We Thank Thee ...

We celebrated our First thanksgiving as a new family. First, we woke up and watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade as we got ready to go to my birthmother's home. Sonora got to meet 2 of her cousins, Riley and Silas. She already met the other 2, Kelton and Claire. We played BINGO together and had a blast trying to get all the cousins to look at the same camera while 4 cameras were going off at the same time! The kids all love Sonora and I can't wait to watch her interact with them when she is a little older.
After Bridget's, we went to my mom and dad's and had our traditional feast. Sonora sat at the table with us and got to smell all the yummy food while she slept ...
After that, we headed over to the Madrigal's new home in Naples and spent time playing Sequence with Garrett, Lori and Mallory while Sonora got passed from person to person to be cuddled while she slept like an angel. We jokingly called Daniel Hawk-eye because he would hover over everyone as they held Sonora!

We came home and talked about how we just can't beleive all that has happened since last Thanksgiving! Our friends, Rob and Marie came over today and last Thanksgiving, the 4 of us were all in the process of adopting. None of us we anywhere close to getting a child and we were all frustrated with the system and wondering if it would EVER happen. Well, here we are today with our children, their gorgeous son is just under a year old, and Sonora is 5 weeks. We can't even believe it is real. We have so much to be thankful for!

I am thankful for:

Our healthy daughter

My ankles coming back

Being able to eat sugar again!

Daniel having a job

Both our cars work well and we have no car payments

Sonora has enough clothes to last for at least a year

We have food in the fridge

Hand-made blankets ;-)

We have a Christmas tree to look at and make us smile

Our health insurance (Sonora's birth cost over 15K!)

Friends like YOU who read the blog and pray for us!

AND MUCH MUCH MORE!!!!!!!!!

I can't help but think of the Tyree family who is spending their first holiday season without their dad/husband. I can't even imagine how that would feel. Especially with 4 kids to keep living for and trying to give them hope in life when all you feel is lonely because you miss your spouse. Please lift them up in prayers, as this must be such a sad time, even though they know the joy of Christ. I know they have alot to be thankful for, but it probably isn't as easy to come up with a list when you are grieving.