November 10th

I'm grateful for a wonderful missions conference at church this week and the events we were able to participate in. Yesterday, at church, two missionaries spoke at each service. Aaron wasn't able to make it to church since he had a bad cold, so Ezra and I went by ourselves! (First time since we've been married that one of us has gone to church without the other. But Ezra needed something to do anyway.) And Ezra made it through both services! I'm so proud of him!

I'm grateful for my sister-in-law being willing to spontaneously meet up with Ezra and I for frozen yogurt and some outside playtime as again, we tried to give Aaron some space to rest.

I'm grateful for the Christmas presents I've found, secondhand, for Ezra this week. On Saturday, I was able to sell $14 worth of things that we no longer need on Facebook. I then turned around and bought $14 of Christmas gifts for him through the same group of sites...with $14 I was able to get him over a dozen trucks for Christmas. Not just any trucks but big ones that light up and make sounds. I know that just one of those would easily go for $14 new, so I'm so excited!

And I'm grateful for...

my dear husband reading to Ezra morning and evening so I could do chores

a few dollars made here and there to help with Christmas expenses, a dollar for this and two or three for that, all adding up

clean sheets

fresh laundry

new kitchen washcloths

Oh, how much there is to be grateful for.

And what else? I'm grateful for the struggles against jealousy when I see other families full and mine still so small, the secret sharing of heart's deepest dreams and yes, deepest struggles, in a marriage, grateful for the hard times that become good through God's purposes and working.