Five on Friday: Thankful…and Catching Up

Happy Friday, my beautiful friends! I am so thankful for a lot of happenings lately. So this week for my Five on Friday, I’m sharing a few things that make my heart happy and ever so thankful, and I feel like catching up with you. Because I’m feeling extra happy, I was a little long-winded in this post (like I am most days). Here are five things I’m thankful for this week:

{One}

Visits from my family. 

Have I told y’all how close I am to my family?  If you know me personally, then you know this already, but for my new blogger friends, these are the things you should know. We are loud, probably too close, singers, laughers, eaters of too much good food, and loud. Oh, did I say that already? My mom comes from a family of seven siblings, so you better bet your buttons that she raised my sister and me to be extra close. But like most families, we had to grow up, become adults, and move to different cities. It makes me so sad to have family two to two-and-half hours away, but the upside to that is they really aren’t that far. My family loves to make road trips, and I am so grateful for that! Sometimes they’ll even take the two-hour drive just for the day. True story. 

Last weekend my sister visited us, and it is always so much fun to see her. Charlotte loves her Aunt Paige. 

While she was here, we did our usual thing of going out to eat and hanging out. But Saturday night, we decided to make a home-cooked meal. We made our mom’s classic Chicken Enchilada Casserole. It is so good! (Maybe I’ll share the recipe soon. Any takers?) Sister made her famous guacamole, and we chowed down (in my Uncle Alfred’s terms…the Uncle Si of our family). 

After dinner, we started but what else, Pitch Perfect. It wouldn’t be a complete visit without watching it for the umpteenth time. Even if we did fall asleep, it was the thought that counts. Aca-scuse me. 

Sunday was spent with our dad who came to visit for the day. We brunched at Escalante’s, one of our favorite Mexican restaurants in Houston, and again we chowed down. Perfect weekend. 

{Two}

Unexpected Phone Calls.

There is nothing quite like hearing your phone ring and it unexpectedly being someone you love whom you haven’t spoken with in a while. Life gets busy, and sometimes we can go weeks without hearing the voice of a loved one. In my family, we group text all the time, but nothing beats a good, old-fashioned phone call. It was such a blessing to see my Momo’s name pop up on my phone this week. 

So thankful for her and so thankful for the phone call. 

{Three}

A growing toddler. 

This month Charlotte will be 16 months. Holy moly, how time is flying. (So cliche, but so true.) Every day is a new adventure with my little muffin. Right now she is a little sponge and also a little ham. Her theatrics never cease to amuse me. 

Here is where she plays. It’s a section in our living room that we have made her own, and well, she owns it. 

Now let’s talk about theatrics. Just look at that face. First of all, we are working on using plates right now. I didn’t really know when this day would come, but I’m loving that she is finally letting it stay stuck to her high chair and is not flailing it across the kitchen like she did before. Baby steps. 

But from one minute to the next, this little homegirl is happy, then screaming, crying mad. This picture doesn’t do it justice, but you know what I’m talking about if you have a toddler of your own. Or are we the only ones with a drama queen? 

So thankful for this growing girl. But please don’t ever grow up. 

 {Four}

A King-Size Bed. 

Ever since MJ and I got married in 2010, I have lobbied for a king-size bed since we have had a queen-size. I lobby for a lot of things in our household, and if all of our purchases were left up to me, we’d be broke. But thankfully my husband is a well-thought out man and takes these types of purchases very seriously and doesn’t do things on a whim. Jesus knew what He was doing putting us together. However, three-and-a-half years later, the hubs finally gave in to finding a new bed and mattress. You want to know why? 

Three years ago, when we moved into our house, I remember our movers telling me there was a problem setting up our bed. It was a busy day, so I just smiled and nodded like I usually do when I don’t really have an answer but need to move along. Well, for the past three years, we have slept on a bed that sinks into the middle. Or so MJ thought. He would always roll into me, and I would almost fall off my side of the bed. He couldn’t take rolling into me anymore, so he finally caved. Literally. Last weekend, we headed down to buy a new bed and mattress and found the perfect pieces. Praise the Lord! But as we were taking apart our old bed getting ready for our delivery this week, I noticed that the frame of the bed was not level at all. Totally lopsided, which made the mattress totally lopsided. MJ had been sleeping at an incline this whole time, which is why he had been rolling into me. Funniest thing ever. But in typical man fashion, he was convinced that it was the mattress’s fault, so we are still justified with the purchase. Woohoo! 

In true Griswold fashion, there were some hiccups with our order, and we’ll have to wait until August for our bed to be delivered. But thankfully, the mattress was something we did not have to wait for, and I am in heaven. Charlotte loves it, too.

{Five}

 Bible Study with Beth Moore.

I am so excited to share with y’all that Beth Moore has an online Bible Study going right now on her blog at Living Proof Ministries. (If you read my very first post, you’ll know how much Beth means to me.) The study called “Children of the Day” focusing on Thessalonians 1 & 2 just started Tuesday. I almost had forgotten that it was going to happen, but I was so thankful that my dear friend Ali reminded me. I hope you’ll join us.