Baking a Turkey?

This morning as I entered the Christmas Cave I honestly thought that somehow, someway David had snuck an oven into our room and was baking a turkey. The heat was so intense! I looked at him all snuggled in the bed next to Ashley and realized he wasn't trying to bake a turkey, he was baking a Gherkin! The first thing I did was strip off all of those blankets and turn the thermostat back down from 75 degrees to my comfortable 65. This guy is crazy! We can't live in a Christmas cave if its not cold enough to hang turkeys in.

Now that I have cooled things down in the cave, I will tell you how wonderful it is and how thankful I am to walk in and see Ash playing with her daddy each morning. She loves that guy so much. She had a long string of beads ( sent by our little Mission Friends class ) and she was beating him up with them. He was trying to hide under the blanket from her, but she is too smart for that. How blessed we are to have him here to celebrate Thanksgiving with us.

Today we have so many things that we are truly thankful for. As I sit and think of all that He has done for us this past year my heart overflows with gratitude. The thing that comes to mind for us the most is the gift of life that Ashley was given. We have set aside today to remember the family of our little donor. Dave and I have no idea who they are, but we will spend the day composing a letter to them. I pray that together we might find the appropriate words to share with them. Our hearts are so full of appreciation for the gift they gave to our daughter. If only I could take a picture of what is inside of my heart so they could truly see what a difference they have made in our family. I am searching for the words, the perfect words that would only bless them and not cause them pain. Please pray that God would guide us as we attempt to share our feelings with them.

We are of course missing our Blake and Allison, but as I listen to the joy in their words over the phone I am so thankful they are spending the holiday with our family. How wonderful it is to hear the happiness in their voices. They truly needed this time away from all the burdens they feel. I know how difficult it is for the two of them as they look at an empty nursery every day and as they see all of Ashley's toys sitting alone and unplayed with. God has truly blessed us with the most incredible people to be our family. There is no shortage of laughter, and love, and hugs in my sister's home for my children today, and I take great comfort in knowing that they are there.

As I attempt to count up the blessings in my life that I am thankful for this morning please know that each one of you are on my list. God has blessed us by your love, your support, your encouragement, and your prayers not only for our Ashley, but also for my entire family. You are loved and appreciated beyond measure. I am truly Thankful for each of you. Take care and enjoy time with your families, and HAPPY TURKEY DAY from the 3 of us here in Omaha. God Bless.