Sure we get clothes for cheap and we know about the sales ahead of time....but we also have to deal with things like black Friday! I have been so hard on the hubby about all his hours this week. I don't do my best to understand why he works what he works and I think I want him to feel guilty about it. Well the Lord kinda yelled at me last night...I wouldn't call it yelling...I got a stern talking to. I so easily forget that my husband could not have a job, or his could be the only job in our house. I forget that without his job we wouldn't have health care, without his job we couldn't buy food and gas. I think its so easy to complain about what's wrong with our lives when we should just be thankful that we have the life we have, things could be completely different!

So since I had my "talking to" last night, I guess God decided to cut me a break tonight. Richard's closing tonight, and its just me and Noah and the dogs. If you know my child, he doesn't sit still for anything, he doesn't cuddle, he is always in motion (unless Blue's Clues is on). Well tonight he crawled up in my lap and kept saying "Daddy?" My heart breaks because Richard's not here and is missing this. And I explain Daddy's at work, and Noah keeps on "Daddy?" pointing at the front door, the firefighter hat Richard puts on, the bedroom...and I just start crying because I wish so bad he was here. That sweet child looks me in the eyes rubs my cheek and says "k?" I think he was asking me if I was okay or telling me it would be ok...who knows, but that sent my heart through the roof and I knew we'd be "k". He continued to sit in my lap for the next 15 minutes and just babbled on and rubbed my cheek. Even pointed to the tears and said "cry". It was over quickly but it was the most fantastic 15 minutes I've had in a while.

People get so caught up in Black Friday, that they forget there is actually a holiday in there to celebrate what you are thankful for. Personally I don't care for black Friday...I'm told as Noah gets older and wants things I will...but I doubt it. I think its ridiculous my husband has to be at work at 1am...but I'm happy he has a job to go to and I guess if people weren't so crazy about black Friday then my husband wouldn't be doing well at his store. So I'll be thankful for black Friday...but mostly thankful for my family and the moments where a 17 month old can look into your soul and let you know its all gonna be "k".

Happy Thanksgiving!

Please don't call CPS on us...he put that bucket on his head on his own and there is plenty of extra space in it. You should see these two with their "hats" while they march around the house...Noah loves to "mars" (march).

It was just one of those days! One of those days where I look in the rear view mirror at my child and all I can think is "thank you Lord". Thank you for the blessing of being a mother....of course I'm saying this as Noah is now crying "more" at me because he wants more cheerios...but I still think I'm blessed! My mom came and watched Noah last night so that Richard and I could go on a date - it had been a while! We went to see Leeland, Brandon Heath and Francessca Batestelli. Wonderful concert and so good to see so many people come together and praise the Lord...but still dance and rock out. I'm so not used to seeing that, but it does my heart good! So mom spent the night and kept Noah with her today. They came and saw me for lunch at work and brought me some chic-fila..mmmm. Noah was introduced to "the sauce" and he's hooked...you would know what "the sauce" is if you grew up in the spotsylvania mall - oh excuse me, town center! Anyway, they came back at the end of the day and Noah just ran and smiled and played with the kids who were still at my school. I love watching him play (nicely since that doesn't always happen) with other kids. I love watching everything he's learned and listening to those crazy words that come out of his mouth. I love watching him try to run and try to throw balls. I love watching my mom be a grandmother. And in that moment I'm overwhelmed and just have to say "thanks" or as Noah would say "anks". I'm sure I'll never know why I've been given the life I'm given, or the blessings I have, but I love that the Lord has a plan for me and I love all the little blessings He's included in that plan.

So some other updates in our Ark....

Noah got his first hair cut! I let go of my anal ways and let Daddy take him. They went to the real barber shop!! Noah cried the whole time, but Daddy did a good job and remembered the lock of hair and the picture!
How handsome he is! (please note cheerios in hand - I owe my sanity to the cheerios company!)

Halloween also came around - nice and rainy! Noah refused to wear his monkey costume. He cried when we came near him with it...soo this was our back up. Thanks to a bag of handmedowns, FrankenNoah made an appearance at Halloween! This is Noah and his cousin Mason...cutest frog ever!

Noah's not the only one who got a hair cut, momma got a new do too! Not that you can see it all that well in this picture...but it's chopped!

A million other things are happening in our world and there are a million other things to be thankful for! So much to keep up with, but I surely wouldn't have it any other way!