Rumblings and thoughts of a worn out momma

" the time to be happy is now. The place to be happy is here. The way to be happy is to make others so.". Robert Ingersoll

We all need gentle reminders to live fully in the present. Stress can easily get the better of us in this fast paced world.  Pregnancy definitely makes you live in the present when you live by the hour. Today I am thankful for a bigger belly so I don't feel as bad. I'm thankful for cinnamon gum to get awful tastes out of my mouth.  I'm thankful for energy to go swimming with Luke at the sports barn and to do crafts with him at home. Energy is a big deal. 

I am thankful that while I have to work, I can work at a place that I truly love. I love it because of so many things...I get to see Luke thrive in an environment that is rich for him academically, spiritually, and encourages him to find his gifts that God has given him. I love teaching. Period. I was made to be a teacher. I love sitting in the middle of the floor with my first graders, finding little words inside of big words and getting excited about counting by 2's.  

Being a working mom is hard. Being a mom is hard. Being a wife is hard. The fall has flown by and gracious it's almost thanksgiving! I'm thankful for time with Luke, teaching him about joy and teaching him about words and reading.

Luke has surprised me with many things this fall. He wanted to play soccer, we said ok. It was miserable. He hates competition. He isn't competitive. He does know about sharing, and that in soccer, you don't share. That bothers him. It bothers him that he can't read. I have to remind him that he is three and it is okay. Not to mention that is what mommy does for a living, not to worry.  He can read some words already. Fire. Cat.luke.layla.mommy. Daddy. Stop.go.etc. He is active in class like any three year old boy and is learning social cues to help him when he gets frustrated with
friends. He knows all his letters, can count to 40 on his own, and 
everything he learns he turns and sings a song about it.
Luke is musical. He is asking Santa for a violin for Christmas. Seriously? Don't you want toys, Legos, cars?  Actually he wants all of the instruments for Christmas. He makes up songs daily while 
playing the piano or his guitar. Yesterday he made himself a boat 
out of a cardboard box, got in it, and strummed his guitar for thirty 
minutes as happy as a clam.  He loves his friends. He loves his 
daddy. And he loves being home. ( so do I. ESP now that it gets 
dark at like 4)

We are happy. We are busy. Tim works a lot of different jobs at the moment. We are stock piling our savings to be able to put our 
house on the market in the spring. He works for Chattanooga fire. 
He works sometimes for signal mtn fire. He is treasurer of the 
firefighters union.( he has a real office) and he drives a huge 
shredder truck around Chattanooga at least once a week and shreds 
paper for local companies. And he is working on our house a little 
at a time. I wish that he had people to help him on our house. He is 
so gifted. This pace won't be forever.

We want to simplify. We want to sell our house. Pay off debt. Live financially free. I am really ok even renting an apartment for a 
while, learning how to be a family of four and not having one thing 
of tools around Tim.  Simple furniture. Simple everything.We do  
not need much.

Church is good. I love going to Calvary. The kids program is 
amazing. Luke runs around the house singing, " I'm in the lords 
army!" because of kids live. He loves going. We love going too. 
The worship is a sweet time. Our church has been on our knees 
praying for one of our pastor s wives who has uncurable cancer. 
Our church as a body is hurting as the bodies are so weak.......but 
thankfully HE is so strong. 

So, in all of my thoughts and rumblings, I am thankful. Fearful of 
where my country is going, but THANKFUL that I have a personal 
relationship with the Lord and Savior who made our country. 
Thankful.