Thankful for Friday!

Wow! Another Friday already? Where did the week go? Ever have one of those weeks that just flew by without you even realizing it was happening? My goodness, this week was non stop and I honestly didn't realize how fast it was going until this AM. :) I didn't even have time this week to wish it was Friday...crazy!

This week has been a tough one for me in many regards though, speedy or not. I do have so much to be thankful for, so many blessings. Sometimes it's hard to see the blessings in the midst of "life" and the trials that come along with it all. This week I had a very emotional reaction to turning 40, something that totally caught me off guard, to be honest! I've never cared about age, never really gave it much thought. Then I found myself staring "40" in the face and not liking it one bit. My wonderful husband let me have my momentary freak out and then told me that I was the same woman, it was just a number. I have wonderful friends that encouraged me and helped me see that I am not totally crazy, but that it is just a number. Now, a couple of days later, I'm OK with it...I say OK, not liking the fact that I am 40 and haven't reached a few goals I had mentally set to reach before I got here. All in all, I am OK with it, I'm not letting the number rule the day or the year. I have SO much to be thankful for, so many blessings that have come my way in my 40 years of life on this earth! Who am I to be upset about a number???

So, here is what I am thankful for this Friday:

* The wonderful man that I married that loves me despite my short comings and crazy moods.
* My kids that want so much to make my birthday special.
* Our little homestead, a life long dream that is just starting to become more of a reality and a dream for all of us, not just this mama.
* Our pantry, that grows almost daily. The Lord is truly providing the produce and the funds to buy them. Earlier this spring I didn't know HOW we would ever have full shelves again unless our garden produced. That didn't happen this year, gardening in our area has been a struggle this season due to weather conditions. Trusting in the Father to provide kept me from letting the garden stress that could have been SO huge something that never really happened. I haven't worried much about the fact that our garden wasn't producing. I KNEW the Lord would provide!
* Amazing friends that remind me of what is important and what truly counts in life. :)
* Mostly, I'm SO thankful for my relationship with the Father, that carries me through the tough days, let's me appreciate the good days and is a constant...yesterday, today and forever...I KNOW I can count on His guidance, love, protection and provision!

It's been an amazing week, let me tell you! I've canned green beans, dill pickles, and apple juice. Adding to our pantry feels amazingly good. We have NO idea what the winter will hold for us, but we'll have food. :)

For my birthday this week, I made a strawberry rhubarb pie (wish I'd taken a picture of it) with the frozen pie filling I did a week ago or so. Let me tell you, it turned out wonderfully! What a wonderful treat that will be when it's cold and snowy outside and we are enjoying a pie that tastes like summer. :) I am thrilled with the result and know that I'll be doing more again next summer! Such a tasty treat and an easy dessert to whip up. We LOVED it! :)