Thankful Thursday

1. I turned 53 on Monday. I'm thankful for the years the Lord has given me so far. On April 18 Cheri treated me to lunch at a restaurant we'd never tried before located 2 miles from our home. We hadn't seen each other since December. 

2. I'm eternally grateful for the price Jesus' paid for my sins and that He rose from the grave. We celebrated these occasions by attending a Good Friday service as well as a service on Easter. The choir started the service with the song "He's Alive" that I remember singing with the church choir in Maryland in the 1980s. Nadia worked from 7:30-12:00 on Good Friday and from 4:00-6:15 on Easter. Her generous boss gave her an Easter basket filled with goodies that Friday. 

3. Oliver got a lot of candy at his final two Easter egg hunts on April 19. He had eaten and given away some candy between April 12-19, but after his fourth and final egg hunt his candy bag weighed 7.5 pounds! 

4. I had invited Al, Millie, and Paul's dad to join us for dinner on Easter. Paul's dad planned to come, but he woke up with a cold and a toothache that day. Paul and I had been working in the living room on Friday and Saturday, so we were able to continue working in there on Sunday. Paul did a lot of spackling and sanding. He's not done yet. I sanded, primed, and painted the two window frames in that room and began doing the same to some of the trim. I will keep working on the trim this week. I hemmed the tops and bottoms of seven sheer curtains by hand since I have no idea how to use Paul's mom's sewing machine that is in our basement. I did a lot of ironing (6 drapes and 7 sheer curtains). After Paul finishes the spackling/sanding, then we can repaint the orange walls grey. I'm thankful for the progress made! The kids were thrilled that I made the yeast rolls that I typically make for holidays. Nadia helped me make them.

5. Our family went out to eat at Olive Garden on Monday. I enjoy the soup, salad, and breadsticks as my entree, and on your birthday, you get a free dessert. I always enjoy the black-tie mousse cake. Yum! 

6. On our way home on Monday evening, we got some mulch at Lowe's (only $2 a bag!), and I weeded, trimmed bushes and spread that mulch on Tuesday. The weather has been simply lovely the last several days!

7. The kids all saw the dentist on April 14, and it turns out that Nadia's wisdom teeth never developed. Since most people end up having to have them removed, that seems like a blessing! 

8. I called my friend, Joyce, on her birthday (April 19). I received three birthday calls on Monday (my dad and his two sisters), and Yvonne called me on Tuesday. I received six physical birthday cards, two e-cards as well as some happy birthday text messages. Oliver got me a bag of Fritos, Paul gave me some white gold hoop earrings, Nadia and Ian got me a Snuggie, and my dad gave me some money. I'm grateful!

9. Ian played the keyboard for the youth group last night. Grateful he has these opportunities. Our piano was tuned on Monday, and three broken strings were replaced. 

10. It involved scheduling her party to take place 3+ weeks before her birthday, but we found a date that is good for Nadia plus five of her friends. I can't believe she'll be turning 17 in two months!

11. Last fall Paul and I enjoyed seeing a sandhill crane a few times near our home. Yesterday while we were walking Milo and Cooper, we enjoyed watching a great blue heron.