Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for our old neighbor who recently left for college.  She texted me the other night saying she saw this picture on her Instagram feed and wanted me to have it.  So thoughtful of her to let me know and I love how "small town" Ankeny can still feel sometimes! I'm also seriously thankful for the library's tailgate event Tuesday night.  Read more below!

This one is thankful he still gets to see his big brother and sister during the school day.

I'm thankful Kent, my dad and brother-in-law made it up to Canada! I'm hoping they catch lots of fish!

I'm thankful that Kylee is doing better.  You guys.  You GUYS! I can't even begin to share with you the outpouring of support we've had for our little girl.  She's been having a tough time back at school this year and the number of people who have gone out of their way to let me know they are thinking of her is just amazing.  While I anticipated my close friends texting me encouraging words, I was blown away when even the neighborhood dads on the block texted me.  Things like how special of a girl Kylee is and how they're sure it's just a rough patch, but in the meantime everyone is wanting to help out any way possible.  When I say she's having a tough time at school, I don't just mean she kind of doesn't want to go.  There have been tears and tummyaches, somber waves from the playground and absolutely no shine.  And if you know Kylee, you know she usually shines.  She's my always happy, always smiling, sparkle-in-her eye kind of gal and lately, she just hasn't been.  I'm so thankful for eyes and ears inside the school (family friends, teachers from previous years) who are quick to offer up a hug in the hallway just to get her through the day.  Friends, please do continue to keep her in your thoughts as she counts down the days until another No School day.  (October 13, locals. ;)

I'm thankful for my neighbor being so incredibly understanding and willing to find someone else to watch her baby so I can focus my attention on my own kids.

I'm thankful for daily help from my mom.  It takes a village, no?

I'm thankful that fall is around the corner.  The kids had fun helping me get some of our fall decorations out, which are my second fave, after Christmas ones, of course.

I'm thankful for an awesome night on Tuesday.  Despite heavy rain, the kids and I decided to head to the library for a family tailgate event for the Jag/Hawk bowl.  I knew there would be some cheerleaders and football players to meet, crafts to do and popcorn to eat so the kids were excited to go.  Well, the rain must have kept people away, which was too bad because it was such a neat event.  I couldn't have been more impressed with the high schoolers who interacted with my kids and made them feel like All Stars.

I assured Kase that in not too many years, he'll have a much bigger smile on his face when surrounded by a bunch of pretty cheerleaders. ;)

I didn't get as much of a chance to talk with the cheerleaders but these two football players could not have impressed me more.  They spent over an hour and a half hanging with Kael, playing catch with him, listening to him talk about his team, answering questions about high school and football, and how tall they were and what car they drove and what classes the liked and where they went to elementary school, and Kael was in HEAVEN. A nine year old boy's dream come true! When we left, they said to me, "You've got a really neat kid."  They promised to look for Kael on Friday night at the game and called out, "We'll be looking for you, number 18! Go Orange!" since Kael will be wearing his jersey for AJF night at the game.

While my heart is with the Jags, I have to say that the Hawk players and cheerleaders were wonderful too.  It was really interesting talking with high school kids and how they felt about the big high school split last year.

I'm thankful that I (finally) got my kids home from the library and tucked in (to the living room) for a sleepover with me while Kent was away.

I'm thankful for a good relationship with our builder.  After all the rain Tuesday  night I woke up and found a little water in the basement.  Nothing major, but with Kent out of town I just didn't want anything to happen.  Kent contacted our builder who, in less than an hour, stopped by to check it out for us.  Now, we've been in the house well over two years now and he has no obligation to come do that but he came and assured me that everything was ok and some water had just gotten in through the open air vent.  I so appreciated him coming to look at it and I was doubly thankful that nothing was wrong!

Have a great weekend, guys!