6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th

Being away on a work trip made it difficult to blog, so I am going to lump these past few days together.

6th:
I am thankful for my job. I have the very best boss and coworker I could ever ask for; they are friends as well as coworkers. We have the best group of students who aspire to do more and more each year. They teach me much and I love working with them. The job also fits our family's lifestyle very well; having a high-risk pregnancy that I go to the doctor often makes me greatly appreciate this aspect. So many people are jobless and go without I type this, and the fact that I don't just have a "job", but a job that is also rewarding, is a blessing I am very thankful for.

7th:
I am so very thankful for health and the healthy people in my life.  For years I took it for granted that I (and my close family and friends) were so healthy.  My eyes and heart are so much more aware of how much of a blessing it is to be well and to have a healthy child.  When I see a child with a disability or a person with ailing health, I have much more empathy and care for them...and I remember to thank the Lord for what He has given me. Similar circumstances to what rocked and changed my world are shaking up millions of lives each day.

8th:
I am grateful for Texas and the United States. Only about 1 in 22 people on this planet have the privilege I do, in that I was born as an American citizen. We have the amazing and under-appreciated privilege to worship the Lord Jesus Christ without fear of imprisonment, torture or a death sentence. We have access to clean water, healthy food, housing, education, jobs, health care, etc. no matter who you are or what you do. We are able to work hard and earn a good living. This country is not perfect by any means, but when I simply examine at what Chet and I waste on a monthly basis, I have more than most people will ever have.

9th:
I am thankful for heartbeats.  I have my own baby Doppler (and brought it with me on our work trip) and get to listen to our little one's heartbeats whenever I need the assurance. I have a new very favorite sound.

10th:
Today I am thankful for Hope Mommies. These women are heroes in my life. They daily encourage me and uplift me. Having friends who know that the Lord's plans are mightier and more perfect than ours, yet understand the pain of losing a child, is a dear gift. I am especially reminded of several precious women in my life this week, as they are going on a month without being able to hold their babies on earth. Last year at this time, I knew of only a few Hope Mommies. To date, I know of about one hundred. It breaks my heart to meet new Hope Mommies, but I am grateful to God for allowing our paths to intertwine. My Hope Mommy friends are priceless jewels.

5th

I am thankful for three special fur babies (cat and two dogs) in our life.  There are many days that no matter how stressful or bad it has been, Henri, Luke and Rusty can make me smile.  In fact, I can't be with them without smiling.  Fur babies have a way of doing that.

Chet calls them spoiled, I call them deserving. ;)  We both love them like family!

The righteous care for the needs of their animals, but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.  Proverbs 12:10

4th

Photo taken last July, at my shower for Holden. 

Each day I am so grateful for the gift of my relationship with my twin.  Charys and I are closer than just sisters.  I look forward to my daily chats with Charys, because oftentimes they are the best part of my day.  We share every little mundane detail of our lives with each other.

Charys is the most giving, talented, creative, loving, caring, compassionate human I have ever met.  She is a beautiful friend, sister, wife, mother and auntie.  She will do literally anything to help everyone (to a point that I sometimes get aggrevated with her).  I sometimes (okay a lot of times) feel a tinge of jealousy towards her; she is great at everything.  Gosh am I blessed to call her my sister. 

She is a woman who loves the Lord with all her heart, and that love is so evident in everything she does. 

Sis, today I am thankful for you!

"Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." Proverbs 31:29

2nd and 3rd

2nd: 
I didn't get a chance to blog last night, but I was so thankful for a warm home.  I know I am one of the blessed few on earth that get to live in a home with central heating and air, and always enjoy a comfy temperature.  With Texas' bipolar weather (30's this morning), I love knowing I will fall asleep and wake up in my warm home. 

3rd:
Today I am thankful for three blessings in my life who I would not be here without: 1. The Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God who came as a sinless and perfect man and willingly died to pardon my sins and give me eternal life.  He gives me health, life, happiness and everything I have.  2. My husband...I never fathomed  growing up that I would be lucky enough to be married to someone I truly cannot imagine living without.  3.  My close friends and family.  They are such a gift.

How great is God—beyond our understanding! Job 36:26

November's reminders

November 1

I know a lot of people post something they are thankful for each day of November.  I haven't ever jumped on the train myself, but I think it's always important to be reminded of things we are grateful for, so here goes.

This might be especially good since I can't seem to keep up with blogging much lately; I am hoping to get a moment to write down at least one thing I am thankful for each day this month.

Today I couldn't stop thinking of how thankful I am for my two children.  They have changed who I am, and I think will continue to change me all of my life.

Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from Him.  Psalm 127:3