As I was preparing for what is going to be our Advent adventure this year, I began to think about things that have occurred to us over the past year.  So I decided I need to do a post about our abundant blessings this past year.

I am forever grateful for our community support.  This past January, the community banded together and did a special showing of the movie “Wonder” with all proceeds benefiting Cade.  With this showing and other generous donations, we were able to build Cade and our family a chicken coop, a raised garden, and a greenhouse.  Without our community support, we would have only been able to accomplish one of these things.

The community support has also flowed over into our mission to make our church handicap accessible.  The community has supported us through 2 fundraisers.  It is such a blessing to be able to put in a little work and generate complete miracles.  God knew that this community would be able to accomplish this goal.

I am grateful for the opportunity that 4-h provided this year with Cade.  Even though it was not the traditional method for showing a calf, we still allowed Cade to showcase his love of animals by finding a way for him to show. 

I am also grateful for the knowledge I have learned about how I need to be much more mindful of exercising and keeping in a little bit of shape.  I am not sure what workout will best suit my needs for not having a heart attack while pushing Cade through the arena with a calf in tow, but I now know I need to look!!

Our huge adventure took place in July when we were able to travel to Alaska thanks to Make a Wish.  We will forever be blessed by this trip.  We still smile as we think back on our experience.  We watch Alaska: The Last Frontier with enthusiasm as we fondly remember our time there.

Mostly we are grateful that this past year we have started putting into practice being better stewards of our time.  We no longer take for granted our family and friends always being there.  We no longer put off fun adventures because the timing isn’t right for us.  We cease every opportunity that we can.  We look at things just a little differently now.  We have learned to appreciate everything we have and every blessing that has been bestowed upon us!

With that we are also working on being good stewards of our resources as well.  We are constantly seeking out new opportunities and adventures that our added hobbies will allow us.  We never want to stop learning.  The internet is an amazing tool that allows us to research new things to try.  I turn Cade loose on Pinterest and he can find several new things we need to try.  Some things work, others don’t.  But more than anything, we now enjoy spending time trying these things out.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.  I am also extremely grateful to you that keep coming back to our blog and reading about our adventures.  You are always willing to offer support and suggestions and we have experienced many new things because of that.  I pray that your year is full of blessings just like ours.  Not every situation is good.  In fact, many are downright horrible.  

But if you choose to look for the blessings, the horrible begins to fade away and you can see the good in all things.  I believe we all could put this a little more into practice!

Blessings.  Lynnette