WIth Gratitude

I try to keep my blog happy and bright, if not a little shallow. This is by design. I don't hide the fact that   my faith in Christ is a priority in my life and I love to share the blessings that my faith brings. I just feel that there are others that word this much more eloquently than I, so I leave the job to them. However, as I have been reflecting on all that I have to be thankful for, I felt a little gratitude post was in order.

So, here it goes....

 * I am thankful that I have a relationship with a loving Lord. He does not promise that He will keep me from bad, but He promises to carry me through. And you know what? He has!

* I am thankful for the trials I have been through. Most of you don't know that our little Pearl family is on the other side of almost a decade of trials and tribulations. I am talking knocked-down on our bums every time we got up, down in the fiery pit, will this ever get better, consistent insult to injury, bloody knees kind of trials and tests. I will spare you the story, because the real story is the end result. Jesus is who He says he is, He loves me and I can testify to that! I have no doubt that God will use me and my experience to help and hopefully inspire others, in fact, He already has. Growing hurts. I know that the pain will be turned into something wonderful. Every day wasn't horrible but we faced constant trials of one form or another.

*I am thankful for my husband. I am thankful for his faith in God, in me, our marriage and our family. If I was married to someone else, I am not sure that we would have made it. I love that he is my best friend and father to my children.

-Okay, stop with the gag-me faces. Lest you think that we are all just lollipops and sunshine around here. We ain't. This time has been ugly and believe me every nasty wart was visible.-

* I am thankful for my oldest son, the fisherman. He is my champion and I love this boy and his heart. He is loyal and loving and I love the young man that he is growing into. He has faced his own, personal challenges and has risen above them all. He has worked hard to overcome his dyslexia. This is a continuous battle, but even when homework takes him twice as long as it does others, he never complains. He plugs along and his grades are perfect! He has had other challenges and heartbreaks that one his age should not have to face but he radiates joy and peace and loves life. I love his sensitive heart. I love his passion for the outdoors and fishing and hunting. I love his sense of humor and his ability to keep laughing.

* I am thankful for my daughter, Sweet Pea. Baby girl made quite a show when she came into this world and she hasn't ever stopped. I love her type A-ness. I love her tenacity. I love to watch her work at something that she really wants. I love her competitive nature in everything - grades, sports, you name it! I love her zest for life. I love her sweet and loving heart. I love that she is a tomboy/girly girl that will hang with the boys, while wearing a mega-bow! She is my child that wakes-up each day with a smile and wants to know the "plan" for the day and likes it to be full. She is my social butterfly. I love that she is modest and has an amazing and tailored sense of style, well beyond her years. (even though it makes my job challenging) I love that the world is a stage and she is the star of her show. I love that in the sixth grade, she is concerned about where she will go to college and wants to be an attorney and have a bakery on the side.

* I am thankful for my youngest son, sporty. This curly-headed, always moving, loving, passionate bundle of life. He seizes each day with gusto and determination. I love his passion for soccer. I have never known a child like him. He NEVER complains about practice or games. He loves it! I love that he tried football, against his better judgement, and now loves it, as well. I love that he is my baby and appears to be happy and go-lucky, when in truth, he is a rules man. You do not break the rules around him. I love that he is an old soul. He has a wickedly sarcastic sense of humor. I love that he can carry on a conversation with an adult and yet, is just a kid, too. I love that he enjoys a good snuggle and is not ashamed to say that his favorite birthday gift was a Dreamlight puppy. I love that he plugs away, even when his asthma gets him down. I love that he is sensitive and wants peace around him. I love that he is happy and makes others happy, too.

* I am thankful for my family. I love that my children have the privilege of growing-up with six grandparents, three great-grandparents and the most awesome uncle and aunt!

*I am thankful for my home and the precious people that I share it with and those that come to visit in it.

* I am thankful for our school. The teachers, staff and families have blessed our family too many times to count.

* I am thankful for my country. Even though I may not agree with all that goes on, how awesome is it that we have the freedom to choose who our leaders are and worship when and where and how we please?

* I am thankful for my dear, sweet friends. You make life wonderful.

* I am thankful for my morning walk/runs and the beautiful neighborhood I live in.

* I am thankful for my little job teaching parent's day out twice a week.

* I am thankful for this blog. I love that it gives me a platform, however small, to share with others and document this pretty fabulous life I have been given.

There is so much more, but I will stop now, as I am not ready to write my first novel. I wish everyone a most blessed Thanksgiving.

With love and gratitude,

Krissy

Family Camp - Happy Thanksgiving!

Family Camp family photo

Happy Thanksgiving all! I can't believe it is here already. I am making my fresh cranberry sauce and getting the pearls ready to head over the river and through the streets to my parents' home in a few. We have had a wonderful week off. We started the holiday last weekend at family camp with two other dear families. It was an amazing time in the beautiful hill country of Texas.

The camp sits on the FrioRiver and it is crystal clear

The Texas Hill Country

Family camp was at Laity Lodge in Leakey, Texas. This is in the area we Texans call "camp country" as quite a few of the summer camps are located in this area around the Guadalupe and Frio Rivers and it is gorgeous. Each family got their own cabin and we ate at the lodge dining hall (in case you wondering, the food was incredible, as the camp is owned by the H.E. Butt foundation - they own HEB and Central Market stores). We had some family enrichment time and lots of fun praise and worship, and we all participated in camp activities: hiking, arts and crafts, fishing, horse back, zip lines, mountain bikes, archery, riflery - a good time was had by all. The minis had friends, as one family has a son and daughter the age of Fisherman and Sweet Pea and the other family has a daughter and son the age of Sweet Pea and Sport Cort. All of us grown-ups were at TCU together, so we were a purple group!

Allison and Paul

(thanks for organizing the weekend A!)

Katie and Jeff

Alyssa, Caroline and Sweet Pea

(they performed in front of the ENTIRE group Saturday evening at worship)

Alyssa, Caroline and Sweet Pea ready to hit the trails!

Fisherman and Patrick

Sweet Pea

Sport Cort rolled around these giant hamster wheel thingys all weekend.

He won't ever be the same.

My boys

Sweet Pea and me, Katie and Caroline at arts-n-crafts

The weekend went by fast and Sunday came quickly. We pearls decided to take the "long way" home and drove to Luckenbach. Yes, like the song. It really exists. It is a dirt road in the middle of nowhere with a bar, a dance hall and a post office. We shared the afternoon with a bunch of Harley riders and a few hippies. Luckenbach is always an experience. My brother and sister-in-law were married near there and had there rehearsal dinner in Luckenbach and it was the most fun I have ever had at a wedding rehearsal! We were sad to head back "north" to home. The weekend was fun and we were tired. What a great way to kick-off our holidays!

Tired minis

I hope you had a good kick-off to your holidays and that you are surrounded by those you love and who love you. I am so very thankful for my dear family and precious friends. I am thankful to be a Texan and an American and I am thankful to my blog readers! Happy Thanksgiving!

Krissy

Sit Down and Feast

Sit down and feast and welcome to our table.

-William Shakespeare

A week from today, I like many other proud Americans, will be participating in the sacred ritual of Thanksgiving preparations. Thursday will find me and the pearls gathered with my family and extended loved ones at my parent's home. But Wednesday, Wednesday is for cooking and baking and trying to get in a good run or two to make room for Thursday's meal. Our meal consists of a smoked turkey, cornbread dressing, deviled eggs (Texas is considered part of the South you know), sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, fresh cranberry relish, rolls, stuffed celery, lime Charlotte (that's a jello salad - it's not the holidays at our gatherings without a congealed salad), pumpkin pie, pecan pie and I know I'm forgetting something...gravy? We will all be seated around the table and say what we are thankful for and some of us will cry (mom) and we will all laugh and tell stories and enjoy the company of one another. I really love Thanksgiving. I love that we all linger around the table because there are no presents to open and all the other chaos that surrounds other get-togethers. Thanksgiving is all about family and friends and our love for one another and how blessed we are to be able to gather around our dining table and share a meal and ourselves. I hope next Thursday finds you gathered with those you love around a dining table and giving thanks!

Happy Wednesday!

Krissy

All images - www.countryliving.com