TODAY I am grateful it is Friday.  It has been hell week with Little Miss Annie-and we are in for a crazy weekend, but today I am grateful the week is over.

The hightlight of the day would be Annie kicking me as I attempted to push a cart through Target-while she screamed so loud every employee and other customer stared at me to see exactly what type of cruel punishment I was enacting on this child to make her carry on so.

I am definitely looking forward to the help that comes from visits to extended family.

AMERICAN IDOL-

I am not a shallow person, but today I am grateful for American Idol.  When we were in VN that was the only American television show that was current-and it was on over and over again all day-and frankly we could not get enough.  It was during the auditions week so it kept us pretty well entertained and distracted.

Now I am grateful that at the end of a stressful week, filled with deadlines and driving, there is a tv show that I can watch with my daughter and not be too worried about content.  Does it make me think-not really, but every once in a while that is a good thing.

peace

Today I am grateful for my religion and my faith.  I am a devout practicing Catholic, and today is Ash Wednesday.  Annie and I go to two weekday masses a week and as a family we attend Sunday mass.  Annie is the best little Catholic, she really follows most of the mass, and the cutest is when she puts her hands together in prayer and walks up to Communion-which for her is a blessing-she will receive her First Holy Communion when she is 8.  On Fridays and special masses, Maura gets to leave her class pew and sit with us, and that is always wonderful for me as a Mom to be able to pray the mass with both of my daughters.

My Lenten promises this year, are to add one hour of adoration a week to my schedule, and as a family we are not going to go out to dinner during Lent, and we are adding a weekend family Rosary prayer.

Here is a photo of Annie and I with our ashes from this morning.

Peace

Day 2/365

Today I am grateful for my home.  I am fortunate to live in what I consider to be a beautiful home-compared to the home I grew up in my current home seems huge.  I am grateful that I have a home that is warm, welcoming and family friendly.  My girls have beautiful rooms, a awesome and sunny playroom, and I have my very own craft room (which I do not use nearly enough).

I am grateful for the way I feel whenever I am in my home.  It is the place where I feel safe and content.  I am confident when my girls look back on their childhoods, they will remember this home very fondly.

Peace

OK-so as you can see I have done really well in my third attempt to blog....NOT!

My new goal is to blog once a day-and I am going to copy an idea from a blog godess, Kelli of Lucy in the sky with Diamonds.....here it is, blog one thing I am grateful for every day.  Now for me this may be a challenge, because I tend to be more salty than sweet-but it is worth a try.

SO DAY ONE-

I am grateful for my family.  My beloved husband Chuck and my two daughters give me a reason to smile and love every day-life can be a challenge, but it is a great challenge!

Here is the crew with Grandma Murphy on vacation this summer.

Peace