Thankful Thursdays

A lot to be thankful for this week, and it seems to have doubled overnight! I'll try to give a quick synopsis....

* The swing set is set (in it's final location that is)! This means that on this sunny 61 afternoon Nick can finish the "fort part and the kids will have a new place to play! The swing arm will go up by Sunday...if not by Sunday then on Sunday when friends come down to share Mother's Day with us! I think I am equally as excited as the kids for the swing set to be completed. I have lots of plans for planting myself near the swing set while they make believe, climb and burn off energy this summer! I also have an idea for making a little playhouse in the underneath part...but we'll see if that happens this summer or not.

* 2 churches in our area (about 5-10 miles in each direction) received candidates last night from the St. Louis Seminary. This may not seem like it affects us much, and it doesn't directly, but as Nick said this morning, the median age of our circuit has the potential to be cut in half. Also, one of the men who received a call went to college with us. Well, our first year was his and his wife's 4th year, but we knew them...and they have 3 young kids. So, it's always nice to think about having someone nearby who understands what life is like in the ministry.

*My braxton hicks have slowed down in the last 24 hours! I had been having a lot of discomfort Monday and Tuesday, even into early Wednesday morning...so to sleep through the night and wake up only to feel the baby moving and not like I just did the most intense ab workout of my life is a great relief and definitely something to be thankful for. I am also thankful that I know they were only braxton hicks and not doing anything to progress labor or hurt the baby...although she does move quite a bit during them, so I'm not sure if she enjoys it.

*SUNSHINE!!! I think this is the first morning we've woken up to sunshine in almost 2 weeks, and I would say even if we have woken up to sunshine, it hasn't lasted until lunch. Today is supposed to be a full day of it! There's a chance of rain tomorrow and Saturday, but I'm holding on to hope that the rain will hold off!

*Looking forward to Sunday and Portillo's Hot Dogs! I think this may be the best idea we've ever had for Mother's Day (and by we, I mean Lisa and I). Instead of trying to go out to eat or ordering in we decided the grown ups of our families could split a box of Portillo's hot dogs and we'll give the kids their own hot dogs with the Chicago style fixins. I am eagerly anticipating the arrival of this amazing package tomorrow and I think I will feel like I have won the lotto to sit around and eat my hot dog on Sunday evening. A taste of home is always something to be thankful for!