12th

Last night we had the surreal opportunity to visit with Dr. Patrick Mutano, in person, here in Snyder, TX!  He is in the states from Uganda for a few weeks, and we are so blessed he could make time for us during his full agenda stateside.

Kara's parents hosted the BBQ at their lovely home, and we had beautiful chilly November weather for the occasion.  (Dr. Patrick and I agreed that it was cold; I sat as close to the chiminea as possible.  Everyone else was not bothered one bit by the cold.) ;)  I did not cook or contribute anything, so I must make it known that Kara, JD, Karen, Keith, Darci, Bryan and Chet definitely did all the work.  Thanks team!!  I just got off work and showed up to chat and eat.  Lucky me!

Getting to learn who the 'person' Dr. Patrick is was amazing.  I loved to learn about his beautiful country, a country I believe part of my heart exists in.  Chet and I long to visit, and will very soon. :)

Today I have been overwhelmingly thankful for Dr. Patrick and his heart dedicated to serving the Lord through service to others.  He runs a hospital, overseas the building of our water wells, and we are even discussing the possibilities of an orphanage he will help direct.  He uses his God-given abilities to give to others with all that he has.  During the evening, Kara mentioned to him that they booked him a hotel room so that he would be 'comfortable'.  His reply, "I live in a hut, Kara.  I don't need a hotel to be comfortable."

A servant's heart.  That is what I am grateful for today.

Karen took some photos of the evening with her camera, so I will post whenever I get them from her.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send?  And who will go for us?"  And I said, "Here am I.  Send me!"  Isaiah 6:8 

11th

I sit here typing, safe in my warm office. I enjoyed a warm burrito, hot coffee and a long, hot shower all before 8am.  I ran errands during lunch and had pizza with my husband.  I am not laying in scorching sand, having gone without a real meal in months, tired, exhausted and being shot at. I am not staring at the bloodied faces of my friends as they slip away. I am not; but thousands have and are this very minute. THANK YOU to every past Veteran and current Veteran. You've given us your lives, a gift greater than no other. Thank you to every family member who has had to hug their loved ones goodbye as they are sent off. Sacrifice...for us.  Today I am thankful to have freedom that isn't free.

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