Day 7-Halloween. Who doesnt love costumes?

I am thankful for holidays like Halloween and that the girls still let me dress them up and let me be a part of it. We had a great one this year with a trunk or treat and then trick or treating on the big day. It was perfect weather and although Ella got scared early on at a house with a coffin, we were able to hit a few streets in our neighborhood and were home by a little after 8. In my book? PERFECT. I think Sofia had more fun handing out candy than she did trick or treating. She stood at the door calling out to kids "hello?! Trick or treaters? We have candy! Come to our house!" It was, in a word...Awesome.

Sofia got her wish and we were superhereos this year. It took a bit of creativity on mom's part to find an outfit that was not um...lacking coverage? But it all came together and it was a blast. I am so grateful for holidays that dont take much, but make memories for our family that last a lifetime.

Day 6- Thankful that Heaven sent us Betsy...

I still remember the day that we met Betsy. There have been very few times in my life when I meet someone that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I have known them before. It was no different when I met Betsy for the first time to see if she wanted to watch the girls for me while I was at work.. That was 4 years ago. When THIS little one was just a few months old...

Betsy has been nothing less than a heavensent to our family. She is the person who helps me raise the girls and makes sure they are well taken care of while I have to work. She makes it so I can go to work and feel 100% calm and confident that the girls are in good hands. I don't stress when she has them, I don't get anxious and worry about how they are, what they are doing, are they safe. I know she has it handled. She is JUST that good. There are some people that are just "kid whisperers" in this life. She is one of them. Below- just a few pics that Betsy has taken of the girls...Yeah. She is THAT awesome.

We love her so much. We see her as a part of our family, because she IS a part of it. And she has been since we met her. Today, I am eternally grateful for Betsy coming into our lives and being a part of it still.

Day 5-The Red Flame

This day of thanks belongs to The Red Flame. A nickname my Dad gave him WAY back when we were first engaged and later married. We may not have recited the worlds view of "typical vows" but for better or worse, he has stuck by me and showed patience with my stubbornness and at times lack of finesse...Our married life has had its fair share of struggles, of faith challenging times, of frustration, of fear, of times where hard work and plain ole FAITH was needed. But we have also made it through each one of them and come out the other end together. Having a man that would love kids and want them in our lives was also so important to me and he is wonderful. He loves our girls, and maybe more important THEY know he loves them. He is a hard worker and respects others. He is the first to volunteer to help a person in need and would gladly go without if it meant that someone else does not have to. There were plenty of reasons I married him, but one of the most important was that I knew he would be the person I needed by my side through the eternities. Yep. I got myself a good one.

 

 

 

Day 4-Journals

For those that know me, this will not be a big surpise. I am SO thankful for journals. I am 100% positive that my love of journals stemmed from my Mom who, each Sunday, would have us write or draw pics in our "journal" which as I remember consisted of a notebook. It did the trick, for me anyway. I have a TON of journals from my mission as well as some that I have kept for each of the girls from the time we found out we were expecting each of them.

I strongly believe in writing down your thoughts, feelings, worries, etc. It is the best way for not only your children to see a part of you they would not otherwise, but a way to release what you feel without any prejudice. Its your feelings. Own them.

Day 3-Culture

I don't say it enough, and I probley take it for granted MUCH more than I realize, but I am so thankful to have such wonderful Russian culture in my life. I grew to love Russia and its people that I ended up marrying one! I love that that girls know of thier culture, both American and Russian, that they are not only learning to speak both languages, but learning about different holidays we celebrate and why, and are growing to love a country that at least Ella has not even seen yet, but knows is a part of her.
Being married to Artyom makes it very easy to share anything and everything you will let us about Russia and "his story" which is quite remarkable in my eyes. It makes me very grateful to a Father in Heaven who knows what is best for us and prods, but does not push in the direction that will be for our own best good.

Day 2-LA LA LA! My pop singer in the making

Today I am thankful for THIS little one. She was such a wanted and needed addition to our family and I just dont know what things would be like without her sweet spirit in our home. Some of the
 Ella-ism's that we love so much are:

• I can only count on one hand the times that Ella has called Sofia-"Sofia". She has called her sister from the beginning and I'm so glad that Sofia does not seem to mind.
• She is a CHOCOHOLIC! The girl will eat chocolate-any kind of chocolate at the drop of a hat.
• She has great pitch! The girl was blessed with a musical ear and I hope we can develop it as she gets older.

Case in point:
Artyom had a microphone that went with some game that he brought home from an abandoned apartment and the girls favorite pretend play as of late? Need you even ask?! Its the girls singing thier favorite popstar song into it. LOVE it. I happened to have my phone during Ella's latest performance.

Start of "The month of Thanks"-Day 1 Role Reversal

I think I did this for the first time a year or two ago, and for me? It was such a wonderful way to remind me of JUST how much I have to be thankful for. This does not mean that I do not have my ver fair share of hardships, or tough times, of times when I just dont know if Ill make it...But being the month of November, and preparing for Thanksgiving, which has no strings attached other than surrounding yourself with people and whatever it is you are thankful for. I dedicate the month of November to each day, posting something that I am thankful for. I encourage you to do the same, and let me know where you post it. Since one of the things I am thankful for is the few people who follow us on our Family blog.

So. To kick it off. Today I am thankful for notes. Notes that may not mean much to her or her little sister now, but that it makes me feel like a mom each and every day. Each morning part of my morning routine is to write the girls a note and put it on thier backpacks so they have some small inkling of just how much I love them and miss them when were not together playing, watching princess movies, having a tea party and building forts. I was unpacking Soifa's backpack this morning as I forgot to last night and I found this...

Well I found the note portion anyway. This is what I have hanging on my wall by my desk now. Now, I will probley never be sure if she was planning on giving this to me or not, or what she was "seeing Ella do" since the note went unfinished. It was just on a scrap piece of paper that she must have found. But to me? It was just awesome. For me? It was just another reminder that the little things I try to do for her do not go unnoticed. She knows I love her, she knows I'll always be there, she knows I care. All the feelings and love my Mom did for me, I can now do for her.

 

So to satrt out my "Month of Thanks" today I am thankful for notes...