Thankful.

The other day, my life-long friend, Kate came over for a visit. She and I have been friends since the 5th grade and although we don't spend a whole lot of time together these days, any time we spend together is like picking up where we left off last time. Anyway, while she was here, she was holding Nathan and gushing over him, and she said, "You must be really happy."

In one short sentence, she summarized how I've been feeling for the last few months. Overall, I'm a pretty happy person anyway, but I have learned a whole new kind of happiness, and for that, I am thankful.

I always knew that I would enjoy being a mother. There's no question that I have always looked forward to being a mother or that I would love it, but I still cannot believe just how much I love this little person, how much happiness he brings me just by looking at him, and how much he would change my life in just a matter of weeks. I am so fortunate to be his mother. When he coos and smiles at me, it just melts me every time. I am so thankful that God chose me to be his mother.

I look at him regularly and think about what a miracle life is, especially in children. God is so gracious to us in the gift of children. I cannot wrap my mind around the fact that I was chosen to be his mother...out of all of the women in the world, God has trusted me with this sweet, sweet baby. I am so thankful to Him for His many blessings, and especially my sweet little Nathan.

I am thankful for this happiness that I feel. There are so many contributing factors to my happiness, but the last year has brought a lot to us in the good and the bad, but for me, the good outweighs the bad, and for that, I am thankful.

I've been participating in the 30 Days of Thanks on Facebook, and I'm sure that plenty of people find that annoying, but I think it's good to really think about what you're thankful for once in a while. Some people have been saying, "Well you should be thankful all the time, not just in November" which I completely agree with, BUT...it's still nice to reflect on what you're thankful for and why...that's what Thanksgiving is all about afterall, right? Being thankful? I mean, let's be honest, we all know that the tale of the Pilgrims meeting the Indians didn't end in a friendly meal together, but that doesn't mean that we can't be thankful for what we have today.

Today, I encourage you to be thankful for what you have. Even if life isn't going the way you would like for it to right now, find something to be thankful for, and if nothing else, be thankful that you've been given another day of life.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours! :)