With a Thankful Heart

If you have read this blog, friended us on Facebook, or you've known us for any amount of time, you might know that Scott and I are pretty much Thanksgiving's number one fans. We enthusiastically defend the holiday from naysayers and overzealous Christmas fans. We look forward to getting Halloween "over with" and let Christmas know where it belongs. We spend weeks planning our Thanksgiving menu and generally have a couple of practice Thanksgiving dinners to test out new recipes.

Having recently been accused of being, (thank you Jordan), "food worshipers," I did a little introspection. Does our little family just love Thanksgiving for the excuse at gluttony? Okay, a little bit, I admit it. But it's so much more than that. It's spending slow, quality time with family. Gathering together, playing games, sharing food, enjoying each other's company. And it's a rare time when all of us have our minds on our blessings and have thankful hearts. So lest we come across as mere food worshipers this month, I thought I'd share a few of the grateful feelings in my heart:

I'm grateful for Scott. With his crazy work schedule and class schedule, I don't get to see him very much. And I'm super grateful that after six and a half years of marriage, I really, really miss him and totally dig being with him! Our few hours together are sweet ones.

I'm grateful for Ellie. She's my great little friend and companion and we totally adore each other. It's hard to be too lonely with her around.

I'm grateful for baby #2! (Man, this poor girl needs a name)! As terrifying as the thought of a new baby is for me sometimes, I know we need her in our family right now just as much as she needs to be here with us right now. And guys, I know you think my ultrasound pictures look like there's an alien inside of me, but I think she's adorable!

I'm grateful for a belief in life eternal. And not just living beyond death, but marriage beyond death, and family units existing beyond death. This weekend I attended the funeral of Dave Holcomb, my former professor and employer. He died far too early of a brain tumor. And I just received news of our new camping buddy, Kali's brother-in-law, Rusty, passing away tonight in motorcycle accident. He was so young and still so newly married. I honestly believe that mortality is but a brief part of God's plan for us, and that while the grief and the heartache remains for those left behind, they will both be with their families again.

I'm grateful for seasons. In every literal and metaphorical sense of the word. There's beauty in each, and the change is good for the soul.

I love you guys. Thanks for being our family, our friends, our neighbors. I really am grateful for each one of you.

And because these are just too cute not to post, I'm grateful for best buddies: