Thankful Day Indeed

How did your Thanksgiving Day start off? Did it involve hustle and bustle to get that turkey ready? Well, I have been quite emotional lately after our trip to Ukraine and been praying that God will bring peace to my heart. Today He did! My Thanksgiving Day, number 40 for me, started off in the most bestest (in the words of my 5 year old) way! My husband was not on patrol today so I rolled over and just snuggled with him as we listened to our sweet Carrington sing us her little song. I could hear my other children in their room playing so life was good. Brian and I were talking about how Carrington was just entertaining herself and I commented "that's because she had to" at which time God gave my husband the perfect words to say "and now she entertains us". Isn't God good? Of course when you have 7 children (only 6 need my help getting ready in the morning) you have your usual routine to do no matter what day of the year it is so Brian and I decided to divide and conquer: I take the kids on and he tackles the turkey. I think once again God was there for me in that this is the first Thanksgiving without my grandma, the one who I called every single Thanksgiving pretending to not know how to cook my turkey and some other dish, so to take on the turkey would prove to be just more than I could handle at this moment. As I am changing one of the triplets I hear a conversation going on with Brian and our Ethan about what else: the TURKEY. The conversation went like this:

ETHAN: Dad today is gift giving day (translation=Thanksgiving Day)

DAD: Thanksgiving Day Ethan

ETHAN: Oh yeah, right. What are you doing Dad?

DAD: Getting the turkey ready to cook.

ETHAN: Where are the feathers?

DAD: They took them off so we could eat it.

ETHAN: Good because I don't eat feathers. What's that Dad?

DAD: The neck of the turkey

ETHAN: Oh well I don't want to eat that. Is that the turkey's tushie Dad?

DAD: Yes.

ETHAN: Well the turkey can't go poopie out of it anymore now.

(this is where mom is laughing so hard in the other room)

DAD: No he can't E.

ETHAN: How long till I can eat that turkey Dad?

DAD: About 4 hours.

ETHAN: Geesh that is too long Dad. What else do you have for me to eat?

I am just sitting here listening to my family as they watch the parade for our annual tradition. This is both Reagan and Carrington's first Thanksgiving with our family and although they do not understand the significance I sure do. I know each year we all say what we are thankful for and for me each year it is the same: MY FAMILY. How could life be any better for me when I have my family? This time each year for the past 3 years now I say that next year will be the best because we will have our whole family together and each year it is true. I am loving and enjoying each day that I have my family around me-chaos and all because that is the gift God has given me. What amazes me is that Carrington has given me so much more to be thankful for than I had ever considered. All of my children are my reason for being thankful but Carrington has given me a different perspective. Perhaps it is all that she went through and how she was never appreciated for who she was and now we are celebrating each and every little thing she does and is. I don't know how to explain it really because I don't want it to seem as though I do not appreciate all of my children. I feel as if Carrington has been God's way of sending me onto a

new path. I stop and think back to how just a mere 8 months ago news was given to me that Carrington did not even have 24 hours of life left within her and now today she packs more into a 24 hour day than I can even try. Thankful. Yes, thankful to each and every medical professional who so lovingly took care of her, to all who helped raise the money for her adoption, to my husband for enduring a long and emotionally difficult journey to bring her home, to my children who were without their mommy for so long, and to God for believing in me to have been given this wonderful blessing to be Carrington's mommy as well as Madelaine's, Ethan's, Reagan's, Owen's, Hudson's, Evelyn's, and Mason's.

Next year my heart will be thankful that my two newest sons will be gathered around our table in some fashion or another. Carrington sure will have plenty of brothers to look after her ! We are a truly blessed family!

How can I not be thankful when I have these precious children?!
Where's is my plate of food Mommy?
Carrington sat up to the table with the rest of us for her first time ever!
What is this you are giving me Madelaine?
Hmmm..... I think I may need to sample some more. What do you have on that plate?

Oh Yes! I do believe I like these sweet potatoes.