I have so much to be thankful for. Life today is NOT what I imagined it to be at the beginning of the year, but I’m so thankful for the way it has turned out.
Before I get started on the things that I’m thankful for in the world, I want to say that what I am thankful for first is my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Without His grace, I would be in a bad spot. I’m so thankful for who He is and what He has taught me since I trusted in Him as an 11 year old. I have grown to be more like Him every day, with some mountains and valleys in the process. I have so much more to learn and so much space to fill between Him and me… One day at a time! One moment at a time!
I’m thankful for my amazing, supportive husband. He has been through a lot because of me (between my mental illness including bipolar 2, severe anxiety with obsessive/compulsive traits, and now my addiction). I have been in the hospital twice for my mental illnesses and in rehab for a full month for my alcoholism. He has held down the “fort” more times than the normal household. I have spent so much of our money and credit because of my obsessive/compulsive behaviors. He has had to take on a lot. Through my stay in rehab and our experience with Family Week, our marriage has grown so much. We have gotten in touch with our Love Languages again and have nurtured that. We communicate better than we ever have. He has taken leadership in areas that I’ve asked him to take leadership. He prays for me all the time. He is amazing, good looking, and everything a wife could hope for.
My beautiful kids. They are everything a mama would hope for in kids. They have their moments, but overall, they are really good kids. They make good choices most of the time, they love to worship, they love to play outside, they are good friends, they love to play games with me :-), and they love to bake with me.
Karis is creative, loves to read (and reads on an eighth grade level in fifth grade), is messy and disorganized (ha!), is very smart, loves “girl time” with me, bosses her brothers around, and loves Jesus.
Ethan is passionate, spends money like his mama, loves music (he has his uncle’s guitar and a keyboard that was given to us that he wants to learn), loves to worship (mostly with Shane and Shane and Needtobreathe), and LOVES old cars/jeeps/trucks. He wants to be a mechanic and is already working towards that.
Levi is my baby. He loves to cuddle, loves electronics and doesn’t like outside very much (but we force him out every day! ha!), loves Christmas like me, loves to play games, is very smart (he reads on a 2nd-3rd grade level in first grade), loves Star Wars, and loves to bake with his mama.
This beautiful place that we live! The ability to hike whenever I want, just outside our door (on 1400 acres).
Our camp family. There really are no words. We are beyond blessed to be here.
Our beautiful little home! I love it!
This is the view from our back porch :-).
I love my little kitchen.
The kitchen/dining/living is all open-concept. It’s great for having people over. It’s small, but it works. We often have 10-15 people in here at once.
This tree is one of my favorite things about this house.
Our little Christmas tree :-).
This is our bedroom. Small and cozy. Bed, books, and lamps. Pretty quilt. All the important stuff.
The kids’ bathroom
This is Levi’s new room (it was our school room…).
This is Karis’ room. It’s very cluttered and packed, but she loves it. That’s all that matters!
Ethan’s room. Full of books, Legos, and musical instruments.
Here is our Expedition that is now PAID OFF!! No more car payments!! I’m so thankful that we’re in a new place financially. Probably the best we’ve ever been in. Not that Robert makes a ton (because let’s face it, we’re in camp ministry), but we have a free place to live, free utilities, insurance premiums are paid for, and we get a lot of free food through the year… and now no car payment! We are getting through the next few months of me driving to town 5 days a week (2 1/2 hours of driving a day), then we’ll be able to focus on saving, then paying off credit card debt (again…).
Our parents! We would not be where we are without them! My parents are always there for us when we need them! They have a fantastic relationship with their grandkids. They stay with them often! In fact, when I was in La Hacienda for a month, the kids stayed with them most of that time. I don’t know what we would have done without them! My inlaws have helped us out in so many ways over the years… between letting us live with them (twice) and helping us out financially a few times. They also love their grandkids and always look forward to spending time with them! We’re headed there this Christmas and we’re all looking forward to it!
My amazing friends, old and new! I cannot imagine my life without my friends. I have so many friends and I’m so blessed and lucky. Between friends here at camp, friends that we went to church with/hung out with in Frisco, friends from our old camp, friends from old churches, and now friends from La Hacienda. I have the best friends a girl could ask for. I am very loved!
La Hacienda! I would NOT be where I am today without this place. I have grown to a whole new level from all that I learned there. I can only imagine where I will be in my future because of La Ha and what I am learning now through AA.
My current and former counselors. They have taught me so much over the years. They give me a safe place to share my thoughts and heart. I am currently doing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and I just know that it’s going to change the way I see things. I’m looking forward to continual growth in this area.
The little things… Yummy smelling seasonal candles, Christmas lights, music (Bethel, JJ Heller, Jenny and Tyler, Crowder, Shane and Shane, etc), fresh baked goods (and the ability to spend time doing the baking), books, coffee, games, my Mac and iPhone :-), Toms and boots, leggings, comfy jeans, t-shirts, flannels, my coffee mugs, Harney and Sons hot tea with raw honey, flowers, my Bible and Bible studies, the “Big Book” (Alcoholics Anonymous), coloring books, organization, fires in our fire pit, Coke Zero, my “fake Yeti” cup, La Croix, eating mostly healthy (besides my Coke Zero), feeling beautiful and loving myself as is.
Simply Courtney 
