I am thankful

I smiled as I just reread my Thanksgiving blog post from last year.... pretty much thankful for the same things this year. :)

This year has been a hard year - death of friends, tension with co-workers, uncertainty about our future ministry. But thankful for some sweet times together as a family and all the lessons the Lord has been teaching me.

So some little things I'm thankful for this year...

- That we can get import turkeys and cranberry sauce and fake Christmas trees and Christmas lights here. :)

- That Elijah is reading. I was terrified to teach my children to read, but somehow he's learned! One down, two to go. :) I love reading time with Elijah in the afternoon - I love hearing him read "Frog and Toad" and "Amelia Bedilia." I enjoy reading "chapter books" to him - we've read "Henry Huggins" and "My Father's Dragon" and "Boxcar Children" this year - all favorites.

- That my children get to grow up without commercials and TV. And that they are growing up around other children who don't watch commercials or TV.

- That Ezra is potty-trained! Do you know how much we are saving on diapers each month?!?!? :)

- Pizza Hut and "nasi kuning" night (Sunday nights we get fried yellow rice from a street vendor - so yum! - and a nice break from cooking) and "Frappacino" night at the MK school once a month (last night they made peppermint mocha frappacinos!)

- That cheese can survive a month in a package mailed from America. :) That we have family and friends who send us packages and treats from America.

- That international calling rates are so cheap. SO good to get to talk to friends and family and keep connected with life in America and call my mom (and mother-in-law!) for recipes or to pray together or to cry on a really hard day.

- That our house has a view. It's so beautiful and peaceful to look out over the valley. And I love all the fresh (FREE) fruit.

- That our boys have had so many experiences - helicopter rides, hiking in the mountains, playing with children who don't share their language or culture, but share their love of soccer and peanuts and popcorn. That our boys get to eat passion fruit and fresh pineapple and papaya daily. That they love foods from other cultures and can speak words in another language.

- That Brant is good at his job and enjoys it. That it allows him the flexibility to be home for lunch some days and take the boys along with him some days.

- That Caleb, even though he turns 5 on Sunday, is still my little boy and loves to rock and make up little songs and play with Play Dough and laughs with his big brown eyes.

- That Brant and I are celebrating 10 years of marriage next month. SO thankful for a great husband. We really have a lot of fun together and it's been a really good 10 years together. (Also thankful that we will be in America soon to get away someplace nice and celebrate by ourselves while Grandma watches the boys!)

- That people all around the world pray for us. We have felt their prayers this year and have experienced incredible peace during difficult times.

- That God is patient with me and forgives my sins. I am learning I am a Grade A sinner and yet God loves and forgives me. When people are Grade A sinners towards me (or Brant!), God forgives them too... and loves them too.

Praying that wherever you find yourself on Thanksgiving, you will have a beautiful day celebrating God's goodness with your family and friends!