Thanksgiving 2009

This year has gone by so fast.  I can't believe it almost over already.  I have blessed so much this year.  This has been a tough year for many with job cuts, layoffs and the downward economy. Steve and I were not even immune to it when our Sears closed.  We refused to participate in the Recession though.  We were not going to hang our heads and feel sorry for ourselves, as so many have.  We looked to the future.  Sears was supposed to help us pay off our car loan and it did just that. We are now debt free, except for our Student loans and the house. Not much longer after Sears closed, the YWCA decided to bring us both back up to 40 hours, so any income we lost from Sears we got got back from the YWCA.  Praise God!
There have been some tough times for us this year. It wasn't all roses, but everytime I felt discouraged I remember all the things that we do have.  We have so much.  We are so lucky.

For those that don't know, Steve and I back working at Sears again after taking the Summer off.  We are now just Christmas help, but they may keep us on afterwards. We will just have to wait and see.   If anyone is having out at the mall at Oh-dark Early, I will be at Sears from 3:45am to 4pm.  I'll be in the Hardware Department. Pray for me!  It will be a long day.
Thanksgiving is just a day to day eat way to much food and watch football. It's a day to think about what you are thankful for.  It's about family and friends.

1. First, I am thankful for a God that is patient. We serve an amazing God and I think sometimes I forget that. He has done so much for me that I know I will never be able to thank him enough. He blesses us at every turn. Even when I don't feel like He is there, He is.

2. Second, I am thankful for a husband that is patient. I have the greatest husband ever. He is such a hard-worker. He was even willing to work two jobs this year to help us reach our goal of car debt-freedom. I know some nights he was really tired, but he stuck to the schedule. On top of that, he did work on the house. We got new windows and they are gorgeous. Steve, with the help of friends (Thank you Dad and Bobby and Josh), they installed the windows themselves.

3. Third, I am thankful for my family. My parents are just great. They have been married for 29 years and after all these years they still love to hang out together. With so many marriages ended in Divorce, it is nice to have such a strong example to follow.

4. Fourth, I am thankful for my friends. I have the greatest friends anyone could ever ask for. Some of the best friends that I have right now have been my best friends since Elementary school. We have been through so much together. I truly am thankful for you guys. I hope you know that I would not be who am today without you. We have laughed together, prayed together, and cried together. I am thankful that my friends are forgiving and patient. Sometimes I don't I deserve to have as awesome friends as I do. I can count on them and I hope they can count on me.

5. I have a job that I absolutely love. How many people can say that they actually enjoy going to work everyday? Sometimes it's not all fun and games. It's a lot of work sometimes, but I believe in the mission of the YWCA. I don't see my job as just paperwork and data entry, I am helping victims of Domestic Violence by making sure we have the data for grant billings and reports. My bosses (yes I have two Supervisors now) are supportive, encouraging, and just great to work with.

6. I have a warm place to live. We bought our first house at the end of last year. Maintaining and fixing up a house is hard work, but it been a fun adventure.