1,000 thanks (part 6)

I’ve been slow to complete this 100…. The past two months have felt tough for me.  I’ve dipped into some pretty dark places and probably working on my list would have helped!  With spring in the air I feel a new wave of grace for myself and our family.  It seems in life more stressful cycles are followed by more gracious ones.  I’m thankful to step into the grace and let the heaviness of winter behind.  Thank you Lord for spring!

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601. New opportunities that come at the perfect time in the perfect way

602. Free tickets to see Cinderella

603. Brave middle boy learning to swim

604. Ressurrection eggs

605. Afternoon outside time

606. God protects me like a shield

607. Girl woke up only once last night

608. Clear ears

609. We made it out of the grocery store

610. Dunkin Coffee ☕

611. New part time work!

612. Clean fridge

613. Helpful boys

614. Girl grabs her seahorse to snuggle after first wake up

615. Girl in oversized sweatshirt

616. Girl trying to “meow”

617. MY DAD

618. Dinner at my parents

619. Squeezing in a quick run and stretch

620. Surviving 3 nights solo with the kids

621. Big boy learning his CC songs and singings random pieces of them throughout the day

621. Little House on the Praire on Audiobook

622. Safe girl after falling out the power wheels

623. Lunch with Mom

624. Popcorn + Rescue Bots in bed with boys

625. Sunshine long enough for afternoon play and neighbors to play with!

626. Conversations about God with my boys

627. Extra 💸

628. Sparkling Water

629. Tears, to lighten the load

630. Helpful Doctors!

631. Butterflies

632. Popcorn + Planet Earth with the big one

633. Night out with a friend

634. Indian food, yum!

635. New part time job, with a great pace

636. Sunday church + friends + donuts

637. Sunday afternoon projects

638. New lattice

639. Neighbors for dinner

640. Parents dropping in

641. Easter Sunday

642. Beach vacation 🌊🏖️n

643. Miraculous new job for Brent

644. More money

645. Encouraging verses

646. Hot tub and pool

647. Aquarium 🐚🐢

648. The sunrise

649. Beauty hidden in all the details

650. Morning cartoons with the middle boy in Mickey PJ’s

651. Warm slippers

652. Ocean sounds

653. Naps

654. End of year CC celebration

655. Mrs. Heather

656. Oldest saying he loves his teacher

657. Panda 🐼 pictures with hearts and my name

658. T-BALL

659. Chick-fil-A milkshakes

660. Neighbors to play with

661. Perfect Spring Breeze

662. Baby girl covered in dirt at T-ball

663. Playdates

664. Park Mornings

665. CXWORKS

666. Clean Eating

667. Psalm 128

670. Parents Babysitting

671. Hanging with Parents for Dinner

672. New Baby Niece on her way into the world

673. Warm Cookies

674. Sunday Stoll

675. Baby Girl Squeezes

676. K-NEX Spiders

677. Sand to play in

678. Gardens to plant

679. Sleeping Littles

680. Sample Oils

681. Blackseed Oil

682. Laura Ingels Wilder

683. Free Mornings

684. Pink flowers on our “Isaac tree”

685. Green leaves on our backyard trees

686. Girls Night

687. Bringing big boy to the Food my Starving Children event

688.  Holding my new niece

689. Sweet cards from Brent’s former students

690. Brent’s first day at VCU!!!

691. Hubby forgiving me, when I be crazzzzyyy

692. Afternoon Nap

693. A good cry

694. New used toys

695. Learning how to cook new things!

696. Big boy making friends in Kids Church

697. Baby girl coloring butterflies at Cartwheels

698.  Baby girl not waking up coughing for three nights in a row

699. Netflix in bed

700. Spring has Sprung!

Keep Dreaming

Can you remember what it felt like to be eighteen?  Life felt wild and wonderful.  Dreams buzzed in and out of your head, as the possibilities for the future felt endless.  Adulthood, the great adventure was ready to begin!

My twenties didn’t fail my expectations.  The milestones realized, fulfilled dreams and accomplished goals fueled me.  Get married, check.  Graduate college, check.  Find a career, check.  Go back to school, check.  Buy a home, check. Get pregnant, check.  Repeat two more times, check.  Find a way to stay home and invest in these kids more, check.  

Without dreams the buzz of everyday life can start to feel heavy.  The repetitive nature of laundry, to-do lists and loads of care taking, if we aren’t careful, can pull us away from the joy, that all the realized dreams that brought us to now promised.  

As I start to walk into the real trenches of this adult stuff, I don’t want to lose the spark that drove young me.  I want to carry the weight of motherhood with ease.  I want joy to mark my countenance.  Growing older only has a negative connotation if we stop looking forward with joy.  Just ask any kid if they are excited about their upcoming birthday and you will see them beam with delight at the prospect of celebrating a new year of life. They look forward with eager expectation.

So what do I dream for now?  Now that we likely won’t welcome home anymore precious new bundles.  Now that going back to school is not on the table.  When for me, my career is part-time work and the occasional blog post.  

It’s a question I’ve been mulling over.  What does God have for me in these middle years? How do I redefine the hum of everyday life to feel like I’m living out these new dreams. Where do I need to stretch myself, invest more or possibly do less?  

I’m still working on the answers.  One thing I know for sure though, is God calls us to dream with him. Take the time to slow down and ask, what should your dream be in this season of life. 

Love,

Amanda