Thankful Thursdays!

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
for His steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 107:1)

Since Lisa is experiencing some minor technical difficulties over at Joyful Chaos, I offered to host this week's edition of Thankful Thursdays. We all have so many blessings in our lives---both big and small---and it is always good to take some time to reflect on them. Developing an attitude of gratitude is the best cure I know for overcoming the whinies and the grumblies, so thank you, dear friends, for encouraging me to do this each week this month. What an important example we are setting for our children---it always trickles down!

This week we can all be thankful for...

Dawn, who describes in her ever delightful way a weekful of blessings and how preparing this post helped to turn around her day...and for...

Jenn, who thoughtfully tells us about her week of many accomplishments and the precious people she holds dear...and for...

Karen, who offers us a peek at a gorgeous Thanksgiving Tree and the entertaining list of blessings she and her precious daughters have compiled this week...and for...

Christine, who shares a beautiful list of the special people in her life and the loving ways in which they have touched her...and for...

Katherine, who shows us through some fun photos how to have the right attitude---turning ashes to beauty---and who is preparing for a much-anticipated homecoming...and for...

Kathryn, who gives us a humorous look at her life and this week's many blessings, both great and small (I would definitely put #6 in the category of great)...and for...

Suzanne, who lets us have a lovable look at her wonderful husband, reminding us all to appreciate that selfless man in each of our lives...and for...

Krisann, who lists some of the practical blessings for which she is thankful this week, prompting us not to take anything for granted...and for...

Ruth, who graciously gives thanks for all of the beloved people and things that mean the most in her life and who is celebrating a very special anniversary (Many Blessings, Ruth!)...and for...

Kristina, who started it all and who has written an exquisite, heartfelt tribute to the treasured loved ones in her life and the many blessings they bring...and for...

Amy, who always has the most humble and humorous way of reminding us of the things that really matter (hoping for good health to return to your house, Amy!).

Finally, here is my simple offering of Twenty Reasons I'm Thankful This Week (and it's really not as long as you may have come to fear from me :).

Thanks so much to all who shared their gratitude with us this week. It truly has been an unexpected blessing to be able to pull together this carnival of thanksgiving. Each and every day you uplift and encourage me in ways you will never even know. Merci beaucoup from a grateful heart in Belgium.



***Gratitude abounds! Lots of extra special bonuses to add here.***

Today we can also be thankful for...

Jennifer, who writes her list in the sweet and breezy way I've come to expect at As Cozy As Spring...and for...

Love2Learn Mom, who thoughtfully reflects on the people who have richly impacted her life...and for...

Melanie, who finds joy in the simple blessings of a life with five very young children...and for...

Alice, who celebrates the gift of a treasured night out with her beloved (actually, two of them!) while coiffed as...well, you'll see...and for...

Elizabeth, who shows us how to find blessings in the midst of trials and who offers hope for recovering lazybones (like me!)...and for...

Lisa, the creative, generous soul who created this beautiful carnival idea, who welcomes a new nephew and rejoices in the healing of her grandparents in the midst of her everyday gifts...and for..

Melissa, who shares fabulous photos of the most precious people in her life...and for...

Tracy, who reminds us to appreciate the things that are vitally important to any mother...and for...

Rebecca, who graciously shows us the way to face our adversity with a spirit of gratitude...and for...

Leticia, who offers us a look at the various things in her life for which she and her daughter are grateful, including a description of the beautiful church she attends.

Keep 'em coming, ladies!

Ten Reasons I Am Thankful This Week

Last Saturday, Kristina started something with a very thoughtful post, which Lisa then transformed into something more by creating Thankful Thursdays. Today my contribution won't focus on the big stuff---the constants that bless me each and every day---faith, family, friends, good health, a warm home, and all that. Instead, here are some random happenings in my life right now for which I am oh so grateful. (I'll warn you now---this list is long and chatty---and I'm not quite sure exactly how that happened.)

1. I am thankful for the gift of Confession. Okay, I guess this one does belong to the big stuff---stuff doesn't really get much bigger than the Sacraments, does it? Like Kristina, I was able to receive this precious gift last weekend. This is no small feat in Belgium, where there are few English-speaking priests and absolutely no set times for Confession. I love starting over---what a weight lifted. Thank You, God!

2. I am thankful for unexpectedly beautiful weather. Sunny and 50-60s**. In Brussels. In November. Amazing. Note to self: Go outside! Actually, we did. I called a family soccer game Tuesday afternoon, and from the sounds of the cheers ("you're going to play? HOORAY!"), you would have thought I'd proposed ice cream sundaes for dinner. (**I still process temps in Fahrenheit here---just can't seem to make the jump to Celsius.)

3. I am thankful for my generous friend, Ada, who is willing to welcome my kids---all of them!---without batting an eye. Monday the three little girls stayed with her while I drove over to a base in Germany where they serviced the brakes on our van. The girls cheerfully waved good-bye, which tells you just how much they love Ada. Yes, I am sure that there must be some garage somewhere in Belgium that is capable of brake work, but I'm also sure that the amount we saved by going there is worth much more than the gas or my time, especially since I make about 35 cents/hour. I had to go to the commissary anyway. And accompanied by only two kids, I found the trip to be a breeze.

4. I am thankful for the case of Dr. Pepper in my basement. Oh yeah, a whole case, and I think all of my RL friends know exactly whom I have to thank for this impulsive purchase. But there it was on sale...and I haven't had any in ever so long...and well...if it's good enough for my favorite author, it's definitely good enough for me. I'm also thankful for my wiser impulse buy (you have a lot of time to be impulsive when you're waiting for brake pads to be replaced), the Jack Johnson soundtrack to the Curious George movie. It's a fun CD and much better for my general health than the first item.

5. Speaking of my favorite author, I am thankful for my hardcover copy of Beyond the Heather Hills, which arrived yesterday. Earlier this year when we finished this fourth book in the Martha series, I decided to begin collecting hardbound copies of all of the Martha and Charlotte books. They are that good and more. This has been a more difficult quest than I anticipated, because several of the titles are no longer available new in hardcover. But after much searching and waiting for affordable used copies to surface, I finally have all eight books. I'm thrilled to be able to say that all are in excellent condition. This final treasured find was a library discard, so I gently pried off the transparent cover and now, except for a few stamps, it looks brand new. Those poor little readers of the Virginia Beach Public Library have no idea just what they missed. But my children and grandchildren will be able to enjoy these enchanting stories for years to come. (This particular book is especially dear to me as both its title and dedication belong to one of my favorite families.)

6. I am thankful for the sweet Polish woman who cleans my house each week. Let me tell you, having a cleaning person is all the rage among the American community here in Brussels...and I'm afraid we succumbed to the peer pressure. I never thought I would hire someone to clean my house. My dear husband, however, thought it would be good for the girls and me to be able to focus on other things, and I've come to realize that there are a lot of ex-pats here who really need the work. So...I race around like a crazy person on Tuesday mornings, trying to stay one room ahead of her, often simply moving the piles from the floor to the beds, desks, and dressers---and I'm sure she wonders why I bother. But what a great feeling it is to have all of my floors mopped and bathrooms scrubbed each week, even if someone ALWAYS manages to spill a litre of milk right after she leaves.

7. I am thankful for the beautiful blogs I read and for the beautiful women who write them. Each day I am so blessed to read posts---like this and this---that inspire me to holiness, make me laugh out loud, and ease my lonely heart. Thank you, dear friends.

8. I am thankful for sisters and sisters-in-law who faithfully send me photos of my adorable nieces and nephews even though I shamefully neglect returning the favor. At least now I have a blog to share with them...if I ever get around to telling them about it. Today. I promise.

9. I am thankful that my husband's dear parents are visiting us for the better part of three months. Yes, I am truly grateful, and most people are surprised when I tell them so. But I've been blessed with the best of in-laws. They are lovingly involved with the kids and so very good to Jim and me. We all really blossom whenever they are with us. And when they get a little overwhelmed by our chaotic home, they just head over to Germany or Italy for a break. Honestly, I wish we could keep them year-round. I mean, really, why do they need a life of their own when they could just share ours? (My little ones ask me this each time their grandparents leave---and I'm sure their 19 other grandchildren say exactly the same thing.)

Finally...if you've managed to stick with me this long...I saved the best for last...

10. I am thankful for a husband who loves having kids sleep in the middle even more than I do. And I really will be very sad on the morning when I finally wake up and discover that I am not clinging to the edge of the bed with a little foot pressed against my stomach. Truly, truly sad.

The Loveliness of Prayer

Just before bedtime a peaceful hush interrupts the usual chaos of our home. In a corner of the living room, my husband lights a candle on our family altar, and we gather together, kneeling in a semi-circle on the rug. The most sacred part of our day unfolds.

We begin our evening prayers with a hymn, usually traditional, and together we sing the same first verse throughout a week. Sometimes the kids take turns choosing the hymn, and sometimes I choose it based on the liturgical season or a Marian feast. By the end of the week, we all know that verse very well, so on Saturday nights we sing all of the verses, and the hymn alone comprises our prayer. (Saturday night prayers are my kids' favorites.) These songs become lodged in our minds and hearts---I can't tell you how much joy it brings me to hear my two-yr-old sing Immaculate Mary as he plays with his cars or my little girls crooning At the Lamb's High Feast together in the bathtub.

After our hymn, my husband offers specific petitions on behalf of our family. These are usually the people or situations that we believe most need prayer at that moment. Then each of the children, beginning with the youngest, prays for his or her godparents and one or two (or three or four) other loved ones. I pray for our godchildren. It's interesting to hear the names our kids offer: a sibling across the room, a neighbor down the street, a relative far away, and sometimes a person whose existence we can't quite pinpoint.

Together we pray a decade of the Rosary, with the kids leading the Hail Mary prayers. My husband believes that it is better for us to pray one decade really well than to stumble through five. In fact, a few months ago, he shortened our decade to three Hail Marys, hoping that we could train our two- and four-year-olds to focus better with a shorter amount of prayer time. It worked---they are now kneeling quietly with their eyes closed (theoretically) for most of prayers---so it may be time to add a few more. Ideally, when we return to saying a full decade each night, we will focus on a specific Mystery Monday through Friday and complete an entire set of Mysteries each week.

Following our "decade," we offer the Prayer to St. Michael for our country and its leaders and for our troops and their families. We have recently added our nephew Sean's name during these intentions since he is now serving in Iraq. We end our evening prayers by asking for the intercession of the patron saint of our family, St Joseph. Through our adoptions and moves, he has been a faithful friend to us.

During the varied seasons of our lives, we've prayed in different ways as a family---morning prayers, the Angelus, the Jesse Tree, Stations of the Cross---but none except the Holy Mass have remained more constant or more unifying than our evening prayers. They are precious moments I cherish, the coming together of a family at the end of the day to remember the One who gives us all.