Saturday, November 28, 2009

Giving THANKS


This year the Smorstad family has so much to be thankful for! We have had a great Thanksgiving and felt so blessed to be surrounded by family and friends. (I didn't take ANY pictures..... ahhhh! I think I was a little busy making sure that Ivy's needs were met that I forgot to even get out my camera.) I wanted to reserve a post for giving thanks!
Two year old little girls.... specifically IVY CAMILLE! Being a parent makes me feel so blessed. Sharing this job with Greg makes it even better. Ivy is a reason to give thanks everyday. I am happy to have a healthy little girl, who provides comedic relief everyday!
Home We were so excited to become homeowners this year. It has made us feel independent, for the first time. We have loved putting our time and effort into taking care of it, because we know that it is our own. The extra room we have now is making us very anxious to expand our family!
Abundance We are able to live and live abundantly. We are able to meet our everyday needs of food, shelter, and clothing. We have a family that is rich in love. We have a church family that feels called to serve and is doing that. We have the abundant freedom to pray and love our Lord Jesus.
Nineteen first graders! Who would have thought that I would be so thankful for my job??? I never would have guessed that I would have such peace with going back to work. In retrospect, I can see the big picture. God has a plan and a purpose for us. And even when it is scary, we need to trust in Him. He has provided me with a great class (seriously, they are almost perfect) and He provided us with the ideal set up for child care. I have great friends that I get to work with everyday. I am so thankful to have my job.
Kentucky.... I am thankful that Greg graduated a found a job in Kentucky! I love everything about Kentucky. I love that our families are here. I love that we experience the perfection of all seasons. I love the wildcats (hahaha- I felt like I should put that.... but those of you who know me probably find that amusing)!
Salvation My mom lost yet another member of her family this month, her brother. Every time that we lose someone that we love, I am especially reminded of the wonderful gift of salvation. God loved His son, with a perfect love, and He sacrificed him so that we could live forever. That is amazing. That is a gift that we can never stop being thankful for. Because of this gift I know that someday we will all be reunited in Heaven.