Thankful Thursdays Top Ten [#20]

This snow picture [taken by iPhone] is for You Capture's Photo Challenge

Thankful This Week For:

[For All My Ohio Favorites]

[1] Elizabeth Kilby

I'm so thankful she invited us to her daughter's first birthday even though I was a stranger. She has befriended me each week since...playdates, meetups, and our date night babysitter. She's a wonderful wife & mother, but also has such a sweet heart towards all those around her. She especially pours herself into girls transitioning into womanhood. We could all learn a lot from her hospitality and genuine love.

[2] Attractions

The kids & I go to see and experience so many neat local places & events I can hardly believe it's all going to fit into one scrapbook. I'm thankful that even though I always said I'd never want to come "somewhere boring like Ohio", I came to realize that there are places in "those states" that actually have lots to see and do. I will always miss driving down the highway and seeing all the gorgeous barns and fields too.

[3] The Lofts @ Willow Creek

I didn't want to mention it before [for safety reasons], but our apartment complex has been the best one we've stayed in yet. It was safe, gorgeous, full of things to do [pool! pool! pool!] and all the residents were really kind. [Well, most of them.] I'm going to miss my playroom and extra 500 square feet most, but I suppose my fenced in backyard will make up for it. No, it won't, but I will tell myself that anyways.

[4] To-Go Food

It was nice to have wonderful [for convince, not so much for calories] food around-the-corner. We ate House of Thai & Don Pablos many a nights...because I don't make Thai & Mexican like they do. I'm not even going to go into how much money we probably spent at the Chick-fil-a in Beavercreek. At least it's a Christian company, ha.

[5] Cincinnati [the mall & downtown]

It was the prettiest mall we visited in Ohio and our anniversary in downtown Cincinnati was magical. A must see fountain [at night].

[6] The Greene 

It's where my kids played in the water one month and where we froze our tushes off looking up at the snow covered Christmas tree another month. Caribou coffee gave me my first coffee drink I actually liked. And many much needed date nights. Oh, and let's not forget Noodles...best-mac-and-cheese-ever.

[7] Chicago

Okay, so technically this isn't in Ohio, but I'm thankful it was close because I've fallen in love with this city. I was already planning a trip back before we left. Perfect food, perfect attractions, perfect art, perfect entertainment, perfect architecture, perfect.

[8] Dayton Daily News

I'm so very thankful that after a very slow and unusual finance year we've been able to not only be provided work over the last 5 months, but provide work for many people as well.

[9] Parks

I feel as though this one should receive more than just one thankful mention because these parks in Dayton have been a saving grace for my boys and will definitely be the hardest thing I will have to leave behind. We have amazing parks in Atlanta, but I'm not sure I've ever been to anything as practical and gorgeous as this park. I will miss thee, for all occupying my kids while I cleaned out the car.

[10] A Reason To Blog

I'm thankful that this season in my life provided me the opportunity to start a blog. It started off as a way to keep up with everyone back in GA while here in OH, but has turned into a real outlet for me and [I hope] ministry...to those who read it. 

Be it...

a ministry of humor

a ministry of comradery

a ministry of advice

a ministry of love

I've enjoyed sharing what I believe God has given me and enjoyed receiving from all of you as well. I've fallen even more in love with God's creation of women. We are a special, precious, beautiful thing He has made. I think so many of you are fantastic and hope to continue to have the opportunity to watch God change us from glory to glory...one dish and sock at a time.

After leaving Ohio this weekend, we'll still be on the road [and living out of suitcases] for the next 4 weeks, but will return from our many adventures on [one month from today]...January 16th.

Look forward to my stories of: a week in GA for Christmas, a week in Houston, a week at my dad's ranch, and our cruise to the Caribbean.

***

Every week I invite my friends in blogworld to join me in being thankful. 

[1] write a blog post with 10 things you're thankful for this week

[2] mention this blog post [hyperlink my blog and/or grab my button]

[3] use McLinky below by clicking on "Click here to enter"

You don't have to do it on Thursdays. You can do it any day of the week. Call it whatever you want. Be creative...use words, pictures, poems, etc. Come back throughout the week and read other's lists and make new friends.
Ask others to join too. 

Thanks for participating and being patient as "we" grow.

Linking up at The Tarr Pit

***

Because you're thankful for me right? [ha!]

Eight Kids Seven Hours

If you read my last post, you know the Martin's came to visit from GA last weekend. On Sunday, we decided to check out two local parks & eat lunch outside. It was the perfect weather for
7 hours of straight outdoor play.

Playgrounds. Scooters. Tennis. Slides. Football. Frisbee. Soccer.
Most importantly, great company.

photo credit: nathan martin

photo credit: nathan martin

Don't let all this kid-focused fun fool you. Charles & Nathan went out Friday night bowling and Sarah & I went out Saturday night to dinner. Sunday night after the kids went to bed we played Pictionary for hours. It sure was a test of marriage communication. It was hilarious fun. It was the first of many future games to come.


[I entered these portraits into a photo challenge on Simplicity.]

Same Picture, Two Views

This is my favorite park in Dayton.
This was not my favorite day in Dayton.

It was a day when I so badly wanted [and tried] to reflect Christ in my parenting/child training, but ended up feeling so angry, exhausted & defeated. I fear [being such a mess] I'll inevitably mess them up.

Grace.

But then God...peered in between the falling [failing] me,

and so gently, through my husband, lovingly restored my hope. 

Same picture. Two views. 

I was thinking very short term. God is thinking very long term. I easily feel guilty or find it hard to be tough sometimes as a woman mom.

I find it's easy to quit, give in, let them do whatever they want, but Love never fails. And I do, I love them, I desire more than anything that they would know that Love & keep it. 

Training them now: to love each other, be respectful, & listen [and realize that the world doesn't revolve around them]...is my job. Some days, like today, were so hard, but I know that it will be so beneficial one day when they step out...on their own...to make their own decisions.

  Today Nation was thinking...Should I go in? Or should I stay out?

Praying my loving efforts [and yours] towards our kids help them make this decision wisely for the rest of their lives.

I'm thankful that even though I'm a mess at times, He never is.

Chicago: Random Things That Caught My Eyes [or Lens]

Chicago Day 2: Double Decker & 1/2 Billion Dollar Park

Our second day in Chicago was probably my favorite. How could it not be? I woke up to Nation doing a naked window dance for all neighbors.

I'll just keep it real. Below is a picture of what happens when you have to wait for the Chicago On/Off sight seeing bus. We didn't know how using a stroller would be so we decided to use two baby carriers [Ergo & Boba] for the younger two and let Nation walk. 

I think we put in about 12 hours of kid carrying that day. What a work out. Using the [already paid for] bus for three days proved to be an easy way to get around the city instead of paying for a taxi. If it was less than a 2 miles though we usually just walked.

We learned lots of interesting things about Chicago...even if we did hear them a few times [a few different ways] from a few different tour guides.

Did you know Chicago isn't called the "windy city" because of it's wind?

Did you know Chicago stands for smelly onion?

Did you know Chicago is home to the first of many things, including McDonald's and Dunkin Donut's?

Did you know that innocent [boat tour] tourists like myself once had 800 lbs of Dave Matthew's Band poop dumped on them when DMB emptied their septic tank on a bridge in downtown Chicago? Don't feel too sorry for them, they won the case for 6,000,000.

Naptime on the big red bus.
Our family of 5 owned the back row on the top deck.

Navy Pier is the largest tourist attraction in all of Illinois. Once home to the world's first ferris wheel. It use to be so large it took 2 hours to go all the way around, and each cart had a mini bar.

We had lunch at the "world famous" Billy Goat's. Which turns out to be a burger shack that isn't so world famous I think. Turns out, it's just a place that brags they don't serve coke & fries. We had ice cream to redeem the meal.

My ice cream

Funny mirror showing me rocking the side pony tail. I try not to, but with a baby on back that sucks your hair...it's a must.

Solomon walked a lot, but sometimes we carried him if he got tired.

This park was fabulous. And it should be, they spent 1/2 billion to make it.

This tall water screen [Crown Fountain] randomly shows a persons face and then water shoots out from their mouth. Fun for the kids, creepy if you ask me.

Everyone calls it The Bean, but it's really called the Cloud Gate.

I'm not sure what I was doing

This happens a lot...running, falling, fighting, wrestling.

If only Moses looked

We finished the night with the playground & a quick dinner.

One thing I felt we did well was knowing when to call it a day. To avoid major melt downs in fancy Chicago shops & restaurants, we just grabbed quick foods and often headed back to our hotel early to put the kids down. I enjoyed take out and hotel movies over stressfully entertaining overly tired children in public.