Thankful Thursday, Week 122, 123, 124, 125, and 126

These past several weeks I have been thankful for...

~Ephesians 2:4-5
~And Ephesians in general.
~Our study on Esther.
~That Daddy had a safe trip last month... and that he's back! (He leaves again in a few days, though...)
~This strong little baby...

 So he didn't pull up, but he stayed up!

~Miss Mary's taking me to "volunteer" at the special needs program at her church so that we could talk with those who were there. It was a really neat experience, and a very special one :).
~Microwave Brownies.
~And microwave cookies. But I don't think I'm up to trying microwave cinnamon rolls. Sorry, Tori. Haha!
~Peter's telling Mommy, "Jofiah my beeeeest friend."... love it!
~And he loves everybody "49!"... perfection squared... awwwww :)....
~Our clean bedroom. Despite how long it took. (And that it's stayed that way more or less of almost a month.) I don't remember the last time that happened. All I have to say is thank you to Mommy!
~Getting to skype with a SC friend. I've kept up with her since we moved, but it was great to see her face to face after ten months!
~To find that the key to getting my overnight oatmeal recipe right would be glucomannan! Now it's just about perfect!
~The several "Prying Menaces", I mean, Praying mantises, that we have had around our house lately.

~Bethi's wonderful tea party she hosted last month!

~She made all the food by herself from scratch, and it was very yummy!
~And she even tied in a bible study with it :)! I was so proud of her :).
~Tori was very happy....

~Abbi's seriously asking Andrew a while back, "So, when you build a house, are you going to use straw, bricks, or sticks?..."
~Goofy Tori and this project she took upon herself...

...giving Andrew's math book a new look... haha!
~Mornings full of my siblings gathered around me while I enjoy coffee, in one form or another, and my bible study... yes, I know I take up way too much of the table...

~How much these boys love each other...

~That I like water. Because I'm told that that shouldn't be taken for granted, as I used to think. Haha!
~The laughter my siblings got at my washing my hair in the sink... like Mommy does to all of them when she cuts their hair. Gooses!
~Kitty cats.
~Little froggies.
~Walks to the park.
~Josiah's taking that "big boy" step of being introduced to the exersaucer :)...

~Doing the ice bucket challenge with my siblings to benefit a special little boy and his family. (You can read about his family at http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/help-andrew-/180744)
~My wonderful Mommy and Daddy, who celebrated their birthday last week.
~Precious, now six year old, Abbi!
~Pretty Bethi-boo, and fun giving her a photo-shoot :).

~Fellowship with several older couples from church.
~A new sermon series on the Sermon on the Mount.
~Being able to study God's word.
~Lots of writing supplies.
~Starting a study on Proverbs this month :)!
~That I'm getting a little better at working out the glitches that come about in blog-dom. If you saw my blog completely ugly and picture-less a couple weeks ago, know that that was not intentional. And was, thankfully, easy to fix. And yes, I know that my blog button is currently nothing but code. That's next on my list after posting this post and a post of pictures from the park. Promise!
~The way Peter asks me to "read just one story?!" Looove it!
~Iain M. Duguid's commentary on Esther and Ruth. It was really good, y'all, if you want a eye-opening book on those books of the bible, I would suggest that one :)!
~Also, my Gramma, who also had a birthday this week :)!
~How nice our yard looks after all the work Mommy. Daddy, and Tori put into it this week.
~This comment by Abbi, as she gave me a rock while we were outside: "Here, Bri! I found you a hot rock! I know it's hot outside, but that's okay, the rock is still good. Because even though it's hot out here, you need something to warm up your hands!". Thoughtful girl ;). Funny coming from her... I used to freeze her so bad when she was a baby! Josiah has an even worse time with it... at times I pick him up and he goes stiff and gives a howl from the shock... I don't know what is wrong with my hands, haha!
~The leaves that are already changing color.
~The fact that Tori let me do her hair yesterday :). I had to do it three times... but I did the same thing today, and haven't had to start from scratch once, so I think I've figured out how to do it right, too ;)!
~That Mommy was able to give Peter a hair cut yesterday without destroying his gorgeous hair. Haha! See...

 

Handsome boy :)...

~And she very kindly gave me a trim as well...
~...and we can see Abbi and Tori's eyeballs again! Haha! They've been buried in bangs for a while ;).
~Getting to make tortillas with Bethi. Though I'm not that good at it, it was something she had never really done, and we had fun working together, anyway :).
~Peter's love to make "Chocolate chips" with his fingers, haha :). He curls all but his thumb and forefinger up, then touches his left thumb to his right thumb, and his left forefinger to his right forefinger, and says : "I make, chocolate chip!!!"
~Finishing a project that I have been promising Tori I would do for.. um.. nine months now... this morning. Yay! Now... next thing on my list... haha! Which would actually be this post, so I'm not just saying that... I'm really ready to be caught up and stay caught up with posting, I miss blogging and I never do it because I am always thinking of old blog posts that are still in draft stage that I should do first! Haha!
~Peter's desire for a "Christmas tree"... he meant rice crispy treat ;).
~That this is finally typed up in it's entirety! Yay! I have been trying to get this posted... but every time I finish a week, it's time to start a new week, and I figure I might as well include that... and so on and so forth...

And I think that brings me up-to-date! I'm going to go eat supper now, and hopefully I'll get some Ephesians memorizing in tonight :)! I'll try to be back this week with some park pictures :)...

"He put a new song in my mouth,

a song of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear,

and put their trust in the Lord."

 ~Psalm 40:3

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