I am thankful

For a loving husband

A precious son

A rambunctious Junebug

A roof over our heads

Steady paychecks from jobs that we love

An abundance of good food

Family, Friends, and Neighbors

Seasons that change

A God I can worship freely

I am truly blessed beyond belief.  I pray that all of you feel very blessed and very thankful on this day and all the days that follow.  I'm also extremely thankful for the blogger friendships that I have made over the past two years of blogging.  It's been a wonderful ride so far! 

God Pause for Sunday

From Luther Seminary:
Saying thank you was probably one of the first things your parents ever taught you. A relative handed you a piece of candy or gave you a compliment and your parents were on top of you: "And what do you say?"

Most of us reached our pinnacle of thankfulness when we were four, which is why I will be your parent today.

When someone lets you squeeze into congested traffic, what do you say?

When you have to pay your taxes, what do you say?

When you realize that God created you, brought you into being and gives you every breath you take, what do you say?

When you walk, see, cry, laugh and love, what do you say?

When you look around the table at the loved ones gathered, what do you say?

When you realize that the God of all creation cares about you and died on a cross for you,
what do you say?

Dear God, thank you. Amen.

Peter Geisendorfer-Lindgren

Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Maple Grove, Minn.

Master of Divinity, 1983


Psalm 26 (NRSV)

1 Vindicate me, O Lord, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
2 Prove me, O Lord, and try me; test my heart and mind.
3 For your steadfast love is before my eyes, and I walk in faithfulness to you.
4 I do not sit with the worthless, nor do I consort with hypocrites;
5 I hate the company of evildoers, and will not sit with the wicked.
6 I wash my hands in innocence, and go around your altar, O Lord,
7 singing aloud a song of thanksgiving, and telling all your wondrous deeds.
8 O Lord, I love the house in which you dwell, and the place where your glory abides.
9 Do not sweep me away with sinners, nor my life with the bloodthirsty,
10 those in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes.
11 But as for me, I walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me.
12 My foot stands on level ground; in the great congregation I will bless the Lord.

Today I am thankful for............my Lord, God, powerful and holy One and the prayers that keep me close to him.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a wonderfully happy, festive, family and food-filled day today!  Many blessings wished upon you all for safe travels, fun conversations, good wine (drink a glass for me!), and a wonderful weekend!  I hope a few of you turned on my favorite parade of the year this morning!  I won't be watching as I'll be driving 4 hours in the car instead- boo!

Today I am thankful for..........B's family for hosting Thanksgiving weekend!  It'll be fun to spend time with all of them (parents, aunt&uncle, cousins, grandmother). 

Today I am thankful for.......

CHICAGO!!!!!!!!!!!

  It's the city where I have

*made lifelong friends

*met and fell in love with my perfect husband

*ate amazing meals at favorite restaurants

*saw incredible shows (Jersey Boys and Wicked being two of my faves!)

*walked and walked and walked some more

*shopped to my hearts content

*wore winter jackets for wayyyyyy too long

*celebrated summer by attending farmer's markets and drinking at street festivals

*worked at an amazing children's hospital and became a strong, confident nurse

*adopted our precious pup

*earned a graduate degree

*experienced more than I ever dreamed possible in only 8 years

I have so enjoyed the last 8 years here, and I'm experiencing such mixed emotions about leaving.  I'm happy to start a new journey and live in our first home, sad to leave our friends and this great city, scared to leave my current job and start a new one, ready to have more space, and overwhelmed with all the many changes are happening at once.  I'm so glad I was convinced that living here right out of college would be an awesome experience- it definitely was!  I also know that coming back as a visitor will be great because I'll know all the haunts, the neighborhoods, and how easy it is to get to all my favorite shops, restaurants, and attractions. 

I'll miss you, Chi-town!

You'll always hold a huge spot in my heart!!

Love this face.............

Just look at those eyes..................she's such a spoiled baby because of them!

(please ignore the drool on the back of the couch........it comes with the wrinkles!)

Today I am thankful for the library system.  I am a voracious reader, and I could NEVER afford to buy all the books I read.  I'd seriously be broke and naked!  I love that the library system here in Chitown allows me to reserve books I want to read by going online- I hope it's the same way in GR (and I hope there is a library that is close to my house)!!  BTW- I need some new books to read..........any suggestions?

YUM!!!!!!!!

So today I spent the late morning and early afternoon in the kitchen baking up the three desserts we are taking tomorrow night to our "Friends Thanksgiving".  I really wanted to make the apple tart that I blogged about earlier this fall, but with no oven at the place we are having dinner this year, it would have to be served cold, and it's just not as good that way.  Instead I decided to make a traditional apple pie, and it turned out beautifully!!! 

The top caved in slightly during the cooling process, so you can see the slight tear in the crust, but I think it'll get eaten anyway!  I had some leftover crust that I sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and then baked, and this crust is GOOD!!!!  I absolutely cannot wait to dig in tomorrow.

The second dessert is a chocolate pecan pie.  B didn't think that anyone would even be interested in this (he just doesn't get the interest in pecan pie at all), but I figured I'd try it out and see if it's something I'll ever want to make again.  Someone will eat it, right?

The crust on this one is different.  I"m anxious to try a tiny sliver of it to see which crust I like better to know which I would use again in the future.  I was happy with how easily both of these crusts came together, so it certainly won't be a question of which is easier.  A food processor, a refrigerator, a rolling pin- simple!

The third dessert is a pumpkin pie crumble cake.  I'm sure I'd get a much better visual if I could cut into it, so I'll try to remember to get one tomorrow while I'm serving!

It has a yellow cake base, a thick pumpkin layer, and a pecan crumble top.  It certainly smelled delish during the cooking process!!

We also made mini chocolate chip pumpkin loaves for each couple/person to take home with them.  Okay, I shouldn't say we because B did all the hard work on this one, though I did tie the bows!  These are fantastic, and I know everyone will enjoy them for breakfast Monday morning!!

If any of these recipes are extremely successful, I'll post them later this week on the blog.  I don't want to post them now for fear that they won't be good and you'll all blame me for your Thanksgiving fail!!

Today I am thankful for................a fun going away party last night with all our Chicago friends. 

This dear friend and her husband hosted it, and it was wonderful to see everyone one last time before I leave.  It hasn't hit me yet that I'm moving and will not see these people regularly, but I know I'm going to have a serious breakdown in January!  Luckily I'll get to come back in Jan or Feb for the above hostess's baby shower!  She's due two months before me in March.  You can't see it here, but her belly is just darling!!

Weekend Plans (and beyond)

We have a busy weekend ahead of us with a lot of loose ends to wrap up before the big move.  Here's how life plays out for us over the next few weeks

Friday:  Gym, packing clothes, supplies, hair stuff, books, everything I'll need for two weeks in MI while starting a new job, grocery store, dinner date with B

Sat:  Haircut at 9 (1st since May!!), UM/OSU game at 11, baking all afternoon for Friend Thanksgiving on Sunday,ensure packing is complete

Sunday:  Drive to Milwaukee to have lunch with my aunt and pick up a piece of furniture for our new house, drive home, make sure desserts are ready to go, Friend Thanksgiving dinner at 5 p.m. (this involves a VFW hall, 45 people, amazing food, tons of alcohol, and a pie in the face for one of the guests.  Definitely one of the bests nights of the year).

Monday:  Wake up super early and hit the road for Grand Rapids.  I have to have a drug screen and a physical for the hospital in order to start on Monday.  Could they have told me this earlier so that I could have scheduled it for the same day as the house inspection??  Apparently not.  So, another 6 hours in the car for a 45 minute apt.  Joy.  That night I'm meeting a bunch of my co-workers out for a going away dinner.  That will definitely be the redeeming point of the day!

Tues and Wed:  Work full days

Thursday: Say my official good-bye to Chi-town as I drive out of the city for the last time as a resident (this is sad now that I'm writing it!!)  Drive to Toledo to celebrate Thanksgiving with B's family where we'll stay until Sunday.  B will then drive back to the city with Junebug as I drive to GR to start in orientation on Monday.  It's going to be a crazy two weeks living apart, starting a new job, closing on the house, and trying to organize moving from afar.  However, I know it is SO worth it in the long run!!

So, that's my life in a nutshell.  There are going to be lists galore going on over at my house.........

Today I am thankful for.........the stress associated with moving because it means that a new adventure is coming our way.  And diet sierra mist because it's the most exciting drink I can currently partake in. 

One sad puppy!

Today was Junebug's visit to the vet for her spay.  B dropped her off this a.m. while I was on the phone with the new hospital and then he also picked her up this evening when she was done.  I can't believe how sad she looks, how lethargic she is, and how sad it makes me!  While I know that it is necessary for her to be spayed, it's still hard to see her acting like this, you know??  She doesn't get to eat tonight which is a good thing because she's already dry heaved twice.  Poor, poor thing!!!!!!!!  They said she can eat tomorrow, so hopefully she will also be a little more active as well.  Right now she can barely even lift her head or her paws off the ground.  She normally plops herself on the couch right between Blair and I, and tonight she is just looking soooo pathetic and laying on the floor.  Situations like this make you realize how important dogs become in a family!!!

Today I am thankful for.................FINALLY receiving my Michigan RN License.  The process took forever, and I was very concerned about not being able to start my job on time.  However, everything worked out, and I will be starting my job on November 30th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Today I am thankful for......

winning two blogger giveaways in the month of October and one in November!!!!!!  Isn't that super fun? 

I won these darling notecards from Coyne and Pinckney Stationary and MMM during one of her great giveaways.  If she isn't in your daily rotation of blogs, she should be!  She's living a wonderful life in NYC with her hubby, A, and her most adorable baby boy, J while missing her southern roots! 

Summer Wind (one of the cutest, preppiest college bloggers out there) hosted a bow tie giveaway from Fine and Dandy Shop.  Obviously I entered this one for B.  He adores bow ties- and looks fantastic in them if I do say so myself!!!  If you are searching for an upscale gift for any man in your life, this is a great shop to head to.  The packaging was masculine but still perfectly done, and the quality of the tie is a lot better than other bow ties I've looked at.  It's thicker and stiffer which when tying a bow tie really, really matters!!  I can't wait until he wears this next summer with his navy blazer.

Miss Queen Bee just hosted a giveaway for her local JL Cookbook.  I am beyond excited to receive this in the mail as I adore new cookbooks.  Finding wonderful new recipes is so exciting to me.  It's one of the reasons I love the blogworld so much (well that and all the shopping advice!).  She is such a doll, and I seriously read her posts right away each morning as I know they are going to make me laugh and brighten my day!!

I'm not normally the girl who wins stuff, so I feel very blessed lately!  Have a wonderful day ladies!!

An Award!! (And some really fun news)

The Complete Prep and Queen Bee Swain tagged me for this darling award last week.  Isn't that just the nicest?  I've only received one blog award before, so I definitely feel privileged!!  It's my job to now come up with 10 things about myself and share them here.  As QBS did, my 10 things are going to be themed.  Can you guess the theme prior to number 8???

1.  I've been married for 15 months and am thankful each and every day for my husband.  B is a wonderful compliment to me- all of our in real life friends say so, and I couldn't agree more.

2.  My fashion posts have dwindled considerably in the last few months.  Shopping just hasn't held it's normal appeal lately, though I was able to use my 30% coupon this weekend at Old Navy and Gap.

3.  My skin has been horrid the past two weeks.  Ummm.....hello, I'm 32, and I currenly look like I'm 16.  It starts in the middle of my forehead, hits my nose and continues down to my chin.  I seriously need some advice on this b/c it's yucky.  I haven't changed any of my normal cleansing routines and my stress level hasn't changed.

4.  I won't be planning any ski trips for this winter.  It's a true bummer in my world.  Luckily we'll have some time over Christmas to snowshoe with the pup. 

5.  I can't watch The Biggest Loser or Gray's without bawling my eyes out.  While I tend to be a little emotional in general, it's gotten much worse lately!

6. B adores pasta, though lately I'm kicking his butt at the pasta intake challenge.  Carb cravings- gotta love em!

7.  I've gained 3.5 lbs in the last few months, and it's not from a lack of working out!

8.  My stomach only likes me if I snack on something small every 2 hours.  Actually this last week has been much better, and I'm able to go at least 4 hours without food.  As a nurse, keeping up with this randomness has been VERY difficult, but to fight the constant feeling of being hungover and incredibly nauseous, it's a must. 

9.  I threw up on Thursday (for the first time since I had food poisoning two years ago), and it was so violent I got a nosebleed (yes, probably TMI).  Poor B had no idea what to do and Junie kept trying to get her head in the toilet with me.  It's sweet that she was trying to be protective, but annoying because her head is about as big as mine.  Luckily B took care of her as I continued to wretch.

10.  If you haven't guessed by now, I'm pregnant!  It's been an interesting ride so far, but I'm so excited and happy about this new addition to our family that I truly can't complain too much.  Puddin' is due to meet you all May 8th, 2010!!  I'm currently 15 weeks and it's the size of an apple (about 4 inches long crown to rump and weighs about 2 1/2 oz).  I've gotten to hear the heartbeat via doppler at both my midwife apts, and it's an amazing thing!!

I'm going to need a lot of blogger help registering for and buying the right things to start out this little ones life, so there will be tons of questions asked here in the next few months.  Hopefully you all won't be bored with baby news, maternity clothing, and weird posts about food cravings!  I think with the new job and the new house, I'll have other fun things to blog about, so just yell at me if you all think I'm going way too baby crazy over here!!  You can't imagine how hard it's been to keep this a secret for so long, but I wanted to make sure we were solidly through the first trimester before sharing with people!

Today I am thankful for.......Puddin' the newest member of our (teeny) family.  I am dying to meet this little one and pray for it's health and happiness each and every day!

Today I am thankful for.......

This lovely quote I came across on Erin's blog.  It truly spoke to me this morning.

Doesn't this deserve to be printed in color and framed on the refridgerator or in the entryway?  That's my plan!  It's definitely a quote everyone should see every single day to remind us of God's faithfulness, kindness, and generosity.  It's also a reminder that we should bestow those same traits to others in order since we are beneficial enough to receive them from Him. 

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!  Fun news coming next week over here!  Stop by for details!!

Today I am thankful for.................

my job.  Though today is my 3rd 12 (technically 13.5) hour shift in a row, and I am tired, tired, tired, I am so thankful that I have a job where I feel confident in my abilities, I feel that what I do matters, and I get to interact with children.  Can I tell you that there is not much better than the smile and laugh of a 15 month old?  Or the praise from a parent who feels you are an angel sent to take care of their child?  While there are definitely days when I'm frustrated, exhausted, and starving at the end of my shift, I love that God blesses me with the kindness of heart to walk into a room at the very end of the day to make sure that no one else needs anything before I leave.  How can you not when you know there is a quick smile or a small word of thanks waiting for you.  And even though there are families who are mean, crabby, sleep deprived, weird, or rude at all hospitals, all it takes is one positive, happy family to make up for it.  It's amazing how little positive feedback you need in order to make your day a great one!! 

I'm so thankful that my job also provides a paycheck enough for me to pay for all my basic needs, some fun splurges, and a healthy savings account.  I am blessed, and I hope on this Monday morning you feel blessed too in whatever job you are doing!!  We couldn't appreciate our days off without having a work ethic strong enough to get us to those vacation days!!

Today I am thankful for......

Gorgeous weather in Chicago.  While I am at work (yesterday, today and tomorrow- all of which are temps in the high 60s- low 70s), which is a huge bummer, it is nice to know that my fellow Chicagoans are able to enjoy one last gorgeous fall weekend before winter is upon us.  B enjoyed the day yesterday with a 13 mile run (his first long run since the marathon) and an afternoon trip to the park with Junie.  Today he is getting in one last round of golf.  I hope everyone around here decides to truly enjoy the sunshine and warm temps!!!

Just in case you think these thankful posts are too Pollyanna for you, I want to let you know that today I am NOT thankful for a puppy who chewed up my black heels yesterday to unrecognizable levels.  Ummmm.....thanks Junebug, let me know when you get a job and can afford to replace them.  I swear I could've killed Blair when he called to tell me, and while I know it wasn't his fault in the least, it was a definite case of shoot the messenger.  Darling shoes now destroyed by a puppy who can't work (no thumbs really compromises the job market!).  GRRRR!!!!!!

Wedding last weekend

Our good friends got married on Halloween night at the Hotel Allegro downtown Chicago.  The ceremony was beautiful, the cocktail hour had incredible bite-sized beef wellingtons, and the reception went off without a hitch.  They had a friend of theirs sing their first dance song- so meaningful and so well done.  I thought it was a great idea. 

A was a beautiful bride.  Her dress fit her so well- I loved the sweetheart neckline and the way the dress dipped in the back.  Her veil was cathedral length with lace around the edging.  Simply stunning.

B and I.  It was black tie optional, so B wore his tux and his plaid bow tie.  He looked great!!

JO, me, and MS.  Girls in black- so typical :)

AW, BT, and JS.  JS was the best man.

JS and MS.  They've been married for a little over two years and are expecting a baby in March.  Aren't they just lovely together?

MS and JO on the dance floor.  It's hard to see her baby bump here, but you can finally see it (she's 21 weeks here).  It's super cute!!

Today I am thankful for........................friends who have found the person of their dreams, beautiful weddings, and the chance to celebrate with friends. 

Have a great weekend ladies!!

Long day in the car- totally worth it!

Today I drove from Chicago to Grand Rapids (~3 hours) for our home inspection (and then drove home again- way too long of a commute!)!!  It was wonderful to take a full look at the house, learn some of the quirks, go through it with an inspector who talked me through everything, and take a ton of pictures!! I also was able to go through and see what needed to be fixed/changed right away vs. what we'd like to do in the long term.

We'll get the inspection report tonight or tomorrow morning via email and then will have to go back to the seller about anything that needs to be fixed prior to close.  We have settled on a closing date- December 12th!!!  We'll then move in that weekend and start unpacking.  There are 5 bedrooms in the house, so if anyone needs practice organizing houses or really just loves to clean, feel free to contact me, and I'm sure we could use your help :)  You can even bring your kids, husbands, and dogs!!

Okay, onto the good stuff......here are a few pics!!

The front of the house. 

A picture of the right side of the back yard.  You can see the raised vegetable garden.  Our yard is not fenced, that's the neighbors.  The house does come with an invisible fence for Junie!!

Another backyard shot.  Further into the woods is a small creek.

A crooked picture of the kitchen.  It has gorgeous old hardwood floors, glass cabinets, a huge eat-in area, a great island, ugly cabinet knobs (first thing to go), and beams that pretty much sold us on the house.

The den that is attached to the kitchen.  It also has the beams across the ceiling, a gorgeous bay window that overlooks the woods, and a great fireplace.  Can't you just imagine watching football games in here?

The bay window in the family room

Okay, I don't want to bore you too much!!  I'm just soooooo excited.  I'll share other pics later this weekend. 

Today I am thankful for...............

a good inspector who was able to guide a not-so-handy girl through the house of her dreams!!  He was kind, smart, and allowed me to ask questions that most would have just scoffed at.  Thanks Darryl!!

For some reason this pic won't load in the right spot, but this shows the breezeway and the garage to the right of the main part of the house. 

Today I am thankful for.......

one clean pup!!  Last night B and I gave Junie a bath in the bathtub (hilarity ensued!!), and by the color of the water running off her, she definitely needed it.  She smells so much better and her coat is so soft! 

I had to take her to the vet last week for what I thought was a yeast infection in her ear (and I was right).  We're now cleaning her ears every day and using a cream in them twice a day.  So far the redness (beefiness) has definitely improved and the smell (it was AWFUL) has gone away, but there is still some leftover redness, and she is still itching the area.  I'm going back next Monday for a recheck, and if it's not completely better, she'll probably be put on an oral medication.  Vet bills aren't fun!!  Luckily I can see her feeling better, so it makes it worth it. 

So clean pups, fun in the bathtub, a horribly messy and then completely spotless bathroom are my thanks today!!

Today I am thankful for.....

An official contract on the house! 

We will drive up this week for the inspection, and the closing date is now December 10th.  A very, very happy day for our little family.  I'll take lots of pictures during the inspection and share some of them here!