With a Thankful Heart

I have often done these "thankful Thursday" memes with not much effort. I have lots to be thankful for, and I delight in giving thanks for even the "little things" or the "simple things". It usually takes me just a few min. to type my list and I don't put much thought into it at all.
But..this week...I am putting much thought into what I want to post.

I am so thankful for my wonderful, loving, faithful husband.
This week I want to honor my husband by saying a huge "thank you" to him for oh, so much!

• for filling my love tank: my primary love language is Gifts followed by Quality Time. He has met both of these languages this week by surprising me with the Point of Grace cd he gave me on Easter Sunday morning. The one with my absolute fave song by them on it: "How You Live" Powerful lyrics! He also has met my quality time by actually wanting (i.e. he initiated this!) to power walk or just casually stroll, with me in the evenings this week after dinner. It is a great season for us: we have a teen daughter who is extremely capable of watching her 10 year old sister and making sure the evening routine gets done (dishes in dishwasher, showers, reading time, etc.), and with the use of cell phones we can be in touch if something comes up. My 10 year old gets her homework done before dinner and needs no reminders to practice the violin after dinner before her shower. My teen sometimes has HW left after dinner or is good about putting away her laundry, overseeing Claire, etc. It is a nice season for us to be in: we can walk together for a work-out or just stroll to talk without pushing a stroller, guiding a child on a bike, or just not getting out due to them being too young to leave alone. I am so thankful for every stage my children have gone through but I am especially thankful for this current one as it gives Dave and I some "talking time" while still awake, still functioning emotionally and mentally, and being outside together! I am thankful that he wants to take care of his body and work out more and that he bought the Wii Fit to help him stay on task!

• For taking care of the lawn: here in NYS this is the month when the fertilizer should be put down and the weed killer applied. He did all of this last Saturday and even watered my tulip plants for me. (we are having quite the dry spell here). He also did some little things in the house for me, and went to the ATM for me (I despise that errand...not sure why but it always seem so "out of my way" to get cash)

• For taking us out to one of my fave restaurants on Easter Sunday. There will be more about this in my Fave 5 post tomorrow.
  

• For not minding all the spending I have done lately: both girls needed new spring and early summer clothing. They both have gotten taller a bit and Courtney's summer shirts are a little too tight....she is 15 and has a figure now :) They also wanted new Easter outfits which I didn't get last year so...we did that. I am thankful that I have a husband who doesn't mind me spending money. He knows I shop the outlets and sales and use my paycheck for those little "extras". He is very different from a boyfriend I had who wanted to keep track of every nickel and dime. That was so controlling and so unhealthy!! but Dave likes to shop, too, so that helps! I have also been updating some things in our home like new lamps, curtains, drapes, quilt, pictures and donating "old stuff" to Goodwill or Salvation Army. I am thankful that I have a husband who helps me balance career and home and children and who actually enjoys talking to me about my job and the students and enjoys helping with the girls. I still do most of the housework (I actually want to...partly because I am a control freak and partly because I really do love it and take the "manage your home" Scriptures fairly literally.) It also helps that I only teach part time and am home each day by 1-2 pm! He makes it easy for me to balance work, home, children, ministry/church, and social/friends/hospitality/entertaining, and "me time".
  

• I am thankful that Dave is the man he is: he is a true "student of the Word". He is always bringing home some new John Piper book or Philip Yancey book or some such thing to aid his Bible study. He mentors a couple of young men in our church; one is only a senior in high school but he actually takes the time to invest in Z's life. He doesn't mind shlepping a bunch of teens around with his 15 year old. He shares his struggles with me, his concerns for our daughters' future, his dreams and visions as a Christian family and his vision for serving in the ministry. I am so thankful he feels free to talk with me about these things.

• I am thankful that he still loves me even after days when I am pms-ing and a tad bit "grouchy" (usually because some chore or something on "my" agenda didn't get done). I am thankful for his patience with me. I am thankful for 19 (almost!) years of marriage to my best friend!

• I am thankful that he is a leader in our church that other people look up to: the junior high teens and their parents; the senior high teens who know him, the other Life::Redefined volunteers and staff members, the pastor of Student Ministries and our Senior Pastor. He has done alot of serving in our 3 1/2 years at this church and he plans on serving many more. I am thankful that he encourages me and my ministries (mentoring, Moms in Touch) and with serving and spending so much time with the HizKidzPraise ministry that Claire is in. I am thankful that he took marriage small groups with me and that he was open to getting to know other couples and likes to entertain and be hospitable. I am thankful he is a Believer and has embraced this Evangelical church as his own.

• I am thankful he is a smart, funny, kind, patient, loving Daddy and husband. Thank you God for Dave!

Easter Sunday afternoon
12 April, 2009
High Rock Park
Saratoga Springs, NY