Friday night Robb planned a fun family night out!

We headed to Holiday Road in Spring Lake to see all the houses lit up on the street!

All the lights on the houses down the entire street were choreographed with Christmas music!!!

We had a great time, Grayden loved it and I am still amazed by how they managed to do that! Very cool! We topped that off with ice cream from Culvers and a trip to Kohl’s. Thanks for a fun night babe!

Our thanksgiving festivities kicked off Wednesday night with Robb’s family at the family life center at church.

we enjoyed a delicious meal, some basketball, a couple rounds of musical chairs and lots of family togetherness time!

Thursday morning we headed to church where we worshiped and praised God for all our many blessings.

After church we watched a little bit the the Thanksgiving day parade and we were on our way to my family gathering at my grandma and grandpa’s house.

Once again the meal was wonderful, the conversations a delight, and that pie was like a little piece of heaven!

Upon returning home, we all took long naps, (‘til 6pm to be exact) and then headed to my parents house for homemade pizzas and a movie.

...and I was doing so good too. ugh..well here's a little catch up! better late than never!

Day 17~ I am thankful for my friends and the relationships I have with each of them! They are such a special part of my life! Love you girls!
Day18~ I am thankful for food and water, I take these things for granted on a daily basis but I know there are so many who go without food and water much to often.
Day 20~I am thankful for this blog and the ability to share and document the happenings of my life. Its been so valuable to be able to go back and read things I wrote a couple years ago and see the way God has worked in my life and in me.
Day 21~I am so thankful to have my faith, I don't know how I would have ever gotten through those tough times without my faith in the Lord to guide me.
Day22~ I am thankful for Eternal life and the promise of spending eternity with Jesus and my loved ones.
Day 23~I am thankful for all of you readers and the encouragement, support (and concern when I got a week without blogging!) and love you have shown me through this blog. I never would have guessed I would make lasting friendships with people I 'met' online!
Day 24~I am thankful for the Lord's forgiveness when I fall short of His glory.
Day 25~ I am thankful for the many doctors and surgeons who have taken care of me now and in the past. I know God placed each of them in my life for a reason.
Day 26~I am thankful for Christian music and the way it ministers to me, so often I hear songs on the radio that speak to me in such a special way.
Day27~ I am thankful for God's love and even though I don't deserve it He loves me anyway and died on the cross for ME!
Day 28~ I am thankful for a healthy family, when anyone in my family gets sick I realize how much I take that for granted and remember to thank God for our health. I ask you to pray for the many people struggling with cancer and other illnesses right now, it seems like I hear of someone else getting the devastating diagnosis of cancer everyday and it breaks my heart every time. I hate that 'C' word.

I am thankful for my dog Pacey. He turns 5 years old today!
I know some of you might think its a little odd to be thankful for a dog and note his birthdays and trust me, I'm really not a huge dog person, but Pacey and I have a close bond!
He really is a special dog!

I am thankful for my job! I love love love being able to stay home with Grayden and work from home in the evenings. I always wanted to do hair when I grew up so it really is a dream come true!

I am so thankful for the Church we belong to. We are so fortunate to be able to worship God every week with a congregation full of believers. I know I often take for granted the freedom we have as Christians to gather together and worship God without the fear of persecution.

I am thankful for my brother-in-laws. Growing up with only sisters it sure was interesting adding brother in laws when I got married and when Mindy married Kyle. Now I have some brothers to balance me out! I’ve learned a lot about boys since they entered my life!

Grayden loves his Uncles too!

I am thankful for my mother and father in law and the gracious way they welcomed me into their family so many years ago!

I am thankful for the way they raised Robb to be a loving, caring and godly man. I couldn’t ask for better in laws, their love and support are true blessings!

Grayden~

You are 1.5 years old today!

I can’t believe it!

Seems like just yesterday we met you for the first time!

You are at such a fun age right now. Daddy and I are constantly amazed by you and the new things you are learning and the trouble you find yourself in.

Its fun to be able to see your personality already. We know you will be a strong, smart, funny, and obviously handsome man one day…one young lady will be very lucky to marry you some day!

You have 12 teeth! 6 on top and 6 on the bottom.

Last time you were at the dr. you were 23 lbs and 31.5 inches.

You are a very healthy boy, 18 months and still no antibiotics or prescriptions in your name!

You have an outstanding vocabulary there isn’t much you can’t say and you talk non-stop. You can count to 3 and know all your body parts, know all the animals and their sounds (at least the common ones) and communicate with us really well. You are such a smarty pants!

You love Elmo and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, whenever you see Mickey you say ‘hotdog-hotdog’ just like they do on the show!

You don’t miss a thing, you’re always observing the world around you! You can hear a truck go by our house, or spot a duck way before I do!

You have the best expressions, I don’t know where you get that from but you get comments on it even from strangers!

You are a great eater, there isn’t much you don’t like and you’re willing to  try anything!

Believe it or not, you have had your fair share of time outs in the last few months, you are

very strong-willed and like to have your way!  You also went through a little whiny stage; we hope Mr. Whiney is gone for good! 90% of the time you are so sweet and very well behaved for an 18 month old.

We love you just the same, even when you are a little naughty!

You will never know how much joy you bring us Grayden Robert!

We thank God for you everyday!

Happy 18 months baby!

Saturday we took a little day trip to Georgia where we met up with my bloggy friend Lyndsie and her hubby Daniel.

we had a great time, it felt like we’ve been friends forever!


I’ve been praying for Daniel and Lyndsie since I first started reading  her blog about two years ago. They are currently waiting for God to bless them with a child through the miracle of adoption, I know they will be great parents someday!


they are such a beautiful couple, inside and out!
We ended up visiting with them for over 2 hours and are already planning our next reunion!

On our way back ‘home’ to our hotel we stopped to eat at a Chick-fil-A for the 1st time!
It was so good!
I really wish they would open one up in Michigan!

It was a great day overall, Grayden was so exhausted after such a busy day!

On Sunday we ate breakfast at a Waffle House (first time there too!) and went back to the hotel to spend a little time the sun and pack up to head home!
We got home late Sunday night, back to our own comfy beds!
Our trip went great overall, Grayden was awesome and I even had 1 diaper left to spare :) Unfortunately, I did leave my cell phone in the rental car in Florida :( ugh bummer, we tried calling the phone numerous times, my dad called the rental company a few times and I thought all hope was loss, but luckily Robb told me yesterday and told me they found my phone and it should be here any day!! yah!

I am thankful for the men and women who have or are currently serving for our country's freedom!
Happy Veteran's Day!

So where did I leave off? Oh yes! Friday morning we all had breakfast together and then us girls and Gray headed into town to do a little shopping and find some place for lunch. We got SO irritated with our GPS that day, that thing took us all over Jacksonville. Apparently there is a lot of new roads in that area the the GPS didn’t recognize so we had quite the day. After that I needed a nap!
The boys took a tour of a Coast Guard ship  that was docked right next to our hotel after they were done with their meetings.



 
At night we had another dinner reception. Lisa and Grayden got room service that night and watched Little Einstein's, I wish I had a picture of that!

This wrapped up the convention part of our trip!
My favorite part of our trip to Jacksonville is coming up! 
Stay tuned!

I am thankful for my sisters and the friendships I have with them. They mean the world to me and although we didn't always get along (and sometimes still don't) I love them tons!

I couldn't ask for better sisters!


"Sisters by chance, Friends by choice"

I am thankful for my parents and everything they have done for me over the years. Being a parent myself now I can completely understand the hard work that goes into raising children and I'm so thankful they raised me the way they did in a loving, Christian home!

I am thankful for adoption and the miracle it brought to our lives. Tonight Robb and I had the opportunity to share our adoption story at the Discover Adoption event put on by Bethany.

It was such a blessing to be surrounded by couples getting ready to share in this amazing journey!
I can't help but be SO excited for them as they travel this road that will lead them to a child that will bless their lives in ways I couldn't put into words (trust me, I tried and I just ended up crying!)

Adoption has changed our lives. Like I said at the event tonight, adoption wasn't something we had planned on doing but God had other plans for us, and I'm so glad He did!