Small Business Saturday..

Growing up in a small town, I feel like I have a real understanding of the importance of Small Business Saturday. My parents also have several small businesses that many of my friends "back home" support. Thank you for supporting our family whether it be through storing junk at the storage unit (A-1 Storage), washing your car at the car wash (Splash) or getting gas or snack The Corner Convenience Store.

Small Business Saturday is an American shopping holiday held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving during one of the busiest shopping periods of the year. 

I feel like I need to give a special shout of to one of my favorite small businesses in Cabot.  If you live in a small town it's easy to distinguish the corporate from the local. One of my favorite places in Cabot is Christie's Consignment Shoppe. I sell lots of stuff there and buy lots of stuff there. Lots of my clothes during my transition through clothing have come from there. 

I encourage you to give a shout out to your favorite small business today. They depend on YOU! 

A time to be thankful!

The holidays have arrived! Like so many I have so much to be thankful this year. I bring to you.. 

10.  Remembering last year's Thanksgiving.. Maddie had been to the ER twice and already had one hospitalization. The one in November was related to strep that moved in to her mouth. We were in the hospital for several days over that. We thought that was the worst thing ever. As most of you know, through many more ER visits and hospitalizations and our time in ICU that we learned that truly each day with Maddie is a gift.  We continue to be thankful for Arkansas Pediatric Facility, our doctors at Arkansas Children's Hospital and our for Maddie's extra time on life.  (I should also be thankful that God put my friend Angie in my life. She introduced us to APF! She has been an incredible for to me.)


9.  I spend many hours of my day at Aftercare Express. I have a great staff that I work with each day. I have a really supportive board that I report on a regular basis. We are also blessed to have so many awesome families in our program. Each day, 70 kids come to AfterCare Express (after school program) and we hope that each child feels loved, inspired, maybe learns something and experience Jesus. What a super cool thing God is doing at ACE. Glad he has me there. There is a saying "A chain in only as strong as its weakest link".. I am thankful for a team of people who work together and help us especially in our times of weakness.   They also keep me feeling young and hip. 


8. I am so thankful for each of the 89 pounds I have lost this year. I am thankful for each of those pesky 14 BMI points I have lost along the way too. 

7. Speaking of, I can be thankful without mentioning my supportive friends, family and medical people. I hear stories of people who have weight loss surgery and their family doesn't support them. I am blessed beyond belief. My family is cheering loud and clear and my husband is awesome. I am not sure that I would be successful without support of each of you! Each step- the therapy, working out, learning to eat again has been vital in me becoming a healthier person. 

6.  My husband. John is an incredible man- I think he is crazy but, I am grateful God placed him and his family in my life. 


5.  Lauren Emma-Claire. This child teaches me so much about life. I didn't ever know much about "children with autism" but, I have learned a lot from this kiddo. She has taught me the meaning of "unconditional love". If you work or know someone with Autism please check out the book called The Reason I Jump.  “The Chicago Tribune says this "Please don’t assume that The Reason I Jump is just another book for the crowded autism shelf. . . . This is an intimate book, one that brings readers right into an autistic mind—what it’s like without boundaries of time, why cues and prompts are necessary, and why it’s so impossible to hold someone else’s hand. Of course, there’s a wide range of behavior here; that’s why ‘on the spectrum’ has become such a popular phrase. But by listening to this voice, we can understand its echoes."  If you have a nook I would be happy to "loan" it to you. Your local library should have it to. It's a short read! 


4.  Our whole family is so thankful for Camp Aldersgate and Camp Barnabas! Lauren loves camp and the friends she has met there have been such a blessing!!!!!! Thank you to each of my friends who support these great organizations. Both of these camps are geared toward special needs kiddos. 

3. This is hard to admit. I am thankful for my aware of my brokenness.  My brokenness continues to humble me. A lot of days I feel like I am in a battle with the “I have it all together” mentality.  This insane thought that I might actually have all my ducks in a row- You guys all know through my blogging that is not true.  A friend/pastor one time asked me what I needed during some difficult times. I told the friend I was sick and tired of "Christian" people saying: God won’t give you more than you can handle. She says that is such a stupid cliché!  Anyways, I went on to read this blog and thought it was so helpful for those of you might be tired of the cliché. Anyways, I went on to read this blog and thought is was so helpful for those of you might be tired of the cliche. I know people mean well.....  Click here to read it. 

2. I am thankful that I live in a country where people get upset that people are shopping on Thanksgiving or people think you have to eat massive meals to have a real thanksgiving or as I call those first world problems. I get both sides of the great shopping debate. People love a good bargain whether it be through coupon(ing) or holiday sales.. Where do you draw the line????? I don't know and frankly, not sure I care. I care more about helping those who didn't have food on Thanksgiving. I love Cabot Community Thanksgiving (Click here to read about it). What does the bible say about helping the less fortunate? Actually, a lot- check out some verses here. 

1.  I am thankful for the verse Jeremiah 29:11. God understood his plan for me long before I did. Thank goodness! 






I hope you had a nice thanksgiving with those who you love. Whether it be eating yourself into gluttony, shopping for bargains, playing games with your siblings or going to the movies or whatever you did.. I hope you don't forget to be thankful for blessings in your life! 

Thank you for reading my blog!

Mama Rho