Giving Thanks

This is the longest I have gone without posting since Ellie was born.  But life is going well, and I'm thankful for so many things this Thanksgiving...

• I'm thankful that both I and my baby daughter are alive.  We both came very close to meeting Jesus on the day of her birth.  And she spent 10 weeks and 5 days in the NICU.  But we're both alive and healthy now.  And for that I praise the Lord.
• I'm thankful for a husband who loves the Lord more than me and who loves me dearly.  He's the leader of and provider for our family.  He's strong yet gentle and is an amazing servant to Elise and to me.
• I'm thankful for my beautiful and smart baby girl who is growing more and more each day.  Becoming a mom was more of a transition than I expected, but I now feel like a "real" mom and feel a deep, deep love for my daughter.
  
• I'm thankful for a warm house and a warm bed.  Although finances are very tight right now, the Lord is providing for us and we have not gone without the necessities.
• I'm thankful for my family and Kit's family who love us and support us.
• I'm thankful for our silly pug.  Although he can be a pain (and I definitely don't feel the same way about him now that I have a real baby), he is a constant reminder of the joy that pets can bring.  And his little sister thinks he's pretty darn fun to kiss and pinch.

I'm thankful for so many things, but those are some of the biggies that come to mind in these few brief moments I have to type.  Happy Thanksgiving!

This picture is a couple of weeks old, but it shows how Ellie felt about her first trip to Ikea - exhausted!  She had fun looking around but fell asleep toward the end.