Thanksgiving list.

This might not be the most interesting blog post to read, but I thought for my own encouragement, I wanted to write out some things that are on my heart that I'm thankful for.  We are celebrating Thanksgiving a week early with our SIM team tomorrow (at our house!), and I am gearing up mentally.  Also, I've made parts of a sweet potato casserole (savory, with bacon!) and a sweet potato pie tonight...with plans to whip up some dinner rolls and cider tomorrow.  So, in no certain order, I am thankful for:

• a clean bill of health for our little guy we're hoping will be assigned to us soon
• a chance to get to know our new, interim country director today
• daughters who love to play and laugh and be silly together
• Natty's patience with Jubilee when she throws fits
• Jubilee's ability to adapt to Natty's suggestions
• an amazing husband who loves to tour people around, even when he's feeling sick
• a God who continues to work on us even when we struggle with the same issues FOREVER
• coffee
• fresh fruit
• the hope of starting to build our first house in March
• our loving parents who will come to visit next year
• such sweet friends that we can share life with
• a deep and trusting relationship with our pastor and his family
• intense blue skies with no clouds
• farm animals that live in our neighborhood
• good books that challenge and/or entertain me
• our house helper, Fely
• the fact that I'm sitting on the couch in short sleeves right now, after dark, and I'm not cold (this only happens a few weeks out of the year)
• my best friend coming to visit in ONE MONTH (Ally!!!!!!)

Oh, there is so much more.  It's good to stop and make a point of thinking about everything we have to be thankful for.  Without wanting to sound like a Sunday school teacher, I am most grateful that Christ has covered me in His righteousness and nothing I can do or don't do will change the way God sees me- as His beloved.  That's good.  That's comforting.  So, although we won't be eating turkey this year, I am full of thanks.