My year of gifts....

Last year I read the book One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  If you haven't read it, you should!  I want to reread it sometime.  On my birthday 2011 I started recording daily gifts in a journal at night before bed.  I have recorded 1982 gifts as of 2-26-12. 

I have gone through and reread this journal of gifts.  It was such a blessing to remember all of these special gifts God has given me through the year.  It brings tears to my eyes as I type that.  I'm so glad God has given me this blessing of recording these gifts and remembering them.  It brought a smile to my face to remember the funny things that were said, the special words of my husband or son, the encouragement of friends, spending time with special people, the growth we've seen in our son. Only God would have known just how much I needed to be reminded of all these gifts from the past year on this night before my birthday after a weekend in which my whole family has been sick. (Thankfully we are on the mend, but it was very stressful overwhelming feeling as we were all  feeling so poorly.) 

I am so blessed on this day and every day.   There are so many things I found repeated through this book; many of your names (my blog friends and family members) are written time and again throughout this book.  Thank you for your friendship and the blessing you are to my life! 

I marked some of the gifts and wanted to share them with you today one year later from starting.  I was going to limit it to 33 as I am turning 33 years old today but I couldn't stop at sharing only 33! 

Here they are as they are numbered in my journal...

4.  watching Caleb ride his bike with no training wheels.
16.  the smell of my husband on his clothes as I put them in the washing machine.
51.  seeing my Dad.
105.  Mom and her school being safe today.
106.  peanuts on the floor that remind me of our "booknook" time earlier today.
114.  the kids at school knowing I am "Caleb's Mom."
136.  nice words in a card from my mother in law.
163.  walking to the car holding hands with both of my boys.
196.  cute cards at Michael's and Target
204.  fun time laughing at ladies Bible study tonight and yummy cake.
230.  two squirrels playing in the backyard.
231.  my neighbor giving me the angel food cake pan
232.  and my aunt buying one to mail me.
272.  my new friend at the post office.
282.  being consistent about cleaning our bath tubs.
320.  lunch with Debra.
348.  talking to Chel on Facebook this morning.
352.  my husband calling to check on me when he heard there was a storm headed this way.
361.  wearing new jeans a smaller size.
374.  praying with my husband.
403.  no one hurt by the snake at the baseball game.
418.  Caleb saying "MOMMY!" and jumping in my bed this morning.
442.  Caleb talking about his sister in heaven.
485.  Caleb saying an angel pulled his tooth.
500.  reading in the bath.
507.  talking with my husband about the past year.
513.  learning to trust God.
519.  visiting Cristela.
521.  lunch with Casey.
590.  Sis buying our lunch.
612.  pajama day!
635.  Caleb's servant spirit to fix a snack.
672.  finding a great bargain on shoes for Caleb and getting myself a pair too.
714.  my dream coming true of going to see Colorado with my husband.
747.  sound of a rushing river.
769.  my husband providing for our family.
784.  blog comments.
802.  smiling at my husband over our son's head as he sang "Count Your Many Blessings" in church.
810.  August memories...even though some make my heart hurt.
855.  sweet smile of my cute husband.
871.  new book in the mail.
894.  knowing Jesus loves me.
923.  Caleb's teacher telling me he was a great kid when I picked him up.
928.  Peepaw memories.
969.  listening to an encouraging Grace Cafe
984.  yummy El Chico. (it made me laugh how many times I mentioned El Chico in my list of gifts!)
994.  playing "monkey in the middle."
1025.  my niece Avery Mae.
1103.  opportunity to teach 4 year olds.
1149.  Mom cleaning bathrooms for us.
1177.  starting our family book of 1000 gifts together.
1213.  my husband getting an award.
1282.  snuggles and "good morning my precious little sunshine."
1351.  getting $42 credit on electric bill.
1365.  Heidi's baby boy's arrival.
1399.  seeing Mrs. Pat awake!
1433.  Cody letting me shoot his .22.
1447.  church friends.
1478.  peppermint shake.
1522.  sleep.
1550.  fun mail surprises.
1563.  cute way Caleb says the word "insurance."
1599.  remembering Mammaw's life.
1633.  colors of sunset.
1659.  my husband making me laugh.
1731.  A. saying her memory verse in class.
1743.  reading in car line.
1778.  chicken fried steak turning out like Mom's.
1844.  being reminded of lack of value in accumulating things.
1855.  sweet email from Debbie.
1866.  savoring moment of my boy sleeping peacefully in my arms without coughing.
1902.  safe while driving.
1920.  band aids for cut fingers.
1941.  my husband cleaning the bathrooms.
1950  eating hot fudge sundaes.
1967.  Ms. Eleanore.
1971.  God's strength to help me through a busy day.
1975.  my husband taking care of us.

Have a day of blessings!