Gifts

40. Having our daddy home more because he is done with school!
39. Little faces after chocolate pudding and chocolate bunnies.
38. Having worship songs stuck in my head.
37. A church with real, transparent women, with real struggles, all trying to lean on God and each other to make it through.
36. A clean house (for this second).
35. Brendan's ever-changing birthday party ideas.
34. Aidan's "birdie" mobile in his bed, and the fact that he turns it on with his toes :).
33. Weekends for the boys at Memaw's and Grandpa's (and rest for a tired Mommy and Daddy).
32. Aidan's new favorite phrase, "Woo-Hoo!"
31. Homemade cinnamon rolls.

More Gifts. . .

30. Boys who could play outside all day long.
29. Sand tracked into the house-- evidence of playing hard in our sandbox.
28. Coming to the end of the long road of my hubby's grad school.
27. Andrew's estactic mood after his FINAL final!!
26. Long walks with good friends.
25. Friends who will tell you like it is.
24. The quiet of naptime.
23. Holding hands to pray at dinner.
22. Having to say the aforementioned dinner prayer three times because Aidan enjoys it so much.
21. A mommy who reads my blog and leaves me sweet comments :).

More for the One Thousand Gifts List

20. Little boys who sing in their beds when they wake up in the morning.
19. A husband who remembered to put the tea kettle on before homegroup.
18. A boy who covered me in pillows to "make me comfy" because I was tired.
17. Beautiful spring days.
16. Seeing Aidan take a ride on Grandpa's tractor.
15. The looks on the boys' faces after a great fireman birthday party.
14. Sweet yellow wildflowers in the backyard (despite our weed n' feed :)).
13. Running to dada when he comes home in the morning.
12. Dada sweeping up said boys who run to him each morning and hugging them tight.
11. Being greeted as the "cutest girl I've ever seen" by my sweet hubbie.

One Thousand Gifts

Ann V. at Holy Experience (my new favortie blog) is encouraging us all to keep a list of one thousand gifts. Not a list of one thousand gifts we want, but of one thousand gifts we already have (thanks for this wording, Ann!). One thousand everyday ways that God has blessed us. And so, I begin today with ten. Ten ordinary, extrodinary things I've been blessed with.
10. The beautiful wooden candlesticks on my kitchen table, made by my brother-in-law.
9. The way Aidan carries his blankie around-- just like Linus from Charlie Brown.
8. Those little cinnamon and sugar frosted donuts.
7. Late night snuggles.
6. Brendan's "man feet"-- because he is not a bear and, therefore cannot have "bare feet".
5. Neighbors who are always there to help, listen and play with.
4. Boys wrestling with their daddy.
3. Aidan's ever expanding vocabulary of car noises.
2. A husband with a tender heart.
1. A boy who snuggles into my lap and tells me he needs some "Mommy loving".

Just Hatched

Here's a cute little kit for Easter. I hope you like it. Download HERE! Special thanks to Atomic Cupcake and their actions!

Happy Birthday, Memaw!!

Memaw-- The Monkeys wanted to tell you "Happy Birthday"! We love you, and we hope you have a great birthday! -- Katie, Andrew, Brendan, and Aidan

Digging Out

I awoke this morning to life cluttering around me: dishes in the sink, a sick, crying boy, mounds and mounds of laundry. Running late, I didn't even have time for my morning devotional-- Speeding off toward preschool at a break-neck pace, I began to gasp for spiritual air-- how could I dig out of this mess? I pray a bit, only to be dragged down by the undertoe of life-- a whining child, another red light-- and somewhere it dawns on me: It was not my job to dig out-- In fact, no matter how hard I tried, I could not rise above the everyday problems encircling me. But HE, yes, HE could dig me out-- the Prince of Peace could calm me, hold me. I still have a sink full of dishes, and the laundry is still piled on my living room sofa, but I am no longer drowning. The Prince of Peace has stilled my heart. Sit, just for a moment, and he will do the same to yours.