New Challenge-Again!

After finding a new challenge about gratitude, Jessica and I decided this would be a better challenge for November. Being able to express ourselves through photos is always a joy, and adding gratitude to each photo gives that warm fuzzy feeling we know you love. I hope you enjoy, I've got 6 days to cram into this one post! Let's GIT 'ER DONE!

Gratitude Photo Day 1:

Favorite Food

This doesn't last long in my house-note the large container size-and I wish I could blame the kids. I'm an addict. It's like the cure-all medicine in this expensive little jar! It helps with my cramps, bad moods, snack cravings...you get the gist here. My favorite food-Nutella. 

Gratitude: I'm grateful for the little "extras" in life. Though it's way out of my budget, it's something my husband encourages me to splurge and treat myself to something I really enjoy. Come to think of it, I'm pretty darn grateful for him, too.

Gratitude Photo Day 2:

Smile

Each of my children are different, a light during the dark times of my life, and for different reasons. They all have their own personalities, things about them I love, and things that make my life worth living. This smile, my sweet Kenadi, is where it's at. Her laugh is contagious, her smile so bright, she's my Boo Boo.

Gratitude: I'm grateful for three beautiful, healthy, fun, spunky, amazing children. They mean more to me than they'll ever know, and to have a lifetime to express to them how much I love them-priceless.

Gratitude Photo Day 3:

Happiness

The stigma that goes along with being a diabetic is clear: "No sugar!" That's entirely untrue, but unfortunately for my kids, that just so happens to be my rule! I rarely let them have candy or real juice, so when they are allowed, it's a blissful moment, even more so for Laila. Candy isn't always clearly labeled with nutrition information, so letting her have it, even with her pump, isn't always easy. Here she is, enjoying some skittles to bring up a low blood sugar.

Gratitude: Happiness is the unexpected treat, the moment when you feel like the only one that matters, it's your dreams coming true. I'm grateful for those moments when I can treat Laila with the unexpected, make her feel like the apple of my eye, and make her feel like she's like everyone else, even if it's just for a few magical moments.

Gratitude Photo Day 4:

Leaves

I live in the desert, that's a fact. What's also a fact is this-the only green things you ever see are cactus and palm trees. Neither are festive for the holidays, neither provide quality shade, or offer any pleasant fragrance. Just outside my door is some sort of flower tree, it's bountiful and pretty! It smells nice during the summer, and the leaves are green! It's one of those things you take for granted, green leaves. I haven't seen the season "fall" in years, so this is as good as it gets for me.

Gratitude: I'm grateful for the time I've spent enjoying the "fall", and the new appreciation I have for the greenness here in the desert. 

Gratitude Photo Day 5:

Morning Sky

Saint Joseph, MI will always be home to me. This picture captures the amazing sunrise over the pier and water. This is the location Dustin and I first confessed our love to each other, and also where we got engaged to be married. This place holds a special spot in my heart for many reasons. The sunrise is so gorgeous, it's another one of those beauties we fail to recognize as amazing.

Gratitude: I'm grateful for the start of each new day that the Lord has made for us. I'm grateful for the sun, and all it provides for us, and I'm thankful for the beauty of the Earth the sun shines on.

Gratitude Photo Day 6:

Books

Abundant, overflowing, and still growing-the girls' book collection is nothing short of massive! They agreed to only fill the 2 shelves of this book case and let me put the rest of their books in Lil D's room, but they overstuffed the book case until it broke! I guess it's time to expand to a larger bookcase.

Gratitude: I'm grateful for my children and their desire to learn and grow. There is always a desire to read a book, to learn something new, explore a new fantasy. I'm so proud of them, and grateful they're mine. 

I think that catches me up to date with the new photo challenge, sorry about any confusion! I'll start with day 7 tomorrow and continue to post daily as we progress throughout the month! Thanks for reading!