Thursday Thirteen Thankfulness week

I started to write this last night, but Sam was so grumpy that I couldn't get anything done. And I am glad I had to wait because I am just giddy today and over flowing with thanks and Praise to God for his goodness! Now I have to list it.

1. I am thankful to God for His goodness and mercy and love and answered prayers. He always provides what we need when we need it. I know, sometimes bad things happen, but God can turn them for good, and I believe that all our cars dying over and over and over this year have been for our good. Character issues, probably

!2. I am so thankful for my friend Sarah. She brings me so much joy and laughter and support. I don't think I've ever had so much to laugh about since in the last year. Thank you, God for putting Sarah in my life!

3. I am so thankful for my friend Jody. She is always, always there for me and I have the deepest feelings of being rooted in family with her in my life. I know she'd fight for me even if I didn't know about it. And Jody, I know some of the the help you've done without me knowing it, Thank You! Thank you, God, for giving Jody's friendship to me.

4. I am so thankful for my friend, Jeannie. Jeannie brings me peacefulness and calmness. We laugh and get crazy all the time, but there is something about Jeannie that lets me know that I don't have to be worked up, God will make things work. Maybe maturity, I don't know, but I feel more grounded with her in my life. Thank you, God for bring Jeannie into my life.(pause to stop the crying I've been doing since I started!)

5. I am so thankful for my friend Sheree. She has been a rock in my life for 10+ years. She is like my sister that chose me. And you can't replace that. Thank you, God for Sheree in my life!

6. I am really thankful that my husband's parents moved 3 blocks away. (no, they didn't move out of our house, the were 3 hours away) I am glad because we have been able to help each other out and it is so nice to have family near by. I have really been blessed.

7. I am thankful for my husband. He drives me crazy, we miscommunicate all the time, but he loves me no matter what. And we are equally yoked. And he's gullible. Makes it fun to tease.

8. I am thankful for all of my children. The bring me the most pain and most joy of all. I use this blog to laugh at all the horrible and stupid things they do, but really they are such wonderful children. And I am blessed by them. I know they will all serve God.

9. I am thankful for my home. I have a love-hate relationship with my house, but recently we were looking at not having it, but God stepped in and answered our prayers. Miraculously the mortgage company changed our rates and kept the 2yr ARM from bring our mortgage up so high we couldn't pay it! It wasn't even a refinance! We just said we couldn't handle that payment and they said "Let us rework it" and they did! It isn't even adjustable anymore.

10. I asked some friends to pray for a friend, earnestly and strongly without knowing why, the other day. And this morning I found that half of her needs were met yesterday! I am thankful for praying friends. I know they would do that for me, too.

11. I am thankful for traditions. We have our Thanksgiving traditions, and we'll be eating them today. Like Lefse! A Norwegian delicacy! OK, not a delicacy, but so delicious!

12. I am thankful for my parents. My parents are both still alive, and they are really supportive. They think we are nuts for some of our beliefs, but they have never disowned us, even for having 7 kids and homeschooling like freaks.

13. I am also so thankful that my dad, who isn't normally all that thoughtful, asked his sister to let me have their mom's nativity set. He knows I don't have anything from either of his parents. And he knows that the nativity set is something that I would cherish even without it coming from my grandparents. I am just blown away by that. Maybe I can part with my broken Christmas ornament now.

Dang it! I'm crying again!

There are more of you who read my blog that I know and love in real life, and I am glad to have you in my life, too. I don't know when I have ever been so richly blessed with friends.And I forgot to say I am thankful for Quelf, which we shall play today with unsuspecting relatives! Yeehaw!I can't stop crying!