Gratitude Friday...

Goodness, today just flew by.  

Do y'all remember my sweet friend who lost her daughter, baby Grace? God has been so good and she is expecting a little boy in the fall.  Way excited!  She has twin boys already and, not gonna lie, I'm oddly interested in how she'll feel caring for just one newborn boy this time around.  

Anyway, I've spent the week working on her baby gifts.  She pinned safari nursery stuff so even though she said she didn't really have a theme, I went with that.  Made her a monkey, elephant and giraffe onesie.  And threw in a bow tie onesie for fun.  

Cause I have all those bow ties left over.  Gotta use them somehow.

Years ago I bought a safari pre-made baby boy scrapbook.  It was an awesome deal and I figured I could give it away at some point.  

Welcome to "some point."

But I spent some time remaking it so it wouldn't be quite so pre-made.  

Between those two projects, I've been a little busy.  Especially today.  Wanted to get them finished before the shower tomorrow.  

My list is pretty short this week anyway.  Primarily because I am thankful, first of all, to be done with week one of three-a-days.  

Oh, I so laugh at the news reports of two-a-days those rough and tough football players put in.  I see them all over town at random times of the day too.  How do I know?  Because they are all wearing their football tee-shirts.  

The knowledge we require branding begins early.  

And that's another post for another day.

Those football players have nothing on our wimpy band geeks.  Noth. Thing.  

Chris leaves for work around 6:45 am and gets home somewhere between 10:30 and midnight.  As the weeks go on, he might be able to get home a little earlier.  Might.  Rehearsal ends at 9:00 but they have all those administrative tasks to do that don't get done while they're...well...teaching.

This is my first year as a band widow with two kiddos.  

And yes, I was nervous.  

However, we found a wonderful solution.  

A new gym.

Chris gave me a gym membership for Christmas.  I was honestly thrilled.  

But, of course, asthma had a different plan.  

During the summer, I was diligent about going.  Especially after my official diagnosis.  I was and am determined to beat this thing.  

My God is bigger.

However, getting up at 4:30 am to workout and then try to keep up with two little people all day was proving too much.  

I can neither confirm nor deny I might have fallen asleep on the playroom floor.  

Those darn pillow pets are ridiculously comfortable.  

So I started looking around.  There is a new gym in town.  Or in the neighboring town to be more specific.  It's in the same shopping center I do my grocery shopping.  Their rates are much better.  The three of us got a membership for the price of just me at the old gym.

Plus.  And this is super nice.  It's all brand new.

We went for a tour this week and Aubrey Kate LOVED the kids' area.  Pitched a gigantic fit when we had to leave.  

Good times.

Rhys was indifferent.  

So I cancelled my gym and signed up for the new one.  We now go first thing after breakfast.  The kids' area opens at 8:00 am.  

Since Rhys wakes up before 6 am most days, that's fine with him.  And because AK thinks the "kids' park" is the coolest thing since The Beatles, she also complies.  

Enthusiastically even.

I ran 4.5 miles this morning.  

Not all straight but I did it.  

Score.

The kids get to spend time playing with new people, new kids (like, everyday) and new toys.  I get time to rejuvenate with a good sweat.  

I could not be more grateful for both.

What are you grateful for this week?