Thankful Thursday

"It is she who listens to the rest of the world who fails, and is is she who has enough confidence to define success and failure for herself who succeeds."

~ Sophia Amoruso, #GIRLBOSS

Happy Thankful Thursday YUMMs!  I'm telling y'all #GIRLBOSS is my new favorite non-fiction book.  This week I've been thinking a lot about success and failure as they relate to me and how I define each.  I'm very thankful that I'm actually taking the time to think about this and write down my thoughts because as much as I would like to say that society and peer pressure hasn't contributed to what I thought my definitions of success and failure, that wouldn't be true.

As of late, I must admit that comparison has become my thief of joy.  However, this week I've also come to re-realize that the cookie cutter mold that everyone else is doing isn't me.  By shutting out the outside influences and really digging deep to uncover what are the things that make me feel successful and what are the things that make me feel like a complete and utter failure, I feel like I'm falling back in love with all things that make me different.  I'm snatching back my joy!

I'm also grateful for this rain that we have been getting.  While I have been caught in a downpour more than once this week, I know that all this rain we're getting will come handy for those extremely hot summer days ahead.  This week I'm also giving thanks that have re-planted our balcony garden.  I mentioned in my Spring Break 2015 Recap post that JJ had uprooted and destroyed our first seedlings from our balcony garden.  Target to rescue with their $1 starter kits!

We have organic bell peppers, tomatoes and parsley so far.  I'm hitting up a different Target in the AM to see if I can find watermelon, basil and cilantro.   Then they also have the bigger $3 starter kits and I might get one of those as well.  We're all super excited to be back on track to having some fresh homegrown produce by the middle of summer.  I have even had a little talk with JJ to let him know that we don't rip up the plants, but still I'll be keeping an extra close eye on our garden as the seeds start to sprout.

Today, I was selected to chaperone another field trip for Moo's class!  Honestly, I was expecting to be chosen since I think most of the other parents either work or get their rest for work during the day.  We're both excited because we're going to one of our favorite places here in the Queen City.  I'll tell you guys after our visit where we went.  (Safety purposes for the school.)

JJ is continuing to make improvements with his speech and no longer speaks in one word phrases, but puts together full sentences.  I'm talking about using subjects and verbs y'all!  We're so proud of him for all the progress he continues to make.  I know it's hard for him and there are still a ton of words that he struggles to be able to pronounce properly, but the main thing is that he's trying to say them.  We're even making progress on the picky eater front as well and getting him to try new foods.

Let me just say that my brother in-law is AMAZING!  He and his family have been nothing but warm, welcoming, compassionate, kind and I could go on for days, since before I even met them in person.  I've mentioned on here before that New Orleans was my home for a brief period of time.  During that time I gained a third family that left me wondering why my other in-laws couldn't get it together.  Long story short, I love how much he loves not only my sister, but our entire family. Craziness and all.  I'm so grateful that God allowed those two meet because he truly is the Yin to her Yang. 

Lastly, I did sprain my neck on Monday, but I'm grateful that it's not a bad sprain.  My range of movement is pretty good.  It's only when I lean my head back and to the left that it really hurts and the pain starts to really shoot through my neck.  Definitely send prayers that I'm all healed up by next week.  As a mom of two busy bodies, I certainly don't need any neck sprains limiting my movement.  I need to be able to crane my neck around corners and over counters to keep an eye on those two when they get too quiet.

What are you giving thanks for this week?