Thankful Thursday (A couple hours early)

I just read my cousin's blog, and I was moved to catch up with all that I'm thankful for. Her newborn baby passed away a couple hours after birth, and my heart just aches for her. She is incredibly strong, and I admire her immense faith and love for God. As school starts, I start to stress about schedules, lesson plans, student concerns, new curriculum, and scary evaluations of my effectiveness as a teacher. Though I don't get a formal evaluation as a mother and wife, I am always ranking myself in my mind among my friends and family. I often wonder, "Do I measure up?" "Am I doing my very best, really?" "Have I shown Emma and Mike how much they mean to me?" "Am I feeding them well enough? Are their clothes clean? Is the bathroom clean?" It becomes almost too much to bear. Then I realize that while my story is just that, mine, another person's story can put a lot into perspective.

I am thankful for my God. Though I'm not very vocal with my faith, I know that God has brought me through many difficult times. Without him, I'm not sure I'd get out of bed some days!

I am thankful for Emma's giggles and even her tears. Hearing both are precious sounds, and I am blessed to have her in my life.

I am thankful for a supportive and loving husband. Though he doesn't always understand the stress of being a teacher (and wife, and mother), he steps it up every year and tries to make my many hats easier to wear. (For example, he made dinner last night and even bought me a container of Ben and Jerry's Phish Food--my favorite ice cream ever!)

I love my family and am thankful for them all the time. We have our ups and downs; this year may prove to be trying in many ways, but we stick together and support each other!

This is us right before heading to a wedding reception. She was acting so funny and could hardly sit still for the picture! This is our Emma Jayne in a nutshell! We love her a bushel and a peck!