Gratitude

 This month we have been focusing on gratitude in our home.  November is such a beautiful month to remind ourselves that we can be grateful for small things in our lives.  I had the boys keep a gratitude journal with me and we read it at Thanksgiving dinner.  Although, this year has not turned out to be as awesome as planned, we are trying to make the best of what we have been given: time.

I'm grateful for running!

I'm grateful for my parents and my family.

I am grateful for my boys!

I'm grateful for my husband!

I'm grateful for my savior!

I'm grateful for music!

For the first time, I asked the boys to help peal potatoes. They said it was hard.

Our Thanksgiving crew!  We had a great day eating ham and pie!

Double Digits for Nolen!

Today, is Nolen's 10th birthday!  

YAY!  We celebrated yesterday with a party and invited his four closes friends over.  My parents made a scavenger hunt that went a little hay wire but they boys had so much fun.  Nolen really just wanted time with his friends.  He hasn't had a play date with one of his friends for nearly a year due to covid-19.  

Nolen is kind.

He is thoughful.

Nolen is one of the funniest kids you will ever meet.  He is always trying to make the people around him laugh.  Nolen is extremely talented.  He is playing the cello at an advanced rate because of his amazing teacher.  His teacher just pushes him to try harder and harder songs rather than being stuck on one song for a year like Edward.  Nolen is so happy!  

He is one of the smiliest kids on this planet! I know I may be partial but, wow, he is such a good kid.  He still plays the piano and gets better and better every single week.  He is a tough runner and has recently been breaking his own personal records in running.  Last weekend he ran a race in Colorado and beat his time by one full minute on the 3k race.

I love this boy. 

He is my everything.  I am so grateful I have the oportunity to raise such a strong young man.  Time goes by so quickly and as a mother there is not a single thing I would rather do with my time than to be raising these two boys.

Happy 10th birthday, Nolen!

 

From Bad to Worse

 To say things have been "OK" around here would be completely untrue.  The last few days we have seen a shift in our country and in our state.  Things have gone from bad to worse.  Covid-19 is now at an all time high in the US.  Our New Mexico state governor has locked us back down all the way to phase one again.  So everything will be closed on Monday.  Of course.  Just when we finally feel some semblance of normalcy in our lives it is all taken away.  

We decided not to go to nationals this year.  All along I was planning on taking Nolen to nationals and now it just doesn't even seem financially responsible to take him.  Stephen mentioned his truck is starting to make a funny noise so we need to have his truck fixed.  He also mentioned President Trump hasn't signed the new budget for 2021 so we may not get a pay check passed December 11th of this year, just like 2019.  Yuck!  Seriously!  

So in the world of bad news, that's it.  In the world of good news, I have plenty.  Nolen has been running his absolute best lately.  He has been hitting PR's and pushing himself faster and farther than he ever has before.  He is amazing.  

Edward has been doing so great at swim team this season.  It just got cancelled for the rest of November and who knows if it will be back in December.  Probably not.  I will remain hopeful but it isn't looking positive.  

Tomorrow is Nolen's birthday party.  He turns 10 on Sunday!!  My sweet little Nolen is growing up.  I am now on the loosing end of time.  6 years left with Edward and 8 years left with Nolen.  Slow down, time!

My parents are doing amazing and have helped me with a lot of stuff around the house.  I think they are still really sad they are not at their home in Arizona.  They miss it.  I will be devostated when the move home, but I know it is inevitable.  

I'll leave you with a message of hope.  I hope things get better once they release the vaccine.  I hope we don't get covid-19 and we are spared the awfulness of the virus.  I hope we find peace in our lives.