i am forever grateful for my bed

this past week, we decided to change out ryan's and jacob's bunk beds for something more age appropriate. they are getting too old for bunk beds, so we decided to just give them away to someone who could really use them... a family in need.

i put the beds on craigslist announcing that i wanted to give the beds to a family who could really use them and that i wanted to know who they would go to and why. within minutes, my inbox was flooded with emails from families that broke my heart. reading each person's story made me realize that even though we don't have everything i ever wanted, all of my children have beds to sleep on each night, and that, to some people, a bed is actually a luxury to them.

i wanted to share some of their stories with you because sometimes we all need a little reminder of how lucky we are to have the things we have in our life, even the things as simple as a comfortable bed.

• I am in desperate need of this bunk bed set. My 2 children (9 & 5 yrs old) have been sharing a twin bed and have been begging for a bunk bed. We were hoping to get one for Christmas, so this would be excellent! Please let me know your availibilty for a pick up, if it is still available. Thank you!

 

•  Hi My name is Michelle and I really really really need these beds. My sons are 12 and 6 and currently sharing a mattress on the floor. I am in louisburg and can pick them up now. Please call me asap.  THANK YOU

 

• Hi my name is sasha . My husband and I have been looking every were for bunk beds . We are moving and are sons don't have beds. I have a 3 year old and 1 year old plus custody of my 12 year old brother. At the moment we can not afford to buy them bunk beds . Please give me a call I will very much take care of the beds . I'm very clean. This would be a lot off of our shoulders.

 

• Hello. I seen your ad and I am a single mom that just got out of a bad relationship and left everything behind. I have two little girls and could really use these. If you would like you can call me. Thanks.

 

•  In 2008 I gained custody of two Grandchildren. A few years later 3 more. I also have a 14 year old son I am still raising. In North Carolina there is no Grandparent rights. You do not take them you will never see them again. This state also offers only daycare and medicaid, everything else like food stamps you must qualify for. For awhile I was a big advocate to change the laws but as my family kept growing my time was soon gone.  My husband works at Central Prison in Raleigh and I am a store manager so we do not qualify for anything. 4 years ago was the roughest. We already had two and one still in a foster home. After we got her out I then got a phone call about my other daughters child. We took her too. Then the same daughter got pregnant and gave birth 11/04/12 at first we really struggled lucky for us she was in the hospital for two weeks. So we took her. When we purchased our home in 2007 our incomes could support us well. Now we have had to trim everything down and eliminate other things. We now pay our bills unless a crisis occurs, like last month when I developed a very large Kidney stone that I was rushed into surgery with. I do not regret my choices. People approach me all the time and say I do not know how you do it. I respond saying I do not know how anyone would not. There is my story.....Currently we have a old bunk bed and two toddler beds. My 14 year old sleeps on a mattress on the floor. The baby is a year now and still in a crib . One way or the other we have always managed and I will not be crushed if someone else needs it more. But it would one less thing on my plate. I have attached pictures so you know I am not a con. Good luck in your quest. I also have a grandparent page I would love for you to like on face book there maybe someone you know one day who needs this page. 

 

• We lost everything we had to mold and I have been searching high and low for some furniture for my daughter as she has been very despressed over losing all hers. I would love to get these if you still have then you would make a very happy little girl.

these are just a few of the messages i got, all from people who were desperate to receive the beds to help their family out. it was such a great reminder to me that so many of the things i complain about on a daily basis are so petty compared to the issues others are facing. it was so hard to choose a family to receive the beds, knowing that so many others would still have to go without.

tonight, when you lay your head down on your pillow tonight and curl up under the blankets of your warm bed, thank God for that bed and all that you have because somewhere out there, there is a family in need and perhaps even a child sleeping on a cold floor.

   

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: sixcherries

jar of thanks - free printable from paper coterie

right now paper coterie has this free give thanks printable available for you. use it to make your own gratitude jar with your family this month and teach your kids about being thankful for all the things they have. it comes with a label to put on your choice of jar and paper writing prompts to help you jot down some of the the things you are thankful for. as you fill out each little slip you can use them make a gratitude paper chain. i put ours together in less than 15 minutes and we all have already filled out our first slip of paper to get our paper chain started (even jason filled one out). this is a fun activity for the whole family and kids love it because they get to help participate in the creation of something special.

this month i am participating in 30 days of thankfulness and really wanted a way to get my kids involved as well. it is simple to put this jar in a place where it is easily accessible to them, and each day they are able to grab one of the slips. thanksgiving evening, i hope my plan to get all my children together one last time before the day retires works out, and we can sit down and read each one as a family. i might have to bribe them with hot chocolate!

   

joni - sixcherriesontop (at) gmail (dot) com | twitter | facebook | pinterest | instagram: sixcherries

The Gratitude Challenge - Postponed Until Further Notice

This was supposed to be posted yesterday, however, I have been extremely stressed out lately and in a small way I feel like I want to give up on this challenge. I am honestly trying to feel grateful, and for the most part, I am extremely grateful for what I have been given in life, but I am still in this slump that I just cannot seem to get out of. One minute I think it is "the blues" from having Elijah, but then another minute I think it is perhaps the stress of Jason not having a job and worrying constantly about every little thing. It could even be a combination of both. I am not sitting here feeling sorry for myself and wishing I had the money to go on a shopping spree at Target, I would just simply like to be back in the comforts of being able to pay our bills each month.

I also feel saddened when my daughter Mackenzie comes to me wanting to go to Jellybeans (a local skating rink that all of her friends are now starting to go to now that they are a little older) and I have to tell her that I can't even afford the $10 it costs to go. It is very heartbreaking to think that my child is missing out. I know how it can be, and if you don't hang out with the rest of the crowd, you suddenly have nothing in common with them anymore and then slowly they really aren't your friends anymore. It truly brings me to tears that there is nothing I can do. Just small moments like that and not being able to give to my kids. They don't fully understand what it means to be an adult and have to pay bills to live.

So why do I share all of this? Because although I am more than grateful for my health, my home, my children, and that I at least have a job, in a way I feel like I am being two faced each day continuing to write about how grateful I am when in the back of my head I am having a hard time being "grateful" for this stressful time and lack of money. I just can't bring myself to find a positive about being so broke.

In some small ways this challenge has opened my eyes to a few things like I have mentioned in previous posts. All of those posts were genuine in feelings but I believe that for now I am going to postpone the rest of the challenge until further notice. Some may say that continuing the challenge may actually help, and that might be right, however, to be honest, I just don't feel like finishing it right now. I am sure this comes as a disappointment, I am not usually one to give up, but this is unfortunately one of those rare occasions. Hopefully, I have not been too big of a disappointment to those who enjoyed reading about this journey for me.

The Gratitude Challenge-Day 13

Week 2: BE GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING AROUND YOU-Day 13
Today's challenge was to pick three people, friends or family members, and view their actions and gestures through a positive lens. I have been so sick with the flu lately that I have started to slip when it comes to these gratitude challenges. Other than Jason and my children, I have separated myself from everyone in my life right now simply because I am at a place right now in life where I am trying to overcome this depressed state I seem to be stuck in. I must say that going through this gratitude challenge I have found that not only do I see the positive in the world around me, I take notice of how negative others are as well. Although my life seems to be stuck in a rut right now, I still take the time to be grateful for life's every moments.

I have chosen not to do this challenge because I have pretty much described in some way shape or form how grateful I am for all of the most important people in my life.

My favorite feelings:
*Soft baby skin
*Brand new socks on my feet
*Sand between my toes at the beach
*My favorite blanket against my body when I am cold
*The heat of a warm fire on a cold winter's night

The Gratitude Challenge-Day 12

Week 2: BE GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING AROUND YOU-Day 12
Today was a lazy Sunday, so I didn't really get the chance to practice any part of today's challenge. However, seeing our budget the other day did give me a positive outlook on how things are going to go for us in the next few weeks. I budgeted that my paycheck would be $50 more than it was, and somehow after doing the math, we ended up $240 more than my original calculation. That is AWESOME! Every little bit counts for us right now as we wait for Jason's opportunity at a new job, but it felt really great to be that much ahead of ourselves. We put most of it away for savings, but of course we did spend a few dollars to get some much needed items for the house.

For one, we bought a new sprayer for the kitchen sink. The old one had begun leaking, creating a huge puddle under our kitchen sink. Luckily, we discovered the problem before we had a bigger mess on hand.

We also purchased a second trash can for the kitchen. The new N.C. law for recycling took affect this past Friday, so it was necessary for us to get a second trash can making it easier for us to separate our plastic containers. I have no problem with recycling, I just hate to see all those trash cans in my kitchen...but if we put them outside, the neighborhood cats (all 500 of them!) will get into them. It sure would be nice to have a garage!

So, there you can see, two reasons to be grateful for the extra found money. If it had not been for that money, I would still have a leaky sprayer that hung over into the sink to prevent flooding, and I would be digging through my garbage to make sure I was not setting myself up for a $250 fine for putting plastic in my garbage.

My Favorite Sounds:
*Rain
*My children laughing
*Ocean waves
*A peaceful silence
*A fan spinning
*My favorite song on the radio (whatever favorite song it may be at that time)

The Gratitude Challenge-Day 11

Week 2: BE GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING AROUND YOU-Day 11
Today's challenge is to see the world through the eyes of a child. I must say that as I recall my own childhood, I remember never having a fear or care in the world. Children view the world in a much different way than adults do. For one, I know that as I look at things now, I always think about the consequences of my actions. Children do not judge others for their differences including race, religion, abilities, disabilities, or inabilities. Every day in a new adventure for children as they learn, explore, and get to know the world around them using all of their senses to their maximum ability. To be able to enjoy the world as an adult, the way that a child does every day, would be truly amazing!

My Favorite Tastes:
*Creamy chocolate melting in my mouth
*BLT sandwiches-crispy bacon, crunch lettuce, sweet tomatoes
*The sweet juices of fresh fruit
*Fresh breath after brushing my teeth
*Fresh squeezed lemonade
*ICEE-blue razzberry on a hot day
*Homemade salsa
*Popsicles
*Homemade loaded mashed potatoes

The Gratitude Challenge-Day 10

Week 2: BE GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING AROUND YOU-Day 10
Today's challenge is to pick one of my five senses and take note of how many gifts come to me via that single port of entry. I will do a different one each day, but today I think I will start our with my sense of smell.My favorite smells:
*Coffee-freshly brewed & right when you open up a new container
*Babies-clean babies, especially right after a bath
*Baby powder
*Bacon frying
*The beach
*Fresh baked chocolate chip cookies
*Laundry straight from the dryer
*Fresh cut grass
*Sun tan lotion and sunscreen

The Gratitude Challenge-Day 9

Week 2: BE GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING AROUND YOU-Day 9
As you know, I am always talking about my family, but today I will talk about something and someone other than them. Today's challenge is to enjoy and appreciate the people around you. Well, since I promised I wouldn't talk about my family, I will talk about my friends.

My two closest friends are Matt and Amanda (right about now Matt could care less that I mentioned his name. However, Amanda I am sure, is freaking out, and probably even hoping I don't post a picture of her. So, let's go ahead and get that out of the way...Sorry Amanda!).I won't go all into details about them without their permission (I already posted a pic. without even letting them know) but both of them and their significant other have done nothing but be the very best of friends these last couple of years as I have gotten through my separation from Jeremy. Matt is the brother I never had and Amanda is the sister I always wanted. One thing I know for sure about them is that I can count on them whenever I need them and they will be here by my side if I ever call upon them. I am grateful the Lord has put them in my life.

The Gratitude Challenge-Day 8

Week 2: BE GRATEFUL FOR EVERYTHING AROUND YOU-Day 8
Okay, so I cheated a little when it came to sending out letters. I emailed two people instead of hand writing anything. It didn't specify that I had to hand write anything, however, I am pretty sure it would have been a better option. Since I have had the flu, I have tried my hardest to keep up with my daily challenges, but unfortunately I was only able to email two people. I made certain that it was two people who certainly did need some recognition right now. I won't go on to mention anyone's name because I don't want them to feel that I wrote them because I had to. I wrote these two people out of genuine concern for them. I keep them both in my thoughts and prayers and am grateful to know each of these two women.

The Gratitude Challenge-Day 7

Week 1: BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE-Day 7This picture was taken last year and I did not feel it was necessary to take a new picture to be able to tell everyone how wonderful this man is. He came into my life at the perfect time and has helped me to overcome many of the fears I had from my ex-husband. He has been a terrific father for my girls (our girls) and our boys. Sometimes I feel like he is put to the back burner and is not thanked enough for all he does simply because most of our time revolves around our children. Raising a family of six can be a very trying experience as well as a very rewarding one. He has handled the trials of parenthood much better than I have, and done most of it with a smile on his face. I know the Lord will continue to reward him for all that he has done to keep a little sanity in our home.

The Gratitude Challenge-Day 6

Week 1: BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE-Day 6
Considering the fact that I sick as a dog today, I didn't really feel up to calling anyone. I have a terrible upper respiratory infection ( I hope!) and have really pushed through the day to take care of my family. I am actually feeling so bad that I plan to take myself to be seen by a doctor tomorrow, just to make sure that I don't have anything other than a simple head and chest cold. I am extremely paranoid about the H1N1 virus and certainly don't want any of my children to get sick simply because I didn't see a doctor. The worst that could happen is that I miss a day of work, but I will at least be at ease in my mind.

I will definitely reschedule my phone call to someone I haven't talked to in a while. I think it may be my grandmother. Stay tuned for my update on that.

The Gratitude Challenge-Day 5

Week 1: BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE-Day 5

My Life's Greatest Blessings

• God
  
• My children and Jason
  
• My Mother
  
• My friends
• The health of myself and my kids
  
• Food to nourish our bodies
• A dependable vehicle
• A job to provide for my family
  

The Gratitude Challenge-Day 4

Today I am supposed to write down a negative in my life and tell how it has given me an opportunity to learn and grow. Basically, learning to look at the brighter side of a bad situation.

Week 1: BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE-Day 4
Looking on the Bright Side...
One thing that comes to mind quickly for me is how Jason lost his job. Although it has hit us hard, the positive is that Jason can stay at home with Elijah. I absolutely did not want Elijah in childcare, and was worrying myself sick about him having to go and being sick all the time from the inevitable "daycare crud". Luckily, although money is tight, I am happy that Elijah is at home.

The Gratitude Challenge-Day 3

Week 1: BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE-Day 3
Tomorrow will be the first time we have seen Ryan and Jacob in almost two months...they left to go to their grandmother's house in Alabama just a couple days before Elijah was born. Then, when they came back home, they haven't been here because we haven't been able to afford the gas money to drive the distance to their mother's house. Since Jason lost his job, we have struggled with money, and unfortunately have not been able to get them (such a horrible feeling to be stuck in a situation where you have to choose between your kids and necessities). However, we have been saving every little dime and we are proud to say we have the money saved to go get them this weekend. I am grateful for being able to find a way to save up this money. Today, we double checked our totals before making final decisions, and it is official, they will be here this weekend. The BEST part is...they will meet their new baby brother for the first time. Stay tuned for lots of new family photos!

The Gratitude Challenge-Day 2

I am definitely grateful for everything in my life, however, I just feel horrible lately. Today was my first day back to work after seven weeks of being home with my little man. I missed him in the worst way and can only hope each day gets easier. Lately, I have had this feeling like I have complicated my life with so many "other" things, like work & school. It's hard to go through an entire day and squeeze in time for that and family. I feel like I should be spending more time with my children, being more of a mom. It is a very sad feeling. I want to bake cookies, cupcakes, and brownies. I want to play Candy Land and Memory. I want to go to the park. You only get one chance to be a parent to your children.

I am so grateful that the Lord has blessed me with six wonderful children. I don't want to screw this up.

Week 1: BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE-Day 2

Here are my ABC's of things to be thankful for:

America. I feel thankful to be living in this country. Although times are tough for our economy right now, there truly is no better place to be living on this Earth.
Beach. There is no better place to be than on the beach on a hot Summer day, with my family, enjoying the waves, building sandcastles, and searching for shells.
Coupons. Only the greatest way I have learned to save money. I have saved and gotten so many free things in the last few months that I couldn't have gotten without them.
Divorce. The best gift I will give myself in order to move on in my life from the nightmare marriage of my first husband.
Elijah.
Family and Friends. My whole world.
God. The reason I live and breathe each day.
Home. No matter how bad my day is, I know that at the end of the day, I have a home to go to.
Internet. Blogging and surfing saves my sanity.
Jacob.
Kindness. The kindness of others. The greatest feeling to witness and know that it still exists.
Laughter. Especially when it's the laughter of children.
Mackenzie.
New beginnings. The life I will have with Jason.
Old Navy. My favorite store to shop for clothes.
Phoenix.
Quiet. Especially the quiet of the night. My time to rest.
Ryan.
Soldiers. They are the reason this country is free. The greatest Freebie on Earth.
Tyler.
Underwear. Especially from Victoria's Secret.
Vehicle. Although it is old and raggedy, it gets me where I need to go, and that's all that matters.
Weekends. The much needed rest I seek at the end of every week.
Xtra Cash. As in the kind you find in the washer that came out of a pocket and you didn't know you had it.
Youth. Many of the downfalls in my youth are what have made me a stronger person as I have ventured toward adulthood.
Zzzzz's. Sleeping is awesome!

The Gratitude Challenge-Day 1

I have been invited to participate in the Graditude Challenge, a 21-day project created by Tiny Prints to help others take note of the bright side of life. The challenge is an encouragement and commitment to share with yourself and others gratitude for everyday experiences and will help revitalize your life in a positive way. They invite myself, and others to join in, and to spend a few minutes each day appreciating all of life's little blessings through a list of daily tasks.

Week 1: BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE-Day 1
I have chosen to accept this challenge in light of how I have been feeling lately. I must say that I know I live a life full of many things thankful of, however, since Elijah has been born, I have struggled with depression, anxiety, and just have no motivation to do anything. I do intend to speak to my doctor about this, but I felt like I just needed to take a step back and be more appreciative of everything I have been given in life. I have signed the pledge and am going to be fully committed to completing the challenge. I hope to regain not only a sense of myself in remembering the joys of life like I used to, but to teach myself to slow down just a little so that those wonderful moments don't pass me by.