30 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 28: Anna

CarolynCares Anna

Happy Birthday, Anna! Today, on Thanksgiving Day, our oldest turns 23. When she was born, Jonathan’s mom said, “Oh, good. Being born so late in November, she won’t have to worry about celebrating her birthday on Thanksgiving Day.” Her first birthday fell on Thanksgiving that year!

Anna just finished her student teaching, and will be officially be a graduate of Augustana College. She has many interests and talents, and can’t wait to see where God leads her. We are so proud of her!

Anna’s strong faith, and positive attitude have helped to carry her through tough times. Typically, junior high girls are trying to navigate a new school schedule, boys, and hanging out with friends at football games. Anna was dealing with a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis, and the loss of friendships due to a misunderstanding of what it means to have MS. Her classmates weren’t always very kind to her, but that only made her push harder. She doesn’t want to be defined by this disease. She wants to be known for her sunny personality, her music, and her faith.

Hanging out with Anna is always fun. She has my sense of humor, and her dad’s sense of adventure. Jonathan and Anna have a great bond, and I love that they can have so much fun together. It doesn’t matter if it is the Alpine Slides in Keystone, SD, driving go-carts, jet skiing, or playing Rummy, they will find a way to have a good time.

I am so thankful for Anna! I am thankful for the sunshine she spreads to others, for her heart of compassion, for her stubbornness when she could have just given up. I am thankful for her friends that have seen past her limitations, especially the boy she brought home this weekend. I am thankful that her dreams are becoming her vision. Happy Birthday, sweet Anna! I love you!

Check out Anna’s blog – Smiles Squared

 

Want to see other 30 Day Challenge blogs? Head over to Holly Spangler’s blog to find the link!

30 Days of Thanksgiving – Day 6: Coffee

CarolynCares Happiness

I am not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination. I like to ease into my day. Part of my morning routine includes enjoying a mocha latte that I make using the espresso machine that the girls bought for me when I wore my other one out. I like the routine, the smells, the warmth. It makes it a pleasant way to begin any day.

What is your morning routine? Are you a morning person, or a night owl?

Holly Spangler laid down the 30 Day Challenge – check out her blog, and find links to other bloggers who have accepted the challenge.

Introduction to the 30 Day Blog Challenge

Day 1: Family

Day 2: Harvest

Day 3: Music

Day 4: Bacon

Day 5: Flowers

30 Day Blog Challenge

I’m jumping onto the 30 Day Blog Challenge, where I will blog every day in the month of November. The theme will be a take off of my Facebook tradition of 30 Days of Thanksgiving, writing everyday about what I am thankful for. Some days it will be agriculture related, some days it will be family related, and there will probably be a day or two when I am most thankful for a mug of hot coffee.

You can join in the fun if you are an agriculture blogger by reading this post. If you are not an ag blogger, but want to join in on the 30 Days of Thanksgiving fun, please do! I’d love to read your posts!

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.” -Denis Waitley

1 Thessalonians 5:18 “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”