This Thanksgiving I am thankful for so many things... For my new job, because I am happy there, because of the peace of mind and security that it brings to our family, because of the benefits that come with having a good job and an income and the things it will allow us to do. I am thankful for good friends, both for friends far away and near by, ones that I have spent time with in person and for the surprisingly close friendships I have found online with my March Mommies group. I am especially thankful for Family, both our own little family and also for our extended family that gets bigger and bigger the further you go. I know not all of my family members have had good years, some have had a lot of hard things to go through or health problems that are ongoing. I just hope that they all know that they are loved, wherever they are and whatever they are going through.
Family has been highlighted for me this year as I have witnessed friends loosing family members. I always love my family to death and try to never take them for granted though I know I probably do sometimes and I know as a wife and mother I sometimes am grouchy or short with Luke or Greg or don't spend as much energy as I wish I did with Aaron. But this year I have seen friends loose their mother, spouse, or young child, and those friends are often on my mind. I have seen them walk through the dying processes with their loved ones so gracefully in a way that left no regrets. I can't begin to imagine what this has been like for them. I have given my boys bigger squeezes and I hope loved my friends and family better because of knowing these people. I know that even on my worst days with my boys they would give anything to be able to have a screaming toddler in a store or a sleepless night with an infant that just won't sleep.
This year I am also grateful for new life. I am so grateful for Aaron and how healthy and happy he is. After loosing our angel almost 2 yrs ago this pregnancy and now sweet baby was such a gift. I treasured every moment of it and was so grateful to be able to go to the Yoder Birth Center instead of a hospital for delivery. And now we also have a new nephew, Charlie. Watching my brother and sister-in-law go through this pregnancy and delivery and now almost two full weeks of parenting for the first time, I am so, so grateful. I know that Andrea had some added worries early on because of my experiences, but thankfully her pregnancy was a healthy one, her delivery was safe and joyful, and her baby is healthy and beautiful! I am beyond happy for them. Knowing how wonderful the parenting experience has been for me I can't help but be excited for them as they get their first chance to know that indescribable love of a parent for their child. As they are blessed so am I.
I am so richly blessed in so many ways and I know that God has helped me through the hard times as well as the good times. I am grateful for a God who is everything and more. For a faith that teaches me and carries me. For a faith community which is loving and vibrant and which searches carefully for God's will in every situation.
This has turned out to be a very good year for me. This time last year I could not have seen what might be ahead, or how God would use hard things in my life to bring goodness. I had a hard time letting others know how hard things were for me at that time or asking for support even though I really needed it. I wish I had been able to do things differently, to not have to go through the hard parts, but with out the really hard parts I would not be where I am today, I would not be so richly blessed by the changes those hard things brought to my life. So that is why I say this was a good year. It wasn't easy, but the end result is that my family and I have been changed so much for the better. If we hadn't been forced to make changes I don't know when they ever would have happened, and these changes are soooo good.
In the next month we will find out if we will be accepted for Service Adventure Leadership positions and where we will be placed if accepted. If we don't get in this year it will be OK, the changes we have made this year mean that either way it will be good. We hope that we will get a placement, but we know that there are several couples applying this year and limited placements so those in charge need to consider carefully what will be best for both the couples applying and the placements that need leaders next year. If we are accepted that will mean a lot more good changes in the next year. If not we will look for other ways to make good changes in our lives.
So anyway, I just want to wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving and send you all so much love! Your love and support means so much to me and I am thankful for you!
