The last day?

How have you been blessed? Are you thankful? What are the blessings in your life?

After I wrote Day 29 of my blog, I decided I did not want to stop. I could not bring myself to write about my last day of thanksgiving. So, I have decided to leave Day 30 open. I am thankful for so much in my life that I cannot make one final comment, so instead, I will ask you how have you been blessed? For what are you thankful in your life? What are your blessings? 

I want to hear from you! Happy writing.

And now I am on to my next writing project....more to come soon.
Heidi

day 29 - one day to go

When I started this blog a month ago, I challenged myself to blog daily. While I have not always stayed faithful to that challenge, I am proud of the effort I made! I have enjoyed blogging about daily thanksgivings - I am certainly a blessed girl!

Today I was blessed with a visit for our friends Erin and Bruce LePoint. We first met this couple when we traveled to New Orleans 2 1/2 years ago. I enjoyed catching up with them today and their cute kids.
I love living so close to church. The short distance makes life soooo much easier. After living 25 miles (at least) away from most places we frequented, this close location is such a blessing. Today after church we were able to come home, fix dinner, eat, and visit without feeling rushed.

What a beautiful day we enjoyed today! After AWANA, Hannah, David, and I planted flowers and "decorated" the front of our house with the flowers.  David also finished the grape arbor. Oh! And I learned how to use a cricut...I am definitely hooked! Thanks to my friend Kristy for your help today!



The grape arbor



So, to sum up my thankfulness today, they are for this blog, for visits with friends, for our new house, for the glorious sunshine and flowers and for friendship!



day 28 - ahs

We spent the evening with my friends from work at a faculty evening at Atlee. I was super impressed. I didn't really know what to expect, however, the decorations were elegant, the food was yummy and the company was enjoyable. Thanks, Atlee administrative team, for a fun night.

day 27 - Friday night posted late

Today I am thankful for Friday nights. Unfortunately, the last three or four weekends I have battled allergies! ugh!! This Friday night afforded me the chance to watch the Blue Devils in the ACC tourni and the chance to snooze on my sofa. Last Friday night was spent at Mr. AHS - a hilarious male pageant at Atlee. The two previous Friday nights we went to dinner with good friends. Yay for the weekend!

day 26 my birthday - posted late

Today I am thankful for my Facebook friends and family. As I logged onto FB on Thursday night, I knew I would have a few messages about my birthday, but I was shocked to have as many as I actually did! Thanks, friends, for remembering me on my special day. I am truly touched by your friendship.

day 25 - church folk

Today I am thankful for the people in our choir at church. Oh my goodness - they are a riot! Tonight we were practicing the gospel song "We've come this far by faith." Morgan, our director, envisioned the choir walking up the aisle to the choir loft while the praise team helps lead the congregation in the song. After rehearsing the song several hundred times, Morgan decides it was time for the choir to practice walking and singing. Mind you, he said WALKING and singing. Instead of walking, the men who led off the procession starting dancing  - old, white people dancing. One fella looked like he was trying to do the Funky Chicken - except the chicken had epilepsy. I have not laughed so hard in weeks. Whew! If I can't keep a straight face on Sunday morning while singing this song, it will be from the visions from tonight's dance. How fun it is to fellowship together while praising our Lord!

day 24 - chocolate!

Just in case you were living under a rock today, Fat Tuesday was celebrated today. This "celebration" is one day where all indulgences are allowed - for some, the sky is the limit. For me, chocolate is my limit. I have decided to give up chocolate for lent. Though I am Baptist (we don't traditionally recognize/celebrate lent), for the past several years I have decided to sacrifice something I really love. For the third year running, I have decided to give up chocolate.

So, since today is the last day I can eat chocolate for 40 days or so, I am thankful for it. I enjoyed a yummy cup of hot chocolate (with vanilla soy milk) for dinner and some delicious Girl Scout thin mint cookies for dessert. Just typing these items makes a smile cross my face. I am definitely addicted to chocolate, so what better way to sacrifice than to do so with one of my favorite foods?!

As you celebrate this season leading to Easter, I hope you will give up something to remember the sacrifice Christ made on the cross for you and me.

day 23 - bacon, yummy bacon

Today's topic is a bit strange, but I am thankful for bacon. David spoils me rotten and makes my lunch each school day. Today my sandwich had a slice of bacon on it. Oh my goodness - I don't know if I was extra hungry, but the sandwich was delish!

Since we are members of Sam's Club, we buy a few grocery items from their store. One of the finds we discovered is their bacon. It is so very good! Yummy! I want to go cook some bacon right now so I can eat it!

Day 22 - crafty

I found out today that March is national craft month. Hannah thinks this title is hilarious - and fitting - for our family. I am thankful for the ability (and desire) to craft! Today I made a book wreath and a regular floral wreath. I hung the book wreath upstairs in my hallway and the floral wreath on my front door.

A few months ago I saw someone's blog about a wreath they created using pages from a novel purchased from the Dollar Store. I decided to copy the idea.

When David and I moved into our first house in Asheboro, NC, we inherited many belongings from the previous (and only) owner. One of those items was a beatiful wash stand. We also found many old books in the attic. While the books' subjects didn't appeal to me, I hated to throw them away. So, I boxed them up and brought them with us when we moved back to Richmond in 2000. The books have stayed in the same box and now have found a new home in our attic. When I decided to make this wreath, I knew I could use one of these old books. I found a novel, Fire in the Waters, copyright 1951, and decided it fit my needs. The book was close to 400 pages so I knew it would most likely be the correct length to make this wreath. I started ripping pages out and hot gluing them in. An hour later  my "masterpiece" was ready to hang.

I thought it would be a good idea to hang the wreath over the wash stand since both items came from the house in Asheboro. Because the pages of the book were close to the color of my walls, I decided to add the book's hardback cover to the center of the wreath.

Voila - my creation.

Day 21 - yard work, again!

I love working in my yard; today I am thankful for the ability to work in my yard. We worked outside all day on Saturday. David and I pulled up the rest of the silt fence. I love driving the tractor. I like to think that my granddaddy would have been proud of me for driving it. The yard is looking so much better. David and Dad knocked down a bush that was blocking the old road. Before Lydell Drive was created, a dirt road basically passed through what is now my front yard. Since my granddaddy died almost 30 years ago, brush has taken over a lot of the creek and the woods. We are slowly making progress by clearing out the vines and briars. It has been great creating memories of turning my yard into a new creation.



Pulling up the silt fence - a tedious process as the fence and the stakes were 2 feet in the ground!




Dad knocking down the giant bush that blocked the old road.




Hannah working to clean her new bridge near her fort.

 While we were working on the fence, Hannah continued to build her fort. Hannah and Mom found an old picnic table top further down on Grandma's property. We don't know where it came from, but Hannah cleaned it off and is now using it for a bridge to cross the creek. She spent several hours playing while we were also playing. :)

Day 20 - teenagers

Though their lives are most often filled with drama, I am thankful for teenagers! I love teaching high school. Every day at school, without fail, a teenager makes me smile. So many of them have naive expectations for our world - oh to be young again! hahaha  I remember as a teenager that I thought 25 was old; 35 was ancient. I thought my life would be over at 40 - no one over 40 has any fun - or at least, that's what I thought as a teenager. I realized the other day that I was officially "old" when one of my newspaper students asked me what I did on the weekend. I told her we usually go out at least one night of the weekend or try to spend time with our friends. She asked if I only did laundry and went to the grocery store - ah! I did both this weekend! Oh well. One day they will get it - just like I now get it. :)

Day 19 - posted late



Jaden's art from the NRBC pre-k art show

 Today I am thankful for North Run Baptist Church's prekindergarten program. Hannah attended this program for two years as a 3 and 4 year old. She loved it! Jaden attends there now. Last night the school had its annual art show. They kids are so dang cute! The teachers (one of whom is my amazing mom) allow the kids to show their creativity....and the love of art is born. Thank you, NRBC pre-k ladies, for your time and devotion to the program.

Day 18 - HANNAH!

I am sooo very proud of my baby girl for winning Outstanding GA of the year for the state of VA. Hannah receives tuition to GA camp this summer where she will be a guest speaker. She also will speak to a group of girls at the Mom and Me camp in Lynchburg in April! Another speaking engagement will come this fall when she speaks at the statewide WMU conference in Lynchburg - time to brush up on her public speaking skills! :)

Have I mentioned I am proud of her? I am thankful for her sweet spirit, kind and giving nature, and her fun-loving personality. I love you, Hannah!

Day 17 - posted late

Today I am thankful for an uneventful Club Picture Day at Atlee! We had close to 70 clubs take pictures in the auditorium - that's a heck of a lot of kids coming through those doors in one day. My yearbook students ran the day - and they did an amazing job! I am thankful for these students and their dedication to the school and the book. I am also thankful we didn't have any problems!!