One Hundred!!!

"No one is like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is mighty in power. Who should not revere you, O King of the nations? This is your due. Among all the wise men  of the nations and in all their kingdoms, there is no one like you." - Jeremiah 10:6-7


Friday, November 19th

94) Appointment Scheduling- We had been referred to a pediatric allergist for our daughter and finally have all the information we needed in order to schedule the appointment. I was warned by her doctor that it would likely take about two months for us to get in to see the allergist, and with our upcoming holiday schedule, I was guessing that meant we wouldn't be able to see the allergist until sometime in January. So when I called this morning to set up the appointment, I was prepared for just that. I was pleasantly surprised and actually quite shocked when the woman in scheduling told me they had an opening available in just four days. She said there wouldn't be another available appointment- that we could make- until 2011, so it truly was a blessing. After this appointment, we may not have answers to whether these sensitivities are just that or true, lifelong allergies, but we will be on our way. There is something reassuring in the fact that we are on the path to knowing, whatever the outcome.

95) A Mother's guidance- Being a mother is quite the learning experience and it can be one that is filled with questions and doubts. It seems like some of my biggest doubts are centered around food these days. Of course, our daughter has several food sensitivities, but for the past several days she has been giving me a terrible time with foods she has previously loved and with which she has not shown any signs of problems. Up until today I have rather tentatively approached the situation as an assertion of her will over mine and a testing of my authority, but I do admit that in the back of my mind I have been keeping track of everything just in case it was related to some food sensitivity/allergy. Today, our daughter exerted herself more strongly. Now my thoughts are I need to either firmly set the expectations for her or she is in serious pain from some food. I went with my gut- I suppose- and guessed she was being defiant, but I didn't trust myself. So after I put her in her crib without eating half her lunch, I called my Mom. There is nothing better than guidance from the woman who helped you through your own toddler years. My mother helped four of us survive the toddler tantrums and now she is helping me survive and thrive through my toddler's toddler years. She is a source of strength, encouragement and guidance, and I am grateful for her support and confidence in both Drew and I as parents.


Saturday, November 20th

96) Kitchen Shears- Some of you may have heard me say this before, but I will say it again, I love my kitchen shears. In fact, I own three pair and use all three regularly. For a girl who has never been fond of handling raw meat, they make food preparation- particularly the preparation of meats- so much easier and manageable. I find I enjoy cooking more because I find the preparations less of a chore, so for me (and probably Drew ;) ), kitchen shears are a blessing.


Sunday, November 21st

97) Access to the Bible- It can be easy to take this for granted, but really, how many Bibles do you own or can you easily gain access to? If we just look at what Drew and I own, the number is still in the double digits. If I consider all the Bibles we have access to via public libraries, church libraries, etc., the number becomes incredible. What a blessing! There are so many places in this world where people do not have access to the Bible, where the Bible may not even be translated into their language. I am grateful for the Bible and all it contains and I am so thankful that I have the ability to turn to God's Word daily.

98) Two sets of hands this morning- This morning something did not seem quite right with our daughter, but as it seemed as though she had been awake exceptionally early, we didn't think too much beyond sleepiness and fussiness from being awake in her crib too long. Just as I was getting ready to put on our coats and head out to the car with her for church, she threw up all over both her and myself. I had a moment's notice that something was happening as I could feel things rumbling in her belly. Still it was shocking and there I was standing in heels and a dress with a child distraught, who just wanted her Mommy's hugs. I am certain that if I had been home alone, I would have found a way to have managed the situation, but I am grateful that Drew was here. He stepped in, helped clean up our daughter while I cleaned up myself, and helped in various other ways while I calmed and comforted our daughter further. Need would have given me the ability to handle the situation on my own, but the second pair of hands was a blessing.


Monday, November 22nd

99) Personal- Sometimes what we need can seem terrible, aggravating and annoying, but after an unexplainable absence a greater appreciation for the item or event can be achieved. The circumstances may not be any easier, but the blessing has been uncovered.

100) Dedication- I made it to blessing number 100. When I first began this journey, I wondered how far I would go. My first goal was to continue for thirty days and then I hoped to make it to blessing number 100. I knew that would be a major accomplishment for me as I have never been a very good pen pal nor have I ever been one to regularly or faithfully journal. I will often begin, recognizing the benefits, but the endeavor has always quickly faded. So as I began this counting project, I seriously wondered if I could truly dedicate myself to daily sitting down to count and journal about my blessings. I am thankful that I have remained faithful to this pursuit and dedicated myself to seeing the blessings around me- for 52 days, 100 blessings..... and counting....