Lisa at Joyful Chaos had the awesome idea of hosting “Thankful Thursdays” this month, inspired by Kristina’s post! What a wonderful way to prepare our hearts for Thanksgiving and the coming Christmas season.

This week, I am thankful for

1. My children, who inspire me every day to become a better mom. Their love, enthusiasm, sense of humor and zest for life take me moment to moment and keep me in the NOW.

2. My hubby, who’s recovering well from his October 5th surgery. He is almost back to his regular routine (except for martial arts) and is happy and healthy! He is the one who initiated starting our Family Journal 10 years ago. I largely credit him for helping each one of us develop a thankful heart. We try to write in it every Sunday, with contributions from the whole family for EVERY SINGLE THING we are thankful for that week (or since the last time we wrote in the journal, since there have been missed Sundays). He really started a habit that has helped us all become more grateful and to pay more attention to all the blessings we should be thankful for — there is so much!

3. The grace to continue understanding and learning what submission to my husband really means. It has really helped our family just in the last couple of weeks that I have implemented the schedule my husband wants me to follow. And I feel great that I am following my husband’s lead. Being that he’s always been such a great leader, you have to wonder what took me so long!

4. friends at 4Real, who inspire and teach me everyday. This year it finally looks like we will be able to celebrate Advent, Christmas and Epiphany the way it should be celebrated, thanks to the ideas I’ve gleaned from the folks at 4Real. I cannot say enough good things about the folks there, my IRL (in real life) friends must think I’m some weirdo who’s so dependent on “cyber-friends” for much of her emotional, mental and spiritual well-being. But I have been blessed tremendously in the 5 years that I’ve been on the CCM list and the forum that there’s no way I can just dismiss this group as just a bunch of cyber-friends. They are SOOO much more than that.

5. a clean and organized Master bedroom. It is such a joy to walk into and sleep in at night.

6. the boys’ clean rooms. Such a pleasure to the eyes!

7. Beautiful bulbs from Brent and Becky’s, waiting to be planted today.

8. All the libraries around us, where we get the hundreds of books that help us in our learning and living.

9. That my parents and brother are coming to join us for Christmas! This is going to be our first complete Christmas family reunion since 2001!

10. For our Couples for Christ friends, who are always there ready to give their love, prayer, friendship, support and encouragement in everything we do.

I have about 10 more, but I’ll stop here!

Thanks once again, Lisa, for doing this, and to Kristina for inspiring Lisa and all of us!