A Grateful Heart

Last year for the month of November I did 30 days of gratefulness.  Today I look at the calendar and see that it's 11/17/13.  Where has time gone? I swear it was just Halloween or summer for that matter!

I want to take a moment to reflect on my life, where God has me right now, and the many blessings He has so graciously given to me.

This picture.  Oh my goodness.  I am so blessed.  Josh is a husband who strives to honor God with his life.  He strives to provide for his family.  He strives to show me and the kids daily how much he loves us.  He strives to spend as much time with us as possible, even when life hits the fan like it did last month!!!  It's truly amazing God's goodness to me in Josh. To fall in love with a boy back in our youth, and now to be married to the man I always wanted to have a family with.  This is our dream we are living.  Two kids.  Both are such miracles no one will ever fully know or understand!  They are the most precious gifts, joy of our lives, etc etc.  Charlie should be in the picture, because he is seriously the greatest dog that ever lived. Our golden retriever that is so sweet by nature and loves everyone. This picture doesn't show that life is definitely not always easy, that there are many challenges we face, but in the end God is good and His love endures forever.


This picture makes me smile.  My family.  You wouldn't even believe that the first picture taken in this series was this one...the best!
It's been so cool to see my parents become grandparents.  Who would have known that in 2 short years they would become Gigi and Papa to 3 amazing kids!  I'm so happy for them.  They are so good with my kids.  My parents are so creative and playful with Anya.  A few weeks ago I watched my dad interact with Anya.  It was so neat to see.  He offered her crayons and a coloring book, even brought the kids picnic table inside his family room so she could color him a picture.  I love seeing Anya watch football with him.  My mom puts in the extra energy to have backyard picnics with Anya, lets her play in the kitchen sink with lots of bubbles.  I love all of the creative things she lets Anya do, just to explore the world and be hands-on.  I'm also so grateful for the Aunts my sisters have become to Anya and Oliver.  They are seriously THE BEST Aunts everrrr!  Katie is our nanny extraordinaire.  Oh my goodness this lady is a rockstar!!!

She is the most precious person ever.  Constantly giving of herself, her time, her energy, her everything to help me out with the kids and give me a break. No $ amount could ever been enough for what she deserves.  She is the most sacrificial and selfless person I know!  On top of that she has a heart of gold.  She only deserves the best!

Cindy just became a mommy for the first time in February.

She is such a determined Mommy.  Determined to do what is best for Mary, to serve her husband Tony, to be an offering for her family.  She amazes me at how quickly she has adapted to being a mommy and how easily it comes to her.  Anya and I talk to her almost every weekday.  It's awesome to be close to someone so far away.  Anya gets little notes and stickers in the mail from Cindy often and it's so sweet.  It's truly a blessing to have such a great relationship with my sisters.

My brother-in-law Tony.  The greatest uncle to Anya (and Oliver)!

Anya ADORES Uncle Tony.  I am blessed to have a brother-in-law who loves the Lord and is a strong believer in conservative, Christian values.

My parent-in-loves!  They have raised my husband to be a God-honoring man.  I am so thankful for all of the great influences they have had on Josh...and now my children!  They are such great role models and have wonderful advice.  How blessed am I to call them my parents too!?  I truly don't know what I would do without them!!!  It's been so awesome to see them become grandparents.  Anya and Oliver are SO blessed to call them Grandma "Mama" and Papa Nilsson!  God is so good to bless them to meet two grandkids, something I know they didn't think that would happen, especially Mama!  Thank you God for this blessing.  Anya loves when Mama comes over to play, and when Papa gives her special treats at their house (Animal crackers!)  Again I am SO blessed to get help once a week from my mother-in-love who comes to play with Anya so I can get out or get things done around the house, or just to focus on Oliver.

 The list goes on and on for the blessings in my life!  Friends, our church, bible study groups, neighborhood, living close to family, Josh's job, my job as a stay at home mommy, my grandma, and on and on!!!

We are so grateful for this full circle moment (pictured below).  Josh's birth mother, Diana, meeting our son Oliver for the first time.  It's like she is experiencing her son's life (in a way) through our son. We realize Ollie is his own person, but God is so good to allow her to watch Anya and Oliver grow and develop so she can see glimpses of what Josh might have been like as a baby/ child.

We are so grateful to know Diana and her wonderful family.  It's crazy that it has been almost/ only a year, and so neat how God orchestrates things in His perfect time!  What a journey it has been!

Lastly, I am so incredibly grateful for my grandma.  Even better, that she has met my children and Anya knows her by name.  I realize this is rare and it is so special to me.  I love going to visit her and stay at her house.  I pray that Anya will have memories of her house just like me.  

I have so much to be grateful for.  Happy Thanksgiving!