There's a whole lot of Gratitude up in here...

****Please note the edit below****

Ok. So here's the deal. 

I've been doing my Everyday Gratitude pics..everyday...since January.

I've been posting them on Facebook. (My personal fb page..not The Honey Pot page)

Ok.  Anyways, I keep up with them on there. Every ding dang day (holla hannah).

But ummm....I kinda got behind with my monthly postings on here.

Aaaand... normally I wouldn't care that much but I've been influenced (in a good way) by a certain group of ladies of late and some of them are a little OCD and I think sadly, they are rubbing off on me.... just a touch.  

Like... I've made my bed 5 days in a row now....and I'm hanging up my clothes as I take them off, like immediately  instead of letting them  pile up into a massive mountain.  Now they even have me contemplating taking my makeup off every night before I go to bed! (not really on that one.)

Anyway...I wasn't gonna even post these pics cuz 

1.  There are so many of them.

2. They go all the way back to the mid April.

But the little 2% of OCDness that is inside of me is pretty bossy and I just couldn't let it go.

SO this post is probably more for my enjoyment than yours.

But I will say, as I revisited all these pics and read the things I have been grateful for these past few months,

I couldn't help but thank Jesus....again.

His extravagant love for me is overwhelming.

He lavishes me with such goodness that I can't help but praise Him.

I look at these pics and remember the roller coaster my emotions had been on during most of these as  SOO much change was taking place in our family right and left.

And I know that it is His grace that has sustained me.

My normal self would have caved in to self-pity and probably a little depression  as the kids were flying out the nest right and left...but y'all...

I have experienced (and still am experiencing) a peace that truly surpasses all understanding.

"Hear my cry, O God;

Attend to my prayer.

From the end of the earth I will cry to You,

When my heart is overwhelmed;

Lead me to a rock that is higher than I."

Psalm 61:1-2

He's got me up on a rock.  Dancing.

What a great God we serve!

I hope you know Him personally.  

If you don't, email me and I'll be so happy to tell you about Him.

Really.  I'm not kidding.

****I just took for granted that everyone reading this knows about all  the change I'm talking about that would cause me to wallow in self-pity..cuz if I didn't know me and just saw all these pics,I would be like,"Wha??  This chic is crazy..look at all her blessings!!"  So true...and that is why I started Everyday Gratitude in the beginning of the year....to keep me focused with my eye on the Prize. To focus on the blessings not the change. The change I'm talking about in a nutshell is this.. Within 6 weeks of each other my youngest graduated, my middle got married and my oldest along with her hubs and my three grandchildren moved 11 hours away.  I kinda like my little nest and all my chicks close by so this was/is hard for me.

Here's a whole lot of gratitude.

Don't say I didn't warn you...

I am overwhelmingly grateful.....

Day 111:  for getting to hug my momma and giggle with her....in person.
Day 112:  for all the ladies who showered Lydia with gifts to equip her for a lifetime of cooking.
Day 113:  for unexpected moments that are full of delight.
Day 114:  for watching Little Women with all my little women.

Day 115:  for curly headed grand daughters
Day 116:  for the parents of these two who share them with us grandparents.
Day 117:  for exciting milestones (trying it on to see how it fits)
Day 118:  for this timely reminder today.

Day 119:  for unexpected happy mail. (Love you Jessie and Hannah)
Day 120:  for two beautiful June Brides (aww...they are both married women now!)
Day 121:  for more unexpected happy mail that blessed my socks off! ( holla Jayme-Lee and Laura)
Day 122:  for this here "liquid candy" that Nick shared with me.

Day 123:  for getting to be their Honey.
Day 124:  for lots of orders heading out. (can't wait to get that going again!  Lord willing)
Day 125:  for a weekend with this bunch...and midnight movies together!  #theavengers
Day 126:  for all the places these feet have taken us this weekend! :)

Day 127:  for these three youngns of mine.
Day 128:  for getting a few of these knocked out tonight.  (SO thankful the wedding projects are over!)
Day 129:  for coming home to a clean house with mopped floors compliments of Lauren.
Day 130:  for this good looking man I get to spend every day of my life with.

Day 131:  for fat straws to drink thick smoothies with.
Day 132:  for hearing this little booger say "Honey"...it makes me melt every time.
Day 133:  for hanging twinkle lights at midnight with these girls.
Day 134:  for laurens graduation and all of our family and friends who came out in the rain to celebrate!

Day 135:  for this lady being my Momma.
Day 136:  for pedis from sweet daughters!  ( oh wow....I miss those!.....and her!)
Day 137:  for new seasons with my girls
Day 138:  for this cute new favorite purse compliments of Ladeea.

Day 139:  for days when things just go your way :)
Day 140:  for Nick's gray beard.  I love it.   And him.   A lot.
Day 141:  for all four of us in the same car on a road trip.  Doesn't happen much anymore.
Day 142:  for how happy she is that this will soon be her new name :)  ( and now is!!)

Day 143:  for these finally getting put in the mail. (wedding invitations were almost the death of us.)
Day 144:  for this timely reminder.
Day 145:  for capturing this sweet moment.  The celebratory hug of a State Champion!
Day 146:  for this fine thing being all mine. #stud

Day 147:  for the two mommas the Lord blessed me with in this life.
Day 148:  for coffee in the morning with my momma...my fave.
Day 149:  for celebrating my "new birth" day.  It was 15 years ago today the Lord redeemed and transformed  my life!
Day 150:  for getting a "biggie" scratched of the list today!

Day 151: for our awesome post master who hand cancelled over 200 wedding invites so the cameo wouldn't get damaged in the machine.

Day 152:  for rubber boots and bandanas on a very rainy church night.

Day 153:  for priceless masterpieces.

Day 154: for not having too long of a wait at the DMV.

Day 155:  for reminders like these.  (streams in the desert)
Day 156:  for getting packages from grandkids :)
Day 157:  for love notes from my man...even if he did write on my dirty foot  :)
Day 158:  for a fun day with Lydia soaking up all we can of her before we had to turn her over to Mr. Linton.   (sigh...that was tough y'all...the handing her over part.)

Day 159:  for the fact my momma has walked with Jesus for 41 years today!
Day 160:  for Facetiming with Lauren while she's at youth camp. (making Nacho faces)
Day 161:  for  new adventures :)
Day 162:  for double grandma time.

Day 163:  for getting it all packed up and ready to go and grateful we could be there to help.
Day 164:  for a wild house full of giggles.
Day 165:  for beautiful masterpieces. This one is entitled "Paw Paw Nick" ~drawn by Rosalyn Sirven
Day 166:  for having fun even without electricity.

Day 167:  for hearing "hold me Honey" all week long.
Day 168:  for this man being the daddy of my girls and that he lives his life according to this verse.
Day 169:  for our sweet church family who gathered around and prayed over Lydia on her last Sunday with us before she gets married.  So blessed.
Day 170:   for this sweet girl in my back seat. (we were headn to the court house to sign the marriage license)

Day 171:  for her knowing she should thank God for her food.
Day 172:  for waterproof mascara
Day 173:  for having the entire bag to herself.
Day 174:  for a beautiful place for a certain wedding reception.

Day 175:  for the body of Christ at work...so thankful for the ladies of Bethany Baptist Church who  provided food the entire weekend for our massive family as we worked on decorating a wedding stuff.
Day 176:  for these two and their beautifully blessed day.
Day 177:  for the cutest flower girls ever.
Day 178:  for how our family grows with each wedding.  I love that.

Day 179:  for the sweetness in this picture..  they were mesmerized.
Day 180:  for rides in the country with my man.
Day 181:  for making the last trip hauling wedding stuff home! Woo Hoo!!
Day 182:  for being able to help my other favorite June bride decorate for her big day.

Day 183:  for Miss Julia Rose turning 2 today!
Day 184:  for getting to sit next to Mrs. Linton today... just two married women. No big deal ;)
Day 185:  for being able to sit at our table again now that all the wedding projects have been packed away!
Day 186:  for getting a three hour nap today!

Day 187:  for getting to spend the day with my sweet friend Calah.
Day 188:  for time spent with this sweet lady...the best mom-in-law ever.
Day 189:  for getting to move into Lydia's old closet!  FOr three years Nick and I have shared a closet that is half this size.  This is  like closet heaven for me.
Day 190:  for happy hour with my sis-n-law.  Thankful for time together.

Well there ya have it.

What have you been grateful for?

Besides the fact that I am finally through with this post and there are no more pictures...

Stephanie :)