Gratitude

For the last week I've been reflecting on things I'm grateful for.

One of the things I'm so totally grateful for is just how excited people are to see the twins. They have quite the fan club. And it does my heart well to see them so loved and wanted. I'm not sure how much they get it now, but I know that one day they will realize that SO MANY people love them and are so happy that they are a part of our family. They will know how much they were prayed for. And that is such a gift.

While posting about gratitude, I can't help but post about yesterday.

My friend Debbie and her four kids came over. Not only did they come over and provide adult conversation AND kid fun, they also brought lunch for everyone and hot wheels! The boys had so much fun with their friends and I had fun with Debbie. Since she was here, I was brave enough to go outside with all three boys and I found out it's not so hard. The weather was great - 60 degrees! The twins had a great time playing in the yard. I had forgotten how many outside toys we have in our toybox out there. Tristan hung out in the Baby Bjorn and I picked up sticks in the yard with the grabber. Yesterday was so nice on so many levels. Thank you, Debbie!!

Nehemiah 8:10 says that, "...the joy of the Lord is your strength." That verse makes me think of Debbie. She has FOUR little kids. One is deaf (but hears with a cochlear implant) and was born prematurely. Another is adopted and has some challenging behavior at times. But Debbie is always happy. She is always doing for others. She is such an example to me of how the joy of the Lord is our strength. I just had to share that. I know you are reading this, Debbie, so thank you for being who you are and allowing God to work through you.

Oh, and Debbie and her husband, Pete, were a driving force in our decision to adopt. They spent many Sundays after church talking to us in the parking lot after church about adoption. It was Debbie who first mentioned that we should adopt from Haiti. It was also Debbie who encouraged us to adopt before having biological children.