Much to be Thankful for

On the eve of the season of Thanksgiving, I have so much for which to be thankful!

Thank the Lord that only 48 more days exist until my husband comes home from serving our country in the Middle East! I am thankful that he is doing well and that my sacrifices here enable him to care for so many serving in harm's way! I love you & miss you, babe!

I am thankful for my 3 precious children. They are my life.

I am thankful for our family's health! It is amazing to me how well our Samuel is doing, in spite of all his obstacles with Down syndrome. As Lauren says, "He is a tough little boy!" That he is! I guess when you've undergone open heart surgery at 1-month-old you are bound to be tough!

I am thankful to be in Naples, in such a beautiful locale, while my husband is deployed; and for the help of my parents as I single mother my children. My parents are a God send and I am so blessed to have their daily help.

I am blessed to be surrounded by a great community of friends and family. Everyone from our friends back at our base in Ohio (Wright Patterson AFB) to our extended family from around the country has been so good to check in on me and to send notes & care packages to Spence overseas. Thank you, everyone!

I feel thankful for the kind support of two friends in particular here in Naples, Lacey Demalis & Bethany Gaddis. Both women have been such a huge support in different ways. Lacey's husband is also deployed, to Iraq, and we have both found ourselves dumped in Naples with kids in tow while our husbands serve so far away. We went out to dinner last Friday night. She introduced me to a great new spot in Naples -- Trulucks Seafood and Crab. Wow! It was awesome to have a girl's night out! And, Bethany, our church's worship pastor's wife, and I have connected on a great level. She is such an authentic, refershing human being! I love her fun personality and down to earth Spirit. We met through a Bible study and I will MISS her when I return to Ohio in a month. I wish I could pack up both of these girls and take them home with me. :) Thank you, Lord, for friendship that sees us all through lonely days...

Finally, I feel thankful to be flying to Tennessee tomorrow to visit my sister & her family for the holiday weekend. She gave birth to a HEALTHY (thank you God!) baby boy last week, and I get to meet him for the first time tomorrow! Check out their photos at tnmillerfamily.blogspot.com to see his adorable mug!

Have a wonderful & blessed Thanksgiving everyone!