(belated) Thankful Thursday

 

1. I was able to walk and chat with Lyn (Ian's piano teacher) for thirty minutes a few times over the last several weeks. Another day I walked and chatted with Rosann for an hour. 

2. Our spring session of our co-op came to a close on May 7. The kids also put on a presentation of Alice on May 13 at CWC. Oliver was a pigeon, Nadia was Alice, and Ian was the Mad Hatter. At the moment there are eleven kids planning to be in our co-op in the fall. My kids love having co-op at our house!

3. This month I enjoyed getting my first pedicure in five years and my first manicure in two years. My nail appointments took place at the same time each vehicle was getting an oil change and annual inspection.

4. Nadia and Ian did well in the Bible quizzing competitions in Indiana on May 10-11. Ian has been working diligently to memorize the book of Colossians in preparation for Nationals next month as he has been selected to be on the A team, and Nadia has been selected to be the team captain for our B team. Dave thinks that both of our teams might make it into the A division at nationals which hasn't happened in more than 10 years.

5. Nadia and Ian participated in the spring program at Meadowbrook on May 14. Some of their artwork was also on display. 

6. Nadia has begun taking acoustic guitar lessons in Lewisburg.

7. Seven of the kids' friends also attended the Emergency Preparedness Day at the prison in Allenwood.

8. Nadia and I attended the CHEF co-op's production of Little Women with Faith, Melinda, and Xandir.

9. Nadia and Ian enjoyed attending the Ray of Lights Celebration for those who participated in high school drama productions. Paul and Oliver enjoyed seeing the movie IF that same evening. 

10. Nadia and I really enjoyed seeing the movie Unsung Hero on April 29. We highly recommend it if you haven't seen it! 

11. The $18K check from the insurance company was delivered by FedEx yesterday morning! PTL! 

12. Ian's $497 cardiology appointment on Monday was a waste of time, but we're thankful that the pulmonologist in Hershey was wrong and Ian doesn't have a heart murmur. I don't want to drive 2 hours one way to the ENT that the Healthcare Bluebook recommended, so I've made him an appointment at an ENT in Williamsport on July 23. 

13. I've signed my boys plus three nephews and one niece for Stronghold camp in July. We're excited that they will be able to spend a week at our house! 

14. We are spending more on Nadia's 16th birthday than we usually spend on a birthday. Her big gift from us is a roundtrip ticket to Chicago so she can spend five days with Rachel.

15. I also recently signed Paul and I up for a ballroom dancing class!!! We met at a ballroom dancing class in February 1997, and it's been ten years since the last time we took a class together. We are signed up for an 8-week Intermediate Cha Cha class. I think we'll be able to attend six of the eight classes. 

16. Paul and I have been lengthening the distance that we walk each day. If it's not raining our first walk is usually four miles long. 

17. It's been a while since I was able to cross a state off our license plate list for 2024, but on Tuesday I spotted North Dakota, and today I saw one from Kansas. We have five states left to find. Alaska should be really easy in August. :)

18. Oliver and Ian are done with their schoolwork for the 2023-24 year! Nadia still needs to finish Algebra 2, Marine Biology, and World History (through GCU). 

19. I recently had applied for an IHG credit card. The bonus points they gave us were enough to cover three nights at a Holiday Inn on Long Island in August, and because we used points for three nights, they gave us a fourth night for free. I had to pay a $99 annual fee, but for that price we are getting four free nights at a hotel on Long Island plus they will give us $100 refund after we pay for TSA Precheck. 

20. Alaska Airlines changed the time of our flights in August. I didn't like the times of the new itinerary that they had created. I called the airline yesterday and they changed it to a time I like better although I still prefer what I had originally picked. I'm thankful though that we will be landing there in the afternoon instead of 2:33am, as that sounds awful especially considering that will feel like 6:33 to our bodies.