for Britt.  He is an endless source of amusement and frustration all rolled into one.  He is a Momma's boy most days, but he loves to play rough.  He is determined to conquer the world, from beating up monsters with his Captain America shield to instructing Ruth on what to do.  Yet, he still wants to cuddle up in my lap for a movie or to read when Ruth is napping.  He is bright, quick thinking, and observes EVERYTHING around him.  Yet, can't remember and follow the simplest instructions.  He has endless amounts of energy.  Seeing the world through his eyes is fascinating.  He makes parenting every bit as enjoyable as I could have imagined, and keeps us on our toes trying to stay one step ahead of the game.
Day 6 - I am thankful for Ruth.  She is the gentle, cuddly child 90% of the time, but she is rougher than Britt when she wrestles.  She looks just like her daddy, and even laughs like him.  It's impossible to stay mad, sad, or just depressed when she comes up and asks you to hold her, and puts her thumb in her mouth and lays her head on your chest.  She is pure sweetness, but you can also watch her scheming.  She has already figured out that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar.  It is so hard to discipline her because she cries at the drop of the hat, and immediately wants you to hold her.  We don't understand half of what she says, but her expressions are priceless.  She has taught us that one size fits all parenting doesn't remotely work, and that you really have to figure out what makes each one tick to be able to teach and guide each child.   We haven't quit got that figured out, but I expect that will take most of our time together.
Day 7 - I am thankful for this third child.  Many people seem to think that two is the perfect number of kids, after all the "average family" is now 4.5 people.  As much as we planned that we wanted 5 kids between 18 and 24 months apart, children don't always come exactly on your time table.  We were hoping to have a third child as soon as Gary got this job, but turns out this one is "ahead of schedule."  I have no idea what this one will look like or act like.  I suspect she's a girl, but don't know and I wonder about her personality.  That surprise and mystery is part of what makes life exciting.  I'm thankful for the easiest pregnancy to date, and no major problems.  Some people have problems throughout their pregnancies, or can't carry healthy children to term.  I am thankful for each blessing in child form that God has given us, and hope that he gives us a few more.
Day 8 - I am thankful to be an American.  While our country has a host of problems, why I don't believe our country is moving in the right direction, I still think we live in the greatest country on earth.  We can have as many children as we want, unlike in China.  We can climb anywhere we want on the social ladder unlike India.  We can have public education unlike many African countries.  Home ownership is not just a dream out of reach as in many European countries.  Yes, we have problems here, the family is looked down on, it can be difficult to get a great job and climb the ladder, education isn't all it should be, the economy has problems spurred on by the housing market - yet tell me any country that does these things better?  Where would you move to.  God has blessed us abundantly here, and I pray that he would continue.
Day 9 - I am thankful for Little Union Church.  Without their constant support and encouragement we would have never made it through unemployment.  No matter what anyone else said, they never made us feel that we were failures as parents for being unable to provide as well as we wanted.  They never made us feel like Gary was a deadbeat for being unable to find work after so long.  They chipped in with money to take care of bills, and with a place to stay and let us pay rent as we were able.  Most of all they gave us encouragement and reminded us that the Lord was able that He would provide.  And until He provided this job, they did more than just talk, they were doers of the word.  Unlike the example in James 2:15-16, they provided.  They were Christ toward us.
Day 10 - Finally, I am thankful for the Truth once delivered to the saints.  God did a great and miraculous thing for us, he loved us when we were unlovable and paid the debt for us, with no strings attached.  He didn't just stop there though, He let us know of His love for us, and what all He had done.  I don't have to live in fear of not being good enough.  I don't have to worry about all my shortcomings.  I don't have to worry about appeasing a great and powerful God.  While I have a great respect and awe of Him, after all he's not a Santa Claus in the sky passing out presents, I am amazed that He loves and cares for me.  It is a joy to serve Him out of love and not fear.