Friday, November 18, 2011

http://www.cbn.com/SpiritualLife/Devotions/markland_thanksgiving_2011.aspx

Thanksgiving Day is Ours
By Gene Markland
Staff Writer
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CBN.comThere is a friendly debate among historians as to when the first Thanksgiving was celebrated in America. Some say it was in Virginia in 1610, and others hold fast to our traditional first Thanksgiving celebrated in Plymouth Plantation, Massachusetts, in 1621.
Whichever side of the debate one chooses to embrace, the fact remains that Thanksgiving Day is ours.
Before America existed as a nation, the hardy souls who persevered to found this great country made the effort to thank God Almighty for His provision and grace.
Giving thanks in Virginia, Massachusetts, and many other settlements across the new world was a spontaneous act by grateful people. They experienced a life so rugged, that without the providence of God they would have surely not survived. They were grateful for God’s favor and blessing.
Our first President, George Washington, a man acclaimed to be the Father of our Country, acknowledged God as the source of our Nation’s strength and very existence. He felt so strongly about this that he made a proclamation for a national day of thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26th 1789.
He believed in the importance of setting aside a day to honor God and give thanks individually and corporately as a people. President Abraham Lincoln made it a national holiday on Thursday November 26th, 1863.
Thanksgiving day has become a tradition, which like other traditions, has developed, grown, and transitioned from being a simple spiritual act of acknowledging God’s blessings, to a national event of unbridled proportions.
Ball games, shopping, days off from work, and travel are just a few of the Thanksgiving activities that can encumber us and help us to forget the true meaning of the holiday.
This day is meant to be a time to stop, take notice of our blessings, and acknowledge God with a grateful heart. Lest we forget, there have been Thanksgivings in the past that were very trying and somber, days of prayer and fasting.
Today one could say that we are too busy enjoying our blessings to pause and be thankful. We all share in the responsibility for the national event that Thanksgiving Day has become because it is our day.
I am so thankful to God that He has given us the freedom to worship Him with our thanks. And the blessings that we enjoy over this holiday are truly from Him.
I believe that He continues to bless us in part because we do take a day, our day, each year, and as a people tell the whole world that we thank Almighty God for His provident grace.
The Bible says: “Give thanks to the LORD and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done” (I Chronicles 16:8 NLT).
This Thanksgiving as we share our feast with our loved ones, plan our shopping for Friday, and our Christmas decorating for Saturday, give a nod to our forbearers whose grateful hearts made this all possible.
Enjoy taking part in a celebration uniquely our own, individually and corporately. Pass on to the next generation the knowledge of how blessed we are as individuals, families, and as a people.
Speak of the mighty and wondrous things that the Lord has done, and share our thankful hearts one with another.
“Let each generation tell its children of your mighty acts; let them proclaim your power” (Psalms 145:4 NLT).
The famous author O. Henry wrote, “There is one day that is ours. There is one day when all we Americans who are not self-made go back to the old home to eat biscuits and marvel how much nearer to the porch the old pump looks than it used to. Thanksgiving Day is the one day that is purely American.”
Happy Thanksgiving!

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Just a park



I know half of this one is black, but for some reason I just like it. :)

Hunter saying "da"

MonkiSee

We got our MonkiSee reading kit for Ryan and Hunter this week!  It is for babies ages 3 months to 3 years.  We just started it so I can't say too much about it.  I can say that they both like watching the first DVD and they both like the flash cards (the paper ones and the ones on the computer).  We got the baby reading kit #5 which has 9 DVDs, 2 books, and 200 flash cards. It was $140.00.  I will keep you posted on how it goes for them.  Here is their web site. http://www.monkisee.com/  And this is the one we purchased.  http://www.monkisee.com/baby-reading-kit.html

I also HIGHLY RECOMMEND Leapfrog.  We have Letter Factory, Let's Go to School, Talking Words Factory, and Math Circus.  It definitely has helped Ryan.  He has been abble to count to 20 for a while now and he knows the alphabet song, can identify every letter usually, knows certain words start with certain letters, and can make all the sounds of the letters.  The letter flash cards from Leap Frog helped, too.  http://shop.leapfrog.com/leapfrog/jump/Learning-DVDs/category/cat80050;jsessionid=531CFE925EBEBD8D75220D1FDB766718?q_docSort=&addFacet=%3A

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

God with us

Have to share 2 amazing God stories from Friday!!!!

Last Thursday night we went for an hour long walk.  Friday morning I went to put on my Tiffany bracelet and it was GONE!   We searched all over the house and couldn't find it.  Sean decided to retrace our steps from the walk the evening before.  We both started praying, him on his walk, me at home, and HE FOUND IT WITHIN 4 MINUTES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD!  Thank you Jesus!!!!! 

Then Friday afternoon when I got into work I got my 1st paycheck.  First one since March 2009!!!!  Any way, I opened it up and there was a problem!  I was overpaid by a lot!  During orientation I was not supposed to receive my regular weekend pay, which is more, but they accidentally paid me my weekend rate.  It came out to $7.00 extra an hour x 34 hours (close to $240 extra).  I went straight to HR to let them know they had made a mistake and she decided to let me KEEP IT because of my honesty and because she said it was more trouble than it would be worth to fix it.  THANK YOU JESUS!!!!!!!!!

It's Official!

I registered for school.......again! I am starting the BSN (bachelor's of science in nursing) next spring (January).  I think it is 5 semesters and it is all online so I can still do it after we move to TN next July.  I think I am excited.......I think!!!!!!!

Airfest 2011



Cool dude!  It's funny, he usually won't wear the shades, but every once in a blue moon he will request them. :)

United States Coast Guard plane

USCG plane




F18

Thunderbirds!





Thunderbirds



While I was working last Friday night, my wonderful husband got us all packed and ready to go for Airfest at McDill in Tampa EARLY the next morning. Of course when I got home at 2330, Hunter woke up and stayed up until 0130 and we had to get up at 0600, which we didn't, slept in till 0700. lol Any way, we made it there, feeling pretty awake, and had a great day. The weather was gorgeous and not hot. Ryan LOVED seeing all the planes. Hunter would jump around with all the noise, but he did really well, too. We had gone 2/2010 so we knew some tricks this time around, which made things much easier! :)

Hunter LOVES Ry's ball pit




Oh and Hunter said his first words last week..............drum roll please!!!!!.........DA-DA!!!!!!

RN ME

First day of shadowing!  34 hours of orientation:  Complete.  First paycheck:  Received!  4 out of 6 shadowing shifts:  Done.  I work this Wednesday and Friday from 3-11 and then I start my regular weekend shift on the 19th, which will be Saturdays and Sundays from 7a-7p .  I have learned a ton and am pretty much on my own already.  Everything has been really good.  Hunter still won't drink from the bottle, but Sean is sneaking in my milk with his baby food.  I will be glad to get on my weekend schedule.  The 3-11p shift is a little odd for our family, but it will only make us appreciate my weekend schedule even more.  :0)  I have to say it is still weird to see my badge with "RN" on it! P.S.  Excuse the mess in the background.  YIKES! 

Bounty Obsession?



He strikes again! If you recall, last time Ryan had an afternoon of fun with PT's, I ended up with a broken toe, which BTW has healed mostly. Still sore if I move it the wrong way, but definitely almost back to normal. Any way, I was folding laundry and when I was done I went to check on Ryan, who was playing in Hunter's room, (he LOVES being in Hunter's room) and this is what I found!!!!!!!

Harvest Day!

First stop.....PAPPY's!!!!!!

Waiting for Pappy to fill his pumpkin with cha-chi (chocolate).

Inspecting the goods!

Pappy caught a monkey!

And Aunt Michelle caught a Tigger....a cranky one at that! 

Notice the theme of Ryan hiding behind Daddy?!

Next stop was Uncle Dave's and Aunt Michelle's.


Had to bribe Ryan with chocolate to pose for pictures.  Should have given it to hmi AFTER, not BEFORE, since he was eating DURING!

See what I mean!?

Hunter and Uncle Dave

Last stop....Naner's.  Where's Hunter?

'Bout to carve our pumpkin.

Yep!  My favorite part......getting all the gooey stuff out!



Voila!  Ryan picked the shapes and Daddy created a masterpiece. :)
We don't celebrate Halloween really.  We call it Harvest Day.  We dressed the boys up on Sunday the 30th (since I had to work Monday night) and took them to each of the family members houses. 

Hubby's work



Sean took these.  It seems we had a visitor while I was at work! BTW, bear with me......I am catching up and will be posting a lot!  :)