Thankful...

As we were driving back home Thursday night, Walter and I both agreed that this year we had the best Thanksgiving dinners (yes, two dinners because we visit both sets of parents) we've ever had. Gisela made some delicious pumpkin pie and yummy sweet potatoes and my mom made the most amazing mashed potatoes and stuffing I've ever had, and they both made the best turkey I've ever tasted! Unfortunately, I don't have any pictures from Thanksgiving--I know, kind of a shocker right? Well, some days I'm just not in the mood to take pictures. Sorry.

I don't think there's been a year that I've been more thankful than this year. How could I not. My baby survived a twelve hour surgery and is doing amazingly well. His incision is healing so well and so quickly that you can hardly see it. Walter and I made it through the most trying week of our lives and came out stronger on the other side. Not only stronger as individuals, but stronger as a couple. And more than anything else, we believe in a God who performs miracles. Walter and I went into the day of surgery knowing that God could choose to take Isaac and I'm so thankful that He gave him back to us. Isabella is healthy, and happy, and perfectly three (which isn't always a good thing--I'm finding that three years old is the hardest age yet). Though Walter's job is stressful, it's a good job, his dream job in fact (which I have no problem reminding him of when he has a bad day). As for me, well, I'm thankful I can stay home with my kids. Even though some days are really hard and I wish I had a job to escape to, I wouldn't want to miss these moments we share together day in and day out. And last but not least, I'm thankful to all of the people who were thinking about us and praying for us during and after Isaac's surgery. I've received so many encouraging emails and phone calls and we've also been given some wondefully helpful meals which allowed us to focus wholeheartedly on Isaac and his recovery.

Isabella had a blast playing with her cousin Gabe over the weekend. We often heard Gabe crying and after going to see what was wrong found out that the culprit was Isabella's knack for bossiness. And since Saturday she's been a fairy. Yesterday it took some serious convincing to get her to wear something other than her dress with wings to playgroup. Like I've said before, it's very hard to get wings in the car seat and even harder to get wings into a coat. After much screaming and her saying she didn't want to go to playgroup I said too bad, because I want to see Linda's new baby. Ian will be two weeks old today. So if you need a baby fix, check out the pictures below.

 Playing together...