I am SO Thankful...

I LOVE this time of year! I LOVE Fall, Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's a time that I realize how blessed we are. And we're thankful. I do believe the more thankful you are in life, the happier you are. Thankfulness is something that I've really been thinking A LOT about lately. It's not something that I should only do around the Holidays. I want to be more thankful and for it to be something that I feel more ALL the time not just around the Holidays.

I'm thankful for the "regulars"...the givens. You know, our house, our clothes, our car. So thankful. But this year I've been thinking a lot about all the "little" things I'm thankful for.

Like how Gabe pats my back whenever I pick him up.

Or how he'll grab a book and walk over to us, turn around and back up into our laps.

I'm thankful that my mom makes us a huge wonderful dinner on Thanksgiving and I want her to know that I appreciate it so much.

I'm so thankful that my dad drives me to work 3 days a week and I don't have to ride public transportation.

I'm thankful for my sisters.

I'm thankful for times with friends like getting up early and waiting in line with a warm coffee to shop the morning away with Marcia and Sara. Dinner tonight with Michael and Kara and time with Teresa tomorrow afternoon.

I'm so thankful for the little hand that reaches for mine when he's not sure about something. (Gabe is already so independent and there might be a day that he won't need my hand as he goes through new adventures in his life.)

I'm thankful for disposable diapers.

I'm so thankful for how Gabe knows to pray before eating and before bed. How we'll sit down to eat or set him in his crib for the night and we hear his little voice say "ray ray".

I love how we'll be at the store, the park, a restaurant and Gabe will say hi to strangers as they walk by or sit next to us.

I loved how the other day I was out in the garage putting in a load of laundry and as I walked in the door I heard this little "HIIIIIIEEEEE" as he sat in Bryan's game chair like he was waiting for me to come back in.

I love how excited Gabe and Jaden get when they see each other and how last night Gabe was making Jaden laugh hysterically.


I'm so thankful that even though Bryan talks the big talk about how tough he is, Gabe's got him wrapped around his finger...he's such a great Dad.

I'm so thankful that even though Bryan and I had a disagreement yesterday that we were able to sit and work it out like ADULTS and totally enjoy our Thanksgiving day together.

I'm so thankful I get to be a mom.

Look at those eye lashes

I'm thankful for my testimony of what I know is true....we have a loving Father in Heaven who wants us to return to live with him again some day. I'm thankful for the example of Jesus Christ in my life and that I can share all this with my kids.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

~Our Family tree of Gratitude~