A Few Bragging Rights If I Say So Myself...

Sometimes you just have to brag a little about something that makes you incredibly happy. I feel like I have so many things to brag about in my life right now that my head gets a bit tipsy! Actually, I usually consider it being truly blessed and sharing the joy of it instead of bragging...but hey.

After being together with Travis for over 10 years and married to him for over 7, I finally feel like I'm fitting into my own skin more than ever....two college degrees and and two kiddos later that is. Seems like it's taken forever though...as weird as that may sound. I've done a lot of thinking & I mean a lot of thinking lately. Not to mention I've done even more praying than I have done thinking, if that's even possible.

I have so many things to be joyful about & brag about, if I may:

* We finally bit the bullet and installed new flooring in the house. It's so gorgeous and I absolutely love it. Funny how something like new flooring can encourage me to reorganize the house and "try" (key word, try) to keep it cleaner and more organized. If that's even possibly with one little tornado that runs around the house un-doing everything I just did, while carrying another little one around on my chest in a harness/pouch. I do say, it's pretty comical to watch Aubree's little arms and legs dangle as she sleeps while I stay busy around the house...how she sleeps through all of it I'll never figure out!

* I have two gorgeous and incredibly healthy daughters. Never would I have dreamed I could love someone (two little someone's) so much and still have love for other people and things. In my eyes they are perfect and the best gift God could ever give me.

* Travis worked his tail-end off to get hired as a firefighter for the city of Fort Worth. He applied July 2011 and just got the acceptance call yesterday for a job offer. I have never prayed with as much endurance about anything in my life and that prayer was answered. (Here goes the little bit of bragging I was referring to...!!) The application/testing pool started out with over 1,800 people. Slowly it dwindled it's way down. He made the cut and is 1 out of 32 people that were offered a job. His boot camp/training starts March 12. Did I mention 1,800 people?!?! That just blows my mind away that he survived the whole thing and made it. WOW!!! I do believe he's one tough/smart cookie!

* Even though $ is very tight right now, and is sure to only get tighter since Travis is switching careers I have been able to contribute in two ways to help the budget be a little more plump. Aubree is a pro at breast feeding so there's no need for formula...which is one less expense. I've never understood why mom's choose not to breastfeed it still baffles me a little (especially a stay at home mom). Also, I switched Autumn to cloth diapers from disposables...which I must say has been one of the biggest blessings! Yes it's more work washing them and prepping them each day and night but I can't tell you how nice it's been not having to buy diapers for over a month now. I LOVE it to pieces. Not to mention how incredibly cute the cloth diapers are!

* I was daydreaming the other day about how long it's been since I've had a "paying" job. I realized the last time I was out in the working world was June 2008. I'm still in shock that it's been that long since I've punched a time clock...just doesn't even seem real somedays! I have been incredibly blessed to stay at home with our girls. Years ago I would have told you that probably was never going to happen and just wasn't in the cards for us. Now that I've experienced it and have been doing it for so long I couldn't imagine doing anything else (at least not for a while longer). Yes one day I hope to be teaching Elementary school and I'm sure I'll love it too. But nothing will ever compare to being at home & raising our beautiful girls. It breaks my heart to think of dropping them off at a daycare or with someone else for more than 8 hours a day. I realize now everything I would have missed & I don't want to give that up for a few extra dollars.

* Lastly I can (oddly enough some of you will undoubtedly think) say I'm thankful I've kept on a fair amount of weight from my last pregnancy. It was so weird having to buy jeans that were about 4 to 5 times bigger than what I was wearing before I got pregnant. I'm aiming to keep that weight on and I'm loving it...at least for now. Now only if I can get my flat and smooth stomach back before bikini season...guess we'll see!

God has blessed our family beyond belief. There are so many things I have to be thankful for and I hope I never loose sight of that...even during the hard times that lay ahead.

Psalm 7:17- "I will give to the Lord the thanks due to His rightness and justice, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High."