A Moment Before Election Day

"I have faith in America...I plead with you not to preach pessimism.  Preach that this is the greatest country in all the world.  This is the favored land.  This is the land of our forefathers.  It is the nation that will stand despite whatever trials or crises it may yet have to pass through."

-Harold B. Lee

Please pray before entering your voting booth on Tuesday!

I'm grateful my one vote can make a difference in my local, state, and national election.

Thankful Thirty #4

I fell in love with Gymboree today!  If you've been reading with me for awhile, you know that I love clearance shopping and one of my best days this year was my marathon DI shopping trip.  I very rarely shop at any of the stores at the mall, and especially not for kid clothes.  But last night I found myself there with no tiny hands tugging on my arms and ventured into shopping heaven!  It couldn't have been better timing.

See, last night I was shopping at closing time and only had one pair of pants in my hands.  Then I found out Gymboree was having a "Circle of Friends" customer appreciation sale and giving 30% off of every purchase.  I really mean EVERY purchase.  There were no buying limits or "with our store credit card."  Every single person shopping received the friends and family discount.  What store have you been in recently doing that?  In addition, anyone with a rewards card (which was free) was getting an additional 5% off. My one pair of pants ended up costing under $5.00.


I could not stop thinking about either the store or that incredible sale!  I had to go back today.  Knowing that I only shop the clearance racks when I do go in stores like Gymboree, I was positive I would walk out with an incredible deal.  And knowing that I now have twin boys to clothe, I definitely justified spending the money.  My sweet husband let me take an hour out of his birthday festivities to go and see what I could find.

This was absolutely the best shopping day!  My arms were piled neck high-that never happens to me!  I watched the discounts falling off and couldn't contain the grin spreading across my face.  My husband and I took bets to see how much we would save and I'm happy to say I was closer, but still came nowhere close to the total savings printed on the bottom of my receipt.

Now remember, I only shopped the clearance racks and I did save a good amount of money off of the clearance prices.  But today it seems entirely appropriate to consider the savings I made off of the original pricing.  When all was said and done, shopping at Gymboree today, I saved $439.55!!!!!!!  It's not used clothing, it's not cheap quality threadbare fabric.  I did good today.

And I still haven't stopped talking about it!  The thrill of finding such an incredible deal unexpectedly has my adrenaline pumping.  Gymboree will never know it, but this one sale on this one weekend has made me their newest loyal customer.

I'm grateful for opportunities to provide for my family responsibly.

Thankful Thirty #3

My husband has asked for a little head's up if I'm going to write something that makes tears come to his eyes in front of the guys at work.  To give him a break, I'll keep it short and sweet today.

Source: quote-book.tumblr.com via Michelle on Pinterest

I'm grateful for a husband who knows I am strong,

 lets me be weak, and serves me even when I don't deserve it.

NICU Nurse Follow-Up

The nurse from the heart-wrenching photos. 

 She's incredible and a perfect example of every nurse we encountered in our own little hospital.

;

Thankful Thirty #2

Source:  via Pinterest

The first 4 months of my last pregnancy were not pleasant.  I was exhausted and my body was broken down.  Feeling completely different than I did when I was pregnant with both my boys, every person I know had decided I must be carrying a girl.  I thought they must be right...but it didn't matter.  I was sick and being tested to the edge of what I could bear.

There were days it took all I had to pour cold cereal and turn on the television for Beck and Peyton before falling back into bed for the rest of the day.  It was on those days that I knew this was it for me.  Three babies was going to have to be what made up our family.  Doubled over and in tears I plead with the Lord to give me the strength and willpower to make it through my delivery and then apologized to my husband that this was going to have to be our last child.  Enduring another pregnancy was just not going to happen for me.

At the same time my husband was secretly pleading with the Lord to take this burden from me.  He was feeling guilty for the role he played in bringing this weakness upon me, and he was begging to be able to endure it for me.  As blessed as he knew we are to bring newborn spirits into our family, he admitted to God that he never wanted to see me feeling this way again.

We both knew this would be the completing of our family.

And here brings in the focus of my gratitude today:  The Lord knew too.  He heard our prayers and listened to our pleas.  He didn't chastise us for reacting in such a temporal moment, but wrapped his arms around our arms and answered back,

 "I believe you and I understand what you are going through. 

 I am near you and I will continue to be right here with you."

That is when we found out we were having twins.   

The Lord knew our hearts and recognized what he had asked of me.  Yet He also knew he had a plan for our family and it included more than just one more being.  He accepted my terms of defeat and did what he could to do to make sure His plan for us was complete.  If I, with my earthly mind and suffering, had decided to not be pregnant ever again, He sent the spirits He had left for us into the world together.

I do not know what our future holds.  There may be a day yet when we decide we do need to grow our family.  What I do know is that in the moment when I needed the Lord to accept all I had left to give to Him, he kept in mind His plan for me.  

I am grateful for a Heavenly Father 
so personally familiar with me and with His plan for me.