Happy Thanksgiving!

As my first Thanksgiving as a mommy comes to a close, I have a little time to reflect on the past year and the entirety of my day.  Whew!  What a busy year...and a busy day!

This time last year, I was pregnant with Oliver.  I was about three months along, and I had gone back to work at the coffee shop at the Christian Bookstore.  I loved that job so much.  This year, I have my baby boy in my arms, and I get to stay home with him full time.  God is good!  This time last year, our finances were in better shape than they are now (because of furlough Fridays).  While in essence losing 20% of our income was a bit hard at first, we've learned to lean on God for our finances, and that is huge!  I'm thankful for the opportunity to learn, even though it hasn't been easy all the time.  God is always faithful.  This time last year, my relationships weren't as good as they are now.  My sister and I have become closer (we both had sons this past year, and it really brought us together).  An unexpected apology came from an old friend, and I have made peace with a long term ordeal and hopefully will build a relationship with that person as well...it looks hopeful!  And at the end of it all, I see the roles we have each played in the one another's lives, and it's amazing.  The author of redemption has seen us through to the end, and He mended fences I thought were doomed to stay in disrepair.  God is amazing.

I get to experience love in a completely different way now that I'm a mommy.  I get a small glimpse of the way God loves me...and I have to tell you, it's completely overwhelming at times.  I still have problems wrapping my head around God's love, but loving Oliver has given me a different point of view.  I can't quite put into words the way it makes me feel, but I'm forever thankful for the opportunity to experience it.  Raising a child is the most difficult and rewarding job there is.  I'm thankful God chose me to be Oliver's mommy.  =D

I hope you all had a great day with family, friends, and loved ones.  For the first time since we were married in 2003, Levi and I spent the majority of the day with my parents instead of his.  Levi deep fried two turkeys at mom and dad's, and omigosh...they were amazingly delicious.  We had dessert at Levi's Grandma's house...my MIL made the best German chocolate cake of all time.  Also, the dressing was the best ever.  I had a small plate of that, as well.  =)  Oliver had a hard day schedule wise...he was awake from about 10:30am-4:00pm...he skipped an entire nap!!  The worst part is that he was sooo sleepy, but it was so loud at my parents' house that he just couldn't get to sleep.  Poor guy.  He passed the crap out when we got home, though, and we haven't heard a peep all night.  Good boy!

One more thing; I have a friend who is need of some serious prayer.  Her parents are going through a really hard time, and her family needs your prayers.  Thanks in advance!

Praying God holds you close this holiday season...don't forget to cherish the moments with your friends and family!