Thankful

I started this blog Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. I never really finished what I wanted to say and it takes me forever to get pictures on here. It is a slow process but just thought I'd throw out what I have. We had Thanksgiving dinner at our house Thursday. Some of my family and some of Gabe's family came. It was nice. The boys enjoyed their first American holiday. Vitalik especially enjoyed the amount of food! Colton was home from college and that is always a treat. The day was smooth sailing and for that I am thankful.

Friday after Thanksgiving I ran into one of my friends in Target. They are pursuing 2 children from Ukraine for adoption. These will be their first children. I so enjoyed watching her do the day-after-Thanksgiving thing looking for Razors for these precious children. What joy they are already bringing to her life. I am thankful that she found them and that they will be a blessing to each other.

Our friends, the Halls, are in Ukraine adopting right now. One of their girls gave them a scare earlier in the week and they were afraid she might not be willing to come to America. I am thankful God moved on her heart and she will soon be a permanent part of their family.

We have other friends in Ukraine right now adopting, Paula and Ande and Leetha and Rocco. I am thankful that both of these families answered the call to adopt and that three more children will have families soon.

Saturday we attended the annual family reunion on my daddy's side of the family. Fried catfish, boiled shrimp, football and rain made it a memorable day. I have read that adopted children sometimes have problems during holidays and/or large family gatherings but Vitalik and Eli soaked it all up. They are looking forward to going back to Thomasville at Christmas. I think they both are just so happy to be a part of a family. In fact, 95% of the time, they are happy with life in general, and for that I am thankful.

Last year during the Christmas season we were anxiously awaiting our I171H from USCIS, the last document needed before we could be submitted in Ukraine. With Vitalik about to age out, I had to make myself tackle the decorating and shopping that I love. I think it was only 10 days till Christmas before I put up our tree in 2007. This year, we got that baby put up before Colton left to go back to college on Sunday. I thank God that Vitalik and Eli were here, not on the other side of the world.

So very, very much to be thankful for that I can only skim the surface. God has blessed me more than I could ever deserve. Not only that but I get to see his grace and mercy poured out on so many others around me.

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