A Week of Blessings

This past week I was once again reminded of the love of God for His children as I was blessed by acts of kindness almost every day. Before I share how I was blessed, let me begin with the why I believe I was blessed. A few days after Christmas I found out that I am again having problems with my thyroid. In the past, my thyroid levels have been too low. However, now they are too high. My doctor was concerned about 1) the elevated levels and 2) the fact that I went from one extreme to the other. I was put on medication to help even out the numbers but as a result, I am plagued by constant fatigue. Add to it that Annie still wakes throughout the night; I am feeling exhausted and unrested most of the day! Until the medication gets adjusted correctly, I will battle this fatigue. I have to go have blood drawn every 2 months until the medication is at the correct dosage. I go back again at the end of February for my next lab work. Any mom will agree it’s difficult to care for kids when she isn’t feeling her best; I am no exception.

First, on Monday TJ and I drove around town hanging fliers for MomTalk in various places. TJ was a huge blessing to me because of his willingness to go into businesses and hang them. Monday night a very special friend offered to babysit all 5 children so that TJ and I could go out together to celebrate my birthday. We had a wonderful time as it has been 6 months since our last time out alone. Tuesday my neighbor watched my kids for me at the last minute so I could go to the dentist. I had a filling put in a couple of weeks ago, and since then, my tooth has been very sensitive to touch, but not to temperature. By Wednesday I knew I needed to go back to the dentist because I still was not able to chew or touch the tooth and knew for certain where the pain was located. Two dear friends from church offered to keep the kids for me on Thursday so that I could back to the dentist without hauling my kids with me. If you have children and don’t have family to help with childcare, you know how difficult it is to do ANYTHING for yourself during the hours of 8am-5pm (hair cuts, doctor visits, Post Office trips, bank, etc!) =) A sweet friend sacrificed an hour of her day to come over to stay with my children while I went and had my filling replaced- so grateful as it would have surely been an exciting visit to the dentist with 4 kids in tow! On Friday, another friend contacted me out of the blue to offer me her jogging stroller. TJ and I had been looking on Craigslist for one but just didn’t want to part with the money. This gift was definitely a blessing orchestrated by the Lord because no one knew of our desire. Again, an encouragement and blessing to me that I am grateful to have received!

As I am faced with fatigue and a never-ending list of things to do because of my title as “Mom,” I am forced to humble myself, ask for help, and rely on the Lord for much-needed strength to mother my children. I am so thankful for the many friends the Lord has placed in my life because they are such a help to me in many ways! Through them, the love of Christ was shown to me and my family last week!

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
~1 Corinthians 13:4

Thursday Thirteen #3

Thirteen Things about South Carolina Mom 13 jobs I have held. . . 1. Special Olympics Swim Coach Best job ever and very rewarding! 2. Preschool/Youth swim instructor My first job (I volunteered until I got hired on at the Y, then I was paid.) 3. Lifeguard This was my first paid job. 4. Crew Chief/aircraft mechanic on the KC-10 I loved it- I saw the world on this plane and pushed myself the farthest mentally and physically I ever have or ever will again. Of course I missed my family and friends, but if I had to do it all over again, I would in a heartbeat. 5. Debrief personnel I talked with aircrews after they landed about their flight/mission. I learned the logistical side of flying. 6. Tool Crib personnel I gave the mechanics tools for various jobs needed to fix the airplane. I also inventoried and ordered new tools, and that was fun. Until this job, I had no idea that tool companies have a representative drive around in a truck full of tools for people to use and try. It was during t...

Thursday Thirteen #5

Thirteen Things about South Carolina Mom 13 Reasons to live in SC. . . 1. Mild winters- it only snows about 1 time per year (unless, of course, you live in the mountains, although I don’t know how much snow even falls there). The average temperature hovers around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. On a cold day, it may drop into the low 40s. On a really cold day, it may be in the 30s, but those are few and far between. 2. Hot summers- summer is my favorite time of year. I love to swim, as do my kids, so we spend a lot of time in our pool. We also like to travel to the beach (we went 3 times last summer!) 3. Friendly people- most everyone waves as you drive down the street. Also, gathering in the warm summer evenings on the front porch is common and a great way to meet new people. 4. Sweet tea- I know you can get this in any Southern state, but I live in SC and that’s why it’s on my list! 5. Peaches and Strawberries- these are the main fruits grown in the part of the state where I reside. I love fr...

Couponing

As you probably noticed, I added a new ticker to the top of my blog. I have recently started to be more diligent with my use of coupons because of the fact that we will soon need to buy a larger vehicle. We do not currently have a car payment and would like to keep things that way, but quite honestly, we don't have the cash saved up to pay for a vehicle in full (at least not enough cash for a newer vehicle). My goal is to save $2,000 by the end of January 2012. That equates to a savings of about $250 each month. I have always used coupons if I had one, but never really made an effort to maximize my savings potential. Until now. And it's awesome!!! I wish I had started sooner because the savings available are crazy. I love the feeling I get when I save 50% or MORE on foods and items we use every week. Our grocery bill is typically $80-$100 per week or $320-$400 per month. That seems high but considering we're a family of 7, that averages out to about...

A Lifetime of Love

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