30 Days of Grateful... Day 7

Each and every day I am thankful for God's direction in our lives. Yes, I do have those days, many days, where I want to be in full control and feel as though I am. But there are those days where I sit back, relax and enjoy God's amazing ride for my life; which I need to do much more often!

One very special instance where I finally sat back and enjoyed the ride was when I knew God wanted Mark and I to go to this little island out in the Pacific Ocean, and I had fought it for so many months before... but when I finally let go.... It was one of the most special blessings!

Saipan was home for two years, and we made some amazing friends, and they turned into family. I see their photos now on facebook and I get homesick. Homesick for the island that changed my life, homesick for the family I made there, homesick for the delicious food, homesick for the weather (espcially now with winter upon us), homesick for my outdoor church, homesick for the job I loved, homesick for the island where we welcomed our miracle baby, homesick for my home away from home.

Saipan will always be home, and I will always miss it. AND I will always be grateful and thankful for God taking over the driver's seat and allowing me to sit back and enjoy the ride to a place I never would have dreams so wonderful.

Thanks God!

30 Days of Grateful... Day 6 (A Day Behind)

Yes, I am a day behind, again... but I am on vacation! =) But I am still thankful.

Yesterday I was thankful for the Oliver-side neices and nephews! They crack me up, and I love how they love on their cousin Hatley! So blessed and thankful to come from a family where even though we don't live very close to each other (California, Texas, and Washington), we are still pretty close (relationships). So happy to see Hatley playing and giggling with her cousins, and I can see in many ways how they are related =)

Now don't mind me, but these are not recent pictures... I am using Mark's computer and have yet to upload any of this weeks pictures =)

Emilie & Hatley - 4th of July 2o11 (Emilie has blessed us by coming up the last two summers to Washington and spending a few weeks with us, hope that continues to happen once she heads off to college next year!)
Aaron & Mark ( June of 2007 - only picture I had on this computer.) Glad we snapped a bunch while he and my brother Tom were here in Texas with us!
July 2011, when Emilie and Kristen came up for few weeks to Washington! Hope you both can make it up again next summer!

And I am not leaving cousin Ryan out, I just don't have recent pictures of him on here, and did I mention he is the reason we are here! He got married last Saturday and is now honeymooning! Congratulations Ryan and Katherine, we love you!

30 Days of Grateful... Day 5

Katherine & Ryan Pickop - November 5, 2011
Mark and Brittany Sawyer - December 30, 2006


Today was B-E-A-U-tiful! Today I am thankful for LOVE and MARRIAGES. Today we welcomed Katherine into our family, and boy was their wedding special and beautiful! So glad we were able to come down here and be a part of their wonderful day!

Mark and I are going to be celebrating 5 years of marriage next month, and I am so thankful for each and everyday that I have been able to call Mark my husband. Thanks God, for blessing Ryan and Katherine and thanks God for blessing me with such a man!

30 Days of Grateful - Day 4

This may be pathetic sounding and I know it is quite materialistic, but I am thankful for it... Starbucks, I love you and your flavor. Thanks so much for your morning goodness. I gratefully appreciate it! =) It is on morning's like these, that you never cease to amaze me. I promise tomorrow, it will be a little bit more heartfelt =) Or deep.

30 Days of Grateful... Day 3 (A day late)

(Andrew & Brittany - August 2011)

(Tom, Julie & Brittany - 1984)

I apologize, I am running a day late. Yesterday we spent our day getting up at 4 am, getting to the airport at 5 am, flying to Salt Lake and then on to Dallas, jumping in a car and playing and relaxing around my sister's house. This house is crazy and by crazy I mean lot's o' people! My sister, her husband, and their two daughters; my Sister's mom, my mom and dad, Mark, Hatley and I, and then late last night my older brother and his son showed up from California! It is going to be a fun and crazy week here in Texas!

So what am I grateful for day 3? I am thankful for my sibilings. And even though we weren't all in a house at the same time, but we are still close and are able to share our families! Hatley sure loves her cousins, aunties and uncles! So thankful we are able to be here and spend a week with them! Thanks God for amazing family!

30 Days of Grateful... Day 2.

Today I am thankful for my sweet girl.

We had Hatley's 18 month (yes, I said 18 month; don't get this mama started) wellness check-up. She is growing good! She weighed in at 24 lbs and 4 oz. and she is 31 1/2 inches tall. She is the 50% for everything. She now have 11 very sharp teeth, and is getting her mama's curly hair!

There isn't a day that goes by that this little squirt doesn't makes me laugh or smile. And I wonder how many kisses a day she gets from her mama too.
Hatley's Wordage: MOM (she yells it!), Dada, Papa, Nana, bye bye, Hi, Tank oooo (thank you), please, whatcha doin?, uh ohhh, teas (Cheese), one, two, twee (three), and Go! Her vocab is surprising us each and every day!
Hatley Elizabeth, your mama and daddy Love you Oh So MUCH and we hope you know that! You have brought so much joy and giggles into our life and we are sooooo blessed to be your parents! I am sooooo thankful for you Roo!

30 Days of Grateful...

Grateful: warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received; thankful.

It is November 1st. And there are 30 day's in November. The Thanksgiving Holiday falls in November. At Thanksgiving we are thankful, but I think we are more thankful for all the deliciousness in front of us.... So I am here to change that this month....

30 Day's of Grateful....

Day 1:

I am thankful for my hardworking, Christ centered, giving and generous, huggable/kissable, hysterical, handsome, determined, positive, and loving husband.

Mark is so many things. Hatley and I haven't seen Mark much lately as he has been working overtime, with the church, Young Life, building dog houses, sheds, fencing, etc... he is busy (for instance, as I write this, it is 11:20pm and he is currently in Spokane delivering dog houses). Even though 90% of the time I hate the fact that he is never home or always has something on his calendar, or that I just can't have 10 minutes all by myself because a little squirt is at my feet, I stop and remember he isn't with us, because he is working for us. He is taking care of us, and as much as we want him home, I know he wants to be home. So today, I am thankful for my handsome husband. And so excited that we get to spend 8 straight days with him in Texas starting Thursday! We love you Mark, more then you will ever know.