tis the day to give Thanks

Indeed, my friends, it is one of my favorite days of the year... a day filled with turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, and TONS of desserts- but most importantly, it's a day for reflection.... a day to look at your life and see how BLESSED you are and even if things seem crappy, there's always good stuff to be thankful for....

*like umm.... family. the people who are there for you through thick and thin no matter WHAT YOU DO. the people who love you for WHO YOU TRULY ARE. the people you can actually LET LOOSE around and BE YOURSELF. the ones who will always love you, even when you do stupid stuff.
*speaking of always loving you even when you do stupid stuff.... on this day i am truly thankful for my Lord and Savior. i am so thankful that even though i'm a sinner and i'm not worthy of His love, i am loved... i am forgiven.... i am promised eternity- and i don't deserve it. God blesses me in EVERY DAY of my life. and i am so thankful to Him for it all.
*my son... this amazing, brilliant, gorgeous, loving, hilarious, full-of-energy little boy that has been placed in my life... he is such a huge part of who i am. every day as i watch him grow, i see so much of me in him. he make look like his daddy, but he's got my personality for sure! i love him more than i ever thought i could possibly love someone.
*my husband. this amazing man God put in my life more than 5 years ago. we met in October of 2001. and immediately i fell head-over-heels in love with him. we are so perfect together, and i couldn't have asked for a better man to share my life with, to have and raise my children with, to serve God with, to laugh and cry with.... i love him with all that i am.
*my friends. though it seems like my true friends are few and far between, i love them dearly. they are such a huge part of who i am. they love me even though i'm goofy, weird, and a bit annoying at times. you know who you are. and i love you.
*actually, everything in my life has a place in this 'thankful' list. every single thing. every stupid thing i've done, every hard time i've ever had to go through, every challenge in my life. everything that has been placed in my life has made me who i am today.
THANK YOU GOD FOR ALL YOU DO....
i'm singing a song for Rebekah's wedding in January- it's Psalm 139 and it says "even though You know, You will always love me. even though You know, You'll never let me go. i don't deserve Your love, but you give it freely. You will always love me even though You know."

I will praise God's name in song
and glorify him with thanksgiving.
Psalm 69:30

illness, Clyde High School, and other ramblings

welllll hello to you- you MUST be cool if you're reading my blog.... only cool people read MY blog. that's probably because I AM the COOLEST person you know.... ok, so maybe i'm a dang loser, but it's ok, i'm ok with that.

so yeah last time i was blogging i had been sick, then like a week later i got sick AGAIN- upper respiratory infection. i get one EVERY november. never fails. so that was fun, i was sick TWICE within 2 weeks. fun stuff. NOW, Lincoln is sick. which is GREAT becuase we have plans EVERY DAY of this holiday week since all of scott's family is in and all of my family is here (well, my sister is the only one of us who doesn't live here- but this year she brought a BOY with her!!!!!! WHAT?). today was the beginning of the festivities. dinner and just a fun evening together with scott's siblings, spouses, our niece, and scott's dad..... well guess who's NOT going to be at that gathering? that would be me and my son... yes, because Lincoln was up until 1am last night vomiting and now has a fever. funnnnnn fun! i only hope that this is a short 24-hour type of thing because tomorrow is dinner with scott's siblings, spouses, our niece, and scott's mom- and then FRIDAY is a day with MY family (plus my grandparents... and mitsi's boy friend. NOTICE that i typed boy friend and NOT "boyfriend" - there's a difference) then saturday and sunday are packed with more family stuff, so y'know, i don't need a sick kid on my hands.... this is my favorite time of year! i mean, c'mon, i LOOOVE food!

so you all know (because i blog about it often) that i am doing music direction of the Clyde HS musical... our first performance is a week from this saturday, which is scary because of course we're never ready until the absolute last minute. but seriously guys, i thought working with high school kids was going to drive me out of my mind... but it's just like old days for me, i mean, every day that i get to spend out there reminds me of how much i MISS the theatre life! being with my friends every day for rehearsal, being goofy, singing and dancing and getting to be someone i'm not with the spotlights on me- AH i miss it SOOO much! and it's been really fun hanging out with these high school kids- even though i really thought it would be horrible, i'm having sooo much fun. especially since i have allowed myself to let loose around them- i don't have to be some stuffy 'professional' adult around them, i'm being my goofy ass self- and it's been so fun. especially with the 4 or 5 main girls. we're hilarious. plus i get to be goofy and immature and get paid for it! WHAT WHAT?!

today, since lincoln is sick, i'm staying home and baking pies for the next few days of Thanksgiving dinners. my husband is going to go out and meet with his family this evening, because i hate for him to miss the opportuninty to spend time with them when i could easily handle lincoln by myself at home. y'know.

i feel like i should be more exciting.... but alas, i fail miserably once more.

ok so i'm stumped. i had more in mind when i started this blog, but have reached a SERIOUS blogger's block (ha, i crack myself up)... i hope you all have a FANTABULOUS Thanksgiving and ummm i love you all :)

Expect the unexpected!

so last night was Halloween. I'm not too big on Halloween, I just enjoy the fact that I get to dress my son up however I think he will look cute. HAHA. Well, last night he was Pablo the Penguin... You who have children know who I'm talking about... You who DON'T know who Pablo is, go Google "The Backyardigans" and you'll quickly find out. He was SO cute. This kid absolutely hates hoods or anything that fastens under his chin, but he wore his Pablo hood ALL night (well, at least while we were out and about, 2 1/2 hours or so) and I got some REEEALLY good pics of him, but alas, they will not be posted today as I had promised so many people.

Y'see, there's this annoying phenomenon known as the STOMACH VIRUS. ah, yes, fun indeed. Yesterday I felt excellent. Took Lincoln out for a good 2 1/2 hours, came home, hung out with my boys, stole some of Link's candy ;) , went to bed, felt fine... ah, come 5am and here's Melanie running to the bathroom. What a fun night it was indeed. INDEEEEED. So I am momentarily out of bed to explain to your folks why there will be no pictures today, you will have to wait till tomorrow... Assuming I am well then.

Scott and Lincoln have gone to my mother-in-law's house for the day (Scott had to take off work) so that hopefully they don't get sick. Our digital camera doesn't work with this OLD computer of ours, so I need my mother-in-law's computer... But alas, I will not be going there today.

I am about to go turn UP the heater (like crazy), curl up on the couch with about 15,000 blankets, and watch The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (which, btw, I have not seen since the LAST time I was sick...). Close beside me will be a bottle of water, and imaginary bottle of 7up (ohhhh how i wish i had one), and my handy dandy.... TRASH CAN!

....I hope you are all having a better day than I am.