thankful for little boys who grow into soldiers... and that they return safely from war

I always cry when soldiers return from war.... whether I see it on the news or witness it in the airport... it always makes me cry. So when I saw this picture of Cody's lifelong friend Jimmy Lee newly returned from Iraq, reuniting with his little sister, Lauren (aka Lulu)... I was like the Grinch and my heart swelled to three times it's normal size. When we met their family Lauren was three weeks old. Seriously. She was a tiny baby. Jimmy Lee was a little bitty kid - so small his football helmet barely fit him. 

So above anything else that I may find myself thankful for today on this Thankful Thursday, I'm thankful for Jimmy Lee's reunion with his loving family... for his safety... and courage... and that great kids like him are protecting our country. 

I'm thankful that my own babies are safe... that they had a childhood filled with great memories and great friends like Jimmy Lee and Lulu. Lulu was always my "potty buddy" when we were at the ballfield... we had hundreds of walks to the bathroom... and chats along the way. She also kept a close eye on Auggie... aka "Lostin"... if I would lose track of him, she could always find him. 

I'm thankful today for blessings beyond what I deserve. I always check my two bank accounts before payday and figure out what I have to pay and what I CAN pay and so on... I'm watching even more carefully this month because I'll be out of work for at least two weeks with the surgery and I'm trying to buy Christmas gifts for those closest to me. Two things that would normally be a huge upset to my budget.  There was less wiggle room than I thought there would be when I checked my account yesterday... and I was driving home yesterday praying that God would help me figure out a way to make it all work. Then, in the mail, a blessing that I knew was coming... was a bigger blessing than I had thought... even before I knew I needed it, the extra was there all along. It gave me chills, made me cry, and confirmed for me, once again, that there is a God and He really does like me. 

And Austin, true to form, said, "does this mean I can get TWO games for Christmas?" *eyeroll*

Surgery is scheduled for three weeks from yesterday. Coming quickly. I've got less fear about it than I did originally. I'm not thrilled that it's coming so close but I'm glad that it isn't being put off. Especially with the new/different/worse pain I've had over the past couple of days. It's time for something to be done. 

I've got so much peace about this Christmas. It's like... knowing that I'll still be 100% homebound and still on a pain pump on Christmas day takes away any and all pressure for that day. I don't have to worry about who I will spend it with... I don't have the pressure to cook and clean and wear myself out making a Norman Rockwell Christmas for us. I don't have to worry about driving to the south side of town... I can just chill in my nest. My goal is to have any and all Christmas shopping done by the end of this weekend... groceries bought... then I will have two more weekends to take care of any extraneous "oops, I forgot" things taken care of. Austin will be gone on a retreat the weekend before my surgery so he'll be virtually no help for those last minute cleaning and shopping chores.

I'm thankful that it's Thursday. We had computer problems all day yesterday and I was in a lot of crampy pain and I just really wanted to leave. I felt unproductive and felt like I was pushing too hard. My back was killing me. My stomach was killing me. I wanted to be home in my nest. I'm thankful I stuck it out. I pray that I'll have the strength to stick it out again today. 

I hope you all have a great Thursday... happy December! Merry Christmas! Love and hugs!