The Best Laid Plans...

I had all sorts of plans for how I was going to spend my first "non-vacation" day of 2013.

Finish putting away the Christmas decorations, give the house a good scrub, start filling in my 2013 planner, start up Lily's pre-school again, run a few errands, put up a Christmas re-cap blog post, and return to my regularly scheduled morning exercise routine. I had set my alarm for 5:30, planning to start the day early digging into the new Bible study book I got for Christmas.

Instead, I woke up with a middle of the night stomachache that turned into...well, I won't divulge any details but it was a rather unpleasant way to spend the day. Not only me but Dave, too was struck down with a nasty stomach bug. We both lamented the days where our moms took care of us while we were sick and all we had to do was lay on the couch, watch TV, and recover. Unfortunately, sick days weren't included in the parenting package!

So, here we sit, on the third day of the New Year, exhausted and weak, our oldest girlie laying on the couch tired after a night of throwing up, the living room still a mess of unfinished Christmas decoration tear down.

It's not the "fresh start" I had planned for the New Year, but I'm reminded {again} that I'm not the one who is ultimately making the plans.

So today I am just going to make a short list of some things I am thankful for -- it could ALWAYS be worse, right?

• An unexpected chance to rest
• Indoor plumbing
• HEAT...and the money to pay for it!
• Hot showers
• A NON-terminal disease
• Comfy clothes

What are YOU thankful for?

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On another note, I've got a new book review that comes with a GIVEAWAY over on my review blog!

 A classic Christmas picture book, One Wintry Night tells the story of a mountain boy who is injured in a snowstorm and seeks refuge in a cabin. While he waits out the storm, the woman who lives there tells him the Christmas story. In a magnificent blend of a contemporary setting with the history of God’s redeeming love, Ruth Graham created a wonderful and unique version of the Christmas story. Breathtakingly illustrated by renowned artist Richard Jesse Watson, One Wintry Night is the perfect gift for the young and the young-at-heart that will fascinate both those who have heard the Bible story many times and those who know only a few details.

Click over to the review for more details and a chance to win a copy of this book!