Thursday's Thankful Thoughts

Not sure what my deal is lately. I just haven't been in a 'blogging mood' so to speak. I know with the holidays right around the corner that I'll have plenty to write about (and pictures to show). With Thanksgiving coming up I have been talking about being 'thankful' with Hud. So today is my Thankful Thursday Thoughts!!

• San Antonio is starting to feel like home. We've been here since February and just recently I feel at home. Let me tell you a little about myself. I absolutely HATE being a visitor. I can't stand going to something and not knowing anyone there. (is there someone out there who actually likes that?) Moving here was an exciting opportunity for Matt's career, but kind of scary for us because we were moving here not knowing a single person in this town. We did not have anyone to call up and do things with, no playdates....nothing. We church 'hopped' around for several months (which is another thing I do not like doing). The latter part of the summer is when we finally made our decision on our church home, and what a peace that has brought over us. The blessings have been flowing ever since. I think part of feeling unsettled is not have a church you can call home. So after all of our summer company came to an end we knew we had to start planting roots here for Matt and I as individuals, as a couple, and as a family. So we dove in. I made the decision that I was going to suck it up and go to functions even if it meant going all by myself...and if I was invited to something, I was going to give it a shot.
  
• I joined a ladies Bible study that meets on Thursdays. What a HUGE blessing it has been to me (and Hudson and Harper). I love the women that I was put in a group with. Thursdays are one of my favorite days of the week.
  
• As soon as we moved here Matt and I started praying that God would bring us friends. (What a sad feeling it is to say you don't have a single friend in the town you live in). I even asked others to be praying that God would bring us friends. I 'just happened' (I don't believe in coincidences) to meet this girl (who goes to our church) at Chic-fil-a after ladies Bible study, and she invited us to visit her small group back in August. We LOVE it. We just 'clicked' with every couple that was there and instantly felt a part. They were all so welcoming, so kind, and so inviting. The nervousness was gone and immediatly felt that this small group was an answered prayer. We hosted our life group here last week and we had a blast. I am so thankful for these families that we can now call our friends.
  
• I also was invited to try out a MOPS group from a few girls at church. It has been so much fun meeting all of these fun girls and having playdates with their kids. (Not to mention having weekly fun activities for H & H to do as well).
  
• Last week I went to a thing called "Mentoring Moms" up at the church. I read about it in the bulletin and told myself that I was going to go, and there was no talking myself out of it. It ended up being my most favorite thing so far. (I think that it's a program all churches needs to adopt....it's amazing). It is for moms with young children and 'older' moms whose children are grown. They have a dinner prepared, then a speaker, and then you are assigned to a small group. Each group is about 6 young moms with 1 mentoring mom. Our mentoring mom is Nancy and what an encouragement she is to us. As a mother of young children you go thru things that are challenging, and to have someone who has already 'been there' to encourage you and support you (and that is not related to you) is so comforting. It's offered once a month and I already cannot wait until next months meeting!

It's taken 9 months, but we finally feel at home here. Moving here and seriously not knowing a single person has stretched us. We knew that the only way we could move beyond the 4 walls of our home would be to suck it up and go be the dreaded visitor. It was all about our attitude, and trusting God to answer our prayers. I am just so thankful for these blessings. My prayer is that I will always have the eyes to see the invisible visitor.

And here are a few recent pictures of Hud and Harp.......because I get in trouble from family if time goes too long without new pics of the kids!!


Our tractor girl

Twinkle Toe's soccer game on Sat. I have loved watching these kids play soccer. It has been a blast. His last practice is tonight, and his last game is Saturday.

Now that is a Saturday morning......

Snack time!!!