MY UNRESTRICTED LIST

Can it possibly be Thursday again already?  WOW is all I can say to that....As I reflect everyday (for the month  of November's daily challenge) on what I am especially thankful for that day, it is truly difficult to narrow it down to just one thing.  I am happy today that I can do my WHOLE post on thankfulness and I do not have to be restricted to just one thing, haha.

My week has continued to be busy, but it has been a good busy and I am  S L O W L Y getting more and more completed.  I DID find the Hello Kitty fabric.  After searching a couple more stores with my mom, and chasing ANOTHER false lead, I finally decided to just go on line.  WHY I didn't start there I am not really sure.  I simply typed in Hello Kitty Christmas flannel fabric, and up it popped.  Ten minutes later I had ordered my yard, and it should arrive on my doorstep tomorrow.  Doesn't get much better.  Now, the fabric was NOT on sale like it was at Joanne's, but as my hubby pointed out, (bless his little heart!) I still would have saved money if I had just started there, when you consider the gas I used on my wild goose chases.   But all is well that ends well right? haha  Sooo out of this mess I am thankful for the internet and online shopping!

I also completed all my invites for Sam's open house, and they will go into the mail today.  Thankful here for Costco and programs for such things that are both easy to work and sooo affordable.

Couldn't get the glare off no matter what I did, but you get the idea...

 And!  thankful I completed JD's jammies yesterday.  Only 4 more sets to go!!  YAY!  And really it is only 2 more complete sets, as I am only making lounging type PJ bottoms for the two older girls.

JD's jammies

I spent all day Tues at my mom's.  She had a doc appointment and has to schedule a couple more tests.  My poor mom.  But I am grateful that her doc seems soo compassionate and caring and thorough.  We were there a LONG time as the doc was soo far behind (he doesn't hurry anyone) and waited WELL over an hour to just get into the little room to wait AGAIN.   This meant that by the time we had completed her other errands, it was too late to begin our study.  She is soo tired in the afternoons, especially after a day like that.  But we will get to it.  But this one is easy....I am grateful for time spent with her (she was actually excited to help me search for the fabric some.....soo cute!) and for compassionate doctors.

I don't know if it will really work well into the context of this post, but I wanted to tell you about the message we heard on Sunday at church.  It was just sooo good.  I have found myself really dwelling on it all week, which is what a good message will do right?  It wasn't on anything new, or anything really that I haven't heard about MANY times, but it was presented in a different way, with a different thought for me, and really got me thinking and soo blessed my heart.  He is teaching through the book of Mark right now and we are in chapter 2.  He goes through a book verse by verse (like many of the Calvary Chapel pastors do).  It is the story of where the man who is paralyzed is lowered through the roof and Jesus heals him.  I am sure most of you are very familiar with this portion of scripture.  I will NEVER be able to present it the way he did, and I am not even going to try.  He has a way of setting the scene and presenting the story that makes it come alive and current.  Suddenly your in the crowd, living it all with them.  But the point I came away with was this.  Where Jesus is at, people are drawn.  They can't help themselves.  They will go to any length to get near Him and draw from Him His power and His love and His compassion and His  healing and strength.  These 4 men were willing to literally remove the roof on Peter's home to get their friend in front of Jesus.  His question was... are people drawn to Jesus in us?  They should be.  Do they sense His Holy Spirit living in us?  Do they long to know more about this Jesus who gives us His peace and His love and His mercy?  Do they truly sense something different, even if they don't really know us well, or more importantly maybe when they really do?  It was a good question.  I have wondered all week just what others see.  My desire is soo that all would know Him.  Know of His salvation and His love.  His next question was....How hard do we seek Him?  Can imagine if we heard that Jesus Himself was actually here, teaching and healing in a house somewhere that we could get to?  How hard would we try to get as near as we could?  How hard would we try to actually speak to Him and hear Him answer our questions and desires personally.  The point is of course, that He IS here!  We do have that kind of access.  He does answer our questions personally, and heal our hurts and our bodies.    Sooo, guess I am grateful here for Jesus.  And for good messages.

And finally (I know this is getting toooooo long, lol) I am grateful I was able to go to my youngest sisters last night to help celebrate my nieces twelfth birthday.  Such a sweet, happy girl.  Happy birthday Katie Lynn, and may all your dreams come true.   I am grateful here for my time spent with my sister, and for her darling little kids whom I love and enjoy so much.

Cute Katie with her load! haha
Notice her kitty checking things out too, haha

Katie requested the famous Oatmeal cake that I make.  I was happy to make it for her,  which allowed me to smell it's WONDERFUL aroma yesterday while I sewed.  It really has become MANY family members favorite cake.  I have shared the recipe before, but I will share it again, as it is quick, easy, and REALLY good.

You boil a cup and quarter of water and add a stick of margarine and one cup of quick cooking oatmeal.  Cover and let stand 20 minutes.  Then, you add 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 cup of white sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp. of baking soda, 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1 and half cups of flour.  Mix everything together well, and pour into a 9 by 13 pan and bake for 35 min. at 350.  Upon removing from the oven you pour the yummy topping over the cake, and ENJOY!

Yummy topping...

2 tsp. of margarine
1/2 cup of brown and white sugar
1/2 cup of evaporated milk
1 tsp. of cinnamon
1 cup of chopped walnuts

Today, I hope to make Cody's jammies, and the fleece blanket for baby Sam.  My sister gave me instructions last night on how to do this, so hopefully I will not have any problems with it.  ; )  Hope you are all enjoying your day, and reflecting on all of your many blessings too!

I will leave you with these darling picture of sweet Sam smiling at you!

Soo sweet...how much I want to kiss those little cheeks!

A heart breaker for sure!