My dad.

I know I am repeating here but you know how my dad fixes my problems? Yea. Did it again today. 1200 miles away and over the phone talked me through getting my Christmas lights to work again (the outlet they were plugged into stopped working) on a house he has never seen.

Morgan Harris is the Boss!

Home

I am glad my parents are home safe from their mission. It is very nice to be able to talk to my mom in real time without worrying about their internet or power going out.  :-)

Sabrina

I might have posted about her already in my thankful posts but I am again thankful for my daughter Sabrina. She leads the way in our family. She is such a good girl and so helpful to me in so many ways. She is a gift to me in every way. I am blessed beyond measure to have such a wonderful daughter. I am grateful for her and that she hasn't (fingers crossed here ... yet) turned into a raging hormonal teenager.

I love you Saby!!!

Noble update

I am grateful noble is feeling "much more better."

NO SCREENS - Noble update

I am so grateful for this challenge. It has really made me step it up personally to be a better me. This week we are limited to 25 minutes of personal screen time (that includes blogging.) So I will be writing short or in a paper gratitude journal this week.


UPDATE on Noble**************************

I have asked about meningitis extensively. The doctor is pretty sure it isn't that. But we are taking the antibiotics just in case. But he said kids with that aren't up and playing in the snow like Noble is and they don't normally have swollen lymph nodes like Noble does. Since it takes a spinal tap to confirm and that is really traumatic he said he wouldn't recommend that unless he gets worse.

As for the one tale tale sign that Noble has (the painful neck thing.) He said it is likely being caused by the nodes. They are painful to the touch to Noble so it hurts look up because it squeezes the nodes in his muscles of his neck. He doesn't have any of the other symptoms of meningitis.

Today, his nodes seem a little smaller to me and he says it hurts less to move his head. He still has a fever and is more whiney than normal but other than that he is up and playing. I am hoping we are going to be feeling all better soon.

Snow or Ice? Bacteria or Virus?

This is the view I woke up to this morning. I slept up in the boys rooms first with Harrison from 1-3 then with Noble from 3-9. 

Noble has some crazy sickness. He has been complaining about his neck hurting all week. Yesterday he was in so much pain he couldn't stop crying and I discovered he also had a fever. 

I took him to the doctor and they tested for strep, mono, and did a CBC. The first two were negative but his white blood cell counts are elevated and his lymph nodes are swollen big and are painful to touch. He also couldn't turn his head or look up.

They have him 2 heavy duty shots of antibiotic and told me to come back tomorrow so they could check his blood again.

Last night we had freezing rain. It looks like snow out there but it is actually like a big solid sheet of ice all over. Only one of the doctor's offices was open due to the weather and it is 7 miles away.

So with great trepidation I headed out to ice skate my car to the doctor.

Very few people brave the roads in this kind of weather. Jon's flight was cancelled and he was told to work from home.

We made it safely to the doctor without too much trouble. Unfortunately the antibiotics didn't work. Nobles white blood cell count was higher today and his lymph nodes are still huge and his neck still hurts and he still has a fever.

The doctor said it was probably some crazy virus. He gave us a antibiotic to take just in case and told us to watch him and come back if he gets any worse.

So we are waiting and watching.

I am grateful for modern medicine even though they haven't figured everything out yet.

I am also grateful for the beauty of this snowy icy day.

Christmas lights beneath  light the hard packed ice.

Ice storm

I am grateful for the ice storm that will be forcing some quality family time tomorrow. I hope everyone can stay home and stay safe!

Jonathan

I am thankful for my husband in so many ways and for so many reasons. Here are 40 of them. :-)

1 He is intelligent.

2 He is interesting.

3. He is sensitive to my feelings.

4. He strives to do what is right.

5. He makes me laugh.

6. He has a cute bum.

7. He is creative.

8. He values people far more than things.

9. He is thrifty.

10. He loves and honors his mother and father.

11. He makes me want to be a better person.

12. He makes great avocado shakes.

13. He has nice hands.

14. He loves to read.

15. He is curious.

16. He is a verifier.

17. He plays beautiful music on the piano and a little on the guitar.

18. He is a hard worker.

19. He appreciates the arts.

20. He loves babies.

21. He has just the right amount of ambition.

22. He has beautiful eyes.

23. He likes to travel.

24. He is a wonderful father.

25. He has great gospel insights.

26. We are equally yoked in every way.

27. He helps me around the house when he's home.

28. His children adore him.

29. He makes me feel beautiful.

30. He even loves my ugly parts.

31. He is strong.

32. He isn't a push over.

33. He usually lets me win arguments. :-)

34. He is supportive of my dreams and desires.

35. He is a good example to me of sticking to a good routine.

36. He is reasonable.

37. He has a solid and deep testimony of the gospel and especially of the Atonement.

38. He is a great provider for our family.

39. He is a faithful, worthy, and humble priesthood holder.

40. He loves me, the good and the bad, all-in, devotedly.

Wind chimes

The former owner of our house left behind some wind chimes in the back yard. I have never owned wind chimes before. Now they feel like the sound track of our lives here. I love them!

I am thankful for the wind chimes that sweetly remind me that life is magical.

Whoa! It's December!

This year was a quick turn around between Thanksgiving and the holiday gift scrambling madness. I can't believe it is already December. 

Today I am grateful for wonderful new friends. One of my friends here has agreed to a kid swapping system that will let each of us have a few free hours a week to Christmas shop, go to the temple, or do whatever else we need. I am going to go get some shopping done.

Maybe I'll even find something for Jon? 

Modern Transportation

Despite the traffic jam we are enjoying right now, I am grateful for our modern transportation that allows us air conditioning and heat while we travel great distances in a relatively short span of time.

It is through the blessings that we are able to spend time with family on holidays. We had a fabulous time with our family in Memphis. I am grateful to have them close enough to drive and visit. We miss them already!

A Beautiful Season

Fall in Dallas has been a wonder of color and bipolar weather. I have enjoyed living in a place where I really get to see the colors of the season again. It makes me think Fall is my favorite season. But then, I haven't seen Spring in Dallas yet.

This has also been a beautiful season of life for me. My anxiety over the boys safety is lessening as they leave the "put things in my mouth" stage and are getting to understand it is not safe to just escape the house and run in the street.  Most night they sleep through the night.

But I haven't quite hit full teen drama with Sabrina yet either. My kids are young and simple and pure and safe for now. This is a beautiful season. I don't know how long it will last but it makes me think it is perhaps my favorite season. But then, I haven't experienced those many seasons yet to come yet either. 

But for today, I am grateful for the beauty of the season in in.

Thanksgiving Feast

I am grateful for having days of plenty... Plenty of food, plenty of love, and plenty of warmth.

This year we traveled to Memphis to be with Jon's brother and sister in law Aaron and Carolyn. Aaron smoked a couple of turkeys. They were the best turkeys I've ever had. 

We made all my favorite sides and pies. It was a great feast!

Two year old

The other day I took Harrison to the doctor. She was doing her exam and needed to look at his throat. She asked him to stick out his tongue. He just looked at her puzzled. She kept explaining that she needed him to stick out his tongue out so she could see his throat.

Finally she went to go get a tongue depressor. Then Harrison stuck out his elbow and said "Dare it is!"

"No silly, that is your elbow!" I said. Then I showed him his tongue and he stuck it out. 

I love two year olds! I am grateful I have one.

Breathing

As a person with asthma, I am grateful for every time I can take a good deep breath and let it out without any wheezing or coughing. My little boys are both coughing and wheezing today and it just makes me glad I am not.

Sleep

I am grateful for every full night of sleep I get. Those nights are not uncommon these days but I have had enough years of little or interrupted sleep to make me treasure a full night of dreams.

It's been a long day of errands and appointments and I am ready for bed.

Here is a photo of my first appointment today.

Sabrina got braces on this morning. Let the fun begin I guess.

Home teachers

One of many programs in the Mormon church I appreciate is the home teaching program. It is a program where two men are assigned to watch over your family and give assistance as needed. They are supposed to come monthly to share a message and also assess the family's need.

I am grateful for our home teachers and the effort they put into filling that assignment. For about 10 years we didn't have home teachers who came. So it has just been in the last 2-3 years that we have been regularly home taught. I am so grateful for the patience these men have shown as our kids have been learning how to behave for home teachers.

Tonight was the first time that my kids all sat in the room and didn't complain or say rude things to the home teachers.  :) I made cookies to celebrate this huge improvement.

Granted we still have a long way to go toward listening to the lesson and participating appropriately but I will take what I can get for now.

Music

Tonight Jon and I are headed to the JFK memorial concert of the Dallas symphony featuring Joshua Bell. I am excited for the wonderful music I will hear. 

I am grateful for good music that lifts the soul and spirit. Music can completely change the tone in your home. Good music can make you run faster, act sillier, and be happier. 

I am grateful for all kinds of good music.

Weekends

I love weekends. It means I get to be with my family. That makes me happy. I am grateful for Saturdays that we get to enjoy together doing fun things. I am also grateful for the gift of the Sabbath day to us. What a blessing this day of rest has been to me in my life!

Life is so busy and hectic. Right now I don't have a calling or job at church that requires much attention on Sundays so I really get to enjoy reconnecting with the Lord and my family members on this gift of a day. I love that.

I am grateful for weekends and am looking forward to this one!

Mother in law

How many people can honestly say they are grateful for their mother-in-law? I can without hesitation! 

Today is my mother-in-law's birthday. She is a wonderful woman and an incredible example to me in so very many ways. I am grateful Jonathan finally fell in love with me and wanted to marry me so I could have the honor of being related to his mother Kathleen Waite. :)

Thanks for raising 9 wonderful children, Mom! I love every one of them and I love you and Dad too! Your selfless example and faithful covenant keeping life is a legacy for us all to strive to live up to .

Happy Birthday!