I am not one to post the daily thankful status updates on Facebook.  (For the record, this is not because I am NOT thankful, but because I want to save everyone the time of having to hide me from their news feed on Day 7 when I run out of big things to say and start posting the same things I've posted for three years.) However, I have been thinking about my blessings lately, and trying to focus on what I do have, not what I don't.  It's difficult.  I am blessed in several areas of my life, but in all honesty, sometimes not the ones I want to be blessed in.  I have been striving to not compare myself to others and focus on what's good, but it is a challenge.  Then today I ran across this little jewel on Pinterest:





In all of the things I've read and sermons I've heard and conversations I have had, this one just drives it home for me.  Because it's true.

The grass is NOT always greener, and it would do us good to remember that.

Approximately 18 months ago, I placed a bright green post it on my bathroom mirror with one word on it.  A name actually. It was the name of my oldest and dearest friend and I made the decision to pray for her every day, every morning as I got ready, and every evening as I brushed my teeth (and any times in between that I saw it).  I prayed hard, and I prayed faithfully, as she was doing for herself, and as I know she has done and continues to do for me.  I prayed for God to be with her and I prayed for His comfort and His timing.  And one day last September, I set my alarm to remember to pray extra hard for her, and her husband, and the sweet baby that I knew would one day be a part of their family.

You know, I've prayed my whole life... I've thanked God for things, and I've asked God for things. But I'd never been one of those people who had "heard" God answer.  I always assumed if I did (which I honestly didn't think I would), it would be LOUD, like the voice over on a movie.  But I truly believe I heard Him barely whisper that Sunday morning, and He told me that it would all work out and Jenny would have a sweet baby boy.  I knew instantly that it was taken care of (although I felt crazy that I thought I heard God whisper to me), so I didn't say anything to her.

When she called me to tell me she was pregnant, I said "I KNEW it!" and we both cried. She went on to say that it was SO early, but she thought she was having a boy, and I said "YOU ARE!" and I told her the story and we both cried again.

I got this picture in the Fall, and I cried.





I got this one in December, and I cried.



In January, she just texted me "You were right" and I knew...he was a boy, and I cried.

I felt him kick in February, and it was the coolest thing ever, and we both cried (are you noticing a pattern yet? We like to cry sometimes when we are together.)

At her shower in April, she was the cutest pregnant girl ever, and really we just smiled and laughed (well, mostly).




Yesterday afternoon I was supposed to call her so we could voice to voice catch up, and I could tell her a story I had that was too long to text.  I jokingly said Thursday night "Unless you're delivering a baby then ;)" She replied "My contractions are SO sporadic- I don't think true labor is coming anytime soon,"

The next text I got was yesterday afternoon: "I think my water broke."

My response? "Oh shit!" (sorry Mom, I didn't know what else to say...)

We texted a bit through the evening, and I told her to let me know what was happening. When she texted me a little after 5am today I woke straight up and grabbed my phone.

The text? No words, just a picture.



My response? No words, just tears.

I stared at his picture and started to cry, which turned to sobs, which turned to Ugly Cry (I didn't pull a Dane Cook and actually look in the mirror, but I know it was Ugly Cry). I bet I cried for 15 minutes. I was just overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with this sweet baby on my phone. Overwhelmed for this prayer brought to life. Overwhelmed for someone I love more than anything to have something she wanted more than anything. Overwhelmed with just how good God is.  I started texting her back, and then I realized that was ridiculous, but I couldn't hold it in.  I felt like Harry in the Sex and the City movie (the good one) "I'm just a big pile of love!" At this point, it was almost 6, and I had to tell someone how happy I was, so I posted it on Facebook:

on an aside: I loved that this status update caused Megan McCarty to call me at 8:30 am and say "What's going on? What had you praising the Lord at 6:00 in the morning?" God bless her for understanding I am not a morning person!

So a happy happy birthday to Jack Douglas Wainman.  You were worth the wait, and you are already loved more than you can ever understand. I can't wait to hold you, and kiss your sweet face, spoil you, and do my best to make you a Wildcat fan. The post it with your mama's name may have faded, but my prayers for her (and now for you) have not.

Cooking lunch with mom, telling funny stories at the table, and loading up on carbs until I think I'm going to fall asleep into my plate.

I may be a Grinch about Halloween and New Year's, but I sure do love Thanksgiving.


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Everything in town is within 5 minutes. You can't drive down the street without someone waving at you. You can't run in the grocery without seven people stopping you to chat. Local businesses just give you stuff. Everyone makes you feel like a superstar when they see you.

I had issues with this place when I lived here, but somehow I forget all of that when I come to visit...










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Even though it's two days early this week, tonight I'm thankful for waffles...


And bacon...



And great friends to share it with. Great end to a short work week!

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Since I arrived at work this morning, I have been downloading, printing, copying, and stapling the near 100 teacher iPad applications that must be read and a decision made before school is out tomorrow. So today, I am thankful for my Glee station on Pandora Radio. The past four songs: Hate on Me (Glee Version), Don't Worry, Be Happy (how did Bobby McFerrin know I needed to hear that this morning?), and A Whole New World (Aladdin), Cherry Pie (Warrant). I have no idea how those really go together, but it's making reading these applications much better.

I love to have my windows open. I'd keep them open year round if I weren't in a state with really hot summers and really cold winters. So today, on a Sunday that hasn't really been all that great, I'm thankful that I get to feel the cool breeze blow through my house for one of the last times this year. The stresses of life are easier to handle when you're sitting by an open window.


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So after I F-I-N-A-L-L-Y got motivated to do my grad school homework, I started working on something even more important... A Facebook forward! My friend Peggy from high school tagged me in one of those "30 Random Things About Yourself" notes. And you know what? After reading fifty pages on budgeting for instruction and budgeting for school activities, then writing a one page (SINGLE SPACED!) reflection on said readings, it's nice to just waste a little time coming up with 30 random things about me.

I love lazy Saturdays!

(And here's the list in case you aren't Facebook friends with me)

Today I am thankful I get to relax. After some much needed girl time with the RDES gang, I came home to an empty house. A quiet empty house. And you know what? It's glorious. I love my friends and I love their kids and I love to have people over. But tonight, I'm enjoying the quiet and peacefulness that an empty house can bring. Because I have friends that would pay millions to have an hour or two of quiet, and I often overlook how nice it really is.


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On this 100th blog post, and the first in a week of thankful posts, I am thankful for my friends. I have long said that if you think you have the best friends, you are wrong, because I do. I know it sounds corny, Hallmark-y, and as my high school teacher friends would tell me, "SO elementary!" but I honestly don't know what I would do without my friends. I'm thankful for the friends that make me laugh (see: Beers, Melissa; also Cornelius, Lindsay), the ones that listen to all of my stories, put up with all of my issues, and love me just the same (see: McMillen, Autumn), the ones that love hearing the newest ridiculous thing I've done (see: McCarty, Megan), and the ones keep me sane through work stress and grad school (see: Holland, Heather). I'm thankful for new friends for letting me infiltrate their group (see: O'Bryan, Andi; also West High Math Department). I am thankful for the friends who do all of the above (see Wainman, Jennifer), and for all of those not listed who make me smile a little everyday!

I'm a very lucky girl.