27 Belated Thanksgivings

I started this post the week of Thanksgiving but with pink eye and the flu and just never having the determination or creativity to finish it I'm finally posting. So, in the effort of always finishing what I start here are 27 Thanksgivings for the 27 years of my life.

1. Deodorant. Can't even imagine the stench without it.
2. Noah's independent spirit.
3. My incredible husband. He is truly the most tenderhearted, loving, compassionate, patience and Godly man that I have ever know. It's so easy to love him all the time.
4. Scott's job with Devine Automotive. Along with his hard work Devine makes it possible for me to be a full time Mommy and Wife.
5. Forgiveness.
6. The change of the seasons.
7. Kids Tylenol and Motrin.
8. Mac computers.
9. Blogging. Love sharing our blessed life.
10. The gym. Can't believe I listed that.
11. Sushi. Yum-O!!!
12. My Mommy. She is the personification of the woman in 1 Pet. 3:4 letting her adornment "be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God."
13. My Daddy. Without his understanding, guidance and ability to train my heart to please God in everything I do I would be a disaster.
14. Snow!!!!
15. A church family which I've been able to experience the highs and lows with. Can't wait till we make it to Heaven together.
16. God's inspired word which guides and directs my life.
17. Monthly young ladies Bible class and all our participants. Couldn't do it without those girls. Love them!
18. My incredible Mother-in-Law Becki. I can't even express my gratefulness and awe in her ability to raise my husband into the man he is today.
19. Times of trial. The Book of James (especially chapter 1) is one of my favorite passages.
20. Sesame Street because sometimes Mommy just needs her son to sit still for an hour while she decompresses.
21. Grandma AKA GG. She helps me to cherish the little moments and realize that my time with Noah passes quickly.
22. Friends whom I can be myself around even when I'm a raving lunatic.
23. My dishwasher, microwave, washer, dryer and hot shower. Love these modern conveniences.
24. The ability to cry and laugh.
25. Finger and temper paint. I love seeing all Noah's new creations.
26. Bath and story time. Scott takes on this duty every evening so I have a few minutes to myself.
27. My sovereign and all powerful God. He guides my steps, blesses my life and makes me realize that this world is not my home.

What a clown!

Happy belated Halloween blog readers! On the morning of Halloween Scott took Noah to the Nevada Day Parade in Carson City while I prepared for Scott's birthday party. Noah wanted to wear his costume to the parade and apparently charmed everyone. Side note: Putting makeup on an excited, squirming, jabbering 2 year old is close to impossible!

Later that afternoon we celebrated Scott's 43rd birthday with family. I made my first successful batch of BBQ ribs, YUMMY! After cake Mom, Becki, Christopher, Scott, Grandma and myself took Noah trick-or-treating. Yes, count them, that's 6 adults with one child.

A Porky Pumpkin

Finally got around to carving our pumpkin today. We had two, but one of them rotted before I made the time to carve it.

We decided to be a bit more creative this year than the typical Jack-O-Lantern pumpkin. I saw a couple ideas on the much too overpriced magazines in the check out line at the supermarket. So, I sped read before my groceries were rung up and headed home with a bit more creativity than I have naturally.

Noah wasn't too thrilled about getting his hands "icky" so I did most of the gutting while he helped with the quills. He loves his "porky-pine pumpkin."

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Scott and Daddy...happy birthday to you.

And I said YES!

Four years ago today Scott Boutcher asked me to marry him and I said YES! At the time I knew that he was a wonderful and Godly man who would make a great husband. But now, being married to him for close to 4 years, I know that he is much more than that. He is a man who loves the Lord with such a passion and conviction that he would do anything for his God. He is a man who waited to make sure he was ready to be the husband God would have him to be. He is a man who adores his wife even when she acts unadorable. He is a man who is devoted to raising his son to be even a better man than he is (if that's even possible). He is the man who I would say YES to again and again. He is the man that I am proud to call my husband, lover, protector, and best friend. Looking forward to spending MANY more wonderful years together.

A Right of Passage

Growing up, like most of you I'm sure, I thought my Mom just hung the moon. She seemed to do everything perfectly. She kept the family on schedule, cooked incredible meals, helped people in need, made our house a home and loved God with a passion I have rarely seen in others. I have such fond memories of sitting on a stool at her kitchen counter and watching her cook up some of the most scrumptous creations I've had to date. Well, one of my favorite things to watch her do was can things. It just astounding seeing the time and precision it took to can some of her most delicious creations.

Now that I've become a wife and mother I decided to try my hand at it. In my attempt to make this Christmas more economical I'm making gift baskets for some of our closest friends and family. My Dad's cousins in Yerington gave me this HUGE box of apples and I decided to make apple butter and can it, with the help of Mom of course.

After a morning of pampering (pedicures and lunch with Mom and Grandma) I headed out to the folks house to attempt this right of passage. The cooking seemed to go well but the apple butter just never seemed to get thick enough. "Don't worry," my mom assured me "it will set up more after the canning." So, I proudly hauled my box of apple butter creations home assured that the syrup like texture would set. It's been a couple weeks now.....and I have proudly made...apple syrup! Guess even the most seasoned and experienced mothers can't do EVERYTHING right. Maybe next time!

Being His Clay

Two weeks ago I was fortunate enough to be asked to teach part of our yearly Ladies Seminar at our church. The theme this year was "The Seasons of our Lives: Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter." Patty Neely graciously shared her class time with me and I spoke about the Bible character Lydia and how she had prepared herself for the fall of her life. The key question I posed to the ladies in our sessions was how are we planting goodness in our lives and what are we able to harvest due to our careful planting.

Since then, as with most teachers, I continue to think about how this applies to my life. Am I planting the things which God would want me to during this time in my life so that my harvest will be what God wants from me? Am I developing and using the talents that I have been blessed with to the glory of our heavenly Father?

I suppose the conclusion I've come to is that I am trying. Aren't we all? Some days I do better than others but I pray that I will continue to allow God to mold me into a better person today than I was yesterday. Molding isn't easy and it isn't always comfortable, but I have faith in my God. He is ever present, awesomely powerful, wiser that I will ever be, and all knowing enough to point me to my most productive and challenging path. I pray He will do the same for you.