One Thousand Gifts - Post #5

The past week has been really beautiful here in Madrid. Charlotte and I have enjoyed some time at our nearest park, Parque de Berlin, during the week, and all three of us went down to Madrid's most famous park, Retiro, for a leisurely Sunday afternoon (with about a million other people!). Even though I normally do not like crowds (I can kinda get claustrophobic at malls during the Christmas holidays...so I now avoid the mall during that time of year), I actually really enjoyed being surrounded by so many different people while we were at the park. Would I love to visit the park during the week when it is less crowded? Absolutely. But Sunday's at Retiro are what people in Madrid do, and it was neat to be a part of that. Plus, the park is so big it was easy to find a nice shaded area to spread our blanket out and relax, in relative quiet. :)

My continued list of thanks....(and check out some pics of our time at Retiro at the end of the post)

95. Brendan picking up pastries on his way home from work
96. leaving our kitchen window open to the beautiful weather and sounds of other people in their flats
97. American TV shows in English on Spanish TV
98. a sunny, cloudless day
99. cuddling and reading books to my daughter
100. eating breakfast together as a family
101. the opportunities God is giving us here to witness to others
102. getting to experience a different culture by living in it
103. Haribo gummy bears :)
104. you've shown me the importance of community with other believers and that you always provide that
105. the way Charlotte looks up at me when she sits in my lap
106. pictures that capture memories
107. allowing me to enjoy busi-ness and large crowds on a Sunday afternoon in Retiro Park
108. making people and cultures different/unique
109. quiet in the midst of the busy park
110. the redemptive work you've done in my marriage
111. seeking me when I strayed from you, and seeking Brendan when he was without you
112. providing us with a home

{Eating lunch on a patio near Retiro}

{People rowing on the lake in Retiro}

{Brendan & Charlotte relaxing in the park}

{The Crystal Palace in Retiro}

Six Months into the Mommy Experience - Post #1

Charlotte turned 6 months old on April 20th. Crazy how that time has flown by! I've learned a TON during these months...about being a mother, a wife, a friend, and about myself as a daughter of the King.

• Try to enjoy every single moment, even the ugly ones - this is true anytime in our lives but it seems that having a child has made it more real for me...it's like I can SEE the passing of time as my daughter grows older & bigger. When Charlotte was a newborn I was so absorbed in learning to feed her, physical & emotional exhaustion, and being a new mom that I really missed out on enjoying her being so little. I kept wanting her to be older...to be able to nurse easier; to keep a pacifier in her mouth for longer OR put it back in herself; to not need me so much. Now that she is older, I already miss those days of her being so small...and I want her to need me. Keeping a gratitude list has helped me tremendously in maintaining a joyful perspective. I don't want to continue to look back and wish that I had enjoyed Charlotte more....I want to enjoy her NOW, in the good and bad moments. Right now Charlotte has some days where teeth coming in really bother her. At first I'm frustrated because I want her to play on her own so I can do things around the apartment, but I've realized that I'm actually being given an opportunity to sit and cuddle with my daughter. I'm being given an excuse to REST!! And snuggle my sweet baby girl! So I'm learning to find blessings even in, or maybe especially in, the ugly.
• Just about the time you get the hang of one thing, something new pops up - so at this point, I feel like I've mastered some things that I once found challenging....nursing, diaper changing, soothing a fussy baby, bathing a tiny baby, sleeping and not hearing every little noise that Charlotte makes. :) But babies don't stay small forever, nor do they stay babies forever. Nursing may be easy and enjoyable for us now, but she can't drink milk forever (umm, yes, this has spiritual implications too). We have to introduce her to solid foods and eating from "adult" utensils. So now Brendan and I are learning how to feed a baby solid foods, to bath a squirmy, wiggly baby, and change clothes and diapers on a baby who wants to roll over all the time. Our baby is growing and so are we.
• My husband needs a break and time to relax from his job - this may seem obvious and, no, I didn't just learn this, but I learned it in the context of having a child at home. Recently, I realized that just about every evening and weekend since Charlotte was born I had wanted a break from my mothering duties and had looked to Brendan to give me that break. Never once had I thought that its really not that hard for me to keep doing what I'm doing so that he can relax from his job. I know this goes both ways, but God used this time in my life to reveal some sin in the form of selfishness that I needed to seek forgiveness for and turn away from. And, wives, have you ever found that the more you serve your husband the more he wants to serve you? I am not advocating that we should give so that we can get, but in my experience I've found that being blessed by being served makes me want to serve in return. And in my marriage I've found this to be true in both Brendan and myself.

Okay, so I've realized that I've learned more in the past 6 months than can fit in one blog post. :) So I'll say this is the first post in an unknown numbered series to continue over the coming days.

One Thousand Gifts - Post #4

My list of blessings continues...

61. laying on our bed listening to Brendan share his struggles with work
62. none of us got hurt when the glass on our coffee table broke
63. our Wii working & spending quality time having fun with my husband
64. ...and Charlotte watching & laughing at us! :)
65. Charlotte cried much less when going to sleep tonight than the night before
66. a warm bed to crawl into
67. had the opportunity to make taco soup & homemade pizza while at home in Raleigh
68. Charlotte is sleeping better today
69. a clean bathroom
70. no crying when Charlotte went to sleep last night
71. providing me joy as I cleaned up the kitchen
72. the sweet mood Charlotte was in yesterday evening after a day of fussing over teeth coming in
73. having time to work on Charlotte's baby book
74. Brendan trying to make it home earlier
75. time to spend with Brendan in the evening
76. holding my daughter in my arms and singing to her before she takes a nap
77. the sweet look of a baby's eyes closing to sleep
78. how you are changing and growing my faith in you
79. friends sharing their hearts & lives on their blogs
80. Charlotte's little hands touching my face when I put her to bed
81. allowing Charlotte to sleep well at other's homes so that we can fellowship with other believers
82. the sun coming out from behind the clouds this morning
83. I AM FORGIVEN!
84. for songs that speak your truth
85. for radio on the internet
86. for the internet that helps me stay encouraged & connected
87. a really wonderful weekend with my husband and daughter
88. Charlotte bursting out in giggles for no reason at all
89. Brendan working & providing for us
90. ...and that he trusts God to provide, not relying on himself.
91. a new favorite tea! Lipton Vanilla Caramel
92. friends telling us about Carrefour - almost like Target!
93. yummy doner kebap for lunch on Saturday
94. Charlotte getting the hang of eating from a spoon - and now wanting the food we offer to her that way.

I love making this post each week. It's so easy for one because I'm just typing up what I've already written down. :) But I really love it because it gives me the chance to look back at what I wrote down that I was thankful for during the past week. And really I think that's why I wanted to start a gratitude journal in the first place, so that I would have record of what incredible blessings (big & small) that God pours out on my life.

I hope you have a blessed week, friends!

If you'd like to read more about thanking God for 1000 Gifts and The Gratitude Community, click on the Multitude Monday graphic above.

One Thousand Gifts - Post #3

So I've missed posting my list of gratitudes the past 2 weeks. I could blame it on traveling (which is probably a ligitimate excuse) but, truth be told, I haven't really been keeping up with my written list as well as I would like. Or maybe its as well as God would like me to.

And I haven't posted on the blog since before we travelled home to the U.S...and I've missed it. That makes me happy because I feel like God wants me to write even when I don't feel like it....and even when I don't do it well. :) I enjoy sharing the life God's given me with others. Maybe what I experience will encourage you, or challenge you, or both.

My continued list of gratitudes:

44. catching Charlotte having just completed her first roll from her back to tummy!
45. being able to talk to & hear from my Lord whenever
46. slowing down to notice small details about my daughter
47. the seats on our overseas flight being moved to the bulkhead...more room!
48. hospitality of family

{The Kinne's with Brendan's sister, Megan & her husband, James, in DC}

49. watching Charlotte learn new things & experience the world
50. being around familiar things (while back in the U.S.)
51. recognizing when God has me exactly where He wants me (in my faith journey) and what He has used in my life to bring me to that place
52. Target
53. the way Charlotte smells after a bath
54. cherry Cokes from Sonic :)
55. hospitality & generosity of friends
56. quality time with Brendan & Charlotte while on "vacation" in the U.S.
57. picnic at Umstead Park on a beautiful spring day

{Brendan & our friend, Riley, playing bocce}

58. our super comfy, second-hand IKEA couch

{Charlotte & I on the couch watching the Final Four}

59. friends putting together a dinner & games night for us while back in Raleigh

60. meeting with a new community group in Madrid - feeling loved & welcomed by fellow believers in our new city

Click on the One Thousand Gifts graphic to learn more about thanking God for 1000 Gifts and The Gratitude Community.