A Mother's Grateful Heart

It's Monday and after a week of birthday party planning, and a long but fun weekend of birthday celebrations, this post is all about the blessing that is our little Abbie Joy.


212. precious pictures that capture moments in time of a little girl who is growing up too fast.
213. looking back on two years of joyful moments and frustrated tears on this journey of parenting.
214. extended family who shower our little one with gifts, love and legacies.
215. friends who share in our joy over our bundle of energy.
216. birthday cakes that, while lopsided and clumsy, are decorated with love from this inexperienced cake decorator!
217. old friends with helpful tips on cake decorating!
218. a grateful two year old, who thanked us over and over for her special day.
219. a husband who was moved to tears when singing "Happy Birthday" to his princess.
220. tired feet, weary arms, and overflowing hearts at the end of a busy weekend.
221. celebrating the moment Abbie was placed in my arms, by marking each year, on that day and time, with a photo.

Growing a Grateful Heart

A person however learned and qualified in his life's work in whom gratitude is absent, is devoid of that beauty of character which makes personality fragrant. ~Hazrat Inayat Khan

193. The privilege of serving like "Martha" and blessing the church leadership with dinner while they meet.

194. Snuggly naps on chilly, cloudy afternoons.

195. Warm pjs.

196. Monday nights on CBS - "Mike & Molly" and "Hawaii 5-0" with my hubby. 

197. Star shaped pancakes and a giggly, hungry little girl.

198. Having enough.

199. A husband with a burden to re-prioritize our budget so we can do more for others.

200. Reaching 200 in my journey to 1000 of gifts from the Lord, and looking back on a growing list of blessings. 

201. Pants that fit a little too tight... because it means I have plenty of food to eat (even when I shouldn't be eating it!).

202. Seeing the discipline of gratitude being cultivated in my daughter. 

203. The ability to order things online!

204. Fuzzy socks for cold toes.

205. Cupcakes, pasta, chicken caccatorie, sweet things and other random holidays!

An Attitude of Gratitude

I've been attempting to cultivate an "Attitude of Gratitude" and to practise the spiritual discipline of gratefulness thanks in part to the challenge put forth by Ann Voskamp of A Holy Experience. And as I work my way toward 1000 Gifts, I can attest to the joy that fills you when you take your eyes off your troubles and count your blessings. It's so easy to get lost in the chaos of life; to lose sight of what is truly important. 

So on this day, Thanksgiving Monday, I officially begin blogging portions of my own list, and challenge you to do the same.

170. Slow days at home, just playin' with my daughter.
171. Watching Abbie enjoy her first Kinder Surprise.
172. Delighting in Abbie's learning experiences.
173. Wii Party games as a family on "Family Fun Fridays!"
174. Enjoying a drive to visit family while my hubby and daughter sleep in the car.
175. Dim Sum brunches with the inlaws.
176. Watching friends and family love on my daughter.
177. Sleeping in.
178. The crisp air and the radiant colours of Fall.
179. An overabundance of lefovers in my fridge.
180. New recipes.
181. The pile of laundry waiting for me -- because it means we have clothes to wear.
182. Long weekends and lazy days.
183. Birthday party planning for an almost-two, "never even thought we'd have one" little girl!
184. Calls home.
185. Getting lost in worship as I sing. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Flutter...what?

It's "Flutter...what???" That was my reaction when reading Punchbowls.com's random holiday for today. Apparently, today is "Flutter nutter Day." I say again, "flutter...what?"

Let's face it, I grew up on the mission field. As a result, there were some delights of the North American childhood experience that I missed out on. However I am happy to say that "Flutter nutter" is not one of them. When I learned what "flutter nutter" was, well, let's just say I "revisited" my breakfast. Disgusting. 

For those of you who are just as oblivious now as I was this morning, a Flutter nutter is ... get this... a sandwich. According to Whats Cooking America, a flutter nutter is a peanut butter and... drum roll please... marshmallow fluff sandwich. To use a term from the 80s, "gag me with a spoon!" Why on earth would you want to ruin peanut butter, or for that matter two perfectly good slices of bread, with marshmallow. And not just any marshmallow... but "fluffed" marshmallow. The whole idea literally makes me want to vomit.

And so I'm left with a dilemma. How do I celebrate something that makes me want to hurl? After careful consideration, it occurred to me that this was the perfect opportunity to add to my 1000 gifts list! No, I'm not (nor will I ever be) thankful for flutter nutter. However, I am thankful for the abundance of food we enjoy that allows for the creativity (or insanity... it's a fine line sometimes) of such odd concoctions to exist. And so... while choking back the lunch I just ate... I give you: The Flutter Nutter.

(image borrowed from http://mommycreations.blogspot.com/)

Picture It!

A week's worth of celebrations in images...

Vegetarian Day (Friday, Oct 1st)

Fried Scallops Day (Saturday, Oct 2nd)

Caramel Custard Day (Sunday, Oct 3rd)

Taco Day (Monday, Oct 4th)

Apple Betty Day (Tuesday, Oct 5th)

Mad Hatter Day (A celebration of silliness -- Wednesday, Oct 6th)

Frappe Day (Thursday, Oct 7th)

The Aromas of Autumn

I love the fall. The cool fresh autumn mornings. The vibrant colours of the changing trees. The harvest of apples, pumpkins, squashes and other fabulous fall foods. And, the wonderful aromas associated with this time of year! Like mulled cider! We're headed to an apple/pumpkin farm tomorrow to celebrate the beginning of fall, and look forward to coming home with an arm load of apples, shoes full of hay (from the hay rides), and a pumpkin or two (my daughter included!).

It's Hot Mulled Cider Day. Try this recipe and enjoy the aromatic delight of all things fall!

Cup-a-Joe

In the stillness of the morning you call to me and I answer.

The aroma of your freshly brewed juices wrapping itself around me like a warm blanket.

I stumble toward you with anticipation;

mug ready to be filled with your dark goodness.

And then I stand, 

savouring the way the steam of your readiness delights my senses.
I feel my body come alive with that first sip.

Like a friend you welcome me. 

And I settle in for a long conversation.

Happy National Coffee Day!

True Confessions

Ok, I'll admit it. I used to be one of those childless people who watched parents and their unruly children with judgement in my eyes. I used to mutter under my breath things like "Discipline. Ever heard of it?", and watched episodes of SuperNanny in utter amazement at how some parents could be so naive when it came to parenting. I prided myself in believeing that I knew exactly what I would do in their situation, and even quoted from books and well-known parenting experts to back up my beliefs. But then something remarkable happened...

... I became a parent. 

This week, I have eaten my words. I haven't blogged in just over a week now, because all hell has broken lose in our home. That haughty attitude I used to carry, has been replaced by the sheer humility and feeling of utter helplessness that comes from doing battle with a strong-willed, soon-to-be two-year-old. Almost as if overnight, our adorbaly cute, compliant and well-behaved baby has transformed into a self-absorbed, know-it-all, "I want it NOW!" toddler, and everything I thought I knew about parenting and discipline has gone out the window. I'm now the one sitting red-faced as passers-by stare at my child's demon like temper tantrum and roll their eyes at me. I'm the one crying into my pillow in my bedroom as I listen to the sounds of a full-blown temper tantrum take place outside the door. And I'm now the one desperately reading all the expert tips and taping episodes of SuperNanny. 

Bill Cosby was once quoted as saying, "Give me 200 active two-year-olds and I could conquer the world." I used to think that was funny -- even cute. Now I chuckle and sigh at the same time, and seriously consider putting my daughter up for adoption. "What have we gotten ourselves into?" has now replaced the "let's try and have another one" conversation with my husband. And instead of meeting for a hot date to rekindle the flame of our romance, we are finding ourselves collapsing into bed at the end of the day for an emergency meeting to hammer out new battle tactics! 

And so while the past week of celebrations has come in second to the joys and frustrations of parenthood, I resolve to find a way to celebrate in spite of it all. I promise to rejoice and celebrate the fact that I have a daughter, instead of complaining that her actions are driving me to drink. And, I pledge to celebrate the little moments when she's still and quiet, cute and adoring, and will cling to those memories in times when I'm pulling my hair out. 

Here's to celebrating the good, bad, happy and sad. Now...

... what's SuperNanny's number?

Love Served Here

Garlic wafts through the house like a welcome blanket of homey goodness. My once clean t-shirt, now stained red with tomato sauce, serves as a towel for my hands after washing brillantly green lettuce in the sink. And I smile as I listen to the sounds of my daughter and her daddy hard at play. Working up an appetite for what promises to be a feast for the senses.

I go back to my pot and stir. I stir and know that simmering on my stove is a pot full of love ... and linguine. It is linguine day, and we will soon sit and savour this italian delight and the joy of time together. A meal served with love from this grateful momma to her little family. And my heart is full.

Just call me Martha...

Toast and peanut butter in hand (it is Peanut Day afterall), and a mug of freshly brewed coffee at my side, I sit. I sit and I breath. The silence calms my heart, clears my mind and allows me time to reflect and feed my soul.

I consider all that happened yesterday when we gathered for fellowship at The Life Centre. I allow the Spirit to wash over me and fill me with His joy, His peace, His presence. And as I sit, pondering how I can be used in this new faith community, my thoughts to turn to a pot of chili con carne. Yes. Chili con carne. 

Just call me Martha.

Ann Voskamp of A Holy Experience spoke words the other day in her blog that fed my soul. Words that captured what my heart has always known... that I am a Martha, and that my ministry is in hospitality. On a recent trip to Guatemala, she penned the following words: 

"She asks to speak at the pulpit, to say a few words, her apron still on, her eyes love worn and lined with gentle strokes. Her name is Ruth. She's a woman ‘who makes her pots a holy thing’ (Zech. 14:21), who stirs eternity at the end of her spoon. The translator serves us Ruth's first words: ‘My mission is the kitchen.’ Many saints  have dishpan hands and I eat her words. They preach rich truth to me, that the kitchen with a plate is the place where the strangers at Emmaus and the starved of this earth meet the face of Christ. That the table can be a holy revelation." (Read more here...)
 
And so here I sit, chili con carne simmering, and brownies fresh from the oven. Food that will feed a team of people who are called to nourish the souls of our faith community. They nourish souls, while I nourish their bodies. I am filled with unspeakable joy. For in this, my "Martha calling," I commune with Him and am made whole.