I must confess, when I realized just now that it was Thursday and I needed to write a Thankful Thursday post, I had a deep sigh. It has been one of those days, so sitting and dwelling on my blessings is not something I am feeling naturally drawn to do in the moment...
I'm thinking that it's a good thing I have some accountability today to be thankful.
I just spent a half hour crying and processing out loud to my husband about my parenting and our children and my impatience and their imperfections. Today was a day of discipline. A day of nagging and frustration and discouragement about my humanity and theirs.
A day for grace.
And a day to strain a little harder than normal for the thankfulness...
So today, I am thankful for second (...and third and fourth...and twentieth) chances.
I am thankful for a spontaneous visit with my mom and my niece and nephew.
I am thankful for peanut butter cookies fresh from the oven (made by my amazing MIL).
I am thankful for a super-fun VBS program for Micah.
I am thankful for a cooler evening to sit and watch Micah's t-ball practice.
I am thankful for my husband unashamedly cheering loudly for Micah, even when no other parents were.
I am thankful for homemade pizza.
I am thankful for bedtime in which ALL 6 of us (which is 24 moving arms and legs) snuggled together on the bottom bunk in the kids' room for bedtime devotions.
I am thankful for sweet Ella time (she went to bed later than everyone tonight so had some special, one-on-one time with Mommy and Daddy...we talked and giggled and cleaned up toys together. I absolutely adore her voice, her little sentences, her voiced observations of what everyone is doing and saying, her blue, blue eyes, and her little feet that quickly pitter-patter on our wood floors to and fro as she scurries about doing her thing...)
I am thankful for unexpected gifts.
I am thankful for the quiet after the kids are all sleeping soundly in their beds.
And I am thankful that tomorrow is a new day.
I so needed grace today, and I hope I can extend it more generously to my kids when they are in need of it, too. So thankful that grace is a gift so freely given. I want to live and breathe in grace...grace in the good times, grace in the bad, grace when I am living in the moment and soaking up the joy, and grace when I am clouded with impatience and unable to be the mama I want to be.
Lord, help me to add to my rhythm, grace.
What are you thankful for today??
Isn't parenting the best job ever? Every single day, the kids, and you, get a do-over.
ReplyDeleteToday, I am especially thankful that you are such a wonderful mother!
Thanks, Mom. Love you.
DeleteSarah, your blog blesses me like you wouldn't believe. Even though my first little nugget hasn't arrived yet, your words speak such truth to me. As you cry and struggle to be thankful on tough days, it challenges me to do the same. Sometimes I feel like I'm sitting across from you in Downtown Crystal Lake having a bowl of oatmeal before school. :) Thank you for always writing with such honesty. Love you much!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, BeckyJo. I LOVED our oatmeal days. :-) SO happy for you and your precious miracle and praying that your pregnancy goes smoothly. Miss and love you!
DeleteBeautiful words to bring grace to all of your friends and family. Thank U for blessing us all
ReplyDeleteThanks, Mom. I keep learning...
DeleteThanks for your honesty! I was beginning to think that you were perfect and always happy! :) I'm glad to know other moms have rough, not-so-perfect days too! There are definitely good days and not-so-good days for our kids and for us! You are doing a great job Sarah! By the way, I kinda wish we lived a little closer so we could be homeschool friends! :)
ReplyDeleteOh, Melissa, far from perfect!!! Ha!
DeleteAnd I didn't know you were homeschooling!! I SOOOO wish we could live closer and do life together. Hope you guys are doing great. I think we flip flopped states AGAIN. We were in MN for the 4th of July and you guys were in IL, right? Miss you!
We have a knack for swapping states, don't we?!? Question for you. You sent Micah to preschool, right? Pros, cons? I'm debating sending Tate in the fall, or doing some preschool at home.
DeleteYes, we sent Micah to preschool. We didn't know if we were going to homeschool yet or not so we decided to move forward with preschool so he was prepared for school in case we did that. He enjoyed it and grew a LOT in his confidence, which was a huge blessing. But, on the other hand, if I had known I was going to homeschool, not sure what I would've done. Sammy is three and I am not sending him to preschool this fall. I'm going to keep him home with us and work with him here. :-)
Delete